elbow. by Danielle Holley

championing the unconventional

elbow. vikky ivie newton faulkner tessa metcalfe nicolette clara iles music

clothes things

ÂŁ4.95

THE COVER lilac meadow

model

katie eleanor

photography nicolette clara iles

CONTACT US ryan.h-t@hotmail.co.uk danielle_holley@hotmail.com dmkent20@gmail.com lauramcbrine@hotmail.co.uk oliviakelly_1@hotmail.com rebekka-ayres@hotmail.co.uk farmstrong.x@hotmail.co.uk phone 07545993653 twitter @elbowmagazine instagram @elbowmagazine elbow-magazine.tumblr.com based in london produced by elbow publishing

THANKS Listen up PR, Ellie Harris, Nicolette Clara Iles, Vikky Ivie, Thomas Trux, Claudia Walder

The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Although all material is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher for any losses due to the use of material in this magazine. Copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of Elbow magazine.

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elbow. 1

We’ve plunged our hearts, drunk too much coffee and bared our souls in the process of creation. Championing everything unconventional and giving the elbow to the beauty standards of today, we’ve strived to engage with you on a personal level whilst offering a broader insight into more unusually engaging subjects. Catapulting new faces onto our pages, we searched high and low for some of the most interesting and creative minds to feature. Exuding a whole host of emotions and from humour to heartbreak our coverage is pertinent for all. Say goodbye to airbrushing. We thrive on presenting a raw and natural beauty that all of us bare. Selfappreciation is the key and we hope you can all come away with a well-rounded feeling of sheer positivity. Behind the scenes of almost every photo-shoot you could be sure to see at least one person dancing along to the ‘song of the day’. After a few cocktails, hazy shisha afternoons and endless all-nighters, it’s here. Elbow’s first issue.

Ryan Hoadley - Thaxter Editor

lilac meadow 68

noir & hayze exclusive interview 36

the one m an b a n d the big q&a 38

newton fa u lkner exclusive interview 42

profiles

generation modification

glamorisation

tessa metcalfe

your quarter life crisis

reclaiming ugly

elbow's suitcase

boys do cry

reviews

best place to have a flaw

lorraine friel

105

the epiphany

contributors

contributors D a n i e l l e Ho lle y art director

Raised in a small town in Lincolnshire, Danielle’s passion for graphic design has come along away since then. Working as a freelance designer for magazines around the city, in this issue she has experienced one of her biggest projects to date.

An awkward sorry excuse of a girl with not much better to do than try to cycle with no hands and desperately dream of being on Top of the Pops.

Re b e kka Ayr e s fashion editor

D a i s y M a y - Ke n t

I’m a freelance journalist, social media whiz and a party girl. Things I love include; my car, summer, chocolate, street style, leopard print, anything fluffy and festivals.

features editor

From styling celebrity shoots to reporting at London Fashion week, her petite voice and overall ‘cuteness’ certainly aren’t holding her back. This issue she’s provided a guide to the quarter life crisis, inspiration for the perfect summer space and voiced her opinion on one of David Eagleman’s most intriguing books.

Olivia Ke lly

social media editor

L a u r a Mc Br in e

I'm Sarah, a music journalist obsessed with films, metal, strawberries and symmety. I wear black everyday and Alexander Skarsgard is my one true love.

copy editor

Raised in Northern Ireland, Laura has come a long way from her small town roots. Reporting in fashion within this issue Laura has seen how being paralysed and having no breasts can not bring a woman down.

S a r a h Ar m str o n g junior features editor

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PROFILE

james vickery Meet James Vickery: the 19 year old singer/guitarist who has been on national television, performed at the O2 and recorded with house favourites Disclosure. Combining acoustic and soul music, Vickery started off playing gigs in pubs to only a handful of uninterested, drunk onlookers, but now he’s recording his debut album with BGM and things are looking ‘shabba’. Unlike many artists, Vickery wasn’t always aware of his talent. Diagnosed with a hearing impairment when he was born, he would find himself speaking very quietly, it wasn’t until he began seeing a vocal coach at the age of 10 when he learnt to speak louder. “Once I was confident and loud enough, I realised I had the ability to sing”. From there, music became omnipresent in his life. Vickery first came onto the scene when he auditioned for The Voice at the tender age of 16 and reached the blind audition stage. The following year he entered The X Factor, charming the judges with his rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Time After Time’ which catapulted him to the final 12 boys alongside 2012 winner, James Arthur. “I never really entered the competitions with the aim of winning them. It was at a time in my life when I was finishing my exams and I had to decide which path to take. I was unsigned and going to university never really appealed to me. I was gigging and just putting myself into anything and everything I possibly could, and TV talent shows where one of them. I was very young at the time and looking back on the experience, I definitely wasn’t ready.” Vickery’s cultivated group of musical influences have given him a fresh take on the soul genre. “I’ve always been inspired by Motown and classic music; Stevie Wonder and Boyz II Men”. Nowadays he’s taking influence from Gregory Porter, James Blake, John Mayer and Sampha,

“I am also loving James Morrison at the moment, people compare me to him a lot.” But it’s not just all about soul; Vickery has teamed up with house giants, Disclosure. Studying music and college with one half of the Lawrence brothers, the boys would make tracks in their spare time.“One day Howard sampled my voice on their track ‘Flow’ and it turned out pretty big. I was so proud to hear it being played on national radio.” In return, Latch has become one of Vickery’s favourite tracks. “A lot of people overlook the lyrics for how beautiful they are as it is a dance/heavily produced track”. Stripping it back to just a bass and guitar, his mellow spin on the upbeat house track gives you shivers. As for his own music, he keeps it simple in terms of production; acoustic is what he does best and latest track ‘Fly Away’ is emotive and perfectly crafted with his soft and soulful voice.

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PROFILE

ellen sampson Whichever way you look at it, shoes of the heeled variety have always been part of our history and can explore ideas of masculinity, femininity, power, practicality and obviously add height to the vertically challenged of us out there. The need for skilled and experimental shoe designers has become ever more important to the fashion industry. Pushing the boundaries and creating unconventional, thought provoking shoes is something which the modern woman wants. That is exactly what conceptual footwear designer Ellen Sampson does.Having studied Anthroplogy at university, Ellen Sampson’s design and style is heavily influenced by this; her time at Cordwainers College studying an MA in Fashion Footwear furthered her skills and passion as a designer. She is currently studying a PhD in Fashion Womenswear at the Royal College of Art and showcased her latest collection ‘Facet’ at London Fashion Week AW14. The ideas behind her current collection are based on materiality, objecthood, tactic knowledge.Citing Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore as her visual inspiration the feel of these artists can be felt in all of her collections. The chiselled wooden shoes wouldn’t look out of place at an art exhibition and give valuable ideas to the fashion forward crowd. Ellen Sampson says, “My work aims to transcend the boundaries between fashion and fine art and to make objects that would be as comfortable in a gallery as on the catwalk.” Smoothed edges and cut out pieces of wood reveal the inner shades and lines in a patchwork way. The unusual choice of material makes for this collection to be truly unique, offering new avant-garde ways of wearing heels. Previous collections ‘Rapid Form’ and ‘Absences’ also had a similar aesthetic, in simple white and black their fluidity in shape and form differs them from the current collection of blocky wood structures. The Absences collection experimented with texture and technique using PVC, wax, ‘saw dust firing’ and staining to achieve the different looks of the curved clogs. Her techniques and experimentation allows the meaning and role of footwear to change which is something in which Ellen Sampson values she says, “I am constantly compelled to return to my interest in the language of fashion; the layers meaning and metaphor afforded to the clothes we wear… I am fascinated by the role that footwear plays in social interaction… in particular the relationship between footwear, sexuality and power.” It can be said that these shoes have meaning beyond the norm and the collection lives up to its ideas of ‘tactic knowledge’. These designs will be sure to inspire many shoe collections to come.

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PROFILE

nicolette clara iles There are only so many run-of-the-mill editorials one can consume before the taste of yet another Fashion Fairytale strikes as underwhelmingly vanilla. Nicolette Clara Iles, however, is no generic photographer – flick through her portfolio and you’ve found the perfect escape hatch, rocketed into the far reaches of a world seemingly dreamed up by pagan aliens with a penchant for all things kitsch and glitzy. Blue-rinse hues and a soft-focus haze come together with eerie mystique under Iles’ vision, honing an aesthetic that is every bit as creepy as it is captivating. For the most part, photographers uphold the city with a sense of milk-and-honey idealism, but for Iles, the grass is most definitely greener in the Kent countryside – the setting, and inspiring source, for much of her photographic work, as well as the place she proudly calls ‘home’.Pick any image shot by her lens – portraits and scenescapes alike – and you’ll find nature has probably played a hand, but without even a hint of the picture postcard about it; think the lurking darkness of a barren wood, far removed from some kind of blossom and blue sky cliché. So where does an artist find such otherworldly inspiration here on planet Earth? “Death is always something that at once haunts and inspires me,” she explains, “and fictional stories or poetry where mystical elements are found”. And while the supernatural works its magic, innocence, by delightful contrast, never fails to make its presence known. Whether in baby blush hues or the glisten of a doe-eyed stare, the spirit of youth is what permeates through Iles’ trash-clad cosmos, thwarting classic beauty with undertones that are a little less palatable – but who aspires to be palatable? At the same time, to say ‘sugar-coating’ didn’t come into the frame would be an untruth;

sweetness saturates Iles’ women to tooth-aching degrees, speaking as to far more than mere femininity. “Women go through so much, especially young girls, and it’s quite tough in a maledominated society to show that, yes, we can have fun and be playful or unladylike – or even girly – all at the same time,” she says, “I’d hope to reflect that women aren’t one-dimensional, but have many sides to be explored and understood”. Just as Iles rebuts the presentation the female subject as a vacuous doll, her models are similarly idiosyncratic, by today’s standards at least, with exaggerated lips or pre-Raphaelite faces. “I think a person’s character reveals a lot of their beauty,” she relays, “I like to see a story in somebody’s face”. Such stories seem to have served her well, telling an inspiring tale to be embellished by the ethereal mind’s eye of Nicolette Clara Iles.

