genesis
Masthead editor - martha dobberson fASHION EDITORS - EMILY PEARMAN, olivia pardoe, sara cosford travel editor - beth bullock Photography - andy froud, luke derrick, cameron wishart
fashion shows We believe two of the most influential fashions designers of the now are Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler. They set a high standard within the industry injecting their creative energy into their designs producing stunning, wearable garments that sell. They deliver strong collections using structured silhouettes, simple shapes and focus on materials which adds an exciting edge to their designs. Designing garments that are appealing to masses yet are still desirable presents a winning formula, influencing other high end designers to follow their lead. They stay contemporary delving into new fabrics and techniques such as ultrasonic welding and laser cutting. These advances in materials and manipulations used in their collections are vital for moving into the future of fashion as new technologies continue to become available to designers. They stay current by taking inspiration from the now. ‘Our work isn’t about fashion. It’s about our lives. And we make fashion as a result of our experiences’. Their most recent show was held at The Whitney where some of New York’s most exciting contemporary art exhibitions have been held. The collection itself was inspired by abstract expressionist paintings. Fabrics built up in layers, much like layers of paint on a canvas. They didn’t have any pre-conceived ideas of what their final designs would be instead playing with fabrics, trims and shapes keeping the looks fun and slightly less constructed than previous collections. It had a lot going on from feathers, fur, sheer chiffon, grommets, high slits and holey tights all adding interest to the collection.
A playful collection by Jacquemus for his fall 15 show from asymmetric lines, random panelling, cut-outs and oversized garments all playing into Jacquemus’s wacky visions. He created a bold statement sending out models half dressed, naked from the hips up. This adding an obvious sexual tone within his fun designs. Interesting make up creating illusions that the models had 2 faces. An exciting show with many new unusual elements to his designs, we look to the future of Simon Porte Jacquemus’s future collections.
the randolph As you may be aware, this season’s Oxford Fashion Week Cosmopolitan, Couture, Lingerie and Genesis show will all to be held exclusively in one venue. This Venue is The Randolph Hotel, in the heart of the city centre on Beaumont Street opposite the Ashmolean Museum. Used for previous OFW seasons, this will be the first year it will house all our shows under its chandelier ceiling. The Randolph Hotel, now part of the Macdonald hotel chain, was built by William Wilkinson in 1863-1866 and was named after the Randolph Gallery, situated opposite the hotel; now the Ashmolean museum another past OFW venue. The original architecture of the hotel was in the gothic revival style popular in the Victorian era, the hotel has kept the style of its original architecture whilst combining other styles to its interior over it’s many refurbishments. The Randolph is one of Oxfords most prestigious hotels boasting 5 stars and a variety of high profile guests.
As you enter the hotel to your left is The Morse Bar, (mostly known for appearing in the detective TV series’ Morse and Lewis) with paneled walls and sumptuous arm chairs creating a traditional atmosphere to enjoy an excellent coffee or one of the many cocktails on offer, perfect for a sneaky drink between shows. If you fancy afternoon tea the Randolph’s elegant Drawing room offers a variety of tea options in a slightly more formal, yet still in keeping with the traditional and intimate setting of the bar. Hidden away down one of the hotel’s spiral staircases is The Spa, an extremely modern and tranquil environment. With exceptional friendly and professional services, and the exclusive use of elemis products it’s a great place to wind down after all the excitement of Fashion Week. I personally recommend the Elemis face and body sensation. The hotel’s largest and most ornate room is the Ballroom. The room has understated elegant architecture decorated in a pale blue set off by the three chandeliers hanging along the centre of the room. The chandeliers are exact replicas of those that were aboard the Titanic. It is against the backdrop of this magnificent room that the Oxford Fashion Week shows will exhibit a diverse selection of designer and high street looks across the four shows of the week.
