Pastels, frills, blooms and denim
Breaking down the barriers
Update your beauty regime with the latest brushes and rollers
A quick guide to Fuerteventura
On fitness, mental health and helping others
Clothing made from plastic bottles, orange peel and pineapple leaves
fashion and beauty in Jersey £FREE
15. TREND NEWS
The latest trends, from sparkly dresses to socks and sandals
17. MANNER LOVES
Our favourite pieces to lust over
18. SPRING INTO THE NEW SEASON
Update your spring wardrobe with tailored shorts, pool sliders and bum bags
20. TRENDS: PASTEL POWER
Head to toe ice cream colours
23. TRENDS: FRILLS
Floaty and romantic
25. TRENDS: BLOOMS
Dreamy florals and punchy prints
26. TRENDS: DENIM DAZE
Double denim all the way
28. THE NEW TRENCH
From trusty basic to trendy must have
30. THE PENCIL SKIRT
A style for every occasion
32. PINK AND RED
The hottest new colour blend
35. THE BAG EDIT
The latest bags
36. FOOTWEAR OBSESSION Springs leading trainers
38. JEWELLERY BOX
Jewellery to pine after
40. BESPOKE JEWELLERY
Why people are creating their own pieces
43. PAM HOGG
The queen of untamed fashion strikes again
44. FASHION SHAMING
Should you be made to feel guilty for your extravagant purchases?
46. FLORALS
Bloom into spring and update your wardrobe
59. WEDDING RINGS
Say I do in style
63. FASHION IS FASCINATING
Vivien Aygun looks at hat trends over the years
64. DOWN TO EARTH WEDDINGS
Barefoot brides and upcycled dresses
66. WEDDING GUESTS
The 12 dos and don'ts
68. A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
Sarah Jane Holt shares her son and daughter-in-law's wedding story
71. POSITIVE FASHION
Adwoa Aboah's heartfelt speech at the LFW press conference
72. SUSTAINABILITY
Future fashion - clothing made out of plastic bottles, orange peel and pineapple leaves
76. ONE LOOK DOESN'T FIT ALL How the fashion industry is embracing change
78. GENDER NEUTRALITY
Breaking down the barriers
80. PERFECTLY FLAWED
Gemma Dawkins shares her story
86. DECLARING WAR ON PLASTIC
Publicly declaring war on plastic
89. FACIAL TOOLS
Incorporate advanced technology into your everyday beauty regime
90. BEAUTY BUZZ
Beauty news and trends
92. 3 KEY MAKEUP LOOKS
Cat eye, spa skin and colour pop
99. WAX ON, WAX OFF
The great hairy armpit debate
100. GOING GREEN
Make your beauty routine an eco-friendly one
104. PASSIONATE ABOUT SKIN HEALTH
Fiona Weston shares her story
108. PRACTICING PILATES DURING
PREGNANCY AND POST-PARTUM
One of the most beneficial forms of exercise for your body and your baby
110. REVIEW: THE AYUSH WELLNESS SPA
Laura Morel enjoys an afternoon of treatments at the Ayush Wellness Spa
113. A CITY FULL OF SURPRISES
Liana Shaw travels Buenos Aires
117. FUERTEVENTURA
A few days in Corralejo
119. TROPICAL VIBES
Large scale leaf prints, oversized insects, wildlife and exotic birds
121. MAXIMILISM
The hottest new interior design trend
122. THE 8 COMMANDMENTS OF HOSTING
Laura Butlin shares her handy tips to help make everything run smoothly
124. BOOK CLUB
Hannah Carolan's book reviews
126. HELPING LOCAL ARTISTS FOR OVER 20 YEARS
The not-for-profit charity, Art in the Frame, celebrates 20 years this year
Laura
MannerJersey @Mannerjsy www.mannermagazine.co.uk
Editor
Sophie Wilkinson 07829 828033
Instagram: @sophlwilko sophie@mannermagazine.co.uk
Mark Wilkinson 07829 838844 mark@mannermagazine.co.uk
A third year student studying multimedia journalism in Bournemouth, Ria has a passion for the written word, be it public affairs or fashion.
Laura is a freelance writer and local lifestyle blogger. When she's not tottering in high heels she can be found pounding the pavements or perfecting a selfie!
Emma can be found juggling motherhood and writing, mostly fuelled by coffee but dreaming of champagne.
Tabitha is a Pilates and Ballet teacher, freelance illustrator and writer and mummy to baby Ophelia. She holds a degree in journalism and a passion for writing about fashion, arts and culture.
Laura is a local creative who can’t be too far from her camera or passport. She’s a style-conscious supporter of independent businesses, a floral enthusiast and brunch connoisseur.
Lucy is rather nimble with words. Serving up bouquets of brilliant stories over at Medium, you can read more of her musings here: medium.com/@lucyamelina
When writer and blogger Liana isn't writing, she's off exploring far and exotic places - she's currently exploring South America.
Sarah Jane has had a long and varied career in sales, writing, photography and management. She loves films, travel, singing and reading.
a freelance writer, marketer and event management professional, loves watching documentaries, drinking prosecco and exploring new countries and cultures.
is a freelance writer and blogger who is passionate about interior design, mental health, lifestyle and wellbeing.
Holly is a lifestyle photographer who loves playing with natural light and capturing candid portraits. She loves working with new clients, locally and in the UK.
Originally from Liverpool, Mark moved to Jersey in 2008 and is a passionate semi-professional photographer. He specialises in lifestyle, fashion and portraiture.
What an incredible start to
The previous issues received such a great response, we are pleased to announce we will be publishing Manner on a quarterly basis, so you can now look forward to a spring, summer, autumn and winter issue.
