Y UP, I TS FR EE.
In the past 100 years women’s position in society has evolved and right now it’s more about fighting for total gender equality and fighting to be accepted and appreciated the way we are- especially by ourselves. Taking the risk of sounding like a life coach or some weird guru, I would say that to construct ourselves, to evolve into the person we really want to be, we first have to accept the way we are now in order to grow. Also on a very important note; in order for us to have gender equality we have to stop making it a fight, because this is all that is about; equality, not a victory of one over the other. Thank you Emma, thank you oh so much for bringing this debate back into trend. Obviously thank you as well for bringing all those amazing men on board; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Harry Styles, Russell Crowe, Logan Lerman, Forest Whitaker, Emile Hirsh...to mention only a few. The #HeForShe Campaign comes right on time and #NoFilter is ready to surf on the wave of enthusiasm that comes with it. It’s a publication that works to remove the expectations that surround us on how we should be as women and is aimed at empowering women to be happy with who they are now. We believe that the magazine market is full of publications that perpetuate an image and understanding of women that we no longer identify with. Our first issue concentrates on Gen Y women in today’s world, the choices and the decisions they make to achieve their goals. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox is our star-guest contributor; as a consultant, coach, trainer and author she’s helping companies develop more inclusive leadership styles, promoting more gender-balanced management teams, review processes and policies to better respond to women – both as employees and consumers. Her article precedes a feature of five profiles which highlights strong Gen Y women who have inspired us here at #NoFilter. Today we consume information in a completely different way then our parents and grandparents did before us. We have different role models
nofilter / @nofiltermagazin nofiltermagazineinfo@gmail.com
and different ways of expressing ourselves through social media. Caitlin Gillespie dissects the influences of pop culture, from role models like Lena Dunham to Queen Bey, and the way they impact and change our previous and socially accepted fear of feminism. Contributing writer Gaba Najmanovich provides a a humorous commentary on the history of selfie and the cultural shift in how we now brand our own identity. On the other hand, collaborating with Stylist Graciela Martin, Fashion Director Jagoda Gierałtowska leads us into a world full of humoristic still life and inspiring photoshoots. This first issue of #NoFilter is our way of telling you ladies that you should feel confident the way you are, because we are all in the same boat. Enjoy yourselves, accept your fears and your flaws, your expectations and your accomplishments and fight alongside men not against them. Oh, and please stop fighting each other. At the end of the day, you are quite awesome as you are. BLANDINE LARUE Editor-in-chief
05 07 09 SHHH... IT’S ABOUT FEMINISM
COMPLETE YOUR OUTFIT
SAME BUT DIFFERENT
14 17 20
FIRST, LET ME TAKE A SELFIE
I WANT WORLD PEACE. OH, AND BIGGER BOOBS! - PHOEBE BUFFAY, FRIENDS
KEEPING OUR HEELS GROUNDED
FEAR THE FEMINIST
23 31 32
BEHIND THE FILTER
AN HONEST REFLECTION
DONT WAIT FOR GEN Y MEN
33 39 47
A NEW WAVE OF GIRL POWER
NOT SO PLAIN JAIN
A BLOGGER WEIGHS IN
SHWETA GANESH SECRETARY
CAITLIN GILLESPIE
BLANDINE LARUE EDITOR IN CHIEF
Editor in Chief Blandine is a child of the world. French Mother, French and British Father, born in Tokyo, raised in Zurich, she studied and worked in Paris before relocating to London. She doesn’t often describe herself as a Scorpio, but if you were to know this you would understand a bit more why she is the way she is. With a strong character, sometimes a bit too strong, with her big mouth, sometimes a bit too big, Blandine is confident that people should be proud of being who they are and the way they are. It’s okay to have doubts and fears, it’s okay to not always be confident, but she is adamant that women should learn to love themselves more.
PUBLISHER Growing up in central Minnesota, fashion has not always been a particularly strong part of Caitlin’s life, originally choosing to study Anthropology. After deep soul searching she relocated to London, now she’s just a twenty-something individual with a strange verging on unhealthy obsession with pop culture, music and fashion. Spending her days daydreaming, theorizing about the connections between the world of media and over-arching social strucROSIE FEENSTRA tures that shape the world, watching DEPUTY EDITOR music videos and movie trailers via YouTube she only asks for one thing: #NoFilter’s resident nerd and Deputy Nothing too serious in life, please. Editor, Rosie juggles a life full of stark contrasts. Rosie’s focus is on fashion features, uncovering the forgotten links between sociology and style and between articles can be found playing either a badass elf hunter in World of Warcraft, a smouldering Shadar-Kai Bladesinger in Dungeons & Dragons or reading a Dresden Files novel. Feel Free to drop her a tweet @RRFeenstra for discussions over breakfast. -
EUN JUNG CHA
DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR
MARTA BILBAO GÓMEZ DEPUTY PUBLISHER
Always seen drinking bubbles, Marta channels her inner Queen on a daily basis. Never to been seen drinking beer or wearing Birkenstocks, not even Celine’s, she has what she calls a healthy obsession with Instagram and an unhealthy one with heels. Outspoken and tremendously loud, a description that follows faithfully the clichés you have of Spanish people, Marta is also our very own British posh- sound alike Deputy Editor. She judges people on their poor coffeechoices and is judged by people on her unconditional love for fur that once brought her to be escorted out of Harvey Nichols through the back door. Follow her on @madamemarta
CHIRAG GROVER ART DIRECTOR
Currently studying his Masters in Fashion Media Production at London College of Fashion, Art Director Chirag worked for two years at FITCH India as a graphic designer for various luxury fashion and FMCG brands. At the same time, he launched a store called Maalgadi, which sells quirky lifestyle products available in India. Chirag is a strong believer that digital and interactive mediums are the future of fashion and thus enjoys mixing his expertise on graphics and art direction with f a s h i o n . (http://www.behance.net/chiraggrover)
Being part of the design team on an almost all female magazine team, Eun is actually a big menswear lover. Born in South Korea, raised in Canada and now studying in London, her passion for travel is captured in her obsession with photographing every minute of her life. While designing the pages of #NoFilter, she dresses like a tomboy and collects snapback hats, watches Lord of the Rings approximately 100 times a year – who can say no to the luscious blond locks of Orlando Bloom? Visit her on instagram @emilychaa and see where else life takes her.
NATALIE THEODOSI NEWS
NADYA ARIYANI WIDJONARKO SECRETARY Having had the opportunity to live in many different parts of the world, including Australia and Singapore, Nadya now considers herself ‘an Indonesian based in London’. A traveler at heart, she often can be seen reading one of her numerous travel magazines, she is also an insane foodie and a professional shopper. A job that we all envy. With London being her fifth move, she considers it to be the best one yet!
Born and raised in Cyprus, contributing writer Natalie calls herself a Londoner at heart. Five years ago she fell in love with the vibrant, multicultural society here and moved to make her way into the world of fashion. As a fashion journalist, she has a penchant for eccentric shoes and almost anything Céline. When not writing about the former, she can be found visiting V&A exhibitions, reading French literature or travelling to sunnier corners of the world.
As the teams resident tea drinker, Shweta can often be a source of knowledge on the best tea places in London. A writer who fell in love with fashion, she often wakes up to instagram and twitter, consuming all the fashion news in a way particular to a new generation. She’s mostly all about clothes, Leandra Medine and maximalism.
GRACIELA MARTIN Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, contributor Graciela Martin graduated with a degree in Social Communcation before styling for E! Entertainment Television and working as Editorial Coordinator for Velvet and On Time magazine. When she’s not running around London gathering clothes for Panos Yiapanis, whom she’s currently a studio assistant for, or planning her own shoots, she writes for publications in her home country and internationally. Check out her blog at descosido.com!
JAGODA GIERALTOWSKA FASHION DIRECTOR
Jagoda, aka Berry (yes, that’s the exact translation of her name from Polish) is a Warsaw based girl who came to London, studies at London College of fashion and simultaneously manages positions as the Fashion Director of #NoFilter and Editor-in-Chief of OH WELL magazine. Besides fashion, she loves food. In her spare time she loves cooking for friends and inventing new recipes, spending hours on social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram hunting for inspiration.
GABA NAJMANOVICH Contributing writer Gaba, is our anti-colonialist Latin American academic-ish writer. With a background in design and a love for the nasty industry of fashion, she spends her time trying to convince others that fashion does indeed matter. In her free time, when she’s not day dreaming that she’s actually Lena Dunham, Gaba strives to become the David Sedaris of fashion journalism. She OD’d on social media and found no other choice then to give up on her twitter, transferring her obsession to Instagram, just search for @gabangsta and you’ll see.
Shhhh...
it’s about
news
FEMINISM
- By Blandine Larue
While Queen Bey made a statement with her MTV performance, Emma Watson takes the cake for the most identifiable feminist celebrity thanks to her stand-up and cheer speech at the United Nations. These women are battling on the main stage, but look no further then mid-nineties classic Clueless (1995) or 2000’s Erin Brockovich for a good night in and a little feminist joyfulness, thank you Alicia Silverstone and Julia Roberts.
but it seems more likely that we’re not sure how to define it yet, we do agree that can do any number of things that the typical stereotype rejects. So don’t worry, you can still shave your armpits, wear a bra (the girls will thank you later), support and even marry a man, but you may have to debate the whole name change issue, and call yourself a feminist. Oh, and maybe steer clear of watching The Kardashians, as it seems they don’t quite make the grade.
