the Look. DCU issue 2 17/18 by The Look

CONTENT Letter from editors

Body Confident 5 The Queen of Styling: Justine King Play 2 win

Behind the scenes

Influencing the referendum

How to thrift: an insiderÂ´s guide

Is social media damaging our mental health? 33 Streetstyle in DCU

The rise of lip fillers and non surgical procedures in Ireland 40 Feminism and nudity; the ethical conundrum 43 Meet the Irish designer making magic on the jewellery scene Credits

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The summer months are just around the corner which means coming out from under the safety of our layers and exposing ourselves that bit more. It can be hard to enjoy the warmer months when you don’t feel your best, however, confidence comes from within and following these simple tips will help you feel more confident heading towards summer time.

Body

Confident

1 Respect the body you

already have while working for the body you want. Details of different types of summer dieting/weight loss advice may vary but the core message always seems to be the same, that changing your body will make you enjoy summer more. Challenge this false and harmful notion and treat your body as worthy of respect and love. If changing

by Colleen Brady

your body is your goal, do it a safe and healthy way while also embracing the body that you already have. Make yourself feel good physically by nourishing your body with wholesome foods and plenty of water. Move your body in ways that make you feel comfortable and in ways in which you find fun. Exercises like dancing, Zumba or boxing can be a lot more fun than running on a treadmill. 5

Focus on respecting the abilities of your body and the amazing things it does for you and not just its outward appearance. Personal trainer Becca Gillen says, “Feeling body confident is all about being comfortable in your own skin rather than being a certain ‘size’. If you feel strong and healthy, are exercising, getting enough sleep, water and looking after your general health and wellbeing

it should really help. Being surrounded by supportive and positive people will also contribute”.

2 Celebrate your body by

wearing clothes that make you feel confident and carefree. Get yourself a swimsuit or bikini that suits your shape and that makes you feel confident, because ultimately, if you are comfortable in something you will automatically feel more confident.

High-waisted bikinis with more structured bustier tops and swim suits have become really popular in the last few years, nearly more popular than bikinis. This swimwear covers you up that bit more so is therefore a winner for people who aren’t as body confident.

Avoid the bloat. Cutting down as much as possible on simple carbohydrates is important.

These include refined sugar, sweets, biscuits, cakes, alcohol, fizzy drinks, many processed foods and sugary breakfast cereals. They can really impact on weight loss, and especially the fat stored around your middle. Eating a well-balanced diet packed with whole, fresh, one-ingredient foods is important, as is keeping an eye on portion sizes. Remember

you might not see a difference on the scales, but just increasing light raw vegetables in your diet can debloat you and make you feel better.

“Doing an extreme diet before summer will more than likely end up in beginning” Becca says, “Tackling bloating varies for everyone. Some people have intolerances to dairy, eggs or even broccoli! The main tip for beating bloating is to drink enough water and avoid too many processed foods.” If you’re looking to trim down a small bit before the summer, plan in advance. “ Doing an extreme diet before summer will more than likely end up in beginning, low energy and outing back on anything you’ve lost. Focus on increasing activity, even just steps like walking to college. Then focus on cutting down a small bit on food.” The hardest thing of all is we really are our own worst enemies when it comes to feeling good about ourselves. There’s no magic wand you can wave that will give you a ‘dream’ body or make you love the one you have instantly. Try to avoid comparison, even if that means being more careful about images or people you are exposed to. Small changes make a big difference. 6

hen Irish fashion stylist Justine King arrived in New York City as a young and enthusiastic college student, she had no idea that the experience she’d gain there would pave the way for her being the established stylist and successful business women that she is today. While interning in the PR department with fashion designer Catherine Malandrino she saw first-hand what exactly being a stylist entails and realised “this is the dream”. From a very young age Justine was drawing dresses and making her own handmade magazines. Despite having notebooks filled with her designs throughout her school life, she never thought about studying design at college as she assumed you’d need to have studied art for the Leaving Cert, and didn’t realise at the time that there were many other fashion related career paths.

department with fashion designer Catherine Malandrino while on a J1, and while she was there she realised that this was the job she was born to do.