Since the winter issue we have been really busy. In February we headed to London Fashion Week to fulfil a jampacked schedule full of conferences, events, presentations and shows. The week was kickstarted by model of the moment, Adwoa Aboah, who attended the London Fashion Week Press Conference to deliver a heartfelt speech on the British Fashion Council’s initiative ‘Positive Fashion’, which aims to improve working conditions throughout the industry (page 71).
We also attended The Sustainable Angle’s exhibition held at the Discovery Lab, to showcase a range of sustainable materials, including fabrics made of citrus peel and pineapple leaves as well as eco-friendly sequins (from page 72).
Other highlights from Fashion Week included Pam Hogg’s ‘S.W.A.L.K Eternal Return of the Goddess’ show, dedicated to the late Judy Bloom (page 43), Christopher Bailey’s final show for Burberry, which was dedicated to organisations supporting the LGBTQ+ youth around the world and the Queen’s guest appearance at Richard Quinn’s show to present him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
This issue is bursting with must have buys and latest trends, including blooms, pastels, denim and frills. With florals set to be one of the biggest trends of the year, we chose the Eric Young Orchid Foundation as the backdrop to our beautiful shoot, photographed by Holly Smith (page 46).
Also, with wedding season just around the corner, we’ve put together a handy bridal feature to help you plan the perfect day (page 59).
Our cover star Gemma Dawkins, speaks out about mental health, fitness and helping others in an openly honest interview (page 80).
After such a hectic start to the year, we took a few days off to soak up some muchneeded sunshine in Fuerteventura, take a look at our guide on things to do, where to stay and what to wear (page 117).
I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we did putting it together.
An enduring, signature style, Britton by Kurt Geiger London is back in glossy red patent for slick edge, balanced on the tried-and-true 110mm cigarette heel and finished with a fierce pointed toe for that famously high-impact silhouette. With a 4mm high-density foam cushion, this classic shoe offers extra comfort and support, like never before.
From Saint Laurent’s yeti boots, Marchesa’s trimmed garments and printed shirt dresses at Dan Liu, the spring shows saw a flurry of feathers head down the runway.
No longer reserved for the party season, sequins, metallics and crystals featured heavily throughout the spring fashion shows, including Tom Ford, Custo Barcelona and Jeremy Scott. If you’re looking to jazz up an outfit, these sparkly summer sandals will do the trick, but if you’re completely ready for the summer sparkle we suggest this gorgeous sequin and beaded dress from Gina Bacconi available at Affinity.
Feathers, bows and summer sequins make a sparkly appearance - over the top and fun are how we're describing the season ahead.
TOP
If you have a special occasion coming up, this could just be the perfect dress. For a wedding team it with a chic cocktail hat or for the races go for a wide brimmed stunner, the hats at Up and Above are amazing, if you haven’t seen them yet you are in for a real surprise! The fabulous Naya collection is perfect for those who love something a bit different. The new styles in ankle skimmers and capris have arrived, as well as the plain cotton stretch, all from size 10 upwards. Up and Above stock sizes
50 Don Street Tel: 758808
Gone are the days of frowning upon socks and sandals, now it's what all the cool girls are wearing. Dramatically contrasting pairs will work just as well as dressed up basics.
Italian brand, MamaB, is exclusive to The Gooseberry Bush! The collection is available in light aubergine, cloud blue, off-white and blush with a hint of raspberry.
Service with a smile
The Gooseberry Bush, Rondel’s Farm, La Rue du Haut de l’Orme, Trinity (Turn opposite Union Inn, Queens Road) Tel:
Update your spring wardrobe with tailored shorts, pool sliders and bum bags.
Say goodbye to denim cut-offs, there's a new, tailored style in town.
Put your best foot forward this season as sliders are sticking around for another summer.
Horizontal, vertical, diagonal, neutral, nautical, rainbow - stripes are everywhere this season.
Keep your look clean with crisp white trousers or skinny jeans.
Wear slung over your shoulder or high above the abdomen for an updated look.
Pastels in spring - who would have guessed? This time around though, you'll be wearing head to toe ice cream shades just like the models at Victoria Beckham.
From subtle detail, to bold and floral statements - Catherine Best has hand-selected this stunning collection of jewellery that will adorn your spring look this season.
Located at the beautiful and historic St Peter’s Windmill, Catherine Best’s showroom houses a stunning range of unique jewellery.
Each piece is designed by Catherine and her daughter Vikki, before being hand made in the manufacturing workshop where you can watch the
Floaty and romantic ruffles will cover necklines, shoulders, waists and hems. Wear yours with confidence.
Soft dreamy florals filled the runway shows at Tadashi Shoji, Badgley Mischka and Prabal Gurung whereas Tory Burch took inspiration from fellow print lover David Hicks, whose love of gardens enthused the easy silhouettes.
Wear your denim with denim. Whether you prefer soft cotton pieces or dark, tailored styles, you'll have plenty to choose from.
Today, any woman who loves fashion can create their own style and identity. Blaise Fashion care about the women wearing the jewellery and they feel that the brands they pick show who women are and can reflect their personality through their style.
Blaise believe in jewellery as a form of expression and a way of shaping attitude, PD PAOLA is about making this possible in the jewellery field, designing pieces that are part of a well explained story in a setting of elegance and modernism.
PD PAOLA collections are drawn around an inspiring fashion story, daring and dynamic, creating diversified lines from the very basic to more contemporary pieces. You can find certain pieces of the collection available at Blaise Fashion. Carefully selected materials are the main ingredient to ensure every piece is unique and personal. PD PAOLA’s mission is to design little treasures for today’s elegant and modern women. Established in 2014 in the heart of Barcelona, the team started pursuing a dream and they haven't looked back since.
