T23 Magazine

40

Nicolle Horsburgh

Jade Mordente

Stephanie Bain

28

Laura Ivory

16

Jade Fotheringham

20

Ausra Marozaite

12

Hannah Jeanie

8

Tanisha Lall

Alix Picken

Zoe McArthur

Amy Robinson

Tatiana Cockburn-Aldana

4 24 44

36 48

32

76

Contact Page

80

Hamish Duda

64

Lauren Hay

72

Lauren Gibson

Islay Pickup

56

Annie Hall

60

Aleksandra Nikitina

Claire Whitham

Niamh Donoghue

Artjoms Saligins

Serena Porta

52 84 88

68 92

Tatiana Cockburn-Aldana

20, Aberdeen, Scotland

Do you feel your Mexican background and the culture that surrounds it has an impact on your inspirations?

I experienced a different upbringing, coming from a poor background, so I guess that changed my outlook. I’ll be going back to Mexico this year where I plan to do some photojournalism to inspire my upcoming projects.

You’ve done some pretty amazing internships in the past - from The Sunday Times to ASOS - what’s your plans for this summer?

I love challenging myself; I’m making it my goal to intern for a major publication at the start of summer, then I plan to travel.

Where does your style come from?

For me, comfort is key. I love the way oversized clothes look on women. I own a lot of oversized T-shirts and jeans, which have consequently become my day-to-day uniform.

My mum hates the way I dress!

Where’s your favorite place to hang out in London?

I spent too much time in Wasabi last summer! No, but seriously, I love hanging out in the cafes and bars around East London and Soho. I love going around the museums and galleries by myself.

Where can you see yourself in five years?

My immediate plan after graduation is to travel, specifically around Asia – I am fascinated with Japanese culture. In five years time, I’d like to think I would have worked abroad, building up my styling portfolio, before taking on London as a Fashion Assistant at a huge publication.

Words: Jade Mordente

“Are you a feminist?”

Feminism. We can’t escape it.

2013 saw the second wave of a feminist movement around the world; from onstage twerking to rebranding fashion magazines, people everywhere are now jumping at the chance to become the voice of a generation. Beyonce shied away from the question when directly asked about her beliefs, branding herself as more of a “modern day feminist” in an interview with British Vogue early last year; while British Elle joined forces with three advertising agencies for their November issue to rebrand feminism.

What used to be a term to describe your mother or even your grandmother has suddenly become the label that defines who you are. Attention from popular culture and the media have meant the birth of these so-called modern day icons uniting to voice their opinions on gender equality. But have these platforms really benefited feminists or are they only clouding the issue and confusing a generation? What is feminism anyway, and has it lost it’s meaning?

For someone who’s been in jail more times than Lindsey Lohan, Emily Wilding Davidson certainly doesn’t hold a bad reputation. Nearly fifty hunger strikes, and nine imprisonments into her campaign for women’s right to vote, Emily is often cited as a classic feminist icon who died for her beliefs in equal rights. Inspiring women in the UK to fight for equality, suffragists united to become powerful enough to change laws, preconceptions and the

stereotypes. A century onwards, times have changed but women are continuing to fight for their rights with grand-scale impact, only in a less-radical manner.

Whether it’s American Apparel’s controversial hairy bush t-shirts or Dazed & Confused’s ‘Girls Rule’ issue; Karley Sciortino’s Breathless Vogue column or a Petra Collins girl gang photo shoot; the audience for feminists has only grown over recent years. Alas, critics fear they are not sending out the true message behind the movement, insisting fashion can only preach hypocrisy. The industry has a hard time trying to keep up with this when body image is something so closely-linked with both fashion and feminism. Remember the stirr that cover shoot of an airbrushed Lena Dunham for American Vogue caused? It’s no secret that every image you scan through in a magazine aisle will have been edited in one form or another. But there are publications trying to break away from ‘picture-perfect’ models. Magazine’s like AÏE and Love have featured equally controversial covers, the former featuring Penelope Cruz baring underarm hair, while the latter (and winner of fashion cover of the year at the Maggie awards) shocked with a nude of a 15-stone Beth Ditto.

On the subject of this, it’s worth noting the impact celebrity status can have. Beyonce’s feminist essay ‘Gender Equality is a Myth!’ saw her educate and inspire Americans: “Today, women make up half of the U.S. workforce, but the average working woman earns

only 77 percent of what the average working man makes”; while her Visual Album and supporting Mrs. Carter World Tour feature a mixture of obvious and subliminal feminist messages.

And while Miley Cyrus might be wiggling her bum half-naked on stage, we have to remember this is an incredibly successful woman barely in her twenties and using her platform as a performer to voice the importance of gender equality. So what do her clothes say about her beliefs?

Does it matter? If we believe make-up and clothing are important factors in the context of self-respect then perhaps we are missing the point. The media slut shame and encourage the public to question even your own feminist status, but isn’t this a contradiction in itself? Do you have to be an activist to be a feminist?

Maybe everyone should stop caring so much about radical feminism, and focus more on the feminist beliefs we value. After all, aren’t the fundamental values of gender equality more important than making a statement about the way feminists should look? Feminism is one of the sensitive subjects that people have difficulty understanding fully. We need to stop asking ourselves if certain celebrities are real feminists. This is only distracting us from fighting the real issues.

Words: Tatiana Cockburn-Aldana

Amy Robinson 21, Saintfield, Northern Ireland What would you say is your personal style?

I always struggle with this question. I very much flick between a super relaxed, American style contrasted with something more stylish and sophisticated. It will very much depend on my mood that morning. I do however like particular celebrity icons that present a similar style.

If you could be part of any subculture anywhere in the world past or present, which would you choose?

I think I would have to choose the 60s as an era. The sexual revolution and the hippy sub culture. Liberation for woman brought an element of fun and risk to the world, the relaxed, out going lifestyle would have suited me perfectly – not so sure about the outfits however.

Did your time working at camp America influence your style choices?

I would say I’ve always had quite a relaxed personal style, perhaps because I spent a lot of my summers there as an early teen. However regarding my style choices, I think being there did the opposite, in America I forgot what it was like to follow trends and keep up to date with blogs and magazines.

Did your first internship with a PR company inspire your career decisions?

Definitely, I didn’t realise the variety of roles within PR. I enjoyed the journalism aspect. The excitement of having an article published gave me the drive to really want to succeed in the fashion industry.

If you could steal someone’s wardrobe for a day who would it be?

Ohh…there are too many to chose from, either Olivia Palermo or Millie Mackintosh. Clean, minimalistic but sophisticated, they never look like they’re trying too hard but always look incredible. I regularly tweet about my wardrobe envy.

So what would your dream role be?

I’m torn between PR and a role within a magazine. I am keen to pursue editorial however would still hope to be heavily involved with the creative side of the magazine. I thrive working in a team and hope my internship with LOOK magazine will help me focus on a more precise role.

Words: Lauren Gibson

Shades: Why are we hiding, what are we so afraid of showing?

Fashion is in many ways an art form that play’s to our desire for a romanticised idea of a perfect. Clothes and accessories have always been considered an accurate way to portray who you are, yet people choose a specific style to showcase to others the person they want to be. However do the styles we choose reflect and reveal more than just a fashion statement? Perhaps society’s idea of perfection is deluded and we actually use fashion to disguise and hide who we truly are. One item we all love to hide behind is our sunglasses.

Part fashion accessory, part eye protectors, part disguise - sunglasses are ubiquitous. Worn equally by men and women, shades can simultaneously say we are cool, mysterious, intimidating yet anonymous. They are also more than a practical accessory: perhaps more than any other item of fashion, sunglasses have a psychological story to tell. Our eyes can tell others a lot about us, usually more than we want to give away. Psychologist Paul Ekman, an authority on facial expressions, says that “of the 23 facial expressions relating to human emotion, about one-third involve the eyes”. Shades allow us to hide how we’re feeling.

Karl Lagerfeld, the hugely iconic designer and creative director responsible for the luxury fashion house, Chanel, is a prime example of hiding

behind ‘style’. Sunglasses at any time of day, indoor or out became a trademark part of Karl’s polished look. A decade ago, Lagerfeld lost 92lb in weight, motivated by his desire to fit into the Hedi Slimane slim line menswear collection.

It’s clear his body image issues have shaped his character today both mentally and physically; his blunt, upfront attitude is reflected in his very constrained, iconic style. Perhaps Lagerfeld insecurities merely overshadow his success and explain why he insists on hiding behind his dark, predictable look.

Similarly the editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour is rarely seen without her sunglasses. Gracing the front row of nearly ever fashion show this season, she wasn’t seen without her shades. She joked about her iconic style; “They are seriously useful,” she explains. “I can sit in a show and if I am bored out of my mind, nobody will notice.” However this remark seems fairly trivial from a woman of such high importance and professionalism.

Ironically, can one of the most influential characters in fashion even properly see the clothes being paraded in front of her? Perhaps she’s just afraid to show the true character and persona that lies behind the dark Prada frames.

Many other famous icons follow suit. Bono the famous band member from U2 is nearly unrecognisable

without his trademark sunglasses. He began sporting the shades in 1992 initially claiming he wore them to protect his blue eyes, which are sensitive to light. However he recently admitted his persistent look is down to ”part vanity, part privacy and part sensitivity.”

Elton John, another iconic figure in the music industry, has allowed his frames to become such a trademark look for him that many people now use them to recognise the pop star. His impressive collection of large and eccentric shades coincided with his transition to becoming a solo performer and perhaps symbolised his insecurities about his new career.

Society is full of people hiding the real them. Fashion appears to add fuel to the fire and further allows us to use style to hide behind. It is clear even the most successful and iconic people have to face their insecurities and quickly find ways to conceal them. Not being able to see a person’s eyes greatly reduces our ability to infer his or her emotions.

Clothes, style and the iconic shades soon become the most recognisable part of their character allowing them to hide the real, insecure character that lies beneath.

Words: Amy Robinson

Zoe McArthur You dedicate life to books, music and Tumblr. Do you purposefully avoid reality?

Very fair question. A lot of the time I’m somewhere else in my mind, dreaming. But, it makes me happy.

You have always been independent. Is this out of character, or survival?

I genuinely like working on my own. I was an only child so I am confident, I had no one to follow.

You lead a Bohemian like life. Does adventure fuel your creativity?

Hugely, I draw on things I have done or seen. The most mundane things, beautiful or ugly will inspire. But adventure, yeah, I like that word.

Who has inspired you in life and work?

People like Petra Collins inspire my work. She is a young, feminist and I respect her talent and ethics. I don’t believe in role models, you should always want to be yourself.

Tell me your two strongest talents and something you are working on improving?

Capturing characters through my photography and applying my enthusiasm creatively are definitely talents. I am currently improving my rollerblading skills.

What would be your ideal future?

A fulfilling career and a happy life. If I can change one person’s opinion on a subject through my visuals I will be successful.

Words: Annie Hall

The 2nd Wave The word feminism has been thrown around a lot this year, especially in popular culture and fashion. In our culture, where everyone can express some pretty strong feelings in 140 characters or less - hiding behind a phone or computer - it seems the influx of conversations about feminism are starting to make women question our culture and how women are represented.

Anyone can be a feminist but what does it mean for our culture and its people?

Is shaking your ass the new feminist movement? (I’m looking at you Miley.)

Every woman with an interest in fashion has heard of the ‘thigh gap’; every catwalk model at fashion week has one, everyone knows of the glorified space between models thighs. The ‘thigh gap’ has been brewing for a long time but only this year has there been a lot of discussion about it, the aspiration of a thigh gap is the newest craze bringing young women to obsessive dieting and eating disorders.

Are women being represented this way,

giving our generation an unattainable idea of what women should look like?

Seeking inspiration from unattainable ideals is a trap – which too many young people are falling for.

At the Spring/Summer 2014 New York Fashion week, there was 4637 looks showcased, out of all these looks 80 percent were modeled by white women, this representation of women is not just a fashion issue but it is becoming a political and social issue. With talks of the ‘2nd wave’ of feminism on the news and talk shows around the world the issue is becoming bigger than the people interested in fashion but now is moving into the mainstream limelight.

