Fashion Vanguard

issue one

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Northwood

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Contents

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Seriously, It’s Fashion 6

Wonder Woman, does she exist? 32

Exploring fashion as the intelligent and powerful industry it is

Fashion Vanguard looks into the truth of the legendary Amazonians

Make It Happen 10 What International Women’s Day has achieved for women

Strong is the New Pretty 12

Agenda 34 The trend for gender neutrality continues

A girl is more than just a pretty face

The Tale of the She-Soldier 40

Feminist Lingerie 14

The women of 1914 who chose to fight instead of keeping the home fires burning

Is it all pants?

Compassionate Fashion 16 Fashionable, ethical garments at your fingertips

Framing Fashion 19 Modest fashion from the high street

A Cultural Choice 26 Katie Calvert investigates the rise of the ‘hijabi hipster,’ promoting the hijab in a positive light

The Temporary Bride 30 A compelling read for travellers, foodies and lovers

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Coming of Age 44 How can politics engage with 18-24 year olds?

It’s a dress not a yes! 48 We discuss the documentary India’s Daughter

Nancy Astor 50 The first female MP to sit in the House of Commons

Is the fashion industry’s use of older models just another passing trend? 53 Older models are making waves in the industry

Welcome

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Fashion, Women, Power 56 Female politicians and their fear of fashion

e warmly welcome you all to this first issue of Fashion Vanguard, a bi-annual supplement celebrating and exploring women and fashion, mixing the creative with the political. Learn about the she-soldier of World War One, or indulge in our Framing Fashion shoot. Discover the truth surrounding the mythological Amazonian women or amuse yourself with Nathalie Croquet’s personal take on fashion advertisements. Fashion Vanguard is a culturally creative mix for the progressive and passionate woman of today.

Find more online at guardian.com/ fashionvanguard

Credits

The Surreal Life and Art of Leonora Carrington 61 The Lancashire born artist who became Mexico’s national treasure

Editor-in-Chief: Katie Calvert Graphic Designer: Paul Calvert

Decoration or Violation? 64

Special thanks Paul Calvert, Pauline Calvert, Cav Calvert, Vicky Sedgwick, Haleema Shahbaz, Olivia Holden, Lauren Tyson

A look at Alexander McQueen’s relationship with women

Spoof 68 Nathalie Croquet pokes fun at the seriousness behind fashion advertising

What is Beauty? 70 Fashion Vanguards Open Discussion discovers what people really think about beauty

Passage to India 72 Katie Calvert and Vicky Sedgwick take you on a journey across India

Feminesto 80 A close look at the political parties policies for women 5

Seriously, It’s Fashion!

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ashion as an intelligent and academic subject has long been a contentious issue. The arts have always come second to STEM subjects, and during the last 5 years the British government has systematically cut funding for the creative industries. Is it any wonder that fashion is perceived as a trivial and stupid subject?

In Britain, UKIP proposes free university tuition fees for those studying STEM subjects and would axe the department for culture, media and sport, were they to be elected. Whilst the prospect of this happening is unlikely, the belief that the creative industries aren’t important to society and to the economy is not an unusual one. Certainly, many creative industries are favoured or respected over and above the fashion industry. Fashion is often identified for its vanity and its celebrity endorsement, feeding mass insecurities and selfishness. This is despite the fact that the British fashion industry is worth a staggering £26 billion, a 22 per cent increase since 2009, employing 797,000 people.

Fashion is often identified for its vanity and its celebrity endorsement, feeding mass insecurities and selfishness Academically, fashion has gained some ground. This varied and wide reaching topic is now more respected as a subject for study and research. Studies in design history, women’s history, and popular culture have legitimised fashion, and theoretical debates informed by post-modernism and feminism have helped shape it intellectually. But academia is for academics and attitudes in society are not changing.

Fashion is fairly unique in its employment of predominantly women and gay men, another argument for why the industry is not as well respected, as it ought to be, since we live in a fundamentally misogynistic and homophobic society. To see an industry where women rule the roost and gay men feel able to openly be themselves, is unfortunately distinctive. It is an industry that embraces everyone.

Creativity is regularly a source of comfort for many ostracised members of society, giving rise to discussions on class, race, gender representation, ethical production

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and consumption. Fashion is out to shock and in doing so it talks about taboo subjects and embraces outcasts, often the weirder the better.

As an economic powerhouse, it uses its dominance and influence to speak out in favour of, or, against important issues. Recently, the CEOs of Gap and Levi’s, Art Peck and Chip Bergh, made a joint statement asserting their opposition to the introduction of the Religious Free Restoration Act in several US states. Principally, this act has been created to ensure that citizens can practice their religion without the interference of the government.

However, Peck and Bergh claim that the bill provides business owners with the right to refuse services to same-sex couples on the grounds of their religious beliefs.

Whether this actually makes a difference, we are none the wiser. But by voicing these opinions they are beginning discussion, with the possibility that changes can occur.

London (and many cities around the world) is known for its excellent creative universities. Central Saint Martins has produced some of the 20th and 21st century’s greatest fashion designers. Geniuses such as Alexander McQueen and John Galliano have enthralled audiences and the public alike with their spectacular shows and brilliant designs. Where once catwalk shows were the domain of industry insiders, the introduction of the Internet and social media has led to a more inclusive industry, one where the public gets a real taste of high end fashion. On another level, the public had already had access to fashion in the noughties, which had seen a rise in collaborations, most famously Kate Moss for Topshop and various designers for H&M. This allowed the public to buy a piece of sought after fashion. To some people, this accessibility lowers its standing further as a respected industry. This, again, is a lack of understanding and appreciation of the meticulous workings of the fashion industry.

As an economic powerhouse, it uses its dominance and influence to speak out in favour of, or against, important issues Fashion forecasters focus on upcoming trends, predicting colours, fabrics and styles that will be present on the

It is an industry that embraces everyone

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It is clear throughout this film that Wintour is a perfectionist and formidable character, keen to go above and beyond in order to promote fashion

runway and in stores over the coming months. It is a fairly hidden aspect of the industry, with designers taking centre stage, but has been gaining momentum over recent years. The workings of a fashion magazine can be closely inspected in the documentary about the run up to the publication of the most important issue in fashion and at American Vogue, ‘The September Issue’. Vogue is a wellrespected publication across the globe, with 23 national and regional editions published monthly. The American edition is edited by Anna Wintour and has remained so for the past 27 years. Known for her steely manner, it is clear throughout this film that Wintour is a perfectionist and formidable character, keen to go above and beyond in order to promote fashion. The vast majority of the public will not realise how fashion editors guide designers, telling them what to include in collections, liaise with companies looking for designers, offering up who they believe is capable of the job, and generally supporting and promoting their work.

Furthermore, they bridge the gap between designers and retailers, advising retailers which items they think will be popular and which items they must stock more of. The process of selling clothes to a willing, yet demanding, public can sound all too simple but the process is far from it, and the industry requires intelligent, strong-minded individuals to make sure that it keeps on making the billions that it does.

Fashion is seen as a subject not worthy of real discussion, but it needs to be recognised that fashion is worth praise 8

as an astute industry populated by intelligent people. It is so fundamentally important to many economies, including the British economy, and is important as a means of promoting tolerance and acceptance in society. The British are a particular creative bunch and the fashion industry must be championed as a valid art form, not sidelined by more respected creative disciplines or rejected in favour of STEM subjects. Fashion is an industry to be proud of, not trivialised.

The industry requires intelligent, strong-minded individuals to make sure that it keeps on making the billions that it does

A lc i na w w w. a l c i n a . i t 9

Make It Happen I

nternational Women’s Day (IWD) is held every year on the 8th March, across much of the world, to celebrate the role of women, highlighting and campaigning for necessary changes and finding ways to make those changes happen.

Each year there is a theme, and the theme for 2015 is ‘Make It Happen’.

Can we make it happen and how long will it take? We’re talking equality for women and about the empowerment of women in all areas, leadership, business, arts, sport and technology. The World Economic Forum has predicted that it will be 80 years before the global gender gap is closed. Can International Women’s Day hasten this process in any way at all?

Let’s look at the birth and growth of IWD and some of the things that it has already achieved. Originally called International Working Women’s Day; it began as a Socialist political event and the earliest Women’s Day observance was held in New York in 1909, organised by The Socialist Party of America in remembrance of the 1908 garment workers strike when women protested against working conditions. In 1910, at The Socialist International meeting

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This year, 2015, the theme is ‘Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture It’ in Copenhagen, an ‘International Women’s Day’ to support women’s rights and achieve universal suffrage for women was established. IWD was used from 1913-1914 to protest against World War I and in 1917 women in Russia protested in St Petersburg on the last Thursday in February, which fell on March 8th in the Gregorian calendar, striking for ‘Bread and Peace’. Four days later the Tsar abdicated and the provisional government granted women the right to vote.

On this occasion, IWD was very effective and much was achieved.

Since these heady, early days, IWD has grown, becoming global, supporting and celebrating women in both developed and developing countries. In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to

There are long lists of countries for which IWD is an official holiday, in some cases only for women, or observed as an unofficial one

proclaim March 8th as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace, adding their backing to this Women’s Day. With the support of the UN, the principles of equality and full respect of human rights within the women’s movement have been strengthened and each year the UN lends a specific theme to concentrate and focus on in that particular year. This year, 2015, the theme is ‘Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture It.’ Although many countries support and celebrate IWD, it is treated with varying degrees of importance and seriousness by different governments and organisations. There are long lists of countries for which IWD is an official holiday, in some cases only for women, or observed as an unofficial one. Ironically, these countries are largely in Eastern Europe, Asia and South America, not in countries immediately recognised as having progressive human rights.

Whilst some countries, such as Portugal, will celebrate March 8th with ‘women only’ parties or nights out, others are much more serious. In Pakistan working women highlight their struggle for rights whilst facing many cultural and religious restrictions, and in Poland large feminist demonstrations are held in major cities.

On occasion, IWD has sparked conflict. It sparked violence in Tehran, Iran, in 2007 when police attacked and beat hundreds of women and men who were planning a rally for IWD. They arrested dozens of women subjecting them to interrogation and solitary confinement. Several were only released after a 15-day hunger strike. And in Egypt, in 2011, women had marched into Cairo’s central Tahrir Square, some in traditional dress, some in jeans, to celebrate IWD and stand up for women’s rights, when hundreds of men turned up to harass and chase them out whilst police and military stood by and watched.

March 8th 2017 will be the one hundredth anniversary

of the protests against bread shortages by women in St Petersburg, and many celebrations and enactments are planned. Also on this date, a global women’s strike including a sex strike is planned, which has been called by groups, including the International Union of Sex Workers.

It will be interesting to see if that achieves results where other methods have failed!

Women will continue to fight for their rights, which will make the world a better place. Progress may be slow, but IWD focuses a worldwide audience on women, on the facts, which are that even in the most progressive, developed areas in the world, women are under-represented in politics and business, and that equal pay is still to be achieved.

Women still shoulder responsibility for over 80 per cent of domestic chores and are often the victims of violence.

IWD has to continue to maintain support, aid, information and be a forum for women’s rights and concerns across the world. It may not solve all of these problems but it remains a valuable work in progress.

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Strong Is The New Pretty Kate T. Parker

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s a mother of 2 young girls, photographer Kate T. Parker realised “wow, all of my strongest images are of my girls just being themselves - their freckled, emotional, sometimes dirty, messy selves,” and so she decided to pull them together to create ‘Strong is the New Pretty,’ an emotive and unstaged look at girls, captured for their abilities and playfulness rather than for their facial features and ‘girly’ qualities.

“My whole life, I’d believed in this powerful idea that girls should be free to be anything they want. I grew up playing sports, and the girls I emulated were the girls that were really strong and confident. They didn’t have the time to worry about how they looked, and so I came to understand that their worth was determined by something different, something stronger.”

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Understanding her background gives a real authenticity to the images. These girls certainly are authentic and true.

But her work isn’t just about the girl who stomps in mud or kicks a football, the emphasis is on all girls (and women) as strong individuals when they are simply being themselves in any capacity, whatever they do with their lives, and whether or not they live up to social expectations. These images are a celebration of life and inspire us all with joy and confidence.

“Whatever your kids are, celebrate that,�

Kate T. Parker

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Feminist Lingerie - is it all pants?

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eminist lingerie sounds like an oxymoron. Push up bras and floss like knickers modelled suggestively by overly airbrushed, slender models; leaving many women aspiring towards the unattainable. Although the same can be said for male underwear advertisements, it seems particularly prevalent for lingerie to be super frilly, made for the underendowed or completely unpractical, sex game style. What is functional isn’t attractive or sexy enough to be advertised (emphasis on the sexy!).

Neon Moon lingerie is created with bamboo fabric, which allows the female body to create the shape of the garment, rather than the other way round. Further bonuses are that it is anti-bacterial, extremely soft, beneficial to the allergy sensitive woman, and a great sustainable resource. No more uncomfortable underwire, push-ups or padding, this underwear contours to the ever-changing shape and size of our breasts and bums, “empowering women through all phases of womanhood,” states Rachi. Women face a very

It doesn’t matter whether you have scars, cellulite, stretch marks or hair

Neon Moon is attempting to revolutionise what we wear under our clothing

Neon Moon set up by Hayat Rachi is attempting to revolutionise what we wear under our clothing, filling a gap in the market and producing functional, comfortable underwear that a woman feels confident in and isn’t worn as a means of seduction. Rachi says, “I always wondered - if lingerie didn’t have the sexualised connotations from the moment we are given our first bra, would it help girls pursue more in life? Not everything is about looking sexy, or fulfilling the male gaze.” Through the fundraising medium Kickstarter, Rachi is hoping to raise enough money to produce her debut collection. She also has support from the Princes Trust.

narrow standard of beauty. Neon Moon is, unfortunately, unusual for it’s un-retouched models of all shapes and sizes, with visible underarm hair, and stomach rolls on display.