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PROFILE

samantha harris Twenty year old Samantha Harris is an up-and-coming film director and photographer who aims at tackling difficult subjects such as mental illness within her short films. Living in London and studying Contemporary Media Practise at the University of Westminster her short films provoke authentic thoughts that force the audience to reflect upon themes that aren’t often widely discussed, leaving each spectator with a greater understanding of the issue depicted. With an interest in film that spanned her whole life, Samantha initially thought her destined career was to act within them, yet after applying for drama schools the realisation hit her that she would much rather be on the other side of the camera bringing her visions to life. Despite always having a passion for film and being at both sides of the camera, she only recently envisaged it as being her chosen career path rather than an enjoyable hobby.Thus far, Samantha has created three short films as part of her universities course curriculum; 'Beneath The Surface', 'Alternate Perspectives' and 'Vacant/Engaged' which all be viewed on YouTube. All three have a slightly experimental aesthetic but tackle difficult subject matters. Vacant/Engaged is focused around Schizophrenia and despite Samantha’s own battle with other mental illnesses she found she had to do copious amounts of research in order to portray Schizophrenia from the correct perspective without the film being taken as a ‘glamorisation’ of the situation. Samantha realises the difficulty in capturing harsh, yet real, subjects such as mental illnesses within not only her own films but the films around her, yet by drawing on her own experiences and researching fully her films are beautiful explorations of topics that many may not be able to comprehend themselves. Alongside all her work in film directing, Samantha always considered taking photographs as somewhat of a hobby. But after vast experimentation with Photoshop she found herself creating pictures that looked more like pieces of abstract digital art and her interest in creating a host of images with this aesthetic grew.Samantha’s latest project on which she is currently working is an attempt to visualise how much we have been affected by the rise of the digital age. In this she will be transforming herself into Queen Elizabeth I and developing her persona an internet personality through the access of various social networking websites. Samantha Harris’s short films and photography can be seen on her Tumblr based blog (panthasam.tumblr.com).

RHT

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IN T E R V IEW

tessa metcalfe Handcrafted with love and care, designer Tessa Metcalfe has a unusual technique to create fine and interesting jewellery.

orn and bred in Hackney, East London, Tessa Metcalfe has a unique way of creating beautiful jewellery. With pigeons being part and parcel of London’s urban environment, often being looked at as a ‘rats with wings’, Tessa sees the beauty in these feral birds and uses their feet as casts for her jewellery range. “I had a pair of pigeons feet left after I made a hat out of the rest of the bird. I’ve felt a real affinity with pigeons since I was a child. I think growing up in a city you don’t get much wildlife but the pigeons were always around. I liked that they were the underdog of the bird world. I felt there was something more to it, like a story that needed telling.” With road kill and animals given to her from her father, Hugh Metcalfe, the ideas of using them rather than letting anything go to waste lead her to start exploring taxidermy in her bedroom. Although it seems that there is something dark about the taxidermy process Metcalfe believes it has honesty to it, “To me its recycling and celebrating the beautiful natural form of something- Not everything has to be manufactured identically and made perfect, sometimes the things right in front of us are more beautiful, it’s just looking at them differently.” Some of her other work called ‘mice’ saw her use little mice in which she put jewels in their eyes for the shop window of an independent jewellers in Brighton called Baroque, and this was nominated for the Jewellery Week’s UK shop window competition. Her designs come in gold, silver and bronze and often have a precious stone encased in the claws of the pigeon. With rare stones in an array of colour from pearly white to black crystal

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juxtaposed against the wrinkly sharpness of the claws, the collection of jewels have a primitive but expensive feel. “Jewellery is an object purely for pleasure. You don’t need them, you want them, and I celebrate that. Rings should make you smile and add fantasy to everyday life”. She cites the stories of Leda and The Swan and Hans Christian Andersen’s, The Ugly Duckling as one of the biggest epiphanies in her life and her belief in myths and legends gave her the passion to incorporate this into her designs so that the wearer can have “a little dream to carry.” With a background in illustration her jewellery speaks of intricacy and specialism with attention to the finest details. “What I took from my education was the idea of visual communication. Telling a story through an object or image without the barrier of language, I think that is a beautiful idea and when I pass on a piece of my jewellery it’s like giving someone my fairy tale.” Bringing her ideas of magic and fantasy to jewellery design is something new and her methods confirm this. “It’s unconventional I guess. I studied illustration and then got into taxidermy which has leaded me, somehow, to jewellery, and I love it. I’m self-taught so I design backwards and learn the skills after; it’s a process of love.” The collection based around ‘finding beauty in the gutter’ was shown at London Fashion Week’s Wolf&Badger showcase which supports new and exciting independent fashion, jewellery and accessories design. www.tessametcalfejewellery.co.uk

INTERVIEW

norwegian rain

For Norwegian Rain, performance is high, meticulously designed and with the art of aesthetic in mind, making the age-old dilemma between practicality and design wholly obsolete.

concept conceived under the umbrella of Europe’s wettest city, Norwegian Rain is a label for the elements, fashioned for those who like their rainwear sartorial. Bergen homes the brand that threads Japanese sensibility into its function-rich outerwear, unperturbed by a market saturated by PVC raincoats and flimsy anoraks. Working in weatherproof membrane fabrics recycled and imported from Japan, designer T Michael draws upon his tailoring background to produce collections bespoke to the style climate of each season, alongside creative director and Master of Business, Alexander Helle. Born of Norway’s ‘dugnad’ tradition – a neighbourly philosophy by which communities volunteer their services in respect of a common goal – it was the enterprising imagination of the brand that beckoned collaboration between Bergen’s creatives, culminating in this finely-engineered fabrication. Materials are equally altruistic, sourcing organic cotton and abstaining from solvents, all the while reducing CO2 emissions by a conscientious 80% in the process. Men’s shapes take heed from the timehonored trench, in resourceful cuts to shake off the shackles of their fusty predecessors. Whether double or single breasted, finishes

defy to conform to their set expectations; by displacing fastenings and concealing cryptic details, raincoats offer a swiss-army-knife of style options to the wearer, shape shifting in seconds to a guise entirely unperceived. Folds serve dutifully to both high neck and open lapel, converting from spread to standing collar in a matter of moments – even a detachable hood to shield the transient temper of the clouds . While silhouette transforms, color remains consistent, in a muted palette of olive green and greys. Herringbone takes blacks to a soft and subtle charcoal with its quiet texture, lending just enough elaboration to let the balance hang in the hands of form. Women, too, meet a compass of choice, as classic belted macs unbuckle readily into swing capes. The unisex Raincho, meanwhile, marks their most ingenious legacy to date, at once a comfort staple and sculptural marvel. Horn buttons punctuate the purity of its outer shell, enveloping the body with the considered vigilance of exquisite origami. Embracing frame with their downy cashmere linings, Norwegian Rain’s scrupulously constructed pieces give good enough reason to yearn for rainy days. www.norwegianrain.com

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elbow's suitcase

1, jeans, jean paul gaultier, £210, jeanpauljeans.com 2, hat, carhartt, £18, carhartt.com 3, top, ralph lauren, £55, ralphlauren.com 4, shoes, underground shoescribe, £102, undergroundshoes.com 5, socks, ralph lauren, £22, ralphlauren.com photographer olivia kelly

2 1, trainers, nike, ÂŁ95, niketrainers.com 2, shirt, lula bartley, ÂŁ105, lulabartleyclothing.com 3, skirt, asos, ÂŁ60, asos.com photographer olivia kelly

1, jeans, versace jeans couture, £255, versacejeans.com 2, vest, comme des garcons, £120, commeclothing.com 3, watch, skagen, £150, skagenwatches.com 4, shoes, dolce & gabbana, £455, dolce andgabbana.com photographer olivia kelly

FEATURE

flaw;

(noun) a mark, blemish, or other imperfection which mars a substance or object.

Big Head

By bizarre reasoning of western beauty ideals, in highlighting the scale of a friend’s sizeable skull, what was intended as insult translates to glittering compliment in Tinseltown. Director Norman Jewison proffered the term ‘roman head’ to declare this perceived flaw an almost enviable trait, for under the bright lights of Hollywood, caricatured features augment success, reading eloquently across a silver screen. Fans of Entourage will be familiar with the quote, “the bigger the head, the bigger the star” – an absurdly accurate observation that is backed by concrete proof, in the form of Bruce Willis, Russell Crowe and politics’ best punch line, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The big head phenomenon is not a new one either – it was present at the birth of cinema, with actors like Burt Lancaster and Steve McQueen cast for their acting abilities, sure, but on a physical level, the camera favoured the way their proportions were able to transmit those talents and rendered their stardom explosive. So big heads take note and start learning those lines – your ample brains might give you that advantage too.

Small Head

While many deem it a curse to be bestowed with a substantially-sized head, the same can be said for those who sit at the other end of the spectrum, equally burdened by self-doubt in the image of proportion or, more explicitly, the lack of it. Korean women, on the other hand, strive for this kind of dainty littleness, albeit to an unhealthy degree. The prerequisite for beauty delineates a tiny, V-shaped face – the smaller the better. Actress and paradigm of Korean beauty, Go Ara, fuelled obsession with the physical ideal when a television show broadcast a measuring of her coveted doll-like face. 17cm put a number to the model form, sparking a wave of ‘small face tests’ across

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blogs and social media. Like Ara, girls held rulers up to their heads to authenticate their magic number, or posted photos with their faces covered by CDs – just the edge of an eyebrow peeking out beneath its 12cm radius. Such a phenomenon sounds trivial, but the result harbours a climate of low self-esteem and has spawned a market for jaw reduction and cheekbone shaving procedures, as well as an unthinkable array of non-surgical contraptions to achieve the same effects; face rollers, slimming masks and massage treatments promise to sculpt a V-line face, tapping into the insecurities of Korean women, much to the detriment of self-acceptance.