Quay Australia was born in 1999, roadside on the festival circuit, surrounded by music artists and festival goers who inspired the founders, Linda and Allen Hammond to create notoriously cool, affordable sunnies for the nonconforming and freethinking. From dramatically oversized aviators to reflective lenses and bold cat eyes, Quay Australia has become a favourite for individuals with fearless style, a carefree attitude and fresh perspective. Blaise Fashion loves working with the brand as they’ve built unique, stylish sunglasses at an affordable price. Quay Australia has been seen on countless celebrities and known for their limited
edition influencer collaborations, it is the go-to accessible brand for millennial women who want to feel like they are part of ‘the in crowd’. Natalie Coutanche, the founder of Blaise Fashion, believes that fashion is what you buy, but style comes from what you do with your items. She believes that there is no such thing as having too many pairs of sunglasses to style your outfit.
Tabitha Orchid explores how the trusty wardrobe basic transformed into the trendy must have piece of the season.
The trench coat has diligently earned its timeless status over the years, successfully bridging the gap between the frostier and rather more balmy months with perennial sophistication.
Originally designed for military purposes by Thomas Burberry, its roots lie quite literally in the trenches of World War I. Once purposefully constructed from heavy-duty green gabardine fabric for our soldiers battling adverse conditions, it has undergone several cosmetic makeovers since. As we fast-forward 100 years, we see the shackles of structure synonymous with the trench coat slacken overtime to more flattering and softer textiles, shorter styles and neutral tones. In fact, the chic, camel-coloured mac we all identify to be the classic trench coat on which Burberry has since built its brand, has paved the way for many other designers alike to eagerly follow in hot pursuit. Inspired by its popular and magnetizing charm, brands have continued to place their own subtle adaptations on this iconic piece, each remembering to respectfully never stray too far from its traditional features.
As its style continues to evolve, we now welcome our staple favourite back into our spring 2018 wardrobe having undergone its most refreshing and relaxed makeover to date. We’re now seeing much more fluid, billowy fabrics of almond, caramel and cream hues. Deconstructed and draped over shoulders, with the sleeves nonchalantly rolled up and sometimes unbelted for effect, the new trench crosses the borders of ‘robe’ territory for a much more laid-back vibe. This stripped-back, modern shift on the trench coat has been seen across high-end spring/ summer ‘18 runways in a bounty of buttery flowing fabrics, through from John Galliano to Maison Margiela, to Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Celine and Valentino. No longer associated as a refined and structured, preppy accomplice to work-wear, this highly flexible, aqueous-like piece has an appetite to be worn with your more casual, everyday attire.
Team yours with denim (non-
fitted and high-waisted or boyfriend jeans work best for added relaxed style), rolled up to the ankle with a simple, clean, sheer white blouse. Enhance with heels and a clutch for understated glam. Don’t be afraid of alternative styles; distressed, oversized, metallic or even a simple blouson sleeve or splash of whimsical embroidery adds an unexpected twist to any outfit. Bag your updated trench for a steal at Marks and Spencer or Warehouse, or enjoy a splurge on Net-aporter with brands such as Comme de Garcon and Joseph. Enjoy this modernized look as our beloved trench coat resiliently lives on, through a myriad of innovative new styles, breathing fresh air into its identity and our wardrobes.
Modern and practical, Gucci, Fendi, Victoria Beckham, No 21 and Ralph and Russo are all bringing back the 50's wardrobe staple. The only question - how will you wear yours?
Ralph and Russo
Victoria Beckham
A casual tee or oversized jumper will catapult the humble pencil skirt right into 2018. If overly casual isn’t you’re thing, opt for silk over cotton for a more sophisticated, yet still relaxed look.
Pencil skirts no longer need to be just for work, they can be a glam addition to your everyday collection. Go for bright prints or luxe fabrics and team with clashing prints and accessories.
Gone are the days of shuffling down the street in a too tight skirt! While the spring summer offerings still fall below the knee, they come in a straighter cut providing much needed wiggle room.
Mix shades of pink and red to pull off summer's coolest colour blend.
Supremely practial and super stylish, the backpack is one of the season's must-have staples.
BACKPACK £188.10, RADLEY AT DE GRUCHY
BACKPACK £27, OASIS AT DE GRUCHY
SUEDETTE BACKPACK £48, BLAISEFASHION.COM
The must have bags to carry you through the season
BACKPACK £171, MARC JACOBS AT VOISINS
BACKPACK £160, KATE SPADE AT VOISINS
SHOPPER £54, DUNE AT DE GRUCHY
METALLIC BACKPACK £215.10, ABRO AT DE GRUCHY
We're lusting after colourful shoppers and wicker bags - take us to the beach!
SHOULDER BAG £53.10, JUICY COUTURE AT DE GRUCHY
SEQUIN BASKET £18, CHICHI
Ever since the rise of athleisure, trainers have remained a major trend on and off the catwalk.
From bold, colourful pieces to delicate pearls and funky brooches, here's the jewellery you'll be pining after.
PLASTIC
Seen at the likes of Chanel and Marni, perspex and coloured resin can add a playful touch to any outfit.
EARRINGS
CHICHI
GOLD, CORNELIAN AND PERIDOT EARRINGS £3,045, CATHERINE BEST
Add joy to your outfit with a splash of colour.
NECKLACE £45, CHICHI
NECKLACE £40, CHICHI
RESIN & GOLD VERMEIL TUSK BANGLE £184, LETTO'S
DISC ANKLET £6, NEXT
With the likes of Victoria Beckham and Anna Sui featuring anklets in their spring shows, it's no wonder they're set to be one of the biggest jewellery trends of 2018.
