Issue Nine
Welcometo SmokeMagazine Thank you f or picking up a copy of Issue Nine, and t aking t he t ime t o read and observe our hard work. The new t eam are very excit ed t o bring you a st udent orient at ed magazine, f il l ed wit h cont ent and art icl es which ref l ect st udent voices. Smoke Magazine of f ers every st udent an opport unit y t o have work publ ished in print and on our brand new websit e so pl ease do not be af raid t o cont act us! Happy reading!
2016/17TEAM. Amy Avent - Editor in Chief
Imani Livingston - Deputy Editor
Noemi M artini - Culture Editor
Kiera Chapman - Assistant Culture Editor
Lareb Naseem, - M usic Editor
Tia-Rochelle Jones - Fashion Editor
Omar Balde - Assistant Fashion Editor
Charlotte Racher - New s Editor
Cristian Angeloni - Lifestyle Editor Patricia Hilbert - Photography Coordinator
Smokemagazine@su.westminster.ac.uk
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CONTENTS
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NEWS
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NEXTSUPRESIDENTSHINESAT AWARDSBALL Charlotte Racher, News Editor
Winner of the Quintin Hogg Award, valued member of the netball team and our next president - Freya Thompson! Our next president of the Students?Union, Freya Thompson picked up two awards herself and was nominated for a third. The netball team, which she is part of, picked up team of the year, and were by far the largest table in the room. Additionally, Freya received the Female Quintin Hogg award which is awarded to the student who has shown outstanding commitment to the UWSU Dragons over the year; and was also nominated for sports person of the year. Freya is the first female president in a whopping 15 years to grace The University of Westminster Students?Union and it doesn?t look like she?ll be letting us down.
UNIVERSITYSTUDYSHOWSHAND DRYERSTOBEDIRTIERTHAN PAPERTOWELS. Univeristy of Westminster researchers have published a study in the Journal of Applied Microbiotics which shows that Dyson hand dryers spread 1300 times more germs than paper towels and 60 times more than Standard dyers. According to the findings, Dyson hand dryers blast germs across a room at 430mph, spreading viruses 3 metres across a bathroom which causes significant health concerns in comparison to it's rival hand dryers.
NEWS
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DIRTYPLAYBEFOREVARSITY FROMUWL. In light of Varsity the Dragon?s rival team from The University of West London Students?Union resorted to immature tactics in an attempt to fire up our netball teams. The UWSU Netball Team received defaced images of themselves, decorated with genitals and inappropriate slurs.
BREXIT,WHYSHOULDI CARE? A light hearted student guide to why you should care about the EU referendum.. Charlotte Racher, News Editor
Reasons why you shoul d vot e t o remain in t he EU as a st udent ; If you?ve made some great European f riends you may want t o consider vot ing t o st ay in t he EU. One of t he main principl es of EU membership is ?f ree movement ?, t his means your pal s don?t need a visa t o go and l ive in anot her count ry. Handy and al so good t o know if t he deadl ines are get t ing t oo much, t hat you have t he possibil it y t o immigrat e t o anot her European count ry, wit hout al l pesky paperwork. If you are f rom a European count ry st udying in t he UK or a UK st udent hoping t o t ravel abroad. Being part of t he EU simpl if ies t his process under t he ?Erasmus scheme?(which provides st udent s wit h t he opport unit y t o st udy or undert ake work pl acement abroad as part of t heir degree). Tanning and st udying coul d be under serious jeopardy vot ers, t hink of t he st udent s!
The West London Varsity on the 13th April resulted in yet another victory for the University of Westminster Students?Union Dragons. Celebrating in style, we reclaimed our trophy for another year without demonstrating poor sportsmanship. The inappropriate, yet arguably comical, behaviour from UWLSU continued on Varsity day when a streaker from their supporting side took to the football pitch during the penultimate game of the day. Throughout the day there were reports from members of the UWSU Dragons that the opposing side were playing dirtier and nastier than ever before, perhaps in desperation to win the Varsity trophy after four years of consecutive losses. Both UWLSU and UWSU president's failed to comment.
If you?re concerned about our pl ace in t he Eurovision Song Cont est ? you real l y have a great l if e if t his is one of your worries- t hen have no f ear! Al l part icipant s must be a member of European Broadcast ing Union, which is compl et el y independent t o t he EU. A ?brexit ?wil l not bring us a f orced exit f rom Eurovision cont est (unf ort unat el y). The compet it iveness principl es st ops monopol ies t aking pl ace and dest roying smal l er businesses wit h t heir power. Besides, t he smal l shops are t he ones t hat are open 24/ 7 and give you t hat f at bag of Dorit os f or ÂŁ1 af t er a night of some sinf ul act s t owards your l iver. Don?t get me wrong Tesco?s meal deal s are great but t his l egisl at ion l ooks out f or our l ocal businesses.
