25
WINTER ‘19|20
THE NEW GEN WARRIORS
Madonna
Welcome to Issue 25: Editor Meet the New Gen Warriors
As 2019 draws to a finale, we cast an eye on the upcoming party season to shine a light on those drawn out nights. Glitter and glam is in big supply as we celebrate new beginnings associated with a new decade, and a new generation to follow. At a time of uncertainty with the current political climate (to Brexit or not to Brexit, that is the question) Voir looks to the future against adversity, with hope and optimism, in the direction of those who will continue to change the world, and shape it how they please. Issue 25 is all about the New Gen Warriors; the risk-takers and the rulebreakers who smash the boundaries of gender, race, sexuality, size and stereotype Centre stage is our inimitable cover star, social media mogul and beauty boss Nikita Dragun with her future-facing philosophy, striking a pose to an entirely new beat. We have insights and interviews with Todrick (there’s no place like home) Hall; Felicity (I hate the word diversity) Hayward; Sharon (Afro-politan beauty) Chuter; Sensen (there are no boundaries) Lii; Kira (fantasy foot wear for all) Goodey; Nadia (magically peculiar) Lee Cohen; and Freddie (wit for the eyes) Smithson. We have gone international this season as Voir ‘does’ LA, and we’ve a fabulous folio of images to share instead of the usual T-shirt. Alongside our regular decadent
runway trends, we offer to you, dear reader, a high fashion editorial to pick your fighter for the party season. Issue 25 promises a plethora of talent which continues to not only change the landscape of creativity, expression and inclusion, but to challenge and break the status quo – our ones to watch for 2020. xx
Jyoti Matoo
Editor-In-Chief jm@voirfashion.co.uk
trends Words by Hena Sharma, Montages by Luke Walwyn
CHIMI
ZARA
ATTICO
MAX MARA
JACQUEMUS
CHRISTOPHER KANE
ZARA
VERSACE
BALENCIAGA
RANJANA KHAN
ERDEM
GIORGIO ARMANI
PAMELLA ROLAND
ROSANTICA
SAINT LAURENT
RANJANA KHAN
ATTICO
MARY KATRANTZOU
PRADA
MARC JACOBS
MELISSA KAYE
AMINA MUADDI
JACQUIE AICHE
SAINT LAURENT
ZARA
FRED LEIGHTON
ASPINAL OF LONDON
COMMANDO@ SELFRIDGES
BALMAIN
SANDRA MANSOUR
VERSACE
ALAÏA
BIENEN-DAVIS
TOPSHOP
MICHAEL KORS
16 ARLINGTON
SIES MARJAN
CHAOS
MALONE SOULIERS
NEW YORK & COMPANY
FENDI
CARDI B
NEW YORK & COMPANY
JIMMY CHOO
BOUCHERON
FENDI
TOMMY HILFIGER
TOPSHOP
FENDI
PYER MOSS
HALPERN
GIORGIO ARMANI
KURT GEIGER
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
LOU LOU
CHANEL
SELF-PORTRAIT
SAINT LAURENT
ZARA
1. Colour Crush Lover of kaleidoscopic colour? Then the Colour Crush trend is perfect for you. Versace, Christopher Kane and Balenciaga went all out in their use of neon magenta, turquoise and cyan in their latest collections. Saturated hues are a necessity to fight against winter’s gloom. 2. Big Bird Big and bold feathers made quite the appearance on the AW19 runways. Erdem, Ellie Saab and Giorgio Armani all committed to the ‘go big or go home’ mantra with their extravagant use of delicate and ethereal plume. Incorporate this into your winter wardrobe to soar into the New Year equipped with grandiose feathers that will captivate every eye in the room. 3. Hell 4 Leather Take a cue to join the leather trend from Balmain, A.W.A.K.E and Emilio Pucci’s Fall collections. Leather on leather definitely made an appearance with high-gloss pitted against a buttery matt in Pucci’s show. Who said leather was reserved just for bags and belts? If AW19 has shown us anything, it’s the versatility of the material – being tulled, folded, layered and constructed into ostentatious and arresting garments. 4. Egg Yolk Yellow Miss the sun? Bring it back by injecting this buttery hue into your Autumn wardrobe. Fashion Month saw the Egg Yolk Yellow trend take centre stage. From Max Mara to Escada, this summery tone was seen in just about every form – long flowy gowns, tailored blazers, pleated skirts – you name it. Reminiscent of citrine gems and summertime daydreams, this golden shade is a must-have for this season. 5. Power Shoulders Nothing says party season quite like Power Shoulders. Exaggerated and extravagant, the adventurous shoulder look was flaunted by YSL, Halpern and Pamella Roland in their AW19 collections. Their formidable and silhouette-altering designs certainly harked back to the 80s in form, but wide shoulder pads were substituted with layered tulle, sculptured and gravitydefying shapes and asymmetric cold-shoulders. Incorporate this razzle-dazzle into your look and never look back.
PICK YOUR FIGHTER
Styling & Concept: Jyoti Matoo and Satchin Gogna Photographer: Toby Shaw Retoucher: Fani Martin Hair Stylist: Shona Moran MUA: Abbie May MUA Assistant: Carly Samantha Editorial Assistants: Fiona Campbell, Shona Moran, Hena Sharma Model: Carmel Roger - Premier Model Management Graphic Design & Illustration: Luke Walwyn
Libidex Red, White and Black Dress – POA GCDS Pink and Red Fur Coat – POA Libidex Black Tights – £90 Elissa Poppy Omega Opera Glove - £65 GCDS Zebra Platform Heels – £434
GCDS Maxi Puff-Up Sleeve Body - £202 GCDS Purple Boots – POA GCDS Faux Fur Logo Coat - £816 GCDS Diamante Belt – £135 Poppy Lissiman Elton Pink Sunglasses - £102
Libidex Negatron Dress Green and Black – £215 Juicy Couture Bandeau Black – POA Elissa Poppy Omega Opera Glove - £65 GCDS Stretch Boots Green and Black – £1,001 Jaded London Lime Green Coat - £150
Libidex White Phasma Catsuit - £400 Angel Chen Striped Long Coat - £810
Jivomir Domoustchiev Vinyl sculpture bustier - £179 Jimovir Domoustchiev Multi Ring Belt - £200 Jimovir Domoustchiev Multi-ring collar necklace - £79 Elissa Poppy Disco Pant - £115 Elissa Poppy Omega Opera Gloves - £65 Koi White Star Thigh High Boots - £45
Elissa Poppy Chi Cowgirl Chaps - £325 Elissa Poppy Tau Thong - £175 Elissa Poppy Zeta Zip Corset - £450 Libidex Negatrop Top - £185 Poppy Lissiman Elton Sunglasses Black - £102
YEAR OF THE DRAGUN
Styling & Concept - Jyoti Matoo Photographer - Brandon Jameson Retoucher: Fani Martin Hair Stylist - @hair_by_jay1 MUA - Steven Campbell Tabimba Production Managers - Sasha Green and Fiona Campbell
Interview by Pippa Simmonds
Nikita Dragun likes to be in control. Everything from the Shakira-heavy playlist that accompanies the preparations for our LA shoot, to the contents of her ‘Dragun Egg’ (not a euphemism) is governed down to the very last detail, she tells Voir… “My dream was always to be this bad boss bitch,” Nikita explains, in case we hadn’t already picked up on her ‘bad boss bitch’ traits from her self-assured demeanour (disclaimer – a conversation with Nikita is almost 100% likely to repeatedly include the word ‘bitch’). “So, *bitch*, you’d better believe I was gonna make sure I had the CEO title.” Nikita’s talking about her sell-out beauty brand, Dragun Beauty, which she launched earlier this year. She claims to be completely immersed in every nook and cranny of the business; so we’re keen to hear more about her entrepreneurial spirit. Nikita has always insisted against putting her face to a brand just for the sake of it, “like all those little influencers out there”, and while she’s previously had associations with a small selection of make-up brands, including Morphe, she maintains that her own line is utterly unique and “completely me”. If you’re unaware, the entire premise of Nikita’s brand is inclusivity, and the concept behind it is her own personal ‘growth, glamour and groundedness’, throughout both her transition and career. The line currently consists of the DragunFire® Skin Perfecting Potion, and the DragunHeart® TRANSformation Face Powder, which are both available to purchase alone, or as a part of the famed DragunEgg® Transformation Kit. More recently, this September saw the release of Dragun Beauty’s Face Palette. A self-confessed perfectionist, she’s “overly involved at times, but never to a fault”, with every component and product formula subject to a Dragun onceover. All products are also vegan and cruelty free, and she tells us that 2020 will see yet more exciting new launches for her fervent army of ‘Draguns’.
Body harness with Swarovski’s Crystals - Bjorn Van Den Berg - POA Restricted Strapless Body - Atsuko Kudo - £200 Slythering Swarovski Snake Gloves - KerryParker -£40
“If you’re unaware, the entire premise of Nikita’s brand is inclusivity, and the concept behind it is her own personal ‘growth, glamour and groundedness’, throughout both her transition and career.”