art : love is enough Modern Art Oxford’s latest exhibition, ‘Love Is Enough’, is a tribute to two of the greatest artists of the 19th and 20th century; William Morris and Andy Warhol. The collection (which is open till March 8th 2015) includes a truly unique juxtaposition of work with surprising connections yet a “tendency to be contradictory”. ‘Love Is Enough’ includes iconic pieces such as Warhol’s tapestry of Marilyn Monroe, which is going on public display for the first time since it was created in 1968, and a panel from Morris’ ‘Holy Grail’ tapestry series from 1896; another piece that has rarely been viewed by the public. Jeremy Deller, curator of the exhibition, references these two artists as huge inspirations to his own work, which includes his 2003 Turner Prize winning piece ‘Memory Bucket’. He first met Warhol in 1986 at the Ritz Hotel, where the two “spent a couple of hours there, with him taking pictures of us. We had these hats and stuff in our bags and we started trying them on.” The meeting led to an invite from Warhol asking Deller to spend some of the summer in his Factory. Deller’s passion for Warhol’s art only grew from this moment forward, and his opportunity to combine it with another influence of his, Morris, would have been a great moment for him.
Deller draws intriguing links in this stimulating exhibition, such as their production of art by using the print making business. This use of printing meant that their artworks could be mass produced; further generating their publicity and popularity. Furthermore, it can be argued that the messages Warhol and Morris were trying to portray through their artwork were similar due to their heavy involvement with the politics of their time. Morris was an activist and famously welcomed Marxism through attending lectures and street sermons. Deller suggests this political aspect in Warhol’s work too, through placing a row of Warhol’s 1973 “Mao” silkscreens near to Morris’ text-heavy pamphlets, such as “How I Became a Socialist” (1896). Deller has indeed succeeded in placing “Warhol as an important political artist” through the juxtaposition of Morris’ work.
oxford international art fair Oxford held its second ‘International Art Fair’ earlier this year, displaying a wide and varied selection of incredible artworks from international exhibitors. The free-admission show was held in Oxford’s beautiful and historic Town Hall – the perfect setting for the unique event.
The ‘Global Art egency’ (GAA) was established in 2010 and aims to support up and coming artists by giving them the opportunity to exhibit their work in galleries.
They have organised other large art events such as Barcelona Showcase at Gaudi’s Casa Batllo and Vienna Showcase at the Palace of Schonborn. This was Oxford’s largest showcase of modern and contemDue to the increased popularity and porary art, displaying a larger numsuccess of the 2014 event, the art ber of artists than in previous years was spread across 3 rooms, display- and including more spacious viewing work by 150 artists from over 30 ing areas for the guests and buyers. different countries. Organiser Joelle Gareth Lloyd, an artist displaying Dinnage expresses that “so many work at the event describes his fantastically talented artists will be weekend; “Six sales for me, consiston show, with pieces to suit everying of an original painting, an origone’s taste and pocket” describing it inal drawing and 4 limited edition as a “fabulous day out” for everyone. prints.
I have also been asked to head up some drawing workshops and demonstrations for an art group which I am really excited about!” – exemplifying how much recognition the artists can get from this organised weekend. On Saturday, there was a clear fun and creative atmosphere around Oxford’s Town Hall by the bustle of people looking to learn about the emerging artists, combined with live music from The Oxford Jazz Collective. The weekend was a great opportunity to witness a mixture of art including photography, book art, painting and sculpture, and even the chance to buy directly from the artists and get to know them more. The pieces of art all showed differing styles, techniques and medias yet always portrayed to be of high quality and very imaginative.
Who knows, perhaps we shall be seeing a third year of the ‘International Art Fair’ in Oxford! ‘International Art Fair Oxford’ was on 6th to 8th February 2015. If you missed out last weekend, you can visit http://oxfordinternationalartfair. com/ for more information on GAA and the artists they’ve promoted. The show was spectacular and really inspiring to see such a combination of work exhibited together. The contrast of the traditionally adorned Town Hall against the contemporary art, including Surrealist and Cubist styles, was intriguing and beautiful.
dressed to kill a night out in oxford
As my eyelids reluctantly lift and I squint into the expected darkness, my pupils are struck by a thin shard of light cutting through the minute gap in my bedroom curtains. I tilt my head away from sharp beam and my eyes fall upon a pair of black heels, a discarded bomber jacket, both of which I recall had been flung across the room the night before. Slowly, I now become aware of the raw aching in the soles of my feet, and immediately regret last night’s combination of heeled shoes and dancing. The quiet buzzing of a kettle begins to waver into earshot accompanied by the strong aroma of coffee wafting under the cracks of my bedroom door, pulling me back to consciousness. Someone was clearly already in the kitchen, perhaps they are making breakfast? The thought of food equally excites and repulses me as I am still yet unsure of the fragility of my condition this morning. However, the hope that I can stomach some burnt toast and eggs gives me the strength to fully open my eyes, swing my legs across my bed and propel myself towards the door and the day ahead.