LONG NECKLACE £82, WEEKEND MAX MARA AT VOISINS
TURQUOISE NECKLACE £138, LETTO'S
GOLD, OPAL AND MIXED GEMSTONE RING £29,175 CATHERINE BEST
EARRINGS £45, CHICHI
Wear singularly or layer multiple pendants over t-shirts, jumpers or dresses.
Add brooches to tops and jumpers for a classic look, or pin them to shoes, bags and other accessories for a modern twist.
Rethink how you wear your pearls. Try a statement earring or a delicate pendant instead of a classic string of pearls.
ManyoftheexistingdesignsatCatherineBestcanbepersonalised.
The Cradle of Love pendant has been designed so that it can be customised for each individual. “When I designed this pendant, I was inspired by the instinctive desire to keep our loved ones close. Each pendant is set with a single stone above the crescent shape to represent the wearer. You can personalise the pendant by adding other gemstones inside the crescent shape to symbolise loved ones or family members. You can add the birthstones of your friends or family and create a unique necklace that allows you to hold them close to your heart every day.’ -
Catherine Best
Specially designed to represent a couple's joint adoration of the hit TV series Doctor Who, this Tardis Ring really is a work of love.
Handmade with Platinum with Sapphires and Diamonds, this piece is based on the interior and exterior of the renowned Tardis. Using the shimmering tones of blue sapphire to elegantly represent the doors of the Police Phone Box and the circular effect of its interior. Framed by Platinum and brought to life by shimmering Diamonds.
Abespoke piece of jewellery is truly unique to the wearer, a piece that can be cherished for a lifetime, knowing it’s one of a kind. Whether you’re looking for a bespoke wedding or engagement ring, or maybe you have another piece of jewellery in mind, going bespoke means you’ll get exactly what you want.
With bespoke jewellery, you can customise any part of the design to make it exactly how you’ve imagined. You can mix and match elements of designs you like and combine them into the ultimate design that ticks all the boxes for you. If you’ve found a piece you like but it’s not within your budget, you can tweak the design by changing the stone type, size, quantity or quality or changing the scale of the design and metal type.
Designing a piece of jewellery is more than simply coming up with a pretty design – a good jewellery designer will discuss your lifestyle with you and will inform you of the pros and cons associated with each setting style, band width and metal or stone choice to make sure you’re going to receive an end product that will last forever.
“Jewellery is very often about expression. Clothes and accessories are used to convey things about us, whether subliminally or consciously. But jewellery is even more powerful in this sense because it does not contain an obvious practical function.While a jumper will keep you warm and shoes will protect your feet, the sole function of
jewellery, in my opinion, is to express. It can be an expression of who we are, of our individual style, of our loved ones and of particular memories.” says jewellery designer, Catherine Best.
“These expressions can be very powerful and sentimental. Therefore, more and more people are looking for something truly bespoke and meaningful to them, something they can relate to. They want a personal connection to the jewellery - something that no one else has. We’ve created bespoke pieces of jewellery for many people and it’s always so inspiring to hear the individual stories behind each design.”
Catherine Best also offers a redesign service, meaning you can modernise or tweak a family heirloom. “We can create bespoke jewellery from scratch, but we also offer a special redesign and remodelling service. This allows people to use the materials from any old and unworn jewellery and transform it into a new design that they’ll enjoy wearing for a long time." says Catherine.
"Our redesign service is particularly popular with jewellery that has been inherited or holds particular memories. There is invariably a great deal of sentiment behind most jewellery, especially when it has been passed down through generations. A redesign is a wonderful way to breathe new life into these pieces of jewellery and create a totally fresh work of art that still encompasses the original love that the jewellery signified. By simply telling us your story, we can create something that will bring your memories to life.”
“Jewellery is very often about expression. While a jumper will keep you warm and shoes will protect your feet, the sole function of jewellery, in my opinion, is to express." - Catherine Best
Agraduate of the Glasgow School of Art and the Royal College of Art, Pam Hogg is one of the most distinctive designers of the 80s. Inspired by the London club scene, she openly says she started designing clothes so she would have something to wear out clubbing.
In the early 90s her focus shifted from fashion to concentrate on musicwhereherband‘Doll’opened for Blondie and The Raincoats, but she returned to London Fashion Week in 2009 and has showed twice a year since.
Hogg is arguably one of the most iconic designers to date. Not one to follow the crowd, Pam Hogg’s latest offerings were no exception,
with an eccentric mix of tulle, sheer fabrics, PVC, leathers, bold colours and birds.
The AW18 collection, S.W.A.L.K: The Eternal Return of The Goddess, was dedicated to the late British designer and stylist, Judy Blame.
Key looks included colourful, tulle sculptured catsuits, theatrical gold love bird headpieces, a bold yellow motorcycle suit, a green satin dress adorned with sequins and a stunning blue tulle dress worn by the fabulous Ellie Rae Winstone, daughter of Ray Winstone.
According to Hogg, her women are “Powerful but nonaggressive. They are not meant to be aggressive because they are strong.”
ow often have you been asked where you bought your recent purchase from, only to be metbyadisapprovingglarewhenthey realise the price tag that would have accompanied it? Or maybe you've been asked point blank, ‘can you not think of anything more worthwhile to spend your money on?’ Made to feel guilty for extravagant fashion purchases, or even a little crazy for being so self-indulgent, you might not have realised it, but you were the victim of fashion-shaming.
A lot of my life revolves around fashion. I studied it at University, I wear it, I write about it and most days I even photograph it. But I never considered until recently, that the passion I have for clothes would cause me to be regarded as a women of less substance. Making those that follow the trends (or heaven forbid write about them) feel shameful, promotes the belief that only silly, empty-headed girls would be interested in fashion, unable to devote themselves to more worthy causes. On the contrary, I had always thought as a fashion writer this took education, dedication and skill.