Dragon Boots - Kira Goodey - POA Restricted Strapless Body - Atsuko Kudo - £200 Aphrodite Bracelet - Bjorn Van Den Berg - €750 GCDS Bold Stones Chocker - GCDS - £112
Aphrodite Body - Bjorn Van Den Berg - POA Aphrodite Chocker- Bjorn Van Den Berg - POA Custom Opera Nail Gloves - Majesty Black - POA Aphrodite Earrings Large - Bjorn Van Den Berg - â‚Ź349
As a trans woman in the spotlight, Nikita is, sadly, all too accustomed to negative comments. In a message that’s important to all her loyal followers, particularly those adjusting to their own identities within the LGBTQ+ community, Nikita affirms: “People will always talk about you negatively when threatened [by you], so I take it as a compliment. I know I’m the baddest bitch, so nobody can say anything to sway my opinion.” Her confidence is unfaultable, and as someone who spent a large portion of her early life somewhat hiding her true identity, it’s also quite remarkable. The only thing that stays hidden in her life nowadays is time with her family and friends, which bar the occasional collaboration with a fellow YouTuber or Instagram star – happens behind closed doors. I’m interested to hear about Nikita’s experiences of sexism in business – a world notoriously clouded under a subtle film of misogyny. I can imagine that for a trans woman, this can sometimes be less than subtle: “Mostly I’ve just seen men threatened by me being a strong, independent woman who makes her own money,” she explains. “But I’ve got my degree, and just decided I’d always [be] my own daddy.” Anyone that dares to doubt Nikita’s professionalism can rest assured that although she has “this crazy, extra side”, she’s a college-educated woman who holds a business degree. And in perhaps the most Nikita Dragun way possible, she concludes: “I like to have all these little NASDAQ boys doubting me, but I’ll just be laughing to the bank in my stilettos.” Nikita and her stilettos are currently filming a documentary series with Snapchat, entitled Nikita Dragun: Exposed, which will be on our screens next year; and fans can also look forward to ‘a very special project, dropping very soon’. A final valedictory wave from Ms. Dragun: “Bitch, turn those post notifications on! 2020 is the year of the Dragun.”
“People will always talk about you negatively when threatened [by you], so I take it as a compliment.�
“I like to have all these little NASDAQ boys doubting me, but I’ll just be laughing to the bank in my stilettos.”
The Rings - Marianna Harutunian - POA Chain Link Bondage Corset Dress -Venus Prototype - $420 Handmade shoes by Nicholas Zuñiga, crystallised by Marianna Harutunian - POA
“Anyone that dares to doubt Nikita’s professionalism can rest assured that although she has “this crazy, extra side”, she’s a college-educated woman who holds a business degree.”
FANTASY FOOTWEAR FOR ALL
Interview by Pippa Simmonds
Kira Goodey is a woman who, in her own words, is creating fantasy in its physical form. A quick scroll through Kira’s Instagram feed (@kiragoodeyfootwear), will undoubtedly have you in agreement with this narrative. “My customers want opulence and escapism,” she explains when we speak, “They use footwear as a way of changing their whole character. It’s all about creating the most extreme, most incredible version of yourself.” Kira began her creative journey as a child, and while she wouldn’t describe her family background as artistic, she recalls an innate desire “to make things, to use my hands.” Spending her days sketching to a backdrop of Art Attack, Kira grew up in Perth, Australia, and became a part of a small group of creatives longing for something greater than the boundaries of small-town life. Kira tell us that although some of the “most awesome creatives” she knows have come from sunny Perth, nearly none of them remain there now. “It’s the most isolated city in the world, and that breeds an itchiness to do something bigger. In a small, tight-knit creative community, we all reached our late teens and sort of exploded out into different areas of the world. It amazes me how so many of my peers are so successful in their creative fields now.”
Kira’s time at McQueen confirmed what she already knew: she wanted to do something small-scale, something intimate, something bespoke. Aged 18, Kira took a job making mascot costumes for a hire store, a step closer to the thriving realms of the industry she currently exists in. The techniques used to make these costumes, she explains, are comparable to the process she uses today. “My eye was always on fashion and textiles. But it was interesting, making these three-dimensional forms out of foam, it isn’t dissimilar to how you make a pair of shoes. A lot of my understanding of how you fit together all the structural shapes came from that.” Following a move to the UK, with its fashion industry in her sights, Kira began working for some larger fashion brands, and having grown up idolising him, took an internship under the late Alexander McQueen. While she cherishes the value of this experience, Kira recalls witnessing what she describes as a burnout. “[A lot of people at McQueen] had absolutely no work/life balance, the joy of creating was lost.
Whilst they were a part of this incredible creative process; I could see the struggle taking its toll on them.” Kira’s time at McQueen confirmed what she already knew: she wanted to do something small-scale, something intimate, something bespoke. Kira talks of the outdated connotations of high-heeled shoes and their sexualised nuances, describing them as “political objects of desire”. “There is an empowerment in reclaiming these towering shoes. Yes, they are absolutely sexualised. The enormous power you feel when you get into these huge shoes, elevates you to look down from above like a god/goddess.” She explains, “When it’s done by choice, in the right context – [wearing heels] brings out this power, this other-worldliness which I think is within us all. It is an amazing form of expression, but it is [still] hard to separate the female archetype from high footwear; and creating these pieces that transcend the categorisation that women especially fall into, creates a new dialogue.”
“The enormous power you feel when you get into these huge shoes, elevates you to look down from above like a god/goddess.” Whilst it’s a difficult way to exist as a designer in a famously destructive industry, Kira remains very much against the process of mass production, not solely because of the burnout she witnessed in her early years in fashion; but because of the environmental consequences of these processes. In fact, Kira cites this as her biggest obstacle as a designer: “Finding a way to make a product affordable enough so that it’s both more available to people and not homogenous, so it still appeals to many.” Kira is currently working on what she terms “a completely new manufacturing system that has some of the components of mass production, but a lot of the spirit, adaptability and uniqueness of bespoke production”, which we can expect to see the results of next year. Currently, everything Kira makes is done by hand, individually, so every extraordinary pair of shoes is completely original. Above all, Kira was an avid believer that “everyone should be able to express themselves no matter what” long before fashion’s recent spur in the fight for inclusivity. She has always catered for all sizes, in an entirely bespoke process of design: “It doesn’t matter what society says you can or can’t wear. If you want to be amazing, be that.”
A SPACE ODYSSEY Interview by Pippa Simmonds
Amongst the things that rouse Chinese designer Sensen Lii’s creative juices are Lady Gaga, aliens, and Windows XP. This (at least partly) explains how he brings his distinctively ornamental designs to life… Sensen’s brand, Windowsen, was born between the walls of Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, from which he graduated this summer. Having already shown a collection at VFiles’ SS19 show in New York, where he caused a stir by turning his models into aliens, Sensen had a taste of the fashion world before he’d even finished studying. Why aliens? Sensen wants to show the world that identity stretches further than just ‘the woman’ or ‘the man’, “I use an alien’s body because they could be wearing menswear, or they could be wearing womenswear. It could be for anyone.” Sensen is part of a surge of designers embracing the importance of genderless fashion, and he eagerly awaits a time in which labelling clothes in this way isn’t such an integral part of designing them. For Sensen, boundaries are not a familiar concept; and speaking to him soon reveals that in his mind, there are none. Ideas come from anywhere and everywhere, starting with the games he played on his Windows computer as a child (hence Window-sen) and ending, well, nowhere. The ‘window’ in Windowsen is not only an ode to Sensen’s beloved childhood computer operating system, but a nod to what he wants his designs to permit: a window into his mind, with the aim of showing people “different views of the world”. One thing his designs always contain is monsters, with last season’s alien-themed collection carrying through onto his most recent, graduate collection; where use of his signature extra-terrestrial colour palette of greens, yellows and purples was prominent. Alongside this, though, was a more understated side to the collection, one of nudes and skin tones, which Sensen tells us is representative of a deeper meaning, a new found confidence in himself.
“Sensen is part of a surge of designers embracing the importance of genderless fashion, and he eagerly awaits a time in which labelling clothes in this way isn’t such an integral part of designing them.”
Sensen’s love for fashion was triggered as a child, after watching Naomi Campbell walk for Thierry Mugler in a black catsuit and a red wig. His love for Lady Gaga arose soon after, and the rest, as they say, is history. Gaga remains a heavy influence for Lii, with everything from her outfits to her lyrics being “the membrane around his heart”. He seems almost lost for words when we ask about her: “I don’t know how to describe it… she is so different from other artists.” He also credits drag queens Violet Chachki and Sasha Velour and their “out of this world looks” for inducing some of the notions behind his designs; perhaps further instilling his ambition to disregard traditional views about gender and fashion.
“Gaga remains a heavy influence for Lii, with everything from her outfits to her lyrics being ‘the membrane around his heart” But it wasn’t a straight path into the world of fashion for Sensen – his family “come from a completely different world”, and prior to spending two years as a fashion intern before starting at Antwerp, he studied musical theatre in China. It was during this time that he worked part-time at a theatre, observing the extravagant costumes that began to inspire the amplified, decorative style of design he works with today. “Some pieces [at the theatre] were so huge, so sparkling... that was the moment I decided to take the risk of moving away to study fashion.”
Lii describes the process of designing clothes primarily as emotional. In fact, he thinks all fashion designers are emotional people, which is an interesting and for many, a new way of looking at an industry with such a hard-faced exterior. “No fashion brand can always be at the top. [When you create something] and get a lot of attention, it feels good, people want to collaborate with you. But people always want something fresh, so [when the attention slows down] it can be a big challenge.” He explains. “As a designer, you need to keep your ideas [consistent] in each collection, but you also need to have new ideas.” Sensen sometimes feels an element of resentment towards the fast-paced nature of fashion: “Fashion is going too fast. Every day, there is new creative things appearing [on social media], so people don’t have time to remember the best pieces, they don’t give the designer enough time [to be appreciated]. They constantly check everything and want something new,” he muses. “Our generation are very difficult to impress. Sometimes I create new things really fast, sometimes it takes longer, but there are always lots of new designers waiting to sit in your place, [so you can’t stop].” So, what’s the most important thing a fashion designer can do? “100% trust yourself. I want to bring a new thing to the fashion world. But first, I need to trust myself.” Next up, Sensen plans to take his futuristic ‘sports couture’ to New York. “After that, Paris maybe. But New York is the lucky place for me. I’m going to push myself, and I’m going to impress the world.”
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!
Interview by Veronica Wong Diffa
Styling and Concept: Jyoti Matoo Styling assistant: Amanda Ashbourn Photographer: Mateusz Sitek Retoucher: Fani Martin MUA: Georgia Hope Nail Technician: Nailgalnat Production Manager: Shona Moran Editorial Assistants: Katie Janes, Lizzy Greenwood
“I love making people forget about reality and the problems that are happening in the world and for even just a moment, let them escape to a place where they are laughing, dancing, singing and smiling.”