Studying at Oxford Brookes comes with the benefit of the student night life within the city centre, of which there is ample. I could now list the many options of night clubs and bars available for you to visit, but as that seems to be a very tedious and incredibly long task, I will instead simply attempt to recall and describe the events of a typical Friday night to shed some light on what to expect. A trickle of water runs down the back of neck from my soaking wet hair as I stare at the mountain of clothes I had just extracted from my wardrobe and heaped onto bed. I am almost certain I have already exhausted every possible outfit combination on previous nights out, so I have to take a moment to try and figure which of the options I have least worn. I need to go shopping, perhaps I will tomorrow? I could get myself a new dress, or some shoes ooh or maybe that coat from Whistles I saw in the shop window the other day? No, I need to stop myself before I get carried away. Think of your empty bank account Amy. I remind myself of the week I spent living off pasta, an onion and a jar of pickles because I had blown all my grocery money on a pair of new trainers. I check the time, 08.25pm. I’m already nearly late.
Typically we have some pre drinks in one of the flats before we leave to go to one of the clubs but tonight is a little different, we are heading to a pub first so are leaving much earlier. I pick out a pair of black jeans and a black crepe top, surely no one will notice I’ve worn this out 4 times previously? I slide on some black heels to make the outfit more evening appropriate and speedily do my makeup, opting for some red lipstick. I get my bag together, running through my mentalchecklist, ID, bus pass, keys, phone, some cash and my debit card (just in case). I check the time again, 08.47pm. I’m just congratulating myself that I still have a bit of time before we catch 10 past 9 bus when I feel a cold droplet of water hit the back of my neck again. Crap. I grab my blow-dryer and roughly dry my hair, it’s puffy but I don’t have time to fix that and sprint out the door. A trickle of water runs down the back of neck from my soaking wet hair as I stare at the mountain of clothes I had just extracted from my wardrobe and heaped onto bed. I am almost certain I have already exhausted every possible outfit combination on previous nights out, so I have to take a moment to try and figure which of the options I have least worn. I need to go shopping, perhaps I will tomorrow?
I could get myself a new dress, or some shoes ooh or maybe that coat from Whistles I saw in the shop window the other day? No, I need to stop myself before I get carried away. . Think of your empty bank account Amy. I remind myself of the week I spent living off pasta, an onion and a jar of pickles because I had blown all my grocery money on a pair of new trainers. I check the time, 08.25pm. I’m already nearly late. Typically we have some pre drinks in one of the flats before we leave to go to one of the clubs but tonight is a little different, we are heading to a pub first so are leaving much earlier. . I pick out a pair of black jeans and a black crepe top, surely no one will notice I’ve worn this out 4 times previously? I slide on some black heels to make the outfit more evening appropriate and speedily do my makeup, opting for some red lipstick. I get my bag together, running through my mental checklist, ID, bus pass, keys, phone, some cash and my debit card (just in case). I check the time again, 08.47pm. I’m just congratulating myself that I still have a bit of time before we catch 10 past 9 bus when I feel a cold droplet of water hit the back of my neck again. Crap. I grab my blow-dryer and roughly dry my hair, it’s puffy but I don’t have time to fix that and sprint out the door.
ofw genesis show 2015
Rosa Avilez, Martha Dobberson, and Luke Derrick
Jess tighe and emily pearman
We arrive at a pub in Cowley, it’s already jammed packed. I am briefly thankful I wore heels as the height makes it much easier for me to push a path through the jostling crowd towards the bar, occasionally ‘accidentally’ stepping on a few toes of those who refuse to move and ignore my polite ‘excuse me’s’. Finally upon reaching the bar we order ourselves each a couple of drinks from a rather overwhelmed bartender, making the most of the 2 for 1 cocktail offer and make our way back through the crowd towards a small table two of our friends had already gone to secure. The atmosphere is a good, lively one here and I like how there is such a range of different characters. As I apprehensively sip my Vodka sunrise I scan the room and take in all the people constructing different personalities for each group depending on their age and how they are dressed. There is a large group of men in suits all with their ties loosened as if they have just come from the office and ready to start their weekend, a party of women in their 30’s all dressed in pink and giggling excitably, perhaps a hen party? Over in the corner is a selection of men all clad in leather with terrific beards that resemble an old fashioned biker gang? There is even an exuberant bunch in bouncing around the middle of the room all dressed as different power rangers.