So it doesn’t matter whether you have scars, cellulite, stretch marks or hair, because it “won’t place pressure on girls… It’s important for girls not to compare themselves to unachievable standards of ‘beauty’, but to succeed in their own way, and not purely via the male gaze.”

Neon Moon is instantly tailored to your body!

“I always wondered - if lingerie didn’t have the sexualised connotations from the moment we are given our first bra, would it help girls pursue more in life? Not everything is about looking sexy, or fulfilling the male gaze,” Hayat Rachi 14

kickstarter.com

Verhoeven Master Chocolatier since 1 84 5

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Lily Cole, enviromentalist, model and Cambridge graduate, modelling her collection for Veja

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Compassionate Fashion Women make up 85 to 90% of sweatshop workers in developing countries

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iven that there are so many of us, and clothes are one of the three basic needs, the conditions surrounding the textile and fashion industry are nothing short of staggering.

Women make up 85 to 90% of sweatshop workers in developing countries. Often these women have had a limited education, working in conditions that are in dire need of improvement. For them the job is important in order to feed families, to us it’s a multi-billion pound business and an obsession with fast fashion that shows no signs of slowing down.

The textile and clothing industry is the second largest employer in the developing world, after agriculture, yet it is estimated that worker’s wages account for as little as 0.5%, rising to just 4%. A recent study stated that consumers would be willing to pay 15% more for a product that they knew had not come from a sweatshop, yet doubling the wages of a sweatshop worker would only cost an extra 1.8%. Furthermore, research shows that empowering and investing in women has a cumulative bonus – women are likely to spend their income on families, on education,

and on health bringing long-term positive change and prosperity to communities. One factory in Vietnam established a kindergarten and health clinic, which reduced staff turnover and absenteeism, resulting in saved costs and sustained productivity.

But this isn’t enough. That Vietnamese factory is just one positive story amongst a sea of negativity and greed. As long as we, the consumer, carry on buying into fast fashion and it’s devastating consequences, without considering what other options there are, businesses will continue to underpay workers. The consumer holds the power to change things.

For the consumer with a love for labels and reputation, brands such as Veja and People Tree feed this. Veja works with small producers across Brazil, focusing not only on respecting human rights but on the environment, too. To boost their profile they recently collaborated with Lily Cole, environmentalist, model, and Cambridge graduate, on a collection of rainforest-inspired trainers. People Tree partners with Fair Trade artisans and farmers in the developing world to produce ethical and eco fashion. They worked with actress Emma Watson in 2010 and 2011, who is now, arguably, the world’s most prominent 21st century feminist.

The textile and clothing industry is the second largest employer in the developing world 17

They worked with actress Emma Watson in 2010 and 2011, who is now, arguably, the world’s most prominent 21st century feminist Whilst the profiles of both of these brands help dispel that ethical fashion is ‘uncool’, there are other, lesser-known gems to be found. Fashion ComPassion is a brilliant online boutique that works with numerous creative brands, committed to social and environmental responsibility, selling impeccably stylish ethical and sustainable fashion accessories that directly contribute to female artisans and their communities. Palestyle is one such brand. They aim to empower female refugees with job opportunities and invest in community projects, such as the water tank exchange program.

Abury is another ethical brand that Fashion ComPassion works with. Each Abury piece is 100% handmade with a talented team of female artisans working together to create sustainable and ethical bags. Abury pours profits back into the community for education and development projects.

Fashion ComPassion is not what most consumers would consider ethical in appearance. Their site is slick and stylish, thus bridging the gap between fashion and ethics. Cloth Roads, another company that supports artisans and their communities, has what is often perceived as a more ethical appearance but showcases items no less beautiful and skilled. Artisanat des Femmes de Khenifra, in Morocco, is a group of one hundred women from low-income families who have joined together to establish self-sufficiency and find markets for their work, each having learned the craft of button making from their mothers or grandmothers.

One other such artisanal group is WomenWeave in India.

They support women with the skill of handloom weaving,

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working towards making it profitable and sustainable whilst providing a dignified income for women based in rural areas of India.

For all those intrigued by what is mentioned here, Ethical Fashion Forum is the world’s most comprehensive database of ethical fashion business and resources. Simply choose your favoured category of product, the ethics that you hold, the country you would like it to be based in, and where it was sourced from, and Ethical Fashion Forum will give you a list of companies that adhere to your chosen criteria.

Brilliantly effective for those with little knowledge of where to buy ethically, and you could discover a whole new list of fantastic fashion brands you never knew existed.

There is not enough reference in the media to any ethical brands, including the ones mentioned here, but armed with this information you can begin to clear your conscience and buy beautiful, skilled fashion pieces for yourself or as gifts. clothroads.com ethicalfashionforum.com fashioncompassion.co.uk peopletree.co.uk veja-store.com

Framing Fashion 19

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Photographer: Fashion editor: Model: Make-up: Location:

Catherine Booty Katie Calvert Zyra Shah Rosie Jones Palm House, Sefton Park All headscarves, stylists own.

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Striped, pink dress, £65, blue shirt, £59, both cosstores.com.

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White dress, £39.99, zara.com. Denim shirt, vintage Wrangler. Jeans, £200, acnestudios.com. Red choker, £12.99, hm.com.

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Printed top, £58, trousers, £98, both anthropologie.com. Jacket, £59.99, zara. com.

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Striped dress, £42, printed kimono, £78, both urbanoutfitters.com.

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Kimono (worn back to front), £35, riverisland.com. Top (worn underneath kimono), £48, anthropologie.com. Jeans, as before.

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Green shirtdress, £40, topshop.com.

Burnt orange jacket, £29.99, hm.com.

Printed trousers, £29.99, zara.com.

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A Cultural Choice

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he world is a volatile place for Muslims at present, especially in the West, and for Muslim women, this is even more so. Dressed in the hijab, they are a physical reminder to the uncultured and ill-educated that being Muslim makes you somehow threatening to their way of life and peace of mind.

But what is the hijab? To the uniformed it is simply a headscarf that covers the head, neck and chest. Basically, it is a concept of modesty, abiding by the religious code of the Qur’an that governs the wearing of the hijab. The Qur’an states that a woman must conceal (satr) her most intimate parts – hair and body, with, generally, the face, hands and feet left uncovered. For a man it is the covering of between the navel and knees. Dressing modestly like this for a woman is not required in the presence of male family members including husband, father, father-in-law and sons, or in the presence of women.

But to many non-Muslims it means very different things.

The threat of terrorism across the globe is all too real.

Since 2001, particularly, the view of Muslims has been perpetuated by negative stereotypes and generalisations, with the belief that there is collective responsibility of all Muslims for the appalling acts carried out by others claiming to share the same Islamic faith. IS (Islamic State), currently the largest and richest threat to peace, associates itself with the teachings of Islam. This focuses attention on all Muslims, leaving them open to physical and verbal abuse. A woman wearing the hijab is clearly visible as a Muslim and is thus a physical reminder to the ill-educated who fear the hijab as another symbol of terrorism. The three girls that fled to Syria from London to become ‘Jihadi

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brides’ and made headline news, Shamima Begum, Kadiza Sultana, and Amira Abase, all wore the hijab as a symbol of their Islamic faith. Stories such as these only add to the tension felt. But a Muslim should not feel compelled to make excuses for themselves since we all condemn these barbaric attacks whatever our faith or beliefs.

The Qur’an states that a woman must conceal (satr) her most intimate parts – hair and body, with, generally, the face, hands and feet left uncovered The belief in oppression and threat to women’s rights is another oblique view. The idea that a Muslim woman is forced to wear the hijab stems from a lack of understanding of why she wears it. When a woman does decide to wear it, it is not a decision that she takes lightly since it is a lifelong commitment.

There is an outdated view that all Muslim women are obedient wives and daughters, cooking and cleaning, praying and looking after children. This is true to some extent, but believing that all women are forced to wear the hijab, fails to take into consideration that a woman can make her own decision to dress modestly. This misunderstanding also highlights the concerning view that women are defined by their bodies and that overt sexuality is more acceptable in the West than the covering of a

female body. So whilst the hijab is deemed to be oppressive, the displaying of female flesh in every media outlet is acceptable instead of an aspect of a misogynistic society.

Such a low opinion of Muslim women fails to recognise the abundance of brilliant Islamic women that have populated our lands for centuries. These include Nusayba bint Ka’b Al-Ansariyah (Arabia, unknown-634 C.E.), one of the first advocates for the rights of Muslim women, after asking Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) “why does God only address men?” The Prophet (pbuh) received a revelation in chapter 33, verse 35, which concluded that women stand on the same spiritual level as men. Fatima al-Fihri (Morocco, unknown-880 C.E.) was the founder of the oldest degreegranting university in the world.

More recent, impressive Muslim women include Shirin Ebadi (Iran, 1947-present) who became the first female recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. She said, “An interpretation of Islam that is in harmony with equality and democracy is an authentic expression of faith. It is not religion that binds women, but the selective dictates of those who wish them cloistered.”

Daisy Khan (USA, 1958-present) founded the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE), in 2005, the only cohesive, global movement of Muslim women around the world that works to reclaim women’s rights in Islam using a human rights and social-justice based framework.

These few examples illustrate women in high positions who have shown that women are as great as men and, today, are aiming to change people’s perceptions of women and Islam.

They aren’t, however, widely acknowledged within popular culture. Those that are known are using modern, female orientated tools to dispel these beliefs.

Lets be clear, the hijab is not a fashion statement. It is worn as a means of modesty, and is the direct opposite of today’s beauty obsessed society and fashion industry.

However, fashion is big business, catering to many and very influential in popular culture. Hijabi hipsters on social media are a force that is attempting to change the worldview of the hijab, one blog post at a time. Growing up in the west, with western perceptions of fashion and beauty, they are demonstrating how western identity can fuse with the hijab.

There are thousands of Muslim women showcasing the hijab in a positive light in blogs and on all social media platforms. One of the most famous British exponents of this fairly recent phenomenon is Dina Torkia, more commonly known as Dina Tokio in the blogsphere. The popularity of her blog has led to a fashion line of beautiful, inexpensive, modest garments and scarves, and she is seen as a voice for western female Muslims, able to speak to young women of all backgrounds, promoting tolerance and fun within the Islamic faith. Criticism for anyone on the Internet promoting themselves is inevitable. For her this criticism comes from more conservative Muslims, who take her interpretation of the hijab as a fashion statement too literally. Conservative Muslims, correctly, state that the hijab is not a fashion statement. Furthermore, she often chooses the turban over a headscarf that covers both the neck and chest. However, in her defence, though the scarf may be covering only her head and ears, she uses fashion and clothing to cover the rest of her body modestly. How one wears the hijab is open to interpretation across the world. In Iran, modern Iranian women are recognised for wearing their headscarf loosely so that it sits half way back on the head, in an act of defiance against the hardline Islamic government. How to place the headscarf on the head and around the neck and chest is often marginally

They are demonstrating how western identity can fuse with the hijab

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should be persecuted and abused for wearing the hijab because they are expressing religious freedom and their right to dress as they choose.

Social media has been a huge factor in bringing together the global experiences of women around the world

different in each Islamic country. Tokio covers all of her body appropriately, but no matter how she manages to bridge the gap between east and west, the notion of fashion within religion will always draw conflict and criticism.

Tokio is a beautiful, stylish woman, which appeals to the fashion industry. Like many other Muslim women in the west, she is influential to young Muslims, but she is also influential within the fashion industry, attempting to change perceptions of Muslim dress in the media. Showing an abundance of flesh is normal in our current western society and the media. For members of other religions, older women, women over a size 10 or those not keen to show flesh, Tokio’s advice works for them too. It is refreshing to see people discussing and reflecting on covering the body as opposed to displaying it. For those that deem it oppressive, wearing beautiful clothing that covers the body is in fact quite liberating. The headscarves frame faces in a manner not recognised in western society. If you forget for a minute that these women are Muslims, bloggers like Tokio could easily be style setters and influencers for western, nonMuslim women. Indeed, they are style setters for people of all backgrounds!

Social media has been a huge factor in bringing together the global experiences of women around the world. If the industry for beautiful modest clothing derives from Muslim women, that’s good. It bridges the gap between religion and western society. It presents the hijab in a positive light and promotes Muslim women as funny and outgoing, whilst also promoting Islam in a positive light. This can only mean progress and harmony.

Western society is known for allowing the freedom of expression; this includes the freedom to dress as one pleases. With this in mind, it makes little sense that women

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Since the media promotes female flesh to be celebrated and lusted after, the covered female body too should be accepted in the modern and progressive society that we are supposed to live in. But where are the Muslim women wearing the hijab on television? It is more likely that a Muslim on TV will not be covered, instead adhering to western ideals of beauty.

Britain is a tolerant country, in comparison to many others, but it isn’t tolerant enough. The media plays on fear, including fear of the hijab. We need Muslim women in popular culture to dispel this myth. The young are a particular naïve and easily manipulated group. As tensions amongst cultures rise and politics become ever more contentious, a minority consider extremism to be a viable option. They need outlets to feel included within western society, and individuals like Tokio are doing just that. What may just have started as a blog about Muslim fashion and how to dress modestly, now engages many young people in a community that feels accepted, whilst also breaking down racist barriers and perceptions. Hijab bloggers are using fashion to communicate a different understanding of Islam.

Wearing a scarf on your head and dressing modestly does not prevent you from being an awesome person too, with intellect and humour.

Ultimately, it is all open to interpretation. According to the teachings of the Qur’an, women are not secondclass citizens; and the hijab is not an oppressive piece of outerwear. How one dresses will always be controversial, this is evident in western dress. But what sets the hijab apart from normal criticism is the smear of racism.