Face Jewels - In Your Deams Gertrude Headpiece - Halo & Co - £280
For Todrick Hall, home is where the heart sings. “I remember how a fire ignited within me the first time I ever stepped on stage. The adrenaline rush and the thrill of the applause gave me such an out of body experience! When I’m on stage, I become somebody that I don’t even recognise; none of my problems exist. I can be having the worst day and as soon as I step on stage, I feel at home. I love making people forget about reality and the problems that are happening in the world and for even just a moment, let them escape to a place where they are laughing, dancing, singing and smiling.” Todrick Hall, American singer/songwriter, performer, and self-proclaimed unicorn, would like none other than Judy Garland as his dream dinner date, where they could talk all things Oz and eat Life Savers gummies (one thing he can’t live without). But that’s not all he dreams about. Todrick is in the midst of making the world his stage, having recently released the album, Haus Party Part 2 and Part 3 (featuring the likes of Tiffany Haddish and Ciara), giving a memorable star performance as Ogie in the Waitress Musical and titled coexecutive producer for Taylor Swift’s VMA award-winning single ‘You Need To Calm Down’. It’s a miracle that he has a spare moment to reflect on his journey to fame and tell us what ventures he has lined up for him next. “I had an elementary school teacher who introduced me to the world of theatre. She took me to see The Nutcracker ballet and I instantly fell in love with it. Not just what was happening on stage, but the entire experience - from getting the tickets, sitting in the lobby and getting refreshments, to the fog from the smoke machines when
the production began. The experience immediately made me fall in love with the entire idea of being in a live theatre. I knew at that very moment that [Broadway] was what I wanted to do. I’ve performed at Disney World and on cruise ships and ended up making my Broadway debut at 20 years old in The Colour Purple - there, I met Fantasia Barrino, the winner of American Idol season three. I saw how being on American Idol changed her life so I auditioned for season ten, and from there I made a conscious decision to say: ‘You gotta fight for this if this is what you want. Not just for fame, not just for followers, but for the passion that you have for performing.’ Before YouTube, I used to always hang out with my best friends singing songs and writing parodies, covers and medley mashups of my favourite songs. I would come up with ideas that I thought were funny and I’d say, ‘Hey, let’s do this!’ It always started as a little inside joke and I would decide to bring it to life. You can watch my videos from the time I started to now, and realise that I was slowly learning about lighting, lenses, and camera angles. We grew with every single video and luckily, the more successful the videos got, the more I had people willing enough to jump out on the limb and do them with me. I think the audience liked them because they could tell that we had such a great time making them. It wasn’t a job; it was something that we were doing for fun and I think that showed. Spontaneous, creative and truthful. That’s how I would describe myself. [Laughs] Sometimes, it’s difficult as an artist to step away and look at yourself as a brand and what you have created. I realised after going on tour and meeting my fans, that they didn’t know anything about me.
They didn’t know I had a brother, they didn’t know about my relationship with my mom, they didn’t know about Gareth, the first true love of my life, and they didn’t know about my relationship with the industry. I wanted to tell people my story but I didn’t want to say it in a regular way. I wanted to say it creatively, through music and awesome visuals. So, I decided to tell my story through The Wizard Of Oz. It’s the thing I’m most passionate about; I even have it tattooed on my arm and at the back of my neck! I thought this would be a great way for me to share my story, parallel with one of the most beloved American classics. The album and tour [Straight Outta Oz] sold so well and it was crazy that the audiences knew the music word for word because they were all original songs that I had created. It has given me a stronger belief in myself and my gift.
‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’ was a really crazy experience because I was writing a bunch of songs for Haus Party Part 1 and I had so many ideas that felt very obvious but when I came up with that song, it became crystal clear to me that I needed to bring it to life. This was the song that deserved a video.
“So, I decided to tell my story through The Wizard Of Oz. It’s the thing I’m most passionate about; I even have it tattooed on my arm and at the back of my neck!”
It’s almost like a Drag Queen’s performance because the beat and the choreography make you feel as if you’re strutting down the street wearing heels even if you’re just in your pyjamas wearing flats. [Laughs] There’s something about the song that’s just hypnotic and it’s because of the producers, WiiDope, who came up with the bassline that makes it feel very energetic even though the beat is still very chill. I had never seen that many guys dancing in heels together and so when it came out it blew up [the internet] and has now become the most successful video that I have ever posted online. I love it.
Seeing how much my fans fell in love with it was honestly one of the reasons why my trajectory changed. I thought that if you weren’t a gay man or weren’t a black man or weren’t from the South, then you wouldn’t identify with it. But parents of heterosexual children and people who were gay but they were white who didn’t grow up in a gospel church, were saying to me that they identified with the story so much and understood the same dynamic that I experienced. It was mind-boggling to me how much it touched their hearts, even if they didn’t come from a similar background. It excited me.
I put up a post saying that I wanted to have 15 to 16 male dancers in heels and we ended up getting seventy-five guys. The colours [of the costumes] were just so striking and to be in the room and watch them all synchronise as if they were a gay man’s chorus of the Rockettes was really cool to see. I wanted the choreography to be something that you could potentially learn how to do, even if you weren’t a dancer. But I think what people are so drawn to, is that it makes you feel sassy and it makes you feel fabulous.
[‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’] was created for gay pride month and I love that the world is progressively moving in a direction where the music that is made for pride is really made for everyone. I’ve seen just as many females and little kids dancing and performing this song as I’ve seen gay men doing it. Moms are even taking their kids
PK Hat - Diana Cavagnaro - $400 Face Jewels - In Your Dreams
to school and are listening to (hopefully) the clean version of the song. [Laughs] There were also two military men performing it that went viral on its own and, it was just really awesome to see [them] dancing. One of them is a straight man and he was just dancing and doing the original choreography; it was such a beautiful thing. There’s something about this music that feels like a guy or a girl can perform it and it’s totally okay and shouldn’t be questioned.
“I was hanging out with Taylor [Swift] at her house one evening and she showed me the whole treatment for her recent single ‘You Need To Calm Down’. She asked me to be a part of it and we just collaborated on the entire thing.” To create an avenue for openly gay men who might not be able to get their voices heard, means you gotta fight even if it means you have to run around the racetrack thirteen times to equal someone else’s one – are you willing to do it? I was, and I’ve been creating music and making videos online ever since. We are living in such a crazy political time, especially in this country [America], and being able to create something that makes people want to get up, get costumes and create something to be a part of this challenge is such an awesome thing. I’m so proud of my team and all of the kids who have participated. I was hanging out with Taylor [Swift] at her house one evening and she showed me the whole treatment for her recent single ‘You Need To Calm Down’. She asked me to be
Gertrude Headpiece - Halo & Co - £280 Face Jewels - In Your Deams
a part of it and we just collaborated on the entire thing. I had been getting as involved as I could be, and she basically proposed to me on set saying she wanted me to be the co-executive producer. I thought it was an extremely generous thing for her to do but I would have never asked for that nor thought it was necessary. I just wanted the video to be a smashing success and it has now won two MTV video music awards. I could not be more proud of her. She’s used her voice and is writing music to stand up for people who are often misunderstood and underappreciated. People who are just like me, who happens to be her best friend and who happens to be an openly gay African American in this country. Sometimes you need that reminder that we are getting to a better place and are moving in the right direction towards acceptance, diversity, and love as well as becoming unified, which is what we all say we want. Seeing those visual confirmations that it’s happening is really inspiring and I’m glad that I get to play even a small part in making people want to get up and do something creative. But I’m still facing obstacles today. I think you never stop realising how evil the human race can be, whilst it’s also beautiful on the other end. It’s really difficult when you have something that people see as something that they can gain from or that is a valuable asset for them. You start to look at people around you and question whether or not their intentions are real. It’s a very difficult thing for me because I’m from a small town in Texas where people don’t lock their doors and where people come and ask for a cup of sugar. It’s just crazy that you get to a place in your life where you have to relearn, which is not a word [Laughs], but you have to reteach yourself how to engage with other humans.
I remember meeting some celebrities when I first moved to LA and I would think, ‘Why are they so guarded? Do they think that they are better than other people? Why are they unwilling to trust?’ And the more I’ve experienced this, I definitely have to recognize that people do change. Some people change because of the fame, the money, the success and all of the attention, but a lot of people are forced to because the people around them choose to change. My best piece of advice is, chase your dream unapologetically, surround yourself with people who make you smile, who believe in you and who make you feel like the best version of yourself. Things that are wrapped up in pretty boxes are not always the best things to have. Trust your gut because [a gut instinct] is the most beautiful thing that you have ever been given. In my experience, it has never been wrong. Don’t be afraid to trust again and to give people the opportunity to have a true experience with you. If you’re afraid to jump out on the edge and live your life to the fullest, is it really worth living? Luckily, I’ve been able to balance being on television, doing live theatre and making videos. I’m honestly just having the time of my life! Some of the things on my vision board for this year included doing another Broadway show, which in September I played Ogie in the Waitress Musical, a comedic character who is in my opinion, one of the highlights of the show. I just dare someone to go to the show and not laugh and cry while you’re there! I’ve seen it over 20 times as an audience member and I’m so happy to have been a part of it. Another goal was to put out a successful album and Haus Party Part 1 was number one on the dance charts. There is actually a third part [having just
released Haus Party Part 2 and Part 3] and I’m so excited because some of my favourite songs that I have ever written are on them! What’s up for me next? I’m launching a musical theatre company called Todrick Hall Musicals! I wrote a bunch of children’s musicals and I have an all A-list cast of Broadway and Tony Award-winning actors and actresses that are bringing the characters to life so that kids who are learning the music have the best of the best to learn from. I’m just really really excited about this new business venture. I’m honestly having the time of my life. I love the music that I am putting out, I’m about to do a new TV show (that I haven’t announced yet), and I’m going back to Broadway - I’m just loving the fact that I am able to exercise all of the avenues that I am passionate about within the entertainment industry. I am chasing my dreams unapologetically.”