SmokeMagazine,Issue9 With that being said, the new arrangement is not as bad as it seems. Students who are already enrolled in university can still claim government grants, it is only students who are commencing their higher education in 2016 who will not be eligible for the grant.
SCRAPPINGTHE MAINTENANCE GRANT- ISIT REALLYTHAT BAD?
Amy Avent, Editor in Chief
The first budget of the new conservative government saw the announcement that the maintenance grant would no longer be available to students and would be replaced with higher maintenance loans. The announcement of this came with outcry from the student?s of England, triggering emotions and a petition obtaining 133,065 signatures, resulting in a parliamentary debate on the subject. Despite the petition and dissatisfaction the scrapping of the maintenance grant has gone ahead and as we approach the point of the academic year where it is time to re-apply for our student loans this news can be quite daunting.
Additionally, as a current student you can also apply for the higher maintenance loan on top of your standard maintenance loan and maintenance grant. The new structure for current students means that we can gain an additional £2000 (on average) as long as your parents income has not changed. If you are entering your third year you can apply for a combination of a higher maintenance loan and grant of up to £3387. If you are entering your second year, that figure stands the same but is made up of a larger higher maintenance loan and a smaller grant. In the long run as a second a third year student you will ultimately end up with more money to spare. If I give you my own loan allocation as an example you might be more convinced (please note that as a student studying in London I receive a higher loan than elsewhere in the country); this year I received a total of £9,523 next year with the higher maintenance loan I can receive up to £10,407. If you are comfortable with paying a higher amount when you graduate then the scrapping of the maintenance loan will actually leave you in a better financial position while you are studying. However, you will be expected to pay back a larger sum of money post university, therefore leaving you with a decision of whether you would like to be more financially stable while studying or have less debt to repay once you have finished studying.
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LIFESTYLE
LIFEHACKSTOHELPYOURELAX
LOCOFORTHECOCO. Kelly Blewitt,
Kelly Blewitt
By now, everyone must have heard of the coconut and its health benefits. From hair masks to cooking and sunscreen to oil pulling, the uses of coconut oil are virtually endless. I can?t get enough of it, but not just for its healthy fats or moisturising properties? Using coconut oil makes perfect economic sense! Which is music to the ears of a flat broke student ? definitely a win-win situation! In our everyday beauty routine we are likely to use a cleanser, a moisturiser for the face and body, deodorant, shaving foam,the list goes on. The price of all these products canbecomepretty ridiculous (depending on the brand choice). If you include the price of products such as cooking oil and teeth whitener then this price rises even higher. HOWEVER You can buy a decent sized jar of coconut oil for anywhere between ÂŁ7 and ÂŁ15. As long as the one you buy is raw and virgin, you are good to go. Coconut oil can be used for the following;
CLICK HERE
Here?s a short list of hacks to help you through those stressful moments: 1. Laugh at something/someone. ?Laughter is usually the best natural medicine. It low ers levels of cortisol, adrenaline, and epinephrine, w hich are stress-aggravating hormones; and it releases feel-good hormones, such as, dopamine. 1 Finding a funny cat video, or chatting w ith a friend might do the trick! 2. Go for w alk. Seriously, greenery and low impact exercise is much more relaxing than looking at your laptop screen? 3. Take a nap. For those that prefer a more horizontal fix! Get the best of both w orlds
A facial cleanser
w ith a w ind dow n and a boost of energy.
A facial and body moisturiser
4. Drink green tea. Any tea makes me feel cozy inside but green tea is a rich source of L-Theanine w hich is proven to reduce stress and anger!
Tooth Whitener A deep cleansing hair mask Cooking oil Deodorant Homemade mayo By using inexpensive coconut oil instead of multiple pricey products, you can keep more money in your pocket or spend it on other things. Aside from feeling healthier on the inside and looking all glowy on the outside, you won?t feel bad for buying that extra coffee on Monday morning! Even better, using it for everything cuts out the complicated searches for ethical brands, making it much easier to save the bunnies from cruelty and almost all brands are fair trade, ensuring that their workers are cared for too.
5. M editate. Now , this could be as simple as lying in bed and listening to yourself breathe. Or closing your eyes at your desk and imagining yourself on a beach w ith a cocktail! As a beginner, I?ve found the most effective w ay to be through guided mediation. There are a few apps out there that specialise in this kind of stuff and the w hole idea is to become aw are of the stress and actively disengage w ith it.
