Plum Magazine

plum

the britanese issue

beckii cruel- purikura - diy beauty 1

Issue 1 ÂŁ3.95

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editors letter

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c o n t r i QIN ZHOU I am Qin. For magazine, I am responsible for the Britinese Girl’s Profile section, the Purikura feature and the Chinatown column.

Additionally, I also contribute illustration such as the KTZ looks as well some magazine backgrounds. For broadcast, I am the camerawoman.

WHO DO YOU ADMIRE? I admire my lifetime friend, Keith. He used to be my English teacher. We met in a language school in Shanghai. What I learned from him is far more than just language. He is the one who taught me to be openminded and to be brave, he is always supportive. He is always the first person who I would ask for advice when I have doubt.

WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE? Absolutely sweets. I love patisseries, pastries, deserts, cakes, dim sums, ice creams, and chocolates. Even though it seems not healthy to eat all those things all the time. I always adore the sweets. They are the work of art and they cheer me up. But I always tell myself don’t be too greedy. So for me, even watching them is full of joy.

WHAT’S ENTERTAINING YOU? I guess it should be drawing. It’s a way of expressing. But most of time I just draw random things on my notebook. It has always been entertaining to recording my feelings through this way.

TOP TIP: Try Patisserie Valerie, it taste like a wonderland.

DIANA DOVGAYA One passionate Russian girl from Moscow in charge for the cultural section of Plum.

Ballroom dancer in past, I’m up for trying new things because I don’t want to regret things I’ve never tried. From vaulting to yoga, from guitar playing to tennis, from management to journalism – that is who I am.

BIGGEST CRUSH? Hmm... Johnny Depp!

HOW DO YOU UNWIND? Listening to Latino rhythms.

WHO DO YOU ADMIRE? My mum, never seen someone really strong and feminine at the same time.

TOP TIP: Try to do what’s outside your comfort zone. I think it’s the key to success. If you’re feeling uncomfortable, you’re growing.

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VILDE RANDGAARD I grew up in Norway and decided to move to London to experience a new life and become a journalist. I contributed to the fashion section of Plum, but most of all I directed the short film for the Britanese issue, with an amazing team, which was an absolute joy!

WHATS YOU FAVOURITE MOVIE? There are too many awesome ones to choose just one. If a film can make me cry, of sadness or of happiness (even laughter), it means that it was a great film and it will be one my list of favourites. Avatar is one of those! When I finished watching the whole movie, it had released all possible emotions in me.

WHO DO YOU ADMIRE? Anyone who can be themselves regardless of what other people think, like the girls we feature in this issue who have a very daring style.

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS SEASON? Tickets to Hong Kong and a long chiffon dress that I can wear there during the sunset (mega cliché, but come on, how nice does that sound?)

TOP TIP: Shave your legs with cooking oil in the shower. No, I’m not joking. You didn’t know your legs could get that smooth!

(Not to mention is a lot cheaper than shaving cream).

RASHIDA SALEMAHOMED Hi! I’m Rashida and I’m the beauty editor. Flick to page 52 for some quick how to’s for your hair and nails, in Britinese style of course! Got a beauty dilemna? Email me at: beauty@plum.com as next issue I solve all your problems, (just call me the fairy godmother!)

WHATS YOUR BEST MAKE-UP TIP? Always, always take your make up off before bed and drink at least 2 litres of water a day (it really helps, trust me!)

WHAT ARE YOUR BEAUTY RITUALS? Cleanse, tone and moisturise daily. I use face masks once a week and exfoliate twice a week.

WHAT ARE YOUR OBSESSIONS? Beauty of course! As well as cake, shoes and books.

TOP TIP: You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind.

b u t o r s TONJE KVAMME Tonje is a 23 year old native Viking from the country side of Norway who moved to London four years ago to see what the big city had to offer. There she learned that the parks are bigger, the bands are better, the coffee is cheaper and the shopping is unlimited. She’ll probably stay for a while longer.

YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK? My latest favorite book is The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami, everything I’ve read by him is just beautiful, it’s from a different world and I can never put his books away. I also love everything Neil Gaiman has written, Its like fairy tales for grown ups! Last I have to mention the HP series, they were with me as I grew up, I loved them, I still do and I’ll no doubt read them all again soon enough!

WHOSE POSTERS WERE ON YOUR BEDROOM WALL WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP? I only really had one poster in my room when I was a kid and It’s really embarrassing! It was Aaron Carter! I remember when I put it up my aunt thought it was a girl and I got really offended. When I look back now, I can see why she thought it was a girl...

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Gosh, inspiration to me comes from anywhere, from taking my camera out for a walk, from seeing people, from traveling and experiencing life. One thing that always seems to clear my mind from stress and helps me open it up for new things though it plugging in my ipod and going for a run. Music on, world off.

TOP TIP: If you find out the name of the stylist of any major band you can basically blag your way backstage at any gig.

DAISY DAVIDSON Hey, hey my name’s Daisy Davidson, I have blue eyes, my starsigns Scorpio and I wish for world peace. I also like puppy dogs and pink things.

I’m studying journalism and one day wanna be someone who talks about brands and things for monies. I live in west London and in my spare time like playing video games, being a japanese wannabe and walking dogs.

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS SEASON? There’s a really nice long dress on Ebay I really really want but I messaged the seller and they aren’t making them any more, I think because they were knock offs.

BIGGEST FASHION DISASTER? I once walked around in white trousers ALL day before realising when i got home that I had had a period mishap. Sad times/worst day ever. (Please, I’ve finally admitted this! :P) WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE FILM? Marie Antoinette probs but close run ups would be Bridget Jones and then Spirited Away!

TOP TIP: Always keep a small wash cloth with you to dry your hands as some hand dryers can be loud and scary/ not present!

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SAMANTHA GOODWIN A Mancunian art kid with big hair, very young, is counting the days till a better brew.

Lover of music, usually found at festivals, or napping, sometimes both though unlikely.

Editor of Plum magazine. Feels very strongly about Noel Fielding and Robert Pattinson.

WHATS ON YOUR IPOD? The Kinks, Iggy Pop, Black Sabbath, Foo Fighters, C+C Music Factory.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? John Hughes movies, art history and staying up all night.

WHOS THE MOST MEMORABLE PERSON YOU’VE WORKED WITH? My first term at LCF, for my first essay, Peter Saville rings me up for a quick chat about an art piece I was writing my essay on. This inspires me to do anything.

TOP TIP: Don’t mix your drinks.

content

BRITANESE 8 - 13 The Britanese Girls: Profiles!

FASHION SECTION

14 - 15 The Britanese Trend

26 - 27 Get Your Bids In: A Guide To Ebay Shopping

16 - 19 Purikura Booths!

28 - 29 Jeremy Scott & KTZ Catwalk Reports

20 - 25 30 - 37 Britanese Style Personalities: A Day In Chinatown Editorial Shopping Pages 38 - 51 A Day With The Britanese Editorial

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BEAUTY SECTION 52 Hair 53 -55 DIY Nails

CULTURAL SECTION 56 - 57 Newport Court Food 58 - 59 Newport Court Shopping

(MUSIC) 60 - 62 Interview with Beckii Cruel 63 The world of K-pop

64 - 65 History of Chinatown today 66 - 67 China in Chinatown

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We are the Britanese!

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Meet the girls behind the trend we adore in this issue: Doudou, EmmiE, RANDA AND MARIE! 9

Doudou !

Age: Lives: Top wish list: A word to describe yourself: What did you dream of being as a kid?