Should those of us that like to buy pricier designer wear be made to feel guilty for our purchases? Does caring about your appearance and spending money on it make you a bad feminist? Should we feel ashamed to say we love fashion?!
When I put on a designer dress, I like to think I’m wearing a piece of art and my wardrobe is my
Hown private collection. Each piece tells a story, has sentimental value and is my investment for the future. I want to be able to pass pieces onto future generations and imagine that they will have a worth, beyond purely monetary value. I believe in the power of fashion, to transform mood, to give confidence and empower people and to impact society.
Maybe the desire to criticise is down to cost? Follow fashion, but why not look to buy cheaper? Because more often than not, you get what you pay for. You start to notice the quality, the detail, the true artistry of designer and couture fashion over your Primark diffused replicas. It would be hard to buy Scoda when you truly understood the mastery of Porsche and so it is that we look to designers that engineer clothes better for us.
Let’s not forget that these cheaper brands are not the lesser of two evils. I am conscious not to contribute to a culture of disposable, throw-away fashion, that will ultimately become land fill. Those that buy cheaply and frequently to keep up with the latest trends are less criticised, but it is becoming a bigger problem for the environment. More and more designers are urging shoppers to buy quality over quantity, contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry.
The question of shame is therefore not one of selfexpression, it is one of affordability. Are you a slave to fashion with a mounting bank debt? Should the industry encourage us to live beyond our means? Of course not.
Fashion has, and will continue to be, a huge statement of individualism and one we should make freely. Just as we should not be pressured to buy high end labels, neither should we be criticised if we choose to do so. In this time of female empowerment lets stop making women feel shameful for their choices.
“I like my money right where I can see it... Hanging in my closet.”
Carrie Bradshaw
DRESS £225, MICHAEL KORS AT VOISINS
EARRINGS £58, BANGLE £118, BOTH AQUA
TOP £35, CULOTTES £71, BOTH COAST AT DE GRUCHY SUNGLASSES £38, BLAISEFASHION.COM
DRESS £211.50
BAG £112.50, BOTH KAREN MILLEN AT DE GRUCHY SUNGLASSES £12, BLAISEFASHION.COM
TOP £41, TROUSERS £301, SCARF £125, ALL WEEKEND MAX MARA AT VOISINS SUNGLASSES £48, BLAISEFASHION.COM NECKLACE £378, AQUA
DRESS £325, ELLIS COLLECTIONS
SHOES £195, MARC2
EARRINGS £67, AQUA
You have chosen the dress, the venue is booked, honeymoon planned. Now comes the fun part: Choosing those all-important rings, bridal jewellery and gifts for the wedding party. It’s time to call into Letto’s.
Beautiful, yet affordable, gifts for bridesmaids include the Halcyon Days enamel heart collection, Links of London Sweetie bracelets and delicate angel wings
For the bride, a subtle yet stunning 18ct white gold starfish with 0.25ct diamonds
decanters, bottle coasters, watch winders plus hip flasks, tankards, wallets and travel clocks by Grants of Dalvey
Your weddings rings are a lasting symbol of your commitment to each other. Charles Green wedding ring specialists work with Letto’s to create bespoke rings if required, especially if the wedding band needs to sit with an awkward-shaped engagement ring.
Watches for the bride and groom include Longines, Rado and the award-winning Bremont
Halcyon Days has created the exquisite ‘Wedding Ribbon’ collection of handpainted collectables to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of HRH Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales and Meghan Markle. The design adorns two handcrafted enamel boxes and a range of exquisite English fine bone china pieces. The perfect wedding gift.
DIAMOND RING POA, LETTO'S
DIAMOND FULL ETERNITY RING £5,160, CATHERINE BEST
PRINCESS CUT DIAMOND FULL ETERNITY RING £12,840, CATHERINE BEST
DIAMOND 18CT
YELLOW GOLD RING POA, LETTO'S
DIAMOND RING £1,480, CATHERINE BEST
DIAMOND 18CT
YELLOW GOLD RING POA, LETTO'S
Holly Smith has been taking photographs for over 10 years, documenting many stories and adventures during this time. Over the last 5 years she has been photographing weddings and perfecting her own natural style. Believing in beautiful, candid and non-intrusive photography, Holly feels that the photographs taken on your wedding day should not be staged. Holly is based in Jersey but has shot weddings across the UK and New Zealand. www.hollylouisesmith.com
Jersey Tipi offer a breathtaking alternative to a traditional marquee. They specialise in the hire of utterly gorgeous giant tipis, perfect for an intimate soiree, a fairytale wedding or a unique corporate function. The tipi packages are personalised to suit your exact requirements and with seating for up to 220 guests and a large range of extras, you will leave your guests with amazing first impressions and lasting memories. www.jerseytipi.com
Sometimes it is difficult to decide on a wedding dress. Crepe or lace? Illusions or sparkles? Why should you have to choose? This wedding dress is the best of both worlds. A simple, elegant design in the front in crepe, with a bateau neckline and low waist and an original play of illusions on the back.
The 'Rua' by Pronovias is available at Ellis Collections.
£175
L.K.Bennett have teamed up with renowned British designer, Jenny Packham, to create a stunning line of bridal shoes and bags, inspired by the leading ladies of the golden age of cinema. The collection fuses the mesmerising glamour of Old Hollywood icons Vivien Leigh and Bette Davis, with the vintage style of 1930’s Paris. Available from L.K.Bennett at de Gruchy.