Although the hijab is not a fashion statement, in the current climate, the world needs its Muslim fashion bloggers to help change perceptions. The hijab is there to liberate you from all oppression and honour you. By wearing it you are no longer judged on appearance alone, but instead also on intellect and actions. This is something that all people could learn from.

The belief in oppression and threat to women’s rights is another oblique view

Wearing a scarf on your head and dressing modestly does not prevent you from being an awesome person too, with intellect and humour

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The Temporary Bride A compelling read for travellers, foodies and lovers

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aving spent a number of years teaching others how to cook out of her loft apartment, named by Time Out “the hippest, most authentic cooking school in London,” and travelling to as many diverse countries as possible in search of authentic and ancient recipes, Klinec found herself in Iran, the only Westerner arriving off the plane, into a country notorious for its strictly enforced Islam and lack of women’s rights. What she discovered was a passion not only for its food, but also for its people and for the country.

Iran… it gets a bad press in the western world, and in some cases rightly so. Following the 1979 revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini declared it an Islamic Republic. Their Shi’a version of Islam prohibits men and women from being seen out in public together unless married or related. As a female westerner, Klinec stood out, when a gruff, socially awkward male approached her, informing her that his mother was an excellent cook. From there he guided her to his family home in Yazd, and she spent 5 or 6 hours a day watching, helping and learning how to cook the perfect Persian dishes.

She spent 5 or 6 hours a day watching, helping and learning how to cook the perfect Persian dishes In the book she details the daily life and customs of Iranian’s, observing how common it is to nap straight after a meal, even right next to the dirty plates on the floor! And how unusual she found this, until it was apparent the vast amount of food you were expected to consume, accepting 2 or 3 refills, so as not to appear rude, all of which required a good sleep. In terms of hospitality the tradition of ‘tarof’ involves refusing an offer of something a few times before finally accepting. Insights like these make this book even more insightful. Not only are you learning about food, you are receiving an honest account of life in Iran through the eyes of a non-judgemental outsider.

But what of the love story? She says without the love story she probably wouldn’t have written the book. Well, thank goodness, a love did develop. The gruff, awkward son of the hospitable family that took Klinec under their wing is Vahid, and to the surprise of Klinec they fall in love. It’s all very clichéd, love-crossing boundaries, but will it conquer

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all? Their love is forbidden; Vahid’s family never dreamt that a woman such as Klinec would be suitable for their prized son. But they do attempt to make it work by entering into a temporary marriage contract, hence the title of the book, The Temporary Bride. This private contract involves a dowry and it is up to the two parties to determine how long it will last. Originally, the practice was created in order to allow lonely males to temporarily marry widows, providing benefits for both parties, an income for the widow and a companion for the man. In more modern areas of Iran, such as Tehran, temporary marriages are entered into to enable two individuals to get to know one another since dating is forbidden. As for Jennifer and Vahid, I won’t spoil the ending, but it is a shock!

The tale of forbidden love will always be enticing, but what came across most was the enduring appreciation and

The tradition of ‘tarof ’ involves refusing an offer of something a few times before finally accepting fondness for a country looked down upon by the Western world. Whilst the politics of Iran are questionable, the people are hospitable, always trying to help by sharing with you and giving you what you do not have. These kind people get forgotten but Klinec gives them a voice.

Taken from her website, here is a recipe for the perfect Persian Rice with ‘Tahdig’ crust The main ingredient of Persian rice is time. Give your rice at least 1 hour to steam on the lowest flame possible. And try and spend a little money on the rice you use. Your packets of Uncle Ben’s can wait for another time.

Serves 4 Note: You must have a pot with a matching lid to make this recipe. If you use a non-stick pot it will be a little easier to unmold your tahdig in one nice large piece.

Ingredients: 2 coffee mugs full of basmati rice 1 tsp salt 6 tbsp of salted butter salt and pepper to taste Instructions: Place your rice in a large bowl and fill with warm water. Swirl the rice around in the water and drain. Repeat this 3 or 4 times until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain the rice and set aside.

Fill your pot that has a matching lid with water and bring it to a boil. Add the salt and the rice and return the water to a boil.

Reduce to a rolling simmer and cook the rice for approximately 6 minutes or until it is ‘al dente’ or tender with a slightly firm centre. Drain the rice and set aside.

Rinse the pot and dry it thoroughly, then return it to the stove with half the butter on low-medium heat. Melt the butter, then swirl it around ensuring that it coats the bottom, allowing some to creep up slightly along the sides too.

Tip the cooked rice into the pot and smooth out evenly. Using the handle of a spoon, make 4 or 5 holes through the rice to the base of the pot. As soon as steam begins to appear, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Add the remaining butter in 2 or 3 pats on top of the rice.

To serve the rice, remove the lid and carefully shake the pot 2 or 3 times to help release the tahdig from the bottom. (It would seem that you need to be Iranian to do this well - so the foreigner’s alternative is to let the rice cool a little and then to place your hand on top of the rice and try to turn it with your fingers. If you can turn the rice and tahdig free of the base, you and your tahdig are in business) Invert the pot onto a serving plate to remove the rice with the crust intact. If the crust sticks, scrape at the edges to help release it and tip the crust onto the rice. (If it really sticks, either you didn’t use enough butter or your heat was too high) Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Once you get the hang of this, you can start to experiment with adding a layer of ‘filling’ in the centre. You put half the rice on the bottom, them spread a layer of something delicious (sour cherries, broad beans and dill, pistachios and slivers of orange peel) and then pour the rest of your rice on top and steam as usual.

Wrap the matching lid in a tea towel and clamp it firmly onto the pot. Leave for 1 hour to steam.

Remove the lid, shake the rice gently and listen carefully. You should hear a light scratching sound of the dark, golden and crunchy crust that will have formed on the bottom of your pot.

If this hasn’t happened, recover the rice and leave for a further 30 minutes.

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Wonder Woman Does she exist?

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ur modern society often dismisses the idea of women taking centre stage in the theatre of war and for centuries the all-female ancient society of fierce warriors, known as the Amazonians, were thought to exist only in Greek mythology, in the writings of Homer and Herodotus.

To a wider 20th century audience they were brought to life, firstly by DC Comics whose character Wonder Woman, a female superhero, was a warrior princess of the Amazons, and later through Xena Warrior Princess. The name Amazon has become a generic term for a woman who is powerful, aggressive and warlike and it is believed to come from the Greek a- and mazos, which means without breast, since these female warriors are understood to have cut and cauterised their right breast to enable fighting with bows and javelins, as ancient artefacts indicate. These ancient artefacts also show the women modelling themselves on the goddess Artemis, who they worshipped, and wearing long thin shirts, close fitting trousers, and high caps, as well as only one earring, reminiscent of male dress. Another possible source is ha-mazan, from the Iranian meaning ‘to make war’. The Amazonians, according to myth, lived in an area north of the Black Sea, in 1200 BC, and flourished under the leadership of Queen Hippolyta. They were a matriarchal

Battle of the Amazons - Peter Paul Rubens 1616-1618

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society; males were used for mating once or twice a year and as slaves doing the menial work, traditionally done by women in other societies, thus all a complete role reversal.

In fact, male babies were given away or killed.

That there could have existed such tribes of powerful women was given credence in the 1990’s when Jeannine Davis-Kimball, heading the excavation of an archaeological site in Kazakhstan, unearthed burial sites that supported the existence of women warriors. The bodies of women and girls found buried with their weapons, also showed

“Not in strength are we inferior to men; the same our eyes, our limbs the same; one common light we see, one air we breathe; nor different is the food we eat. What then denied to us hath heaven on man bestowed,” Queen Penthesilea

evidence that they’d taken part in traditionally male activities, such as curved leg bones, attesting to a life spent on horseback, and battle injuries such as the evidence of arrowheads in their bodies. The average height of the bodies was 5’ 6”, exceptionally tall for the time and in line with the Amazonian legend.

Over time, such evidence is growing that Amazonian women existed governing large areas of Europe, Asia Minor and Africa. There were many matriarchal societies including one of Libyan women warriors originating on Tritonia, an island off the African coast, whose prominent military power was written about by Herodotus in the 6th century BC. Historically, the name Amazon has often been used to describe strong, warrior women, including a group of skilled fighting women encountered in battle by the explorer Francisco de Orellana in South America. He then renamed the Marañón River the Rio Amazonas, in honour of the women.

The myths surrounding the Amazons are a significant part of human culture. They were the earliest symbols of society’s fear of feminism, questioning the order of life, rising against it, and not allowing themselves to be treated as less than human.

According to the Greeks, Queen Penthesilea, who liberated and, later, lost and fell at Troy, is quoted as saying, “Not in strength are we inferior to men; the same our eyes,

our limbs the same; one common light we see, one air we breathe; nor different is the food we eat. What then denied to us hath heaven on man bestowed.”

The patriarchal Greeks may have created these Amazonian myths in order to keep in check the potential power of the female, the power to do all that men could plus giving birth to life. They feared that they would lose their superiority to the women so they created stories where strong, fearless women would, ultimately, lose the battle and any change to the natural order, the male-dominated order, would always lead to trouble.

Alongside the Amazonian’s there have been plenty of women who have typified the Amazonian spirit. Yaa Asantewaa, an Ashanti queen of Ghana, rallied her women.

She said, “If you the men of Ashanti will not go forward, then we will. We the women will, I shall call upon you my fellow women. We will fight the white men. We will fight until the last of us falls in the battlefield.” In most recent times, a Ukrainian group, known as Asgarda and led by Katerina Tarnouska, has proclaimed themselves modern Amazonians.

Yet still the myths flourish and the spirit of the Amazons lives on but it needs more women to recognise that they have the ruthless, strong minded, and fearless characteristics traditionally attributed to men and can use their strengths to create a more equalitarian society.

Women don’t rule. Men mustn’t rule.

They are equal.

VENTURE for those that love to

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Photographer: Jack Bowker Fashion editors: Katie Calvert & Olivia Holden Models: Isobel Kiely & Matty Gallant Hair & make-up: Rosie Jones Location: Yorkshire Moors All clothing: Sans

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The Tale of the She-Soldier As the year of remembrance for the First World War continues, we take a look at the forgotten women of the war

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omen in World War One are remembered as wives, mothers and sweethearts, nurses on the home front, or factory, munitions and land workers. But actual military involvement is rare and sounds alien to many of us.

Women as warriors aren’t fantasy. They have been involved in battle for thousands of years up to the present day. Boudicca, possibly the most well known female warrior, led a doomed revolt against Roman invaders. In the 17th century Private Clarke served alongside her husband, a soldier for 9 years until the birth of her son unmasked her. In the present day women are allowed to serve alongside men in combat.

Whilst the supporting roles undertaken by women were vital to the war effort, so was their military involvement, which has sadly been lost in the history books.

With little written about women’s roles in combat as a collective, it is easier to look at individual women who shone.

These stories take place in Britain, France, Russia and Serbia.

In fact the best-known British she-soldier eventually became a captain in the Serbian army. Flora Sandes had enlisted as a St John Ambulance volunteer. Stationed in Serbia she became

separated from her unit and thus joined the Serbian regiment for safety. It was not unknown for women to join the Serbian army due to a Balkan tradition of ‘sworn virgins’, women who take a vow of chastity and wear male clothing to live as men. It did, however, mean that she was the only British woman to officially enlist as a soldier in World War One. She received Serbia’s highest decoration, the King George star, before retiring to live in Serbia.

We must recognise that at the time the prospect of women in combat was abhorrent Journalist Dorothy Lawrence also attempted to enrol as an officer. She enlisted the help of a number of soldiers, collectively known as the ‘Khaki accomplices’, to smuggle her a khaki uniform, piece by piece. She flattened her figure using corsets, used cotton wool to bulk up her shoulders and cut her long, brown hair into a short military style. She even

The only officially sanctioned group of she-soldiers were members of the Russian Battalion of Death

Flora Sandes

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Marie Marvingt, mountaineer, athlete, nurse, journalist and bomber pilot.

razored the skin of her cheeks in the hope of giving herself the appearance of a shaving rash. The stress of hiding her identity and of the work she was undertaking caused fainting fits. Concerned that she would need medical attention, which could reveal her true identity, after 10 days she presented herself to the commanding sergeant and was placed under military arrest.

She became the first woman in the world to fly in combat, receiving the Military Cross for her aerial bombing of a German military base in Metz Frenchwoman Marie Marvingt also disguised herself, serving on the front lines as a Chasseur 2iéme Classe (2nd class soldier) for 3 weeks before being discovered. Having volunteered as a pilot flying bombing missions over Germanheld territory she became the first woman in the world to fly in combat, receiving the Military Cross for her aerial bombing of a German military base in Metz. She also happened to be an athlete, mountaineer, nurse and journalist.

She even razored the skin of her cheeks in the hope of giving herself the appearance of a shaving rash 42

Maria Bochkareva.

The only officially sanctioned group of she-soldiers were members of the Russian Battalion of Death, led by Maria Bochkareva. In 1914 Bochkareva joined the 25th Tomsk Reserve Battalion of the Imperial Russian Army, having secured personal permission by Tsar Nicholas II. She was twice wounded and decorated three times for her bravery, having bayoneted at least one German soldier to death. Following the Tsar’s abdication in 1917, the Minister of War asked her to create a female battalion. They took around 200 prisoners and suffered few casualties. However, they weren’t an alternative to male soldiers. Rather a means of propaganda as a tool to shame men into enlisting.

Whilst today we may despair at the lack of knowledge we have about such admirable individuals, we must recognise that at the time the prospect of women in combat was abhorrent. Other female occupations have the recognition they deserve, and rightly so. Nurses cared for the wounded and defied infectious diseases, and munitions workers produced valuable ammunition for the male soldiers. But shesoldiers were too far removed from the ‘ideal, gentle woman’ of the time. They contradicted and challenged the traditional views of women born to nurture not fight. And they have been met with silence ever since.