The most inspirational person for you:

Websites that you visit regularly:

Your must-have pieces for creating styles:

How do you feel about your current life:

Draw yourself!:

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Emmie !

Age: Lives: Top 5 wish list:

3 words to describe yourself:

What did you dream of being as a kid?

The most inspirational person for you:

Websites that you visit regularly:

Your must-have pieces for creating styles:

How do you feel about your current life:

Draw yourself!:

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Marie !

Age: Lives: Top 5 wish list:

3 words to describe yourself:

What did you dream of being as a kid?

The most inspirational person for you:

Websites that you visit regularly:

Your must-have pieces for creating styles:

How do you feel about your current life:

Draw yourself!:

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Randa !

Age: Lives: Top 5 wish list:

3 words to describe yourself:

What did you dream of being as a kid?

The most inspirational person for you:

Websites that you visit regularly:

Your must-have pieces for creating styles:

How do you feel about your current life:

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The Britanese

Every issue at Plum we aim to introduce you to a new fashion tribe that hasn’t received the publicity and attention that it deserves.

We thought that we would ease you in with our ‘Britanese girls’, this young group of teenage girls has been meeting in the Newport Court area of Chinatown in London for almost a year now. Usually spotted on a Saturday in Boba Jam’s cafe or on the Purikura (photo booth) machines these young people are distinguished from other’s their age by their individual sense of style that incorporates Japanese street and British brands (that’s where we get the name Britanese from – British plus Japanese!)

A few years ago Gwen Stefani popularised Japanese street fashion through her infamous Harajuku girls (remember them?!). Harajuku is an area of Japan is known worldwide for its outlandish street fashion which has been popularised by the young people that live and socialise in the area. More recently, other areas such as Koriyama, Shinjuku and Shibuya have been the centres for creativity and new fashion trends. Emmie, who is one of the Britanese girls doesn’t just base her style around Japanese street fashion but mixes it with British

designers such as Jeremy Scott and KTZ (a designer that is present in many of the Britanese girls wardrobes). “I would describe my style as a mixture of a Bratz doll and an 8 year olds version of what a Goth is” says Emmie; she was initially influenced

by Manga cartoons and Japanese fashion magazines such as Pepteen and Egg which emulate the Gal look, as she grew so did her inspirations and now Emmie is “influenced form all over the place”. Like many of the Britanese girls Emmie has no Japanese or Asian ancestry, she is half Turkish and half English and at university she is the only person in her group of friends that has adopted this individual, quirky style. “Fashion is supposed to be fun so I’d like to think that I look like I have fun with what I wear” (pull quote).

Ananya another one of the Britanese girls is also heavily influenced by Manga and anime cartoons, although she is a mixture of Indian and English her family have lived in Japan for most of her life, so she has always been influenced by Japanese culture. Unlike Emmie she favours more of a Gyaru street look and describes her style as “a cross between a mermaid and Gyaru girl”. Gyaru is a Japanese subcul-

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Wo rds by

: Ra shid

a Sa

lem aho med

ture that is characterised by their heavy imitation of American school girls, their tans are dark (Amy Childs has nothing on these guys!) and white powder is used to heavily contour and slim down their noses and highlight their brows.

Doudou, a Chinese native has lived in England her whole life; she is one of the only Britanese girls who has Asian ancestry, from a young age she was always influenced by Lolita clothing – where Victorian inspired dresses are used to create a very feminine look. Many use this look to assert their sexuality as they feel that current trends and stores are too “focused on being sexy”. She is a huge fan of Lolita clothing and the message it portrays, “I think there is too much focus on sex in fashion and it irritates me”, however, recently many celebrities and stylists are sexualising aspects of the Lolita style which is contradictory to Lolita’s message.

A main part of this Britanese style is its individuality and creativity, each one of the girls are mainly influenced by one or two Japanese street style sub-cultures which are then emulated and personalised to create a unique, confident style. Many

of these girls met each other on Japanese street style forums and blogs, which are scoured by millions daily to find the newest Japanese trend, bloggers are also able to upload their own pictures of what they have worn and seen in their local area. This allows even the most remote person to access this information. Many local Japanese designers and manufacturers often post their clothing online, it saves on expenses which allows the clothes to be very cheap.

Doudou picked up a top for less than £5 a few days before Plum met her, we’re still green with envy! Read Daisy’s article about E-bay selling on page 56 where she shows you how to make the most of shopping online.

Designers are infatuated by Japanese street style and it isn’t just the usual suspects. In 1998 Galliano for Dior created an haute couture collection which was inspired by the Far East, he has even said that he wants to “be a Harajuku girl, Japan is one of the most amazing places and cultures I have ever been to, and every time I go, I want to go again”. Other designers include Issey Miyake, Rei Kawubo and of course Yohji Yamamoto.

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Purikura

Self-portrait Th e ne w id ea of “s el f-p or tra it” m ak es th e photo booth evolve into a new life style for the younger genera tions, making it far more than just somewhere you go when you ne ed a qu ic k, pl ai n ph ot o co lle ct io n. In ste ad , it is a game, a fictitio us space being crea ted to experience your “ideal-ego”. It has given yo un g gi rls a ch an ce to se e th em se lv es pi ct ur ed w ith id ea l cu te ne ss an d be au ty an d ha s es ta bl ish ed a w ay to en ha nc e their everyday look with a variety of ex cit ing options. “Japanese girls are addicted to be ing cute. They believe that a girl’s appear ances sh ou ld al w ay s be de lic at e an d at tra ct ive .

How many hours do you really see yourse lf in one day? The truth is the most of time yo ur ap pearance is ex po se d to othe rs. It sh ould be a basic social gr ace as well as a re spect to show the best lo ok everyday,” says Bao, a Chinese student who is studying in Ja pan.

Words by: Qin zhou

Introduction Pu rik ur a, al so kn ow n as a photo sticker bo oth, is a special photo booth machine with peculiar de coration system allowing users to cr ea te pi ct ur es w ith th ei r own style and pr int them ou t as st ic ke rs . “P ur ik ur a” is the shortened form of the trademarke d name pu rin to ku ra bu , wh ic h m ea ns Print Club. The partic ular name came from the c ompany “A tlu s” w hi ch m ad e th e fir st Photo sticker booth machines.

Th e bo ot h fir st ca m e ou t in Ja pa n in 19 95 an d sp re ad tre m en do us ly ac ro ss As ia , especially for teenag ers and yo un g ad ul ts . Be ca us e of the booming of the machine af te r its la un ch in Ja pa n, ‘p ur iku ra ’ w as re ga rd ed as th e sta nd ar d na m e fo r an y ph ot o st ic ke r bo ot h. No w the magic booth ha s started to hi t Lo nd on C hi na to w n.

During the sev enteenye ar -h ist or y of Pu rik ur a, it has experienced several innovative rev olutions that have con stantly changed the tra ditional idea of “photo booth”.

Decoration: A big part of Purikur a process is editing, which is also a big fun pa rt. After 1999, the fo cu s of Purikura turned into exploring ways to re cr ea te pi ct ur es , wh ic h m ad e th e se co nd wa ve of “Purikura heat”. The editing system is ba sed on a monitor on th e side to check an d edit the captured images , allowing users to m ake m or e de ta ile d de co ra tio n, pr ov id in g m an y m or e al te rn at ive s fo r sh ow in g cr ea tiv ity on the photo sticker by choosing backgrou nds and frames, adding graphics, leaving no te s, cutting the edges, ad justing the size. You can also add frames, sta mps, sparkles, carto ons, even hand-write te xts and doodles to en rich yo ur ph ot os be fo re th ey ar e pr in te d ou t.