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SMOKERECIPES BOOSTINGCONCENTRATION Cristian Angeloni, Lifestyle Editor
Staying focused during the exam and assessment period can be overwhelming and hard to cope with. We have all tried different techniques to stay focused and concentrate. Some students load themselves with coffee, while others start living in the library. Here are some recipes and tips to enhance your concentration through this period. The Brain Boost er (148 Cal ories) 3 unpeel ed carrot s (cut in pieces) 1 unpeel ed appl e (cut int o pieces) 6-8 chopped spinach l eaves 1/ 2 unpeel ed beet root (cut int o pieces) crushed ice. Use either a juicer or a blender. Juice all the ingredients and then serve them with the crushed ice; or mix all the ingredients with water, strain the juice and serve with crushed ice as well.
10 foods that boost concentration: Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Water Blueberries Salmon Green Tea Beetroot Bananas Spinach Eggs
An alternative remedy to enhance concentration is aromatherapy. Add aromatic blends to the bath, in a can air-freshener for a calming aroma or on your skin for a massage, these blends will not only enhance concentration but also boost your memory incredibly useful at exam time!
Such bl ends are: 1- 3 drops of Rosemary and 2 drops of Lemon 2- 4 drops of Cypress 1 drop of Peppermint
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LIFESTYLE
HOWTONOTDIEDURINGEXAMS. Charlotte Racher, News Editor
Sl eep, eat , drink (wat er) and shower The eat, sleep, rave, repeat can come after my friend. But for now, make sure you are sleeping plenty (8 hours is advisable); eating and drinking well; and showering ? nobody likes a smelly reviser and your family will despise you and your smell for being back homeLooking after yourself is vital for a fully functioning brain and it?ll make you feel better. Creat e a t imet abl e of when your exams are, when you are going to revise and how long for. You?ll feel organised and have a structure to follow ? plus highlighting may be the most thrilling activity for a long time. The right environment We are all different, so you need to find out what suits you best. Some work best in the morning others in the afternoon or evening. Music can really motivate people -on a personal level this is highly distracting for me and my pen
becomes a microphone. Whether it is silence or lots of noise; do your absolute best to create the perfect working environment for you. Rewards (t he pub) It?s important to revise but it?s also important to not cry everyday in your bedroom next to your perfectly colour-coordinated pens. Breaks are also essential but just not massive one entire Netflix series kind of breaks. Taking breaks and allowing yourself some fun throughout the week will give you the positive energy you require. Variet y. Try to vary your revision techniques, from writing things down, to videos, saying it outloud to practice papers. By varying the way you revise this should help to reduce boredom and make sure the information is going in as well as it can ? with the opportunity to self gloat when you do well on a test and say smart things out loud.
LIFESTYLE TAKEYOURWORKOUT OUTSIDETHISSUMMER Cristian Angeloni, Lifestyle Editor
Being healthy is an important aspect of our everyday lives, food and nutrition have received great levels of attention in the past few years encouraging us to work out and participate in fitness training. However, attending a gym regularly can become expensive, so we have researched how you can work out on the cheap this spring - by taking your workout outside. With longer spring evenings and hopefully - warmer weather why not try a free outdoor gym? Located in Alexandra Park or Edgware park (nearest to the Harrow campus) or Paddington Recreation Ground in Maida Vale (nearest to the central campuses). Outdoor gyms offer the same weight resistance machines that you will find in a gym, in addition to cross trainers and treadmills but for absolutely free. Another way to take advantage of the new season is by attending gym classes outdoors, Gorilla Circus trapeze classes are offered in Regent?s Park or Kensington Gardens for £24 for a 2 hour class which seem like a great way to try a new activity, get outside and get fit. If £24 a class is a bit pricey check out Pilates classes, which are on offer for free in the Brown Hart Gardens Mayfair every Wednesday at 6pm.
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AFORGOTTENZONE Imani Livingston, Deputy Editor
It?s unbelievable how much people can affect the way that you feel in an environment. If they?re great people then you feel good and you want to stick around but If they?re not then it makes you want to get away as quickly as possible. Regardless of whether the physical environment changes or not the strength that people?s influence seems to have on you can become unbearable. So how do you escape it? You need to create a ?me zone?, a place that is for you and all about you. It should be a place in which you do the things that you need to do for you in order to regenerate and should be a place that you venture into each day. You cannot pour from an empty cup, you cannot give to others what you do not have for yourself. Getting back into an old habit is one of those things that can help you to feel more like yourself e.g. reading, writing or running are definitely some of the most common habits that people fall away from but they are each a way to escape the world for a while. If you do have something that you've let go of or even if you don't, find a way to try something new each week, whether it be a piece of food or venturing around a whole new area. You may find something that makes you feel more like yourself than you ever have before!
However, if none of these options appeal to you, why not put your sneakers on and take advantage of the beautiful green spaces of London? Take a walk, or cycle (£2 hire charge with santander bicycles) through the Rose Garden in Regent?s Park or enjoy the fire from Hyde Park and maybe treat yourself with a boating trip on the Serpentine. So what are you waiting for? Ditch your hot sweaty gym and get to the park for an alternative workout this spring.