Is a broad spectrum of women being represented, not just skinny white women, but all sizes and races what needs to change in our Culture?

Fashion is the number one culprit for not showing diversity, more than 75% of women’s magazines fashion magazines include at least one ad or article about how to change their physical appearance by diet, exercise, or cosmetic surgery to

make readers look like the certain type of women shown in fashion magazines; skinny white women.

Imagery is seen everywhere; countless times a day, Photoshop (photo editing software) has changed the way in which the world perceives fashion imagery. The women printed in fashion magazines, do not look like the women the photographers took photos of, with Photoshop people see flawless skin and perfectly a toned body, the women do not actually look like that. Young girls growing up and many women do not know that this flawless image is created through Photoshop and so, again, fall into this unattainable ideal trap.

Are women now trained to see themselves as bad remakes of fashion images when really fashion images are just bad remakes of women? The ‘2nd Wave’ of feminism is now and the representation of women in mass media is at the forefront of the changes that need to be made.

Words: Zoe McArthur

Alix Picken Alix Picken, 20, Ayr, Scotland “Travel is my answer to everything!”

How do you feel about the collaboration with Camden Collective?

I think it’s an exciting experience; it’s a really good platform for showcasing our work.

Where do you find inspiration?

I tend to find inspiration in my personal experiences. I find that travelling to different countries can be really inspiring.

Graphic design is an area you specialise in, is this something you want to pursue?

Definitely. Fashion Communication, as a degree, is very broad but I know graphic design would be the field I’d like to specialise in.

Are there any companies or people you’d love to collaborate with?

There are so many creative companies and magazines down in London that I feel would really bring out the more creative side in me. In particular Slash Stroke magazine, I think they’d be good to collaborate with.

You’ve lived in Scotland your whole life. Where are you setting your sights next?

Everywhere. I want to travel around the world, see everything and do everything! I’d like to stay abroad… but I might end up coming back; the grass might not be greener on the other side!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

What’s for you won’t go by you!

If you could collaborate with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Even though I specialise in graphics, I also have a great interest in film. I think working with someone as versatile as Ben Winston would be really interesting!

Words: Tatiana Cockburn-Aldana

You Don’t Have To Be Anna Wintour... to Be Front Row Previously before iPhone’s infiltrate our lives, to attend London Fashion Week you had to be part of the exclusive fashion bubble and to be front row of the catwalk shows being a fashion editor was essential. Not any more, fashion week is no longer only about the garments walking the catwalk.

The UK Fashion industry is worth 26 billion pounds in the UK economy having risen by 22% in the past 5 years. There is no doubt that this increase is due to the outstanding growth in social media over the years.

With shows streamed live, Twitter Q&A’s and selfies, social media has allowed those not fortunate enough to attend the events gain the equivalent of an access-allareas pass to all shows. London fashion week has extended its front row to an outstanding array of people. According to Hootsuite, LFW had exposure to an extraordinary 35,822,334 social networkers through mentions and shares in only one day.

Creating the biggest online buzz and a virtual audience who can’t get enough.

With Burberry being the most talked about fashion brand at London Fashion Week it is no longer just down to the garments on show, but their use of innovative, digital marketing methods. Having collaborated with technology experts, Apple, to stream the show live on iPhone 5s, Instagram videos of the famous guests on the front row such as Tinie Tempah and Harry Styles attending, Burberry was certain to top the Twitter chart.

Combining all who attend the front rows’ twitter followers, there is no doubt that this is the best marketing strategy to pull an online audience from all over the world.

It is not only those attending the shows that have joined the digital revolution.

With ‘Exclusive’ backstage footage and sneak peaks of the new collection for the more fashion-obsessed crowd.

British Model Cara Delevigne posted the first ever Instagram catwalk selfie video live at Giles Deacon, a successful UK fashion designer though not as well known as brands such as Burberry and Topshop. With Delevigne strutting the catwalk with iPhone in hand posting 6 videos in total from the show she has given Deacon a boost in the social media.

Hamish Duda, a Fashion assistant at Hope St. Magazine who attended London fashion week this year spoke out saying, “People were so busy taking pictures, shooting films and tagging themselves in social media posts I wouldn’t be surprised if half those in attendance had no clue what they had just witnessed until later when flicking through their mobile phones.”

Jumping on the social media wagon is the way forward for all fashion brands, whether high end or high street. It is the best way to create hype around a brand while generating an unprecedented level of publicity where those who previously were unable to speak out, can now give feedback.

Are those who are filming and photographing the collections actually

enjoying the moment? They should still be appreciating the fact they are seeing the show with there own eyes while taking in the atmosphere. Are people acknowledging the show first hand or perhaps watching the video’s once at home and seeing the ‘likes’ go up, is that what really gives them the buzz?

Hamish stated later, “It’s just so fake. The people have no interest in fashion, they just like being seen and making it seem like they are of some importance. I looked around and saw a sea of people just constantly on their phones tweeting etc. I had to for the magazine and when I really enjoyed a show I’d take one picture and that was it. I just really absorbing what is going on first hand, that seems like a dying concept.”

Are we losing the appreciation of personal invitations to the event when you can be invited to watch a show from your bedroom? Brands can now invite a variety of people to attend the front row, as long as they have a smart phone, an incredible amount of followers and are willing to post multiple videos and footage from the show. Though some designers don’t allow cameras at shows making it a very exclusive event for buyers and editors only, will more brands follow suit or is celebrity endorsement too important when it comes to making money?

Words: Alix Picken

Tanisha Lall Ausra Marozaite interviewing Tanisha Lall from Coleraine, Northern Ireland, a 22 years old fashion communication student.

When did you move to Scotland and where to?

I moved to Scotland when I got into Heriot-Watt, to the vibrant town of Galashiels! It was only my second time coming to Scotland!

When did you know you wanted to go into fashion?

I first realised I wanted to go into fashion when I was studying art at GCSE, I was 14. I was obsessed with fashion illustrations but wasn’t strong enough to have my own style, so I then took a huge interest in fashion photography.

Who inspired your fashion style?

I wouldn’t say I have one style icon that I look up to. I adore the 1960’s style and lifestyle. I love the winged eyeliner, the fur, the femininity, the big hair - everything!

How would you describe your personal style in three words?

Feminine, romantic, classic Every morning you look picture-perfect. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

Haha, thank you! It takes me from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on how lazy I am in the morning!

What inspires you the most?

I would say my friends and family inspire me the most. All my friends are so different and have such different styles and outlooks on life. I like to take a bit of inspiration from every one of them!

What are your aspirations?

After completing my degree, I wish to work for an innovative, fashion-led company who thrive on fresh ideas and creativity.

Who inspire you and why (actual artists/people/brands/ places)?

Steven Meisel’s photography is a big inspiration of mine. His work varies from vibrant images, which tell a story to stunning black and white portraits. The North Coast of Ireland, where I am from, is one of the most beautiful places and has been a huge inspiration while growing up there.

What is one beauty/fashion item that you could not live without?

Anyone that knows me well knows that I can’t live without my lipstick or Vaseline! I put it on first thing in the morning and last thing at night - so sometimes I go to bed with red lipstick on!

I’m a bit addicted.

What do you see for the future?

For my future I would like to experience as much travelling as possible. Before I settle down with a career, I want to see the world while I’m still young!

Words: Ausra Marozaite

Too Much Fashion, Not Enough Jobs Each year, more than 4,000 fashion design students graduate across the UK. Yet, according to the ‘Business of Fashion’ there are approximately only 500 new jobs available for them. This leaves thousands of young designers having to move abroad or start their own brands. It is unrealistic for most design students to start up their own brand as soon as they leave university, leaving them to find another job in a completely different sector and leaving their fashion design degree to waste away.

When applying to become a fashion design student, there might be an assumption that an education in fashion design leads directly into a job as a designer at luxury fashion houses.

These people cannot be more mistaken.

According to the British Fashion Council, the British fashion industry takes in £21 billion a year. You would think that with this immense amount of money that there would be many opportunities for young graduates. The truth is that it seems that the British fashion industry has all of the designers that it needs, for now.

It is rare to find a new fashion designer

with a completely original concept and who is also accepted into the industry with ease.

Many young graduates try to rush into setting up a business, without any knowledge of how a business works. Perhaps they are attracted by the perceived allure and fun that is associated within the fashion industry.

They hear inspiring stories of young talented designers, like themselves, such as J.W Anderson and Alexander McQueen achieving almost instant recognition and fame. These stories of success muffle out the truth that 95% of start-up fashion businesses fail, which is the cruel reality of this industry. It is a fiercely competitive business where it’s hard to stand out unless you’re a wellknown brand and even then, it’s easy to fall in and out of fashion.

Today’s industry comprehends the over abundance of designers and are opting towards fashion graduates who have more of an understanding with a more graphical and media based knowledge.

This is due to the growth of online presence and with evolved social media

websites such as Instagram and Tumblr.

Fashion brands gain more interest via these platforms and therefore hire those who are creative with film, photography and graphics to attract attention. Quentin Jones is a great example, she creates her distinctive stop motion fashion films and cut and paste style images for brands such as Smythson and Louis Vuitton and promotes them on social media gaining attention for the brands.

With the development of technology and with more graphical elements of the fashion industry becoming more important, the skills of marketing and communication are much more required in the industry today, than the skills of a fashion designer. However, to help those talented students who have always dreamed of becoming fashion designers, introducing business training into the fashion curriculum would help the students to understand the reality of the industry and will possibly increase the percentage of successful new fashion brands.

Words: Tanisha Lall

Hannah Jeanie What do you miss about your hometown, when you’re either in Edinburgh or in galashiels?

I’m not really away that often to miss much but I miss being close to the sea! I couldn’t ever live somewhere without being close to the sea.

Has the fashion industry always been an interest of yours?

Fashion defiantly has always been an interest of mine. Even when I was a stubborn kid and I used to be adamant about what I was wearing, when I was wear it and how I was wearing it!

Where do you look for inspiration?

I’m a bit of a box set junkie! So TV shows, and movies, generally, that’s like the main source. At the moment I love 90s shows, like my ‘My So-Called Life’ and Dawson’s Creek – I’m obsessed with them!

Do you think that you follow a specific trend?

Hmm. Or have you just created your own completely?!

I would say every so often there’s a trend that I’m more into than others.

What would you say your ideal job in the industry would be?

Something within a magazine, writing reviews or researching, maybe a publication like Hunger or Love something that goes into all aspects like travel music and film, not just fashion. . I’d like to see the world, so if it meant I could travel that would be ideal too!

Words: Laura Ivory

Where Did All The Emo’s Go? Growing up is a minefield of seemingly life defining choices, from school subjects to peer pressure there are constant streams of questions thrust in your face.

Arguably one of the most important, that could define your entire status and result in social suicide in high school, is which style tribe to adopt?

If, like me, you chose to spend all your allowance on H&M hoodies and a subscription to Kerrang and spent your time ditching school to see your favourite bands on tour you may have been an ‘emo’ or ‘scene kid’. Characteristically dressed in all black, skinnies, band tees and endless amounts of eyeliner these teenagers were generally classified as sullen, introspective and of course, what coined the name, emotional. Having been in this particular breed of teen I fondly remember all the indigenous hang outs and recently on a nostalgic moment decided to walk past these places only to be shocked to discover no kids at the infamous Hunters Square or Cockburn Street in Edinburgh. Had I fallen so far out the loop that I didn’t know where they reside or have they disappeared into extinction?

I decided to delve deeper into this issue, do style tribes evolve into new breeds or do we simply evolve out of them? My first realisation was what happened to all the ‘scene icons’? Being obsessed with

bands like My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, my teenage years were spent pinning posters of them to my wall and scraping my fringe so far across my face I adopted the ‘emo comb-over’ in the hopes of looking like them, but where are they now? Well, FOB went on hiatus then returned last year with a new lease of pop life and MCR have disbanded and came back numerous times with evermore upbeat music. Did these bands grow up or did they change into a revived version of scene?