It’s heart warming to see that the majority of us believe that feminists are those who believe in gender equality and that 95 percent of us agree that, yes men, you can be feminists too. While jury is still out on necessity for the battle of feminism, who knows maybe it’s still important,
Finally, while we take a moment to cheer, either out loud or quietly if you’re in the office, it seems that there’s still around 20 percent of us that while we don’t think feminist is a dirty word, well, you won’t be seeing us add it to our Facebook profile anytime soon. - By Caitlin Gillespie
# DEREK BLASBERG AND THE #HEFORSHE CAMPAIGN Derek Blasberg might be one of the most followed fashion socialites on social media. Besties with Naomi Campbell, the Delevingne’s, Karlie Kloss and Alexa Chung, the fashion writer has thousands of followers waiting religiously every season for his next glamorous selfies. Yet, he wasn’t present for Milan Fashion Week, he wasn’t even in the vicinity. Blasberg preferred to support another important cause. Invited to Emma Watsons’ talk at the United Nations in support of the HeForShe Campaign, he fled back from London to New York especially for that. In her speech, Watson stated “I’ve seen young men suffering from mental illness unable to ask for help for fear it would make them look less “macho”, the fact of the matter is that gender equality is your issue too.” Blasberg made it clear he was joining the cause. He still posted pictures on Instagram, but this time they were of the conference room instead of the runway and the selfies included Emma Watson instead of Karlie Kloss. Can’t say we’re not excited about that.
5.FEMINISTS ARE….
YES 12.8%
D.THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN GENDER EQUALITY
89.9%
NO
80.2%
6.FEMINISIM IS... D. CHANGING AND BEING REDEFINED 56.4% A. OLD NEWS. THAT FIGHTS BEEN FOUGHT ALREADY- 8%
2. WHICH F IDENTIFY EMALE CELEBRIT Y WITH FEM INISM TH DO YOU E MOST? A. AMY POEHLER – 17.95% B. BEYONCÉ – 20.51% C. HILARY CLINTON – 17.95% D. JENNIFER LAWRENCE- 20.51% E. EMMA WATSON- 23.08%
## ZOOM ON BEYONCE’S ON THE RUN STYLE
A.MAN HATERS – 5.1% B.MOSTLY LESBIANS – 0% C.WOMEN ONLY – 5 %
re Pictu mbia es u l o C vich, nt Pictur u ro c ko Erin B ss, Paramo e l e u l C
s
B. SOMETHING THAT SHOULD CONCERN ONLY WOMEN- 0% C. STILL IMPORTANT TODAY- 35.6%
3. FAVORITE LEADING LADY? A. MINDY KALING; FOX THE MINDY PROJECT – 15.38% B. LENA DUNHAM; HBO GIRLS - 2.6% C. ULIANNA MARGULIES; CBS THE GOOD WIFE – 2.6% D. ZOOEY DESCHANEL; FOX NEW GIRL – 23.1% E. EMILIA CLARKE; HBO GAME OF THRONES -30.8% F. KERRY WASHINGTON; ABC SCANDAL- 25.64%
4. I CAN BE A FEMINIST AND…? A. LIKE ME. LOVE ME. SUPPORT MEN. – 92.1% B. SHAVE MY ARMPITS- 86.8% C. WEAR A BRA. 89.5% D. PAMPER MYSELF AND ENJOY GETTING DRESSED UP- 89.5% E.ENJOY WATCHING THE KARDASHIANS. HILARIOUS. -60.5%
IST M BLE FEMIN A U G R A H 7. WHIC OY THE MOST? J DO YOU EN
OVIE
A. CLUELESS (1995) – 31.6% B. ERIN BROCKOVICH (2000) – 39.5% C. THELMA & LOUISE (1991) -10.5% D. FRIDA (2002) – 15.8% E. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (1992)- 2.6%
YES - 97.3% NO - 2.7%
8. WHICH FEMALE CELEBRITY IS QUOTED SAYING: “I AM NOT A FEMINIST, BUT I BELIEVE IN THE STRENGTH OF WOMEN”? A. KATY PERRY
B. TAYLOR SWIFT – 18.2% C. BEYONCÉ- 9.1% D. EMMA STONE- 18.2% E. LADY GAGA- 15.2%
39.4%
9 . WO U L D Y
OU CALL YO
YES - 81.1%
URSELF A F
EMINIST?
Needless to say that Queen Bey always has an extraordinary wardrobe, but for her On the Run tour with husband Jay Z everyone wanted to jump on board. After styling Beyoncé for the last 15 years, Ty Hunter revealed in an interview with Style.com the process of coordinating her ensembles. With only a two-and-a-half months notice, Hunter complied a wardrobe consisting of pieces from Givenchy, Alexander Wang, Versace, Diesel and Elie Saab, all of which are altered and personalized for the performer. According to Hunter “designers will give you a nice piece for the runway, but we have to get her in and out of costumes under two minutes.” Similarly, Hunter works closely with Michael Costello who had a hand in creating some of Beyoncé’s most memorable stage looks. With themes including “modern-day Bonnie and Clyde” and “badass robbers”, Beyoncé was hands-on throughout the entire process, ensuring that the communication between performer, stylist and designers was flawless. Emerging Designers, including Vrettos Verttakos who contacted Hunter through Facebook, were also showcased on the tour; as Hunter acknowledges “that’s the one thing I admire about Beyoncé, she’s willing to give younger designers a chance.” The On the Run HBO special aired September 20, 2014.
### I’M A BARBIE GIRL, IN A FASHION WORLD After his eclectic AW2014 collection where Jeremy Scott channeled and bred a collection of club-kid couture from fast-food to SpongeBob Squarepants, his S/S15 collection was a Barbie-lovers wonderland. Where did his tongue-in-cheek collection stem from? Scott believes that Barbie dolls are every girls and gay boys dream. It’s fashion and it’s a doll, it’s just meant to be fun and it should bring joy. Leading the show off with a roller-skating dolled-up Barbie lookalike, Scott encapsulated the essence that is the fantasy of Barbie and cleverly plays on the iconic branding that the doll has. True to his strategic marketing, a small capsule collection was available for purchase directly after the show, leading to an army of pink, plastic and glitter-adorned girls on the streets of Milan. First in line was Anna Dello Russo, decked out from head to toe in her Moschino Barbie wardrobe, who told Tim Blanks after viewing the collection that for Italians “It’s the dream of the American girl. What you can get from richness, healthiness, blondeness and power. You know? Power Girl.”
NO- 18.9%
10. MEN CAN BE FEMINISTS TOO ? 05
06
S R E N I A R T ON YOUR
FEET
So, remember when women couldn’t work, own their own place, drive a car, enter the army or vote? Well that was before and so is the fact that women can’t wear trainers and still be feminine, #justsaying. It’s not a phase. It’s not a comeback moment. They are a part of our wardrobe as much as trousers, skirts, dresses or underwear are, and our feet appreciate it. Thank god for trainers!
Acne Studios - Adriana £300
NIke Air Force - £80
Francesca Amfitheatrof x Tiffany&Co - T Bracelet - £4075
Fay Andrada - Ahnka Earrings - £110
AND GOLDEN JEWELRY TO
COMPLETE THE OUTFIT. Ladies, please forget the whole "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" thing. 50 Cent, The Game, Puff Daddy (back in the days before P-diddy and Diddy), Jay-Z (before Beyonce and Givenchy), Icecube and Xzibit will agree with me, Gold Jewelery is everyone’s new bestfriend. We’re rocking back the trend, so empty your jewelery box and dig up your gold because it’s back! Without the bling-bling issue though, okay?
Dear Charlotte - Couple Bérénice - £100
Vans X J.Crew - £65
Converse X Missoni - £80
Repossi - Antifer Rings Price on Demand
Aurelie Bidermann - Soho Earrings - £190
ial V
Ea r r
ing -
£50
0
Common Projects - Lowtops - £262
Loui
s Vu
itton
- Es
sent
Jerome Dreyfuss - Run - £345
Adidas x Raf Simons - Stan Smith - £300 07
Ben Amun - Gold Spiral Bangle - £120
We’ve all gotten somehow tricked by a trompe-l’oeil once. Some things just look somehow different to what they are, or similar to what they are not.