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REVIEWS
RALPHFENNESASTHEMASTER BUILDERATTHEOLDVIC. Theatre Review by Aylin Paula Karanis
The Norwegian Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen?s another masterpiece ?The Master Builder? stole away all the theatre-lovers, especially with its to-die-for cast. But did it reach the expectations? Just like his other playwrights, The Masterbuilder is a captivating drama that brings realism and fictions with Ibsen?s criticism of the church. Telling the story of a builder who is reaching the end of his career and feels threatened by the younger generation that will eventually take his position. The main character is a husband tied down in a dry and failing marriage, which unfortunately was not the only dry aspect of the play. Looking at the ticket prices you would think Ralph Fiennes is going to blow your mind away with his performance. Of course he is still one the most talented actors but not sure if David Hare?s version really highlighted his talent. Hare?s adaptation was very effective in a way that engaged every member of the audience to focus on the words more than the movement going on at the stage, but perhaps that was just because there wasn?t a lot of movement going on. There were not enough gestures and movements to reflect the emotions of the characters, which in turn did not show the talent of the cast. Even though David Hare portrayed one of the key elements of ?impotence? so simply, I expected the adaptation to be more exciting. Of course seeing such a great playwright by Ibsen and seeing it through great actors such as Ralph Fiennes was, and always is wonderful. However, I am not entirely sure whether the ticket prices were worth what we saw.
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REVIEWS
BOOKREVIEW;THEVERSIONSOFUS BYLAURABARNETT Felicity King, English Literature BA Student
If you are a sucker for a chick-lit novel then this debut by Laura Barnett certainly doesn?t disappoint. However, she uses the seemingly inconspicuous occurrence of a woman riding her bicycle as a pivotal point, from which she guides the reader down three alternative paths. The rest of the novel follows Eva and Jim, the two protagonists, over the next sixty years or so, encouraging the reader to think about whether certain things happen in our lives as a result of fate or destiny. Personally, I loved the book and its characters, particularly Eva. She remains calm and collected, even in the darkest of times, and her quiet, unadulterated strength is admirable. The novel, as a whole, is beautifully written; I struggled to put it down, and that speaks volumes. The romances of the novel are quite pared down compared to other contemporary novels, but I love it ? I feel as though it brings a somewhat vintage air to a text published only last year. The main difficulty I had was trying to keep up with the three different storylines at the same time, so it may be beneficial to make notes as you read. That being said, I was moved to tears by each of the conclusions, so perhaps not one to finish in public, but for me any work that can provoke that much emotion is a winner. This book will keep you thinking long after you turn the final page.
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REVIEWS
ACCIOHARRY POTTERSTUDIOS Cristian Angeloni, Lifestyle Editor
Harry Potter has been, as for the majority of our generation, a part of my childhood and adolescence. I?ve always been a huge fan - I have read all the books and watched all the films, so going to the Harry Potter Studios was a dream come true. On entrance you will notice how well the place organised is from incredibly friendly staff to clean picnic areas. The whole attraction is an interactive experience, there are screens with videos in which the main actors explain the use of the settings, wigs, clothes and objects which were used during the shooting of the eight films. Even the Weasley?s house is interactive! Between the two pavilions in where the studios are set there is an eating area where you can drink Butterbeer. It is followed by an outdoors area with a few other settings. The second pavilion is mainly based on the making of the films process. There is a whole collection of sketches, scale models of the settings, special effects and much more. It is also the
location where scenes for Diagon Alley and Hogwarts filming took place. The only downside is the pricing of both food and souvenirs. They are extremely expensive. Just to mention we paid ÂŁ65 for two pictures and two videos of us riding a broomstick! But hey, it only happens once right?
MUSIC
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EXUCESNOTTODANCE; EXCLUSIVEINTERVIEW. Lareb Naseem, Smoke Magazine Music Editor took the time to sit down with Rupert (Ru) to find out everything you need to know about the event 'Excuses not to Dance'. Tired of boring Wednesday nights? Feel as though you need a new scene/ venture out more? First year Contemporary Media Practice student Ru, has got just the thing for you! ?Excuses Not to Dance? A once a month event where students are able to showcase their work and rave. The night is split into two parts: the first hour is dedicated to art work, networking and then then the second part of the night is for partying. The night Lareb interviewed Ru included special guests: George Baird aka LiNk and Alfie Grieve aka Grievous T. These two are such talented musicians but together their flow was unbelievable. LiNK laying it down with some hip hop vibes, with Grievious T flowing effortlessly over the top with the golden tones of his Trumpet.