Crooked Teeth

If the glossy propaganda of consumer culture is to be believed, no shiny happy person is complete without their Hollywood smile. Such a zeitgeist fostered a unanimous shame of anything but seamless symmetry, and the NHS made braces a basic entitlement of anyone whose teeth fell short of perfection, pushing skews into line and sealing the gaps. Of course, there are health benefits to having straighter teeth – they are easier to clean – but, as anyone deemed worthy enough of train tracks will testify, this is not the memo we received; the pressure to conform to a deigned ideal is far greater than any health benefits the dentist assumed were not our primary concern and so neglected to tell us. It strikes as absurd, then, that a surging number of women in Japan are paying hundreds of pounds to misalign their teeth, in pursuit of the ‘yaeba’ look. Translating as ‘multilayer’ or ‘double tooth’, the treatment involves attaching adhesive mini-fangs to canine teeth, with the option of permanent or temporary results. The craze upholds the notion that crowded mouth of jagged teeth appears childlike and endearing, and is wildly popular amongst girls in their teens and early twenties who wish to sport an impish smile.

the best place to have FEATURE

Big Noses

Physiognomy is the ancient art of face reading, founded on the idea that a person’s outer appearance can reveal an essence of their inner character. Practiced in China for thousands of years, one of the study’s most reassuring principles lies in its interpretation of the nose, which prefers a strong, straight nose as its physical ideal. The size of the nose is indicative of wealth, a substantial one signifying a great capacity to earn money, as well as a good approach to the matter of finance. An aquiline nose is a symbol of strong will and independence, a high bridge telling of heightened levels of energy. Ego, too, manifests itself in the bridge, a person’s air of self-importance directly paralleled to where the curve sits. A long, thin nose suggests the subject is prudent and highly-strung, while wider features are a portent of devil-maycare impulsiveness, as well as a greater sense of self-image.

Eye Bags

Sticklers for detail might like to acquaint themselves with the medical moniker, periorbital dark circles, but to those all too familiar with the affliction, they go by the less-than affectionate name of eye bags – that tell-tale sign of a lifetime of hard work and an embarrassment of birthdays. Yves Saint Laurent’s

impressive sales statistics for cult concealer Touche Éclat have become something of an urban legend for the airbrush generation; if what you seek is a flaw-forgiving audience, “one bottle sold every ten seconds” doesn’t bode well. While symptomatic dark circles are by no means glamorous, arising from a lack of sleep or poor health, this can often tar the reputation of the harmless hereditary smoky eye. Synonymous with French insouciance, it is the dark and brooding deep-set eye that imparts a sultry sense of intrigue and intellect to the likes of Marion Cotillard or Inès de la Fressange – to conceal their shadows would be to rob them of their impossible allure, not to mention, only mark a step further in the direction of soulless uniformity – excuse enough to steal back an extra five minutes in the morning.

a flaw - twenty seven -

FEATURE

generation modification why modifying your body is bigger than ever before. Upon first sighting of a tattoo, it’s quite common for one to think or ask what the tattoo means. Next to ‘does it hurt?’, it’s the first question I’m usually asked. Sometimes, they have a long but inspirational meaning and other times, it’s merely because a certain design was favoured. Either way, every modification tells a story in one-way or another.

t rarely surprises us now to be shocked by a male or female covered head to toe in ‘ink’ and ‘metal’. We have been seeing sights like this since the late 1980’s from the mod’s and punks, but why now, more than ever before, has body modification skyrocketed to new heights of changing the way you look? It seems to be more popular than ever in inversely daring and dramatic ways.

and have been hooked ever since. But now it seems a tattoo just doesn’t quite cut it for some with modification, who are now turning to extremes such as surgery to change the way they look. A close friend of mine Kirsty, 24 also got her first tattoo at 16. Now, with over 30 tattoos and 18 piercings she plans on taking it further to experience a true body mod.

For any tattoo fanatic, we all know what its like when faced by a parent or elderly person when they first discover our ink. Of course, we are then forced to answer demanding questions of what we plan to do career-wise now we that have a tattoo. Generation Y have been criticised for placing body art into the mainstream and have recently become the poster children for the tattoo and piercing industries. With an “I don’t care” attitude, parents are concerned that they’re making rash decisions without thinking of the consequences first.

“I want a tattoo implant. This is where an artist cuts open a small area of skin and places a plastic implant of a shape inside. You can pretty much get anything you want from skulls to squares. They then insert that under the skin and over time your skin will eventually start to push it against the body which causes the indent of the shape, it looks like a 3D tattoo.”

I remember walking into a tattoo parlor at the young age of 16, desperate for my first tattoo, without a blink of an eye from the artist and before I knew it, I’d had my first experience of body modification

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What made you want something like this? It’s the new tattoo. It’s that extra step to be even more unique. With our ever-changing world, of course I agree with the fact that being unique just isn’t possible anymore. Everyone can do it whether

FEATURE

“It’s the new tattoo. It’s that extra step to be even more unique.”

it’s through some funky vintage clothing or a colourful blog. Everyone is now considered cool in his or her own way. Modification does stretch further than plastic, ink and metal, but even something like lip fillers and boob jobs are still a form of modification. Amy, 33, had her first boob job over two years ago, she says: “I got my surgery for the fact I just wasn’t happy with my appearance. I didn’t feel like a woman and I felt like men never looked at me.” Do you think having a boob job has changed how you feel and think about yourself now? “It’s definitely made a huge difference in how I feel but now I think it’s sometimes the only reason why I get any attention at all. There’s a difficult line between wanting to feel better about yourself and just doing something for attention. You have to think carefully about what you want before you do something that can change who you are forever.”

or my modifying over the years, because it defines who I am and it represents me. I believe that programs such as 'Body Shockers' on Channel 4 are brainwashing those who already have a little modification. It seems that not everyone wants to reverse back their chosen tattoo or piercings like the show seems to perceive. For those of you battling the endless game of bad stares and constant quizzes about you’re future, it’s important to think carefully about how you could potentially change your body and in such a dramatic way. Hopefully that’s obvious to everyone, but then again, there is nothing more exciting than being different. “I would never change anything about myself. I have a secure job that I love. Perhaps I do live a little too adventurously for some but they aren’t me and that’s ok too. Whether you’re a first-timer or a covered in ink, you should be proud to show off who you really are; because you’re ink is you’re art and modifying is a part of you.” Kirsty.

Being young, free, spontaneous and a little daring is fun and I’m the first person to admit that. I would never change any of my tattoos

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ma of thou think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. we are what we think.

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an ught

clothing / silver dress / zara blue shorts / nike hat / new era

clothing / red jacket / all saints black jeans / levi hoody / nike trainers / adidas socks / topman

model jarvis kelly photographer olivia kelly photo editor danielle holley clothing / red shirt / vintage

INTERVIEW

Noir, the head of label 'Noir Music' is the iconic Danish DJ, with Hayze as his counterpart completing Noir and Hayze. The super cool and laidback yet sensitive producer has just dropped his new release “Angel”. With a beautifully melodic that straddles the line between house and techno. Danielle Holley caught up with Rene from Noir and Hayze to chat about his inspirations and ambitions.

What are you doing today?

I’m actually in my house, in the studio, trying to finish I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this but I’m trying to finish a mixed CD for Mix Mag magazine. So how did you get into the music business?

noir

I’ve been playing music since I was little boy, I didn’t know any musicians, I don’t know how I just picked up on it. When I was 6/7 years old another boy that I hung out and his big brother was very interested in hip-hop and electronic, that’s how it really started. He kind of introduced me to that side of the music. From the ages of 8 to 10 I had Duran Duran posters and was listening to that kind of music. At about 12 I started to really get into techno, music was always in my life. Expressing my mood through music helped me through a lot. Where does your inspiration come from when you write your own music?

In the beginning I knew I wanted to make music, the inspiration was always from new order and stuff like that. I think it still is today; it still is like electronic, instrumental checks. So many different things inspire me. It was a long process; I started from scratch knowing nothing from chore structure to key changes. My father died and I inherited a very small amount and decided to use that for a computer programs to make music and I quickly realised that I couldn’t really make music. I wasn’t a skilled musician so I hooked up with a guy who taught me how to use the software and then I started to play around. A lot of his friends came to the studio, people playing saxophone and guitar, so I just sucked in everything I could and that was kind of my schooling. I think it took me 6 years until I felt confident enough to start producing tracks on my own. Can you play any instruments?

Not really, I want to start playing guitar so I can write songs

so that way I can make music even more from scratch. All the music you hear from me is from a keyboard.

If you could pick any other genre of music to be in what do you think that would be?

If I had to move away from house and electronic music completely I would probably be making music like Adele, sitting by a piano and writing beautiful songs. So what was your main inspiration behind 'Angel'?

With 'Angel', Hayze sent me the vocals, he already made the verses and the chorus for angel so all I had to do was put music to it and I think I made 6 or 7 versions before the version you hear now. It took me about 5 or 6 months to get there because his vocals were so significant and I didn’t want it to sound too much like everything else here in the deep house charts. I kind of wanted it to have its own personality so when I was playing around with everything I played different melodies. If I was inspired by anything it was the late 70s disco. If you had to sum up your music in three words what would It be? Sexy, Beat, Electronic

So what’s been the highlight of your career so far, would you say?

In 2013 I looked back on my life and realised I’ve actually been living the dream. It wasn’t a wake up call, it was like someone tapped me on my shoulder and said ‘hey do you realise what you’ve accomplished?’ I’m making music like I wanted to as a little kid, I’m a travelling DJ and I have my own record label. I achieved all of the dreams and that’s been the highlight of my career. Are you playing any festivals this year?

Oh, yeah I am, there’s always festivals in the summer,

I cannot remember all of the names. I know I’m playing at a festival in London called Found festival. I’m also playing Awakenings in Amsterdam. Do you have any other hobbies beside your music?

I love watching TV series and reading books. I find it interested reading about other musicians and artists. I don’t know if running and working out is a hobby but I enjoy that too. There’s not much more I do. So did you experience any set backs in your career? Yeah I think I’ve had a few. I never really hit the point where I was like ‘I don’t want to do this anymore’. I feel a lot of music and cultural is influenced by the media there’s not that much room for underground it can be hard to survive. Of course there was time I struggled with not having much money but I just had to keep the faith and believe in myself. So what’s next for Noir and Hayze?