A perfect example of this evolution is former frontman Sonny Moore of band From First To Last, with his long, greasy hair, guyliner and snake bite piercings he was the epitome of emo. After leaving the band he re-emerged with a freshly shaven undercut, geek glasses and the new electronica persona, Skrillex. He even won a grammy with his musical rebirth. So was this change down to a personal evolution or was he predestined to progress into what is now defined as ‘hipster’?

The similarities of these tribes are uncanny, both religiously alternate shoe choices between converse, vans or DMs, don the tightest black skinny jeans with passive aggressive slogan t-shirts.

Hipsters tend to wear less eyeliner and have more diverse hairstyles involving colours such as Sea Punk and

Washed-Up Mermaid from the mecca of hairdressing; Bleach London. They subscribe to the same introspective mood and can be temperamental when questioned on their preferred music, film and book genres. Today’s popular bands like The 1975 and The Neighbourhood are showcasing this progression expertly, at first glimpse you see hints of emo in these tattooed, big-haired boys dressed in black but on second look you see their clothes are designer, their styling is impeccable and their influences are bands like The Rolling Stones.

Ultimately my discoveries lead me to believe that the craze of emo’s may in fact have been just that, a craze, and although there will be kids today who fit into this category it may not be one of the timeless trends like Punks or Goths. It is possible that people outgrow a phase but as the majority of a tribe grows up the like-mindedness can result in a seamless evolution into a new tribe, whether they realise this or not. I myself would say I still have parts of that emo kid in me but overall I have grown up, discovering new styles and ideals that suit me now, it is but a part of human nature and life.

Having said that, I still don’t know where all the remaining emo’s go.

Words: Hannah Jeanie

Ausra Marozaite Ausra Marozaite, 23, Klaipeda, Lithuania Why did you decide to move from Lithuania to Edinburgh?

I moved from Lithuania to Edinburgh with the hopes of becoming a gene scientist. However, after two years of standing in a white lab coat and oversized goggles, I decided this was not the path for me.

Has either city inspired you significantly?

Both cities have very different surroundings, people and arts, which always bring something new to the table. Edinburgh has definitely had a huge influence on my life choices, let alone taste in movies and art.

How has your style, inspiration or outlook on life changed since you moved here?

In terms of fashion, I have stepped out from my comfort zone and become more experimental. I am more interested in film and art than I ever was before I moved to Edinburgh, it changed me dramatically. In terms of my outlook on life, moving to different country by myself and changing course just proved to me that I can do whatever I want in life. It has opened my eyes to the fact that I am brave and determined and if I want something I now know I can get it.

What is inspiring you at the minute?

The film Maria Antoinette by Sofia Coppola. It’s a movie about French Revolution. The colours make it so playful and fun to watch. Different dresses, shoes and accessories, you could watch for hours. I was mostly inspired by hair and make up looks in the movie.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?

Working in the fashion industry but not in the UK, I’ve enjoyed my time here but I feel like I have had enough of it for now. I want to conquer bigger things in new places. Maybe I’ll be in America.

Words: Niamh Donoghue

Bearded Monsters A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, upper lip, cheeks and neck.

The beard fashion might have started in 3000 BC when some the highestranking ancient Egyptians started growing their beards and decorating them with gold threads and other metals.

Over the course of history, men with facial hair have been ascribed various attributes such as wisdom, sexual virility, masculinity, or a higher status; however, beards may at times have also been perceived to be associated with a certain loss of refinement.

5000 years later, Beards are back on trend and they will stay for a while now. Beards and moustaches have become more mainstream and trendy, especially among hipsters and 20 to 30-year-olds. While male grooming salons are in deep crisis, because of reduced customer numbers, food storing facial hair reveals what bearded men are having for their lunch.

I did a survey asking twenty men aged 25-35 from Scotland, Lithuania, Germany and Poland with facial hair a few questions and the results where intriguing. Most of the

men admitted that they just couldn’t be bothered to shave their beards every 2-3 days to look clean. Four guys revealed that they are growing their facial hair because of the cold weather so that they can keep their faces warm under a full beard. Six out of twenty men said they could stay unshaved for around six moths but usually end up chewing on their own moustache. Twelve bearded fellows shared that sometimes they feel jealous over another guy’s beard, especially if it looks better and is longer than theirs. Also, all fifteen men said that their beard make them feel more manly and confident.

According to a (2008) study at Northumbria University, a man is more attractive when he has heavy stubble after not shaving for 10 days. Stubble is the way to win a woman’s heart.

Researchers found that women are more attracted to men with stubbly chins than those with clean-shaven faces or full beards. Women participating in the research rated men with stubble as tough, mature, aggressive, dominant and masculine - and as the best romantic partners, either for a fling or a long-

term relationship. The explanation for the preference is not clear, but experts in human evolution say that facial hair may be a signal of aggression because it boosts the apparent size of the lower jaw, emphasizing the teeth as weapons.

‘Beard’ is also used as a slang term describing a person who is used, knowingly or unknowingly, as a date, romantic partner (boyfriend or girlfriend), or spouse either to conceal infidelity or to conceal one’s sexual orientation. For example, in the film Broadway Danny Rose by Woody Allen where he used ‘beard’ to describe a mysterious lover. In a 2011 interview, Betty White confirmed that Liberace was in fact gay and that she acted as his beard on several occasions.

No matter what, a beard will always retain manly characteristics even though some women are starting to embrace their facial and body hair too.

Is it a rebellion against male gender or it’s a new upcoming trend? Will bearded ladies be accepted by opposite sex, I guess, we just need to wait and see.

Words: Ausra Marozaite

Jade Fotheringham Where do you find the inspiration behind your work? Is there a particular artist, musician or muse that you can turn to in order to spark your creativity?

I don’t really have a muse; I get inspired by a lot of random things. I love to go for walks and just let my mind wonder. I normally spark ideas when I’m on my own listening to music to be honest.

Do you feel your visual aesthetic has a visible signature yet that makes it unique to you? If so explain this and if not what would you like to develop into a signature within your work?

Maybe my signature is that it looks random together; I am quite a colourful person and I think this personality trait translates across into my work as a signature.

Have you always been drawn to fashion? Do you think the decision to pursue this career was influenced by the environment you grew up in?

I have always thought just do what makes you happy and fashion is constantly changing which I have just always found so interesting.

What has been your worst fashion crime to date? Is there anything that is currently a trend that makes you reel back in disgust?

I always remember this coat I had when I was little, hated it so much I cut it on purpose so I could stop wearing it, and my mother went and bought it again but in a different colour!

If you could own one piece from a recent designer collection what would it be and why?

Zac Posen’s beautiful black dress, the material, the way it moves, so elegant, so beautifully made. I just think it’s a piece of art, I love it!

Who do you aspire to be like within fashion. Is there a role model or magazine perhaps that you follow the work of religiously?

Nothing religiously, I have such a short attention span, I get bored so easily, hence why fashion is probably one of the best industries for me. I mean I really love HUNGER magazine, but Wonderland is creeping up there too just now especially with its most recent issue, best magazine I’ve bought in a long time!

I’ve never been one to have a role model, I feel you should have your own aims and goals and just be the best you can be, why aspire to someone it’s kind of copying; I’m not a “copy cat”.

Upon some self reflection what would you say is your proudest achievement to date?

Nothing really sticks out as my number one achievement. I’m where I want to be at this stage of my life.

If you were to develop your own publication what do you think would set it apart from the content already currently available on the market?

I think there is a gap in the market for honesty. I am very honest and can be blunt. Most publications do have to watch and even though I may need money from advertising I wouldn’t put something in my publication just to kiss ass. If I thought it was crap it wouldn’t go in.

It is impossible to like everyone’s work. Is there a designer, stylist or even publication which you dislike and why?

“I love fashion and art but I’m not really into dark and creepy work. I just think there is sometimes a boundary of art and when it is crossed it’s a no go for me.”

“Maybe my signature is that it looks random together...”

Words: Hamish Duda

Fashion Catwalk Take Over Every season we see incredible fashion catwalk shows from all over the world.

They are magnificent fashion platforms allowing designers to showcase their pieces of work, from big names to small – catwalks have been around since the 1900’s and will continue to for years to come. However with so many designers, we have more fashion shows than ever before, so how do you make your show memorable? If you have a collection you want it to be the talk of the town, you want it to be the best show ever.

But has the show taken over from showcasing the work?

Originally ‘fashion parades’ showed off the latest couture garments in Paris, the models would usually just stand still like a statue - while ladies would walk around them and view the clothes. Like the clothes are art on display in an art exhibition. It was very exclusive only very rich ladies would be invited to view these special pieces. It wasn’t until American retailers took the concept that changed

into a show in 1903. This attracted many customers to come into their shop to view these amazing shows, transformed from models standing still to something more theatrical with a narrative based around a theme. Realising that this was something people wanted to see, they moved them out of the retail shops as it was too many people packed into a small space. This changed the way we see our fashion shows now.

Paris has always been known as the city for the biggest shows, with Chanel being the main dominator. Every season you are wowed and wonder how on earth can they top that next time? Karl Lagerfeld has not failed to disappoint yet, with his latest show turned into a supermarket while the models walked around with trolleys and proceeding to the check out.

This isn’t just a way to exhibit off clothes, this is a theatrical show. Every little detail is considered from how the models’ hair looks, to, in this case, the trolleys had the double ‘C’ Chanel signature. Since

when did we take the supermarket as a fashion statement?

But it doesn’t stop or start with supermarkets. McQueen has taken us through a mystical forest with real trees; Vivienne Westwood had a laser show that started with a model coming down the catwalk on a bike in 6 inch heels and Alexander Wang has made his garments glow-inthe-dark. Theatre shows start with setting the mood, catwalk shows do the same whether it’s with music or lighting, it starts off dramatically to get you hooked. Then the first model comes out then the next, all the way to end. Ending a show is just as dramatic as the beginning. Something to make you remember it, something that make us say ‘wow’.

With worldwide catwalk shows every year, you don’t want to watch something boring – we want the next big theatrical show.

Words: Jade Fotheringham

Laura Ivory Laura Elizabeth Ivory, 21, Hebburn.

What is your background story?

I live in a small town outside Newcastle called Hebburn, studied English Literature, French and Art at a school called St Joseph’s. I have always lived in a little town, same house, and close to all my friends and family.

Why did you pick Fashion Communication?

Originally I was going to pick journalism, but I realised that Fashion Communication included fashion journalism. When I came to the open day and saw I would be learning design as well, it seemed much more diverse.

Where is your dream place to live and why?

Paris, always has been, always will be. I’ve always been fascinated by the place. The people are so cool there; they are so laid back, and seem so professional at the same time.

How would you describe your style?

I think I have a different idea of my style than what I actually wear. I like to think I’m quite minimal and simple.

Are you influenced by anyone for your style?

I kind of look up to Olivia Palmero and Victoria Beckham’s line because it’s quite clean cut, straight, block colours. I’m not a pattern girl; I just don’t suit them at all.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

Hopefully London, I want to work for the one company and work my way up. I think it’s better to start at the bottom even if I started as an intern for a PR company and worked my way up and ended up somewhere else.

Words: Jade Fotheringham

The Row of Hope Menswear in the past has not been at the forefront of British Fashion, until now and London has been dubbed the fashion capital of menswear, and rightly so.

The British Fashion Council launched menswear fashion week known as London Collections: Men, which has encouraged British menswear fashion to be taken seriously. The weeklong event showcases contemporary British brands and businesses on a biannual schedule.

All of the shows on the LC:M schedule showcase the breadth of British fashion talent, from the worlds most innovative emerging newcomers to global well known menswear brands and more importantly Savile Row Tailors.

Savile Row is known as an iconic street when it comes to British menswear and has been a part of its history for over 200 years, dating back to 1803 when tailors began setting up shops in the area. Little did they know back then that tailors would still be holding residency on the street, and it would be the world’s most renowned place for bespoke tailoring. After all it was the very street that first created the classic suit including the Smoking Jacket and not forgetting the Dinner Suit, which were all created by the founder of Savile Row, Henry Poole & Company.