keM SmokeMagazinSem ,oIssu ea9gazine,Issue Lareb: I guess the first question is why you started it and what is ?Excuses not to Dance?? Ru: ?Hmmm well I started it for two reasons... I wanted a good night of underground club/ dance music to party to and at the same time I wanted more opportunities to see work from students across different courses/ years.? Lareb: How is the evening split up? Ru: For the first hour, we do screenings of student work from animation, film, CMP, fashion and everything else. It's really great getting submissions from people and seeing work that I would otherwise have never heard about From 10 onwards, we get the decks out and have a bit of a rave. Lareb: Is there anyone/ thing that has helped towards the development of the event Ru: ?Tom Coleman and Niall Mordecai are the resident DJs, they do an eclectic set ranging from rare underground tunes, to the crowd pleasing bangers. They have been elemental to the development of the night, we are on the same wavelength for the kind of party we want to host. So basically, something to cater for the people with less mainstream taste in music, but we're not snobs, we want it to be accessible to anyone who wants to have a midweek boogie. Viktorija Grey has been integral in helping me curate the visual arts. She is a 2nd Year CMP student involved with the Film Screening Society and has been endless help in sourcing submissions for videos!
Lareb: Do you have a favourite part to the evening? Ru: Not my favourite but it?s a rather cool aspect of the night is the visual art which we have running during the DJ sets. Hallucinatory projections cut in time with the music. Some of the work has been produced especially for the night, while others are visual experiments that might have been left to gather digital dust. Lareb: Any final words? Ru: Yes of course! To conclude I?d just like to mention that I am always looking for more artists, (from across all media) to be involved with the night. But for me the main thing is, that I would really want more opportunities to collaborate and communicate with other courses, I think ?Excuses?is a perfect example as to how we can to break barriers and view each other's work.
To keep up to date with all things Excuses give them a like on Facebook.
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MUSIC I swapped my bl azer f or a l eat her jacket one day at School and f el t l iberat ed. God onl y knows how Bowie must have f el t af t er he'd squeezed int o t hat jumpsuit on Top of t he Pops. The orange f l ame of hair and t he chal k-whit e f ace, beckoning me t o anot her universe. I knew he was special . I was st ruck by a f eel ing of awe. The awe t hat envel ops when wit nessing a genius. He was Ziggy St ardust t hen and soon he woul d be Al addin Sane and years on f rom t hat , The Thin Whit e Duke. Trend-set t er, go-get t er and just mil es bet t er t han t he rest . Even his name sparked conf usion. A simpl e argument
REBEL,REBEL. Henry King, English Literature and Creative Writing BA Student.
Henry explores the legacy which David Bowie left behind after his death through a unique perspective.
"Most coul dn't mat ch him, despit e t heir best ef f ort s"
over pronunciat ion coul d spiral hopel essl y out of cont rol - knowing how t o say Bowie t he right way coul d be int erpret ed as a rit e of passage t o possessing some f ar great er musical knowl edge. Arguabl y in every one of t hose f ive decades in which he exist ed as a rock-st ar, pop-st ar, f il m-st ar or even a man in drag, he was t he ref erence point . The rest of t he music indust ry just had t o simpl y t ry and st ay in reach. If you st opped f or a moment t o t ake it al l in, he'd have l ef t you behind al ready. Most coul dn't mat ch him despit e t heir best ef f ort s. He was a bizarre anomal ous in a crowded room of musical wannabes. His imit at ors wat ch wide-eyed f rom af ar bef ore embarking on t heir personal missions of emul at ion. The resul t s were about as t hril l ing as when somebody t el l s someone el se's joke and spoil s t he punchl ine. This musical game of f ol l ow t he l eader t hat he unknowingl y st art ed al l t hose years ago, wil l cont inue f or everyone el se even af t er his deat h, and it wil l be a l ong t ime bef ore t he game st ops. Even in his f inal years, Bowie was one st ep ahead. Beyonce rel eased a surprise al bum at t he end of 2013 and t he move was recognized as being "a game-changer" f or t he indust ry. Many al ready considered her t o be perhaps t he l ast remaining "Superst ar", and t hose t hat had awarded her wit h t his accol ade woul d argue t hat t his move was evidence of it . She had avoided t he promot ional dut ies t hat were usual l y expect ed bef ore a rel ease, and inst ead had ret urned unannounced wit h music. The t hing is, Bowie had al ready done t his earl ier in t he same year. If he'd out shone a Superst ar,