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Coming of Age Fashion Vanguard took to Open Discussion to put the question ‘How could politics engage 18 to 24 year olds?” to our community of readers

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went to a highly regarded state sixth form, populated by state school kids, grammar school educated individuals and public school students. At the time of the 2010 general election, I was in my second year of A levels, thus the majority of my fellow A-levellers and I were old enough to vote for the first time. Many hours in the lead up to the election were spent debating the policies of Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats within the four walls of our setting. Occasionally a policy from the Greens would be thrown in. There was resounding opposition to the Tories, enough faith and loyalty still left in support of Labour, the cooler of the two main political parties, but a cry of optimism at the Lib Dems’ policy to abolish tuition fees. Some considered the possibility, that if the Liberals were to seize power (even then a coalition looked possible), and implement this policy, that they might hold back a year or two before beginning university to reap the benefits. If not, it was still a win for the youth, who since the recession had felt forgotten.

Whilst this is a mere anecdote and not a sound survey, it does give you some indication of the euphoria felt in 2010 and the bitter disappointment felt once the Tories had trampled all over the Liberals, who accepted it in return for some feeble power. Conservative policy has repeatedly made its mark, but the Liberals are forgotten.

The young are alienated by politicians and think, ‘what is the point in voting?’

Being politically active, young or old, should be exciting, but there is something about the passion and naivety of the young that is especially exhilarating to see. Fresh faces protesting and railing against policies to which they don’t always have alternatives, and having their young voices heard.

Sadly, this isn’t always the case. In the 2010 General Election 44 per cent of young people aged 18-24 voted and less than half of those were women. It is further estimated that there are 750,000 young people that are still not registered to vote.

Fundamentally, politicians are distanced by age. They are usually over the age of 40, fail to speak the same language and view today’s youth as irresponsible binge drinkers. The young are alienated by politicians and think, ‘what is the point in voting?’

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Many of the parties support the reduction of the voting age to 16. The Scottish Referendum, which allowed 16 and 17 year olds to vote, demonstrated that a significant number of this age bracket came out in force and around 75 per cent of them voted. The Scottish Referendum was a unique voting opportunity calling on patriotism and acting on disillusionment with a system governed by a party with only one MP in Scotland. Political parties and campaigners need to find answers to the current lack of interest and gain the trust of those able to vote in this upcoming election. But how?

The government’s inability to remain faithful to their policies was a point of contention and led some to stray into a dissatisfied rant about the coalition, especially concerning the increase in student fees.

“They have to do what they say they are going to do and stick to their promises” “MPs need to be more relatable and honest” “Why bother to become engaged when there isn’t anyone to vote for?”

Comments such as these don’t answer the question but they do offer a deep insight into the main reasons why a significant number of potential young voters don’t actually bother to vote.

Apathy could be the problem for some. Traditionally first time voters are registered by their parents or guardians, when registering the whole household. Better local and national voter registration would be one way of securing this section of would be voters. The Internet makes it easier and is time efficient for many, not just young voters, to register their vote.

Online and text voting has been routinely mentioned as a way to encourage voters. This was certainly mentioned by a number of individuals in Open Discussion. Rejection of this is due to the possibility of fraud. But with progress comes new ideas. Developing and investing in new voting techniques is the way forward to engage today’s youth to whom computers and mobile technology is second nature.

“It’s easier to vote for a contestant on Britain’s Got The X Factor or whatever they are all called, than to vote in an election. And I’m fearful that more people choose this easy voting option over something that deeply affects their lives” Although a lack of trust appears to be the deciding factor

why young people don’t vote and politicians proving that they can remain faithful to policies would encourage them to vote, MPs constant discrediting of opposing politicians is seen as childish and immature. If this backbiting was to cease, potential young voters said they would have more faith in politicians and would listen to what they had to say, in the belief that they were suitable candidates to lead the country.

“I find the way politicians try to discredit each other childish and immature” “PM questions puts me off voting for people who are clearly too immature to run the country effectively. Engaging intelligently and in a mature manner would encourage me to listen to them” Whilst their conversation could be improved by being more mature, many lack the lingo that younger voters speak.

In an interview with Time Out magazine, Ed Miliband confessed that he didn’t understand the term YOLO (you only live once). When it was explained to him his response was both endearing and totally unexpected for a slang term popularised by the rapper Drake in his 2011 song The Motto, “that is a good philosophy for politics! It’s about a sense of adventure and doing what you want. Wow! I’ll use it from now on!” Young voters know that politicians are often male, white, over 40 and from renowned educational institutions but until that changes, a willingness to engage with the language of the young would undoubtedly encourage more young people to vote.

So too would an effective use of social media. Interestingly, one commentator on Open Discussion explained, “one of my favourite you tubers put out a video about why we

should vote. It reminded me that I still needed to register online, so I went ahead and did it. She made it even easier for everyone by providing the link to register in her info box. The whole process became more relatable.” She further went on to explain that politicians should utilise all aspects of the Internet, including bloggers. “Fashion may not have the recognition amongst politicians that it deserves but it reaches out to a hugely important set of voters – women.

Many of these women read about fashion online (hence why I’m on this website) and a large proportion of this is likely to be younger women. We read about fashion through our favoured bloggers. So if fashion is using them as a tool of promotion, then why shouldn’t politicians? Some may worry at the prospect of losing credibility but they would reach a lot of voters and potentially attract more young (and female) voters. I really do feel that online interaction is key.” #XXVOTE is a campaign to get young people, particularly female voters aged 18-25 years old, registered to vote. Set up by the Youth Media Agency, they work with young creative’s to produce ethical campaigns aimed at young people. For #XXVOTE they created a video available on YouTube. Their findings concluded that young women are often confused and overwhelmed by politics, or are simply uninterested because of a lack of political understanding. This campaign reaches its audience primarily through social media. They understand that this is a significant way of reaching this demographic, something that MPs need to recognise too.

The Internet can also give rise to amusing memes. Politics can become repetitive and boring, but the Internet has given us ‘Cassetteboy’ an English electronic music and comedy duo, who mash up videos of celebrities, including politicians.

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Anyone familiar with these sort of spoofs will no doubt remember the very funny ‘The Nick Clegg Apology Song: I’m Sorry,’ Clegg even came out in favour of the parody. Human responses such as that can endear a politician to voters, and whilst the point is to poke fun at MPs it is another instance where potential voters can be won.

Why bother to become engaged when there isn’t anyone to vote for?

A select few commented that when women’s magazines include politically motivated articles they pass them on to less interested friends, as a way of saying “hey you can be interested in celebrities, fashion and politics. Too many of my friends have little interest in politics, some because of a lack of trust, others for more selfish reasons and a need to block out the negativity that comes with politics. So if I read a politically motivated article I try to persuade them to read it, and more often than not, in that setting, they will.

How much it is doing to persuade them to vote I don’t know, but one step at a time!” Others have commented on more political advertising and awareness in TV programmes. The BBC has currently set up Generation 2015, which has brought 200 young people from around the UK to ask why so few 18 to 24 year olds vote. BBC3 is producing Free Speech, with Rick Edwards, for a fourth series. Their online presence is interactive, with questions tweeted and voting that takes place. It speaks to younger voters in a way that politicians routinely fail to do so.

basic answer to the question, ‘how can young people be encouraged to vote?’ is education. Nelson Mandela made this clear when he said, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Educating from a young age and making politics part of the curriculum would instil in the population the importance of involvement in politics and the realisation that voting is an important opportunity to make changes and have your say.

All of the above give instances of how to engage voters that are already disillusioned or unwilling to vote. The

theguardian.com/fashionvanguard/opendiscussion

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Young people have struggled to find their voices over the years. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats raised tuition fees and scrapped the educational maintenance allowance (EMA), for children from low-income families, key policies unpopular with younger voters. To prevent further policies like these from occurring again, the younger generation must use their vote as a voice for change. They have a role to play in preventing apathy from creeping in and embracing politics, but politicians must find ways of speaking to these voters and regaining their trust.

a v vis ta re eyewear

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It’s a dress not a yes!

India’s daughter illustrates a culture where blame is laid at the door of the victim, existing not only in India but worldwide, including Britain

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id you watch India’s daughter? A well made, thought provoking film, which didn’t shy away from the sickening human tragedy that uncovers the extent of India’s disregard for the rights of its female population and indeed the sanctity of life itself. The views of all are heard for us to consider often in incredulity and anger, with tears in our eyes (and eventually with loud sobs).

On December 16th 2012, Jyoti Singh Pandey went to the cinema to see Life of Pi with a male friend, afterwards boarding an unofficial bus home, where she was brutally gang raped, inflicting such injuries to her that her recovery was impossible. Rape alone makes many seethe with anger and heartbreak but hearing some of the even more gruesome facts, such as the internal mutilation, was even harder to take.

We cannot hear from the victim I felt impelled to switch it off when Mukesh Singh, one of the rapists, is interviewed giving no explanation of why they would do that, choosing only to victim blame – ‘she shouldn’t be out at night,’ ‘she shouldn’t resist,’ ‘she shouldn’t be left alive to stand witness against them’. And further to do so when their defence team, who make you despair because

they should know better, are adamant that it is always the fault of the girl. The first defence lawyer, ML Sharma says on film, “If you put your diamond on the street, then certainly the dog will take it out… if you put a flower in the gutter, it will be spoiled.” The other lawyer seethed with fury when expressing his extreme views. If his daughter ‘allowed’ herself to be raped, he would personally set her alight and destroy her! Such views are even more frightening since these are the considered views of educated men.

But this film isn’t about these men; it is about Jyoti and the attitudes that make rape, and the assault on the worth and character of women in India, an all too common feature. We cannot hear from the victim who had worked hard and was only months away from achieving her ambition to become a doctor. In common with much of the world, the literacy rate for Indian women is much lower than that of men, far fewer girls are enrolled in school with many of them dropping out of the curriculum altogether. Jyoti was the unfortunate exception to this rule. She had achieved so much and was so close to realising her dream. Instead of her short life being viewed as ‘normal’, it is more poignant because she is the unfortunate exception. If more Indian girls were allowed to realise her level of education then it might be possible to predict a decrease in patriarchal dominance resulting in fewer attacks and rapes.

Sadly, this still appears to be a long way off.

But this film isn’t about these men

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We do hear from her grieving parents, an ordinary Indian couple who had willingly sacrificed much to help their only child acquire an education. Others bemoaned the fact that they had a daughter and no son but they were proud of their only child. They, like us, shake their heads in disbelief that their daughter’s life could be thrown away so easily and anger at the attitudes of the rapists’ and members of the defence team.

The couple were dignified in their grief and as they quietly talked about their daughter she was no longer just a victim but Jyoti, a beloved daughter, a well educated, intelligent university student, who worked hard and believed she had the right to live her life with freedoms not always recognised in India.

Jyoti’s death triggered riots the very next day after the attack.

At last people in India were saying that women have rights, rights that include having the right to walk safely at night, not be attacked, and not be blamed when one is a victim.

The police met the demonstrations with violence, especially towards the women, but many of the demonstrators were also men, signifying that there is hope for India and countries like it where rape is commonplace and rapists’ are rarely prosecuted.

To protect women and achieve equality there will have to be many changes in India. Western countries are not exempt from ‘victim blaming’ and so this film is as relevant in Britain as it is anywhere else in the world. Only 7 per cent of rape cases that do make it to court result in a conviction and a rape is reported every 40 minutes. This is Britain.

Education is the key to these changes. India’s daughter, Jyoti, was educated, and yet before passing away, two weeks

after her attack, she still felt the need to apologise to her distraught mother. She shouldn’t have been compelled to, nor should any of the millions of other women who have been sexually assaulted. Jyoti spoke perfect English, as well as her mother tongue, and through this film she has a voice, she speaks to us all – and we must listen.

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Nancy Astor First female MP to take her seat in the House of Commons

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s the intense debate over who should lead our next Parliament heats up, and with females making up less than 25% of all members of Parliament, we take a look at the formidable Lady Nancy Astor; woman, politician, advocate of women’s rights, quick witted and full of charm.

“Men and women, as equal humans on this earth, need to work together to create a fairer society” Often considered to be the first female elected into Parliament, in fact, this accolade belongs to Countess de Markievicz, a member of Sinn Fein. Since she resided in prison, and thus never took up her seat, Astor has the honour of being the first female to enter Parliament.

On the 24th February 1920, Lady Astor, made her entrance in the House of Commons. In her speech she addressed the difficulty of many to receive a female MP, and wisely pointed out that now a proportion of women had the vote, they meant to use it.

Well known for her wit and charm, Astor used this to win over constituents and misogynistic MP’s, who bear more than a passing resemblance to a number who reside in power today. She used her voice to campaign for women’s rights, with a view to equality. Today’s feminism, and that of the past, is tainted with the belief, by some, that feminism is a form of man hating. Astor illustrated that to break down the barriers put up by men to encase women, one had to explain and quite literally show that women were as equal to govern as men, not because of gender but because of ability, wittily noting, “we are not asking for superiority for we have always had that; all we ask for is equality.”

Rather than concede some of her femininity and aim to ‘fit in’ with this overly male dominated environment, which would have gone against her principle that gender should not be an issue, she chose to show women as they are; strong, intelligent, and able to do traditional men’s jobs. That said she did generally wear sombre clothing in order not to stand out anymore than her male colleagues did. This was one way to banish the notion of differentiation between the sexes.

But her aim was that traditional male jobs were a domain for both sexes, and that what sex you are should be of little importance, since men and women, as equal humans on this earth, need to work together to create a fairer society. “I can imagine nothing worse than a man-governed world – except a woman-governed world.”