The majority of the customers here however are young students simply ready to enjoy a typical Friday night out with their friends. The time soon passes and at around 11:30pm we say adieu to the friendly pub and make our way towards the elected club of the night, Warehouse. Warehouse, located on Park End Street, is a nightclub which was rebranded this year, it was previously known as Junction nightclub. Warehouse on a Friday is taken over by Kandy events which often produces themed nights with cheap drinks. Unfortunately, none of our group had decided to check whether or not this night was a particular theme so as we paid and entered the club I was, as you would imagine, slightly confused to hear what appeared to be a live steel drummer. I later found out that it was in fact a ‘Caribbean Cruise’ night. The reggae music wasn’t entirely a disappointment; I actually thoroughly enjoy a bit of Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytals, Sean Paul and Shaggy. However, a lot of the music seemed to be a sort of mash up between actual Reggae and House which was producing a very peculiar tempo. However, as the night progressed the music seemed to improve vastly and soon we were all on the dance floor alongside girls wearing not much more than a bra and hot pants.
Although, now I think about it that may have just been the two very reasonably priced tequila shots and the few gin and tonics I made my way through whilst making friends with the bartenders. (I find speaking to as many bartenders as possible on a night out is always beneficial in the future). At one point I ventured outside to the smoking area for a bit of fresh air as I don’t really smoke with the exception of the odd cigarette as social bonding. Fresh air seemed to be in high demand however, as I soon found myself crammed like a sardine against other people’s sweaty backs as I tried to hold a conversation whilst inhaling second hand smoke instead of oxygen. I soon gave up and scrambled back inside towards the comfort of the dance floor which was incredibly good timing as one of my friends had just had a drink poured over her head by a passing girl and I had to quickly distract and steer my friend away before she pounced on the perpetrator. A couple of excitable hours had past unnoticed when finally someone in our group realized everyone was beginning to trail towards the exit, they were in fact closing the club. I checked the time, 03.50am. The cool night air, or should I say early morning air, that hit me was a quick relief as we left the club.
My body temperature however, quickly plummeted so that I soon had goose bumps covering my arms and legs as we made our way to the taxi rank, stopping off of course for the traditional chips in McDonalds. We bundled ourselves into a taxi and sped back toward the comfort of our warm beds. Still fairly drunk I managed to stumble up the stairs, unlock my flat, push open my bedroom door without bothering to switch on the light, fling my shoes and bomber jacket across the room and collapse into the warm recess of my mattress, close my eyes and fall immediately asleep. Or maybe I passed out, I’m not entirely sure.
ASH
Hi Ash, how did you get into modelling? I mainly got into modelling through OFW. I made some really great contacts during my first season, which helped me take my first steps in the modelling world. What attracted to you to Oxford Fashion Week? I knew one of the photographers and she encouraged me to go along to the castings. What did you find was most challenging about this experience last year? Waking up and getting to venues on time…. Do you have any advice for aspiring models? You only regret the things you don’t do. Don’t be afraid to put yourself forward for things. What are you most looking forward to this year? I’m really excited about Jon Harris’ work in the lingerie show and cannot wait for it to be showcased! Finally, if you had to choose three words that best describe OFW, what would you say? Fun, Hectic, Fashion.