“My best piece of advice is, chase your dream unapologetically, surround yourself with people who make you smile, who believe in you and who make you feel like the best version of yourself.�
Body Piece - Halo & Co - POA Face Jewels - In Your Dreams
A NEW MODERN ICON
Interview by Hayley Barnes. Styling and Concept: Jyoti Matoo Photographer: Jen Wilding Retoucher: Luke Walwyn Photographer’s Assistant: James Davey MUA: Anna Priadka MUA’s Assistant: Lara Davis Hair: Lara Ross Production Manager: Hayley Barnes Assistants: Fiona Campbell, Hena Sharma and Katie Janes
Farouz: Silver Disco Jumpsuit Felicity Hayward x Playful Promises - £70 Heels - Stylist’s own Earrings - Stylist’s own
Clarice: Retro Seams Girdle Dress Felicity Hayward x Playful Promises - £50
Felicity Hayward – I took a risk for an industry that didn’t even exist. What can we say about Felicity Hayward, other than her being as humble, gorgeous and warm as you would expect her to be. She’s a woman who knows who she is, and what she wants. You may recognise her from her hit Channel 4 show Naked Beach, where three ordinary people with shockingly low self-esteem follow around ‘naked’ ambassadors over four days in an effort to gain back their confidence. The aim being that having mentors of a similar, and utterly normal, body type bare all, encourages them to embrace the ‘flaws’ society taught them were there. Having created her own company ‘Self-Love Brings Beauty’, partnered with PrettyLittleThing for World Mental Health day and a TED talk coming out this November, themed “Outsiders”, Hayward is at fashion’s frontline promoting acceptance and diversity. Her most recent venture for example, an exclusive collaboration with lingerie brand Playful Promises was made because she wanted women of all sizes to feel sexy, and part of an empowered girl gang, they can all be part of. It was as she was dancing to Diana Ross in an East London Pub where Hayward got scouted by world famous photographer Miles Aldridge for a shoot like no other in Ponystep Magazine. And it was from there she has moved heaps and bounds within the industry. “It’s only a matter of time before the British bombshell well and truly conquers the modelling scene, with plus-size curves worthy of a painting by Rubens ‘ - British VOGUE. However, this wasn’t a journey made without hardships and doubts of self-confidence. What Felicity would invite people to understand is that her journey of self- love isn’t something that happened with a flick of a switch. “It was difficult for me because I’ve always been curvy, in school, I couldn’t fit into the girls P.E. shorts, I’d have to wear boys P.E. shorts. Back then Christina Aguilera and Britney were the poster girls, it was very up-and-down, so you would be hiding your bum, or your figure.” Yet, fashion would become her very own beaconing light of confidence as a young girl. Having a rebellious phase during her teenage years, in Felicity’s opinion, was the driving force towards her self-acceptance journey. It led her to discover that she wasn’t going to be like everyone else, and that “actually, beauty is how I perceive it”, not what others view of her not matter how misunderstood she feels. “I remember one time on the way home from school my mum refused to pick me up, because I was wearing this punkyfish long jacket that looked like something out of Scream. The only person who let me be myself, was my Grandmother. My idea of beauty, and being an individual all came from came from my nan’s acceptance of me”
“Confidence can come in clothing, if you can find something you feel comfortable in. If you go on a day out, or go out to work, and you’re wearing something that makes you feel uncomfortable emotionally, or physically, it can really have a dampener on your day. So if there is something that makes you feel really amazing, like a leather jacket that you feel powerful in, get it in every colour. Comfort is a huge part in self-confidence. For every person it’s a different thing, it may be calling someone you love every day, meditating, going for a walk in the morning, it may be eating mochi ice-cream for dinner! But ultimately, you need to be kind to yourself, and you need to give yourself space out of your normal routine. “ Her rise to model-dom wasn’t easy, despite her lucky break via Miles Aldridge, she was suffering from burn-out, an unfortunate symptom of working life for many of us in our 20’s, working at a pub, DJing, running night clubs simultaneously to make ends meet. “Modeling was never something I wanted to do, [after all] I was working teaching art to boys with behaviour difficulties, and autism, and ADHD. I was extremely lucky – dancing to Diana Ross down in an East London pub, asked to a shoot as Anna Nicole Smith – it’s a movie in itself. It is really strange because I know that if I hadn’t been scouted by him, I wouldn’t be here. My gut said ‘just do it, you can go out of teaching for 6 months and come back, you’re not going to have this opportunity again’”. Moving from a stable income job which she loved, although it wasn’t very much, to thinking of “risking it all for an industry that didn’t exist.” And it was the best decision Felicity ever made, as it combines her two passions, fashion and art, and enables her yearn to help others through her platform - for example recently touring around the UK with Maya Jama with the NSPCC. “I’m now in the position where I can actually give back. I know I still would’ve been happy if I had stayed in that job, and my situation hadn’t arisen, but now I’m not just a model, I feel like everything I’ve stood up for and fought for is a lot more than that.” For Felicity, it became increasingly clear as a woman beginning to manoeuver in an industry that had shunned people like her for so long it was going to be tough. Most money in modelling was being made in campaigns. While designers weren’t looking to push it yet, for plus-size models that meant that meant working with high street brands - Felicity again was faced with the challenges of being different. “The high street [were] using older models, girl next door type… And then you’ve got me in a leopard print suit with bleach blonde hair, running around in platforms. I’m not the girl next door. So it was hard at the beginning, I did really struggle for the first two years. But the thing that makes Felicity stand out from the crowd is her undeniable uniqueness and imperative to keep that authenticity. “These are things that have happened because I’ve just been myself, it’s not because I’ve got famous parents, it’s because I’ve been authentically myself and made friends.
Sparkle Sequin Tux Dress - Next- £48 Earrings - Stylist’s own
Despite beginning her modeling career seven years ago, there are plenty of issues that still follow the plus-size community and movement like a bad shadow to this day. “The plus-size industry is a £6.7 billion industry. Now you have brands starting to extend their size range. As a brand I’m sure your main focus is to make money, the end. So if you’ve got a figure that you can make that amount of money within your brand, simply from extended your sizes why have everyone not got big sizes? It’s such a taboo.” And at Fashion Week, Felicity explains that despite being invited to the table, as a plus-size model, there’s still no seat – “I always get quite stressed about getting dressed, because of lot of brands and designer’s invite me to front rows, but then they can’t dress me. They’ll offer me a hairclip, or a headband, or sunglasses, or a bag. On the one hand, I’m glad to be there to be invited and be present, and on the other it is frustrating” and more importantly it’s patronizing. Especially when fashion designers and houses market themselves to be fighting for feminism. For example, Dior, who designed the infamous ‘We should all be feminists’ shirt, and based their SS19 show around diversity, inlcuding plus-szied ballet dancers, still only showcased sample-sized models walking the show. “I think we’re in a position now where I think every kind of TV show and Fashion House, should take responsibility to show diversity. I hate the word diversity, because it shouldn’t need to be spoken about, it should just be a normality. There isn’t one type of person in this world, there isn’t one type of body.” “Last season, I ended up meeting some lady randomly at an event who makes these amazing dresses, kaftan style, but she had access to these big designer in-house warehouses in Italy. So she got access to Versace’s fabrics, so she had this amazing authentic Versace silk, which was baby-pink, mint green, yellow, with all of the standard gold. She said ‘If you can’t find designers to dress to fit you I’ll make you a Versace dress with their fabric (I think it was £800 a metre)’. So for Fashion Week she made me a Versace dress, which is Versace. It may not come from their store, but it’s using from their material. There is a stigma behind being curvy that you are not worthy of being accepted in society which is bullshit basically. [But] look, I can look just as good as everyone else – you just need to learn”. When speaking upon the plus-size mannequin at the Nike store in London that happened earlier this year Felicity explained that issue for her went further than continued stigma and controversy within her own community. “What I found so weird was that next to that plus-size mannequin was a mannequin that showed a disability - a mannequin that had a missing limb, and had a prosthetic on it. And no one spoke about it. One of my best friends is a model called Kelly Knox and she was born without one arm, she’s never seen herself as having a disability, she’s always lived like that. She and I had a discussion about that and we [thought] ‘they’re making such a big deal of this plus-size mannequin, they’re not making a deal out of this other mannequin.’
“The reason that is because body-positivity is very on-trend now so everyone has something to say about it. Whereas disability still isn’t – I see that world where the plus-size community was five years ago. Five years ago, the plus-size community wasn’t really a thing. I started seven years ago, and I was one of the first UK girls of my age to be [modelling]. There was no one else out there who I felt represented me, or who I could relate to. Whereas Kelly who has been doing this for ten-years, [is] always the token. Bring it forward now, and people are still using models with disabilities, but it’s not where it should be compared to where we are now in the plus community because it is a trend.” “I’ve gone from [being shunned] growing up to being catapulted into this industry and now my body being more on trend than it was when I was younger. It’s a weird situation, would we be here talking, doing this interview, if [being ‘thicc’] hadn’t become a thing? If people hadn’t started to accept bigger bodies? And I can’t help but think that, unfortunately, I do believe that the rise in pop-culture of being curvatious, wherever that has come from, whether it’s a certain family, or a certain TV show that it’s been inspired by.” Furthermore, even the term itself, ‘plus-size’ has come under criticism, as by language alone, it does negate that these people are an add on to what is normal, and not considered being seen within it. “Plus-size was used at a time where we didn’t exist. It was taken upon the community as ‘We are plus-size, we are here, and we are a community.’ And a lot of people use the term now because they feel like it’s part of a gang. It’s a very positive term, and I wholeheartedly don’t mind being called plus-size because I feel like I am part of that community.” “But, on the other hand, it’s a tough one because within the realm of fashion you don’t say minus-size models, and people get offended if you say straight-size models.” “It’s difficult because it’s the same problem when people ask what I do. It’s usually taxi drivers on the way back from an event. “Oh darling what do you do?” I sit there and I’ve got two directions to go, I either go I’m a model and they look me up and down and say ‘Oh. So what sort of modelling do you do?’ and it goes down the adult route. Or I say I’m a plus-size model, and then they pity me, ‘Oh you’re not plus-size! You don’t have to say that! You’re beautiful’ – as if that term doesn’t mean beauty. I would probably call myself curvy because I like that word, and I like that word to describe myself. I am curvy, but I don’t mind the term plus-size because it comes from the right place (if the right person is saying it).” Ultimately, according to Felicity, the word plus-size is personal, anyone should be able to describe themselves in a way that they see fit, “I don’t think it’s right for to think you to choose a term for them.” And that’s what Felicity Hayward is all about, defining yourself, how you wish and you want. F**k the rest.