She achieved this by wittily putting men and women down, whilst also promoting the female’s ability. Although her gender plays a huge part in making her a memorable politician of the 20th century, it was her personality that has left the lasting legacy of how to charm (and outwit) a generation of men opposed to female reform. So who is today’s Nancy Astor? Should this even be a question, when politicians should be judged on merit rather than gender?

And when will this abysmally small percentage of female politicians be in line with the total British female population?

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“No one sex can govern alone. I believe that one of the reasons why civilization has failed so lamentably is that is has had a onesided government�

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Bainbridge Home Furnishing Specialists

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Is the fashion industry’s use of older models just another passing trend?

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t seemed to start with NARS hiring Charlotte Rampling, at 68, as its latest face. The media recognised Rampling’s cool, elegant beauty (after all this is the actress who is as comfortable on English, French or Italian screens). Not just a darling of the screen but of fashion too, in 1973, Rampling posed naked for Helmut Newton and then for Juergen Teller, the personification of cool, edgy photography, in a series of campaign shots for Marc Jacobs back in 2004.

Louis Vuitton hired Catherine Deneuve as a face for its SS14 campaign; interestingly another Marc Jacobs related campaign as the creative director of Vuitton, and Leslie Winer, another shoot by Juergen Teller, featured in Vivienne Westwood’s campaign with Westwood herself. Rick Owens aimed to get the public talking with his use of older models for his autumn/winter 2014 show, as did Jean Paul Gaultier (seriously, the figures on some of these models, women a third of their age could only dream of).

American Apparel featured Jacky O’Shaughnessy in her underwear. Yes her underwear. Unfortunately, not because this ‘trend’ shows any signs of waning, but because of the companies re-branding, American Apparel have decided to shed its controversial shots, in favour of its employees. As admirable as this is, it doesn’t have the same punch that O’Shaughnessy gave to the campaign.

Most recently, the cool demeanour of Kim Gordon and Joni Mitchell has landed them campaigns with Louis Vuitton, Céline has snapped up Joan Didion, and Helen Mirren is an ambassador for L’Oréal. Iris Apfel, in Kate Spade’s Spring 2015 campaign, demonstrates the energy older models can bring to adverts.

Whereas using older models in fashion campaigns gets the

conversation flowing, there is something more meaningful in the beauty campaigns. We’ve had well-known figures such as Jane Fonda feature in L’Oréal adverts, but what is so refreshing about this latest surge in older models is how much more at ease they look and how each of them appears to have aged gracefully, without extreme cosmetic enhancement. That is not to say that women who consider and undertake cosmetic surgery ought to be demonised but rather that realistic representations of beauty are sellable and that a younger audience can aspire to grow old naturally, whilst the older customers identify themselves. Because shock horror, women over 25 can be sexy!

In fact those that I’ve discussed this issue with either tell me that once they reached about forty they began to relax more within themselves, or they feel excited of the thought at leaving their over critical twenties and eventually reaching an age when they give less of a damn.

But for fashion it still is important to represent a range of ages – and races, and genders, and sexualities… When a customer, who is older, with more income to spend on brands often outside the remit of younger customers, is routinely forgotten, it is baffling to understand. Fashion is beginning to wise up to the power of older models. There is a realisation that it opens up to a new target customer rather than alienating existing customers and is therefore perfect marketing.

Amongst fashion and beauty there is a vanguard of women showing how possible it is to maintain looks and energy whatever age you are. If youth is used to describe vitality then this too is youth! Here’s hoping ageless beauty is here to stay.

Jacky O’Shaughnessy modelling for American Apparel

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What is so refreshing about this latest surge in older models is how much more at ease they look

Catherine Deneuve modelling for Louis Vuitton

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Fashion, Women, Power Female politicians and their fear of fashion

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hroughout the ages, women, fashion and power have forged strong links. Dress has always signified wealthy status and power and evolved into an embodiment of gender since Eve’s temptation of Adam resulted in the covering of the bodies of both sexes. History illustrates more examples of powerful, prominent male examples in opulent dress, the ‘peacocks’ of the species, since they are usually the main focus of historical events. There have been women whose names immediately evoke a style of dress and we perhaps remember what they wore rather than a likeness of their face. Figures such as Boudicca in fierce battle dress, Elizabeth I in opulent bejewelled gowns, and Queen Victoria in her black, widow’s dress. In recent years, the popularity of women’s fashion has out-weighed that of men and fashion is often used today to signify and bring about change to the status of women, but not always effectively or advantageously.

Today we have two main ways of dressing powerfully,

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Fashion is often used today to signify and bring about change to the status of women, but not always effectively or advantageously adopting a masculine style to symbolise power and be taken seriously, or choosing to emphasise sexuality to demonstrate confidence. Women aren’t two-dimensional when it comes to their dress sense; this is the modern freedom of being allowed to dress how you please in a liberal and democratic society. But this does not prevent us from being routinely judged on what we wear. As women have gradually taken on roles of power, many have assumed a more masculine dress code, with touches of femininity, in order to be taken more seriously. Angela Merkel, Chancellor

In early 2008, fearful that appearing too feminine might harm her presidential ambitions, Hillary Clinton snubbed American Vogue

of Germany since 2005, President of the European Council in 2008, second woman after Margaret Thatcher to chair the G8 summit, and highest ranked female to feature in Forbes’ most powerful people list, does just that. She has adapted the male suit and is often seen wearing a three-button blazer and trousers in an array of unexpected colours. A mention of Margaret Thatcher here couldn’t go amiss. She wore a classic suit and blouse, revelling in being the top female in control of male MPs.

A magazine, with the right credentials, which also has a section on fashion – that’s ok! But a glossy fashion magazine, even a well-respected one, is a definite no!

Some women in positions of power dispel this, but, more often than not, they are the companions of male politicians.

For instance, Michelle Obama, the current First Lady of The White House, advocate for military families and working mothers, promoter of poverty awareness, nutrition and arts education, also uses fashion to her advantage, when speaking about political policies and as a means to promote American designers. She has appeared on the cover of American Vogue twice and on best-dressed lists regularly. Often her appearance is feminine in style, wearing

printed housewife dresses whilst discussing education and demonstrating that femininity and power are not mutually exclusive.

But this is rare. In early 2008, fearful that appearing too feminine might harm her presidential ambitions, Hillary Clinton snubbed American Vogue. Editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, fired back in the February issue, “The notion that a contemporary woman must look mannish in order to be taken seriously as a seeker of power is frankly dismaying.

This is America, not Saudi Arabia. It’s also 2008: Margaret Thatcher may have looked terrific in a blue power suit, but that was 20 years ago.”

Within British politics the same is true. It is unlikely that a female politician will be interviewed in depth by magazines whose main content is fashion. A magazine, with the right credentials, which also has a section on fashion – that’s ok!

But a glossy fashion magazine, even a well-respected one, is a definite no!

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Women use fashion to define their place in the world, and their sense of themselves, implying that it could and should be used as a powerful tool in society and in politics. But the criticisms faced by female politicians mean that it isn’t hard to see why they feel that appearing in a glossy magazine would undermine their political ambitions.

A male MPs sartorial choice is always secondary to their politics, a humorous addition to the real issue. For women it is the issue. Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the SNP, has presented herself intelligently in recent months. She is a strong proponent of Scottish Independence, detailing its virtues eloquently. Female, from a working class background, admired and respected, her character is sorely missing in English politics. But this respectful light isn’t how the media see her. Articles discussing her style transformation have increased. She is “living proof women become sexier with age, income and office,” according to one publication. Would the same be said about David Cameron? According to Vanessa Friedman of the New York Times, “We live in the era of the Merkelization of female political dress, which has seen women like Ms. Merkel, the German chancellor, and Hillary Rodham Clinton adopt what is effectively the male uniform in softer, brighter colors (sic) to remove the topic from the conversation… Another way to explain the strategy is ‘bore them into talking about the issues.’” The issue is that we struggle as a society to take feminine women seriously, so is it any wonder that politicians adhere to this Merkelization and shy away from fashion? Although women, fashion and power will always

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“We live in the era of the Merkelization of female political dress,” Vanessa Friedman be linked, power is perceived as a male trait, and masculine dress is one symbol of it. Women often have to work harder than men to gain authority. If they wear feminine fashion or appear to promote fashion in any manner, then they threaten to undo all their hard work.

This sexism must be fought head on. Fashion does have the potential to be powerful in politics, Michelle Obama illustrates this. Since women, in particular, are so closely associated with the industry, female politicians have a duty to face the issue head on and use it to their advantage. In the words of Friedman, “How do you erase a stereotype?

You confront it, and force others to confront their own preconceptions about it, and then you own it. And in doing so you denude it of its power.”

Change takes time, and it occurs when confronted. Female politicians need to brave the world of fashion. Presenting oneself effectively is key to all top politicians, female and male. Whilst women face far more scrutiny and criticism than men, they must not acquiesce and be forced to abandon their fashion credentials.

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Summer Meadow 60

The Surreal Life and Art of Leonora Carrington T

he impressive and eclectic artist, Leonora Carrington OBE (1917-2001), left Lancashire at the age of 18 to become one of Mexico’s national treasures. But, as the new exhibition of her work at Tate Liverpool, ‘Surreal Landscapes’, until 31st May, illustrates, she never entirely left her roots behind.

Born in Chorley, Lancashire in 1917 to a wealthy textile manufacturer and his wife, this exhibition seeks to establish the Lancastrian influences on her work before exploring further. Memories of her oppressive childhood, the dark, gothic interiors of her home, the local legends of witchcraft and the Celtic folklore and mythologies related to her by her Irish-born mother and nanny, would all populate her work.

The female imagery, in particular, is very strong.

This oppressive, conventional, wealthy upbringing also produced a rebel who, at the age of 20, ran away to France with the Surrealist, Max Ernst. After Ernst’s incarceration by the Nazi’s in 1940, Carrington fled to Spain, where paralysing anxiety and growing delusions caused a mental breakdown and she spent time in a brutal mental asylum in Santander. She foiled an attempt by her family to rescue her by submarine, seeking refuge in the Mexican Embassy in Lisbon and, finally, crossing the Atlantic to Mexico. At this time, Mexico City was creative and experimental and Carrington settled there with her second husband Cziki Weisz.

She foiled an attempt to rescue her by submarine It was here that the co-curator of the exhibition, author Chloe Aridjis, met Carrington. From the age of 12, she visited Carrington at her home, every Sunday. Aridjis traced many of her little known works and collected them for the exhibition.

This exhibition, the first time since 1991 that Carrington’s work has been on display in England, showcases a wide range of artistic disciplines; from drawing to painting, tapestry to sculpture, all the way to short story, and set and costume design. It is augmented by Carrington’s words, in order to construct a narrative faithful to her spirit.

The Magical World of the Mayas (1964, casein on panel) greets you as you enter. This is the first time that it has

The Giantess (the Guardians of the Egg) 1947 Tempera on wood

been on display outside Mexico and is an example of the high esteem in which she is held there. Considered by Mexico to be a Mexican artist, she was commissioned to paint this mural for Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology. It is beautiful and colourful, reflecting the co-existence of Catholic and indigenous traditions and the importance of the natural world, combining mythology with history. She was influenced by her strong interest in the ‘Mexican Day of the Dead’ tradition and she said ‘I think that to reach an understanding of death first we must understand the distinct places that exist within us, and dreams are one of these places.’

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Spiderweb 1948 - 1958 Wool

In The Pomps of Subsoil (1947, oil on canvas), the ghosts return for one night, for a meal prepared by the living, in this tradition of the ‘Mexican Day of the Dead.’ Furthermore, trees of life emerge from the woman’s head, in contradiction of the biblical understanding that all human life emerged from the Ribs of Adam, and an egg is displayed in the centre of the picnic blanket. This egg is further depicted in The Giantess (The Guardian of the Egg) (1947, tempera on wood).

Carrington’s work in the 1940’s is focused on the underlying theme of women’s role in the creative process. You can see throughout, the high value she placed on women, not by elevating them to be the superior gender but by placing them in place of traditionally male based roles.

Other female characters that populate her art and are central to many of the exhibited works, include; Sisters of the Moon (1932-33, watercolour, graphite and ink on paper) painted at boarding school in Florence; Sanctuary for Fumes (1974, oil on canvas) depicting the Greek fumes, female goddesses of vengeance, and bound figures hung upside down as in a witches cradle, a torture for suspected witches; The Hunting Scene (1953-58), a large wool tapestry, and Green Tea (La Dame Ovale) (1942, oil on canvas).

Intriguing, is the collection of five drawings of hats she

“I think that to reach an understanding of death first we must understand the distinct places that exist within us, and dreams are on these places” 62

One of 5 drawings of hats designed with Leonor Fino

was asked to design with Leonor Fino for a Parisian couturier in 1952. Although the venture was never realised, it demonstrates her versatility and talent in so many aspects of art. Further evidence of this is the contrast made by Spiderweb (1948-58, wool), a beautiful, ordered representation of the natural world in muted colours, an example of textiles created with the collaboration of a family of Mexican master-weavers.

Carrington resisted the idea that a person can be defined as a complete, single personality and further work in the exhibition includes, Ode to Necrophilia (1962), a series of photographs with the collaboration of Hungarian born photographer Kati Horna (1912-2000) in S.NOB, an avantgarde, experimental publication she worked on; costume designs for ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1962, gouache on paper), and preparatory sketches for ‘The Tempest’ (1959, ink on paper). ‘I don’t believe there is such a thing as a complete individual. I think we are many different people.’

Green Tea (la Dame Oval) 1942 Oil on canvas

In later life Carrington became politically engaged, a staunch feminist speaking out in defence of a natural world and its inhabitants. This is hardly surprising since the exhibition shows that it was evident from the moment she began creating art.