P h o t o g r a p h y : Pa t r y k K a b a j Styling: Jagoda Gieraltowska
FIRST, , LET ME TAKE A
Self ie BY GABA NAJMANOVICH
Days after, with a newly developed picture, this 13-year-old attached it to a letter and sent it to her father, the Tsar of Russia. Almost a century later, the Oxford Dictionary of English declares ‘selfie’ as the word of the year. With an increase of 12,500% in its use in the first period of 2013, the term became bigger than just a few pictures and turned into an all-embracing concept. Self-portraits have existed for centuries, our initial photographic selfie being attributed to the Grand Duchess, but it could be stated that our fascination with self-portraits originated in paintings. While the technique differs, painting is not particularly a mechanically based medium; self-portraits have been a popular way for artists to capture images of themselves and others. One image that comes to mind when thinking of selfie is Las Meninas by Velazquez, where the reflection of the painter appears in a mirror in the background of the sitting room, making himself a central part of the oeuvre. Fast forward three centuries and the development of this phenomenon can be seen through the selfies George Harrison took in India, taken with a fish-eyed lens, which centers a Beatles member at the centre of each picture, just as we see teens do today. The difference is that these images of the past are not labeled as narcissistic in the same way the selfie is today; rather they are admired for their artistic value. First things first: the definition. As the Internet has it, a selfie is defined as: a self portrait taken with a webcam or Smartphone intended to be uploaded to social media. Urban Dictionary emphasizes the necessity of this photo in being uploaded to Facebook or MySpace, while Wikipedia broadens to include every social network that has ever existed. If the selfie were to define itself, it must recognize the tremendous role that the social media platform Instagram has had in the development of the phenomenon. First introduced in 2010, almost in sync with the launch of the iPhone 4, Instagram had 10 million users in less than a year. The correlation between the use of the word selfie and the sudden success of Instagram is undeniably related, through the surge in hashtags and image descriptions. This should not come as a surprise, considering the easily applicable image enhancing tools the app offers, the assortment of filters and the magical blurring tool allow every picture that’s posted on the network to not only be decent but amazing.
SHOOT
PHOTO
S
BY GE ING FIL ORGE HARR IS M : WW W.SHOO ON TINGFIL M.N
ET/2013
/09/GEO
RGE-HA RRISON S
-FISHE
YE-SEL
F-PORT
RAITS.H TML
It’s 1914, the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna with trembling hands grabbed a camera and stood in front of a mirror. While looking at her reflection, wondering if she would be able to accomplish her task, she wondered what the future of the image was going to be. After a deep breath, she clicked the shutter and, without even noticing, changed the history of teenagehood. In less than one minute the Grand Duchess snapped the first selfie in history.
14
“IT IS THE RACE FOR THE LIKES
In this new era of the selfies, we have seen toilets and adolescents establish strong friendships, this birth of the ‘mirror-vogue’ is where we find the best position for both us and our cameras. Photos have found a way to ascend to an infinite number of possibilities, being saved and then deleted, until the perfect snap smiles out on our tiny little digital camera screens, which we then upload to our choice of social media, particularly Instagram, thus creating a pathway to the abyss that has become the Cloud.
AND THE INCREDIBLE EFFORT PUT ON
enhancing
THE OUTCOME SO THAT IT
There is such an immense amount of facts attached to the mere concept of the selfie that, if someone tried to fit them in an article, it would turn to be the longest and most boring feature in this magazine. If this is your thing, just type #selfie in your Instagram search box and the result will be an amount of at least 200 million pictures spread across an innumerable quantity of profiles. Try to do this same experiment in five days time; the figure will have grown by millions. Moreover, if the term only became this popular in the early beginning of 2013, just do the math and think about the amount of selfies that still have yet to be taken, or the selfies that were taken before the smart-phone revolution. Another equation to solve: if this many pictures were taken in just approximately 18 months, how many #selfies are uploaded per hour to the most popular picture app? This hashtag is used almost 42,000 times per hour.
MAKES US MORE
acceptable TO THE EYES OF OTHERS.”
Even though the term, when first introduced, meant something along the lines of self-taken picture, today what defines the selfie is basically its social use and its capacity to be shared on social media. As a matter of fact, being uploaded to an online platform allows for and requests certain interactions, reactions and replies, thus turning the sharing of the photo into a message in itself. For many people, in the case of the selfie, this message is directly related to the uploader’s need for attention (whether in a narcissistic way or in a please-lift-my-self-esteem way). Ever since Instagram was launched, with its possibility to manipulate pictures and the use of hashtags, (which function as a sort of search engine) it has allowed for the massive circulation of the term selfie. This enabled these pictures to enter a new phase: the phase of human branding. The big buzz around the selfie is not particularly with the whole selfie itself, or this would have been a phenomenon back when George Harrison was in India. Rather, it centers on the ‘#selfie’. The annoying thing here is not the action of taking pictures of oneself and sharing them, but the race for the ‘likes’ and the incredible effort people place on enhancing the outcome so that it makes us more acceptable in the eyes of others. We now have a love-hate relationship with #selfies, the supposed reassurance provided by others through likes is something that depends purely and exclusively on those tiny little red hearts that show up every time someone double taps a close-up of our face. The use of the word ‘supposed’ in the previous paragraph is rather important and shouldn’t be ignored. A survey performed on 1,500 Britons in 2013, showed that 69% of them retouch their makeup before snapping a #selfie; at the same time, 17% of them take as many as seven pictures before finding a winner. As Charley Simmonds, a London based model, stated in an interview for the Independent, she takes almost one hour to get ready for a #selfie. She shoots approximately thirty selfies per week, she doesn’t upload all of them, and she already knows what poses favour her image. In addition to this, the fact is that we are now able to upload any image to Instagram allows for images that have previously been saved on a mobile phone to be used as well, including photoshopped files (just saying). This contradicts the app’s leitmotif: memories created right here, right now. Rather, it is the exact opposite and thus contributes to an illusion. The pre and post production that a good #selfie entails points directly at the constant and omnipresent discussion of fashion: beauty standards against reality. What we are constructing through these pictures is not our identity, but the idea of an identity that we would like our followers to consume. The #selfie reproduces and perpetuates unattainable standards of natural beauty, while, at the same time, continue to maintain the illusion of being real. The #selfie has become nothing more than a mask, a façade of the self. The hashtagged self-portrait thus becomes a personal branding strategy; clever tactics for a media-orientated world.
A HASHTAG FOR ALL THE HATERS In this game of personal branding and self-redemption, the female body becomes sexualized and objectified. With a profusion of duck-faces and #selfies taken from high up top (hello boobies!), women of all ages contribute to and accept the hidden objectification of their bodies. But hold on, sexualization and objectification of the female body are nothing new. Back in the 1970’s, Laura Mulvey brought the term male gaze into the mix, This concept sustains that women in the cinema are the objects of a particular, literal male stare; women, instead of looking, are looked at. The reason for this is the fact that the audience to whom the movies were targeted was assumed to be comprised mainly of heterosexual men. Along the same line, if you type #selfie into your Instagram search box and look closely at the difference between the male and female pictures, many images of men tend to be homoerotic or funny, whereas women’s photographs can more easily be categorized as highly sexualized. Many feminists, such as Rachel Simmons, state that selfies can actually be empowering and that this ‘casual self-promotion’ (her words) is something adult women can learn from. The issue is when this self-promotion takes more than and hour and seven takes before we deem it acceptable, this is not what defined as casual. When something like a non-makeup selfie is celebrated and highlighted as an exception to the norm, we are calling even more attention to the fact that what we find normal is nothing more than a representation of unattainable ideas of beauty as circulated by the media. Still, the emergence of oppositional hashtags and selfie trends are indeed empowering. The downside is that not wearing makeup became something daring; the upside is that women are actively fighting in anyway they can against perpetuating impossible ideals. The #365FeministSelfie is a great example of this phenomenon; with approximately 35,000 images, this hashtag intends to portray women with and without makeup, with and without clothes, comfortable in their sexuality and with their sensuality without leaning towards objectification. Interesting, the hashtag #selfie is used 46,000 times per minute while #365FeministSelfie was used 35,000 times. Today, sexualization and hedonism seem to be the proper way to become someone. Twenty-one year-old Miley Cyrus has turned her tongue into a milestone and earns million of dollars and fans; Robin Thicke, who has been more or less a phantom in the industry for twenty years, objectifies women and is now celebrated by people of every gender because the Blurred Lines video was ‘sexy Blurred Lines and fun’ rather then exploitative. He defends himself by saying that the lyrics were meant to express the fact that men and women are the same… now he’s a feminist? Photographer Terry Richardson claims that what he does is for the love of art and Kim Kardashian gets a book published with some of the selfies she found on her phone while making a sexy gift for Kanye. In the meantime, respected artist and PhD candidate James Franco dedicates his Instagram account to portraying his face in every imaginable situation. In the era of paparazzi and reality shows, is the success of the #selfie an actual surprise? If we are still living in a celebrity culture and the American Dream is what we are chasing, how are we supposed to not emulate our favorite celebs behavior? Especially when all of what we need is at the tips of our fingers.
O OT
PH
Our image has become our product and by sharing it we are selling ourselves to others, with the means of exchange being nothing more than the amount of likes one can achieve. You like, you buy. Just as Vogue, Vogue, Kanye and Givenchy all strive for the likes that will eventually turn into $, @you and @me strive for the likes which could become :) and <3.
BY S
ID
RL
GE
@ ON AM
R AG ST
IN
SCREENSHOT OF TWITTER WITH #365FEMINISTSELFIE
BUT THE LAST TIME REALITY CAME KNOCKING, NONE OF US WERE LIVING IN AN EPISODE OF SEX AND THE CITY. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of a new pair of shoes. But the last time reality came knocking, Sex and the none of us were living in an episode of Sex City. The combined idea that heels are a right, a privilege and above all, a necessity is a little dated for a young, modern woman, especially considering our career-comfort focus on footwear. Yet, there is a lingering idea amongst our peers that we absolutely have to wear heels in certain contexts, as if it’s rooted in the culture of femininity. But not this season. Hold back the eye-rolling for a second and examine the alternatives; consider a life with compromise, with room for both comfort as well as for your sky-scraper heels, and let the feminist analogy do the talking.