Many men through time, from high powered business men like Winston

Churchill to the fashion conscious like David Gandy have fulfilled their sartorial needs in showrooms and fitting rooms of the iconic streets tailors and retailers but realistically how many bespoke suits do men buy a year? Savile Row should be the gentleman’s ideal place to shop, yet is it?

The opportunity arose when the British Fashion Council launched LC:M to face the reality that bespoke tailoring is simply not enough any more and men need a ready to wear tailored range. Hardy Amies, a bespoke tailoring company at No. 14 Savile Row recognise that there are blurred barriers and an overlap between heritage, technology, tailoring and causal wear meaning that British style for men is more fluid and dynamic than ever before. Having this understanding of the industry, the brand, along side other residents including Gieves and Hawkes No. 1 Savile Row, and Anderson & Sheppard decided to showcase a developed design with a more contemporary understanding of tailoring at LC:M earlier this year. “In the last 12 months we have become a more style-driven, less suit-dependent company than we have been in the past,” said the Chief Executive of Gieves & Hawkes, Ray Clacher. The designers looked to the past for their inspiration and added a contemporary feel to their designs showcasing off-the-peg and

bespoke tailoring which in turn were among the most admired and stand-out collections of the season’s shows.

These bespoke, made to measure suits do come at a price which limits their clientele. Starting from £3,500 from Nick Tentis, and rising to as much as £4,400 from Richard Anderson the price can be off putting for the contemporary young British man.

However, some Savile Row tailors want to bring their company to the reach of younger, more fashion conscious men.

This is where their ‘Ready-to-Wear” collections come into play as they are more affordable starting from £695 for a two or a three piece suit straight from the runway of LC:M. Some of the tailors are becoming a “one stop shop” according to GQ, offering outerwear, handpicked accessories, bags, watches and tightly edited collections of vintage books in homage to Savile Row’s heritage.

Each resident of Savile Row is slowly but surely changing their mindset from being ‘Britain’s most famous tailoring business’ to ‘Britain’s most famous menswear brand.’ By hopefully having this mind-set and continuing to showcase at well recognised fashion events such as LC:M, Savile Row will bring tailoring back to the foreground of British menswear.

Words: Laura Ivory

Stephanie Bain Stephanie Bain, 24, York

What’s your biggest inspiration?

I’m always looking at fashion editorials, street style, films, music, books Who is your role model?

Lena Dunham is a personal favourite of mine as well as Trent Reznor, both of whom are hugely talented in my eyes.

What inspires style of your work?

I would say my style is very feminine and very minimal. I don’t like anything to be too overdone, I think imperfections make things interesting.

What’s your favourite place on earth?

I am yet to find it.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?

Sleep.

If you could time wrap yourself to any point in history when would it be, who would you hang out with?

1920s Paris, I would love to have seen those creatives like Hemingway and Picasso and Chanel.

If you were sent to desert island what would you wear and who would take with you?

Lots of light sundresses and sandals. I would take my best friend as we always manage to get into some sort of mischief.

What advice would you give someone wishing to follow your footsteps?

Just to not give up even if you’re not sure of something.

What is your signature look?

I’m a huge fan of menswear so I like taking classic pieces and styling them in a feminine way.

How does it feel to be Stephanie Bain?

Amazing.

What are your future plans?

I plan to travel and maybe live abroad. I want to get a work experience in Paris and get a taste of fashion industry there as I love French style.

Words: Artjoms Saligins

In a digital world, can the fashion seasons keep up with technology?

The moment a new collection is live streamed on the internet, it becomes instantly available. You forget you are looking at next season’s collection because you are consuming it right now.

By the time the next season comes around and you see it in a magazine, it feels almost dormant. So what’s next for fashion in the digital age? Will instant access kill the concept of a season?

Technology is changing the way we consume fashion, and it’s making every company think more innovatively about its communication, marketing and branding; a digital presence is key to survival in a global recession. There is no doubt that brands are dreaming up exciting ways to use the internet and social media to their advantage. Live streaming is letting brands reach their audience on a worldwide scale, spurring globalisation and making themselves instantly accessible. Whether it is Fendi’s drone cameras, Diane Von Furstenburg’s Google glasses or Cara Delevingne’s video selfie from the Giles Deacon runway, interactive catwalk experiences are the key to keeping audiences engaged. So why has online retail

been so slow to catch up? Emarketer reports that ecommerce sales are set to rise 17.1% this year due to new and expanding digital markets. In the UK, online clothing sales are worth £9 billion with offline sales accounting for less than 75% of total revenue.

Click and buy from the catwalk, a concept pioneered by Burberry in its overhaul as a 21st century digital brand, demolishes the 6 month waiting time for an item to appear on the shop floor, a perfect solution to our consumerist culture. Seeing Autumn/ Winter collections on the catwalk during February and therefore appropriate attire for the current season, but being unable to buy it until September, seems outlandish in an industry that thriveson always seeking the new. By the time September comes around, the Autumn/ Winter collections just feel old.

The catwalk click and buy model has also been adopted by Topshop, a perfect opportunity for a high street brand that prides itself on fast fashion with credibility. High street retailers have the means for the fast turnaround required for shopping the

catwalk without the long wait to receive products, more so than high fashion ateliers. Such a concept could prove advantageous to a brand such as Topshop, giving them a digital edge over their designer contemporaries and high street counterparts.

There was a similar story with the film and music industries, digital streaming threatened the future of music and film consumption. Despite initial denial at the death of analogue as both industries held on to hard copies for too long, both responded with streaming services that offer internet only exclusives and unique consumer experiences.

After a long battle with piracy and file sharing, the BPI states that revenue from downloads and streaming services now accounts for more than 50% of record label income. Perhaps the fashion industry can learn something here in order to avoid a similar fate.

As a digital generation that is constantly connected and reliant on media technology, we are not easily pleased. We are always seeking more from everything we consume with added improvement Words: Stephanie Bain

Jade Mordente Jade Mordente, 01/07/93 ,Cancer, Scotland Dundee, Coffee instead of Tea, 5.6 inches, far too many pair of shoes to count, size six, a giant poster of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spurgen in London 1977, Alex Turner’s cover for Another Man and pictures of friends and family hanged on her wall.

The worst feeling in the world: Heartbreak.

The best feeling in the world: Contentment, positivity.

The first thing she thinks when she wakes up in the morning: “I need coffee” What’s the fashion for you? Is a way to communicate with others? Your way to communicate with yourself ?

A statement ?

For me, fashion is a way to express who you are through dress. The way I dress is depends heavily on my mood for that particular day, sometimes I want to be dressed with the biggest heels and clashing prints and other times it will be strictly all black.

Do you think that your inspiration and culture are tied to a place? Have you ever felt heard in a place (Because of fashion)?

I grew up in Dundee, Scotland, which really doesn’t have a lot of strong cultural or influential references. Growing up I used magazines, blogs and street style sites such as lookbook to find myself through fashion. I was always experimental in the way i dressed but i don’t feel that came from my experiences or where i lived, i had to look further to find style influences. I think this is reflected in my work.

Do you think that your inspiration and culture are related to people you hang with? Have you ever felt an outsider (Because of fashion)?

No, not particularly. Me and my close friends are all so different

in our style inspirations and influences but that seems to work, we bounce off each other and can take inspiration from each other. When I go back to Dundee, I have often felt like an outsider because I don’t conform to a particular way to dress, but I’m used to that now and don’t let it bother me. That’s why I’m so in love with London, because you can be who you want without having to hear people’s opinions on it.

Developing a design, an advertisement ‘, a photo shoot is also about to having different skills in several disciplines.

There is a project for you that have been stimulated by the intertwining between more knowledge?

Fashion film is something I’ve grown to be really passionate about recently. I love the work of Daphne Guinness, she is a huge influence to me. Looking at her work for Showstudio was my main source of inspiration when I’ve experimented with fashion film. It has lead me to see it’s a path I wish to go down in the future, I love the creative freedom it allows.

Have you ever thought that this path in your life (studying and working in fashion) was not the right one? / Have you ever thought to be exactly the right one for this journey of life and studies?

I have never questioned my decision to study fashion as I feel it’s part of who I am, I couldn’t ever see myself doing anything else. There are times I’ve wondered what I’ll end up doing or working, but for now I’m completely content figuring that out as I go along. I’ve been lucky enough to have done some amazing internships so far, and I plan to spend this summer down in London interning again. Everything seems to be falling into place.

In the end .. What is elegance for you?

Elegance is being completely comfortable in who you are Words: Serena Porta

Dominating the Industry It’s no secret that more often than not sex and fashion fall hand in hand; over the years the two have grown to become almost parallel. It was early Parisian designers such as Claude Montana who created his waist nipping leather belts, constantly evolving to the likes of Rick Owens today, with his clique of dark fashion, an almost cult following.

In previous years, these seemed to be a style tribe of the underground. It was a time where ‘dominatrix’ inspired designs were kept relatively hidden, yet not completely secret.

Vivienne Westwood further broke the barriers with ‘SEX’, her early collections and her love for the style associated with the punk movement in the late 70’s. She allowed women freedom with the bold “Underwear as Outerwear” collection: another push forward in the third wave of feminism.

For those who wanted to explore the darker side combining both sex and fashion as a style, there was always the option, yet more often than not the hardcore aesthetics excluded itself from the mainstream. Today we are further than post-feminism; we are beginning to explore the depths of gender studies.

The history between feminists and BDSM practitioners has been controversial: two extreme positions are those who believe that feminism and BDSM are mutually exclusive beliefs, and those who believe BDSM practices are an expression of sexual freedom.

Years on, and finally we are banishing the term ‘feminist’.

Taking on the view that ‘pro female’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘antimale’ are the owners of White Rabbit,

a woman who feels comfortable expressing sexual freedom. The luxury fetish boutique based in Edinburgh celebrates open sexuality in women, selling high class fetish products, and embracing a safe approach to a BDSM lifestyle.

With exhibitions and workshops where couples can explore varying levels of BDSM practices in a safe environment – rope bondage being particularly popular – it’s a boutique needed by the city. Straying away from the grimy, male dominated sex shops we see scattered around, White Rabbit are bringing elegance and class to sex, glorifying females. With a dominantly professional woman-based clientele, the boutique offers everything from underwear to specific fetish products, all at the finest quality.

Pro female blogger Karley Sciortino most recently posted on her blog, Slutever, a link to her latest article for Vogue - a meeting with infamous New York based dominatrix Mistress Dee. With a dark account of BDSM (Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/ Submission, Sadism/Masochism) and graphic descriptions of explicit sexual practices we were left contemplating if we were finally getting rid of the taboos, as we’ve seen fade in and out for years, associated with sex and finally embracing sexuality in all its forms.

Exploring deeper into the evergrowing BDSM industry and, primarily, its seemingly unbreakable connection with the fashion world became almost easy to see. Karley described tight latex clothing, leather bondage wear, masks and gags: all of which are seen

on the runway from designers such as Zana Bane: high quality fashion, with a beautiful aesthetic.

Last season again seen tamer aspects of BDSM peer into mainstream fashion - a huge retail boom in PVC and latex clothing filtered it’s way down from the runway into almost every high street brand: Topshop to ASOS becoming main contenders.

Topshop stores in particular suddenly became a sea of all things PVC, latex and leather: from skirts to dresses and bra-lets. Their accessories following suit with chokers and heavily chained body pieces. It was everywhere and worn by females of every age.

Niche magazine VICE published a slightly more detailed account of the Karley Sciortino trip to the home of Mistress Dee, yet this was expected. It’s Vice, a publication always pushing more, never less. The article was certainly ‘more’ in every way: more descriptive, more text, more imagery. I felt it was a good turn that Vogue published the article, even if it was a little more subdued. Speaking about the darker side to sex openly allows it to finally become accepted, and also embraced.

I feel it was a milestone article, and a prediction of things to come.