In 1973, she designed ‘Mujeres Consciensa,’ a poster for the Women’s Liberation movement in Mexico. She was focused on psychic freedom but realised that political freedom has to be won first and that ‘greater co-operation and sharing of knowledge between politically active women in Mexico and North America was important for emancipation’. She won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Women’s Caucus for Art convention in New York in 1986. And, yet, she is a lesser-known Surrealist amongst a sea of celebrated males. This exhibition aims to dispel this, and it more than achieves it. But don’t look upon it as an exhibition of women, created by women, for women. It is only obvious of how many women are portrayed because of the all too often imbalance of genders depicted in many exhibitions. It doesn’t seek to justify a woman’s role or promote them as more important than men. Instead, it appears to state that women can be as brutal as men, and that men and women are capable of doing the same things. This is no more evident than in Carrington’s talent for engaging in such a range of ideals and media.

Said Carrington, ‘I didn’t have time to be anyone’s muse… I was too busy rebelling against my family and learning to be an artist,’ (1983).

Tate Liverpool – 6th March to 31st May

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“I find beauty in the grotesque, like most artists. I have to force people to look at things,� Alexander McQueen

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Decoration or Violation?

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ne would imagine that even those outside of the fashion world have heard of McQueen’s most infamous show, Highland Rape (autumn/winter 1995), now 20 years old. Models walked down the runway with rips in their dresses, baring breasts, with tampon strings poking out from skirts. The media perceived it too literally, imagining only one possibility – the rape of women. But McQueen was too clever for that. It was, in fact, highlighting the hundreds of years of destruction that McQueen felt the English had impeached on Scotland. It was great publicity for him, but it has meant years of comments by commentators who consider his work to be misogynistic.

As of this month, running until August, the V&A is holding a retrospective of Britain’s most revered designer and L’Enfant terrible of fashion, Alexander McQueen. With this in mind we take a look at how ‘Savage Beauty’ demonstrates the love and passion for women he felt, and not the destruction of their body and soul that the media so often accused him of.

Voss spring/summer 2001 artfully demonstrates the relationship McQueen had with women, beauty and fashion.

The exhibition skilfully attempts to recreate the original ‘performance’. The audience stands there, uncomfortably 65

“People find my things

sometimes aggressive.

But I don’t see it as aggressive. I see it as romantic, dealing with a dark side of my personality,” Alexander McQueen staring at their own reflection before the mannequins in the glass box appear and finally, the screen at the back reveals a box opening to uncover the fetish writer, Michelle Olley, naked but for a gas mask, moths floating all around and landing on her bare breasts. What it offered was a commentary on the politics of appearance and the unending conventional ideals of beauty. Beauty is intrinsically linked with women, with incessant comments of how women ought to be perceived, everyday. A voluptuous woman such as Michelle Olley appearing naked was unconventional enough in an industry continually derided for its underweight models, but combined with the gas mask; it made uneasy viewing for some. McQueen strived on this unease. He wanted his audience to question what beauty is and this display is symbolic in many ways, using the box to trap unconventional beauty and view it as something that comes from within. It is taking beauty back from the makers of conventional beauty, unrealistic beauty ideals chosen by men and women, to shock an audience into reassessing what it really means.

McQueen’s catwalk shows regularly became more like spectacles, exhibiting his skills for showmanship. This is desperately missing today. Since the models for his shows were women and he had them acting out some disturbing scenes it could appear incredibly unsettling to the audience, but this he revelled in, audiences’ mouths agape, debate flowing, earning him column inches, breaking with convention and breaking down the barriers of acceptability.

Were models being decorated or violated, some questioned?

McQueen was driven by a fascination with beauty. He was brought up alongside 3 sisters and a formidable mother, whom he adored until the end. Alongside his designs he was known for his high profile friendships with Isabella Blow and Kate Moss, amongst others. Visiting Savage Beauty you have the chance to see up close the hologram of Kate Moss, first shown at the end of Widows of Culloden autumn/

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winter 2006. There is not an ounce of violation, only decoration, to the sound of Schindler’s List’s theme song

by Itzhak Perlman. It takes your breath away, exposing the beauty beneath the swathes of chiffon, the chiffon acting as a kind of barrier and her ethereal beauty mesmerising all who view. That word, beauty appears a lot, but this was a man fascinated by beauty and savagery in equal measures.

What may be ugly to you was always beauty to McQueen, and he illustrated this through his clothing, sometimes shocking but always enthralling.

What this exhibition reveals, more than the supposed violation of women by an assumed misogynistic McQueen, is clothing as a barrier to protect the outward and inward beauty of females. The stripped and varnished razor clam shells that are shaped to the female body (Voss spring/ summer 2001), or hand painted, moulded leather dress (Sarabande spring/summer 2007), both utilise powerful materials that add a unique edge to the female body but prevent a man from getting too close; a woman in control of her outward and inward beauty. The designer himself said “I’m not big on women looking naïve”.

Ultimately, however, the media’s negative perception appears to rest on its obsession with the female appearance, which when displayed through unconventional means, has confused them into direct attack. McQueen’s work was a physical embodiment of his mind, of his want and of his need to give women armour, and a story of what most fascinated him.

The McQueen woman isn’t one you see regularly on the street, dressed as he would dress her. But she is in all of us, powerful, individualistic, defiant, dazzling, contradictory.

She is full of wonder and terror, rigorous and impulsive, disciplined and unconstrained, painfully beautiful and threatening. Above all, she is who she wants to be!

V&A 14th March – 2nd August

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Spoof

by Nathalie Croquet

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athalie Croquet, fashion stylist and journalist for the past 30 years, has put herself in front of the camera and recreated fashion advertisements, humorously mocking fashion’s serious creative side and it’s pre-disposition for all things considered conventionally beautiful.

SPOOF, photographed by Daniel Schweizer, thrusts Croquet into the exact same positions, clothes, hair, make-up and lighting as the recognisable models in the original ads. She recreates the dark eyes of Penélope Cruz in her Lancôme advert, Gisele Bündchen’s casual posture in Sonia Rykiel, Edie Campbell’s nonchalant pout in Lanvin, and Kate Moss’s breezy smile in ElevenParis.

One difference is obviously highlighted, and this is the issue of beauty. Whilst the fact that Croquet is older than these models, with lines on her face and a less than skinny waist, leads to laughter generated by the mocking nature of such images, it does highlight a more serious matter.

It highlights the subject of the overwhelmingly high standards of beauty that women are subjected to today in the media and through advertising. The erasing of imperfections isn’t to be found in her work, and so, whilst it shouldn’t, it does take guts to put your ‘real’ self in front of a camera when imitating such ‘fashion beautiful’ women.

This is best explained through her recreation of Natalia

It does take guts to put your ‘real’ self in front of a camera when imitating such ‘fashion beautiful’ women 68

Vodianova for Etam, a particularly beauty focused campaign image, with heavy purple eye make-up and hair scraped back.

Today women are subjected to unattainable beauty ideals more than ever Today women are subjected to unattainable beauty ideals more than ever. Fashion advertisements are just one of the culprits. Whilst I doubt her intention was to solely emphasise these out of reach beauty ideals, instead aiming to skilfully show that fashion doesn’t always have to be serious; Croquet has nonetheless poked serious fun at it, without aggression.

Whatever you take from this – a look at beauty ideals or a fun piece of imagery – one thing is sure, her ‘fashion ready’ eyebrows need no photoshopping!

The erasing of imperfections isn’t to be found in her work

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What is Beauty?

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ashion Vanguard’s online open discussion aims to promote honest and progressive dialogue amongst our many readers. Sometimes it leads to the development of an article.

What is Beauty?

“I don’t know this is such a hard thing to describe”, whilst many took a stab at it, this response caught our eye for its honesty. Most people would push for an answer but this individual, in one quick statement, summarised what a varied and difficult question this is and how hard it is to define. Is it physical beauty? If so, this could be beauty as defined by the media and the wider western world. But, then, different cultures would unequivocally answer the question differently.

It could also be interpreted as your own personal thoughts.

No matter how much interference from the media, we, as individuals, are still able to think for ourselves and so our definition of beauty can still be in stark contrast to what the modern world dictates.

If one does take it literally, that beauty is a product of human nature, both outwardly and inwardly; it was refreshing to read the positive answers discussing internal beauty.

in someone regardless of the wrinkles, blemishes and imperfections” People work on their outwardly appearance and for good reason. First impressions are important, and, as we struggle for time, taking in ever more busy lives, we do not give ourselves the time to find out about someone and discover that what they wear or how they style their hair is irrelevant if they are funny, compassionate or an excellent teamworker.

Outward human beauty was equally tinged with negativity, consciously or subconsciously.

“Beauty is something to be appreciated but sometimes envied”

“Beauty to me is something that is always found within. It is what shines through in someone’s personality that makes him or her a beautiful person! A moral human being will always be beautiful”

Envy is a natural human response, a defence mechanism, and so it can explain the need for some to take drastic measures to alter their appearance. It, too, is quite often the cause of bullying. It is unfortunate that since women are measured by their looks, rather than trying to change this, we all too often collude with these views, insulting our gender for their outward appearance rather than defending and celebrating their individuality. Quite honestly, a woman’s barbed sting directed at one’s weight is far harsher to take than a male troll threatening violence.

“Beauty to me is making the most of our natural qualities, having a glowing persona and genuine carefree happiness

Quite a number of responses stated that even though the question was open to interpretation, their brain led them

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straight to what is beauty in terms of appearance. Many stated their frustration at this.

“As much as I wish that wasn’t the case that is what my first thought was and that is because of the society we live in” And they are correct. The societies we live in perpetuate these views, so is it any wonder that it takes so long for age-old misogynistic views to change? It is a struggle to consider beauty in anything but in our looks but we must look towards the outside world.

“To me a stunning view of rolling hills and moorland is beauty”

“I find a beach or Scottish mountain view beautiful!”

opinion, but said opinion can quite often be swayed by popular opinion. Perceived beauty is also to be found in the ordinary and in the extraordinary. As news coverage becomes ever more depressing we need this beauty to remind us the point of living and to fill our lives with happiness. Although the following statement could be interpreted to mean a person’s appearance, both living beings and objects all have aesthetic qualities. Maybe, so long as beauty makes you smile that is all it is.

“A combination of aesthetic qualities that pleases, intrigues or brings happiness to an individual” theguardian.com/fashionvanguard/opendiscussion

“Food, nature, design, art, dance, architecture, and language” You see, ultimately, it’s whatever you wish it to be and so much more. The mind can conceive beauty, so beauty doesn’t even have to exist. That dream house, the perfect husband, and those travels you never take. They make you smile and they can be imagined as perfect and beautiful.

Because beauty is a form of perfection, is it not? Sometimes an individual’s idea of beauty creates warped views that the rational thinking person can’t even quantify. More often than not the answers are related to appearance, with differences arising from hair colour or height. It is very much a personal

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Passage to India

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ndia has had a ample amount of bad publicity of late, and is seen as a particularly dangerous country for women to live in and travel to. It is fair to say that you must have your wits about you if you decide to ‘brave’ this gloriously colourful and beautiful country, but you shouldn’t be put off by the negativity emanating from the papers. It’s important to be aware of the suffering and discrimination felt by Indian women but this is also a country 72

of rich heritage, stunning architecture, and beautiful scenery. Fashion Vanguard’s editor, Katie, alongside photographer Vicky, kept a diary of their trip to show you why India is still a destination for all travellers, including women.

Photography by Vicky Sedgwick

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Anticipation and excitement overwhelmed us as we arrived in Delhi airport. The overnight flight left us refreshed for the day ahead and our enthusiastic, talkative driver gradually navigated his way through this impressive city of 22 million people in rush hour. We were itching to get stuck into the history of this vibrant and colourful country so when we spotted the ruins of an old fort, in the shadow of the red fort and enthusiastically asked for information, we listened with amusement as the driver replied ‘It’s old!

Nobody lives there!’

We dropped our bags off at the Maidens, a grand colonial building from the days of the Raj, and a once favoured drinking and dining den of Lord Curzon, viceroy of India (1899-1905). This rich history already wetted our palettes.

With very little time to take in its full beauty, we were whisked off on a tour of Delhi, which included Gandhi’s house, where it was surprising and interesting to hear of the hostility that some Indians felt towards Gandhi for the breaking up of India, and the Mughal gardens. The Mughal gardens were a joy to discover. Here we experienced the bright, rich, vibrant colours that India always conjures up and I felt the real presence of the British Empire! The renowned architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, designed these stunningly beautiful gardens, and they are a combination of Mughal and British architecture.

Watching someone work so openly and creatively was a fascinating insight into everyday life 74

Next morning, after an early breakfast we headed out to Raj Ghat, memorial to Gandhi, and the India Gate (think Arc-deTriomphe). Raj Ghat marks the spot of Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation and is left open to the sky whilst an eternal flame burns perpetually at one end. All guests must remove their footwear before entering the walls of Raj Ghat. Observing important traditions such as these, allowed us to immerse ourselves wholeheartedly into the rich culture of India, and forget the stresses of everyday life back home in England.

After visiting the Raj Ghat, we headed off on a five-hour drive to Jaipur. That long journey led me to one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen, the Amber Fort, a huge palace straddling the mountain ridges, took my breath away!

The jewellery makers and carpet dyers were our first stop next morning. This probably doesn’t sound overly interesting and with our time being precious you may even think it a waste. But trades like these are so important in India, something that we take for granted. Watching someone work so openly and creatively was a fascinating insight into everyday life. Then stopping for a photo opportunity by the lake in front of the Jal Mahal, we had a quick lunch, before visiting the Pink City, Palace of Winds, The Royal Palace and finally the Jantar Mantar Observatory.