As the nation’s number one men’s suit specialists, Moss Bros. offers a wide range of formalwear for every special occasion. With a wide range of effortlessly stylish wedding suits and a myriad of accessories, they can provide for every taste. Their
“Groom goes Free” offer means that when you place an order of 5 or more suits you’ll receive one of your wedding outfits free of charge! This offer was previously exclusive to the hire service, but has now been extended to the ready to wear suits as well. Moss Bros., Liberty Wharf
Around 70 years ago, wearing a hat was an everyday occurrence for both men and women, even a trip to the shops or out for lunch absolutely meant wearing a hat.
During the 50s and 60s there was a huge evolution in fashion. The second world war had given women a freedom never experienced before, and they were loath to give it up. You only have to look at films or pictures taken at that time to see how girls were loving the gorgeous full skirts with lots of petticoats in the 50s; rationing was over, and they wanted to celebrate, have fun and move on. Hats were not worn as much, hairstyles including the beehive became popular and the Capri pant and pony tail was another trend.
The 60s were probably more of a revolution in fashion terms, it was love and peace, psychedelic prints, mini skirts, bell-bottom trousers and tie-dye. Fashion became much more casual and relaxed, hats were generally not so popular apart from the Biba floppy hat or Mary Quant’s PVC baker boy styles as worn by Twiggy.
However, fashion is forever updating, changing and moving on. Millinery has been in decline generally for decades. We may wear a hat for practical purposes, to keep warm in winter or a sunhat on holiday if it is very hot.
Enter the 21st century and with the Royal marriage in 2011 we saw what must have been the most amazing assortment of millinery entering Westminster Abbey, ever. It was an absolute joy to see all the designs and how they were coordinated. Even the creation Philip Treacy had designed for Beatrice had its own Facebook page with thousands of comments, most of which not
very favourable. Maybe a lesson in how to stand out for all the wrong reasons!
Whether you are a fan of the young Royals or not, millinery has once again become very popular, especially to wear to a wedding.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie, Countess of Wessex look stunning in hats and have contributed to the growing desire amongst girls in their twenties and thirties to look elegant and beautiful even if it just for a day. A kick back maybe to our usually very casual lifestyles?
The races have always encouraged the wearing of hats and often the bigger the better. More definitely seems to be more at these events, with the hat being the star of the show, bringing a real sense of fun to dressing up.
As a note, the rule for the Royal enclosure at Ascot require you to have a minimum 10cm covering for the head and then any other decoration extra to that. The Grandstand is less rigid and even fascinators are acceptable.
The Mother of the bride and groom should wear a hat or fascinator to complete their outfit. This is such an important and happy day for a mother and it really is essential to look and feel good, think of all those photographs being handed down for generations! If the wedding is very informal or has a theme where hats are not required this should be stated on the invitation.
As a guest at a wedding you too should compliment the bride and groom and make an effort to look special. Always take your outfit with you when shopping for a headpiece. This is not only for colour matching or co-ordinating but also for style to see what will suit you and the outfit. Sometimes a colour will “pop” out and look fabulous and it is often not the one you thought of. There are no hard and fast rules about matching accessories, it can vary depending on the outfit, this is why it is important to have your dress with you when choosing your accessories.
Don’t take husbands, boyfriends or even best friends when shopping unless they really understand fashion and have a good eye!
Vivien Aygun looks at hat trends over the years and offers tips on millinery etiquette.Fascinator
ohemian weddings have long been popular, but recently there’s been a subtle shift in how couples are interpreting the theme for their weddings.
Rustic is out in favour of more ‘woodsy’ vibes, with many more opting for outdoor settings, prompting a rise in barefoot brides. Relaxed, natural weddings are no longer just about being on trend, but seen as the easiest way to showcase who you are as a couple and to bring your personalities to life on the big day. A combination of personal values and the desire for more informal, relaxed settings has made downto-earth weddings the trend to follow for 2018.
Relaxation on laws surrounding marriages in Jersey will not only see gay couples marry on the island this year but allow ceremonies to take place in outdoor locations, where before they had to be in or attached to a residential dwelling. Cue surfers’ beach weddings, folky woodland unions and island elopements for visiting couples. It’s an exciting time for wedding suppliers and event planners as the floodgates of opportunity open out onto Jersey’s landscapes, leaving us to colourfully imagine how to interpret this season’s wedding and bridal trends in a very uniquely way.
One in five engaged couples opt to have a green wedding today. Sustainability and being kind to the environment have permeated fashion generally over the last few years with shoppers being made to consider their purchases more carefully. As we try to not be wasteful with our fashion, there is perhaps nothing more wasteful than the indulgence of a wedding dress. A dress that for most, is worn once and never again.
Designers such as Livia Firth have already launched eco-friendly fashion lines with the number of bridal designers following suit rising steadily. Using fair trade and sustainable materials, designers look at up-cycling dresses and repurposing second hand ones to reduce the impact to the environment. Long gone are the days where such a commitment would have resulted in an itchy and shapeless hemp sack, now designers use zero waste cutting techniques to produce visions to rival the leading designers.
For those looking to incorporate nature into their wedding dress, florals are set to be bigger than ever in 2018 bridal wear collections. On the runway for this season, there was homage to earth brides with designers making the bold move of using colourful floral motifs on their wedding dresses. Rather than the silk and cream blooms we are used to on gowns, Naeem Khan took a risk
and sent models out sporting colour blooms from head to toe. Temperley London took a softer take on floral decoration with pastel embellishments, whilst bridal royalty Carolina Herrera dipped her lace gowns in grass greens with white bud accents.