Think of footwear as feminism, or your heel height as your anatomy. Traditionally, heels are thought to be the ultimate representation of femininity and taking that away from an outfit leaves it lacking a particular sense of sassiness. Designer Zandra Rhodes, almost always seen in heels, confirms her approach saying, "Wearing heels make me feel more feminine and dressed-up." Likewise, heel-wearing author Camilla Morton has shaped a stellar career purely by her love for heels, with her all-encompassing 2005 lifestyle manual How To To Walk In High-Heels High-Heels in which she discusses Walk In everything from buying them to hosting dinner parties and tackling technophobia whilst wearing them. What Morton did was write a manual for a modern woman; recognising that heels are designed to “tilt you at your most flattering angle possible”, but acknowledged that our spines and bank accounts wouldn’t always agree. Morton’s love for heels ran deep in four of her following books, but she always kept reality at heart - a heel isn’t a verification of your femininity.
BY ROSIE FEENSTRA Illustration from ‘En Brogue’ by Hannah Rochell
for this season – with a pointed toe to remain on trend.
Running shoes: From running lane to runway, 8 Aug 2012 - Blogazine.com
YET, THERE IS A LINGERING IDEA IN OUR PEERS THAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO WEAR HEELS IN CERTAIN CONTEXTS, AS IF IT’S ROOTED IN THE CULTURE OF FEMININITY.
Don’t just take our word for it; the flat rebellion has been brewing for a while. Leading the way for a grounded approach to footwear is InStyle features editor Hannah Rochell. Rochell had always hated wearing heels, and in retaliation to industry En Brogue stereotypes, she launched her blog En Brouge (2014) back in 2012, whilst a fashion writer and stylist at The Times Times, to take her love for flat footwear online. Blogging on anything from her shoes of the day to how to wear flats to a wedding, Rochell’s witty and modern take on abandoning heels came from the heart, having “never felt comfortable in them." After two years online, winning the affection of none other than author and journalist Caitlin Moran, who ‘worships’ the blog, Rochell’s work comes full circle in a scarily similar way to Morton’s, with the release of her En Brogue own book ‘En Brouge’. Whilst neither Rochell nor Morton had an agenda to convert others to their ways of walking, both their ideas of footwear contribute to a broader vision of femininity and they acknowledge the differences in their ideals. Morton tweeted her excitement about getting a copy of Rochell’s book, praising its originality, despite batting for the opposite team. Talk about an alliance. Something important to bear in mind is the delightful notion that fashion is empowering, especially in a career context. When made well, heels can give a real sense of empowerment to a woman. The issue with this debate is that we’ve kindled a culture where one has to pick a side. Those who love heels look down on flats and in turn, flat-lovers refuse to acknowledge the thrill Purple contributof the extra inch or two. Ahem. Purple’s ing editor Paula Goldstein is one for keeping her heels, having previously declared her love for the powerful thrill than come with them; “Maybe I’m getting old, but I feel like the high heels I’m reaching for now are actually becoming more workable and wearable, with daintier slim stiletto heels and not as staggeringly high...they give me an air of glamorous appeal and of being in control, even if I’m still a shambolic, quivering 1990s girl inside”, she admits.
Although the rebranding of flat shoes has steadily been on the rise for the past few seasons, A/W 2014 sees it take a new direction entirely. Previously the flat stomping ground was (and probably still is) dominated by flat shoe brands such as French Sole, but as PORTER PORTER sharply reported in its September ’14 issue ‘we all have a date with our Mary-Janes this autumn’. Other designers such as Jimmy Choo, Tabitha Simmons and classic Manolo Blahniks have all got in on the trend, finishing their flats with an elegant pointed toe and extra skinny sole for a waif, ankle shrinking illusion. The look is delicate and refined; undeniably feminine Flats are the new fashion item
Illustration from En Brogue by Hannah Rochell
Best Heels and Flats, Fall 2013 - www.lifestylemirror.com
Fear the
FEMINIST - BY CAITLIN GILLESPIE
Fem: An abbreviation for female. Heels vs Flats - www.vixenblog.com
Cover from Camilla Morton’s how t walk in high heels.
On the flip side, what more blogs and online profiles reveal about career women is an interesting lack of balance in heels worn in the work place. With each fashion week come the street-style photographers snapping editors for their website and blogs alike – with women from The Times, Tatler Tatler and and Lucky Lucky Magazine Magazine wearing heels at shows and opening parties. Karen Dacre, Editor of the Evening Standard agrees, loyal to the flat shoe campaign in an environment of chaos. Dacre indulges in “the joy of a shoe you Evening Standard can run, skip and dance in – think Birkenstocks, scalloped Chloé slippers and the most stunning breed of Balenciaga trainers your mind can muster”. In discussion with Matches Fashion about the great debate, Dacre spoke about flats having their worth for career women – and subsequently their designer wardrobes – for stylish practicality; “it’s not only the comfort it brings to your dressing regime but the sense of empowerment it brings to the lives of working women who, put most bluntly, simply want to get things done.” The issue boils down to a simple notion; we’d like to think that heels and flats can co-exist, and as a result, incorporate that ideal into the culture of femininity. The aesthetic of high heels are rooted in the visual aspect of femininity; increasing height, posture, overall silhouette and a touch of style to an otherwise mundane outfit. That’s all well and good but it’s when the idea that wearing flats is somehow a less feminine attribute pops up, that problems emerge. It’s baffling to think how qualities like practicality and durability were cast out of the feminine ideal, especially as it’s no different than what a man would need or want for his shoes. As Dacre pointed out, the industry’s move towards flat shoes is a sign of adapting with the times; “it is their determination to adapt to an aesthetic that’s thoroughly in step with the wants of a contemporary woman that has allowed the flat shoe to flourish.” Heels may always have a place in the modern woman’s wardrobe, but flat shoes play the practicality card, which almost always wins in most circles; we’re just fortunate enough to live in the golden age of both heights.
WHEN THE IDEA THAT WEARING FLATS IS SOMEHOW A LESS FEMININE ATTRIBUTE POPS UP, THE PROBLEMS EMERGE.
-ism: Referring to the act, practice, or process of doing something. Feminism: The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes. All definitions according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
There are many things in life that are considered ‘diagnosable’ fears. Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, claustrophobia, the fear of small and crowded spaces, even coulrophobia- a fear of clowns. For me, being buried alive is close to the top of my list. A common thread? All these fears are perceived as a direct threat to one’s health and well-being, a matter of life or death. Bearing the sense of threat in mind, it’s baffling to see how one fear still cripples many simply for the sake of reputation, rather than personal safety - people fear the f-word. Feminism. Feminism, or its identifying counterpart, ‘feminist’ has risen among categorical fears throughout history, influenced by the media and shaped by cultural norms, but it gets a little confusing when we try to understand why. However, the ‘fear’ that comes with aligning oneself with the female or feminine traits is nothing new. Children grow up learning that being compared to a girl is negative; don’t don’t throw like a girl, don’t cry like a girl, don’t run like a girl, basically, don’t be a girl. As they get older, although we hope that don’t this particular sexist language is something that will dissipate, instead we enter a world that carries so much cultural baggage around the role of women that we as adults learn to negotiate our femininity within the public discourse. Some may choose between studying and getting a degree or starting a family, or they learn to balance the two in a way only women are pressured to do. As women, we have learned that we must preempt any misunderstanding by defining ourselves first as: “I am not a feminist but….” A sentence, which for all of its popularity, demeans the necessity of understanding what feminism truly is about. What’s more, it encourages the need for women to qualify why they feel a particular way about women’s rights.
Fearing feminism comes from the notion that to comment on women’s rights defines you as a member of a passionate fire-breathing feminist cult. In 1931, distinguished British writer Rebecca West stated “ I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” - an expression that even today remains a truth in a certain context. Women who call themselves feminist are often understood to be man-hating, bra-burning women who believe women should not express their sexuality and that anyone who does is simply performing for the male gaze; perpetuating an objectification of the female body. The cultural baggage surrounding our perception of women and the role of the feminist has become so over abundant that it permeates all forms of media. Popular culture has become a medium that can control, shift and validate beliefs within mainstream culture. The power that is exerted when we see certain trends, vocabulary (selfie), or behaviors enacted by those under the media spotlight has become cemented within our reality. With feminism surging back into the proverbial eye of the storm, thanks to individuals with massive fan bases like Beyoncé, it has once again led to a series of discussions and public scrutiny. Having spent the decades since the feminist movement shaping our understanding and perception of feminists as a cohort of man-hating lesbians with hairy armpits and a distaste for anything stereotypically feminine, the media now has celebrities who are at the forefront, celebrities who don’t conform to this single minded perception of what makes a feminist. They are moving within established boundaries and challenging their limitations in the battle for understanding feminism. Is there hope for us yet?