The life of a fashion intern in New York is not as glamorous as one might think. Anyone who has seen ‘The devil wears Prada’ will know that it paints with long hours for little or no money, which according to Justine is unfortunately the harsh reality. “I had to fund living in Manhattan with no financial help while interning unpaid, so I was working in a bar at night” she said. “It was full on but New York is full on in general and everyone works hard and plays hard so you’re no exception, you just thrive on the madness and exhaustion of it all.”

“I did a few test shoots with friends during my final year in college then moved to New York for a year after graduation, interning again in PR at PR Consulting and then finally landing my dream internship with stylist Mel Ottenberg.”

After moving home from New York Justine entered and won a competition run by TV3 and Oasis who were looking to find Ireland’s Next Top Stylist. “That’s where it all began in Ireland for me” she said. Since then Justine has been living her dream as a freelance stylist, being her own boss and doing a job that encompasses much more than styling alone. “You’re the CEO, the COO, the accountant, the PR manager and the marketing manager” she said.

Justine was a big fan of Mel’s work, particularly his more risqué shoots with Terry Richardson and although at “I had never heard of a stylist that point she had vowed or really thought about the never to work unpaid again, Most recently she’s been fact that there were any other when she saw Mel was working on projects including fashion-related jobs other than recruiting she couldn’t turn editorials for Totally Dublin, has a designer,” she said. it down. “Those five months shot the cover of RTE Guide However, while studying were huge for me but also for with Rachel Allen, shot Xposé Drama and Sociology in Trinity Mel, who became Rihanna’s pieces for various brands and College, she found an outlet stylist during that time and still even has a music video in the for her creativity within the is to this day. I learnt so much pipeline. costume department. invaluable experience and “I loved building mood boards although it was tough I’d do it all again.” and researching characters and enjoyed when I’d be given 8

“The rest can’t be revealed just yet but there’s big things happening” she said, all of which is soon to be revealed on her website www.justinekingstyling.com.

The life of a fashion stylist is without a doubt challenging, however Justine has showed that with hard work, dedication and a little self believe landing your dream job can become a reality. “Don’t expect things to happen overnight,” she advises. “It takes time to build up your career and before you’ll make decent money but don’t be taken advantage of either; know your worth and believe in yourself. You’ll need to delve in to that self-worth reserve during the tougher times.”

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TOP_ZARA EARRING_H&M SKIRT_FOLKSTER JACKET_FOLKSTER SHOE_EGOSHOES.COM 16

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Influencing the referendum Helen O’Neill

Women in numbers travel, shrouded in secrecy, from Ireland every year to get access to safe abortions. And as the upcoming referendum looms nearer, these women are becoming less silenced from influential supporters. As the pro-choice side gears up to Repeal the 8th, support is being garnered from all corners of Ireland. One of the many influential supports comes from the theatre company Bump & Grind. ‘BUMP’, the theatres play written and directed by Rosa Bowden, is a one woman play about a girl in the waiting room of an abortion clinic. Speaking to Bowden, she said that there has been a lot of mutual support between BUMP and the coalition to Repeal the 8th. ‘We’ve mainly been engaging with them on social media mainly because the more we can all come together as one cause the more effective it will be. And I think we have gotten more audience numbers based on their promotion of us online. It’s just all the one cause.’ The play isn’t specifically about the Irish experience with abortion and for good reason according to Bowden. ‘It’s just about abortion and it’s to demystify the subject and give an unbiased account of it. We mainly wanted to tackle the idea of abortion on demand and using abortion as contraception and what that means. We want to take it out of that moral place it exists in here.’ As well as support from influential theatre groups, Repeal has some big names and organisations behind it. The Hunreal Issues, successful social media group, are a member of the coalition for Repeal the 8th who advocate for women’s issues in Ireland. Hunreal approaches women’s issues on their site and social media in a way that young women, specifically Irish, can relate to through their use of language. The site, run by, has its own section about Repeal and why Hunreal Issues promote the campaign. ‘All the big guns around the world support access to safe abortion. World Health Organisation; Amnesty International and even the United Nations Committee has said abortion is a human right...We want the government to hear us and give us what we want: the power and right to choose what