NADIA LEE COHEN Words by Lizzy Greenwood
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FREDDIE SMITHSON Interview by Lizzy Greenwood
Not many people can boast Rihanna as one of their 120k followers on Instagram (at time of publication), but Freddie Smithson is one of them. Freddie is graphic design’s naughty little brother, pushing boundaries and buttons in the best way possible. His page, named @ freddiemade, is a beacon of satirical light, slicing through the seemingly impenetrable (0%) fat of the intimidating fashion world; some may coin him Instagram’s Banksy. Harking from humble beginnings, Freddie grew up in a small town in the Yorkshire countryside where he spent most of his time in the school art department, painting and collaging. He then went on to study an Art Foundation in Leeds and Graphic Communication at the Bath School of Art. How did you get into digital creation? “When I graduated from university, Tumblr was huge, Flickr had peaked and Instagram was just beginning. I was fascinated by Tumblr, I’d used it all the way through university and had a small following where I posted my photos and projects. I began to experiment with creating GIFs and digital collages using Photoshop and posting them on the platform. A side step from the analog creating I’d been doing up until that point. This new way of working excited me and I found it incredible that I was able to reach a wide audience instantly, rather than having stacks of collages in my room. I saw is as the new way to permanently exhibit work!” How did it all lead into @freddiemade and your current work? “I decided I wanted to find a job where I could combine my love of fashion and my new love of digital content creation. I managed to secure an Internship at House of Holland in London, on the digital content team. I was creating content for their social media! This turned into a full-time job at the company and the rest is history. I now work for Creative Agency Cult LDN as a Senior Art Director, creating social
campaigns for fashion brands. I also have my freelance side hustle @ FreddieMade where I create content, campaigns and animations for fashion brands.” Freddie credits The Surrealists like Magritte, Duchamp and Dalí as being his inspiration, even writing his dissertation on the impact their work has had on contemporary advertising. “I was always fascinated by their ability to look at things through a different eye. Notably Magritte’s fusion of different or unexpected objects and copy, in seemingly impossible compositions. And Duchamp’s ‘Ready Made’s’ his combining of two objects to make one new one. Which is where I got the name ‘FreddieMade’ from.” (Very clever.) “I liked the idea of taking multiple different things / people / logos and creating different objects with new or skewed messaging, all with a dose of humour. That’s always been the concept of my account!” Have you ever been accused of ‘making fun of’ rather than ‘having fun with’ fashion? “Of course! You can’t expect everyone to like everything. When I posted the series of Rihanna x The Queen collages and she re-posted them, the press went crazy, it was a ‘scandal’, but it’s what pushed me to stick to and develop out that type of creative work. A little scandal never hurt anyone! When the collages went viral, they were covered in every paper, in the radio, on the TV. Even though some coverage was negative, a lot was positive and I was fascinated by the debate it sparked over whether it was disrespectful or not. I knew this was something I was going to stick to, the ability to make the nation debate and question society and what’s right or wrong from such a simple collage I did whilst sat watching TV and drinking tea.” In fact, he has rather a predilection for fusing fashion royalty with actual royalty; her Maj is his favourite muses to work with, and you’ll be seeing Queen Liz ubiquitously feature on his feed. Let’s hope ‘one’ approves.
No facet of popular culture is safe from Freddie’s parody, from politicians to Spice Girls, but fashion continues to dominate his feed. Do you have an interest (or decidedly non-interest) in fashion? “I have a huge interest in fashion! I work with some wonderful brands and follow shows at fashion week each season. At university, I used to love going to charity shops and finding pieces that were different or unique. I’ve always said, fashion is my first creative decision of the day. I look at my wardrobe, think about how I feel or what I want to say and choose what to wear accordingly. Your career, without a doubt, has gone from strength to strength; what has been the biggest moment so far? “It’s been a series of highlights to be honest. I’d hate to pick one moment. But the brands I’ve worked with (including Dior, Burberry, Vogue, Marc Jacobs, Selfridges) make it all worthwhile. The whole journey is the highlight, and I’m so excited to see where it takes me next!” Fashion has a notorious reputation for its use of airbrushing. Your mastery of Photoshop is quite remarkable, so much so that your images could easily be perceived as historically accurate. Is your work a comment on deception, and not believing everything you see online? “That’s such a great question! Yes, I think the topic of fake news is an interesting one and something I’ve loved exploring. I try to make my work almost so simple it just looks normal to someone who doesn’t understand the context. But with a pun that someone in the know will understand. It’s a bit of an in-joke if you like. I think it’s important that we keep reminding ourselves that not everything we see on social is real!”
Fashion has often fostered a sense of unattainability, only accessible for the beautiful (and wealthy) few. This is why Smithson’s art is so wonderful, because it manages to subvert the upper echelons of the uppity fashion elite into bitesize memes, injecting a dose of reality and humility into your feed, reminding you that it doesn’t have to be so inaccessible. “I think social media can get far too serious sometimes, and whilst it’s important to be serious (there are important things going on in the world, I know!) I like to think my work can just create pockets of fun.” And so, thankfully, Freddie continues to cultivate and create a series of cult meme content, absolutely worthy of headlines and Rihanna’s reposts. Freddie is wonderfully talented, funny and humble to boot. His work captures the zeitgeist of meme culture, blending pop culture with current affairs and mastering the art of graphic trickery with his benevolent bravura. With all that’s going on in the world, Freddie Smithson is a welcome chuckle amongst the chaos.
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SS20 is already showing signs of change, from the way brands present their masterpieces to the behind-the-scenes of how each garment is constructed. This season has shown that not even the best in the fashion industry can shy away from world-wide affairs, each brand has altered their designs, making their garments relevant, innovative and ground-breaking. Whether it is the effect of the environment and the never-impending problem of climate change, whom Preen and Studio ALCH have paid close attention to, or the political stance between Brexit and the EU. Nonetheless, fashion week in London, Paris and Milan never fail to surprise us. Rihanna’s dance numbers at Fenty and Christopher Kane’s walking escalator on the runway are just a few shows that prove how the word ‘catwalk’ has a new and updated definition. As we all know, fashion is a cycle, but the industry never falls short. Here are our top 5 fashion forward brands for SS20. CHROMAT - Calling all #ChromatBABES, we have lift-off. Celebrating their 10th Anniversary at NYFW, Chromat did nothing less than re-invent the word innovation. Founder Becca McCharen-Tran paid homage to her past collections by reimagining previous designs for the now. The runway saw a re-make of the “sample size” Tshirts from Spring 2019 into a mismatched, bust-supporting bodycon dress, as well as the LED lights and crinoline body harness’ from the Fall 2016 line. Chromat took inspiration from NASA’s underwater training facilities, creating an array of space-influenced futuristic designs in bold colours that reflected the deep natural tones of the sea and the well-known NASA logo. McCharen-Tran believes “It’s something we’ve barely scratched the surface of, and I’d love to explore further.” Following Chromat’s ongoing motto of inclusivity, modelling those of all ages, sexes, backgrounds and abilities, McCharen-Tran has also carried this through to the price range. The brand does not want to exclude anyone because of the price tag and ultimately, “…the more accessible we can be in our price point, the more inclusive we can be overall.” That’s inclusivity at its best.
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ISSEY MIYAKE – It’s showtime. A sense of Joy - the perfect name for designer Satoshi Kondo’s debut collection. Issey Miyake was sure to put a spin on the word ‘catwalk’, creating an experience of their own and presenting nothing short of positive vibes and happy thoughts. You can always count on them to disperse the grey clouds of reality with a beam of bright sunshine to pave the way forward. Models patiently waited for transparent hoops to descend from above and submerse them in multi-coloured, striped dresses and matching hats. Bopping and bouncing to the rhythm of the energetic music, Kondo demonstrated the lightweight pleated and crinkle fabrics as they stretched and recoiled like an accordion playing its best song. Others zoomed passed the awe-struck audience members on skateboards whilst some were saddled in harnesses ready to effortlessly float like ballerinas. Kondo was wise to play with the laws of gravity to show the fluidity, texture, and malleability of the materials he chose; giving his spectators a performance to remember. Studio ALCH – Functional Fashion. Menswear label Studio ALCH is putting functionality back into streetwear fashion. Having founded the brand with deconstruction and reconstruction of materials in mind, designer Alexandra Hackett was inspired to bring awareness of single-use plastic – an issue that is so highly expressed and very rightly so. Hackett, following her modus operandi, took her appreciation for old plastic bags and developed them into garments that reduce consumption and increase practicality. End products included patchwork jackets made with denim and Hackett’s own personal plastic bag archive collection, as well as shorts and cargo trousers made with large pockets that packed removable carrier bags. Working closely together with Amsterdam-born streetwear label Patta, Hackett used their existing products and developed them into outfits including a check-patterned, black windbreaker complete with matching shorts. Hackett is imminent in resourcing materials from currently existing products, giving us just a small insight into what we can do as a community to make our planet more sustainable - something that will always be an important and prominent issue.