The interpretation of bohemian this season is much more elevated and striking than the rustic feel of previous years. Colours will be deeper and textures richer, giving an edgy feel whilst still being romantic. It’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream meets Moulin Rouge. The colour of the year is most certainly burgundy, a strong and vibrant hue that is shown through a variety of textures such as velvet and silks.
Dresses should be styled to create a romantic, dreamy feel in fabrics that allow easy and free movement like crepe. Hairstyles were relaxed and undone, with textured updo’s incorporating braids and ponytails worn high and wavy. Crown braids had started to become overused with festival goers replicating the style everywhere, but Temperley London makes the look fresh once more for this year’s brides.
Accessories are made to fit in seamlessly with outdoor locations with floral crowns an absolute must for earth brides, the bigger and bolder the better. Barefoot brides should look to incorporate floral ankle cuffs, replacing the need for showy designer shoes. Planet conscious couples will also make lesser used flowers resurface in bouquets this season. There is no longer the wish to fly in exotic flowers, but instead to use what is locally and readily available on island. Daffodils, irises and daisies will be blooms of choice with a growing trend for more lush greenery meaning you could almost ditch the need for flowers altogether.
Shannon Leahy of Shannon Leahy Events agrees that the biggest trend for this season is “bold and dramatic floral patterns! From the tablecloths to paper and the dance floor, we're seeing dramatic floral prints with saturated colours on black backgrounds as a huge trend right now.” Greenery won’t just be limited to floral bouquets but used in place of fabric drapery to create a dramatic and green wonderland setting. Think clear tents with lush greenery installations to bring in that natural element and really make
things feel organic. Wooden accents will still be a strong feature, with personalised wooden signage and lighted wooden letters.
The return to a natural look ties in with the desire for a more intimate affair. It gives the event a relaxed vibe that guests can enjoy and allows couples to more freely express their personalities. Rather than traditions of the past, wedding days now look to invoke more of what the couple are about and what they stand for. Carly Martin of Clementine Studio explained, “wedding invitations and even websites are sort of like an extension of their social media personalities, so couples are having fun with colloquial wording and playful designs versus more traditional styles.”
There is a push away from formality, with informal table plans, wooden benches or hale bales as seats chosen over separate chairs. Macramé and crochet is a huge trend this season, shown as table runners or used as wall hanging and chair coverings.
From stationery that is not filled with loopy calligraphy to minimal table designs, there appears to be a trend coming through to take a less-is-more approach to weddings. And people are willing to spend that little bit extra to make sure that their beliefs are adhered to. “Couples will invest in a few more magical things, rather than multiple, less special things,” predicts Jove Meyer Events. The could be the drama from holding your wedding inside a teepee or perhaps at a cliffs edge on the north coast of the island. The most spectacular feature you can utilise at Jersey weddings is the view, which comes free of charge. Now more than ever, the rule book on weddings is being thrown in the fire, with couples pushing to create personal and modern traditions for themselves. Simple needn’t mean your wedding can’t be impactful, as more people look to push the envelope on being creative and making use of what’s on their doorstep. Vegan, eco-conscious, or on a budget, having your wedding day set in natural surroundings is the best way to embrace all these considerations. With Jersey uniquely placed to deliver some astounding ceremonies in breathtaking locations, be braced to see the island intimately reflected at weddings this year.
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"Now more than ever, the rule book on weddings is being thrown in the fire."
Laura Morel looks at the modern way to wed, from bare foot brides to upcycled dresses.
hat gold embossed invite has landed on your door mat. Yes, wedding season has finally arrived. We all love a good wedding, but it can still be a nerve-wracking affair. So much planning and preparation - not to mention expense - goes into a wedding day. You want to be the graceful guest, you don’t want to be the guest who hits the Pimm’s hard and starts arguing with the mother of the bride. It can be a minefield when it comes to wedding guest etiquette. How should you behave?
When you receive that lovely invite, you are expected to RSVP and promptly too.
An unannounced guest at a wedding is not a welcome one. Also, do not ring up the bride or groom and ask if you can bring along a friend. This is not a jolly down the local pub, it’s a wedding and we can’t be inviting all and sundry. If you are the only one invited, then put your big heels on and enjoy it!
Do buy a gift but stick strictly to the wedding gift list. That list is there for a reason. Use it.
This is a wedding and as such there will be a dress code, follow it. Jeans are not acceptable.
If you have said that you are attending, then go and arrive on time. We don’t want you kicking open the church doors just as the Vicar asks “does anyone know of any lawful reason why these two can’t be joined…” We all know that sometimes things happen, someone gets poorly, the cat is run over, but it is only common courtesy to let the wedding family know if you can’t attend.
The bride doesn’t want to be making her way down the aisle just as your phone starts ringing, especially when your phone ring tone is the Jaws theme tune. That walk is scary enough without throwing a shark into the mix.
The only person permitted to dress in white is the bride, not you and certainly not the mother-in-law, less said about that the better.
If the photographer wants you in a wedding photo s/ he will ask you to be in it. Don’t follow them around demanding they take photos of you; Nan I’m looking at you.
I really shouldn’t have to say this one but believe me I do because I had my very own gatecrasher. If you aren’t invited, don’t take it personally. Three months after I had sent out my wedding invites a gatecrasher lady became part of our friendship group. It was too late to add her to the wedding guest list and besides, I didn’t really know her. It didn’t stop her gatecrashing and to make matters worse she didn’t even bring us a gift - brazen!
Every bride wants to be told that she looks beautiful.
If you have been invited to a wedding but found some of it to be disappointing, don’t mention it. Be graceful, we all have different tastes. Also, never, ever compare the wedding to another wedding. Gatecrasher lady spent the whole of our reception telling all the other guests very loudly and drunkenly, that she had been to a far superior wedding at Blenheim Palace.