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MUSIC what did t hat make him? I'm not ol d enough t o have been around when he was 'The Man Who Sol d The Worl d' or l ive t hrough his days as Ziggy St ardust . I wasn't al ive when he was t he hol l ow f igure of The Thin Whit e Duke, l iving on "Red Peppers, Cocaine and Mil k", l ooking barel y st rong enough t o carry his own weight l et al one t he weight of t he worl d as he perf ormed on 'The Dick Cavet t Show' in America. I woul dn't know about his days in Berl in wit h Iggy Pop unt il decades af t er t hey'd happened. My knowl edge of David Bowie is merel y t he product of my Parent 's st ories and ol d t el evision f oot age. I've l earnt about him t hrough t he l ef t overs of decades gone by. It 's al l been gradual l y pieced t oget her over t he years t o resembl e not hing more t han make-shif t impressions of a man, but t hey're good enough f or me. I've real ized t hat I may never real l y be abl e t o underst and him compl et el y; t here was t oo much going on. He remained cool unt il t he end and t hat 's what set him apart f rom t he rest of t he pack. It 's in our nat ure t o give in t o t empt at ion and t owards t he end of his career, t empt at ion was no doubt t here t o greet Bowie l ike a naught y f riend. It had al ready persuaded ol d associat es of his. The Rol l ing St ones are st il l t ouring and managed t o navigat e t heir way t o Gl ast onbury's Pyramid St age f or a headl ine sl ot and Paul McCart ney is st il l singing f rom behind a piano. But Bowie knew when t o disappear. He managed t o avert his eyes f rom t he bright ening l ight s of showbiz in t he nick of t ime and remain in cont rol , his image kept int act and his dignit y preserved. He was a no-show at t he Brit Awards a coupl e of years ago, but f ound wil l ing servant s in a rock-st ar and a supermodel t o accept an award on his behal f . Just moment s bef ore, when Gal l agher announced his name as t he winner, it was met wit h a chorus of del irium. The prospect of him wal king on t o t he st age t o col l ect t he award seemed unt hinkabl e. It was; "You maniacs didn't act ual l y t hink t hat David Bowie was going t o be here? David Bowie's t oo cool f or t hat . He
don't do t his shit ." He was right . He present ed one l ast al bum t o t he worl d as a part ing gif t on his 69t h birt hday, t wo days bef ore his deat h. He was st il l ahead of us even in t he f ace of deat h, his l yrics warning us t hat he wasn't going t o be around f or much l onger. And t hen he decided t hat enough was enough and l ike some wonderf ul vanishing act , he was no l onger wit h us.
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CULTURE AGUIDETOSOUTH KENSINGTON. Kiera Chapman, Assistant Culture Editor
Forget the North ? Jon Snow really does know nothing. It?s all about the South. The SW postcode is notorious for it?s white pillar streets providing a catwalk for the alarmingly rich. However, it IS possible for the Prada-less mere mortals of the world to survive it and heck, even have a good time. Visit : The National History museum is located 5 minutes by foot from the station. If families of British tourists tend to irate you (as by now you are a born and bred Londoner, are you not? You revel in this city!), visit on weekdays. The attraction is free to enter, whilst donations are prompted, and in the winter it plays host to it?s own picturesque ice-skating rink. If you have time to spare, visit Kensington Gardens ? home to the ?Peter Pan?statue. Cul t ure: There?s a rapidly growing French community. It?s home to the French Institute too, which provides lessons as well as French film screenings. List en: Add M83 ? Midnight City, Swim Deep ? King City and Vampire Weekend ? White Sky to your playlist.
Wear: Sunglasses, big sunglasses. Pair them with a trench or a light duster coat. Men, this applies to you too. Team your coat with a high or go smart causal, South Kensington is very? white. Eat : Like your super foods? No? Well, learn to like them. The Good Life Eatery is a cafĂŠ offering brunches and lunches fit for both boosting your immune system as well as your Instagram. Six pounds will buy you a granola bowl garnished with coconut flakes and bee pollen. Shop: Wholefoods has a lip smacking ramen bar and wholesome buffet located on its top floor, to the right of High Street Kensington Station. The Borough of Kensington IS notorious for its designers ? Ralph Lauren, you name it. If like books, South Kensington bookshop offers an opportunity to immerse your self in literature.
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Kiera Court By Noemi Martini, Culture Editor. A shy and introvert girl, but on the stage she becomes Kiera Court, the angel-voiced singer, who is not afraid to make jokes about herself. Sipping some water between two songs, she confesses that she can?t even drink on public transport, and that she feels embarrassed doing it in front of her audience. Still in her own world, the world of music and words, she is empowered, brave and candid, bringing love and joy through her songs. Kiera started writing poems and short stories at the age of 12, along with learning to play the guitar, which slowly developed to songwriting. ?I?m a huge fan of people-watching. I?m that person on the train who is watching people behind her book. Everyone has a story.? Inspired by artists such as Norah Jones, Gabrielle Aplin and Elvis Presley she describes her style as singer-songwriter, pop-folk, a mixture of everything, but she is open to try new and different styles.