Next, is Noir is making an album with different singer and songwriters and I’m trying to finish enough demos for my album and trying to find exciting new singer songwriters. Hayze is living in Malaysia, we’ve never met actually, there’s good chemistry between us and we’ve talked on the phone and through emails. Hayze is now working on an album too, which will be more acoustic, stripped back and it sounds really good. I think maybe this year I will be releasing a single with Hayze but it’s not been confirmed yet. I think in the future me and Hayze will release music together again. I’m sure we will meet somewhere in the future. Last question then, just a fun question, if you had an empty swimming pool what would you fill it with?

Puppies. Lab puppies, white, yellow and black ones. I think a lab puppy pool would be cool. I really like dogs. I have a big weakness for dogs especially puppies. Another highlight for me would be getting a dog.

Hayze

INTERVIEW

"I had Duran Duran posters and listened to that kind of music. At about 12 I started to really get into techno, music was always in my life. Expressing my mood through music helped me through a lot."

- thirty seven -

INTERVIEW

Thomas Truax, an American solo artist, spoke to Danielle Holley about his new album release, 'Trolls, Girls and Lullabies', his handcrafted instruments and what it's like to be a one man band. Where did the inspiration to form a one man band come from? As a child, I liked to strum and pluck the springs on the underside of the bunk bed above me. I reckon I wrote whole spring symphonies that way, whilst simultaneously driving my brother (who was trying to sleep up there) crazy. My lifelong fascination with springs is still there, there are some on (my instrument) the Hornicator, and I have a drawer full of them just waiting to be included on something new.

I never thought I'd enjoy being a 'solo' artist, but I'd never done an open mic before and I thought I eventually had to do it just to see how it felt, kind of as a rite of passage, so I did the famous 'Antihoot' one night in NYC at a place called Sidewalk (run by antifolk kingpin Lach, who now has a radio program on BBC4). It was rough, I thought I played terrible and that that would be the end of that, but Lach seemed to think otherwise and immediately offered me a gig. He was integral in encouraging me to pursue my own thing, whatever it is. Do you ever get lonely producing music on your own? I'm not lonely when I'm producing music, because music has always been one of the best and most reliable friends and companions I've been lucky enough to have in life. And when I'm getting creative, I forget about myself and just surrender to the work, so though I do spend a lot of time alone, the loneliness comes in more when I'm out on the road and get a flat tyre, (and the Hornicator isn't much comfort when you've got a flat tyre, he doesn't fix those things). Do you think you could ever be part of a band, or do you think it would be do hard to work alongside others? I have done a lot of bands and still do some from time to time. Last year I was asked to be part of a band in Germany called the 'Almost Has Beens'. Some of the members had been bona-fide famous in the past, far more popular than I've ever gotten (I was also the youngest) so I wrote a song with a chorus that asked 'How can you be a has been when you haven't been a been?' and that became almost our theme song. It was loads of fun. But bands progress slower than solo acts; it's Newton's fourth law. Are there any artists youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to collaborate with? I collaborate sometimes with video artists sometimes, and I've been doing a theater production in Germany with a director named Kay Voges who I met many years ago and immediately thought that in some capacity, I'd like to work with this guy some day. And I've done projects with Jarvis Cocker, Brian Viglione (of the Dresden Dolls and now the Violent Femmes

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What genre of music would you class yourself as? I don't class myself as being in any genre. I think as soon as you do that you put yourself in a box and limit yourself creatively, because you see yourself then as one thing and creativity for me is all about thinking outside 'the box'. It's done damage to my "career" because people like to put things in nice little boxes and organize them in their minds that way, that's how they find things they like. It's gotten ridiculous now because in the internet age there's almost no way to be discovered unless you are related to someone or something else by some categorization. But people and creativity are liquid things, and as long as we go around imprisoning ourselves in some brand of glass bottle we're bound to get shaken and explode or break some time, spill out all over the broken glass and wonder what we've done to ourselves. How do you name your instruments?

one man band

I did bands for years. Worked like crazy to try and succeed, and to try and break the mythical mystic code necessary to do so, and often it felt we were getting near, but gradually they all imploded due to the typical frustrations and infighting that goes with that territory.

drummer) and Amanda Palmer, and many others. These things happen kind of organically. Like charges attract. But collaborating with Mother Superior is what I love the best. She's never late for sessions and never hung over.

It usually just comes to light as they reach birth somehow. My first acoustic drum machine was the Cadillac Beatspinner because I found the hood ornament off a Cadillac and it looked perfect on her. Then Sister Spinster came along, a smaller one that I could take on an airplane when I started touring overseas. I built Mother Superior in England, and as I was building it, my housemate, Polly, asked what I was going to call it and I said I didn't know. It was going to be a little bigger and hit a little harder than Sister Spinster, it was going to be superior. It was Polly that said 'Mother Superior!' in response to that, and that was just perfect. Are you working on creating any new instruments at the moment?

At the moment this may seem a little boring but I'm working on a special pedal board for my guitar/Hornicator pedals. I've got this big tour coming up and I've reached a point where I've realized I spend so much time patching cables and gear together in my setup every night that it's enough to drive anyone crazy, and adds tension for the sound people and other bands and myself so I've decided to focus on refining and streamlining some things before I expand the family again. It's just necessary at this point. What has the future got in-store for you?

Well, I've got a new album that's just come out 'Trolls, Girls and Lullabies' which is music I wrote for a production of Peer Gynt at a very happening theater in Dortmund, Germany. And the UK tour in April and May. Then in the summer I hope to get back to finishing an album I started almost two years ago now with Brian Viglione, that I mentioned before, on drums.

newton

INTERVIEW

The angel of folk music entered our world in 2007 with his number one song, 'Dream Catch Me' and his beautiful ginger dreadlocks intrigued us all. He’s captured our hearts with every note from his guitar and soft voice. With two feature length albums under his belt, and gearing up for 2014’s festival season, Danielle Holley talked to him about what’s next for Newton Faulkner.

Tell us a little bit about the setup for your album? The setup is all for my newest album which came out in the summer. It’s named after a musical documentary. I have had 4 cameras in my house, which have documented the making of the whole album from scratch, every guitar take, every vocal, just everything that goes into the album. What made you go for such a different format? I think it was a way of working that just made everything come together. Normally on stage, it’s just me. While making the album, on the other hand, I had a sort of radio character - I wanted to bring the music that I play in shows and allow a larger audience to listen to it. Its interesting as well that the album had a load of visual content to use in whatever way one wants. It was so interesting though because this is the first time anyone has done this. At one stage during the process even I was a bit concerned about how it would pan out. Have your fans had an input to your music? Yeah! They have had an input because I’ve constantly been asking them what they thought of vocal takes single and double choruses. I have a constant conversation with my fan base while making the record, which has been incredible. The sound in your new album is a little different then what we have heard before from you, do you agree? Yeah this is a bit different. The album almost goes back to a time before my first record. It’s not really me going back to my roots but its certainly one of the most guitar based album I have done. The previous stuff had been layered and produced but this feels more sort of minimalist because it’s just really me on my own. We have also had a lot of good people coming into the whole process. Nick Harper for example one of my early influences did some stuff for us, which sounds great. We have also had India Born who plays with Ben Howard, she came in and did some super cool stuff on the cello. We’ve been so lucky! Where do you take your inspiration from? For this album I wanted to make something with an oldschool sound but also which has modern lyrics. The

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playing was relatively futuristic acoustic. I’ve taken a lot of influence from people like Philip Glass those type of minimalist artists. Even minimalist electronica - I’ve been taking inspiration from that. It’s kind of got an electronic touch but also focuses on the major chords one that most acoustic people don’t use. I like it though! Your album is very relaxing, do you agree? This is probably the most emotionless intense album I’ve ever done. When you do an album with just a guitar it has to have a certain level of honesty in it. You can’t exactly write an acoustic album about going clubbing can you! The lyrics have to have an emotional weight to them. This is kind of a duet between and instrument and a vocal something different. You do a lot of covers and lean heavily on the use of words, how important are lyrics? Yeah, I think I rely heavily on lyrics. I’m really into lyrics! I did a version of 'Payphone' and made it really emotional. It’s a really good song and sometimes it’s weird what you can do with these songs! Do you enjoy doing covers? I love doing covers, I find it really interesting. There is a version I did of the song 'Paper Planes'. I thought it would be impossible to do this cover so I gave it a go! Your techniques, such as slap-bass, have become really popular. Why do you think that is? I think its great this this style is really kicking off. Obviously there are a lot of people who were doing it before me though! It’s brilliant because it is a collection of techniques and therefore can be applied in so many different ways to so many different styles. Everyone brings their own thing to the table. How do you find working alone? I write everything with my brother and its really handy to have someone to bounce off. The record was written really fast to stop me messing around with things too much. This record has a real spontaneity to it. A lot of things are the first take which is pretty cool.

Heading to any festivals this year? It’s too soon to say without spoiling anything. Do you have a favorite festival? Glastonbury was amazing, seeing friends headlining last year on the Pyramid stage made me really proud. I also popped out to Rockness for a bit and then did Glastonbury after. So that was me pretty much kind of done then. So, what’s next for you? Anything exciting? Touring and making music. I’m looking forward to the times ahead. Thanks Newton and good luck with everything.

faul

INTERVIEW

“I write everything with my brother it’s really handy to have someone to bounce off.”