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Preen – Small change, big difference. Preen SS20 took inspiration from the Japanese culture, mixing bright florals and modern prints along with manga illustrated cartoons. This season’s alternative style showed beautiful dresses, tops and trousers full of delicate, ill-assorted yet perfectly placed frills and ruffles in an array of brightly toned fabrics. However, the world’s plea for eco-friendly fabrics prompted Thornton to use his previous accumulated skills of researching, collecting and repurposing existing fabrics, which he attained while working with Helen Storey on her collection “Second Life”. Thornton Bregazzi took to their studio, searching for fabric that they could re-use and reinvent into new designs along with more eco-friendly fabrics from their suppliers such as Georgette and sustainable Viscose. Preen successfully adapted their collection to be more ecological without damaging the core identity of the brand. There’s no doubt that this a push in the right direction into making the fashion industry more resourceful. Not only did they purposefully choose sustainable materials, but also took the opportunity to donate their leftovers to colleges and sewing schools; helping students as well as the earth. Every little helps! Balenciaga: It’s a world affair. Giant padded shoulders were not the only things that caught the eyes of the Balenciaga audience this season. The stir began as the onlookers were seated in a circular motion - resembling the pattern of a DNA fingerprint – in an auditorium coated from ceiling to floor in the colour blue, coincidentally matching that of the EU flag. Gvasalia did not discuss the backdrop of the show but instead left this as food for thought. Did he really have to say anything else? Gvasalia may not have directly given his opinion on the EU’s current predicament but did make us question our situation at present. The clothes were inspired by power as a construct created by the uniforms you wear. Models of different vocations including nurses, teachers, doctors and, engineers spiralled the audience in tailored, bold and structured power suits showing Balenciaga’s spin off of the average daywear garment. It’s eminent that Gvasalia’s definition of power dressing is a boxier fit and large, sharp shoulders, embellished with a briefcase and piercing jet-black sunglasses. This collection showed that with great clothes, comes great confidence, strength and power. Balenciaga means business.
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Intros by Hayley Barnes, Montages by Aamir Potrick & Sasha Green
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VELVET RED Winter means drinking mulled wine is on the near horizon. Wine tinted lips were seen at Versace, Oscar de la Renta, Mugler, and GCDS, to name a few, after all, the classic, chic, French-girl look is timeless. Soften the look with a wash of Benefit’s classic Benetint across the lips, or follow Tom Pecheux’s lead at Oscar de la Renta with M.A.C.’s liquid lipstick in Feels So Grand in the centre, then dabbing a matte lipstick in an earthy, nude shade around the edges with a q-tip.
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FROSTED LIDS Euphoria has sent us all in a glitterattispin since its release, perhaps sending a premonition for the party season ahead. Halpern, Rodarte and Christopher Kane frosted lids to mirror the delicate shine of the metallic pieces featured throughout the show. To get the sparkles-on-steroids look, follow global makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench for M.A.C. Cosmetics by using their pigments in your chosen colour and follow with glued on tiny squares of gold leaf, anywhere, and everywhere you can put it.
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As the party season approaches, it’s sure enough to divide us into two, those who are out all night á la Halpern, or those who prefer to stay in and keep up with their skincare regime. Loewe, Anteprima, and Stella McCartney all opted for a baby-skin beauty look – modern minimalism. To achieve radiant goddess skin (without the appearance of makeup) follow Toga’s example with Sada Ito, NARS Global Artistry Director, who opted for “super-clean, radiant skin” by glossing lids and lips and followed by lightly smoothed-out complexion using their Tinted Moisturizer. Perfect for chapped-out winter skin.
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LOW PONY
The minimal low ponytail dominated the shows for this year, for both SS19 and the more recent AW19 shows. There was a spectrum of the timeless look – from slicked down middle partings at Oscar De La Renta, to Rupunzel plaits at Tory Burch, and neon clip-ins at Alice + Olivia. Get the look with GHD’s Glide styling tool for slicked down Scandi-style hair.
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MAKING WAVES Beachy effortlessness mastered over runways in a nod to the 70’s and 80’s. Ranging from messier salt spray looks at Michael Kors and Nichole Miller to glammed out cascading waves at The Blonds and Halpern. Get the look with Bumble & Bumble’s Surf Spray for messy beach day hair, or use the new GHD Oracle for Hollywood glam.
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GIRL BANDS This trend, despite being a little juvenile, became part of women’s style repertoire over this year’s runway shows; seen at Balmain, Fila, and Ryan Lothe - headbands were left stuck in (and on) our minds. Unleash your inner Upper East side princess with this hair accessory – the ideal way to pin back hair in baking summer city heat. (xoxo)
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BAROQUED Overly exaggerated hair pins, grips and clips have been the accessory trend since Ashley Williams’ show last year, and the look continues to one-up itself. Baroque, as an art style, celebrates over-extravagance and has truly flourished into this ongoing hair trend - with Versace, Paco Rabanne, and Chanel all bejewelling models’ heads. This autumn, adorn yourself with overly embellished hair pieces to keep on trend right into winter.
AY PL R WE PO Styling & Concept: Jyoti Matoo Photographer: Jen Wilding Retoucher: Fani Martin Hair Stylist: Mike Mahoney MUA: Anna Priadka MUA’s Assistant : Danielle Yates Editorial Assistant: Shona Moran Model: Joa Noel - Zone Models
BOA TOP - PINK - ploom the label - £255 Larissa Jumpsuit - Nadine Merabi - £275 Earrings - Stylist’s own
Gold Jacket - Malan Breton - POA Earrings - Stylist own
Nars Aqua Infused Make-Up Removing Water Nars Multi-Action Hydrating Toner Nars Luminous Moisture Cream Nars Total Replenishing Eye Cream Elizabeth Harden Eight Hour Cream Tweezerman Eyelash Curlers Nars Radiance Primer SPF35 mixed with ‘Hot Sand’ Illuminator Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer Nars Soft Velvet Loose Powder MAC Cosmetics Iridescent Loose Powder in Silver Dusk
BOA TOP - DENIM BLUE - ploom the label - £255 Earrings - Stylists own
COL OUR BAL ANCE
WELCOME TO UOMA BEAUTY Interview by Hayley Barnes
In a world where a visit to the beauty counter is a conscious decision for a woman of colour, entrepreneur Sharon Chuter is on a mission to revolutionise the beauty industry. With a tagline of ‘Beauty Uprising’, Uoma (meaning ‘beautiful’ in Igbo, the native language of South-Eastern Nigeria) prides itself on core values and beliefs of power in inclusivity.
What inspired you to start Uoma? Sharon Chuter: “It was a sign of the times, even now in 2019 we’re still having conversations around this monolithic existence and definition of beauty and cultural relevance. Although the industry is now more conscious of it, not a lot has changed. We live in an [increasingly] globalised society and unfortunately the cost of globalisation is that the right to play as a global citizen has really been set by Anglo-centric, western standards. [So] my brand is a form of social activism, if I was a musician I would’ve written a song about it, but I’m not, all I can do is sell lipsticks. This was me using the platform, and something that I knew how to actually fight to move to a world one step closer to one that is more inclusive, and when I say inclusive, I don’t mean just more shades of foundation, I mean a world that is more cognisant of people’s stories, of people’s origin. That’s what I try doing with my brand, that’s the fantasy we take you through with the brand - an Afro-politan beauty brand that is inclusive.”
Being a woman of internationality, as you were born in Nigeria, and lived in both LA and London, how have the different nations inspired your brand? “For me it has really been the heart of [my brand] - experiencing different culture, and the beauty of different cultures, shaped me. They say travel is fatal to prejudice, [it shows] you are a small part of a very large world. I actually spent a lot of my adult life in Australia, in and around Asia. Australia is so laid-back, [they] pride themselves on mediocrity, it’s reverse bragging in Australia, the number one focus in life is to be happy - I take that through everything I do.�
“If I’m empowered I walk into any space feeling beautiful regardless how I or others feel I look. And ultimately that’s completely what Uoma beauty is about feeling powerful, and recognised.”
What is a main concern that you think many beauty brands miss out on? “We’re now in the age of ‘diversity’ and political correctness, but most beauty brands do not get it. It’s now all so formulaic in terms of just ‘answering [a problem]’. The true meaning of inclusivity is not only being invited into the room but it’s getting a seat at the table. And right now I think the beauty industry is just inviting everybody into the room. Even when you were making this ‘table’ what is the table made of? Can you even fit me? There’s [also] such a huge lack of diversity within these teams - how are you going to get a person you never met?”
Finally, as Uoma means beautiful, what makes you feel most beautiful? “Superficially, when my skin is on point! It makes me feel like a milliondollars when my skin is looking good, and glowing. But mostly when I feel free, powerful, and when I am at peace with myself. The concept of beauty and freedom goes hand in hand personally. I feel beautiful when I’m free to be me, when I’m not over-thinking things. If I’m empowered I walk into any space feeling beautiful regardless how I or others feel I look. And ultimately that’s completely what Uoma beauty is about feeling powerful, and recognised.”
NEW WAVE ARTISTS OF INSTAGRAM Written by Hena Sharma, Artwork by Aamir Potrick
Thanks to innovators like @coolgirlswearmugler, @rowisingh, @sweetmutuals and many more, makeup has entered a whole new era. It’s undeniable that the MUAs of Gen Z have, via Instagram, developed a whole new subculture which can loosely be defined as ‘makeup wizardry’ owing to the way it contorts and questions the traditional conventions of makeup. A quick scroll through the feeds of creatives like Rowi or Sweetmutuals is enough to become totally immersed into their worlds - each feed serving as a personally curated portfolio, showcasing their creations from polka dot cheeks to glossy rainbow lids. If you’ve had enough of the smoky eye look or feel like you’ve fallen back onto the black-cat wing one too many times, check out these young creatives dominating Instagram by literally using their face as canvasses for otherworldly yet wearable art.
“Normalisation of creative makeup is the new wave!” – and we’re definitely here for it. Rowi Singh has a fabulously eccentric approach to makeup. In some of her looks, her eyes are embellished with sequins and flames and in others, blood orange pigment is delicately diffused onto her lids to match her retro sunglasses. As preached on one of her YouTube tutorials: “Normalisation of creative makeup is the new wave!” – and we’re definitely here for it. The Australian based influencer typically concentrates on packing kaleidoscopic shadow to crown her eyes and focuses on crafting looks which are an “ode to self-expression, creative inklings and [her] love for colour”. Sweet Mutuals, aka Ali, only began posting
her OTT makeup looks in 2018, but she has already amassed 38.5k followers. Her Instagram bio nonchalantly states “I paint on my face or whatevaaa” but we would describe her art as futuristic, ever-creative and endlessly inspiring. Some of our favourite looks are her fully glittered-up face that shone brighter than the Milky Way and her expressionist eye looks created by painting her eyelids with an array of pastel shades. In other shots her canvas - or face - is decorated with the Louis Vuitton logo, creating artwork that could easily be found in a modern art gallery. We love how these MUA’s don’t just experiment with makeup, but completely redefine its conventional purpose.