happens to our own stunning body. This will only happen if we get a referendum to Repeal the 8th Amendment.’ The site also contains facts for women to educate themselves on repeal and abortion such as 9 Irish women go abroad everyday to get abortions, meaning over 3,000 seek medical care for abortions every year outside of Ireland. Blogger support on Instagram from the likes of hugely popular Anouska Proetta Brandon and Leanne Woodfull. Woodfull is an influential Irish blogger with a huge following of 65.3k on Instagram. Her support for the Repeal the 8th campaign is loud and outspoken, with her icon featuring the red heard Repeal logo. On her blog, Thunder and Threads, Leanne penned an open letter to her fellow Irish influencers and bloggers about their silence when it comes to supporting Repeal the 8th. “Today’s youth look at bloggers and social media influencers quicker than they do television celebrities or pop stars. We have a bigger clout at our disposal, yet it goes to waste. Every single day. I have no respect for your silence.” Woodfull carried on in her piece to explain the 8th Amendments current status “I’ve talked about Ireland’s abortion rights crisis on here before and discuss it constantly on social media so I’m sure many of you reading this are aware of the situation. If not, let me summarise: it’s currently ILLEGAL to have an abortion in Ireland. Free, safe and legal abortion access is not provided for women* (people* - we must remember to keep our language inclusive!), despite it being a basic healthcare option for most worldwide.” Support and anger for lack of support from Irish personalities is mirrored by the staggering numbers of Irish women who seek abortions. Between 1980 and 2016, based on the UK Department of Health statistics, at least 168,703 women and girls who accessed UK abortion services provided Irish addresses according to the Irish Family Planning Agency (IFPA). As the referendum looms, more and more influential people are giving their support to the Repeal campaign. While some are afraid to take such a political stance, there is no fear that Repeal the 8th will have influential support up until the end.

How to thrift: an insider’s guide by Emma Collins There is nothing more infuriating to the 21st century fashionista than asking someone where they purchased a statement piece and hearing “picked it up in a thrift shop”. For the majority of the population, vintage shops are where worn out dad jeans and ill-fitting shoulder padded shirts go to die.

eBay with the simplicity of Instagram. Simply follow users such as your favourite blogger or influencer and spend hours swiping through different pieces, outfits and looks they are selling.

Instagrammer Emma Zoey Roche tells The Look that Depop and eBay are ideal for As the number of designers lamenting buying items that are “hard to find” or “sell bygone eras has increased, so has the out quickly”. Keen vintage shopper Grainne quantity of vintage shops. Whether you want Binns also adds that Depop is perfect for to wear head to toe vintage Gucci or just buy finding specific items and looks and adds a few pieces to spruce up your everyday look, that it is key to search “different variations” these are the shops and platforms that will of exactly what you are looking for on the aid you on your quest. app and make sure that your filter is switched onto worldwide as sadly there are very few As the craze for social media only increases avid Irish Depop users however she has it’s easy to see how the vintage shopping bug found “gems” from the UK. has moved online. Apps and websites such as ASOS Market Place and Depop allow for As every good millennial knows, many people to thrift pieces like never it’s important to keep your friends close and before. Depop is the self-proclaimed your influencers closer. Depop, ASOS Market “creative community’s mobile marketplace.” Place and eBay has in many ways It combines the easy buy and sell features of revolutionised the second hand shopping

experience and allows one to buy statement pieces from across the globe with just a few clicks of a button. Navigating vintage shops themselves can be daunting. A good starting point is finding thrift shops in your locality, such as Siopaella in Dublin, Nine Crows in Galway and Spice Vintage in Limerick. Many of these smaller establishments purchase stock from the same retailers as large vintage boutiques and are a fraction of the price. CEO of Siopaella Ella de Guzman informs The Look that vintage shoppers must be eagle eyed in their approach. Although wear and tear adds character to pieces one must be aware of “value for money” according to Grace from Vintageous Rags. Grace also adds that people sometimes lose themselves in vintage shops so creating a budget before you go in can maximise the quality of your vintage looks over the quantity of old clothes. Grace reiterates that a good value system is key to a funky wardrobe. Grace advises that trying things on in vintage shops is essential as sizes and fits change throughout the decades.