- forty three -

FEATURE

The thing about your 20’s is, it’s not your thirties and you are no longer in your teens. You can’t use you’re student discount and your certainly not in you’re dream job. Charity shop shopping isn’t for fun anymore, it’s a necessity and one that you wish you could live without. It’s also hard not living on an allowance. Contrary to popular belief, you’re parents don’t support you and they haven’t since your university days. They, like you, are living in a constant swirl of rent, bills and food, yet with a suburban view and a 4x4 that makes their nighttime shifts just a little easier. In all honesty, your life is lame. It’s as limp as the lettuce in the sandwiches you made for your lunch in an attempt to save money and not be tempted by a Boots Meal Deal whilst on your break. You’re stuck in limbo. As Britney Spears once said “you’re not a girl, not yet a woman”. Whilst your quarter life crisis may have come around way before it was expected, there’s no need to despair. Part of the enjoyment of looking back on life is laughing at its little hitches. Besides, if you can’t laugh at an old woman getting arrested for a botched hit and run whilst you’re doing the late shift at the cash and carry, when can you? Today we’re counting down the 5 things that are sure to cause your quarter-life crisis. Watch out and pay attention to them, after all, it could be you next. Your part-time job turning full time Whilst being at university or college, having a part-time job meant extra pocket money for nights out in Mayfair (one of the many advantages to being educated in London), an abundance of takeaways, cigarettes and one too many shopping trips. Hey, you didn’t even mind your job that much. You made your money quick and easy with doing one or two shifts a week and turning down overtime felt like a heavenly joy. With your education coming to an end however, the fun of being a teen comes to a startling stop. Your manager is just as aware as you are that graduation is just around the corner and begins pilling on the overtime, with whispers of extending your contracted hours lurking in the none-too-distant future. Of course you need the hours. Student

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loans are not forever and you are more than aware that the bank of Mum and Dad is closed. If you want to keep your ‘independence’ by paying the rent on a studio flat the size of your bedroom back home, then working full-time is the only way to go. But you don’t want the hours, and that’s the difference. Working full-time means waving goodbye to education and saying hello to the real world, something that you and your friends are very afraid to do. Instead of abandoning all hope, embrace your new working life. Whether in retail, an office or a fast food chain, you’ll get to meet all kinds of new people, no matter how weird and drunk they may be. Having a positive mentality and a smile on your face will wash your blues away, and besides, it’s not like you’ll be working there forever. The unpaid internship: a never-ending saga So of course whilst having a job to support you financially, interning is the only option to really climb your way up the corporate/industry ladder. Which is great, except for the part where they don’t pay you for commuting into central London every day, working 9-5 Monday to Friday for months at a time. That’s ok though, because you have your other job so that your rent can get paid – you’ll just sleep for 4 hours a night and rely on pro plus and caffeine to turn you into a Duracell bunny for the waking hours. Sure it’ll mess up your sleeping pattern that will then in turn go on to mess up your life. But it’s all worth it, even every criticism that comes out of you’re boss’s/parent’s/friend’s mouth. Because what do they know anyways? You’re a city-slicking professional clawing your way out of McDonalds and into Nobu. You’ll be half dead by the time you get there, with a mentality complex and severe sleep deprivation issues, but it’ll be worth it, duh! Friends? What Friends?! Now we’re getting to the crux of it. Two jobs plus a probable amount of freelance work means, you guessed it. NO SOCIAL LIFE. Gone are the days where stopping for a coffee was a daily occurrence. Your new friends are your laptop and smart phone, there to set you on the organizational path to lonely land. Your friends are forever going to be annoyed with you for having to work and cancel every single arrangement you’ve ever made together, but hey what the boss wants, the boss gets. And speaking of friends, they’re all off getting married and having babies now. They didn’t choose an educational path and yet somehow seem to be satisfied/have all the money in the world and you can’t even begin to figure out how. Working at the post office whilst planning a summer wedding may be all right for some, but not you, you’re better than that. Oh. And there’s also the small

FEATURE

matter of if you’ll even be allowed time off for the wedding…

your quarter life The case of the weighty woman

You’d think that running around all day in order to score your dream job would mean that you’d stay one slim Jim but sadly that’s just not the case. You’ve been binging on 30p basic supermarket chocolate and pasta pots and it’s just beginning to show. You can’t help it, your lack of sleep means A. you’re far more likely to put on weight because your body doesn’t get a chance to rest and B. you need as many snacks as you can get your pudgy little hands on for energy. The solution is not to join the gym and actually make the effort to loose those pounds; you don’t have time for that! Instead, you’ll just drink Slim Fast until your blood turns to the consistency of chocolate milk. It’s obviously healthy because the clue is in the name? The Sudden Realisation that your Mother is No Longer your Maid

It’s a sad state of affairs when your educated life comes to an end. You’re in full time work doing two jobs, you have no friends and you’re body is slowly but surely turning against you and becoming obese. You’re coming back to the flat you’re renting exhausted almost everyday and a thought hits you. The dirty dishes are piled up on the counter, the bed isn’t made and you can’t hear a hoover going. Yes, that’s right. Your maid, aka your mother is no longer there to pick up after you.

This thought turns inevitably to tears and you end up sitting amongst your mountain of stank, missing home, missing mummy, missing everything. Your mind begins to wander and you even begin to think things like ‘why am I bothering?’ ‘I am no good at this’ and ‘I must return home to the farm immediately!’ It’s with that last thought that the sobs really begin, but your wonderful (and absent for this commentary) housemate digs out a hidden stash of Ben and Jerry’s from the freezer. Forget getting fat. Tonight is the night to drown your sorrows in cookie dough flavoured ice cream saturated with rum.

Because life does in fact get better, it honestly just has to. The worries about money/jobs/friends/family may be mandatory in your mind but they also stop you from living. So get up and get out there because now is your time. Yes you have to be sensible, but your heart and soul should be allowed to still be carefree. And do yourself a favour. Ring your mum. She misses you just as much as you miss her; she’s your biggest cheerleader as well as the biggest pain in the ass you know. If that love and admiration isn’t worthwhile, then I honestly don’t know what is.

words by Daisy - May Kent

crisis

use your head: workwear gets an intellectual makeover from design graduate Edelina Joyce.

matter

grey

grey trench coat price on request

cotton jersey dress price on request

silk pleated dress price on request

model / emma beamish designer / edelina joyce stylist / daisy may kent photographer / rebekka ayres silk pleated dress as before

boys

don't cry FEATURE

Everyone knows that feeling when you’re walking down the street and you just can’t help but compare yourself to the others around you, but not to worry, that’s just human nature. Ryan Hoadley – Thaxter delves into the sensitive subject and explores the lack of representation of males suffering with eating disorders.

Models, athletes and ‘geeks’ alike, we all share a relationship with media outlets that enforce the ‘right’ aesthetic of what men and women are supposed to look like. As a society, we’re obsessed with comparing ourselves to others, from phrases such as, “oh, I’d do anything to look like her/him”, or – my personally overused comment – “I’m adding him to my gym-spiration board”. The cruel outcomes of such comments often go unmentioned, yet the past decade has brought to light the harsh reality of how the media’s depiction of how the ‘perfect’ way to look can affect people. However, most discussions around the topic are female-centric, the affects on males have often been underestimated. In a world where advertisements are everywhere and the vast majority sex sells, is it any wonder that the number of men and women, suffering with eating disorders is higher than ever? Despite both males and females facing hardship from such disorders the effects on male body image are often overlooked. Consequently, due to the nation of the patriarchal makeup of society male’s problems surrounding issues such as body image often are underrepresented as a result of how men traditionally have to be masculine and still, to some degree, attempt to uphold this. Yet, in 2014 this is not so much the case, as many men identify themselves as feminists and fight against such notions. However male suffers still often go unrecognised, which seems to be an odd outcome considering how

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people are becoming increasingly aware of the mental issues that are caused by the media’s fixation with “perfect beauty”. Although reports vary, Beat, a charity for eating disorders claims that 1025% of suffers are men. Yet, statistics are unrepresentative as there are probably many more undiagnosed cases because there is less chance of the condition being recognised in male sufferers. Albeit, men with eating disorders fall in the minority when compared with their female counterparts, arguments are apparent that suggest that male suffers often are not reliable when exploring the issue as a whole. Men are often expected not to care about their appearance, whether fashion, style or body image yet this is – and always has been – inaccurate. In times in which the ruling class were a class where both males and females were expected to dress a certain way in order to show their wealth and be deemed as a worthy partner for the opposite sex. Men would wear make-up, adorning luxurious garments and strut around in Louis heels. Nevertheless, society still has this preconceived notion that concern with appearance is something that shouldn’t apply to men, unless they are homosexual and are thus open to much harsher stereotyping. Although, with revolutions and rebellions against the narrow-minded Bourgeois ruling system, society became focused on the working class aesthetic of muscular men, who developed their well-built physiques as a result of

FEATURE

their jobs in labour-oriented roles. Each generation has had a depiction 1.6 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder, of which of the most “attractive” male that every other should aspire to, from Kings around 11% are males. This means that 1,424,000 who suffer are women. to the idolisation of the rebel James Dean. This could be a reflection of the harsh and narrow-minded expectations imposed on women by society regarding appearance. Wherein, males Within today’s society we have become much more accepting of in the media are valued for their muscles and therefore would weigh heterosexual men who care about their appearance, yet some are still more. However, the fashion industry calls for male models to be a mixture shamed and branded as “gay” – or much more vulgar names for the of muscular and extremely skinny, like their female counterparts, as a term. However, situations such as these just bring to light how many reflection of androgyny. “Ultimately, I believe it’s down to the discretion people in the world are ignorant to the issues of eating disorders and of the designer and/or stylist to project their creative ideas in the way that their causes. It’s almost impossible, when almost everyone is exposed to they want to – I just think it’s a massive shame that more of them don’t the media in some form from a very young age, to break away from this want to think about providing a fairer, more balanced representation of the feeling that we should want our bodies to look a certain way, in order to human figure.” Al Gant, a recent Fashion Journalist Graduate, commented be deemed as attractive. This, to some degree, falls on the objectification about the way in which models are often told they’re too short or overweight of both men and women. As someone who has overcome his suffering to be considered models – neither catwalk nor editorial. As much of the with anorexia, Timothy Grills, a Kentucky based blogger who dedicates fashion industry is based around the notion of idealism that is somewhat his blog tearmyskin.tumblr.com to male models and displays a copious aspirational for its spectators, aspiration can often veer into dictation of array of images of men. “Most of the time, we think about women when it what people should look like. The fine line between aspiration and the comes to body issues and we forget that men, too, are portrayed harshly dictation of a certain aesthetic is very unclear, because what could be in the media. Even though I think that women face greater problems with an achievable look for one may not be for another, thus it creating a very the media’s depiction, men are generally underrepresented. Not everyone grey subject matter. Despite the ambiguity of the matter, society needs to can be a six-foot hunk with tons of muscle, nor can every man be skinny. adapt in order to show an acceptance of all people, no matter how they Everyone is beautiful; people just have yet to realise it.” look, in order to battle against such disorders, and show a real reflection Statistics of eating disorders mainly focus around anorexia and bulimia and of what people look like. rarely take into account those who suffer with body dysmorphic disorder Despite eating disorders and body image complexes affecting almost (BDD). BDD or Body dysmorphia as it’s more commonly known, is an every one of us at some point in our lives, often during adolescence and anxiety disorder that causes its suffers to spend a lot of their time worrying puberty when the human body undergoes many drastic changes and about their appearance and thus leading to them having a distorted view anxiety about how those will affect you are heightened. It remains evident of how they actually look. Body dysmorphia is not merely just someone that men are an extremely underrepresented group of suffers. Statistics suffering with low self-confidence or esteem, as those with low confidence cannot be heavily relied on due to a lack of fair diagnosing between both thoughts of their ‘unattractiveness’ often pass and are not dwelled on. Body genders, and show clear correlations between females suffering more dysmorphia suffers cannot just break away from their thoughts, and despite commonly with eating disorders. Males, too, are suffers and such a fact reassurance from those around them, they feel that everyone views them in should be more widely represented and just as fairly commented on. It is the same way in which they view themselves. This can often lead to severe notwithstanding that the media’s depiction of how both men and women depression and suicidal thoughts. It is estimated that around 1% of the ‘should’ look is the main cause of such disorders within society. That UK’s population suffer with body dysmorphia, nevertheless, many suffers said, a growing number of innovative, creative minds within the fashion are unaccounted for, as they attempt to hide their disorders. This mostly industry – such as All Walks Beyond The Catwalk working towards diversity occurs as many suffers fear of being labeled as ‘vain’ or ‘self-obsessed’; – leading the shift towards a fair representation of both men and women. thus generating a negative stigma around body images issues in general. Body dysmorphia often occurs alongside other eating disorders, but not always. Many suffers are often misdiagnosed with having more general anxiety issues, as opposed to those specific to their body image. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence suggests that