With the invention of the interactive pe n for se le ct in g an d dr aw in g, Pu rik ur a sta rte d to of fe r in fin ite ch oi ce s of de co ra tio n id ea s.

“I lo ve ev er yt hi ng th at is sh in ny , so I us e a lo t of di am on d as m y sti ck er s de co ra tio n. ” Sa id Sa m , w ho fa nc ie s ad di ng di am on ds sta m ps on hi s pu rik ur a sti ck er s co lle ct io n and putting the m all over his la ptop.

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Eye settings and mak

e-up enhancements

Some of the booths even can enlarge th e size of your eyes as you are wearing heavy plastic fa ke ey e la sh es or th re e la ye rs of m as ca ra s before taking the ph otos, making them look lik e Ja pa ne se an im at io n gi rls . Ac co rd in g to “T re nd s in Ja pa n” w eb sit e, “t he ca m er a identifies the eyes in the shot and then ex pa nds th e siz e of yo ur ey es on ly to ac ce nt ua te th e pu pi ls. De pe nd in g on th e m ac hi ne , it is so m et im es po ss ib le to m ak e th e ey el as he s ap pe ar lo ng er an d th ic ke r as if m as ca ra or extensions had been used, giving the ey es a fuller and prettier lo ok overall.” These be auty plus tricks adapt to young girls’ desire to be cute. Moreover, the flashlight from the m ac hine m ak es th e ch ar ac te r’s sk in sm oo th er an d gives them more mult iple choices of skin to nes.

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The idea of a personal album can For tho se who are mor e cre ativ e, you r you e eve n take a serie s of pict ures to mak then own story by combining the poses and es. It retouch them together as comic book stori Does is an idea like making a personal album. stickers it sound like making a journal? These s of the contain all the memories and emotion new own ers whe n the y wer e cre ate d. The e an generations of Purikura machines also mad by life g effort to meet the demand of recordin journal. adding backgrounds as notebook and you r Puri kura reco rds the hap py time s with day, besties, the wonderful time of your birth . “For or even the first date with your loved one certs, the past seven years all major events, con just idle holidays, new haircuts, dates and even kura . mom ents hav e bee n cap ture d on puri album My purikura album is half photokura and half -dia ry,” say s Sam ant ha, a Puri Life .” blo gge r who cla ime d “No Pur i, No

Social life: simply The real point of a Purikura is not just e also the bea utifu l pict ure s. Puri kura hav firm taken an important role for friends to reaf ol, scho their bonds. It is something to do after Wha t on weekends or on memorab le day s. r”. “I makes it really special is “do it togethe ds. used to go to Purikura a lot with my frien red sha Afte r we too k pict ures tog ethe r, we say s the m, exc han ge the m with frien ds,” as Icho, a college student who had Purikura ool. a fun hob by whe n she was in high sch ged “Be fore we gra dua ted , we exc han dbye.” those little stickers as a way to say goo on of Now ada ys, as the ma ssiv e exp losi chin e soc ial med ia the late st Puri kura ma ge han ma kes it eas ier to sha re and exc cop y pho to stic kers by sen ding the digi tal phone. of the pictures by email or even to a

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The “Puri” spirit ilable There are thousands of applications ava s of kind from the Internet nowadays offering all photos decoration systems that help to create kura with uniq ue style . The fun of taki ng Puri able. photos, however, is absolutely irreplace turin g Wha t Puri kura brin gs is a spri t of cap ning ful eve ry sing le piec e of life tha t is mea mixture and memorable. A Purikura photo is a . Eve ry of one ’s self- por trait and indi vidu ality es out pers on who take s pict ures insid e com whi ch with the ir uniq ue piec es of des ign, ri spiri t is con side red a piec e of life. The “Pu ulat ing is also a com plet ely rela x. The stim hine background music and the colourful mac space curtain turn the Purikura to be a private as loud where you and your friends can laugh as you as you can and make any crazy poses ’ lives. want. “The Puri sprit” enriches peoples

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britanese style personalities!

The Britanese trend is much more than just one way of dressing. It’s all about personalising what you wear and make it into your own, unique style. Check out how these girls add their own little twist to the trend, and find out how easy it is for you to do the same!

u o d u Do

Doudou is the feminist who doesn’t care what other people think of what she wears, and describes her style as frilly and over the top. She is the ultimate mix up of super cute and punk chic, who started off being interested in Lolita style which she still takes influence from. She explains that her style reflects her feminism views because “being feminist means equality and also wearing whatever the hell you want”.

A lot of her pieces are from KTZ, Angelic Pretty and Metamorphose – stores she loves because of their original and unique designs that really call for attention! Her favourite item is her rocking pair of Vivienne Westwood horse shoes. “They aren’t seen much in the western fashion world, but they are super popular in Japanese fashion,” she says. “Although they’re made by a British designer, they’ve become epitomised by Japanese street fashion”.

“I have a thing for pastel or monochrome outfits,” she says and giggles. Massive full skirts, coloured lenses and shoes that will make people stare at every step you take are all parts of Doudou’s closet. In addition, bows and accessories are essential for Doudou to create her personal Britanese style, and it all needs to be huge and, of course, over the top.

Words by: Vilde Randgaard

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Sam NELLY racelet & B r e p ip Small Z celet Skull Bra ch a e £9.95 ASOS Deco Flatform High Tops £30

e n i e n i c m n fe vaga a r t x e

ASOS J ohnny Loves Ro sie Pleate d Bow Alic eband, £ 16

NEL L Mus Y tache £7.9 Neck 5 lac

e

TOPSHOP P remium Full Feather Skirt, £80

ND Black RIVER ISLA Stripe Polka Dot and , £25 Denim Shorts

TOPSH OP PU Brale t by Rare, £1 8

RIVER ISLAND Multi Coloured elly Rack of J 2 Rings, £

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Boyversible ASOS re rnie, £8 nitted Be K d n ie fr

y Scott S Jerem ADIDA Hi, £125 Instinct

TOPSH OP Denim Zip Bralet, £ 16

ADIDA S Womens trefoil lo go hoodie, £ 47

sporty spice ASOS U ndergrou nd Sued Neon W e and edge Cre epers, £1 25

TOPSH OP Sheer Str ipe Knee Hig h Socks, £5

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Silver ISLAND R E V I R £20 ini Skirt, M d te a le Foil P

RANDA Randa is the sporty chick who lets her passion for hip-hop add that personal twist to her style. She creates her own version of the Britanese fashion by mixing up comfortable hoodies and sporty knee-highs with cute skirts and platforms. Not to mention her colourful hair, lenses and ‘gyaru’ (no, we don’t know how to pronounce it either) make-up that gives you those big doll-eyes. “These three essentials will instantly create oomph to any style you wear,” she explains.

Randa used to do a lot of sports when she was younger and at the moment she dances with a hip-hop dance crew called Laway. “I think the idea of being stylish, yet comfortable has increased my love for stylish trainers,” she tells and points at the cool Adidas

by Jeremy Scott shoes she’s wearing – make sure to notice that they have wings!

Just as much as she’s obsessed with Korean underground hip-hop, she also likes underground designers such as Cassette Playa. Other places she shops are H&M, Adidas and Topshop.

“I buy high street brands because it’s easier to get my hands on the clothes,” Randa says. Besides sporty, she describes her style as bold and futuristic, which means adding things such as striking metallic pieces.