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Ella explains that knowing a good seamstress can also aid you on your quest as reinventing vintage garments can breathe new life into bygone pieces. These second hand shops often involve a thorough search and a weekly check in however these can pay off. A trick of the trade is to find out what day of the week new stock comes in. Then you have the first pick of their new pieces. Small vintage shops are really the backbone to an eclectic retro wardrobe. What all of the contributors agree on is that vintage shopping takes time. Vintage shopping takes weekly check ins and constant perusal. This time, in their eyes, is worth it for the pieces that evoke an emotive response in them and the way they feel wearing them. So the next time you are perusing through a vintage shop and think that it’s a graveyard of garments remember that vintage shopping is a process and that even if you find nothing on that occasion, online websites and apps now allow you to thrift from the comfort of your own home.

maging a d ia d e m l ia c Is so alth? our mental he er by Katie Gallagh

hen Gigi Hadid steps out anywhere, she knows it’s going to be a media circus of flashing lights and camera clicks, so if the supermodel wants to make her point loud and clear she is well aware of how to gain such attention. The blonde beauty, who has been vocal about her stance on social media having taking long breaks from the social platforms in the past, walked out in front of paparazzi carrying her phone in a tiny bag, with a warning sticker on her red phone case. The case, from Urban Sophistication reads “Social media seriously harms your mental health,” and according to its description on the site it is a reminder that Social media posts can set unrealistic expectations and create feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

While it is unclear whether the statement set out to act as exactly that- a statement, or just Hadid’s own personal reminder of the dangers of the internet, it has completed the job of both and did not go unnoticed. Ciarán Austin from the National Office for Suicide Prevention in Ireland highlights how the internet and social media are increasingly becoming a more substantial part of everyday life. “We now have at our disposal, tools and platforms to connect, share, learn and converse at so many different levels, in real-time,” he said. “This unbridled level of connectedness, will at times leave us exposed to harmful, upsetting or dangerous content.

“

It is a reminder that Social media posts can set unrealistic expectations and create feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

This can understandably have a negative impact on our mental health, in particular causing higher levels of anxiety, poor self-esteem or affect our relationships with those closest to us,” he continued. However, Austin said that this doesn’t have to always be the case stating that they welcome the fact that all the major social media platforms have significantly invested in empowering users, and making their spaces safer, more responsible communities. The authors of a recent Facebook blogpost, Director of Research, David Ginsberg and Research scientist at Facebook, Moira Burke, acknowledged that ‘passive’ consumption of material online can make people ‘feel worse’, but argued that more engagement could improve well-being.

“In sum, our research and other academic literature suggests that it’s about how you use social media that matters when it comes to your well-being,” they said. Echoing the blogpost, Austin said we all need to invest time to learn more about filtering, blocking, moderation, settings and privacy. “The internet and social media can be forces for good. But, it is always advisable to keep your online activity and usage levels in check, stay safe and make a conscientious effort to ensure all the connections you have with have with others, are meaningful and helpful for your mental health,” he concluded. However, studies continue to find that Facebook and all

the other social media sites can have a damaging effect on the mental and emotional wellbeing of users, especially younger people. A study from UC San Diego and Yale found that people who clicked on about four times as many links as the average person, or who liked twice as many posts, reported worse mental health than average in a survey, according to the blogpost. “Though the causes aren’t clear, researchers hypothesize that reading about others online might lead to negative social comparison, and perhaps even more so than offline, since people’s posts are often more curated and flattering.” This comes after the string of controversy in the blogging and

influencer industry in Ireland where social media influencers were called out publically on their altered images which were deemed as unattainable and negative influences on their followers well-being. On the other hand, the Facebook blogpost referred to an experiment at Cornell, where stressed college students were randomly assigned to scroll through their own Facebook profiles for five minutes. As this resulted in boosts in self-affirmation compared to students who looked at a stranger’s Facebook profile, it reflects the idea that how we use these platforms really does impact how they affect our well-being.