Who are you to tell me who I am? Who I can be? Who I should be? I am who I am, and I’ll wear what I like. I don’t need to bow down to the social stereotypes and gender specifications dictated to me by the

head

ignorant people. My

is overrun with thoughts of anger

when I’m faced with narrow-minded people. I’m a man, by the standards of gender binary – yes that’s a biological fact – but that does not mean that I have to adhere to the social conventions of masculinity. If I want to wear make-up, then I’m going to. If I wake up one day and decided I’m going to slip into a beautiful

dress

and wear some high heels, then what are you going to do to stop me? We’ve all got a brain capable of amazing things locked away inside

our

head

Why

are we letting people tell us who we should be, how we should act, what we should wear, or anything else for that matter? The world’s a

mess.

But, neverthe-

less, I am who I am, and I won’t

ever

apologise

for

that.

clothing / flower head band / asos.com white t-shirt / diesel

clothing / flower head band / asos.com denium waist coat / vintage

clothing / black veil / asos.com black t-shirt / topman

clothing / crown head band / asos.com white t-shirt / diesel silver necklace / crownjewls.com

model ryan rogers photographer ellie harris art director danielle holley stylist olivia kelly clothing / flower head band / asos. com red t-shirt / dickies black jeans / topman

FEATURE

22 years old, recently married and with her own successful business, Lorraine Friel had it all. Lucky some would say but that was until one December night a car she was a passenger in hit black ice. Her husband and 2 other passengers walked away with cuts and bruises, Lorraine however was not so lucky. Here she tells her story of how she coped with being paralysed at such a young age but also how she overcame breast cancer a few years later.

words by Laura McBrine

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FEATURE

“It was a relatively normal night and we were all on our way to go for dinner and a few drinks. The weather was a typical winter’s night cold and frosty. We weren’t speeding or anything, but I remember thinking just before turning a corner that this road was prone for black ice and told John the driver to be careful.” Just a few short minutes later the car hit a patch of black ice and crashed into a tree. The impact of the car hit Lorraine the most as she was the back seat left side passenger and that was where the car had collided with the tree. Lorraine does not recall anything from after the accident. She was in Intensive Care for 2 months and when she eventually woke was told that she was paralysed from the neck down and would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. “That was hard to take it in, I don’t remember the accident at all and to this day I still don’t. I just kept trying to think did I really hear that correctly, I’m only 22, I don’t deserve to be in

a wheelchair as selfish as it sounds I knew I was going to miss my way of life.” Another few months passed and still in Hospital, Lorraine realised that she couldn’t be broken by this she had to fight for herself and not let a wheelchair stand in her way. “I knew people were going to be looking at me, I had no hair left as the medication I was taking made it fall out, my face was different, I had a drooping eye and my smile was a fraction of it’s former glory. It pained me to look in the mirror but if I couldn’t look at myself who could?” Lorraine was discharged from hospital 4 months after the accident and life as she knew it was non existent. The place she called home was completely revamped fitted with a wheelchair access lift to take her to her bedroom where the king sized bed was replaced by a hospital bed and single bed in the corner for her husband. “I think that’s when I knew my marriage might not last.

People assume partners should stick with you because you’re ill, paralysed or whatever it is but it’s hard for them to adjust. They are also hurting and trying to adapt to this new way of life. I was only married for a year and for 4 out of those 12 months I was in hospital and now I couldn’t even share a bed with my own husband.” Lorraine was right, a year and half after her accident her husband walked out on her. “That year and a half was hard, although I tried to keep things as normal as possible by still trying to cook tea or popping into my post office business and helping with customers it was too much for him to take and he left. Some people are stronger than others and he just wasn’t strong enough.” Lorraine eventually sold her business and her mum moved in to take care of her. Trying to stay as independent as possible was hard and she realised she needed some more help. “My mum was 65, she was old and frail.

“I can’t walk and I have no breasts, but I’m still

beautiful .

She couldn’t bathe me or lift me from my bed to my wheelchair in the morning so I had two carers who came in the morning and evening to bathe, dress and move me from my bed to my wheelchair. They helped to lift my mood and reassured me all the time that I wasn’t a burden to anyone and that I could still do the things that everyone else could.” As her medication took its toll it was harder for Lorraine and she was admitted to hospital many of times. She was ridden with bed sores and being in a wheelchair wasn’t good for her self esteem. It was in 2011, 8 years after her accident that one of Lorraine’s carers found a lump in her right breast. She was admitted to hospital where doctors ran a number of tests and 4 days after being admitted to hospital

she was given the news she had stage 3c breast cancer. “At 22 I was bound to a wheelchair and now at 30 I had breast cancer. You really do think ‘what did I do to deserve all this’. When I heard the news of breast cancer that was probably my lowest point in my life. I was feeling sorry for myself, I kept thinking why me, why not someone else. I kept thinking of the ifs and the buts and refused to live in the present and deal with the fact I had cancer. I’m not proud of how I reacted to cancer, I turned into this 18 year old child who wanted to drink all the time and even though I shouldn’t of been drinking I was and I can honestly say I was a very sorry state. I made my mum go to hell and back. I was violent to

”

my carers, didn’t want to leave bed and just wanted a bottle of vodka. I didn’t want to be alive, I felt that I deserved to be 6 feet under the ground.” It took other members of the family and friends for Lorraine to realise she had something to live for, she did have a great circle of positive people and she started chemotherapy to cure her cancer. She was in hospital again for another 6 months as the chemo took control of her body. “I hated chemotherapy, I was constantly sick and if I wasn’t sick I was sleeping. I basically lived a cycle like that for around 5 months. When I was allowed home I hated not knowing if I had fought and survived cancer, but 3 days before Christmas 2011 I was given the all clear. I had fought cancer, I

>> continued

FEATURE

>> had survived cancer and I was looking forward to what 2012 brought.” 2012 came and went without any hiccups, Lorraine was living her life, she was out with her friends and making memories. “I loved 2012, I was out and about, doing things I enjoyed. It was great time in my life. I wasn’t letting my wheelchair affect me and because I was positive and happy everyone else was. I loved having people around me and I surrounded myself that year with the best friends I could have and the best family. I felt 2012 was my year and I was looking forward to what 2013 brought for me.” Bringing in the New Year with everyone she loved Lorraine was looking forward to another year of being happy and content with life. At the end of January 2013, Lorraine was given the news a lump had returned to her breasts. “I was completely devastated, I had just had the most happy year of my life and yet again I was dealt with a massive blow. I was determined not to go into that dark place I was in before. I had beaten cancer and I would beat it again.” Everyone rallied round and kept Lorraines’s moral high which she says was a blessing. Doctors warned her that even after another round of chemotherapy and even if it was to be successful there was a high chance that the breast cancer would return again. That was when Lorraine took the decision to have both her breasts removed. “I didn’t really mind that I was going to be losing my breasts. Although they made me feel like a normal women, I was already in a wheelchair and I had beaten death twice losing my breasts wasn’t that big of a deal. I was going to be free of cancer once again and I was reducing the chance of it ever returning. To me that was best reason for losing them, I wanted to live my life and I wanted to be able to do things and see things.” Lorraine was given the chance to reconstruct her breast but she decided against it. “I was proud of my scars, I have them all over my body and this was just going to be another part of me. Its a part of who I am and how I have fought to live. I was going to be proud of not having breasts, having breats doesn’t define a woman. I think that’s what’s wrong with the world today, women care too much about what other people think. When I was going for surgery I wasn’t thinking about how unlucky I was, I was thinking that I’m the luckiest person