YOUNG & TALENTED
After her debut this spring at Notting Hill Arts Club, she is going to perform at Proud Camden; however she is not planning music to be her career. ?That would be the best scenario if it?d become a career. But most importantly, it?s for my own pleasure.? Currently studying journalism, I asked her how she combines it with music: ?I like the art of writing in general and wanted to be educated.? Journalism allows Kiera to meet new people of different cultures in addition to learning about the world.
Photo credit, Leanne Marie BA Journalism and Jay Kasitz BA Television Production.
Her advice for young artists who are just starting out is to ?do it for yourself, for your own pleasure, to make you feel happy?. Kiera?s biggest goals are to gain self-confidence through performing in front of others and for music to physically take her somewhere.
SmokeMagazine,Issue9
CULTURE
IT'SJUSTJENNER-ALKNOWLEDGE. Kiera Chapman, Assistant Culture Editor
Trends ? t hey?re everywhere. From t he ?Rachel ?hair do (if you f ail t o regist er t his as a Friends ref erence: get out ), t o our ?wel l known?pal DJ Casper?s Cha Cha Sl ide. Now 2016 sees anot her revol ut ionary t rend consume us, wit h a part icul arl y st rong f ol l owing of young women. I cannot depict one girl s f ace f rom anot her t hese days, as al l seem t o port ray an il l usion of symmet ry. Brows garnished wit h a sl eek shadow, f ake l ashes and l ips so pl ump it ?s as t hough t hey?ve hel d t he wrong end of t he hover t o t heir f aces. Of course, I f ind t he l eader and source of t hese puf f y peckers t o be t he seemingl y most signif icant , idyl l ic cel ebrit y unit of t he modern worl d: The Jenner f amil y. A not orious st at eside f amil y who seem t o own t he 21st Cent ury Brit ain in a way t hat David Cameron wished he coul d. It ?s part icul arl y t he adol escence: Kendal and Kyl ie Jenner who have t he most sizeabl e impact . Kyl ie, 18, f l aunt s images of her l ips on an Inst agram account f ol l owed by mil l ions. They vary in size, sparking
specul at ion in t o whet her t hey are t he resul t of surgery or not . This doesn?t seem t o mat t er t o her (f igure) f ol l owers, as t he majorit y of t hose who are women t end t o seek t o repl icat e t hem t hemsel ves eit her way. Kyl ie object if ies hersel f in a way t hat inf ers it is okay f or ot hers t o do so ? she has (debat abl y) cl everl y creat ed what is a ?product ?of hersel f ; she is a brand and l ike al l l arge brands, appeal s t o young women who want t o invest . Kyl ie?s social st at us has seen her t his year bring out a 20-piece nail varnish range wit h col ours under t he imaginat ive names: Sl ay Grey, Kween, Da New Bl ack*, and Karame. To put her power int o cont ext , t he adol escent owns a $2.7 mil l ion Cal if ornian mansion t hat she purchased in 2015, and t hat year was crowned t he most wat ched person on popul ar social media app Snapchat .Whil st some revel in it , t he power one f amil y has over what we chose t o wear and even whom we t ry t o ident if y as scares me. I wonder what ext ent t hese individual s can push t heir ?cel ebrit y?st at us and f or how l ong t hey?l l be abl e t o sust ain a hol d over t he younger
5YEARSSTRONG
SmokeMagazine,Issue9
April t he 13t h was t he day t he al l might y Dragons t ook home t he West London Varsit y t rophy f or f ive years running. Our sport s t eams showed passion, det erminat ion and grit as t hey f ought endl essl y game by game unt il we ret ained our championship. Despit e West London?s t iresome ef f ort s, t hey just coul d not sl ay t he dragons once again. Mat ch Resul t s; Women?s Basket bal l 42-14 (WL) Men?s Basket bal l 73 - 41 (UoW) Net bal l 2nd 24 -18 (WL) Men?s Foot bal l 2nd 2-1 (WL) Women?s Foot bal l 1-0 (UoW) Net bal l 1st 36-20 (UoW) Men?s Rugby 26-17 (UoW) Men?s Foot bal l 1st 1-1 (Draw)
Universit y of West minst er 9 - 7 Universit y of West London.
UWSUDRAGONSWINVARSITY2016
FASHION:DENIMFEATURE Our May Edition is featuring Denim, exploring the history of Denim and how the trend's are forever circling. We were inspired to base our fashion section on Denim after a student submission from Pooja Chugh a Fashion MA Student. "Kara Nicholas, a historic denim manufacturer rightly defined jeans as a personal emotional garment that a person wears over time that moulds and takes its body and character."
AJOURNEYOF DENIM Pooja Chugh, Fashion MA Student 1853, Levi Strauss w as approached by Davis to partner w ith him and sell clothing. They further evolved a fashion revolution after launching blue jeans by their Levi Strauss & Co.?s in the United States. While in the olden days denim jeans w ere just w orn by the w orking class for its stability, and practical choice of w ork w ear, during the 1960s, jeans became a symbol of youth rebellion after the popular movie rebel w ithout a cause starting a rage. Jeans w ere really embraced by the youth as an item of rebellious choice. Pop culture icons like M arlon Brando and James Dean w ere seen popularising them.