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Siqi

Siqi is the cost conscious, rocked-up Britanese who has studied at the Royal College of Music every Saturday since she was nine. She believes that her addiction to music reflects through her style in an indirect, subconscious way, and that the style of an individual is the most ultimate form of selfexpression. “To be honest, I think everything someone sees, hears and feels always reflects through their style in one way or another,” she says, “whether they like it or not.”

Siqi describes her own style as free and ever-changing, just as her musical interests. At the music school she sings in a girls choir and plays the piano, but she also wishes to learn to play the drums and how to DJ. Her large collection of tights in unique prints and patterns are just as essential to her wardrobe as her graffiti dress from KTZ and Comme des Garcons blazer from the Autumn/Winter 2009 collection.

She often wears neon colours together with black under a leather jacket to create just the right rock-chick look. She’s all about contrasts! On her iPod you find just as much of metal music and classic music, and among her clothes you find contrasting textures and prints.

If you wish to have a cool style with a closet filled up by awesome pieces, but stick to a low budget, then follow some of Siqi’s tips. She shops online for expensive designer pieces at a lower price, and searches for good sample sales around in London. “I found tonnes of bargains in the KTZ sample sale for example,” she says, and adds that vintage stores in Shoreditch are great for basic items and accessories to mix with.

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sized

er P Ov O H S TOP £32 otel, M y b

Top

rocky chick

hiny PU ASOS S 38.50 Jacket, £

esh ER21 M FOREV 0.50 gings, £1 g e L l e n Pa

FOREV ER21 Neon La ce Leggings , £11.50

k Pack KTZ Bac 011 Winter 2 Autumn 32 ction, £1 Pre Colle

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GES ELFRID MISS S h Top lack Hig Project B , £49 Trainers

E-bay

Let us show you how to be a good E-BAYer! No more hassle!

Words by: Daisy Davidson

Highest Bidder: If you Log onto Ebay nowadays you can expect far more than second hand “Ugg” Boots and cheap kitchen ware, a new area of the Online Auction site is becoming increasingly popular for those looking for style but who alas, don’t have the cash for the real deal or who are looking for something a lil different. Ebay’s “online market place” is more of a shop than a carboot sale esc mess of second hand goods, sporting a huge choice of new products from brand new car parts to catwalk inspired dresses. Fashion is defiantly one of the main big sellers however on the site, with Ebay reporting that it’s profits rose by $3.3bn this year alone, possible due to it’s more fashion focuses adverts on and off screen. The popularity for buying clothes

Keywords: Just like Google, getting the right words in your search is very important, otherwise you’ll get zilch. Here’s a few useful one’s (Get your “fasssshion” hat on for these, there super ott)

online, especially in tougher time’s seems to be the sheer amount of style’s that can be bought for very little cost, most likely why many market places are being set up in country’s such as China and South Korea where labour cost’s are very low. Having said this you may think what’s on offer would be fairly poor, however the Fashion’s on offer are extremely varied with many leaning towards catwalk and trend esc style, selling a range of Korean/ Japanese trend pieces mixed with *cough* catwalk “inspired” designsmaking effortless style no more than a bid away!

But yikes when your on Ebay it can be kind of confusing, the amount on offer can leave many shying away in terror, so here’s some handy tips to getting the most out of Ebay market place:

Time: Devote some time to your search, just as much as you’d have a day’s shop on the high street these store’s need some time to get through, However, to make things go a little faster make sure to click at the bottom of the page on “Items Per Page: 200” If your really pushed but need something speedy use the tools at the side to narrow down your search to fit your Size/ Colour/ Fabric Type etc.

“Fashion Trend”, “Korean” (make sure you have “Clothing” as your option on the search bar) “Korean Fashion” “Designer Style” “Summer Trend” “2012” (other years optional!)

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Watch out!: Some prices look to good to be true, and, although a lot of the time they are be aware that postage costs, especially if the items are from China or Korea can “make up” for the 1p cost of the item!

Afterthought: Online Stores such as Ebay’s market place are a great way of being able to create a universal style. Accessibility is so much easier through online shopping meaning that the girl in a tiny village in Shropshire is just as likely to have a pair of “Jeffery Campbell” *cough* shoes as the girl in London! Not only this but catwalk replica’s mean that it’s not just money bags who can now own interesting pieces that wouldn’t make it into “traditional” high street stores. But as with anything to good to be true, with quantity can often lack quality, poor manufacturing can often leave these item’s hardly a true investment, although, if this is any different from our throw away high street fashions we see in the “real” stores today, although not beneficial to us in the long run, if your looking for a speedy style piece then Ebay could be Primark’s new more stylish Sibling!

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KTZ !

Words by: Tonje B. Kvamme

Kokon to Zai loosely translates to “from here to then”, and it might symbolize the journey of fashion when you wear the KTZ clothes. Fab stars like Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga aren’t the only ones wear KTZ; it’s also the favorite shop of our Britanese girls!

KTZ’s signature is very graphic, not only in colour and design, but also with the graphics in shape; it’s definitely a youthful brand, deeply rooted in street style and taking into account various cultures and fashion subcultures from all over the world; the collection for spring/summer 2012 being infused with influences from Africa with just a hint of punk!

Ananya Rao-Middleton who work at the Greet Street branch tells us the brands is very popular amongst Japanese and Korean people especially pop celebrities, singers and designers. KTZ has a wide variety of people wearing it; its creative and unique fashion speaks to a lot of young people, it’s available fashion (now being stocked in Topshop, ASOS and Dover Street Market!), and the uniqueness and boldness of the brand make it desirable amongst those who want to stand out.

And the costumers seem to be more than happy with it, Ananya goes on to tell us how she feels it portrays confidence in ones self; it screams to the world that the wearer is fashion forward,

28

though not completely sucked into the world of the fashionistas, it’s still an alternative brand. “A lot of people who follow more ‘main stream’ fashion like Chanel and Givenchy aren’t always necessarily aware of KTS’s existence, so I always think it’s exciting to wear KTZ and have people asking me where it’s from because they’ve never seen such amazing clothes before! It always makes me kind of proud to be wearing it” she laughs. If that’s not a good selling point we don’t know what is!

KTZ themselves said at London Fashion Week this year that in five years time they see themselves further inspired from travels around the world to create more collections that have a story behind them, Ananya agrees “It’s already gaining a lot of attention in Japan, China, Korea and America so I think we’ll be able to see KTZ expanding over there in the future. I can’t wait to see what happens!”

Jeremy scott !

“The recipe is loving what you do. It can come from anywhere.

That’s what’s magical about it.” These words came out of Jeremy Scott’s mouth, and we at PLUM couldn’t agree more.

Words by: Tonje B. Kvamme Jeremy Scott is an American fashion designer who’s

that’s so precious you don’t

dressed all sorts of celebrities; from Rhianna and Kanye to

even want to wear it.

Stefani and Gaga. Jeremy Scott is known for his new-rave

Another

prints, and for the bags he annually design for the French

about Jeremy Scott is that he

luxury company Longchamp.

has no design team behind him,

Another thing you might know him for is the completely

for neither Adidas nor his own

outrageous sneakers he designs for Adidas originals; featur-

brand, he has a team, but he

ing amongst other things gorillas (apparently the breakout

himself is the sole designer be-

of the collection), teddy bears, wings and Mickey Mouse

hind each and every item,

- they’re sure to spark a love or hate relationship with eve-

and

ryone who meets them, and you can be certain that you

is what’s making

will stand out and make heads turn as you trot down your

him stand out so

local high street.

much.