“With such an upsurge of makeup creatives that waver the line between conceptual and wearable, it is clear to see New Wave Makeup subculture entering the mainstream.” Coolgirlswearmugler, or Regina, is based in Sweden and her avant-garde eye creations will have you looking twice at your screen. Each and every close-up shot of her eye is different, her Instagram appearing as a spectrum for Regina’s self-professed “kitschy taste and glossy lids”. Some of our favourites are her wet tie-dye eye looks created using Huda Beauty’s Electric Essentials Palette and her heavily holographic lashes and eyebrows. With such an upsurge of makeup creatives that waver the line between conceptual and wearable, it is clear to see New Wave Makeup subculture entering the mainstream. Brands like MILK makeup, Glossier, Colorpop, NYX, Fenty, Huda beauty among other makeup brands have created products catering to Gen Z and the next generation of makeup extraordinaires and gives endless chances to recreate some of your favourite Insta makeup looks.
Words by LIzzy Greenwood, Artwork by Aamir Potrick
With over 28,000 cosmetic procedures taking place in the UK in 2018, and 28% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 31% of 25 to 34-year-olds having some form of cosmetic treatment, we investigate the controversial world of ‘having work done’. For women, it’s a shift towards enhancing the effects you can get from your make-up: contouring treatments, lip treatments, highlighting treatments. A trend that seems to have stemmed from Kylie Jenner, put lip fillers on the pop-culture map. The increasing use of Photoshop and even Snapchat filters also have a huge part to play in this hysteria. The prolific use of filters has undoubtedly contributed to this epidemic, so much so that they have now been removed from their respective platforms. The policy change will target filters like the “Plastica” filter which imitates a brow lift or a lip augmentation, or the already-deleted “Fix Me” filter (the title speaks for itself) which overlays your face with pre-surgery pen marking that read “lift” and “fix me”. Honestly, I have never felt easy about the growing surgery trend, worrying about the homogenisation of beauty ideals, the mental health issues that surround these kinds of treatments and what this all means for our future. So, to understand the truth behind non-surgical cosmetic procedures, I visited the clinic of Dr Somji – DrMediSpa in Essex. Dr Somji is an internationally recognised celebrity doctor in the aesthetic industry, with his award winning plastic surgery, skincare and laser clinics in Marylebone and Essex; he has a wealth of experience in performing non-surgical cosmetic procedures. We sat together and debunked myths, unpacked the culture surrounding surgery and I even sat in on a non-surgical rhinoplasty (bit nosey, I know). So here is Dr Somji’s checklist of what you should know before considering, researching or undergoing any kind of cosmetic enhancements. Botox Although Botox must be administered by a medical professional, there are no regulations on who can purchase or administer fillers and there is no minimum age limit or parental consent required in the UK. Because of this, it can be confusing for consumers to know who they’re going to and how much experience they’ve had. The term ‘aesthetic practitioner’ could mean anything ranging from a plastic surgeon to someone buying fillers online legally and doing it from home. Non-surgical procedures Non-surgical procedures are just as dangerous as surgical, so you must research this field just as conscientiously. It’s a common misconception that non-surgical procedures are a ‘safer’ option, and it is therefore critical to make sure that the consultants have the appropriate qualifications in order to ascertain whether they’re competent in delivering the procedure.
“Over 28,000 res cosmetic procedu taking place in the UK alone in 2018, of which a staggering 59% were performed r on patients unde 35 years of age�
Transparency You should be looking for total transparency in a practitioner; one who leads and presents with their qualifications. The government has proposed new regulations with a standardisation of training, one of them being a Level 7 in Aesthetic Medicine. This means that practitioners would be regulated and rigorously examined to a certain standard. Look for this level of qualification in someone that is a non-surgeon or non-doctor. Clinical Environment The procedure should always be administered in a clinical environment, that is sanitary and hygienic with practitioners that are candid with their level of experience. It really is in your best interest to plumb the cosmetic waters for a fully licensed practitioner; non-surgical does not mean nonmedical. Abroad with caution! Avoid the cheaper clinics abroad. The proliferation of cheaper clinics poses a significant risk to impressionable men and women. Dr Somji lamented that medical tourism is here to stay, and that there’s a worryingly increasing number of unscrupulous providers, working overseas and in the UK aesthetics industry, who are offering cheaper prices for counterfeit, unregulated or diluted products. These are then administered by untrained, unqualified people. Their alluring price tags preys on the vulnerability and naivety of young people who blindly follow advice online (and celebrity endorsements on Instagram). Aftercare If you’ve spent the time and money on a procedure, why would you want to ruin it by poor aftercare? “One of the most frustrating things,” he says, “that medical tourism presents, is the lack of aftercare.” When you’ve had a procedure abroad, typically you fly back, and even the flight alone can pose significant risks to your aftercare. Once you’ve arrived back in the UK, there are very few clinics that can manage these complications, so inevitably, the NHS and emergency services then have to bear the brunt of the pressure associated with it. Aftercare should always be discussed as part of the initial consultation and considered thoroughly beforehand, and given in a written format.
“Aftercare sh the initial co ould always be discu ssed ns beforehand,ultation and considered as part of and given in th a written fo oroughly rmat.” Appropriate for the treatment? Dr Somji presses on the importance of eschewing cheap clinics abroad in favour of listening to licensed practitioners in the UK, even if they refuse a procedure. Treatment is refused when clients are not suitable candidates for what they want, or simply won’t achieve the desired results. That’s what a consultation is (or should be), a method of getting advice on their treatments and the best course of action.
Second opinion There is no harm in seeking a second opinion. You should have more than one person in the room to get a range of opinions so that the patients can realise that perhaps there isn’t an issue. I asked how he navigates the increasing problem of body image dysmorphia; “It’s a common occurrence, perhaps on a daily basis. We can help people through cosmetic surgery if they have a negative emotional attachment but what we need to weed out is those that believe that surgery will change their life or somehow make them happier.” There are some obvious cases, and it’s important to educate the patient that there are issues that he/she cannot identify. There are times when the patient needs other forms of therapy, vulnerable patients who can walk into a clinic and undergo a procedure that they don’t need, which contributes to a deeper-rooted problem that no amount of cosmetic alteration can fix. Psychiatric assessment and evaluation is imperative when you’re dealing with patients within aesthetic medicine. So what’s the future? The new age of aesthetic medicine, Dr Somji suggests, will be a hybrid of non-surgical and surgical treatments. People don’t want the downtime that’s associated with surgery, the bruising, swelling and scarring, but they want those long-lasting and dramatic results. In recent years, there was an up-swinging trend of non-surgical procedures failing to slake expectations and then a jump to surgical procedures, but now there is a bourgeoning in-between market to satisfy that demand. Non-surgical procedures can act as a precursor to surgical procedures, but what’s needed is to assess the longevity and efficacy of the non-surgical in order to compete with more permanent surgical procedures. Whether you agree with the direction beauty standards are going in or not, surgical procedures are becoming the norm. They play a significant role in the quest for perceived perfection, so now more than ever, it is imperative that people go into a procedure educated.
“People don’t want the downtime that’s associated with surgery, the bruising, swelling and scarring, but they want those long-lasting and dramatic results.”
Voir ventured to L.A to shoot this issue cover with influencer Nikita Dragun. During our time in the city, home to the famous suburb Hollywood, we wanted to capture the essence of this larger-than-life location. Our images, shot by Fiona Campbell, set out to encapsulate the beauty but also the everyday essence of LA’s landscape.
LOS ANGELES
Photography by Fiona Campbell
POP MUSIC & CLIMATE CHANGE Words by Carla Pelosoff, Artwork by Katie Janes
Lately, artists such as The 1975 and Billie Eilish have been using their platform to emphasise the urgency of climate change. From songs and music videos to world tours being dedicated to the promotion of sustainability, it seems that global warming is becoming an important theme in pop music.
Greta Thunberg
“We are, right now, in the beginning of a climate and ecological crisis, and we need to call it what it is: an emergency” Greta Thunberg speaks in The 1975’s new title track. For their upcoming album ‘Notes on a Conditional Form’, the band collaborated with the young climate activist: the record begins with Thunberg’s voice over soft instrumentals. Denouncing the harmful emission of greenhouse gases and calling for system change, the message is brutally stated at the end of the song: ‘it is time to rebel.’ Thunberg and 1975 frontman Matt Healy are addressing the citizens, asking them to revolt against the politicians that refuse to change the systems that harm the planet.
“We are right now, in the beginning of a climate and ecological crisis, and we need to call it what it is: an emergency” It is the band’s signature to open each album with a reworked version of the track ‘The 1975’, but ‘Notes on a Conditional Form’ is different. For The 1975, the rebellion starts with themselves—by breaking the tradition and playing Thunberg’s propelling words instead of their usual lyrics: ’go down, soft sound, midnight’. Just like Healy, Billie Eilish is vocal and passionate about the state of the Earth. As a 17- year old, the singer represents the generation that is the most active against climate change—it therefore comes as no surprise that she would take advantage of her current status as the most influential artist in the world to sing about this emergency.
Matt Healy
Her song ‘all the good girls go to hell’ invokes heaven and hell to communicate her message: the state of the planet is so bad that even God isn’t powerful enough to rectify it and will ‘want the devil on her team’. True to Billie’s fascination with horror visuals, the music video portrays an apocalyptic world post-global warming. A demonic Billie walks with broken wings amidst tall flames—a bleak image that serves to stress the need for action in order to avoid a nightmarish future.
“Just like Healy, Billie Eilish is vocal and passionate about the state of the Earth.”