Words: Jade Mordente

Nicolle Horsburgh Nicolle Horsburgh, 20, Is there one person who is you biggest inspiration?

Its no one person, my biggest inspiration by far is Sex and the City I have worshipped that show forever; from the girls all working hard to be where they are, to Samantha having her own public-relations company and most of all living in NYC well that’s just my inspirational dream right there.

Is there anyone who inspires you that you would want to work with in the future?

I would defiantly be moved to have the opportunity to work alongside the highly talented Nick Knight. From photography to fashion films every part of his work astonishes me every time without a doubt, stunning.

What are you most excited about with the Camden project?

Getting the opportunity to go down to Camden and seeing the popup shop in action. After 3 years at university a group project event down in London is what we all need and lets face it deserve it.

Do you think London is where you will end up in the long run?

Not in the long wrong no, I’m wanting the all time American dream LA living and penthouse in NYC that’ll suit me!

Is there anything from you childhood/upbringing that still inspires you now?

Everyday my upbringing inspires me, to work harder and get where I want to be. That comes down to my parents, they always told me to dream big and that’s what I’ve done, I may not be there just yet but I’m closer than yesterday.

Words: Zoe McArthur

Redefining our Role Model Rudyard Kipling defined the idea of an IT girl in 1904 writing, “It isn’t beauty, so to speak, nor good talk necessarily. It’s just ‘It.” The expression IT girl coincided with the age of the supermodel and was to drastically redefine the fashion industry. Outlining a young woman who can visually voice her own individuality by breaking away from social normality.

Bold originality, physical attraction or a talented individual, becoming an IT girl is a concept never defined. It’s the girl everybody wants to be, a new obsession of envy. An IT girl’s extravagant lifestyle is a prominent dayto-day, media coverage profile creating an audience obsession with the IT girl of that time. But is this positively affecting young women or providing unrealistic expectations of life?

With the release of the IT girl came the demand of influential models.

Jean Shrimpton known as ‘The Shrimp’ became the leading IT girl of the early 1960s flattering the fashion industry as the model of choice. The face of fashion featuring in Vogue, Vanity Fair and regularly photographed by the famous photographer David Bailey, this iconic supermodel was an inspiration to many. The fashion industry is never too far away from a new alteration; with such frequent change an aspiring IT girl comes to fresh attention. ‘60s Twiggy was the model to do it, boasting her fashionable

androgyny trend, an IT girl vision.

Becoming an IT girl through individuality is a powerful fashion statement. Fashion Week is one way the most iconic, current IT girls show their true style statement as NYLON magazine stated, “It’s no wonder that London Fashion Week has the best of the best It Girls seated front row-some of the most popular models and muses of all time: Twiggy, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung... the list could go on and on”.

Rising to fame in the 1990’s came IT girl Kate Moss, the forever-global supermodel discovered at the age of 14.

Over a decade later Kate’s career within the fashion industry is far from slowing down, showing true dedication from this loyal IT girl.

Quickly rising up the ranks and becoming the most iconic British supermodel Cara Delevingne 21, features in all areas of the fashion industry the most in demand model of the world right now, “She’s not just some model – she has modeled for everyone”. But Cara Delevingne has well and truly taken the IT girl ideal to another level. Friendly with many celebrities including pop idols Rita Ora and Rihanna, indicating a focal characteristic of an IT girl; a hugely popular IT girl knowing and being loved by all.

Society plays a major part in attaining an iconic individual’s place

in the famous world and today’s social media is an important factor in a celebrity’s’ coverage. Creating personable relationships Cara herself provides a platform of close interaction, giving society a glimpse into her crazy life, everyday from her Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Constant coverage through social media enables young women to relate whilst building an apparently personal bond. Allowing the public to gain an insight into her every day routine reflects normality and ensures her followers feel less daunted by her success. Sharing a stunning shot, on her Instagram page Cara wrote “So excited to be doing a new fragrances for @Burberry with beautiful Miss Moss”. It was only a matter of time before the two IT girls of today started working together on a campaign, after walking together on the catwalks, this iconic Burberry campaign will mark the first campaign featuring both iconic IT girls, Cara and Kate.

A distinctive part of the fashion industry, the iconic IT girls may not be the first inspirational role models that come to mind. But with their shining personality, confidence and success they provide the latest and most influential role model for young women today. Who will be the next IT girl to appear on our radar?

Words: Nicolle Horsburgh

Serena Porta Serena Porta, 23 from Molfetta, Italy.

Do you feel most inspired when you are in your home town Molfetta in Italy or when in the UK? It is difficult to balance as sometimes I feel inspired and have an idea when I am in Italy but the concept would work better in Scotland and vice versa.

So would you say your style has evolved since studying abroad, is it now more of a cultural mash up?

I experiment more which is influenced by the British “wear what you want” attitude. I am braver than I would be at home – a definite British influence. Some mornings though, I wake up and want to cry at the realisation I’ve left some clothes in the wrong country – it can be difficult having two wardrobes a thousand miles apart.

What surprised you about studying at a British Fashion school compared to the Italian?

It’s far more challenging as my previous studies were very book based – at home you learn skills from texts, so I went from a college learning Latin, Greek and literature from books to having a sewing class on a Monday morning. It was unexpected but it has brought me out my comfort zone which I love.

Carla Sozzani of Italian Vogue is one of your idols, what would make her choose you to be part of her team?

I am a very harsh critic on myself. Every second I question if

I can do better, she has definitely inspired that. I also see no harm in experiencing new things – if I make mistakes I learn from them and move on. All experiences can teach you something which is a perspective you need to be part of anyone’s team.

Fashion is infamous for its competitive nature, why are you going to make it?

I have a very addictive personality. I become obsessed quickly – if I fall in love with a movie suddenly I want to know all the actors’ life stories. In fashion I want to see it all, learn it all and live it all. I’m addicted.

What’s the biggest sacrifice you have made to prove your devotion to this industry?

I have chosen to live in a different country from those who have supported and surrounded me my entire life. To leave those people behind in order to follow my dream I’d say is a pretty big deal.

Does your parents approve of a creative career, have they influenced you to follow your dream?

Absolutely, I wouldn’t be here without my parents.

In the future do you see yourself in Scotland or in Europe?

Now that I have moved abroad once, I feel I could live anywhere.

Wherever life takes me.

Words: Lauren Hay

Why would you wear heels if you don’t know how to walk in those war-machines?

After many studies in social, anthropological and psychological meanings, theories about how shoes are seen and perceived are filling books, magazines and web pages. In Freud’s work the heel is seen as a phallic symbol; feminism during the ‘60s abounded with slogans like “liberate the captive foot of womanhood”. Some women even pay doctors to inject LCD padding or to shorten their toes to walk comfortably in a pair of ‘stiletto’ heels.

Heels enhance the figure and improve your self-esteem. Shoes are indicative: they have a soul, reveal desires, intentions, personality, fetishes, sensuality and even sexuality. The black décolleté with stiletto heels is what makes you a real woman, some might argue. Others will strongly assert that those heeled shoes are famous because of all the domestic crimes in which they have been implicated. Essentially, the stiletto can be considered as a woman’s favorite weapon to choose for both seduction and revenge.

The shoe is a historical marker.

Changes in the shape of the heel are contextualized and related to political or social movements, trends, rituals and ideals. For instance, during the early ‘50s the European economy was recovering after the end of the Second World War and at the same time designers where lengthening the height of the heel.

During this period Dior and Roger Vivier started to collaborate and they designed the first ‘stiletto’ heel with the ‘very vamp

cut’. In the 21st century women can choose from a wide range of shoes, from Manolo Blahnik high heels to sporty platforms, bringing themselves literally to a whole new level and feel like a kid in a candy shop.

Research from the University of Kansas and Wellesley College (2012) is showing that by looking at the shoes that a person is wearing it is possible to define the age and personality of a person. Garish and gaudy shoes define an extroverted character, while a clean and tidy pair of shoes can show the conscientiousness of a person. When you are trying to keep balance wearing high heels you can reach some state of Nirvana, because at that moment the level of your concentration is higher than the Dalai Lama’s. This is probably why the lady with a 12 cm heel is defined as a calm and peaceful person.

Heels now come in many categories, unbeknownst to men, who are probably more interested in looking at how good they make women’s legs look. They have no time to worry about the technical names of the objects making that infamous clip-clopping sound. Men think about themselves as “an anthropologist or a scientist”, believing they have a right to develop a theory about women in heels, where women can be categorized by the height of the shoe. Due to this “specific and certain science” the ‘gentleman’ can understand which women are possible prey and which ones are predators, so

they can either ask them out or keep a safe distance.

Maybe woman are obsessed with heels just because of the dancing scenes in movies where beautiful princesses are twirled and swayed in fluffy dresses to the rhythm of the waltz, in the arms of an angelic blond prince in his high ceremony uniform. However, real life is not a movie. You are moving (and trying to look regal) on 12 cm vertiginous and thin heels. At the same time you need to be sure not to crack your head on the polished granite floor under the gaze of the Royal Court and in the not so happy ending the prince is not even interested in you because you are taller than he is on those expensive Louboutin stilts.

A pair of heeled shoes can make you feel like Venus in the Olympus, but can also make you feel like Persephone stuck in the Underworld.

Heels have the power to give a woman the possibility to decide what she wants to be and how she wants to be seen.

Perhaps the reason why adventurous women who are continuously seeking the feeling of unpredictability in their lives are choosing heels because they prefer being beautiful and unstable than being comfortable and balanced on flats. They never know whether they are going to fall down, but even with that possibility, they still take the risk.

Words: Serena Porta

Artjoms Saligins, 21 from Riga, Latvia ‘So simple, but so beautiful.’

Artjoms Saligins

What did you want to be when you were younger?

An actor. I’ve played in theatre for five years, but it required too much dedication, time and nerves, but nerve cells don’t regenerate, so I had to quit.

What inspired you to study fashion and persue it as a career?

My mom. She has always been a huge inspiration for me.

Her style, her talent and her taste.

Is there anything inparticular that inspires you everyday style?

My mood. I mostly wear black, but it doesn’t mean I’m a sad person. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.

If you could swap clothes with one person, who would that be?

Asap Rocky. We are the same size, aren’t we?

Do you admire anyone? If so, how do they inspire you as a person?

Maria Sharapova. She is such a fighter. Her willpower is spectacular.

In terms of your work,wo do you look up to and aspire to be like?

Hedi Slimane. He is such an amazing talent. So simple, but so beautiful.

Whow are your musical heroes?

Florence Welch. Her music takes me somewhere else…I never cry, but I can cry to her music. Lana Del Rey makes me dissolve in her music, she is also really hot!

Do you have any hidden talents?

I have a good reaction. Can you call it a talent?

Where is your favourite place in the world?

My bed. Especially if it’s in Upper Eastside.

Describe your life so far in 5 words?

Fun, adventurous, crazy, diverse and cool.

What are your goals or plans for the future?

I want to launch my own magazine and buy a house in the South of France.

Finally, do you have any favourite inspirational quotes?

“Any colour, so long as it’s black” Words: Tanisha Lall

New era: towards aesthetic stir New fashion and new aesthetics come along with a new way of living, new standards, principles, if you like. There is always a craving for something new, undiscovered, untried. What comes to mind if you imagine the Lisbon Sisters wearing a Balmain leather dress to the prom or the Dude from The Big Lebowski wearing Vivienne Westwood rubber loafers instead of his iconic jelly sandals?

What is beauty? Who really defines aesthetic principles?

If we talk about design and ‘beautiful’ design in particular, we would probably think of something like Chanel and Christian Dior. From the industry’s point of view these brands are famous for their ‘class’, their high level of taste and quality. In the fashion industry things can change rapidly and so can design.

The little black dress can be out of focus and metallic sneakers or a DIY backpack can come to the light as seen in the latest Chanel Couture show by Karl Lagerfeld.

I am not quite sure if Coco wouldn’t roll over in her grave after seeing models

wearing her iconic tweed blazers paired with sneakers and a rucksack. So what do those sneakers actually mean? Those are not the kind of sophisticated shoes that Carrie Bradshaw would wear, but they are still Chanel footwear. Is this the new aesthetics or just another attempt to be original and ‘fresh’?