In fact last October Scott collaborated with Adidas and K-

Karl Lagerfeld him-

pop group 2NE1 (apparently they’re good friends) to de-

self

sign their very own pair of shoes! They were only available

newspaper

exclusively in selected stores in Korea, however if you’re

Monde that Scott

willing to pay the price you can find them online.

is

interesting

maybe

said

the

in

only

fact

this

the Le de-

signer who could Scotts said that when he’s designing he always likes to think

ever succeed him

about what he likes to wear, what his friends like to wear,

at Chanel, so lets keep

and how to mix that up into something new and original

our fingers crossed and

that will surprise people. He likes to ‘infuse optimism with

wait and see.

fashion’ as he said in a CNN interview, and that this can be reflected on how you see one of his designs, the winged shoe; you can picture it as a Greek statue, an angel, a basketball player going in for a slam dunk; all very optimistic symbols however you may read it.

Through all his interviews he just seems like such a joyful person himself, always smiling and very glad to be where he’s at. Maybe the reason for this is that he doesn’t take himself, nor fashion that seriously?

Scott is known to say stuff like fashion should be fun; it should be something you play with. He wants his clothes to have a life, for people to wear them, have their picture taken in them and then look back at that picture and think ‘oh, I was wearing that jacket!’ This way it has so much more emotion instead of something

29

a day in Chinatown

Alternative model Alice La Vie is our cover girl this month, here she'll show you how to dress hot for a summer in China Town!

Images by: Barney Frost

30

31

Shirt by Rael Stone, headpiece by Tequila Star

Jacket by YSL, skirt vintage, shoes Ebay.

32

Healthy t-shirt by Jeremy Scott, Vintage skirt, shoes Ebay.

33

34

Louis Vuitton leggings, Ebay shoes.

35

36

ers

Trous

hop.

ps

by To

37

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es by

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: Ton

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day 38

with

Just fr Anan om their sh ya oe with a , Marie, Do s you can te u sense of style dou and R ll that Emm a ie, sionall matching nda are fiv e girls that o y style f any d cele profes brities .

the

britanese

39

Here the girls are in C arnaby Street. We looked around a few shops, not gonna mention a name, bu t watch out for the scary lady with a do g in the shop on the corner! Yiikes, not go ing back there!

40

41

Amazing! Just walking down the street these guys started snapping polaroid photos of the girls. Found out later it was no other that gigastylist (and ex Gaga-dater) Matthew Williams. Definitely proof that our Britanese are the worthy stars of our first issue!

42

Illustrat

ion by: S

43

amantha

Goodwin

king n inside ta s e th , n fu ld u ving utside ha chines. Doudou to ere O ! n w o T a China en they w s urikura m h P w e re th o in m lot do it a photos to do it a ey can’t d e th s u o s y e e iv pens that th . s quite ex ’ it r, e y’d like to g e n th s you a h muc

44

45

A lovely, pretty Randa happy after a days shopping, inside Lazy Oaf in Carnaby Street.

46

Looking th

rough cloth

47

es in Lazy

Oaf.

48

49

and g n i etalk f w ing b a o day ’s noth in Bob f g n o e a lo g ther down cup ed r e Aft ppin itting azing n’t tri sho than s an am have a true ter with If you o! It’s ! g Jam le Tea o go t! g h b , elig Bub efore d it b

50

51

Hair

Words by: Rashida Salemahomed

Baby pink, turquoise and green. These are just some of the colours taking the Britanese beauty world by storm, our girls aren’t just wearing these colours they are dying their hair and more recently eyebrows in these vibrant bright shades.

As the sun is finally out (hooray!) many of the Britanese girls are opting for pastel colours such as baby pinks and blues.

Pink is by far the most desired shade and Emmie from Orpington chose pink as “it’s so pretty and surprisingly wearable”. Similar to nails, hair colour is seen as an accessory to play with and another way of showing personality and character.

The colour pink (in all its various shades) is by far the most popular colour. “This comes from Lolita, and when people think of Japanese street hair they normally think of pink”, explain Doudou whose own hair is a mixture of pink and purple.

Lolita is the most famous and wellknown Japanese street fashion tribe; a mixture of a Victorian doll and a Manga cartoon. Sweet Lolita especially was made famous by Gwen Stefani and her ‘Harajuku Girls’ a few years ago; since then celebrities such as Kelly

Osbourne and the infamous Katy Perry have been seen with coloured hair.

Many girls are obsessed with this trend and hairdressers such as Daniel Ip of Salon in East London have been inundated with requests for hair bleaching and pastel colouring. Prices start at £50 and can go up to £90 depending on your hair colour and length. Hair is normally treated with bleach until it is an ash blonde colour and then dyed. If you fancy dabbling in this trend Daniel recommends trying streaks with your favourite colour and then booking an appointment at your hairdresser’s, “many people come in and they haven’t seen what colour looks like on their hair so I usually recommend clipin streaks to try out for a few weeks before they take the plunge.” These can be bought at many salons and on the high street Primark and River Island stock a great, colourful range that can be clipped into your hair in less than two minutes. Pastel hair chalks are a way of colouring your hair temporarily

52

in the comfort of your own home; they are readily available in many hairdressers and are super fun and easy to use, think Crayons for your hair!

Many Britanese girls want to change their hair colour every day instead of every six weeks so many use the internet to buy high quality wigs in a variety of rainbow colours, popular sites include Ebay and WonderlandWigs where prices start at £25. We bought a beautiful pastel pink bob (there was no plum unfortunately!) a f e w w e e k s a g o a n d i t a rr i v e d i n about 3 days. The wig hair wasn’t real human hair but it made no difference to the quality. It was soft and beautiful, definitely a thumbs up from us at Plum!

Nail

With the likes of Katy Perry, Rihanna and Lady Gaga embracing this trend almost 12 months ago, Plum knew that the 3D nail phenomenon was just starting. Doudou Wang one of our very own Britanese girls loves covering her nails in very ornate decorated pieces such as bows, pearls and stickers, she sees it as an accessory and is known to change her nails as often as she changes outfits. Plum has had the privilege of Want to dip into this trend but clueless seeing marbles on nails, crazy or stylish? on colour? Follow this map to rainbow You decide... The idea of 3D nails beautiful hair that suits you, quicker originally started in Japan where nails than you can say My Little Pony... are now seen as an accessory. Many BLONDE HAIR Sky Blue GREEN EYES girls think the way Doudou does and nails are changed frequently to Baby Pink BLUE EYES suit the wearer’s mood, outfit and occasion. Plum spoke to Fiza a 3D nail artist at Newport Court Road, she is one of the only qualified 3D nail technicians in London and explained BROWN HAIR BROWN EYES

Turquoise

53

to carry a few extra pearls without chipping or breaking, a special gel called Calgel is used by professionals like Fiza to ensure that the designs are stuck firmly to your nails and that your nails are protected from the many types of polish and decorations used.

to us how a full set of nails takes about 3 hours (to put it into perspective it’s longer than the Eastenders omnibus!) and costs about £70. Each nail is cleaned with a mild acid to ensure that the embellishments can be stuck on. A thick layer of base coat and the chosen colours and designs are then placed carefully on the nail. “Most of my customers are young girls wanting to try something new but a few days ago I had an elderly lady who requested a full set of white Swarovski crystalloid nails for a wedding;” Although I struggle to imagine any lady older than 20 with pink Hello Kitty nails, Swarovski crystals on a white and cream base is a different idea altogether! Fiza explained how 3D nails have evolved to suit all ages, skin colours and occasions, “they don’t have to be fluorescent pink!” Contrary to popular belief, there is no lasting damage to your nails.