patricia
Prior to Oxford Fashion Week had you any previous modelling experience? I had a couple of modelling experiences when I was on my gap year in Australia but never seriously. Modelling has always been something I have been interested in though, so when I was first casted for OFW I was so excited to be walking in all of the shows! What made you come to your first OFW model casting? The first time I went to a OFW casting was 2 and a half years ago! It just looked like it would be so much fun so I went for it, unfortunately the first time I wasn’t casted but I am glad I went back as I took part in the shows last season and it was the best! You are a returning OFW model from previous seasons, what has made you come back? What have you enjoyed most? Everything! It is so much fun from the opening party to the closing party, we are so busy throughout the week but we are constantly having so much fun. I also made some amazing friends last season and I can’t wait to spend time with them again and meet all the new models too. Is there anything you found challenging last season? Why / how did you overcome it? Last season we did five shows over four days and I would have to say the biggest challenge was tiredness. Luckily we all feed off each other’s incredible energy and when we start flagging there is always someone who will start it up again! Finally, what advice would you give to other aspiring models? Take any opportunity you can get! I haven’t done much modelling but am always up for anything that comes my way. Also, don’t give up. Like I said, I was casted my first time round but I came back a couple years later and ended up having the best experience ever!
trends This Fashion Week saw the return of the Seventies, with huge emphasis on styles such fringing, knee-high boots exaggerated shapes, like the classic pair of flares. Fabric also played a huge role in updating the era’s trends to a modern light, through the use of suede, denim and shearling. Decorated Denim The basic staple of denim has been completely redefined this season; with designers recreating the garment with fresh new embellishments like shearling, cutwork and crystals. Dolce and Gabbana updated their denim with decorative details fitting with their sexy persona, whilst Burberry Prorsum delivered luxury trims of shearling – further identifying the seventies trend. Suede The perfect way to wear and update the new suede trend is by wearing it in subtly coloured pastel and chalk tones, such as Chanel’s baby pink garments or Ermanno Scervino’s soft lavender ensembles. Pair with over the knee boots for a classic yet fresh look.
Fringing You can’t channel the Seventies without fringing, whether it’s on a statement bag or head-turning dress. The fashion elite have turned this trend to a luxurious one, through the choice of a muted colour palette and pairing the style with sleeker materials. The trend was seen in fabrics such as suede and leather – another nod to the era – and was everywhere from designer brands like Saint Laurent to high street names such as Mango. Knee-High Boots Take cue from the designers that teamed Seventies-styled knee-high boots with retro ladylike silhouettes, such as a midi skirt. For the warmer seasons, opt for a chic cut out knee-high boot like the suede, show stealing ones by Altuzarra in their autumn/winter 2015 collection. Let the boots be the stars by pairing them with a simple wrap dress. Flares The ultimate Seventies staple is best worn with brightly coloured platforms and supersized shades, for an undoubtedly classic look. If you want a change from your simple denim flares, why not try a silky patterned pair? Balmain have created a monochrome chevron pair whilst Tophop’s pinstriped version denotes serious preppy style.
get it on the highstreet
TRAVEL ¬¬¬¬An Interview with Diana Cherry Director of Operations at Oxford Private Travel With Oxford Private Travel being based in Oxford, where are you’re favorite places to have brunch? Gee’s on Banbury Road is nice. Also Portobello on South Parade in Summertown, which is a wine bar, and restaurant open from the mornings onwards. The Ashmolean restaurant would be lovely, I’ve had Lunch there a few times and enjoyed it, it’s good if you want nice views of oxford. It’s open from 10 onwards. Jacob’s chophouse, Jacob’s in the field and Jacob’s Inn in Wolvercote are all locally owned by the same person, Jacob. They are bar and grills being more of a meatier option for breakfast. I went to Jacob’s Inn in Wolvercote about a year ago, which was quite interesting it was a lovely old spit and sawdust, gastro pub. It was nice to visit as it was slightly out of town. love a beach, and good sunsets too. There was also great food. I like America really, I loved my trip from Sanfrancisco to LA, which was 5 days long, and we spent two nights in San Francisco and then stopped at Santa Barbra and The Big Sur along the way, which was gorgeous. love a beach, and good sunsets too. There was also great food. I like America really, I loved my trip from Sanfrancisco to LA, which was 5 days long, and we spent two nights in San Francisco and then stopped at Santa Barbra and The Big Sur along the way, which was gorgeous.
Where have you not yet travelled to that is high on you’re hit list, and why the desire to visit? In the states, luxury ranches in places like Montana, which are secluded and authentic and provide a really good service.