Design and aesthetics within design are changing. People get bored of what we call ‘classic beauty’ and are now craving for something different, perhaps. This is where designers such as Gareth Pugh or Ann Demeulemeester make themselves widely known and recognized. They offer something new and original. They use leather, studs and give almost an gothic feel to their collections that are sold out shortly after they were showcased on a runway. Why is that? The answer is undefined, but perhaps people see or are forced to see a new type of beauty. Bricolage aka a new form of beauty?

As a result of aesthetical change in the fashion industry it is no

more a surprise when we see an old lady wearing golden earrings saying ‘sex’ as seen in the latest Vivienne Westwood campaign. Shall we be surprised if she also shops for underwear in American Apparel? Probably not. Annihilation of conservatism, in a good way, now lets people express themselves in the way they want, without being ashamed.

It has been said ‘Ideal is boring’.

Glamorous and pretentious image is so yesterday and that is where, perhaps, bricolage comes out to shine and to celebrate its supremacy. Everything that is worn makes a statement. We want love, money, parties. Chains and whips excite us. A Saint Laurent leather jacket, sweatshirt and pair of J’z please? Those of us, who still prefer sharp tailoring to cutting-edge looks, will probably stick to our preferences, whereas there will be those, who will always feel the need to bring some spice to their wardrobe.

Don’t be afraid, didn’t someone tell you it’s OK to shine?

Words: Artjoms Saligins

Niamh Donoghue Niamh Donoghue is a 21 year old fashion communicator from Letterkenny, Ireland. In this interview by me, Islay Pickup I dig a little deeper into Niamh’s interest in fashion, travel and her inspirations.

Who inspires you and why?

At the minute I’m inspired by eras, not so much by people.

The 90’s is an influential decade for me and my work at the moment.

Where do you find your inspiration daily?

Mainly Instagram and Tumblr because it so visual and easy to access. Travel is a huge passion of mine and inspires me daily, I recently spent a weekend in Paris and its influenced my current university project.

You’re a very keen traveller does this inspire you?

Travel inspires me a lot; I’m basing all my styling around a place I recently travelled to in Paris I fell in love with the 16th arrondisament. I love the way its so pretentious and everyone is so classy and fancy, not my usual taste but it was really interesting to watch people look so uncomfortable and try so hard.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Ideally in 5 years time I see myself working in a magazine abroad somewhere hot or in advertising even branding and possibly not even in fashion. But I’ve always secretly wanted become an air hostess for Emirates because I love the hats they wear!

Words: Islay Pickup

GETTING DRESSED UP FOR THE CONGO

Picture this: sewage-lined streets, crumbling concrete buildings and dirt roads. Who are the people you see in this environment? Do you see impeccably dressed men wearing tailored suits, silk handkerchiefs and smoking on cigars? If this is the image you have imagined, then you wouldn’t be far off the reality of these war infested shantytowns. Deep in the Congo, Brazzaville is home to the world’s unlikeliest fashion subculture.

I am talking about the Sapeurs.

They are some of the finest and most well dressed men in the Congo. With collapsing, war-torn slums as their surrounding catwalk, they pursue the tasteful Dandy lifestyle and etiquette. They don custom-made suits and compliment them with silken handkerchiefs. However, what is peculiar is that these men aren’t prosperous oil tycoons or moneyed businessmen, nor are they fashion moguls. They’re just regular people— store workers, teachers, taxi drivers, postmen — and they are by no means simply following a fashion trend. But why do these working class Sapeurs choose to spend their hard-earned money on clothes instead of buying a car, a better house, or something more practical?

The reason is historical of course.

Records of African dandy men stretch back to the 18th century. Slaves

were made to wear elegant uniforms to look more presentable, and fit in with their stylish surroundings. When the slave trade was eradicated for good, these men returned to Africa and continued to dress this way as a celebration of their freedom and an acceptance of the past.

However being a Sapeur is more than a way of dress. They live by a moral code where style and attitude count for more than any amount of wealth or occupation. Through their outlook and style they demonstrate that no matter the circumstance you can always choose who you are. A Sapeur must have style know-how. Socks should be a particular height, a maximum of three colours should be worn per outfit and attention to detail is paramount. Their style is considered an art form– the art of being a gentleman. As Dandyism teaches, being a gentleman is not just about sartorial intellect; it is also about flawless etiquette.

The Sapeurs are directly influenced by Dandyism; the similarities in attitude and style are uncanny. Most notably the fact that you can gain social acceptance and respect by your actions and dress regardless of what social class you have come from.

In the 1800’s George Bryan Brummel became one of the most influential, and even powerful men in

England, not by birthright or education... but by being well dressed. He made an impression on English society through his clean, sophisticated outfits, which prompted many powerful people to desert their gaudy Baroque-ish garments and adopt his style. Brummel’s elegance gained him access to the peak of English society: the Dandy was born.

Being in a position of social power had always linked to birthright.

Dandyism was the first time that anyone would cross the line from regular citizen into real social power without being born into it. As the 19th century progressed, influence and power was based around being well bred, not of noble birth. Today, manners and appearance continue to be the standard for social acceptance, and mentioning a title of nobility means less and less.

The Sapeurs’ fashion habits are an unorthodox juxtaposition to the conflict ridden lands of the Congo.

Shoes instead of shooting, hats instead of hatred, watches instead of war. They are inspirational to modern times and we could all learn a lot from these Dandy men of Africa.

Words: Niamh Donoghue

Claire Whitham

Claire Witham, 22, from Dewartown

‘The fashion industry allows you to be yourself and express your creativity.’

Why did you decide to pursue fashion as a career?

Doing art at school and an HND in textiles made me realise I wanted to work in the fashion industry. It meant I could do something practical whilst also expressing my creativity to develop my own style of work.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Most of my inspiration comes from magazines such as 10, LOVE and Another for their original, quirky photography. I also look to street style, social media and current trends for inspiration for styling and photo shoot ideas.

Which creative people do you find inspiring?

I love the work of Alexander McQueen and continue to look to Sarah Burton’s designs for inspiration into any projects I’ll be doing as the brand never fails to impress me.

What is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration is probably photography. A lot of my work has to do with photography so I tend to look into what people such as Rankin are currently doing for my inspiration.

What is it that you like most about the fashion industry?

What I like most about the fashion industry is that you can be yourself and express your creativity.

Words: Stephanie Bain

Street view Style is created not by what is seen in magazines but by people with a sharp eye for fashion, bloggers – style gurus with a camera. It all started with Bill Cunningham when he started his ‘On the street’ column in the New York Times. This aspect of fashion photography has kept people in touch with what recent trends are and what the trendsetters are wearing. Now with the internet every fashion lover can see street style worldwide, appearing on blogs, retail websites and ad campaigns.

It reveals how ‘normal’ people feature certain looks in their everyday outfits.

It has opened new doors to what is going on in the fashion world.

Photographers are giving the public the chance to catch the trends

without being at the fashion shows.

Of course its not just the internet that people can witness the street style, with fashion lovers going to LFW they can see it for their own eyes.

So what is it that makes us more interested in what is happening on the streets in fashion world than on the catwalks? People prefer to look at how ‘normal’ people can take every day clothes and give them a ‘designer touch’. For those who cant afford to wear designer street style inspires fashion gurus out there to be creative. It is the ability to take high street clothes, tweak them, and turn them into catwalk fashion belonging to the individual. Some say its not ‘original style’ it is more them wearing different versions of their own signature

style, or is it more a case of people taking it too far and wearing dramatic outfits just to get noticed by photographers?

Street style has inspired fashionloving people to think about what they are wearing. These original styles are not dependant on age, weight or lifestyle but about individual creativity. The more creative the outcome, the greater the chance that a snapshot will be taken. All over the world there are fashion followers that want just that something different, they want to express their individuality through their clothes. Whether a fashion guru dresses to impress or for their own individuality there is always that glimmer when they step outside, a camera awaits.

Aleksandra Nikitina Alexandra Nikitina, 20, Fashion Communication student.

Being from Lithuania originally, was the decision to move to Scotland for university a difficult one?

No, it was quite spontaneous. I was looking for courses in either Denmark or Scotland and was more set for going to Denmark, but then I found this course and thought it would be interesting to try something new.

Having travelled so far for university is travelling something you are interested in?

Yes, I love travelling! I love sitting in the airports and people watching, I like exploring new cultures and the habits of people.

What inspires you most?

Music, I’m really passionate about music, I like finding new bands and I’m really into Tricky and Brian Eno just now.

Travelling as well, people, books, just anything that I find attractive.

What areas of fashion communication do you feel most drawn to?

I think photography and graphics. I got my first camera when I was 15 and I was just using it to take pictures of people on the street and instantly loved it.

You seem to have a real talent for hair and makeup is that something you are passionate about?

Thank you, I just enjoy doing it and when I have a photo shoot I find it interesting to try something new.

Do you like challenging yourself?

Yes, definitely.

What would you say your personal style is?

I don’t think I belong to any subcultures, I think my style is quite European, it’s comfortable and casual but I feel like even if I wear comfortable clothes I still want to show my femininity, I don’t really follow trends, I just try to find something that suits me.

Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years’ time?

I have no set plans, I’m more of a dreamer but I am sure I want to work in the fashion industry because this is the world I am fascinated by. And of course I would be happy to travel and have more cultural experiences.

Words: Hannah Jeanie

Street art: Bring me to Fashion

Graffiti, urban art or street art went through nearly 20,000 years of cultural evolution, before it started to be considered as a form of art - not vandalism. It has come a long way from the simple cave-paintings of our ancient past. The amazing diversity of today’s graffiti has shown incredible resilience and adaptability.

When did it all start? The Earth’s oldest cave art was found in El Castillo cave in Spain. A single red dot, hidden amongst a scatter of handprints and drawings of animals was dated back 40,000 years by a team of UK, Spanish and Portuguese researchers led by Dr Alistair Pike of the University of Bristol.

But let’s move forward to the 1960’s, when street art became an important part of contemporary art.

It all began with simple tags in the USA in the late 1960’s. “Tagging” was known as a form of graffiti, which entailed the repeated use of a single symbol or series of symbols to mark territory. Spray cans were introduced to consumers and new styles and techniques were developed. In the 80’s graffiti finally found it’s way to Europe. And of course the fashion industry didn’t stay aside from this phenomenal art movement.

Keith Haring, a well-known graffiti artist, made a valuable contribution, bringing graffiti to the commercial mainstream.

In the 1980s, Haring opened his first Pop Shop in Soho. A retail store offered

T-shirts, toys, posters, buttons and magnets bearing his images. So, is this mix of two different art forms a good idea or it will lead to a war between designers and street artists?

When it comes to graffiti in fashion you are not wearing just clothes anymore, but a piece of art. Whether it’s Prada with its “minimal baroque” print resembling the Blu Mural in Managua or, for instance, Louis Vuitton’s 2001 collaboration with different street artists.

What is the reason for using this public, accessible form of art in exclusive luxurious collections? The answer might be hidden in contradiction. What does this tell us? Be different and make your own new statement, which will not follow traditional perceptions. Taking this attitude to fashion and you transform public art into private, expensive wardrobes. Contradiction? Yes. Desire to be different? Yes. Street art is going to a new level, the level of total appreciation in society. Fashion designers are promoting street artists; houses with Bansky art on it are becoming more valuable and expensive.

It would seem, that this unusual collaboration could make a long and successful union and both designers and artists could live happily ever after.

However it could happen only in a parallel universe, but not in real life. Coming back to contradiction, it is logical that there is always someone who disagrees. What

have you heard about Kidult so far? He is one of the most controversial, at least regarding to fashion, and independent street artists. Kidult’s actions have made waves in the community. Driven by a desire to reclaim the art of graffiti that he believes has been over commercialized, Kidult has been tagging since the age of 13. Some call him disrespectful and dismiss him as a vandal, someone who destroys instead of creates. Others, however, are saying that his art form is becoming more and more commercial everyday. He has his own philosophy and attitude to street art. According to him, graffiti has become very widespread today and all these shops have used graffiti culture as a commercial image.