- sixty six -

there is; which is odd I know but it’s how I felt. I didn’t feel like this was a step backward in my life, it was a step forward in making it great once again.” What Lorraine says is probably true, we live in a society were people are constantly having opinions and not giving the time to get to know others. We are judging people based on how they look and not because of who they are. “When you’re in my situation I think it’s a lot easier for me to see what today’s world is actually like. I’m judged because I’m in a wheelchair but I’m also judged because I have no breasts. I might not be able to walk and I might not be able to wear bras but how does that define me as a person? I like wearing low cut tops and I like wearing nice shoes, I’m a woman of course I like all of those things just because people can walk in those pretty shoes doesn’t mean I can’t wear them, at least I’ll never ruin them. And just because I have no breasts doesn’t mean I can’t wear low cut tops. I have my hair done once a week every week and I always have to have a bit of mascara and foundation on. Just because I’m in a wheelchair doesn’t mean I can’t take pride in my appearance. As a woman I love fashion, I might be limited in other ways but through clothes I can express who I am and it’s important for me to stay true to what I believe. I’m just as beautiful as any Victoria Secret model. Don’t get me wrong they are beautiful women but I believe no matter who you are, you are beautiful. You might be obese or you might have lost a limb but it’s those things that define someone and nobody can take that away from anyone.” As I leave Lorraine in her home I can’t help but think of how positive she is in her life. She’s been through a lot more than most but she still maintains that she barely went through anything. We live in a shallow world that anything that isn’t normal we are quick to have an opinion. Sitting, talking to someone and hearing their story is what defines them not how they look and that’s something that we need to remember. Lorraine will face many more obstacles in her life but she has the ability to see the positive in everything that’s thrown her way. She may be sick for months on end but there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. We need to learn to embrace each other as how we are and not because of the things we have. Being beautiful isn’t about having long hair, big breasts and the so called ‘thigh gap’, it’s how we are. Everything is beautiful in one way or another.

lialic

meadow

clothing / kimono / tk maxx - sixty nine -

clothing / rainbow cardigan / models own lace dress / vintage

clothing / kimono / as before

model katie eleanor / katie eleanor shot and styled nicolette clara iles

lial

mea

lic

dow clothing / rainbow cardigan / models own lace dress / vintage

FEATURE

does the fashion industry The fashion industry has been portrayed as the devil in disguise and has often been blamed for glamorising smoking, drug abuse and been linked to the sexualisation of youth. Olivia Kelly looks into whether the fashion industry glamorises mental health issues, such as depression or ‘insanity’.

ental illness has always been a tricky topic to cover, it’s a minefield, filled with doubts, sitting, waiting to explode when someone puts their foot in it. A mental illness can be anything from depression, anorexia and schizophrenia, so under the overarching title of 'mental illness', it can be easy to cross the line, as people are misunderstood. 1 in 4 British adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem in one year, and it is estimated that approximately 450 million people worldwide suffer with a mental health problem. These people and those that look after them aren’t likely to share the same ideas as the fashion industry when it comes to portraying mental health. The fashion industry is worth £21 billion to the British economy, and is always under the watchful eye of the public; because of its celebrity following, fans frivolous shopping habits and influences over trend and style in society. Like any large industry they have made mistakes and had their fair share of bad press. Recently with the eruption of the ‘slogan’ and ‘logo’ on the catwalks, like any trend this has filtered down to the high streets. Urban Outfitters in particular jumped on the bandwagon with a t-shirt with the word ‘depression’ sprawled across it, however after coming under fire from the ‘twitterati’ they eventually stopped selling the t-shirt and quickly

- seventy six -

blamed the designer saying their label was called ‘depression’. OK, right. Actually, no. Back in 2011 they had a similar issue when they sold the t-shirt with ‘eat less’ printed on it, the t-shirt was taken off the website. Both examples were said to glamorise mental health and champion negative body image. But could this be the way to get the conversation started about issues that people suffer with? Vice magazine, known for its satirical and hard hitting content, “represents a whole generation of young people – influencing what they see, hear, wear, think, put in their mouths, dream about, and flush shamefully down the toilet when no one’s looking,", according to their media pack. So when they did a photo shoot which imitated how female writers committed suicide called ‘Last Words’, they most probably assumed that it would go down well with their audience. It probably did, but others didn’t think so and the whole feature was taken off their website as soon as you could say ‘glamorisation of mental health’. The magazine posted on their website saying “… Our main goal is to create artful images, with the fashion message following, rather than leading… we apologise to anyone who was hurt or offended." If this is the case then they are arguing that they are sending a message to people about suicide, does that make it right though?

FEATURE

glamorise

mental illness

Throughout time, there are many examples where the fashion industry has, some say, captured mental illness in a bad light. Take the ‘heroin chic’ look of the late 90’s, in particular the photography of Corrine Day, where models like Kate Moss were said to be glamourising anorexia and drug abuse. Or the controversial work of Steven Meisel who photographed in a psychiatric ward for Vogue Italia in 2007.

Fashion photographer, Ryan Garwood, says, “I don't think the fashion industry glamorises mental illness', fashion has always been what it is and I think the public (particularly women) compare themselves to what they see on the catwalk too often and then when they start trying their best to look like models, issues of anorexia and mental illness are then linked to fashion.” Looking through the catwalk shows, I came across Thom Browne’s spring summer 2014 collection. The concept of a psychiatric hospital was used and saw dazed models stumble down the runway in all white creations with their hair and make-up looking as if they had a few rough nights out. Black ringed eyes, pale china white faces and a soundtrack of repetitive beats unsettled the audience in a dramatic way. The designer said, “I just wanted to do something that was really humorous but in a way that it’s taken very seriously, put in a surreal and kind of crazy atmosphere”. Despite having this theme which included padded walls and two nurses with white M&M’s this collection and portrayal of mental health has been practically ignored or just regarded as ‘artistic’. Perhaps this is just a performance, similar to a theatre play that takes a concept and explores it. Or is it a clever way to bring forward discussion about mental illness, especially in the fashion industry. Director

and chief curator at the Fashion Institute of Technology said, “he gives you a show the same way that McQueen used to give you a show”, who actually suffered from depression and sadly ended his own life in 2010.

Many would say that this depiction of mental health is exactly what the fashion industry does wrong. It takes mental health and uses it to sell products at the expense of peoples real life problems. It’s very difficult to point the finger at a person to blame for this type of glamorisation, Catherine from Mental Health in The UK says, “It’s not necessarily the whole 'industry'. It comes down to certain individuals working in the industry who we hear about, more than those in the industry who appreciate the very sensitive nature of 'fashion' and 'body image'.” The fashion industry has become the scapegoat for issues such as anorexia but it can be said, having looked at examples it’s unlikely that the whole industry will feel the full brunt of blame and it’s rather the few individuals that push ideas that develop into what looks like glamorisation. Catherine then went on to say, “There is no doubt that there is a lot of scare mongering going on, but at the same time there will be bad practice within the industry that needs reported. So the more transparency there is the more trust and respect the industry will gain.” The recognition of something that is tasteless should be easily be picked up by the fashion industry, but that very thin line between what is right and wrong is what the industry thrives on.

- seventy seven -

Le RĂŞve A1932 oil painting in which Picasso portrayed his 24-year-old mistress Marie-ThĂŠrĂ¨se Walter. With oversimplified outlines and contrasted colours resembling early Fauvism.

model emily matthews make up artist cherilyn yeates styling francesca cussons photographer ellie harris

â&#x20AC;&#x153; as a moon waned to crescent, we started to kissâ&#x20AC;?

jewellery / male bracelet / shamballa UK womens necklace / the vintage emporium

models / natalia baird martinez, oliver mccarthy stylist / ryan hoadley - thaxter photographer / sarah armstrong

FEATURE

reclaiming T

ugly

here’s a gap in the dictionary somewhere between beautiful and ugly. The French were the first to cotton on to it, perhaps because it is they who wear the adjective with the most finesse. The term is jolie-laide, which literally translates as ‘pretty-ugly’, a brilliantly curt appraisal of beauty’s most bewitching enigma. As the proverb taught us, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and jolie-laide is no different inasmuch as it proves nigh-on impossible to define; imperfection is its premise and uniqueness sits at its core, personified by the unsuspecting charms of Sophia Coppola, Tilda Swinton and Charlotte Gainsbourg for their peculiar features and insubordinate proportions. Such eccentricities seem to burn onto our retinas – in the best possible way – for it is the Bocherts, Sevignys, Hustons and Vreelands we muse over most fondly, with an affection far more deep-seated than that of our fleeting flings with button-nosed it-girls. Ugly on its own, however, is rarely pronounced with approval, and only by its attachment to pretty is its charm considered at all. But its individual merits are enough to enchant a more sophisticated eye, if only language would let it; ugly shouldn’t have to sit next to the pretty girls to be part of their crew. Ugly can stand alone, brooding and strange, safe in the knowledge that its quirks will seduce – and with intellect too. No less an authority than Miuccia Prada, beacon of brilliant bad taste, is just one to subscribe to such a notion, favouring “ugly cool” when describing her notoriously repugnant aesthetic. “If I have done anything, it is to make ugly appealing”, Prada has always had a knack for hitting the nail on the head, be it through her subversive sense of beauty or the way in which she defines it. “In fact, most of my work is concerned with destroying – or at least deconstructing – conventional ideas of beauty, of the generic appeal of the beautiful, glamorous, bourgeois woman”. There is a certain sensibility to this classification that renders jolie-laide almost defamatory by comparison because, whether we like it or not, a superficial society dictates we’ve still got a way to go before ugly fully emerges from pretty’s vacuous shadow. Better to make allies with the less discriminating cool. And that she does, by peppering sumptuous clichés of beauty with flavours that are somewhat harder to swallow, to recalibrate our perceptions of gender, sex and good looks. “I used colours, for instance, that many people consider ugly, such as brown,” she says,

Words by Rebekka Ayres “Brown is a colour that no one likes, so, of course, I like it because it’s

difficult and unappealing”. Take Prada’s AW14 womenswear show, where mansize coats shrouded sloping shoulders in shearling – organza slips peeping beneath – and beneath that, an unexpected glimpse at a pair of gaudy yellow Y-front briefs. It’s not a straightforward vision of desire, but chances are, Prada’s 21st century Petra von Kant will be the image men and women lust after in 6 months’ time. Despite a still selective appreciation of physical ideals held by wider society, the taste for shameless unsightliness has never been more in demand. Even a brand as intrinsic to mainstream fashion as Diesel has cast its sights further than the image of the blonde-haired blueeyed beauty, making models of artists, designers and online icons of varying colours and creeds for the sake of Nicola Formichetti’s #Reboot initiative. But the torchbearer for splendid ugliness will likely always be Schiaparelli; some sixty years subsequent to its last appearance on the circuit, the fashion house was revived as part of January’s couture season, and though the helm has changed hands, its founding principles have proved enduring. While couture is renowned for being an outlandish affair, rarely is it vulgar – an acquired taste at the most – but Schiaparelli renders acrid nothing short of irresistible. Schiaparelli, as it so happens, was subject to her mother’s daily taunts that she was far less beautiful than her sister – ugly, even. But it was her distinct, less-than-obvious approach both to her designs and her sense of inimitable style that won the hearts of a world more accustomed to plain suits and practicality. Perhaps jolie-laide is not the most befitting label to throw onto Schiap – or Prada – for that matter, but a lack of an English equivalent serves to polarise the two words, erecting a gateway for cruel, harsh judgement. As it stands, by some kind of pig-headed logic, one is either attractive or repellent, but can never be both. How is it that the English language has functioned so long without such an adjective, when we have enough evidence to know that the two notions are not mutually exclusive? For now, ugly will have to suffice, but it’s not such bad a cross to bear when you’re in the company of Miuccia and co. Consider ugly proudly reclaimed.