Billie Eilish
Thankfully, Billie is not just trying to scare her audience with the critical condition of the Earth—she also offers solutions. Partnering with the non-profit environmental organisation Reverb, the singer launched an eco-friendly world tour for her recent album. Recycle cans will be in abundance, plastic straws forbidden and ‘Billie Eilish EcoVillages’ will feature in each venue through which fans will be able to learn about being environmentally conscious. Billie thus promotes recycling and reducing plastic use as the first steps to tackling climate emergency. It is impossible to talk about environmental consciousness in music without mentioning Lil Dicky’s ‘Earth’. Uniting 32 stars in the likes of Ariana Grande and Leonardo DiCaprio, the song celebrates the planet and invites citizens to be respectful of it. By featuring so many artists in one project, Lil Dicky undoubtedly drew a lot of attention towards the subject of global warming, however the lyrics are perhaps not as substantial as they could be. As so many celebrities that speak up about climate change are, Lil Dicky is too general and fails to specify what ‘action’ he encourages us to take.
Lil Dicky
Issuing a statement on social media or in interviews is effective, but doing it via music is even more powerful. Every time Billie and The 1975 go on stage and perform their respective songs about climate emergency, they are reasserting their message: climate change is so critical that it is an issue worth bringing up to every show and worth immortalising through music.
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World renowned astrologer Joanna Hope (whose clients include the Osbournes, Caroline Flack and the Housewives of Cheshire) provides an insight into what awaits us in winter 2019.
For Private bookings with Joanna Hope head to Psychicwish.co.uk @Hopepsychic
Winter 2019
Scorpio Nothing can stop you now, Scorpio. It’s time to get into the party spirit and let your hair down, joining in with friends and family enables them to show you how much they care. Your sense of cool and passionate enthusiasm inspires many. Your dreams are especially important at this time of year. Your hard-working ethics and the creativity you apply in your career, means you could land that big role and see your talents work like magic. Temptation will come in the form of luxury, but don’t feel guilty. Treat yourself to some of life’s treasures, you deserve it for all that you have achieved so far. Consider all avenues when it comes to finding the right person in love. As you expand your awareness of what you need in love, you will realise it flourishes in the strangest of situations and from the most unexpected, unlikely sources. Listen to your perceptive, loving heart, Scorpio, and you will not be disappointed. If you are in a committed relationship, your domestic happiness increases and you fulfil a long-awaited dream. Colour: Black | Crystal: Obsidian
Pisces Spiritual and sensitive, Pisces, you can trust your intuition. Listen to your feelings in a relationship as you encourage the best for each other. You may be moving in together or committing on a different level than before. Fear not, it is the right time as a more meaningful life can materialise by joining forces. If you are single, your dating life will be action-packed and you may attract a compatible partner who is an old soul and understands you on a deeper level. In your career, Pisces, keep an imaginative approach for solutions to problems and let your inspired mind loose on projects to give them originality and make them a success. You can look forward to the future as you start to manifest your ambitions like they have come straight off your vision board. Your unwavering determination has secured you safe passage on the road to fulfilment. Colour: White | Crystal: Snow Quartz
WATER
Cancer Cancerian angel, positive thinking gets you everywhere. Your soul is affectionate because, like the crab, you have a hard exterior but a soft centre. Your soulmate is written in the stars, as you discover what really makes you happy. As the party season takes hold, you are at your best. Your cosmic energy is overflowing, bringing your dreams into reality and making all things possible. The creative mind you possess can harness your great spirit and help you achieve success in your career. As you enlighten others about your dynamic talent and knowledge, your quest for perfection is appreciated. The stakes are high, and your courage is incredible. Don’t look back, there is no time like the present. Colour: White | Crystal: Moonstone
Gemini Delightful Gemini you are out and about on the social scene this party season; a glittering butterfly popular as ever. Mercury, your ruler, as the messenger of the gods, gives you the gift of eloquence to wow. A whirlwind of romance is coming your way, so enjoy a fulfilling love life full of flirtatious antics. Those wings on Mercury’s feet are designed to help you fly high in your career, so travelling more than usual and to more exotic destinations is on the cards. Soaring to new heights, you will see just how far you have come. You are determined and intuitive, so enjoy the sweet perfume of success. Colour: Red | Crystal: Jasper
Libra Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, your ruling planet, is blessing you with love and romance. You may find yourself settling down or taking a big step in your love life that anchors your heart. The future is calling, it’s time to be considering taking more time to reflect on your career. Follow your dreams, after all, you are the boss, own it. Heaven will help you as the stars align and light up your path ahead. Colour: Green | Crystal: Moss Agate
AIR
Aquarius Aquarius, you will embark on a new journey in your love life as a partner will be taking you into unchartered waters where you will discover new and exciting places and things to do together. It is a time for you to seek new challenges and have a connection with your passionate self, sharing it with your soulmate. Count your blessings, and you will see the bank is pretty full. You will be feeling fabulous this party season, in true Aquarius style. Invitations can surprise you as old friends appear. More recognition is indicated at work, and you can see how your constant effort is taking you to the top. Don’t look back now, work those dreams, invest in yourself, and you will attract lucky influences. There are opportunities out there, and they are yours for the taking. Enjoy the challenge, confidence is your best friend. Colour: Purple | Crystal: Amethyst
Taurus Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, your ruling planet, is blessing you with love and romance. You may find yourself settling down or taking a big step in your love life that anchors your heart. The future is calling, it’s time to be considering taking more time to reflect on your career. Follow your dreams, after all, you are the boss, own it. Heaven will help you as the stars align and light up your path ahead. Colour: Green | Crystal: Moss Agate
Virgo Attention to detail is one of your most fabulous traits. Your organised approach can put you in the right place at the right time; a lot of progress will be made when it comes to your career. Believe and receive should be your motto as a sense of empowerment comes from your unshakeable faith in yourself. As the festive period gets underway, you will be in the mood for love. Unexpected events assist you to have good times with the one you love as they put you in the centre of their world. Delectable delights are on the menu, and you have a tall order! Enjoy basking in a love life filled with hope. Colour: Turquoise | Crystal: Chrysocolla
EARTH
Capricorn Those golden horns are pointed in the right direction Capricorn. Investment in your happiness adds more adventure to your life. With your outgoing nature, you can herald in the party season as you make plans and have a full diary of exciting company to look forward to. You are driven and have a winning attitude in your work. The universe rewards those that try, and for you, Capricorn, it will be delivering your success with a very large bonus at the end of it. Romance will sing to you; you are not afraid to express your love to a special person in your life as you live life to the fullest - making plans and become daring. If you are single, the law of attraction is waiting to deliver your soulmate through a magnetic attraction, so keep your radar on! Colour: Orange | Crystal: Garnet
Aries Beautiful Aries, you shine brightly, as your rebellious soul attracts the limelight. Glamour and glitz are your key-words. The magnetic power of attraction you possess bares well for your love life and your lifestyle choices. That handsome prince/princess can appear, and love can take you on a magical mystery tour. Be assertive, as ambition is the vehicle that will drive your career to the right destination. Be awesome, be creative and original. Colour: Blue | Crystal: Aventurine
Leo The sun shines its golden light on you, Leo. Your eye for all things beautiful attracts the most positive people into your life. New experiences enhance your passionate side, so accept invitations throughout the festive season, as you could find yourself being the life and soul of the party. Your heart seeks out an equal that genuinely loves you. For those of you who are committed - you are rewarded for your patience in love as you find you have a perfect match. You have been working hard, and it has not gone unnoticed. Rewards can come to you from unexpected sources as you turn a corner. Your compassionate insight and wisdom are beneficial to others, as they will uplift you and help you shine. Lady Luck is on your side, Leo. Colour: Yellow | Crystal: Tigers Eye
FIRE
Sagittarius Elegant archer, as the festive season takes hold, your zest for life and vibrant personality attract an impressive display of positive situations to your door. You can sail away with your high vibrational energy taking a long-awaited break with your loved ones. You become powerful when you take control, as your clarity for what you truly desire manifests, taking you directly to your goals. Your dedication is appreciated, with your excellent work having far-reaching effects to those in authority. Your love life will become fulfilling towards the end of the year. Believe in the power of love, as you can attract an amazing relationship into your life. Rest assured that love will grow, and you will find the happiness you seek. Colour: Purple | Crystal: Amethyst
Voir Fashion Magazine - daring to be different. Voir is an online publication issued on a quarterly basis. Issue 25 Meet The New Gen Warriors was inspired by: Jyoti Matoo Editor-In-Chief/Stylist jm@voirfashion.co.uk Luke Walwyn Art Director/Photographer art@voirfashion.co.uk Editor’s Assistant Shona Moran Sasha Green Fiona Campbell Katie Janes Veronica Wong Diffa assistant@voirfashion.co.uk Felix Laurens Brand Liaison creative@voirfashion.co.uk WRITERS, ARTISTS & CREATIVES Fani Martin: Retoucher Pippa Simmonds Hayley Barnes Aamir Potrick Hena Sharma Lizzy Greenwood Amanda Ashbourn Sachin Gogna Aisha Shaban Toby Shaw Jen Wilding Brandon Jameson Mateusz Sitek James Davey Anna Priadka Danielle Yates Lara Davis Abbie May Carly Samantha Steven Tabimba Georgia Hope @hair_by_jay1 Mike Mahoney Lara Ross Nailgalnat Joa Noel
Special Thank You to the following: Studio Q – LA Bjorn Van Den Berg GCDS Halo & Co Ploom the Label Nadine Merabi Malan Breton Kira Goodey Atsuko Kudo Majesty Black Kerry Parker Venus Prototype Marianna Harutunian In Your Dreams Diana Cavagnaro Todrick Hall Nikita Dragun Felicity Hayward Sensen Li Freddy Smithson Dr Munir Somji : DrMediSpa For creative submissions creative@voirfashion.co.uk art@voirfashion.co.uk For collaborations and advertising opportunities: jm@voirfashion.co.uk For general enquiries editorial@voirfashion.co.uk For beauty enquiries beauty@voirfashion.co.uk
WINTER ‘19|20
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THE NEW GEN WARRIORS
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