Here is an example: Marc Jacobs is turning Kidult’s “vandalism” into cash.

After Kidult tagged the Paris store windows with “$686” in neon green paint, Jacobs printed a photograph of the shop onto a line of T-shirts and sold them for $686 each.

Graffiti art has a long history and its philosophy is being followed by thousands of artists. Fashion, nevertheless, is tightly connected with art. For these two it would be better to find a way of existing together. Otherwise this war will bring more loss than profit.

Words: Aleksandra Nikitina

Annie Hall, 20, from Glasgow “If you just keep your eyes open there is always inspiration. You know, a newspaper or a piece of graffiti, a women’s skin or hair colour. It can just give you a thought, which you can develop.”

Being a fashion communication student, how would you define your style?

I don’t think that I have a particularly defining style. I love clothes and there is no doubt about that. I’m not driven by fashion as far as trends; I’m more driven by the industry as far as career.

I think I have developed my own style through the last few years. Travelling, particularly in Europe, has had an influence on my style.

And what actually made you to choose fashion communication?

I think it was the idea of messages. I love the stories and ideas behind them. I remember reading the line in the course

Annie hall

handbook and it said that this course is for people who want to communicate. I think that if you know the idea behind something, it becomes much more saleable.

It is very creative field. Where do you find inspiration?

Travelling and moving around, if you just keep your eyes open there is always inspiration. You know, a newspaper or a piece of graffiti, a women’s skin or hair colour. It can just give you a thought, which you can develop.

Do you believe in good luck or do you rely only on yourself?

Luck is what happens when all preparation is done. I do believe in luck, but I don’t believe that you should rely on luck.

There is not much time left until your graduation. How do you see yourself in few years?

I always have a plan. If all goes to plan I’d like to have a job. I’d like to be learning lots, having very interesting experiences and to see the world.

Words: Aleksandra Nikitina

Fashioning The Future

I was never the sort to believe in the approach of the apocalypse. That was, until last year when Dazed and Confused published the ‘1993 Issue’ thereby branding me retro at the tender age of 20. A feeling that time was c atching up and an impending sense of doom set in as the fashion trend cycle spun ever closer to my coat tails.

This fast fashion appears to have given way to vast fashion, a melting pot of ubiquitous styles and global cultures, which is intimidating for the generation trying to establish themselves in this boundless world.

As a product of this ‘Generation Y’ I am one of the consumer programmed Millennials. Rocking their way through the nineties predominantly in nappies, we graduated to late scene kids unaware that subcultures had died somewhere between teething and Google. Now the individual was the focus.

In her 2006 novel Generation Me, Jean Twenge wrote that Generation Y would be victims of our own narcissism.

So far we have outdone ourselves and even conceived the ‘Selfie’, the love child of Myspace and Kult Kardashian.

My own teen years resembled a fashion era crash course by way of mass produced fast fashion and instant access; everything from legwarmers, flapper dresses, and boho chic was crammed into puberty.

Fashion seems to be built on a structure of myths and legends, the biggest of which is that fashion is about the future. Pulling from the

distant past, designers were once producing collections refreshingly new to their current customer, who were unaware of most of the references. Now designers must cater for consumers who have already searched it, worn it and hashtagged it, growing apathetic yet aspirational in their hunger for constant information.

It seems the new breed of self aware, self promoting customers has not fazed the fashion industry. Blogs, street style and social media are all bought, packaged and sold back to us faster than I can change my shoes. This season the British Fashion industry was valued at £26 billion.

The victim of this well dressed capitalist culture is not Gen Y, but the designers. The building pressure to fully participate in the marketing circus and produce up to ten ‘new’ collections a year, which are fashionable, buyable and of course beautifully instagram-able appears to be suffocating design.

Seasons move from Spring to Fall with only the change of a texture or addition of a belt. Often, each designer will only present a handful of original designs with the rest redesigns from previous collections. When Sarah Burton was thrown into MCQueen’s shoes she produced several collections adapting the bird inspired sillouette and lace head piece designs. It was nearly four seasons before she began to create new shapes. Realistically, designers cannot develop original ideas within the current structure and the demand for

continuous collections.

Recently, however, it appears the poison is slowly becoming the antidote. Beginning to find their feet in the world Generation Y are now putting their technological genes to good use.

Designers are connecting with the masses and sourcing inspiration through social media.

Nicola Ferretti recent Reboot campaign at Diesel has seen content from self styled Tumblr artists influence Diesel’s new look. This crowdsourcing seems to be overcoming the paradox of creative verses commercial. Diesel has discovered new muses and creatives to feature in their promotion and inspire their design. Some may say this is in fact exploitation but in a world where sites such as Tumblr allow all to exhibit work and connect with like minded creators, digital collaboration was always going to filter into commercial companies.

After a decade of the individual a new future seems to be forming, one that sees collaboration at the heart of creativity. The fashion industry is an old hand at collaboration, but never before have the tools or the expertise existed to do this on such a global scale.

Informed by the past, fashion will no doubt move fast to benefit from these opportunities, but this time working together; designer to wearer, marketer to buyer. Suddenly infinity doesn’t look so scary; on the contrary, this is rather exciting.

Words: Annie Hall

Islay Pickup Islay Pickup, 22 ‘Everything about fashion is seductive to me’ Would you say there was a specific moment from your background when you new the fashion industry was for you?

At college I found a teacher who believed in me and said fashion was where all my artwork was based and it made me research the industry heavily, I fell in love. Everything about fashion is seductive to me and with the right people pushing me I believed in myself and realised my dreams!

Does a certain shop, person or celebrities influence your style?

I LOVE Topshop, but who doesn’t. British bloggers also really influence my style, I love seeing the brands I love worn in so many inventive ways, there’s great style out there.

What would you define your style as?

I’d describe my style as fun, readable and factual!

What made you come up with your unique blog name Promise 101?

It’s actually quite random, I live at 101 Brighton Road; I liked the idea of incorporating something about me.

What would be your ultimate dream career?

Working for company magazine as a fashion features writer.

Any dream lifestyle?

My dream lifestyle would be with English food but somewhere hot! But mainly I just want to be happy wherever I am.

Do you have an exclusive strategy to make both dreams come true?

Good things come to those who go out & get it... Be motivated.

Words: Nicolle Horsburgh

The Tee

The t-shirt, a classic garment found hanging in everyone’s wardrobe. An Iconic piece often over looked but one of the most influential and important fashions out there.

Firstly worn as undergarments, the t-shirt was seen as nothing more than a part of uniform and every day dress, becoming popular in America when given to the U.S Navy during the Spanish/ American war.

It wasn’t until A Streetcar Named Desire, a 1951 film starring Marlon Brando, that the T-shirt became fashionable. During the 1950’s in America something brilliant was happening; movie stars were born, a new culture filled with glamour and celebrities. Brando a true style icon of the 50’s wore tight fitting, plain t-shirts teamed with jeans and leather, rolling his cigarette packet in the sleeve, creating a whole new fashion movement. Men wanted to be him, and women wanted to sleep with him and this made the t-shirt desirable and wearable.

In 1955 Hollywood film, Rebel Without A Cause added to the t-shirt phenomenon. James Dean, another young and handsome actor adopted the black leather jacket, denim jeans teamed with a tight, white tee. This look swept through America, the t-shirt was not just ‘uniform’ or undergarments anymore, it was a fashion statement. Stars such as Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley both rocked this look in their early years.

As the years progressed so did the t-shirt. The 60’s saw the rise of tie dye, favoured by the hippies. This was an easy method of bringing colour and pattern into your wardrobe which is still a popular technique used today. The hippies styled their psychedelic tees with bell bottom jeans, colour blocking and floral prints whilst protesting for world peace, love and togetherness.

Mean while in the UK the mod culture moulded a new t-shirt trend. The mods were a mixing of two subcultures, the beatniks (an earlier form of hippy) and the teddy boys, a sub culture influenced

by Edwardian dress & listening to rock ‘n roll. With their laidback look and smart tailoring it’s no surprise that the mods drew inspiration from these previous fashions. Known for favouring sportswear for its weightlessness and

minimal sweat (ideal for all night raves) the mods are often associated with Fred Perry, a brand especially designed for tennis. Fred Perry polo t-shirts became a part of the Mod scene and were seen as an immediate identifier. The unisex tee could be worn with braces, a blazer or the mini skirt, a new design at the time

by Mary Quant.

One of the most interesting transformations of the t-shirt was punk, in the late 1960’s hippies were still in full swing but a new sub culture was brewing in London town. Being working class and without much money Punks would shop in charity shops, customising anything they could get their hands on to make it fashionable. Customising t-shirts with paint, rips, safety pins and bondage straps the punks breathed new life into the t-shirt mixing politics, music and fashion. With the rise of the Sex Pistols in the 70’s art, fashion, politics and music were crossing over and even collaborated on t-shirts. Artist Jamie Reid designed the Sex Pistols album art and possibly one of the most known pop culture images to this day. The cut & paste image of the Queen slapped across the union jack with her mouth safety pinned was and still is an iconic image of punk. This famous image was plastered across t-shirts and could be found on items in Vivienne Westwood’s ‘SEX’ shop at the end of London’s Kings Road.

Today designer Dr Noki constructs new t-shirts through customisation not unlike punks. Using the de-construct, re-construct method Noki creates intriguing and unique t-shirts as part of his collections. Styling each individual tee in his runway shows differently, some are cropped while others are worn as dresses showing the versatility of the t-shirt in many creative ways.

The 1980’s witnessed the growth of the slogan tee, a powerful and fashionable way of getting your message across, perfect for advertising, art, protests & often sharing political views or humour.

This t-shirt trend is all about expression, wearing a slogan tee was and still is an antagonistic way to put your feelings across. Katharine Hamnett’s slogan tee’s were the hit of the 80’s. Her famous

“Choose life” t-shirt worn by Wham! In hit song Wake me up, was a great success leading to a huge demand for her political and fun slogan tees. Another popular and probably the most famous slogan tees from the 1980’s has to be ‘Frankie says relax’. Band Frankie Goes To Hollywood released the song Relax during the summer of 1984 in the UK. The song was banned by the BBC in ‘84 and thereafter wearing the tee was a very bold statement. Today the slogan t-shirt is something one sees on a daily basis whether it’s a band tee, statement tee or brand tee, the slogan t-shirt is going nowhere. Designer Alexander Wang featured slogan t-shirts heavily throughout last season’s collection, triggering a huge resurgence in slogan tees on the catwalks & the high street this season.

The 1990’s was all about the cropped t-shirt. A major influence on teenage girls at the time was the Spice Girls, a band who insisted on short skirts, girl power and of course the cropped tee. Being a young girl in the 90’s, I too owned a cropped t-shirt & remember my blue tee with girl power scrawled across it well.

Over the decades styles and designs have developed now offering several alterations of the classic tee. Raglan, Crew, Polo and V necks are just a few of the t-shirts that are available.

Today the t-shirt is iconic as ever, designers such as Burberry Prorsum, Rick Owens & Givenchy offer a range of high end of t-shirts at prices anywhere from £150 and upwards and yet you can pick up a t-shirt from high street retailer Primark from as little as a £1. Evolving through the years, developing and growing throughout different decades and movements, no matter what trend, design or colour and no matter how you wear it, the tee is timeless.

Words: Islay Pickup

Lauren Gibson

Lauren Gibson, 22, a production and events intern from Edinburgh

What is it that you enjoy most about your internship in production and events?

I’m a very sociable person and enjoy working with all types of creative people. It’s long and hard work setting up an event but when it all comes together and it’s time to go, you get a huge buzz from seeing something you have created. It’s very energetic, just like me.

What is it that makes you want to work within the fashion industry?

In the fashion industry being different is actually something that is appreciated rather than disregarded.

What would you say is your dream job?