- eighty nine -

s l r i gurls

g gals

clothing / left to right crew neck top / the ragged priest black shorts / topshop watch / models own fishnet tights / jonathan aston crop jumper / slazenger customised jeans / 7 for all mankind spoon necklace / topshop polo neck crop top / all saints shirt around waist / rokit london jeans / vintage versace couture

clothing / left to right as before velvet shirt / urban outfitters bra and matching pants / what katie did next

pretty face s gr

a e headline s

h t b

clothing / as before

s l r i girls ggirls clothing / shirt / vintage diesel

r i ggir r i ggi g

s l rrls s l r s l igrirls

models / amelia bewsher, ella harper, sarah armstrong photographer & stylist / ryan hoadley - thaxter

clothing / purple polo neck / rokit

REVIEW

but i’m

a cheer

leader directed by jamie babbit elbow rates:

words by Sarah Armstrong

- ninety six -

Starring Natasha Lyonne as 17 Year old Megan Bloomfield, But I’m a Cheerleader is a playful yet tasteful depiction of teenage sexuality and self-discovery. Betrayed by her friends and family at an intervention, Megan is shipped off to the conversion therapy camp, True Directions, after informing her that she is a lesbian. Megan’s naivety to her sexuality is played out well, with her fantasising of other cheerleaders whilst making out (badly) with her boyfriend Jared and female genitalia shaped patterns on her pillowcases. She believes that her sexual thoughts are innocent and meaningless and that’s she’s simply a good Christian girl. On arrival at camp, programme leaders Mary Brown (Cathy Moriarty) and “ex-gay” Mike (RuPaul) introduce her to the five steps that will turn her from homo to hetero, the first step being Admitting You’re A Homosexual’. As expected, Megan is reluctant to admit that she’s like the others when the evidence is laid out against her, “I’m not perverted, I get good grades, I go to church. I’m a cheerleader.” Megan is introduced to the rest of the happy campers, including out and proud lesbian, Graham (Clea DuVall) who she forms a close friendship with. Director Jamie Babbit uses imagery similar to that of John Waters films, with the True Directions house painted in overbearing stripes of pink and blue. Stereotypes are played to the maximum with boys and girls dressed head to toe in blue and pink respectively. The girls are taught how to change nappies and clean dishes with feminine mystique, whilst the boys grab their crotches and chop wood. The film is overflowing with obvious stereotypes; the boys in blue flail and squeal at the thought of getting their hands dirty, meanwhile they’re bitchier than the female characters. A generalisation, drawing humour from simply pointing out and exaggerating common ideas of camp-ness. Sadly, due to the film being released in 1999, watching it in 2014 makes it feel incredibly dated. In the fifteen years since, the attitudes towards queerness of mainstream western culture have changed and there is an ongoing decline in negativity towards standardised expectations in a gender forced society. However, But I’m a Cheerleader should be praised for the way in which it points out the ridiculousness of once-popular “treatments” for homosexuality. The final stage “Simulated Sexual Lifestyle“ forces the campers to partake in simulated heterosexual activities. Dressed in Adam and Eve fancy dress style costumes, the campers are made to pair up and resemble sex the way Ms Brown believes it was intended. “Okay, now remember, that sex is fun. We’re making love; there is nothing dirty about it. Sex is beautiful when it’s between a man and a woman.” Overall, But I’m a Cheerleader is comedic attempt at portraying serious issues that are still present now. The movie pokes fun at the notion that people can be changed from gay to straight and that denying who you really are creates a healthy lifestyle.

REVIEW

sum:

With Stephen Fry quoted as saying “you will not read a more dazzling book this year”, ‘Sum – Tales from the Afterlives’ has a lot to live up to. Written by neuroscientist David Eagleman, ‘Sum’ focuses on 40 different fictional accounts about life and death, with each tale being thought provoking and causing one to question their very existence. Taking over seven years to write, Eagleman is keen to stress that none of the stories are to be taken seriously and that just the message of the book should be thought about further: “The only serious proposal is the emergent message of the book: that there are many possibilities, and we should be discussing the size of that space instead of battling over the details of the pitifully few stories that our ancestors entertained”.

It’s certainly true that religion is taken to great lengths to remain sacred, with people believing in stories that have been passed down from generation to generation and without any proof that said religious leaders even existed. If this word-of-mouth style of storytelling has worked for so long and can make millions believe in something that they have never even seen, then surely this style of thinking can be applied to any number of things in our everyday lives. Dishing out several probabilities about what could really happen when we ‘move on’; ‘Sum’ turns into quite the pleasurable read. Each story conjures up things that one could never have even dreamed of, from God being a seemingly helpless woman to never being able to move on into the light until a person’s name is forgotten forever. Fascinating is really one of the only terms that can be used when describing this book, as it provides 40 different perspectives that you as a person never really considered when contemplating one’s death. ‘Sum’ is the kind of book that was made for taking on the bus or the tube. At only 110 pages and each story only being a couple of pages each, it’s perfect for stashing in your bag for when a dreaded bout of boredom hits. Whilst the book is complex in the sense that it offers a variety of different possibilities, it’s simplistic style and language make it easy on even the slowest of eyes, meaning that it is a book that almost anyone could read and be satisfied with. The thing that was most interesting about ‘Sum’ was the fact that it was written by a neuroscientist, a person whose job is almost to disprove the theory of God and religion and provide a rational answer for what really may be out there. It doesn’t matter if Eagleman is religious or not, what matters is that he, a neuroscientist, was more than capable of writing a funny little book about the afterlife. It’s honestly a perfect juxtaposition and one that causes a smile just thinking about it.

tales from the afterlives

by david eagleman elbow rates:

words by Daisy - May Kent

- ninety seven -

"and I shall be dumped where the weed decays" skirt and top / Jessica Shaw jewellery / stylist's own

dress and skirt / Jessica Shaw shoes and socks / Topshop jewellery / stylist's own

dress / Jessica Shaw headband and jewellery / stylist's own

model / Crystal @ Bookings photographer / Vikky ivie top / Jessica Shaw skirt / Uma Kangai jewellery / stylist's own

SHOPPING

words by Daisy - May Kent

decorate

With summer coming ever closer, it almost feels like winter never happened. The anticipation of sunshine, warmth and happiness is almost too much for one to bear and yet we are almost there. With the summer months in mind it is easy to conjure up a colour palette worthy of an early midsummers day, with gentle ochre’s, deep pinks and navy sailor blues cheering up even the darkest of rainclouds. And that’s the thing about summer. It’s radiance glosses over even the dullest of days whilst being gentle enough to allow it pass right through you. It’s delicious, contagious and perhaps even a little outrageous given the way it makes people feel. Whether sailing around the Mediterranean on a vast yacht or drifting to sleep in a deck chair at Hyde Park, this common euphoria is felt the world over and all just because the sun came out. This chain of optimism can never be broken. Recreating your home décor just in time for summer is never a chore and should be enjoyed to the fullest. Whether you’re inspired by ancient Greece or the local rowing club, changing a home’s design can be cathartic. Of course, completely renovating one’s space may be out of the question, but with a little upholstery and an eye for a good bargain; anyone can have a little slice of paradise and just in time for summer. Retro furniture is a good place to start, with many online auction sites paving the way to unique, one-off pieces destined to be found in the treasure trove that is one’s attic and not in a high street department store. Whilst choosing something worn may be a little daunting, rest assured that with a little hard work and a lot of sandpaper and varnish, that ugly wooden bench can be turned into the loveseat of your dreams. Why not try this vintage loveseat from eBay? All you need is a few scatter cushions and a glass of wine to truly celebrate this gorgeous statement piece. If you’re looking to turn an empty space into an oasis of calm, then perhaps a seaside theme is more suited to you. The ocean invokes a feeling of peace, whilst the sheer texture of sand provides comfort and the sunshine radiates warmth. Recreating a beach inside of your home may be intensely tricky, but this oyster caddy (£9) from kookyblue.com could be just the thing to really cheer up your interior. Shells and pebbles can be collected for free along a beach and their authenticity can do no harm within an interior space. Finally, picnic baskets are a sure fire way to pop a pinch of summer into your home. These can be picked up for under £30 in your local TKMaxx and can easily be dressed to picnic perfection. A lot of effort and hard work has to be put into making an interior space work, yet this is what makes it all worthwhile. By adding your own personal touches and even the most unique of embellishments, you can create a haven that is more than worthy of your presence. So learn to sew, sand and soap. After all, a few new skills could bring the change of a lifetime (interiors-wise).

your hom vegas lights £315 roseandgrey.co.uk

S HOPPING

r me

la lune print email for price roseandgrey.co.uk

skull head £475 notonthehighstreet.com

sewing box £29.95 liberty London

chest of draws the old cinema london email for price hand door knob £19.50 roseandgrey.co.uk

small book case £319 goldilocks cottage

stripe chair £269 furniturehaus.com

the epiphany embrace your flaws, your imperfections. know that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just as beautiful as each stranger you pass in the street. strive to stand out from the crowd, release all of your inhibitions. donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be ashamed of your emotions; love wholeheartedly, laugh hysterically, cry endlessly, if you want to. at the end of it all, Just be you. ryan hoadley - thaxter

- one hundred and five -

elbow.