In your opinion what are the essentials of luxury travel? The definition as to what luxury is, is very subjective, for some it may be being somewhere without any mobile phone signal, for others a butler service. Or for some it may be an experience you would never normally do, at the moment we are organizing a trip around America, which includes a helicopter tour of parts of the Grand Canyon, which are hard to access. So the most important thing in my opinion is the customer’s ideal of luxury when providing them with a personal service.
Where are you planning to travel to next? I’m going to Cape Town for a holiday in a couple of weeks. I have just come back from France visiting villas and hotels. The team have recently been in Barbados, Sicily, morocco and Jamaica, keeping on top of destinations, this has to be done constantly as some hotels may have changed hands and become too poor a quality to offer to our customers, and vice a versa with places that we didn’t think were so good having become excellent, it is constantly changing.
How do you go about creating a personal service for different customers? We have to be a bit adaptable when looking around villas, thinking who would be the right client to come here, some are barefoot luxury with beaches, which some people may not want. It takes lots of research to find the right place for the client. We find out about our clients, and what they like, for example we might know that a client likes dressing in designer clothes and going for dinner each night whilst away, so they will be suited –to a certain type of island, destination, hotel or villa. We are specialist in certain types of destination and holidays. Our Clients have a lot of needs, and these are different for each client, it may be that they need transfers to and from the airport or that they want a yacht for a couple of days, which is quite straightforward to organize. Some clients request certain types of flowers or drinks so the planning can become really detailed. We are proactive about recommending things when getting to know clients, we have clients who are property developers and love innovative architecture, so whenever we see interesting hotels opening up we let them know, and ask them what they think. It turns into more of a 2-way conversation. We also help clients to get reservations with restaurants, which are hard to get into. Our contacts help with this. We also do the same for tickets to concerts and sporting events so our service can be quite varied.
You must have travelled quite extensively, what has your favorite destination been and why was it so special? Ooo good question, that’s a hard one. My favorite place is The Maldives, due being a tropical island and I love being able to go snorkeling and diving as well as having a luxurious experience. There are fantastic hotels there too. They do luxury very well in the Indian Ocean, leading the way for luxury hotels all over the world. I also really liked visiting California because of the lifestyle out there and the happy and chilled out people there as a result of the lifestyle. There were great beaches, I love a beach, and good sunsets too. There was also great food. I like America really, I loved my trip from Sanfrancisco to LA, which was 5 days long, and we spent two nights in San Francisco and then stopped at Santa Barbra and The Big Sur along the way, which was gorgeous.
food Modern Baker – An Organic Sourdough Bakery in Summertown Modern Baker is an in house Organic Bakery specialising in Sourdough. Situated on The Banbury Road in Summertown, Modern Baker is the only place in Oxford to stock a distinctive range of organic breads, cakes, and pastries, which use only traditional grains, sourdoughs and natural sugars. Their coffee tea and milk are all organic and the bakery is not just a bakery, with one wall being devoted to carefully sourced organic products to help complement a healthy lifestyle. Stocking oils for cooking, nutritious snacks, nut butters, specialist teas and organic skin care products. Most of the products stocked on the shelves are unusual and hard to find such as Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals, which are an essential for those wanting to minimise their salt intake and increase mineral intake. Cookery books also line the shelves, one being Japanese cookbook Shoku-Iku! Which showcases a clean, fresh way of eating to give longevity to your life. The ethos and idea of Modern Baker was first established when Melissa Sharp (bakery owner) was faced with a serious illness in 2010, she had to confront the connection between stress, nutrition, and chronic ill health. This led Melissa to discovering that you don’t need to miss out on taste when eating healthily. Finding that there was an absence of healthy bread and other natural products on the high street bothered Melissa leading to her to attend courses in nutrition and artisan baking, which led to her making her own cakes and breads.