So far I would say fashion film as I feel it’s an up and coming industry and is a more exciting way of getting your ideas across.

What is your biggest inspiration for your work?

It ranges from street style to music and the way different subcultures have different styles, I find it interesting to see how others dress in everyday life.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I’m a very visual person; I’m really inspired by images. I look at social media sites such as Instagram and Tumblr to find out what’s going on in the streets and what new trends are emerging.

What would you like to achieve when you finish your degree?

I’d love a job in production, events or film. I’d also love to be freelance in these areas so I’d have the chance to be my own, but everyone wants that, don’t they?

How would you describe your style of work?

I would say my style is bright, bold and colourful. I don’t think I have defined my own personal style yet, it’s still something I’m working on. I feel it’s quite eclectic; it just depends on my mood at the time.

Words: Claire Witham

What Happened To The Rave Kids?

Change in fashion is something we have all seen happen over the past but has it slowed down in the recent years. We might be ignorant to these changes in culture that are occurring.

Looking back to times where style and music influenced the way you dressed seems to be something unknown to the kids of this generation.

When the Sex Pistols initiated the punk movement and acid house music shaped the ravers of the underground club scene. Now it seems we don’t know where we belong. Are there new subcultures forming in a way we don’t recognize or that are not obvious to us?

In the past there was a clear definition between a teddy boy and a rave kid but the culture of today is blurring the lines between these well known subcultures of the past. Everything is somehow related historically. More often than not the present is linked to the past, it is already been done, or something similar. The subcultures of the past bring us to where we are now. We look back on them and change them to be current.

There is no sense of where you belong

now, no way of catogorising people. Is this a good thing or bad? People may not want to be put in one single subculture but to be part of many and to combine them together and create something new and unheard of.

Clubs, music, art and everyday life inspire street style, different style tribes still exist but what defines them from everyone else? Take a look at the tribes emerging at London Fashion Week this year, different groups of people with similar ideas of style present themselves as the ‘New designer addicts’, the ‘Grunge revivalists’, the ‘Minimalists’ and the ‘Peacocks’. Back in the 80s everything you wore defined everything about you, what you believed in what you stood for, could you define someone in the street now for being a punk just because they wore a Perfecto leather jacket. If subcultures started from people not conforming to society and to create new identities does that mean we are now conforming to what society wants from us?

Youth culture is about being anti mainstream. There has been no new

style driven British youth subcultures since those of the 1980s. The merging of past subcultures has created new ones today, we may not know them as subcultures but they do still exist.

Although distinctive subcultures are less present today, the groups of the past play an important part in the history of street style. If there is a new wave of youth subculture, they will be ones that reject political society, be a mixture of styles from other cultures and will reject labels given to it – it will be something completely original and that can define lifestyles of the 21st century.

There have been many recent media creations that are dubbed as the newest subculture – the hipster being one. Cutting edge style is still coming from the streets, coming from the different people and different cultures instead of music.

If music isn’t a driving force for youth subculture now then what will be? What is driving you?

Words: Lauren Gibson

Lauren Hay

20. Cullen, Scotland

So Lauren, have you had an interest in fashion from a young age?

I dabbled with the idea of being a midwife, but then I realised you couldn’t wear high heels to work and I was like, “I am not wearing a uniform!” So then I thought about doing journalism, because I really liked English, and then I thought that in fashion no day would be the same. I get bored really easily.

You have a love for adventure, camping and festivals.

Do these inspire you?

As a fashion communicator I don’t think you should spend your money on clothes but on experiences. I do the most random things and every penny I earn goes towards a festival or a trip abroad which definitely influence my work.

Your mum is an artist and your dad works in marketing.

Do you feel this has been a big influence in your career choice?

People think you either have a creative or strategic brain, I think because of my mum and dad I’m in the middle. My dad provides the marketing jargon and my mum makes us queue for hours to see Michael Angelo sculptures. I’ve got the best of both worlds.

Do you ever get creative blocks?

I think I have the opposite problem. When I hear or see something I have a million ideas, it’s like my head explodes.

I enjoy heavy metal music yet my wardrobe is bursting with floral dresses so my tastes, ideas and style all conflict but it means no two projects are the same. Creative work should represent you, I go with ideas that interest me because they have more exciting results even if that means going against the grain.

It’s not long until you graduate, where do you see yourself in 5 - 10 years?

At the Met Ball Gala, glass of champagne in hand (laughs)…

Words: Alix Picken

Mannequins: The Silent Salespeople Mannequins are the secret stars of the fashion world. They are like buttons: an essential fashion component, but one to which we give little thought. Yet even in this world of e-commerce and shrinking shop fronts, mannequins continue to be the way fashion sells itself to its customers. They offer a real, threedimensional experience of how clothes should look through the eyes of the designer.

Mannequins are as old as fashion itself, historic forms varying from a wooden torso discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamen to the dress dolls of MarieAntionette. The modern mannequin was a Parisian invention in the 1800s following the introduction of electric lighting and large expanses of glass, a succession of stages had been created on the city streets of Europe and America.

The men and women who strolled the boulevards past these shop fronts were the audience; all that was needed were the actors. Enter, the mannequin.

Only in the sixties did mannequins begin to look like people. Shifting fashion and cultural attitudes demanded a new kind of display; as the mini skirt was introduced mannequins now required life like limbs to present it. Following this, the seventies brought liberation and transparency to the forefront of fashion hence Mannequins then required nipples to promote the bra burning era.

The power dressing of the 1980s meant mannequins adopted empowering stances with hands on hips and necks had to be lengthened to compensate for heightening shoulder pads.

In today’s society however, the evolution of the mannequin is never far from global headlines. For example, in 2007 the British government protested the

size of the figures in the high street windows did not represent a diversity of shapes and sizes. This backfired, with retail stores such as Debenhams who had adopted “real size” mannequins receiving complaints from customers who did not want to see retail stored normalising being overweight to younger generations. Fashion Blogger, Yanu explained “Would it be acceptable to accessorise the models with 20 Marlborough sticking out of their top pocket? Of course it wouldn’t, so why should it be acceptable to promote being overweight? Any promotion of an unhealthy habit to our children should be condemned should it not?”

Equal controversy was caused In Mumbai, where mannequins were banned from the city’s shop windows for fear of inciting the male population to sexual violence. In Saudi Arabia, where exposure of female skin is forbidden, even jewellery busts are problematic because they have collarbones. Despite their silence, the impact mannequins have on society is notable all over the world not just to those in the industry.

Fashion has always provided an escape – society craves attention, desires compliments and strives for innovation therefor a mannequin needs to represent this. Customers expect to see idealized images of themselves and what they aspire to be in the store’s displays. “People have always loved fantasy versions of the human figure,” says Michael Southgate, Creative Director of Adel Rootstein Display Mannequins of London and New York. “We’re brainwashed this way from early childhood with dolls and toy soldiers.”Mannequins undoubtedly have a greater longevity than the average

fashion model therefor their purpose of connecting reality with fantasy in a shop window is as massively money making as the garments themselves.

Roostein is one of the leading mannequin manufactures creating over 15,000 a year often selling at £800 a pop to Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior and Prada.

The industry is vital as it works hand in hand with the leading fashion houses – they are the first thing a customer sees, they establish the designer’s mood and essentially they entice the customer into the store. Having a great garment and a poor mannequin would be like the perfect script with a terrible actor. What’s dressed on the mannequin always sells, “Garments displayed on mannequins sell 43% faster,” says Anuraag Singhal, visual merchandiser at Allen Solly, a Madura Fashion & Lifestyle brand.

Ralph Pucci a mannequin maker from New York explained in a recent interview, “Merchandising is a dying art. You can’t just put a frock on a mannequin, you’ve got to bring some life to it. Mannequins are on show all day every day, these are the hardest working girls in fashion.” It’s certainly no secret online retailers prefer mannequins also, merchandising online with hired agency models is far more expensive than switching up the odd wig on a handful of mannequins.

Against a tidal wave of technology the mannequin is here to stay. The shop windows are the stages, the mannequins the actresses and the customer the audience; fashion is indeed a show that will continue to go on. It is an enticing concept in that something which says nothing means everything and without these silent salespeople the industry would be worth a great deal less than it is today.

Words: Lauren Hay

Hamish Duda, 22, Glasgow “I would rather risk everything to eventually end up living my dream” How has your past influenced your current dreams and where you are today?

I think after pretty much a solid three years focused on purely having a good time I realised everyone else around me was growing up and moving on. I was the only one left at the party and it was then that I really focused on discovering what I wanted to accomplish in my life. I don’t regret my reckless life choices though, because ultimately everything led me to the point I am at now.

If you could borrow someone’s wardrobe for the day, who would it be?

I would die to have Anders Solvsten Thomsen the Fashion Director of LOVE’s wardrobe. We already actually share a number of the same items.

Did your modelling roles inspire your passion for styling?

If anything my experiences should have discouraged me from pursuing a career as a stylist but I definitely have my own style and haven’t really been influenced by the stylists I have collaborated with so far.

What, who or where is your main source of inspiration?

The garments I am working with creatively inspire me, I honestly

Hamish Duda

feel that I could create a visually engaging image on any budget and with any model.

It’s clear you have a huge passion for the fashion industry, was this always the case?

The only possible career I could have ever dreamed of having was always within the fashion industry. I always knew that securing a job would involve a lot of hard work, long hours and competition against wide pool of talented individuals but I would rather risk everything to eventually end up living my dream.

Do you think working as a fashion assistant for HOPE ST mag has helped you develop your own personal style?

I actually think the opposite. HOPE ST is primarily a womenswear publication; I have learnt to adapt my aesthetic to a specific brief. My first styling job for HOPE ST was a beauty shoot that was completely out of my usual comfort zone but you just adjust your style to be applicable to the job at hand.

What would be your dream role within this industry?

To one day be in the financial position to develop and act as the editor of my own menswear publication. I never would have thought even a year ago that I’d have had the experiences I have had to date so now I genuinely believe any goal can be a reality if you are really driven and focus on achieving it.

Words: Amy Robinson

Fashion: An Industry built on lies and full of fakes?

The fashion industry has always been looked upon by many as a frivolous career path for an individual to actively pursue. This old fashioned mentality has become somewhat dated in the 21st century when you consider the fact that, according to Harold Tillman CBE who is acting Chairman of The British Fashion Council “Fashion directly contributes nearly ÂŁ21 billion to the UK economyâ€?.

It would appear that the fashion industry remains to flourish despite the recent economic problems that the country has faced but how has it managed this incredible feat and at what cost?

It is no secret that the intern has become a pivotal role within any fashion house, PR company or publication. In an industry that is reportedly spawning staggeringly high profits why are such a high proportion of the staff still working for free and with the minimum amount of credit attached to their work?

This season I attended London Fashion Week AW14 as a member of

the press which definitely served to expose the level of free labour that is required by all those who crave a career path within this competitive industry. I was shocked to discover the number of talented designers, including innovative individuals like Christopher Raeburn, whom I would consider to be established industry names, reduced to sitting next to rail upon rail of their own designs within Somerset House desperately seeking buyers for their latest seasonal offerings.

If the face of the brand still desperately awaits the confirmation of payment with regard to their latest collection perhaps it is no wonder the free and willing intern is still an industry necessity in these uncertain financial situations.

Perhaps it is the idea of glamour that allows the fashion industry to successfully enlist and then subsequently replace a constant stream of fresh faced free workers. In various other work sectors interns are utilized but the factors relating to future job prospects and finan-

cial compensation for their work have a greater degree of flexibility.

The full blame however cannot be solely left upon the shoulders of those in fashion power positions, after interviewing a number of fashion students in attendance at this seasons London Fashion Week it became very evident that the attitude and the aspirations of a number of the individuals applying for internships within the fashion sector have changed.

Now the goal of a high percentage of those pursuing work experience in fashion is to acquire a designer wardrobe, attend an array of exclusive events and make a celebrity best friend. The ironic truth is that the intentions of a high percentage of the people currently working for free in the industry are just as fake as those of the employers who use and abuse them.

Words: Hamish Duda

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