Admittedly the previous day was very tiring, and we began today with a 5-hour drive to the Ranthambore National Park.

For those interested in seeing the real India, this drive took us through many villages. I was in need of sleep but I found myself more focused on the Indian way of living. We arrived at our hotel, the Sawai Madhopur Lodge, another colonial hunting lodge built by the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur, where Queen Elizabeth II has stayed. We arrived in time

India always conjures up bright, rich, vibrant colours and we experienced them here Akbar, serving as his capital for 15 years, and is one of the best preserved examples of Indian Mughal architecture in India. So much beauty and architecture and the best is yet to come tomorrow.

We arose before sunrise to visit the place in India that I had been most looking forward to – the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal. Breathtakingly beautiful in pictures, it is even more astonishing, amazing and romantic in reality, and worth all the queuing we had to do. We did the inevitable Diana pose, of course!

The nearby Agra Fort was a surprise and a revelation, affording us fantastic views and photo opportunities.

to go on an afternoon tiger safari! There is no guarantee that you will see any tigers, but we were fortunate to see 2 resting in the bushes after a feed! It is hard to describe what it feels like to see a wild animal in its natural habitat, to be so close you can smell them. It felt like I was stepping into their territory but they seemed oblivious to our excitement.

A day of relaxation was greatly needed so we took advantage of the hotel’s modern spa and pool, explored the lush 12-acre gardens and dined outdoors, leaving us both refreshed for more adventure.

This trip is so far the most exhilarating I have ever experienced but we are not super human and the previous day was a welcome break. On our sixth day, however, we were back on the road towards Agra, stopping to visit Fatehpur Sikri, which was built by the Mughal emperor

Having taken the coach back to Delhi for an overnight stop, we headed to the train station for a visit to Amritsar. We complain endlessly about our trains but I’m not sure that I ever will again. In the whole of the 5 hour train journey, I didn’t once venture to use the hole in the floor that was the toilet!

Our next day began soberly at the Jallianwala Bagh, a public memorial garden to the people massacred in April 1919 by British troops. After the richness and beauty of the past week and a feeling of pride in the British rule of India this experience left me embarrassed and angry at the arrogance of the British, especially since the Indian people have been nothing but kind and respectful throughout this whole visit.

Our afternoon at the border crossing with Pakistan gave me more pause for thought about India’s history. We witnessed the closing gate ceremony where many were singing and chanting national songs, and taunting one another. A soldier marched around theatrically, taking down the flags and closing the gate.

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We arose before sunrise to visit the place in India that I had been most looking forward to, the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal 76

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Our Afternoon at the border crossing with Pakistan gave me more pause for thought about India’s history To see so much of India in such a short space of time did mean that we spent a lot of time travelling and not a lot of time sleeping. On our last day, we took the train back to Delhi before driving to the airport. We were so tired but what we had experienced – the romantic beauty of the Taj Mahal; architecture to rival any in the world; breathtaking views across the open plains with tigers in the bush; vivid colour, beauty and old-fashioned courtesy, made it all worthwhile.

India wasn’t a country either of us had ever visited. We experienced nothing but courteous behaviour from all we met, women and men. But safety is still key for anyone in a foreign country. No one can ignore the news reports but no country as beautiful as India should have potential visitors put off all that it has to offer. We travelled on a controlled tour, however the following safety tips are useful whether you are a casual travel seeker or prefer something more organised:

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1. Avoid eye contact and chit-chat with unknown males.

Confronting staring males can be seen as a come-on and even on trains it is rare to see an Indian woman talk to strange men. Wear sunglasses. Talk about your husband frequently, whether you have one or not.

2. Don’t wear skimpy or revealing clothing. Your best option is a long tunic over trousers.

3. Ask your hotel to book a taxi or auto-rickshaw, especially after dark or use taxis with call services, don’t flag them down in the street. Never ride in empty buses or trains, at night, and, if possible, avoid public transportation at night. Ride in women’s cars on trains and sit next to other women on buses, where possible, and use the women-only carriage on the metro.

4. Don’t accept drinks from strangers.

5. Make sure your room has a proper bolt on the inside of the door.

Quick tips: when flying into Delhi avoid rush hour – this is a city of 22 million plus people, what should have been a 30-minute commute took two and a half hours!

Mughal Gardens: only open in February and March Organise your packing well – we had very little time between stops so our packing had to be very organised – try ‘pack the bag app’ if you’re pushed for time We booked through Kuoni kuoni.co.uk

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Feminesto

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million women didn’t vote in the last general election, 1.1 million higher than men. Research suggests that the number of women voting has plummeted from 78.2 per cent in 1992 (when more women voted than men) to 64 per cent in 2005. Whilst it is recited that UKIP or the SNP hold the balance of power at this election, it is clear that female voters, also, hold the balance of power. These votes need to be enticed and it is up to the parties to be inviting.

In a male dominated Parliament this isn’t so simple. Though the Green Party, the 80

SNP and Plaid Cymru may all be led by women, since 1918 there have only been a total of 370 women MPs. In comparison there were more men (502) elected to the House of Commons in the 2010 general election “There is a general disaffection with politics. You are even less likely as a woman to see politics as the solution to your problems. Most women see politics as a men-only zone,” Harriet Harman Fashion Vanguard sets out some of the policies affecting you.

Domestic/Sexual Violence On average two women are killed every week due to domestic violence, a figure which is routinely repeated but does not change. One in 20 women under the age of 60 have been raped or sexually assaulted during their lifetime. Only one prosecution for carrying out FGM has taken place in Britain despite it being illegal in this country since 1985.

Such facts and figures like this are abysmal and much needs to change, but is any party willing to address the needs of 51 per cent of the electoral?

Lets look at them all more closely: Conservatives: The Conservatives intend to place a greater focus on preventative work in schools, provide better training for police and frontline professionals and open new rape crisis centres. They will work with local authorities, the NHS and Police and Crime Commissioners to ensure a secure future for refuges, rape crisis centres, specialist FGM and forced marriage units.

Liberal Democrats: To achieve their goals for FGM, they will ensure that teachers, social workers, police officers and health workers in areas where there is a high prevalence of female genital mutilation or forced marriage are trained to help those at risk.

A national helpline will be created for victims of domestic and sexual violence, regardless of gender, to provide support, encourage reporting and secure convictions.

They will protect funding for tackling violence against women and girls and maintain the post of International Champion for preventing this violence.

The teaching of sexual consent in schools as part of age-appropriate sex and relationships education will be required.

Green Party: Anyone coming into contact with someone who has suffered domestic abuse will have the correct training, and up to £100 million of funding for domestic violence and rape crisis centres will be made available.

An asylum policy that recognises the potential risks to women seeking asylum, including forced marriage, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, rape and other sexual assault, will be implemented.

UKIP: They have so far failed to address domestic and sexual violence. But they have made proposals on FGM. They have stated that they will provide mandatory training for all midwives on FGM, introduce a mandatory reporting requirement for known FGM cases for front-line professionals such as teachers, GPs, nurses and police, and include awareness of FGM to the schools’ PHSE curriculum and make FGM awareness a mandatory part of safeguarding training for teachers, school staff and governors.

SNP: They have announced a new consultation on proposals to help victims of domestic abuse and sexual offences, to question whether current criminal laws are effective.

Labour: They will publish a ‘Violence against Women and Girls Bill’, which will appoint a commissioner to set minimum standards for tackling domestic and sexual violence and provide more stable central funding for women’s refuges and Rape Crisis Centres.

Legal aid for domestic violence victims will be more widely available.

The gun-licensing regime will be tightened, preventing people with a history of domestic or sexual violence from being given an unrestricted licence.

Protection orders will be placed on those girls threatened with FGM.

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Gender Pay Gap The gender pay gap is at its lowest since records began, but women still earn almost 10 per cent less than men. And rather than women’s pay increasing, it is in fact men’s wages that are falling. Much is still to be done.

Conservatives: Whilst they have been in government, they state that the gender pay gap is the lowest on record, but they want to reduce it further. In order to do this, companies with more than 250 employees will have to publish the difference between average pay for their female and male employees.

Labour: Since 60 per cent of low paid workers are women, Labour’s minimum wage of more than £8 by October 2019 will be of advantage to women.

In common with the Conservatives they will require companies with more than 250 employees to tackle their hourly gender pay gap.

Their most ambitious policy is that a target of 50 per cent of ministerial appointments to public boards must be women.

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Liberal Democrats: Their aim is to increase the number of women on public boards to at least 30 per cent, which is a more depressingly realistic aim than that of Labour’s.

They will work towards achieving gender equality in government programmes that support entrepreneurs.

Like the Conservatives and Labour, 250 is the magic number. The Liberal Democrats also have the same policy that companies employing more than 250 members of staff will be required to publish the average pay of their male and female workers.

Green Party: They will implement a law that requires 40 per cent of all public company and public sector boards to be women, and change the law further to enable unequal pay cases to be brought to court more easily.

UKIP: In common with violence against women, UKIP don’t appear to be interested in achieving pay equality for women.

SNP:They are pushing for 50:50 representation in public and private boards, and want to ensure that

women are treated fairly at work, with action to secure equal pay.

Childcare Although times have changed and women aren’t expected to be solely housewives, it is still inevitable that childcare remains a vote winner for many women.

Conservatives: They propose to give working parents of three- and fouryear-olds 30 hours of free nursery care a week.

They will introduce a new system of flexible parental leave, so parents can decide how to divide paid maternity leave between themselves and are able to make use of it simultaneously.

Labour: They pledge 25 hours free childcare for working parents of threeand four-year-olds a week, and say they will guarantee a wraparound of childcare at primary schools that will be delivered through a new National Primary Childcare Service. Schools will provide childcare from 8am to 6pm.

Excellent plans to include grandparents in the upbringing of children. Grandparents, who want to be more involved in caring for their grandchildren, will be consulted to share in parents’ unpaid parental leave, enabling them to take time off work without fear of losing their job.

Liberal Democrats: They plan to see a million more women in work by 2020 thanks to more jobs, better childcare, and better back-to-work support. This improved childcare includes committing to 20 hours of free childcare a week for parents with children aged two to four. There will also be shared parental leave with a “use it or lose it” approach, to encourage fathers to take parental leave.

Better back to work support will include raising the tax-free allowance to £12,500, and extending free school meals to all primary school children.

have direct access to specialist mental health treatment since postnatal depression is suffered by 1 in 10 women.

In common with Labour, they propose wrap-around childcare in the form of breakfast and after-school clubs for all school-age children.

Child benefit will be paid only to children permanently resident in the UK, and future child benefit will be limited to the first two children only.

Green Party: Shared maternity and paternity leave will be available for the first month after birth and adoption, and then a total of 22 months leave, paid at 90 per cent salary up to a reasonable level.

Support will be given for mothers who choose to breastfeed, and there will penalties for anyone harassing a woman breastfeeding in public (a policy already implemented in Scotland).

Child support will rise from £20.70 a week for the eldest child to £40 a week for each child.

Moving on from direct women’s policies, studies suggest that younger voters are keen on education and housing policies, whilst older voters take an interest in pensions and the health system. The Guardian and Fashion Vanguard have a wide demographic, read by 18 year olds and 65 year olds alike. With that in mind we take a look at what the parties have to offer to voters in that age range.

UKIP: They pledge to ensure that all pregnant women and mothers of all children under the age of 12 months

SNP: They offer greater support for working parents with increased paternity leave.

Education

Conservatives: As the driving force behind the increase in tuition fees, the party has no plans to abolish them. They will, however, introduce a

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a review of higher education finance within the next Parliament would take place to consider any necessary reforms.

They comment on their intention to increase the number of apprenticeships available.

national postgraduate loan system for taught masters and PhD courses, and Universities would offer more 2-year courses.

Labour: Whilst not going quite as far as the Green Party (see below), Labour will reduce the tuition fees to £6,000.

Liberal Democrats: This party have lost the trust and support of a core number of is voters, today’s youth, because of their pre 2010 general election commitment to scrap tuition fees, which were never honoured.

Their policies require working within the current system. They state that 84

Green Party: By contrast with the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, will hear rejoicing from potential and even current students. They propose abolishing tuition fees, cancelling the current student debt, and reintroducing student grants.

In the long term, they will consider scrapping student fees for academic postgraduate courses.

Furthermore they propose ending the exploitation of interns, so that no unpaid full time internships last more than four weeks.

UKIP: Rather than across the whole range of subjects, UKIP will remove tuition fees for students taking approved degrees in science, medicine, technology, engineering, and maths on the condition that they live, work and pay tax in the UK for five years after

the completion of their degrees. No consideration for the arts is included.

UKIP will abolish the Department for Culture, Media and Sports if they are elected.

SNP:They will continue with free education in Scotland, and also support the reduction of tuition fees across the UK.

Health The problem of our over-burdened National Health Service is of vital importance to all areas of our community and all age groups. Policies need to be put in place to provide the money needed to invest in it and secure its future. This is what the parties propose.

Conservatives: They plan to increase NHS spending to £8bn a year by 2020, to provide seven-day-a-week access to NHS services and guarantee that everyone over 75 will get a same-day GP’s appointment if they need one.

Labour: They will repeal the government’s NHS privatisation plans,

cap profits for private firms on NHS contracts and put the right values back at the heart of the NHS. Furthermore, they will guarantee GP appointments within 48 hours and cancer tests within one week.

They propose investing £2.5bn more than the Conservatives to recruit 8,000 more GPs, 20,000 more nurses and 3,000 more midwives.

Liberal Democrats: They want to lead the world in fighting cancer and finding a cure for dementia (Prime Minister’s challenge on Dementia 2020). They declare that by 2020 £8bn more funding a year will be available to the NHS. Of the £3.5 billion extra spent on mental health, £250m will go to pregnant women and new mums with depression.