FEM-POP: A SHIFT IN MINDSETS Beyoncé, currently one of the main players in the battle for feminism, recently performed on the MTV VMA stage in-front of a glowing 8-foot tall sign spelling out “FEMINIST”. This broadcast reached over 8.2 million viewers during it’s initial Sunday night broadcast according to Nielson ratings and does not include future YouTube views or other platforms that featured the awards show. Having been quoted referring to herself explicitly as a feminist, Beyoncé has called out both men and women on the responsibility they have to themselves and each other, in the fight for equality. She was blasted by the media for her cover for American GQ GQ published in February 2013, where she was photographed wearing a cropped tee and leopard print thong, yet in her interview she’s quoted calling attention to the fact that within the media we give men the power to define a women’s value by allowing them to define what’s sexy and what’s feminine. Her words are often dismissed as naysayers pay more attention to what they see as a contradictory visual image, saying her words are simply lip service for the women, rather than truth. She is a proponent for the belief that women need to reshape how they learn to perceive their self-worth and she encourages women to know themselves better, know what they want and to spend time by themselves. She believes that “ you need to be proud of who you are before you share it with someone else.” Yet she is constantly challenged and second guessed, her words on femininity and women’s rights undermined by women who criticize the way she chooses to express her sexuality and the way she exacts control over her image in the media.
While Queen Bey may be one of the most outspoken and controversial feminists in pop culture at the moment there are other women in the limelight that can’t seem to make up their minds. Taylor Swift didn’t call herself a feminist, quoted in a 2012 interview with The The Daily Daily Beast as saying “I don’t really think about things as guys versus girls. I never have. I was raised by parents who brought me up to think if you work as hard as guys, you can go far in life.” Although this is a nice sentiment, a nod to the All-American girl she appears to be, it also demonstrates aversion to the actual question of feminism and shows a desire to quantify her beliefs by measuring them against how hard ‘men’ work. Since when do women need to qualify themselves and the effort they put out against that of a man? Two years later it seems that Swifty may have jumped ships, a growth in character that should be respected. Recently in The Guardian, Guardian, she stated “As a teenager, I didn’t understand that saying you’re a feminist is just saying that you hope women and men will have equal rights and equal opportunities.” She now acknowledges that she’s been taking a feminist stance for a long time without actually explicitly stating so and has been one of the first to vocalize her support for Emma Watson and the #HeForShe campaign. Similarly, Lady Gaga remains a source of confusion for her stance on women’s rights. Quoted in the past saying that women need strong role models, Gaga has a career based on challenging gender roles and body image issues, yet she refuses to acknowledge her feminist
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stance by saying “I am not a feminist. I love men. I worship men.” Thus, perpetuating the idea that women believing in women’s rights and the equality of the sexes (i.e. the definition of feminism) are inherently against men. Gaga is far from clear at times, but ideas such as these are painfully incorrect and validate the fear people have of feminism in all its facets. Yet in other ways she is a trailblazer, namely LGBT rights, so why not feminism?
“ YOU NEED TO BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE BEFORE YOU SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.” - BEYONCÉ While Beyoncé’s role as a feminist icon is central to the media, other women who identify themselves as feminists are often subject to positive feedback or end up being completely demoralized. Lena Dunham and her HBO series Girls promotes a different image of the leading lady in television, just as Mindy Kaling’s does on NBC’s The Mindy Project; both shows have been praised for challenging the Project representation of women in leading television roles. Similarly, both shows have been subject to much discrimination based on their non-traditional representation of a shows main female character. These leading ladies aren’t stereotypically beautiful, but instead are funny, awkward and determined women that fulfill a more relatable role. Recently, Zooey Deschanel told Glamour magazine “I’m just being myself. There is not an ounce of me that believes any of that crap that they say. We can’t be feminine and be feminists and be successful? I want to be a f-king feminist and wear a f-king Peter Pan collar. So f-king what?” Something most of us can relate to.
Photo from WomenAgainstFeminism
Image from Beyoncé’s Facebook Page
Photo from HeForShe Campaign Page
THERE IS NOT A SINGULAR WAY TO DEFINE YOURSELF AS A FEMINIST, NOR IS THERE A CORRECT WAY TO DEFINE WHAT IS AND IS NOT FEMININE.
COMMENTARY: BODY CENTRIC Let’s not forget, that while men still hold a majority of influential positions within the creative industries, women are often the ones that provide commentary on other women in the media. In shows like Fashion Police and What Not To Wear or other makeover shows, both celebrities and everyday women are constantly shamed for their physical appearances. Even news-based channels have taken to covering entertainment events, with CNN often showing coverage of awards shows and discussing the physical appearance of women – yet we barely hear any commentary on the men. Similarly, magazines continue to highlight ways to improve physical appearance, providing fitness information, sex techniques and beauty trends, inundating women with information about how to improve themselves. With media commentary continuing to center around the issue of women’s bodies, it’s not difficult to understand why women are constantly judged by their physical appearance first and what they say second, a testament to how Beyoncé was vilified for her GQ cover before she was praised for her empowering statements during the interview. Women like Beyoncé that fight for feminism are often demoralized and criticized by other women for perpetuating the objectification of the female body, yet celebrities that work in other ways to challenge gender stereotypes are often brushed off as not being ‘serious’. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are comedians and often use this platform to discuss their views on feminism, but they run the risk of not being taken seriously because they are presenting the issue in a comedic light. Yet, if a woman deliberately addresses feminist arguments on a more serious stage, like Hillary Clinton, they may be criticized for being too political and female-centric on the issue of women’s rights. This conundrum is what often frustrates the public when we try and advance discussions about feminism and a continued brush-off by the mainstream media creates a vortex where we lose view of the central issue: the equality of men and women. Not the battle between the two genders and definitely not a battle that pits women against other women, as the campaign #WomenAgainstFeminism encourages. Intentional or not, the website is dedicated to sharing photos of women who criticize feminism and in conjunction belittle supporters of feminism and perpetuate inaccurate ideas about what
it means to be a feminist. It’s not about us versus them; it’s about working together to resolve a debate that has historically been seen as a battle of the sexes. Campaigns like the United Nations #HeForShe campaign encourage a mentality that is inclusive of both genders and as the face of the campaign actress Emma Watson provides an a younger generation with someone they can relate too, thus there is the opportunity to bring a definitive change in the discourse surrounding feminism. Jennifer Lawrence has been notably quoted in many interviews encouraging women to stop the shaming, to support each other and not to allow the media to influence your self-value. It’s important that within the mainstream media we recognize the difference between women, and the men, who control their public image. We must recognize and encourage individuals to be comfortable with who they are and we must support women and men, in the media in order to foster this confidence. There is not a singular way to define yourself as a feminist, nor is there a correct way to define what is and is not feminine. The underlying and constant dialogue within the media minimizes the battle of feminism down to issues of body image and the use of that body in the media. This is somewhat inevitable, given that we live in a media controlled world that elevates the importance of physical image, and while not all attention to body image needs to be negative this angle continues to devalue and demean the actual problem: Women are criticizing other women. We continue to neglect the understanding that women are complex, that people are complex, and we should be allowed to live out those complexities. The continued need to regulate and measure a woman’s actions and appearance will keep us entrenched in this tug-of-war discussion on feminism. It’s not about how you should be, it’s about celebrating and understanding who you are and fostering a confidence that encourages self-development. Feminism isn’t something to be feared, it isn’t about differentiating women’s rights from men’s rights; it’s about establishing equality and negating the idea that to throw like a girl is inherently a bad thing.