STREET STYLE IN DCU DCUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s street style experts Ruth Hodder and Mitchell Gouding took to the halls of DCU to explore some of the best college fashion of semester two

Left and below: AoibhĂn Crowley shows that casual style doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be dull. Her bright yellow jacket paired with a matching bag adds a pop of colour to an every day look

Bottom Four: These two friends coordinate and clash in the best of ways. Their block colours of deep red and mustard yellow combined with warm layers make them a pair to be reckoned with.

Right and below: Ali Horan is quintessential opulence in this look. A jarring juxtaposition that has an air of rough elegance to it. The prim pinstripe skirt pays compliment to the cut-off Dr. Martens creating an impression of neat & preppy dress. The Burberry coat ads an air of chique, subdued femininity to t he look.

Left and below: By bringing together contrasting block colours and a quirky style, Orla projects her off-the-cuff personality with ease. Her red fringe is a nice touch as well as it adds a pop of colour to whatever outfit sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wearing. 39

The rise of lip fillers and non surgical procedures in Ireland

the day. The demand for non surgical cosmetic surgeries such as lip fillers, cheek fillers and botox have skyrocketed in recent years, with many dubbing it ‘the Kylie Jenner effect’.

By Tess O’Connor The growth of the beauty industry in recent years has been huge. With the help of the new phenomena of beauty bloggers, new trends are springing up every minute.

The power influencers hold is undisputed. Huge amounts of young people are now qualifying as MUAs or setting up their own YouTube channel and blogs. The benefits of which are clear to see, however it is rare to go onto a beauty influencers page and not see a ‘Kylie Jenner inspired look’, which mainly consists of over drawn lips.

Watching tutorials by home grown girl bosses like Suzanne Jackson or international influencers such as Shani Grimmond have become a part of the daily routine for many young people. They religiously follow their content and buy the products mentioned, aspiring to their ideal of perfection.

In previous years, changing your looks cosmetically was generally only done by high-income earners in their late 30s who wanted to slow down the ageing process.

However, it’s argued that the problem with the beauty industry recently is that it can’t be just be wiped off at the end of

Nowadays, women as young as 18 are changing their facial features striving to look like what they see on social media. “If there was no such thing as social media I never would have got them done, ever” says Carla (22) from Dublin who has gotten her lips filled three times. “They were something I’d always wanted but was sceptical about what people would think and I didn’t want to be judged. However, as it became more of a thing on Instagram and I saw everyone else getting them done with such good results. I made up my mind that I wanted to get them” she continued.

“Because of Instagram, especially the likes of Kylie Jenner and so many girls in Dublin doing it, it just became normal”, Carla said. Likewise, Emma (21) from South Dublin had a similar experience.“I wanted my lips done because the majority of my generation have theirs filled. I notice on Instagram in particular, that the majority of the girls I’d find really attractive had theirs done and it definitely

influenced mydsion,” she said. However, Emma did get the procedure done for free for allowing a training doctor to fill her lips. “Although they are something I have wanted for a long time, I probably wouldn’t have ended up getting them done if I had to pay for them,” she admitted.

Contrary to Emma, more and more people are willing to pay hundreds of euro for a new plumped up pout, with most people having the procedure done multiple times. While the results are instant and long lasting (6 months on average) for people like Carla who have a fast metabolism, the formula dissolves at a faster rate, resulting in the need for top ups.

doctor,” she said.

However, as the age gets younger and the demand increases, too little people aren’t making themselves aware of the dangers and realities surrounding such cosmetic work according to Dublin-based therapist, Sophie Haine.