They are made from a protein called keratin (the same thing that makes your hair grow) and so your nails are strong enough

54

Fancy some of your own 3D nails but find Fiza’s prices out of your range? Don’t worry we do too, which is why we’re going to show you how to make your own nails 3D: 1) Clean your nails thoroughly u s i n g a c o t t o n wool ball and some nail polish remover.

Remember to clean under the nails as well as around your cuticles.

2) Apply a thick layer of base coat.

W e l o v e Revlon but any will do.

3 ) O n c e it has dried to touch apply a few coats of your chosen colour (I’ve gone for red but you can pick any).

4) Have a piece of cake while it dries.

5) Once it has dried completely sticky tape the top and bottom of your nails so you are left with a thin stripe in the middle that should b e r e d .

6) Paint your nail black.

7) Once it has dried remove the sticky tape and voila. You should have a nail that resembles a Zebra!

8) Using a toothpick and some glue, add any glitter or crystals of your choice.

9 ) A g a i n wait for it to dry (where d i d t h a t cake go...?)

10) For extra s t a y i n g power and a glamorous, g l o s s y shine don’t f o r g e t t o p c o a t .

Voila! 3D nails at a fraction of the price and all in the comfort of your own home.

Have you had a go? Send us your pictures! E-mail us your nails at beauty@plum.com. We’d love to see what you have come up with!

Words by Rashida Salemanhomed

55

nt ” restaura s n o s a e S “Four k WHERE: oast Duc R y ic u J : R n WHAT FO aer portio p 0 .0 9 tire Chin £ n : e H e C h U t nt in HOW M -restaura k c you can u d d t n s a e b y s e u h ays b It is t s) , it is alw 5 minute re 1 fo 0 1 re e ly h e imat town, t (approx e im orthwhile t w e a m o e s b l d il spen his w hly t in. But t e g o t ly and ric e g in m u o e h , u q gine ait. Just ima ind up! W e c m n r e u ri o e y exp blow be that will h is ice can d rv d e s re o d v n a a fl to lways xpected a hurry a e in re a re u a ers nd yo ing. etimes a hed eat is m n o fi s e e v u brusq you ha uce soon as s a l vable sa il e b li e e b h t n u y pa with g of waitin spy duck ri rs c e t r, t e a v hes m Howe e diminis c ri f o t o and a p service. time and

Newport Words by: Diana Dovgaya Illustrations by: Qin Zhou

WHERE : Joy Ki ng Lau wn Dum pling (H ar Kau) HOW M Surprisin UCH: £ gly, po 2.70 rtions in turned Joy Kin out to b g Lau e very popula la r g e with ra r mealther in-one p la ful: dish tes. Be carees are very ho come t t so do o this p not lace fe hungry e li ng extr but full emely of flavo prawn ur. This dumpli steame ng will d give yo to expe u chan rience ce healthy food a n d will not affe ct your figure.

WHAT F

OR: Pra

Kong de Hong é f a C : E Pork WHER Char Sui e h T : R WHAT FO .00 UCH: £5 y, M W O H ally spic e r g in h omet de Hong to eat s é t f n a a c w it to vis If you dely have it n nd affor fi a e d p a u e o h y e her c then becaus ce is rat s t la n p e is d h u T t for s Kong. an , suitable r e v igher th o h e r o o g m t , o able d do n ’ prices price an ls d a o e o m g t ing mos so, combin e r o f to try ab e r e e c h n T . a 0 h £5.0 get c y. lity you a u q ur mone s o u y io g c li in t e s d a ithout w lute hit w 56

WHERE: Jen Café WHAT FO R: Unusu al taro b HOW M ubble dr UCH: £2 ink .1 5 p e r huge gla If you ar s e in Chin s atown, from bo y o u must try ba / tap drink ma ioca pe Asian dr de a rls. It is a ink that t r a d is it io v ery refre nal der-colo shing. G ured tar o f o o bubble r lavenhuge gla drink tha ss, crea t comes in my and conside a icy cold red pud e nough t d in g o a Moreov be nd be e er, servic aten wit h e a in spoon. this plac that ma e is fast kes you a f n e d dece el comf your drin nt ortable k. while en joying

food WHERE:

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n Baozi In kes WHERE: an Panca e B d e R us es R: Delicio O F T er 4 piec A p H 0 W .0 2 £ s.

UCH: deliciou d n HOW M a t s , fa not s: cheap d r o w e so do e c la p Thre t a this about th rvice in e s r This is all o r terio do great in theless, r e v e N expect . rant iy restau flat glut a a w y r a t e k o t ta nce d bean. our cha y e r s h is it m w t no filled first ancake p e ic r om the r s f , e r nou u t ix love ange m ill fall in w u It is a str o Y . zing but ama , e bite. c n la g very first e h t m fro of Newp

ort Cour

t Road, right sid R: Typica e l A s ia n Sweet HOW M w U affles CH: £1.2 Let’s try 0 per 6 r the varia o u n d pieces tion of t fles in A ypical b sian style r e a kfast wa . A small fend of N pavilion ewport r ig h t at the Court R sweet w oad offe affles th r s you tast at are m y ade in u The waf fle iron h nusual w as inside ay. when th small cir e waffle cles tha s come t out they balls tha look like t even c small an be fi paste th lled with at is use r e d bean d in pan worry, y cakes. B ou have ut do no a huge t variety o f fillings to choose from.

WHAT FO

57

Newport shopping!

Where: Chinatown Market on Newport Court road.

WHAT

FOR: IPhone

“anim al head” h o lders PRICE MATTE R: £3.9 Want 9 to colo ur you Then, these r life? fluffy IP ers are hone your re holdyour g a l m u adget st-hav so mu e. Lov make ch tha e it feel t you w comfo a nt to rtable that b ? Feel y putt f r ee to ing yo do ur IPho head, ne in p for exa anda’ mple. but IPh s Sound one h s strang olders e (do no with c t mess ases) a re bec ing to WHAT FOR: ombe a r eal tre nd “Beckoning Cat” nowa days.

(Lucky Cat) PRICE MATTER: £3.99 per medium-

sized cat This cat is a common Japanese sculpture and is believed to bring good luck to its owner. Of course, Chinatown is a mix of Asian cultures.

Therefore, Lucky Cat is often mistaken to be a part of Chinese culture (Chinese Lucky Cat or Golden Cat). In order not to buy the wrong one, make sure that Japanese cat has its right paw up which can even be moving sometimes.

58

W Ill ords us tra by: tio Di ns an by a D : Q ov in gay Zh a ou

R: WHAT FO brellas Geisha um TTER: PRICE MA .00 £5.00 – £7 et town mark a in h C g nterin ide If you’re e your left s n o , d a o R h, ring Cross s. Althoug a h is e from Cha g y of tin heap, e stalls full c ti o n l il lla is not c w re b you m u a cute a to imof having re u s a n umbrell le a p d e e n u while. If yo eisha umg , y a it is worth d y n a rain a r mood o u o y e urful with v lo ro o p C . d e ne lwhat you ese umbre brellas are th , s rn e tt ety of pa rain huge vari you from e v a s ly n to not las will no mood. Do r u o y o ls but a show chance to r u o y s is m style authentic r u o y T WHA lgh umbre u ro th FOR: la. r fo s ce La sneakers ER: PRICE MATT about £1 orty casual Smart and sp blem! Go to look? No pro give market and n w to a in h C artrs a good p your sneake ng ith. Even stro ner to go w d something critics will fin ya their taste. Tr in t fi ill w t a th of patterns, great variety olours. fabric and c

59

beckii

cruel

interview!