Green Party: Firstly, they will keep the NHS free at the point of delivery.

An important proposal of theirs is to allow appropriately qualified midwives and nurses to carry out abortions, and to remove the law that requires the consent of two doctors for an abortion to be carried out.

UKIP: The NHS will be free at the point of delivery and time of need for all UK residents. Migrants and visitors to the UK will have to have private health insurance.

SNP: They will vote for an increase in health spending of £2.4bn across the UK by 2020, which will deliver an increase in spending to the Scottish NHS of £2bn by 2020.

Pensions Pensions are always used to attract the older voter whose numbers are growing but younger voters need to take these proposals on board too.

Conservatives: They plan to maintain the triple lock; giving the electorate the freedom to invest and spend their pension however they like and allowing them to pass it on to loved ones tax-free.

Labour: The triple lock will be retained so that the state pension increases by inflation, earning, or 2.5 per cent, whichever is highest. They want to ensure private pensions are good value for those who have saved.

Liberal Democrats: They would also retain the triple lock.

Green Party: They will introduce a citizen’s pension of £180 a week (£310 for a couple), paid regardless of contribution record.

UKIP: Their proposal is to introduce a

flexible state pension window, which will widen over time, so that you can take a slightly lower weekly state pension before you reach state pension age.

SNP: They propose a single tier pension of £160 per week, and are devotees of the triple lock.

Housing Housing is of particular importance to younger voters who aspire to get on the housing ladder or simply find an affordable place to rent. More homes need to be built and financial help to acquire those homes introduced.

Conservatives: Plans to build more affordable housing, including 200,000 new Starter Homes exclusively for firsttime buyers under 40, are on the cards.

They will extend the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme to 2020 to help more onto and up the housing ladder, and introduce a new Help to Buy ISA to support people saving for a deposit.

Labour: They want to make sure that at least 200,000 homes a year are built by 2020, which is almost double the current level. For those privately, renting Labour will legislate to make three-year tenancies the norm, with a ceiling on excessive rent rises.

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Liberal Democrats: They propose building 300,000 homes a year and set in motion at least 10 new Garden Cities.

Green Party: Their main policy is to make renting affordable through housing policies, especially those concerning the regulation of the private rented sector and rents.

They will also keep housing benefit for under 25’s.

UKIP: They wish to prioritise social housing for people with ‘local connections’ and build a million homes on previously developed land by 2025.

SNP:The immediate abolition of the ‘bedroom tax’ is a key policy. As is the push for a UK-wide target of 100,000 affordable homes each year, using extra investment to expand house building in Scotland.

After all the rhetoric, what does it mean? Will the various parties be able to keep their promises when elected, unlike the Lib Dems after the last election? And, if you’re looking

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for a party that supports women, you certainly shouldn’t bother with UKIP in light of their failure to address women’s issues. Although only 87 of Labour’s MPs are women this is certainly better than the other two main political parties. As sound as the Liberal Democrats policies are on women, they are already failing on the gender balance in Parliament.

Only 7 of their 56 MPs are female and Clegg failed to appoint a single female Cabinet Minister to his party’s allotted five slots during his time as Deputy Prime Minister.

Recently the Tories hailed the “record” number of female candidates, one in three, they had standing for the party this coming election. This sounds promising but, on closer inspection, discrepancies are evident. Many of the female candidates are standing in ‘no-hope’ seats, with only one in four selected for winnable constituencies.

Figures show that if they successfully defended all of their seats and won all of their top 40 target seats, female Conservative MPs would still only account for 20 per cent of the party.

Having pledged to make one third

of his ministers female by the end of his term as Prime Minister (and why not aim for 50 per cent?), David Cameron has resolutely failed in this, since just 25 per cent of his ministers are women. So, whilst they have voiced some interesting proposals, particularly those involving childcare, with just 48 female MPs out of a total 302 in the party, it is clear that the Tories are still failing to deal with the lack of female MPs and female policies effectively. Gloria de Piero, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, summed it up when she said, “when 50 per cent of the population is being hit by 85 per cent of the pain, it is clear the Tories plan is failing women and failing working families.”

UKIP policies against women are the most extreme and this is illustrated by the vote of Farage and his party against measures to end violence against women and girls. Fourteen MEPs, among 514 voting, voted against measures to end violence and 8 of these were members of UKIP. Farage and UKIP’s views on women and violence against women are just as

odious as their views on immigration.

Last year, Nigel Farage asked that women refrain from breastfeeding in an “ostentatious” manner. We were then told women who work in the City are “worth far less” after they have children. Their 2014 manifesto for the European elections, meanwhile, contained no mention of childcare or maternity leave. Women are still being discriminated against and even sacked for being pregnant, 40 years after laws were passed to protect women from this sort of discrimination. Yet Nigel Farage believes this is just “a fact of life” and that there’s no need to do anything. Further infuriating were the comments made by another UKIP MEP, John Stuart Agnew, in a speech to the European Parliament in 2013, where he stated that babies “get in the way” of women’s ambitions.

Succinctly, UKIPs policies are set to put Women’s Rights and liberation back into the dark ages.

There are some positives for women amongst the pledges and promises and it ought to be noted that under the Conservative and Liberal Democrat

coalition the pay gap has dropped.

However, men still earn 9.4 per cent more than women on average in an hour. The Conservatives have put forward measures that include stronger legislation to prevent employers discriminating and better careers guidance for young women.

are more inclined to vote for to keep their promises and not retract once in government? Women’s Rights and liberation has progressed in the last century, but social and political change is still necessary. Political parties must recognise that more has to be done for women both in society and in the Houses of Parliament.

In the Labour party 11 out of 27 Shadow Cabinet members (40%) are women, including major roles such as the Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Harriet Harman. Added to this Ed Miliband says that his Labour Government would have a genderequal Cabinet.

“We will work for equality in our public life. Labour is proud to have the largest number of women standing for Parliament of any party. We will continue to use all women shortlists for Westminster parliamentary selections, and set a goal for fifty per cent of ministerial appointments to public boards to be women.”

Ultimately, however, the question is of trust. Do you trust the party you

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Image Credits Front cover: Photography by Catherine Booty Page 2, Northwood advert: Bigstock Seriously, It’s Fashion Page 7, Kate Moss widows of Culloden: thestylefactoryblog. com/tag/alexander-mcqueen/ Page 8, Anna Wintour: Bigstock Page 8, John Galliano: pinterest.com/irinabogani/johngalliano-the-rise-and-fall/

A Cultural Choice Page 26, Hijab style 01: galleryhip.com/hijab-style-outfits. html Page 27, Dina Torkia in turban: daysofdoll.com/style/turbantying-libertylondon/ Page 28, Dina Torkia with another woman, also wearing the hijab: daysofdoll.com/style/fasheeeeyon/ Page 29, Dina Torkia wearing the hijab: thecherryfactor.nl/ style-report-2/style-report-dina-tokio/ Page 30, The Temporary Bride: scan of the front cover

Page 9, Alcina advert: Bigstock Make It Happen Page 10-11, All: popsugar.com/love/photo-gallery/22108251/ image/22108312/Pakistan

Page 32, Wonder Woman, does she exist?: art.alafoto.com/ displayimage.php?pid=16981 Page 33, Venture advert: Bigstock

Strong is the New Pretty Page 12, Worm: qz.com/380493/photos-mom-photographsmessy-fearless-daughters-to-show-strong-is-the-new-pretty/ Page 13, Girl in the rain: slrlounge.com/strong-is-the-newpretty-kate-parker/ Page 13, Puzzled face, girl with freckles: wabe.org/post/girlsare-loud-dirty-messy-atlanta-photographer-s-series Page 13, Stars surrounding girl, girl sat on football: xn-rectile-9xa.fr/portfolio/kate-t-parker-strong-is-the-new-pretty/ Page 13, All girls football team: huffingtonpost. com/2015/04/09/strong-is-the-new-pretty_n_7034690.html Page 13, Rollerblades: wtkr.com/2015/04/03/photographershows-girls-that-strong-is-the-new-pretty/

Page 34, Agenda shoot: Photography by Jack Bowker

Page 14, Feminist Lingerie – is it all pants?: iamleyahshanks. com/2015/03/12/mon-dieu-neon-moons-kickstarter-campaign/

Page 43, Gaia advert: image owned by Katie Calvert

Page 15, Verhoeven advert: Bigstock Compassionate Fashion Page 16, Lily Cole for Veja: theecostyleeditor.com/?p=2038 Page 17, Artisanat des femmes de khenifra: abeletoffes.ch/portfolio-item/cooperative-des-femmes-dekhenifra-maroc/ Page 18, Emma Watson for People Tree 01: fanpop.com/clubs/ emma-watson/images/10227339/title/people-tree-hq-photo Page 18, Emma Watson for People Tree 02 - 03: magicalmenagerie.com/2011/02/videos-behind-the-scenes-at-emmawatsons-people-tree-shoot/ Page 19, Framing Fashion shoot: Photography by Catherine Booty

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The Tale of the She-Soldier Page 40, Flora Sandes postcard: pinterest.com/ pin/472315079645875550/ Page 41, Flora Sandes with man: velikirat.com/en/the-greatwar-hero-flora-sandes-1876-1956/ Page 42, Marie Marvingt: delcampe.net/page/item/ id,106216495,var,Mademoiselle-Marie-Marvingt,language,E. html Page 42, Maria Bockhareva: klimbim2014.wordpress. com/2014/10/05/maria-bochkareva-a-russian-in-womensbattalion-of-death-ww1/

Coming of Age Page 45, Protesting about tuition fees: theguardian.com/ commentisfree/2014/oct/07/germany-scrapping-tuition-feesengland Page 46, Young voters holding the union jack: blogs.afp. com/makingof/?post/retour-vers-le-futur-en-ecosse#.VUX9_ dpVhHw Page 47, Avvistare advert: Bigstock It’s a dress not a yes!

Page 48, Chop off his raping tool: youthconnect. in/2015/03/07/20-outrageous-quotes-documentary-indiasdaughter/ Page 49, Mass protest: pbs.org/newshour/bb/india-bandocumentary-deadly-gang-rape/ Page 49, Strip over mouth: qz.com/357973/indias-attempt-to-censorindias-daughter-may-have-done-more-damage-than-the-film-itself/

Nancy Astor Page 50, Nancy Astor pointing: boardgamegeek.com/ thread/1327187/neo-confederate-group-league-southcelebrate-150th/page/2 Page 51, Nancy Astor young: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_ Astor,_Viscountess_Astor

Page 70, What is beauty?: Bigstock Page 72, Passage to India: Photography courtesy of Vicky Sedgwick

Page 59, Hellasair advert: Bigstock

Feminesto Page 80, Should I vote?: Bigstock Page 81, Domestic and sexual violence: huffingtonpost.co.uk/ karen-ingala-smith/domestic-violence_b_5042929.html Page 82, Gender Pay Gap: usilive.org/no-hiding-placecompanies-ordered-to-publish-gender-pay-gap/ Page 83, Nick Clegg childcare: ibtimes.co.uk/2015-generalelection-liberal-democrats-promise-free-childcare-all-twoyear-olds-1463779 Page 84, David Cameron: independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ generalelection/general-election-2015-david-camerondeclares-the-tories-the-party-of-working-people-as-he-unveilstax-giveaways-and-goodies-in-manifesto-10175346.html Page 84, NHS: npr.org/2013/01/04/168566715/as-2013-beginsa-pretty-positive-job-outlook Page 85, Ed Miliband: newsfisher.io/article/zipjopGoiJh6PnAgq Page 86, Nicola Sturgeon: itv.com/news/2015-03-30/nicolasturgeon-could-the-snp-leader-play-a-key-role-in-decidingbritains-next-government/ Page 87, Natalie Bennett: independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ generalelection/general-election-2015-the-passage-in-thegreen-partys-manifesto-that-sounds-like-something-from-afairy-tale-10176533.html?icn=puff-1

Page 60, Summer Meadow advert: Bigstock

Back cover: Rowan advert: courtesy of Rowan Yarns

Page 52, Bainbridge advert: Bigstock Is the fashion industry’s use of older models just another passing trend?

Page 53, Charlotte Rampling for NARS: news.yahoo.com/narsunveils-campaign-charlotte-rampling-115122594.html Page 54, Jacky O’Shaughnessy: shelivesoutsidethebox.co.uk/ post/75528525792/jacky-oshaughnessy-actress-and-maturemodel-with Page 55, Catherine Deneuve Louis Vuitton: happyface313. com/2014/01/15/catherine-deneuve-for-louis-vuitton/ Fashion, Women, Power Page 56, Michelle Obama: frostmagazine.com/2013/03/ michelle-obama-tops-best-dressed-list/ Page 57, Hillary Clinton: Bigstock Page 57, Margaret Thatcher: thedailysheeple.com/margaretthatcher-dead-at-87_042013 Page 58, Angela Merkel: Bigstock

Page 61-63, All The Surreal Life and Art of Leonora Carrington: scans of postcards purchased from Tate Liverpool Decoration or Violation?

Page 64, Platos Atlantis: huffingtonpost.co.uk/christinamiller/ alexander-mcqueen-savage-beauty_b_7055608.html Page 66 Savage Beauty: mirandasnotebook.com/alexandermcqueen-savage-beauty-exhibition/ Page 67, Lotus Spa Hotels advert: Bigstock Spoof Page 68, Kate Moss/ElevenParis: punktmagazine.com/frenchstylist-parodies-campaigns-supermodels/ Page 69, Edie Campbell/Lanvin: i-d.vice.com/en_gb/topic/ nathalie-croquet Page 69, Gisele Bundchen/Sonia Rykiel: virginradiolebanon. com/real-woman-recreates-fashion-ads/

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