It was from all this that the idea of creating a bakery that wasn’t just a bakery came about and Modern Baker was born. Main baker Lindsay Stark shares Melissa’s vision that although taste comes first, nutrition and good provenance comes in a very close equal second. With provenance being at the heart of what they believe in each product stocked or used within modern baker is sourced for the very best taste, quality and nutrition and is also screened for chemicals, pesticides, animal and human welfare, food miles and fair-trade. They are proud of the fact that their bread is 100% Organic, long fermented and made with sourdough instead of yeast, which is meant to be easier to digest. Traditional stoneground grains are used within the baking, creating loaves such as the kamut and the spelt, being made up of ancient wheat grains. Since opening 9 months ago Modern Baker’s bread is now served at The Old Parsonage and in The Organic Cultivate Van, which travels around East Oxford every Thursday. Modern Baker granola baked in house using coconut oil, a range of nuts, seeds and coconut is now stocked in North Parade. Or you can enjoy a granola pot, a combination of the granola, a squirt of honey and organic Greek yogurt, which makes for a delicious breakfast or snack. The bakery is host to a choice of healthy drinks, recently introducing birch water which is full of the nutrients of young birch trees. Originally unsure of what the reception to the green tea matcha latte would be, it has proven to be a favourite with customers. Known for it’s high antioxidant effects and anti ageing properties this mix of tea pigs green matcha powder frothed into hot almond milk is comforting and warming and gives you an energy which lasts the day, as well as being beneficial for the body. Their range of cakes and pastries developed by Baker Lindsay Stark who trained at the school of artisan food in Nottingham, are baked on the premises daily and entirely without refined sugars. Coconut sugar, honey, dates and maple syrup are the low GI alternatives, which are used instead. Some describe Modern Baker as their sanctuary, and others are so grateful for such delicious guilt free food and coffee being served on the high street.
emma cranston head of the latest family-friendly hygiene product company
Firstly, can you tell me a little bit about your background and how you came to develop Professor Scrubbingtons products - where did it all begin? I have worked in Marketing for all of my career building great brands like Guinness, Cadbury and Nandos. I was looking for some children’s washing products for my 8 year old son and there wasn’t very much on the market so I decided I would try creating a range myself! How big is the range and which pecific products have you created? There are 5 products – Hair & Body wash, shampoo, conditioner, hand & face wash and a children’s deodorant.
Who or what inspires your products? My children and their friends Is there a secret recipe to Professor Scrubbingtons, what’s your unique selling point to other brands? We have designed all of our products to help children wash themselves. They are smaller bottles, all easy to squeeze with special caps that turn liquid into foam which children love and it doesn’t fall off their hands. We’ve also worked really hard on the fragrance – it smells of cut grass rather than all the other fruity products on the market.
What advice could you give individuals wanting to take up a similar career path? Try and get some experience in the industry, write a blog, experiment, be brave about asking people for work. What has been one of the most exciting moments within your career? Apart from launching Scrubbingtons (!) working on advertising campaigns for Stella Artois. What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to face developing this range of products and how did you overcome it? Although we knew what we wanted to create from a brand perspective we didn’t have any experience in beauty manufacturing – where on earth could we get our product made? A lot of googling and phone calls later we found a manufacturer in Preston who helped us develop our formulations and are now manufacturing our products. It took a lot of perseverance! Finally, What are your final goals for your brand what’s the next step? Our goal is to be stocked in places like Waitrose and Sainsbury’s so that everyone can buy Scrubbingtons really easily – that’s our ultimate dream!
review invitation strictly personal The beautiful neo-classical building of Somerset House, based in the heart of London and beside the River Thames, boasts several new exhibitions this season including the highly anticipated ‘Invitation Strictly Personal’ show. The extensive collection, drawn from Iain R Webb’s personal fashion show ephemera, dates from 1961 to the present day and includes invites to fashion shows by Moschino and John Galliano, as well as to the funeral of Alexander McQueen. The pieces are a fascinating insight to the first glimpse of a designer’s new collection, and range from mock credit cards to embroidered handkerchiefs. Iain R Webb, a self-diagnosed ‘inveterate hoarder’, is a professor and lecturer at prestigious art schools such as Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins. He is also an award-winning author - the collection of fashion show ephemera was first produced into a book, with an introduction by designer Anna Sui. The archive of Webb’s work is beyond impressive and would provoke huge interest and jealousy in any fashion lover’s heart.
to beard or not to beard?