Vogue, the famous fashion magazine featured its first model in denim on the cover in the 1950s making denim jeans a Fashion statement and not just practical w orking clothing for men. Then came the hippie age, the ?70s w here personalising your jeans w as all the rage. Bright colours, embroidery, patches and rhinestones w ere popular jean trends of the time. Hip huggers, denim skirts and bell-bottoms w ere the trend much loved by fashion icons like Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot. Small screen stars like Farrah Faw cett w ith her high w aisted denim flare and w ind blow n hair image sold 12 million copies w orldw ide came to define a generation. Often fashion gets inspired by the past. While some debate it as a sign of poor imagination, others support these
revisitations using a hue, hint or print to evoke a certain era. Spring 2000s evoked a unique look mixing different styles inspired by the 70s collection. The Chanel show became a huge hit by Cara Delevingne w alking front line support. The most coveted concept being a colourful w ith a folk-tw ist hippie strongly inspired by the 70s era. Today in the 20th century denim jeans are still a rage. Gone are the bellbottoms or flares but w ith ripped jeans and low w aist being the new thing is available from Zara to nada. Every European popular brand or a local country store is creating and manufacturing their ow n denim to stay in business. Kara Nicholas, a historic denim manufacturer rightly defined jeans as a
personal emotional garment that a person w ears over time that moulds and takes its body and character. With every fade and rip a person forms an attachment w ith their pair of loved jeans being the most popular and common w ardrobe garment. Denim has been transcending since the past several decades and is still sustaining a productive and lucrative market for itself. A garment that w as once w orn w hile doing tough physical w ork due its strength and resilience only has now evolved as a fashion trend item and is seen being w orn by celebrities and models. Available in all colours prints suitable for all ages, at any occasion, place and time. Fads come and go, but the denim jeans trend is here to stay perpetually forever.
EMBRACING NON-SKINNYJEANS Zornit sa Val kova The revolution of jeans, especially the return of flares is hot topic in the fashion world. There are plenty of guides suggesting how you could wear Flares, but will the trend be here to stay? Some think not, but for every reason to not wear flares, there is a trendy solution! Reason 1: You?re not really into this ?70s look Some people will find it easy to ?come back?to this style, but for the younger generation flared jeans are something new, but not particularly ?cool?. Solution 1: It is not all about flares The denim-revolution is not about wearing only bootcut jeans, it is about getting rid of the skinny ones - try boyfriend, girlfriend, relaxed fit or mom jeans.
Reason 2: We want to look taller not shorter A problem about flares is that the taller you are the better you look in them. Solution 2: High heels. There is no doubt, that flared jeans look perfect on the tall skinny models, but they can look good on you too, even if you are not above 5?6?. Try pairing your flares with some heeled boots, or if you?re heading out in the evening some platforms. Fashion trends will continue to change, especially Denim, but you have to stay true to your own style and wear whatever you feel comfortable in. After all, you should feel good in your clothes and be happy with how you look, there are plenty of choices when it comes to jeans so be rebellious.
(UN)ETHICALFASHION Amy Avent, Editor in Chief Boycotting cosmetic brands which test on animals is increasing in popularity, but why are we still purchasing from brands who exploit workers? The boycotting of cosmetic brands is increasing, brands such as Lush and the Body Shop pride themselves on the fact that they are ?cruelty free?. This ?trend? is being propelled by the ever growing blogging community, social media and an increase in ethical awareness of shoppers. Hundreds of brand now call themselves ?cruelty free? and rightly so. But, what about the clothing brands who are still exploiting their workers in order to get the latest trends from the catwalk to shelves? Wearing cosmetics which haven?t been tested on animals seems to lose its moral ground when the accompanying outfit was produced by an uneducated 5 year old child in Indonesia. In 2007 Topshop?s manufacturers were accused of exploiting?workers in Mauritius, the multi-billion dollar brands promised to improve working conditions of its foreign factories, but do we see Topshop using bags with ?Free from Slave Labour? at the checkout?. The ethics of fashion are questionable, but the recent rise of awareness towards animal testing is becoming extremely hypocritical. Bloggers, celebrities and everyday people are proud to protect animal right suggesting that Animal Rights are of a higher value than Human Rights when those Humans do not live in a Western Culture - I mean an Asian child sewing clothes for 14 hours a day is not cute and fluffy like a rabbit having lipstick smeared on it.
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To become part of our ever growing t eam of edit ors and journal ist s cont act smokemagazine@su.west minst er.ac.uk. Al l cont ent and writ ers are wel come.