From what started as typical teenage expression, dancing to Asian pop on YouTube, Beckii Cruel has evolved right into the hearts of the Britanese subculture, particularly adored in our beloved Chinatown Market. With over 51,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, as we find out, the sixteen year old school girl from the Isle of Man is anything but typical.

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or

ds

by

:S

am

an

th

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oo

dw

in

With fashion collaborations at East London’s Alternative Fashion Week, to her very own music videos and regular Comic Con MCM Expo appearances, if only we at Plum could manage our time and studies just as well, of course minus the whole awesome Japanese stardom thing. We interview Beckii to chat about the importance of the internet in terms of our teen individuality.

Most teenagers fall into the stereotype mosher the moment they listen to Foo Fighters, Fall Out Boy or Panic!

At The Disco. Emo, goth and chav are all labels we’ve grown up knowing about. We recognise the styles and the music that accompanies it. Why did Beckii refrain from these typical styles, where did it all begin?

“I bought a copy of a manga one day because I was fascinated that it was read back-to-front. It was really cool for me, and so I researched more and more into it, and that’s how I discovered Japanese culture.”

60

Social networking websites play a huge role in every teenager’s life.

From MSN, Myspace, Piczo (can you tell I’m old school?), to today’s Facebook, tumblr and twitter. It helps shape who they want to be and unlocks many worlds of potential interests, hobbies and inspirations.

Here at Plum we’re always online, researching, networking, and creating.

The internet is a backlog of all history you could ever want right at your fingertips. We wondered what Beckii thought of the big www. “There would never have been a Beckii Cruel without the Internet. My whole

‘thing’ is based online, and so what Beckii Cruel has become is purely a response to all the things I’ve experienced. I couldn’t have had those experiences without the internet!”

Beckii has since collaborated with Faye de Boorder which resulted in a 6 design piece collection inspired

by Beckii’s infamous ‘Danjo’ costume she wore in her first video at just aged 14 years old. Manx Tartan was used to replace the pink and black tartan featured in the film, in spirit of her roots, from the Isle of Man. Beckii’s love for fashion is evident in her outfits and costumes we see in her videos, so collaborating with a fashion designer was the next organic step, “I’ve always been a big fan of fashion. My influences are Japanese, and I particularly am in love with the Lolita and Gyaru styles. My style will always change and grow with me, and I make sure that I’m always up to date and learning what the new trends will be! It’s really wonderful to work with Faye and make fashion from Manx patterns and I’m really honoured that she is working with me.”

“I’m a Purikura addict!”

change at such a young age, we all have our hopes and ambitions that no doubt change like the weather. “It all happened on its own, and it has been hugely exciting.

It has expanded my horizons, taught me a lot, and made me have a more ambitious vision of what I want to achieve with my life. Had this not happened to me, I think I would have perhaps just gone to university, and become a teacher, or worked in a bank or something. Now, I want to make a difference. I’m far more ambitious now.”

Chinatown Market is the heart of this issue. With magazines such as Popteen and Purikura stickers adorning its walls, Beckii Cruel is a warm welcomed familiar face. After spending lots of weekends eration in favour of picking up a read by writers such as Sylvia Plath ourselves loitering around, or discussing very human and very snapping Purikura, we began to notice something differnormal problems us as teenage girls have been conditioned ignore ent was happening there. As we watched teens meet up, as if girls don’t get hairy. Are teen hang out and have fun with magazines really relating to their We know collaging, making mood the many sticker photo booths, readers or is the online world reboards, reading tumblr blogs, snapally the only way forward? “The UK it was as if Chinatown Market ping street-style, flicking through a teenage magazines are ridiculous. was escapism from today’s cool vintage picture book, anything There isn’t one magazine which fo- tweeting-liking-bloggingaround us can inspire our style. For cuses on fashion, they’re all about instagraming world. Meeting someone as unique as Beckii we boyfriends and problems and em- at the market with friends to were surprised to discover music drink bubble tea, or lounge on barrassing moments and all those isn’t the source of her creative-ness. cuddly sofas and experiment things. To find UK fashion advice Rap music is a huge favourite for with something as sparkly and young girls have to look to young this tween. “Music doesn’t tend to tangible as a sticker, it was aladult and women’s magazinesinspire my style in particular. I usually magazines not targeted at them. I most nostalgic and ultimately, listen to Rap, which is probably the really think that websites like Tumblr genuine fun. No pretence. No furthest thing there is to my fashion! status. Just sparkly stickers. Why and Pintrest are the way forward To get inspired for fashion I tend to does Beckii visit the market, for fashion inspiration for teenagread Japanese magazines such as out of all the sites in London, ers- you can subscribe to certain Popteen or Kera, or I look online to blogs or people and every day see why Chinatown Market? “I’m see what other girls are wearing.” a homepage catered to you, filled a Purikura addict! It’s so nice With the 90’s and teen culture makwith things which reflect your taste to be able to do something I ing an official come-back, young really love nearer to home. The and style.” bloggers such as Tavi are revolting staff are very friendly, and it’s against the Seventeen mag genFrom having such a drastic life such good fun.”

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With an organic interest in fashion from self-experimentation to collaboration, what are her favourite British and Japanese fashion designers and brands? “For Japanese brands, I adore LIZLISA. The floral prints are so gorgeous and the designs are exactly what I look for in my clothing. As for the UK, I do like Jack Wills but it doesn’t really shout ‘me’. I’m still looking for a British brand which has my own style in it.

I really like Deer Oh Dear however, their designs are very cute and I hope to work with them in the near future!”

With the issue being online based and internet analysis, what are Beckii’s go-to favourites for when surfing the net. “I tend not to shop online often any more, but when I do I like to buy from Yumetenbo!

It’s in Japanese but you can find guides of how to order in English, and the clothes are pretty affordable too!”

Overall this teen has it sussed.

Beckii Cruel has used her environment to shape who she is today by letting her inspirations portray her for who she really is and what she really loves. Not only was Beckii kind enough to let us interview her, she gave an interesting perspective on the teen world today and the awesome importance of Japanese culture so many of us adore.

Keep up to date with Beckii via her website: www.beckii.co.uk 62

k-pop

Words

by:

Samantha

Here at Plum, we like to ponder at the powers of the internet. You may have heard of the music genre K-pop, also known as Korean popular culture. It’s a lot like rap and R&B infused with rock and electronica, creating an interesting yet exciting beats to listen too. Popular personalities within the K-pop world are bad girls, 2NE1 (an office favourite) and ever so girlie, Girls Generation.

Goodwin

spikes with fierce large hair styles, rapping like P-Diddy and occasionally whipping their hair back and forth. It’s almost empowering, until someone pulls the trigger, see ‘I Am The Best’, then it’s just scary.

Girls Gen and 2NE1 are inspiring and very catchy. With 2NE1 you can really get a sense of the girls’ different personalities whereas in Girls Gen it feels like a sisterhood, which is a positive and endearing thing. If you haven’t had the pleasure of listening to either or any other K-pop delights, then make sure you tune in and feel the Korean beats, it’s a whole wide world.

Through the internet, K-pop reached an audience that would of otherwise remained inaccessible or at least not up till its full popularity extent. Using social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube, it propelled the music scene into the World Wide Web. Originating in South Korea, it has been heavily adopted among teenagers and young adults globally.

There are even dance classes and weekly club nights you can go to in London!

Top 1)

5 Every

K-pop

End

of

tracks:

The

Day

So

With music videos being the portal into Kpops identity, time money and disciplined dance routines are manicured to perfection for its viewers generating a fashion savvy audience who spread the vibes in real life.