“We give all of our clients all the information that they need when they come into the clinic and they have to fill out a full consultation form which outlines any possible dangers.”

It’s extremely important for any medical procedure that you research and choose your doctor carefully. “We advise our clients not to research extensively online before their procedure because they can often freak themselves out,” Haine said.

Although the demand for lip fillers is steadily on the rise, botox is still the most popular treatment according to Haine, with an increase in male clients.

“When it comes to lips, younger clients want those desired big lips. However, they usually get them smaller than they originally wanted after talking to the

Feminism & nudity BY GABIJA GATAVECKAITE Nudity: it’s what it is underneath the designer labels, the makeup, the layers of fabric. Feminism: it’s the movement that has allowed women to vote and advocates for equality of the sexes. The two have interlinked often-we all remember the women marching bare breasted at the GoToplessDay march in “That’s the last thing that I’m doing. Los Angeles in 2016. However, when a woman wears clothing that shows skin, the I think feminism should be women doing however they please, regardless of what presumption is that she’s not a feminist. women think.” Brennan emphasises the Oddly enough, that same ethical conun- importance of sexuality. “I want people to drum doesn’t apply for men. Instagram feel free and I think sexuality is something has given the platform for millions across to be embraced and explored, especially the world to express themselves in every for women because there is still that weird shape, size or form- with the exclusion of taboo around it,” she adds. genitalia and the female nipple. This paves Social media can be an effortless tool the way for women to show off their bodies in short skirts or delicate bralettes. This not only for self-expression, but now we begs the question- is this just another step see political movements have their bigtowards the liberalisation of women (men gest impacts online. Although the #MeToo have no issue taking off their tops in pub- and #TimesUp movements were triggered lic, after all) or does this take feminism a on Twitter, they spilled over to Instagram in no time- who is no stranger to politics, step back? being the home of #FreeTheNipple. Instagram influencer Jess Brennan isn’t “It’s sad that there has to be such a reserved when posting photos of herselfa lot of them see her sporting lingerie. movement,” says Brennan. “Female nip“I get very mixed responses on my more ples are sexualised by men, but I notice a revealing outfit choices by so called fem- lot of photos reported for nipples showing inists. Most would be praising and sup- are reported by women. The same women porting me for having the confidence to who would identify as feminists… where is do so, whereas others would disagree as the sense in that?” Feminist celebrities have too crossed they think I’m sexualising myself for men,” the blurred line and worn revealing clothshe says. ing- like Emma Watson or Nicki Minaj,

facing huge backlash in return. In a Vogue opinion piece, feminist Reni Eddo-Lodge claimed that “in all cases, a woman’s body is assumed to be someone else’s before it is her own. If she takes off her clothes, it is seen to be a sign of her insecurity and need for validation, rather than feeling comfortable with herself.” This perhaps explains the negative reaction to seeing actresses we know and love in the flesh for the first time. Bianca Burgio is a multimedia student at DCU and has an Instagram with over 7,000 followers. “I don’t think that what you wear should define anything about feminism. Sometimes I get to see people wearing tiny clothes and showing a lot of skin and that is something that I couldn’t bring myself to do

for the only reason that I don’t feel as comfortable as they do,” she says. “I think that feminism should not depend on clothes, neither on what people wear or decide to ‘put over their skin and body’, if that makes sense. Women have fought for a long time just be able to wear a swimsuit that doesn’t cover their knees,” she adds. As our society rapidly changes and evolves, women’s liberation movements will clash time and time again. Showing some skin is just yet another outfit choice. Feminism is a malleable movement and it ultimately represents all women.

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Meet the Irish designer making magic on the jewellery scene

By Rachel Farrell “It’s a really amazing field to be in because you meet people on their happiest days, when there has been a proposal or gotten married and you meet them on their sad days, when something really tough has happened. You get to be part of this really precious feeling and that’s such an incredible privilege.