To beard or not to beard? That was the question many men asked themselves in 2014, after the popularity of beards came and went in 2013. Facial hair soon became ‘uncool’ after almost every man grew, or tried to grow, some. Either a man could go ‘fully lumbersexual’ (growing a beard and wearing a flannel shirt) or shaving it off and calling it a day. so now that beards aren’t rising or dropping in popularity, what are 2015’s most popular beard style trends? Full beards are trendy no matter what. Any years ago scruffy beards were popular, however today, well-shaved full beards are the name of the game
short boxed beard
For those who dont want the full beard, but dont want Designer Stubble, but not get the best of both worlds and go for the Short boxed beard.
chin curtain Essentially a full beard without a moustache. This beard is very short and thing in order to achieve the desired look.
With the Balbo, you’ll be seen as bold, stylish and self-confident. The Balbo takes a good extended goatee and merges it along with a moustache.
A full beard made of stubble. This is an easily maintainable beard and on of the coolest beard styles. This style has increased beard trimmer sales in the last decade.
varsity beard Formed in Oxford 2014, Varsity Beard set out to create premium beard and moustache care products that use ingredients that are carefully selected for their properties. Varsity beard offers beard and moustache care for the modern man. Their products include Beard Pomade, Beard Balm and Beard Oils which are designed to provide nourishment and conditioning for not only the beard and moustache, but also for the skin. Their Beard Balm offers a richly conditioned feel that confidently holds the beards shape but leaves a light masculine scent. This product helps with styling. Their moisturising Beard Oil helped to target dry hair and skin and helps with itchiness, which occurs every growth cycle. The unusually named Beard Pomade is for ultimate beard luxury. Ingredients are picked carefully to provide enrichment treatment, which gives a long lasting moisturising experience. This product combines both the beard balm and the oil to be able to tame the wildest beards/moustaches.
How long have you been a make up artist and how did you get your start in the industry? I started off doing beauty therapy about 12 years ago, which included makeup. I started doing makeup only about 3 years ago after completing a makeup artistry course, which included - fashion and photographic makeup, special effects and wig styling. My first job was when I was at college, I worked on a short film for a writer/producer from pinewood studios, shortly after that I did a makeup workshop with celebrity makeup artist Sue Moxley who then gave me a few TV jobs doing makeup, so I was lucky to have great opportunities when I had only just finished college. Who or what do you get your inspiration from?
and adornments to the look, crazy eyelashes, glitter etc. Does everyone look better with make up? I think everyone looks better with makeup even if its just a little bit to enhance what you have, some people look good with lots of make up and some with only a little bit. Some people look older with more makeup on, depends on the persons face. If you weren’t a make up artist what would you do? I think I would be doing something involving beauty or hair as that’s what I like doing and I’m naturally good at working with hair. How would you describe your signature look and what is it about your style that sets you apart from other make up artists?
Fashion and other makeup artists, I really like the work of Alex box and also lan Nguyen who I had the great pleasure of working with at London fashion week.
I like skin to look healthy and won’t finish until I’m happy with what I have done and until the client is happy with the look.
Do you like creating really out there looks, or do you prefer something classically beautiful?
What are the common beauty mistakes that women make?
I like doing both but I probably like creating out there looks more as its more fun and you can be really creative and use lots of colour and
Wearing the wrong colour Foundation, too dark or too light or applying bronzer all over the face and it just looks like too much orange/shimmer
What products do you think should be essential in every woman’s purse? Lip conditioner Lipstick/lip gloss Concealer Mirror Translucent powder What is the biggest challenge you have come across in your career and how did you overcome it? Me and another makeup artist had only 1 hour to do 20 people’s makeup and apply false eyelashes for Notting hill carnival which was extremely difficult to get it done in time we had to be very quick and in the end the other makeup artist applied the eye makeup and I applied lashes and did the lips and we were still doing it as the were walking out ready to go but we managed it in the end. What advice can you give those who are thriving to become make up artists? Do a makeup course or some workshops to help you start off, you need to do a great deal of free work to start off with to build your portfolio and cv, assist other makeup artists, there’s always someone on a social media site looking for makeup assistants so its important to be on Facebook and twitter so and you can message other artists to assist and find photographers to do photo shoots with. Always update your skills, you are always learning and need to be up to date.