2)

–

IU

sweet!

Twinkle

–

Girls

Generation

A latest track from our fave sisters!

3) Bad Boy – Mighty Mouth Feat. Soya

There are alternative sides to K-pop. The most popular groups, Girls Gen and 2NE1, are complete opposites although residing on the same scene. Girls Gen are almost identically, porcelain like and in unison with all 9 of one another. Not to mention sweet, girlie and all things nice who softly sings about teenage things.

However, 2NE1 like to parade around in skin tight pleather, adorn themselves with

A 4) A 5)

K-pop

Rizzle

Volume

Kicks

Up

–

4

vampy Fantastic

Baby

anyone?

Minute approach.

–

BigBang

Incredibly catchy, an office non-stop-play!

63

a china history

Words by: Diana Dovgaya Chinatown is a colourful flash among the monotony of everyday life in London. If you want to have a sip of eccentric life, Soho is a worthwhile pit stop. This area is completely different from other London areas. Chinatown fulfills lack of exotic in London and captures your attention with its mystery and incredible rumours.

Surprisingly, although Chinatown is considered to be a special district, it is quite small and actually represents itself a T-shaped pedestrian crossing with three entrances covered with huge red doors and paper lanterns on their sides.

Before the current Chinatown appeared in Soho, Chinatowns were all over across London.

Originally, Chinatown was located in the East End, London suburbs near Limehouse, where first Chinese merchants appeared in the 18th century.

They were part of East India Company and decided to leave China to organize a small community in London. A lot of shops and restaurants were opened in this area to serve needs of salesmen, but quarter had an awful reputation. It was believed that restaurants just covered drug traffic of opium.

during the London Blitz and after being rebuilt, it has been a completely different area, but not Chinatown.

Thus, London’s Chinese had no place to live in and no money. But in the post-war period people, especially soldiers were seeking exoticism and that revived Chinatown, especially Chinese cuisine again. Therefore, Chinatown quickly appeared in Soho and that was the time (around 1950s) where nowadays district was born. Chinese community started to flourish and attract more and more people looking for success and bonanza. Chinatown preserves a sense of East in it that makes it even more attractive.

The area, in which this district is situated, has an interesting history itself. One goes back to the Great Fire when London was destroyed by flame.

Another goes to the primary location of Soho – near 3 royal palaces of Westminster, St. James and Whitehall.

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However, situation has massively changed after the Second World War. Limehouse was completely destroyed

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Modern Chinatown is a place that hides in itself a bit of East. Back to the time when Soho was one of the most unattractive areas in London, the only street that attracted people was Gerrard Street, which was the busiest place in the whole district. A lot of painters, metalworkers and writers found place there.

Gerrard Street became famous for its artists. Politicians and famous people gathered in the Turk’s Head inn to discuss the matters of the day. It is considered that there was a basement where in 1968 Led Zeppelin rehearsed. But as the area is surrounded by mysteries and puzzles, there are no facts that prove it except people’s memories.

Another worth mentioning fact is that in the 19th century Newport Market area itself had a criminal reputation as if all immigrants “behind the law” were in there until Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road were built near it.

Despite being a commercial area where most of people

just worked, Chinatown was a kind of shelter for intellectuals.

Ronnie Scott launched the first jazz club in the basement of the club “Number 39”. So, by the 1950s when Chinatown has become how we know it now, the whole district has improved its reputation a lot, mostly due to amazing nightlife and rather cheap rent for establishing businesses.

At first, when Chinatown was just moved to Soho, it was not a pedestrianised area at all, but later, about 1980s, Gerrard Street, part of Newport Place and some other streets started to function as walking places.

Despite the fact that Chinatown represents cultural variety of London, rumours always existed about its demolition.

“Save the Chinatown” campaign formally started in 2004 because a reconstruction plan of the east part of Chinatown was suggested but most current merchants working there were strongly

against because they thought it would damage traditional Chinese image and change ethnical peculiarities of this district. Thus, plan was banned but since that time some construction companies and government as well are still trying to take the territory.

But Chinatown is a place that binds people together and while this connection remains strong, it will exist and prosper. As a source from London Chinatown Chinese Community Centre stated: “Chinatown doesn’t belong to anybody, it does not belong to the Chinese: Chinatown is a part of the city, a small city in London, one of London’s places.”

So, looking into future, Chinatown will stay, as it is now, with unique national spirit and strong community, with people who are grateful for what they have, know their own history and are able to protect their small town in multicultural London.

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china on chinatown Words by: Qin Zhou Introduction Chinatown is located in the city center of London, which is surrounded by Soho and the West End. It’s a place where you find loads of eastern ingredients and an area that gathers a great number of strange people who seem to be busy all the time.

As a student with a Chinese background, I am going to introduce Chinatown to you in a different way.

Food, Glorious Food!

W h a t i s y o u r f i r s t impression to Chinatown?

For most people, the first impression of Chinatown

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must be Asian food. There are quite a lot of choices there, from the traditional Chinese food, Japanese sushi, Korean barbeque to Vietnamese cuisine, and the dishes from Singapore. It has always been stimulating for me to spend time exploring the food in Chinatown. Many traditions are kept well. When I see those dishes I see the culture behind every dish Sichuan spicy Chinese food is usually categorized by area or the by way it is cooked.

Some popular dishes such as GongBao or KungPao Chicken and boiled fish are from Sichuan, a centralwestern province of China.

The cuisines there are based on the flavor of spice. The reason why Chuan cuisine

tastes so sophisticated is because it contains various kinds of spices, chili, peppers and the Sichuan peppercorns.

According to the Chinese traditional medical science, spice keeps people warm and stimulate the flow of blood.

All the spicy ingredients were originally added into the food to help people adapt to the wet weather in Sichuan.

Beijing duck One other thing that must be mentioned is the Beijing roast duck, which is served with sauce made with secret receipt by the chef and vegetables such as cucumbers and chives, wrapped up by one slice of soft pancake, offering a three-dimensional flavor of multiple layers of texture from different ingredients.

Beijing duck is also famous as

a Royal dish. It used to be one of the favorites of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The receipt has been transmitted until now.

The most delicious part of it is not the duck meat but the duck skin. The best way to serve the duck is also the traditional way; once it is finely roasted, it will be cut right away with distinctive cutting skill by the chef in front of the customer to keep the perfect combination of crunchy skin and the juicy tender meat Cantonese Dim Sum The famous Cantonese-styleDim Sum is spread all over the world. I personally fancy Dim Sum because of its delicacy.

The soul of Dim Sum is its combination with a Cantonese style drink. One of the amazing twists of the Cantonese drink is the Yuan Yang milk tea, also known as coffee mix tea.

The peculiar combination of

dim sum and milk tea is also called “the morning tea”, which is an essential part of lifestyle for Cantonese as well as the people in Hong Kong. A luxuriant morning tea means a good start of a new day. As the old saying goes “ No morning tea, No work.”

Shanghai “Four Heavenly Guardians” L i k e t r a d i t i on a l B r i t i s h s t y l e breakfast, we’ve got quiet a few standard breakfast types on the list. Different areas have their own traditions. Take Shanghai as an example.

The classic four sets of the Shanghai breakfast include soymilk, twisted dough sticks, flapjacks, and rice rolls, which are also called “The Four Heavenly Guardians”.

The four guardians come from the Chinese mythology.

They guard the heaven, usually regarded as a strong protection in Chinese culture.

Like Cantonese, a rich meal like “The Four Heavenly Guardians” also indicates a better life for people in Shanghai.

Words by Qin Zhou Illustration by Qin Zhou

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