In the world of Irish fashion design, jewellery often goes unnoticed. Simone Rocha, Paul Costelloe and Orla Kiely have become household names on the runwaybut one designer making her mark in the jewellery world is Chupi Sweetman. The Irish jewellery designer is known for her elaborate engagement rings and pretty pendants. Each piece of jewellery is designed, manufactured and finished here in Ireland. The Chupi brand has become synonymous with careful attention to detail and beautiful designs. Chupi’s Instagram page is just a snippet into her world. Her pink packaging is instantly recognisable, and each image features a story of the person who bought the piece. “We like to say that we’re the happiness business,” she explained.

“I think my heart is always going to be with the engagement rings, because I fell in love with jewellery because of them and my own engagement ring. To see the people who are about to propose, the guys and girls picking out the rings- it’s amazing.”

home. When I started there was all this incredible talent, but we wanted to build a brand in Ireland with an international resonance. “We wanted to compete with the big guys and create something that will resonate with people that may have never even been to Ireland.”

Chupi originally started her own fashion label when she was just 17. She was only 21 when she was scouted by Topshop, where she spent the next 6 years creating womenswear collections for the UK and Ireland. After some time, she realised that high street fashion wasn’t where her heart was.

When asked what advice she’d give to anyone considering the bling business, Chupi warned that “it’s not an easy path, but nothing is”.

“I then fell out of love with fast fashion and creating things that didn’t have any meaning. So I quit Topshop and I began to train as a goldsmith.”

“I think it’s much more passionate to find something you love and put your heart and soul in it. You’ll never find a career that falls into your lap, if you want to make it work, of course you can. Anything is possible”.

Breaking solo into the Irish fashion world wasn’t easy for the young designer. But she was determined to create something that would spread “a little bit of magic” at home and across the pond. “Given how much talent we have, we have some of the best designers in the world and we tend to export them rather than keeping our talent at

“Really focus on the business side of it, I think. When you’re pitching to all the big creatives they can say ‘oh it’s quite lovely, you make pretty things’ and they don’t get to work on the harder skills. Analytics and financial strategies are other areas that are also really enjoyable, and you could find your happiness in that too.” As for inspiration, Chupi finds hers in the stories around her. She starts with the story and creates collections based around it.

pieces is ‘you are my sun, my moon and my stars’ and I’ve always just loved those words. I think they’re so precious and I would always start from that and think- where is that going to take me. “That’s how I fell in love with making jewellery-I fell in love with the idea of making magic.” In the world of Irish fashion design, jewellery often goes unnoticed. Simone Rocha, Paul Costelloe and Orla Kiely have become household names on the runwaybut one designer making her mark in the jewellery world is Chupi Sweetman.

“One of our most popular

CR ED ITS Editors

Production Editors

Rachel Farrell Farrell Rachel Tess O’Connor O’Connor Tess

Kyle Ewald Ewald Kyle Jakub Majko Majko Jakub Elsa McEvoy McEvoy Elsa Fionnuala Walsh Walsh Fionnuala

Sub Editor Editor Sub

Hellen O’Neill O’Neill Hellen

Production Production Assistant Assistant

Street Style

Laura Duffy Duffy Laura

Photographer

Niamh McKeown McKeown Niamh

Photoshoot Stylists

Ruth Hodder Hodder Ruth Mitchell Goudie Goudie Mitchell

Laura Duffy Duffy Laura Gabriella Tallafus Tallafus Gabriella

Makeup

Model

Beth Burns Burns Beth

Benedicte Akambu Akambu Benedicte

With special special thanks thanks to to Mr. Mr. B’s B’s at at Nutgrove Nutgrove Shopping Shopping Centre, Centre, Campus Campus print print and and Neogen, Neogen, Folkster, Folkster, With Justine King, King, Chupi Chupi Sweetman, Sweetman, Soraya Soraya James James and and the the rest rest of of DCU DCU style style society society and and of of course, course, to to all all of of Justine 48 our brilliant brilliant writers writers and contributors. contributors. our and

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