T- S H I RT: V I N TAGE
J EA NS: A M ERIC A N A P PA REL
PHOTOGRAPHE R: PAOL A VIVAS
STYL IS T: JAG O DA G I ER ALTOW S K A
MUA: RACHE L THOMAS
STYL IST A S S I S TAN T: K AS I A S ZN AJD ER
SHOE S: CATE RPIL L AR 24
MO D EL: AN A CAS T ELO FR O M MI LK MAN AG EMEN T PH OTO G R APH ER AS S I S TAN T: AR I AN N A LAG O
SWEATER : ZA R A BOTTO MS : R O X Y SOCK S : S T YL I S T ' S OW N SHO ES : S A U C O N Y
S W EAT ER : ZAR A
S W EAT ER & JACK ET: AMER I CAN APPAR EL
S W E AT E R , J E A N S & J A C KET: A M ERI C A N A P PA REL
SOC KS: STYL IST’S OWN
CROPPE D S W EAT ER : AMER I CAN APPAR EL
S K I RT: ZAR A
( le f t a nd right) Top - Marian a Ju n g m an n Pan t ies - Miss Crof t on Sho rts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Miss Crof t on S ock s - S t ylist 's ow n S h oes - S t eve Mad d en
DONT r o f wait GEN
AN
I T C E L F E R
BY ROSIE FEENSTRA
Illustration originally published in ‘The Spinsterhood Diaries’ (www.spinsterhooddiaries.com);
Frankly in this day and age, there’s no place for deceit in retail. Stores have been our best friends since the tender age of 11 or 12, when we bought into a dream of endless affordable styles and embraced the new renditions of ourselves that came with it. But as our bodies change and our personal notions of dress develop, we have moved on and declared ourselves ‘adults’. In retaliation, the world of retail brings out manipulation tactics to bring out the sense of naivety we once had; through the lying, deceitful reflections of fitting room mirrors. The manipulation game takes on two different ideas to twist the truth of how we look. Dim lighting and square, flat mirrors (tilted on an angle no less, if we’re getting really technical) make us look fat and bring out the worst in our skin. At the other end of the spectrum, is the curvy, skinny oval shape mirror than stands alone in bright lights, which slims down our reflection; neither one is honest and both are equally frustrating. The issue has become more widespread since Marks & Spencer was accused in 2007 (and again in 2012), by the press, of tampering with its mirrors in producing a skinnier reflection. Although the allegations were never substantiated, the well-lit mirrors were indeed found to emphasize wrinkles and bags under the eyes; different from the accusation of producing a skinner reflection, but still off-putting. It’s not a debate, yet for some reason, shops still use the age-old tactic for grown career women. Women’s body image is a loaded topic, so let’s whittle the issue down. Fitting room mirrors are stupid for two reasons; the primary one being an intelligence factor. It’s seems baffling that a brand would try and tease £100 out of our purses by distorting how something looks with a mirror – now we’re older, educated and infinitely more experienced than our teenage counterparts, it’s a little insulting to think that a simple idea would change our opinion on how a dress fits. Cos, Zara and AllSaint’s front-face lighting makes everyone look flawless with flat mirrors and forward
facing lights, to blur our imperfections, whilst Topshop, Jigsaw and some of the rooms at Liberty’s present an array of overexposed bulbs, curved mirrors or darkened spaces they call dressing-rooms. Ultimately turning their fitting rooms into more of a funfair than a shop. Secondly, playing on insecurities is cheap. Fitting room lights can make or break an outfit. If we’re having a bad day, the last thing you need is a bad reflection. Tyra Banks of all people knows, having campaigned against fitting room mirror tactics with her women’s foundation, TZONE. Banks has commented in the past that unflattering room lighting is a real trigger for a negative body image. 'Dressing rooms are terrible for women,' she said. “'If retailers did something about the bad lighting they would sell so many more clothes because it just exaggerates the bad parts of our body...they make people look 80 per cent worse than they are.” Although we might have left these little episodes back during our teenage years (where 70 per cent of girls aged 11-19 cite their relationship with their body their number one worry), they can rear their ugly heads from time to time. Clothing is definitely a way we indulge in our best assets, but flagging up a woman’s other insecurities is common practise with mirrors and lighting; in the belief that we’ll be convinced that a dress will somehow fix whatever issue we’re having. Let’s move on from this so-called phenomenon of stifling retail influence. Online shopping now means we can buy and try in the comfort and familiarity of our own homes with real mirrors to help us make a judgement. The result is a better, more realistic body image and the expectations that come with it than what is found in stores. It’s a shame to devalue the tactile shopping experience, but it’s not always a memorable one, so we don’t owe it anything. Better mirrors mean happy customers, and putting more value in their self-esteem (and thus, purchase power) and doing so would put our role as customers in a much more positive light; pun intended.
MEN
image can be found www.spinsterhooddiaries.com/2013/07 /a-spinsters-nemesis-dressing-room-mirror.html
HONEST ON
TO COM E AROUND ON
GENDER BY AVIVAH WITTENBERG-COX First published as a blog on Harvard Business Review: http://blogs.hbr.org/avivah-wittenberg-cox/
Speaking to a group of very international young business students in Switzerland, the room was a good balance of men and women, with a slight preponderance of women. I asked the men to raise their hands if they expected to have the lead career in their relationship. Almost all of them put their hands up. I then asked the women how many of them would be ready to be the secondary career to their partners. None of them raised their hands.
who have been educated and trained in male-dominated companies and environments. For many of them, gender balance is actually a pretty unemotional no-brainer. They may not be overly familiar with professional women, but many of them have daughters, and they all have an eye on the education statistics that are dramatically feminizing. They see the stats on talent, on customers, and they start to move.
There lies today’s dilemma. Both men and women are looking for something that is rare, and perhaps increasingly so: the partner who will support their career.
One of my key challenges is to get these top guys to understand that balance is less obvious the further down the existing hierarchy you go. They will each need to invest time and energy getting all their managers to buy the need for balance. One CEO was sure his team was aligned behind him — until we ran a session with them, and he made them publicly state whether they believed balance would improve results. Only half said they did. He was stunned. He thought it was so obvious it didn’t even require explanation.
A lot of young people today think that “gender issues” are a little bit passé. That Generation Y has a different, more progressive attitude. This is not my experience in speaking regularly at some of the world’s leading business schools. On the contrary, I find these students steeped in stereotypes and expectations that success requires a sort of extreme machismo. The next ten years will be crucial for accelerating gender balance. I think after that that it will get much harder — not much easier, as many assume. The current generation of leaders running organizations are baby boomers
But for today’s young men, it’s a whole different story. They have been to female- dominated universities. They have had girls out-performing them in schools their entire lives (the OECD Pisa studies show girls outperforming boys at almost every grade level, in almost every country). They have a deep understanding
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of the potential competition they face every day from the ladies. If they find that today’s male dominated corporate cultures give them a competitive edge, I think it is wishful thinking to assume they will be big promoters of balance. They will, like most ambitious men before them, be big promoters of themselves. These young men have trouble understanding the business case for balance. Only a fraction of men in these talks “gets it.” That running a gender-balanced corporation might actually be better for business, for their companies, for their customers. They are mired in personal perspectives, in ideas about who has children, in their own preferences for wives who will take care of life while they shine professionally. Women, of course, love the business case, but usually discover with a certain degree of horror how retrograde their school chums reveal themselves to be. What’s to be done? Use the present moment. Many of today’s CEOs are pushing hard on gender. We need to accelerate the pace, and help them do it better and more effectively. Time is short, and Gen Y may not be as progressive on gender as they think — and we hope — they are.
AURELIE LAROUSSE, 27
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF AURELIE DEMEL | WWW.AURELIEDEMEL.COM | DESCRIBES HERSELF AS: PASSIONATE, STUBBORN, SENSITIVE
A NEW
W A VE GIRL POWER
OF
WHILE ALL OF GEN Y IS STILL FIGURING THINGS OUT, MEET 5 WOMEN THAT ARE TAKING THE REIGNS.
Aurelie has this amazingly sensual thing about her. Men, as much as women, tend to do a double-take when she walks by. With hazel eyes, wild blond hair, luscious lips and a style that would make Carine Roitfeld jealous, she has this thing about her that draws people to her and makes them believe in her. Born and raised in the South of France, she moved to Paris to study at the fashion school Studio Berçot. After graduating she worked at Rick Owens under his wife Michelle Lamy; it was at the Rick Owens store in the Jardin du Palais Royal in Paris, she met the man that became her business associate. Ivorian Football player Guy Demel and Aurelie became close friends, ultimately, he decided to sponsor her and launch a brand with her, a combination of their names: Aurelie Demel.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE DESIGNER TODAY? Tough question! The Row, Bouchra Jarrar... I really wouldn’t be able to give you a straight answer. There is something in each of them that I love. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB? Meeting new people, starting new projects and collaborations. I love working with people. WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST PART? Production without a doubt is the toughest part of the process. It’s frustrating when you have something in mind and it doesn’t come out as expected.
WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TOO? People that have a lot of stories to tell, I like listening, I like imagining.
WHERE DO YOU PRODUCE? I’m proud to say my clothes are 100 per cent made in France!T
WHAT INSPIRES YOU? All forms of art, honestly. I am a true passionate of the medieval period and of all types of warriors, samurai, knights, gladiators of all times, I love the way thin chainmail reveals the body like lace, yet protects it at the same time. Yet, I try to stay modern; I have to keep in mind that my clothes are strong and inspired by warriors of the past but they are meant to be worn as well. It’s about combining metals and fabrics in a flexible, feminine and contemporary way.
WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD? WHERE YOU FEEL THE MOST COMFORTABLE? I would say in calm surroundings, like the lake of the gardens of Versailles or in the Cour Carrée of the Old Louvre. These are places that have a strong history and history is part of what fascinates and inspires me.
ANYTHING ELSE? I also have to say that dancers have inspired me a lot. HOW SO? Once I learned that Jérémie Bélingard, the male leading dancer at l’Opéra de Paris, was trying-on my chainmail pieces I had stored at a mutual friends house, I met him and was straight away impressed by his elegance and the way he moved. I immediately knew I wanted to make a short film with him wearing my designs [the film can be seen on Aurelie’s website www.aureliedemel.com]. He became my Muse, and then he introduced me to Alice Renavand, the female leading dancer at l’Opéra de Paris. Alice is so graceful and so soft with her movements, it brought a whole new feel to the collections. It just validated my opinion that the presence of a dancer can bring more than one of a model, dancing shows that the chainmail can be supple, that it can move.
Aurelie’s upcoming Fall/Winter collection, a mix of African and Pap uan inspirations, was shown at Paris Fashion Week at the French Federation’s Designer Apartment with a performance by Jeremie Belingard.
- By Blandine Larue
VANESSA FISHER, 22
FIONA MCMARTIN, 25
(LAUGHS) “I GUESS I WOULD SAY I AM A STRUGGLING ACTRESS IN LONDON”
SOLO ARTIST AND MEMBER OF HANNAH IN THE WARS SINGER-SONGWRITER | DESCRIBES HERSELF AS: BRAVE, TERRIFIED, HONEST PROFILE: Having recently graduated from The Urdang Academy, one of London’s leading independent performing arts academies, Vanessa Fisher is no stranger to the entertainment industry. She is passionate, intelligent and upon meeting her you’re struck not only by her friendly smile but also by her easy-going and confident demeanor. Vanessa grew up living all over London, having moved multiple times, surrounds herself with her friends and her family, and is dedicated to the goals she sets. Sitting with her over coffee, it was easy to see why people are drawn to her; she is well spoken, sharp-witted and passionate about women in entertainment and women’s rights.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN TWO WORDS? Aware Brave, I really like brave. WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE JOB? It’s the fact that you’re constantly competing. Sometimes it becomes that for you walking down the street is a competition between yourself and everyone else because of the constant pressure you’re under. It’s always in your head; “Am I doing this right?” “Did I miss a step?” “Can I do this according to their expectations and the exact way I was shown?” It’s a battle to balance the pressure and also remember why you chose to do it in the first place; it can take it out of you sometimes.
WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND? I chose to study English and Psychology, for my family, and then Dance and Drama for myself. A friend of mine was training in another program and she was sore all the time, tired and she would always tell me how hard they were training. I thought to myself “If I’m not sore like her, I’m not training hard enough. How am I supposed to make it if I’m not working as hard as possible to get what I want?”, so I left and ultimately auditioned for 10 colleges, of which I got into 9/10. For many reasons, the most prominent of which being I felt comfortable, I chose Urdang Academy.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD? New York City YOUR FAVORITE DANCE/COREOGRAPHER/PERFORMER IS... Beyonce. No Question.
WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TOO? Beyoncé, definitely, and her journey. There are other women and the journeys they have gone through that inspire me, that’s what most interesting, women that have worked hard and fought to be the people they are today.
PIECE OF ADVICE? Create your own path. Everything that’s been done, well, someone had to do it first, so be that person.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO KEEP GOING? I just want to perform; I know that I’m good enough. I see these other people and okay, I might not be the best, but I can do what they are doing. I know I can, I’m giving up everything to show that.
WHAT’S YOUR NEXT STEP? Keep trying and give it my all. Then if in a year I haven’t gone anywhere, haven’t made any progress at all, then go to plan B and try just as hard at that. I’m giving myself this year; this is my dream isn’t it? I’ll make it. I don’t believe that you can try hard, give 100%, dedicate yourself, and have nothing happen.
IS IT TOUGH BEING A GIRL IN THIS INDUSTRY? Yes, definitely. I mean, for example, the thing is that while you can go study and train in medicine, the majority of the time you will work in medicine, often if you study business you work in business in some respect. For me I’m training for an industry where there’s just no guarantee. For every one boy in the industry there’s five girls, I guess I’m at a bit of an advantage because I’m black but there’s still a stereotype that I need to fulfill, an expectation of the kind of performer I will be. I would say it’s the toughest industry to be in for a white girl.
- By Caitlin Gillespie
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New Zealand-born and London-based Fiona McMartin describes herself as a tomboy; skinny and stringy, she has a deep voice that takes you by surprise and a thick accent that adds to her charm. Wanaka, her hometown, is her favorite place in the world, yet she feels that at this moment she belongs in London. Discussing her career in London, Fiona mentioned, “this agent I met last week, told me I was on the wrong side of 21” during a meeting with a record label. It is safe to say no one would want to hear that, yet Fiona doesn’t actually care and when she says it you can feel it is not with fake nonchalance. Stating in her own words she really doesn’t “want to be a Popstar”, it’s not who she is . All Fiona wants to do is music, the way she has always done it and she doesn’t want to be marketed like she’s just 16 years old. She still believes you don’t have to follow mass- market pop culture rules to the letter if you want to make it in the music industry. ‘Making it’ is quite a subjective expression in the end anyways. At the moment she is performing with her friend Hannah, main singer of the folk band Hannah in the Wars, but she also is trying to focus on doing her own thing. Fiona is not only a passionate individual but also a workalcoholic, “I get stressed out if I don’t have a million things to do, I shouldn’t, it would give me time to work on my music, but I need to be busy at all time.” It would also make sense then that this obsession with being busy all the time is also the biggest fear and the hardest bit of McMartin’s everyday life; “admitting that I’m an artist and giving myself time to be creative alongside with working to pay the bills is obviously the hardest part.” Next to her music she works for a Kiwi company based in London and works on organizing and promoting music festivals. Fiona has a lot to say on sexism, especially back home, “women are more likely to be accepted as powerful in Europe. New Zealand is still quite sexist. I’ve been in quite a few situations where the line between appropriate and inappropriate was crossed.” Lets face it, Fiona McMartin is the kind of woman that is passionate and strong, strong enough to fight for her opinions, her beliefs and her passion. When you ask her who are the people that inspire her, she says they are her friends, “The way they survive, that’s the closest thing to real success.” Could be the starting lyrics to a song? - By Blandine Larue
PEGGY GOULD, 24
ALEXANDRA LOWELL, 26
A LONDON FASHION BLOGGER, ILLUSTRATOR, DJ & LONDON CORRESPONDENT EDITOR OF HARPER’S BAZAAR KOREA.
FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF LOWELLITA
I have known Alexandra almost my whole life. She used to protect me on the playground at school whenever I had arguments with my fellow seven year-old girlfriends. Like an older sister she looked after me, because Alexandra has always been part of the ‘cool kids’. Not the kind that bullied the weaker ones, but just the type that people liked instantaneously. Luckily enough for us, she agreed to answer a few of our questions about her everyday life as Founder and Creative Director of Lowellita, her Paris-based brand blending ready-to-wear clothing with South American fabrics. FIRST OF ALL COULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS? Extreme, spontaneous, colourful. WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Mexico City IT’S A BIT MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT THOUGH, ISN’T IT? Well, I was born in Mexico, my dad is American, my mom is French and I grew up between Mexico and Switzerland. WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND? I studied communication in London and then worked for a bit before launching Lowellita. WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TOO? Is it wrong to say I don’t have any role model? I mean, there’s no particular person I tell myself ‘Oh I wish I was like her or him’. I look up to different people for different reasons. Image by Rio Romaine
WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND? I was born in South Korea, lived in London for a while, and I’m getting ready to move to Berlin now. I’ve studied two styling courses at the London College of Fashion and I’ve started making music on my own.
WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE JOB? In both fashion and music, I think having and maintaining your personal style is the most difficult part. It’s so easy to imitate others and to be seen as something you want others to see you as. Sometimes, losing that standing point in either industry is so easy.
WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TOO? Arthur Russell. If you listen to his music, you’d know why.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD? Dreamland Beach in Bali.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO KEEP GOING? I love styling myself. As much as I have styled other photoshoots, I’m the most comfortable and confident when styling myself. I think it’s because I know how important personal style is in fashion and also in music. If you don’t have your own thing going on, I think you lose the grasp of both industries.
YOUR FAVORITE MUSICIAN? DJ Koze is another one - he’s a musician, producer, and a label owner. These professions are what I want to achieve in the future. PIECE OF ADVICE? Take your time in life. Don’t rush anything or try too much, be your own boss and don’t depend on anyone else to take you where you want to be.
IS IT TOUGH BEING A GIRL IN THIS INDUSTRY? Actually, in fashion, I believe it’s a privilege to be a girl! Women are more instinctively attracted to pretty things and love being pampered; Fashion’s the best place to do that. Looking good and being seen looking good! Not much difference in music, I feel like being a girl makes me stand out a bit. It’s a very male driven industry, but there are female gems within it. It’s a privilege to be a woman in any way, and you should make the most out of it!
WHAT’S YOUR NEXT STEP? Moving to Berlin! It’s one of my favorite cities to be in and I’m excited for the next move. I want to see where life will take me!
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN TWO WORDS? Confident. Different. - By Emily Eun Cha
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WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE AT LOWELLITA? All of it! (laughter) The toughest part is to juggle between all the different roles I have to manage. As I’m self-employed, I can start the day doing sales, then design, then administration and then communication. It’s exhausting. I’VE SEEN YOU WORK THOUGH, YOU LOVE IT, YOU’RE EXCITED BY IT! WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART THEN ? Creation, definitely. I guess I like it the most, but then the most exciting moment is when I see the results of my creation. Being able to finally see the first pieces on a mannequin. WAS IT TOUGHER TO MAKE IT AS A WOMAN? Definitely. You are definitely not taken seriously, it’s so much harder to make people listen to you, to make them respect you and your opinion. It was such a constant fight that I had to hire a man to work with me. It’s unfair, but it’s the only way I found I could be taken seriously. What inspires you? Craftmanship, but also travelling and obviously colours as you can see with my pieces. It was growing up in such a rich culture of craftsmanship, seeing such varieties of traditional outfits from villages all over South America, that lead me to not only want to explore the use of woven fabrics, but also the use of prints and colours combined with details like embroidery, tassels and braids. What is your favorite place in the world? Mexico definitely. I don’t know, Oaxaca, Tulum, San Miguel de Allende, so many places. Mexico is like France, there’s not just one landscape you see and you’re like “oh that’s Mexico”, there are so many different types that you’re not able to use just one. I also love Peru and Guatemala, I think those three countries are my favorite places in the world.
- By Blandine Larue
JA
o s t o N lain P
NE Photography: Laura Cammarata @Laura_Cammarata Styling: Graciela Martin @descosido_ Makeup: Virginia Bertolani @virginiamua Hair: Shouichi Nakamichi. Model: Sophie Goslitski @ Elite_ London Photography assistance: Claudia Guariglia Styling assistance: Flavia Souza, Viviana Attard.
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C o a t : M i n g P i n Ti e n ( m i n g p i n t i e n . c o m )
Shirt: Alex Huang Tw o t o n e j u m p e r : N e e d l e . ( n e e d l e b o u t i q u e . c o m ) Jeans: Zara
C o a t : M i n g P i n Ti e n J u m p e r : J. Wo n ( w w w. j i w o n r e e . c o m ) S h i r t : A l e x H u a n g Shoes and Jeans: Zara
Tr e n c h : S t y l i s t ' s o w n .
Coat: CO N e c k p i e c e : J. Wo n Knit jumper and trouser set: Mandkhai (mandkhai.com)
Tu r t l e n e c k l o n g j u m p e r : M i n g P i n Ti e n
Tu r t l e n e c k a n d c a r d i g a n : M a n d k h a i .
Coat: Alex Huang
J u m p e r : J. Wo n
Shirt: Alex Huang
A B lo g g eR W E IG H S I N www.marykatrantzou.com
THE GREATEST HITS
UNDERSTANDING THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE
In every woman’s life there’s always the one that got away. But we’re talking about fashion this time, not men, Aside from the relationships that maybe didn’t work out, there’s also that one purchase that for some reason or another just couldn’t happen. Whether it was expense, popularity or an extraordinarily long waiting list, sometimes you and your object of desire are just not meant to be. Alternatively, you might have actually spent some time together before you put it on Ebay or Vestiaire Collective and moved on to something bigger and better.
The first time I saw the pictures from the Céline Spring 2013 show, I was simply in awe of the white satin wide-leg pants, oversized vests and netted dresses. In all their minimalist glory, they were the embodiment of the effortless style I aspire to, and the subsequent attitude that this style conveys. But then came a surprising finishing touch to the outfits of my dreams, in the form of fur-lined Birkenstocks. Ugly, orthopedic shoes are one thing, lining them with fur in blindingly bright reds and yellows and adding a precious Céline tag to them was just overwhelmingly confusing and disappointing. That said, a year later, I find myself writing this article and staring down at my very own pair of Birkenstocks. I pair them with ripped boyfriend jeans and when I walk down the street, I get smiles and nods of approval from other fashion-conscious women who probably also hated Birkenstocks one year ago. Clearly times and style seem to be in constant evolution.
By Natalie Theodosi of lebonchic.com
By Natalie Theodosi of lebonchic.com
I still remember the Miu Miu Summer ’10 collection with both a sense of nostalgia and a slight bitterness. Those swallow-print Mary Janes and cat-print collars are the ones that got away for me, the stuff dreams are made of; youthful, feminine yet so wonderfully tongue-in-cheek. Thesepieces also arrived at a time when I started experimenting with fashion and felt more comfortable in wearing more quirky pieces. Yet the morning I marched into the Miu Miu store to purchase the shoes that projected everything I wanted to say about myself, I was informed that they were sold out worldwide. Gone. Today, when I look back at this unlucky incident, I realize that the reason for all this nostalgia is not because of the shoes themselves but because of what they symbolized and the memory attached to them. Arguably, this is where the real beauty of a fashion piece seems to lie. A mental rewind of my fashion memory and of the fashion-forward pieces that left an impression over the years further proves the point. These are the pieces that encourage us to experiment and open our minds to unconventional beauty. The Summer ’10 Victor & Rolf cut-out tulle gowns, even though out of reach, have left me with such a fond memory because they introduced me to the more avant-garde, imagination-fuelled side of fashion. Similarly, the SS 2006 Dolce & Gabbana show opened with Naomi Campbell in a python corseted dress, a reference to Irving Penn’s photographs from Africa. In all its uncensored glory, that show gave me my first taste of what Italian glamor was truly all about and how powerful and sensual women can look, pushing the boundaries of taste.
As a teenager, I would constantly poke fun at my mum’s multiple leopard-print acquisitions and firmly believed that leather trousers are reserved for rock-stars on stage, yet as soon as I hit twenty and moved to London, leather trousers became my second skin and I added way too many leopard pieces to my wardrobe. The drastic way personal taste changes over the years is dripping in irony and contradictions, so much so that it begs the question; how does the fashion industry lure women into buying into trends they had initially hated? More importantly, does succumbing to this make us fashion victims?
www.marta-bg.tumblr.com www.marta-bg.tumblr.com
t e l e w n e h W r u o e d i u g n fashio ons, we i t a n i g a im s ’ n e m o w e e s e r i s e d c i t e g o l o p a a n u s a s e h t o l c e s u d o t n a t c e j o r p o t l o o t r u o y d embo d n a s n o i t a r aspi y t i l a e r escape
Continuing the hunt for memories that garments can hold; the recent Isabel Marant Fall 2011 collection always manages to bring a smile to my face, because it serves as a reminder of the year I spent in Paris and particularly of all those wonderfully long hours spent at the Café de Flore. Those Navajo pants and yeti inspired sweaters take me back to sipping coffee at the Parisian landmark and gazing at all the unquestionably chic Parisian women, dressed in Marant. The fact that clothes can trigger memories just as vividly as smells is part of what makes these pieces all the more special.
What is even more intriguing, is coming to realize that reminiscing over fashion pieces that left an impression is not exactly uncommon amongst women. Our Deputy Editor, Rosie Feenstra still yearns for a gown that appeared on the Tom Ford runway three years ago. Referring to the piece as an “impossible dream” she goes on to describe it with great eloquence, reflective of the nostalgia she has for it; “long-sleeved lace, in a deep shade of green, it had a fish-tail skirt and buttons all down the back… a slinky, dreamy number fit for a screen-siren, oozing sex appeal with an underlying sense of modesty and elegance”. Of course, Tom Ford remains her fantasy to this day, keeping alive her inner-child with a relentless optimism that one day she will become the woman wearing that magical gown. This trip down our sartorial memory lanes may never lead to any physical gains, but that should still not inhibit any of us. Above all, it’s a clear indication of the way a fashion item, whether purchased or simply admired from a distance, can transcend into something truly precious, carrying memories and dreams with it. When we let fashion guide our imaginations, we see women’s unapologetic desire to use clothes as a tool to project and embody our aspirations and escape reality. This is undoubtedly an indulgence we all need every now and then, that can even act as a form of motivation during tougher days. So whether you are age 15 or 50, whether your guilty pleasure happens to be an Acne biker jacket or an elaborate Tom Ford gown, it’s worth embracing this quintessentially feminine affinity we have for fashion and fantasy. Because sometimes the memory of the one that got away is even sweeter than that of something readily available.
www.marta-bg.tumblr.com
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Instagram is be one of the culprits for our ever-changing aesthetics. It starts off by following a few of your favourite editors and soaking up their photos of trends and new pieces; be it Birkenstocks or feather skirts. Give it the right filter and a smart hashtag and followers are probably already starting to warm up to it. Then you might see a few of your favourite bloggers pioneering the trend (@manrepeller and @susiebubble we are looking at you) and just because they look so mind-bogglingly cool, you are yet again forced to reconsider. The power of social media isn’t even up for debate here, it’s painfully obvious how unlimited access can change our minds.
www.clementinedavey.com
There’s also the role of the designer to consider. Pheobe Philo’s role of creative director at Céline requires her to see beyond current necessities, to anticipate women’s future needs. In the case of her Spring ’13 show, she envisioned that comfort mixed with a dose of humour might just be the answer and apart from a few initial gasps of disapproval, we all ended up agreeing that those shoes offered a perfect break from the blister-inducing, towering double-platforms we used to force ourselves into. On a similar note, Isabel Marant also pioneered the popularity of unconventional-looking yet comfortable shoes, eventually convincing everyone (even the kind of women who wouldn’t even go to the supermarket without their high heels) to put their names on the mile-long waiting lists for her Bekett sneakers. As for London-based Mary Katrantzou, what she envisioned was powerful, self-assured women who are not afraid to make a statement and be noticed in her intricately embellished, colourful, printed pieces instead of shying away in total black looks. Given the international, high profile female clientele she quickly acquired, many of whom were completely colour-shy before, she was clearly onto something. Of course, no discussion about evolving aesthetics could be complete without mentioning Miuccia Prada; the designer who has often declared she prefers things to look ugly because ugly is more interesting and has put women into Harajuku platforms, flower-adorned sunglasses and multi-coloured fur coats, all of which were met with confusion when they first appeared on the runway. It would be easy to dismiss the whole social-media fuelled phenomenon of a woman’s ever-changing taste, by accusing them of being fashion victims and copycats. That would make for a naïve assumption however, that overlooks something far more substantial; the formation of a club of style-conscious women, held together by the fascinating world of technology. Using a different means of communication to literally give a thumbs up to one another for their looks and then get inspired by each other’s style choices, they are encouraging a culture that promotes more positive declarations about other women, approving of experimentation and trying things on that don’t always conform to the traditional perception of what is beautiful. At the end of the day, that's what adds colour to a woman's life: these iconic fashion pieces that become part of a never-ending game where beauty is subjective and everything is worth a try in the name of fun.
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Stockists Acne Studios
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Reebok
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Alex Huang
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jiwonree.com
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American Apparel
Louis Vuitton
Roxy
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Aurelie Bidermann
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Saucony
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Caterpillar
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Tiffany & Co
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CO
Miss Crofton
Vans
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Common Projects
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"We funded our first issue through Kickstarter, we would like to thank everyone who contributed and especially Kit Ferber whose extremely generous donation helped reach our goal."