A wedding is eye wateringly expensive, the least you can do is seek out the family and congratulate them as well as thanking them for inviting you.
Follow this etiquette guide and you will be a wonderful guest. Just remember, no matter how much you want the bride’s bouquet of flowers it is never acceptable to elbow and knee bridesmaids and the elderly to get it.
You don't get a second chance
Robyn’s Batman tattoo
Léon’s Deadpool cufflinks
My son got married last year. I asked him and his new bride if they would tell their story, the thing is, what more was there to say apart from ‘we had a truly amazing day’, ‘the sun shone, everything was perfect’... So, I’ve decided to tell it my way. Words by Sarah Jane Holt
I’ve never been married. I probably value my independence far too much – and I do lead a great life! Luckily though my first serious, yet brief, relationship resulted in two amazing children, Lucie Marie and Léon. As they grew into adults, we socialised together, went on holiday together, and have always lived within ten minutes of each other, so it had to be a very special person to become part of our family trinity. After nearly 30 years of never having a serious girlfriend Léon met Robyn, proposed, and the next thing I knew I was part of the wedding plans.
Easyyoumayhavethought.Butno,theywanted to incorporate certain traditional elements into the wedding whilst bringing in their love of Marvel and DC characters. The gorgeous dress and groomsmen outfits were quickly sorted – with a lot of the ‘fun’ stuff left to me. I took my lead from the Gotham CityblackandwhiteinvitesthatLéondesignedand a cake they were having created with the Gotham City skyline and Harley Quinn and Deadpool cupcakes.
I had many ideas; first for a comic at every place setting for guests to follow Léon and Robyn’s journey to matrimony, and then for a load of superhero-related extras and artwork, but it was Lucie Marie who brought those ideas to life – we’re a formidable team!
The four-page comic told stories about the couple, how they met, the proposal, stag and hen parties, plus their favourite things. We also created the seating plan, welcome boards, fun question cards and party favour bags. We were still gluing and tying the morning of the wedding but it all came together perfectly.
Each table was marked with a Funko Pop superhero figurine (Léon and Robyn collect these) but we soon realised that with the figures being quite small they could be lost on the tables, so we turned out the kitchen cupboard, took labels off
tins and gave each figure its own silver plinth – I stillhavelabel-lesstinsthatIhavenoideawhatthey contain… one day…
Robyn isn’t a fan of flowers, even silk ones. When I asked her what she did like, the answer was ‘chocolate’. Problem solved: Deliciously decorative chocolate trees and bouquets were ordered (including Robyn’s favourite Ferrero Rocher which had to be recovered in silver paper to fit the colour theme).Andhowtomakebouquets?Robyn’smum Natalie had the answer: She created really unusual bouquets for Robyn and the bridesmaids by sourcing Harley Quinn and Deadpool comics and crafting them into globe bouquets – really unusual and simply stunning.
‘You had to be there’ moment: Léon starting off his speech paying homage to Peter Cook’s‘ImpressiveClergyman’characterinPrincess Bride by simply stating very loudly, “Mawwiage” –if you’ve not seen the film (which it appeared half the guests hadn’t) go out and get a copy.
‘I was a mess’ moment: The music Léon chose (and edited) for Robyn’s entrance. As a lover of epic films, Léon’s track from two little-known composers (whose work is often found on film backing tracks) combined a cinematic orchestra sound with soulful, haunting vocals. The track, Victory is by Two Steps from Hell (yes, I know, unfortunate name, but take a listen). Even the registrar commented on how she had seldom heard such powerful and moving music. The thing is, Léon had played his edited track to me months before the wedding, and I kept
listening to it to try and stop crying each time I heard it – and of course I failed.
Proudest moment: Seeing my boy so happy that when he got the shakes so badly he couldn’t put the ring on Robyn’s finger and couldn’t hold the pen to sign the register (it took quite a while!), he just laughed it off.
‘Stand back and take it all in’ moment: I was sat at the top table; who’d have thought it? It brought a lump to my throat to realise how perfectly matched Léon and Robyn are – their quirky eccentricities creating the ideal couple. I had to grab a drink quick and smile before anyone noticed that yes, SJ is off again!
Reality check moment:
Lucie Marie saying to me, “Look at Léon, all ‘married and stuff’, he’s a real grown-up”.
AndfinallyLéonandRobyn,toyoubothallIhave tosayisinthewordsofthe‘ImpressiveClergyman’, “wuv, twue wuv, will fowwow you foweva… ”
Activist and model, Adwoa
Aboah attended the LFW Press Conference to deliver a heartfelt speech on the BFC's initiative 'Positive Fashion'.
t the opening of London Fashion Week, Adwoa Aboah gave a heartfelt speech as an ambassador for the British Fashion Council’s initiative ‘Positive Fashion’, which aims to improve working conditions within the industry.
Adwoa started her speech by praising local talent before focussing on the current abuse of models by powerful players in the industry. She discussed the relationship which has now developed between the British Fashion Council (BFC) and the British Fashion Model Agency Association (BFMAA), who recently launched the ‘Model’s First’ initiative to set best practice for the industry by supporting and protecting models, talent and employees.
Adwoa commended Kering and LVMH for their
Model Charter as well as Condé Nast for their Code of Conduct which recently rolled out in to all Condé Nast publications.
Adwoa ended on a powerful note by stating, “I want to challenge each and every one of you today to think about what your role is within this industry and what you are going to do to ensure that you use your own voices to help change the system that has allowed such rampant abuse of power and fear to take advantage of so many that have not had a voice. I plan to continue to use mine and I challenge you today to do the same with yours.”
The Positive Fashion initiative encourages Sustainability, Model Health & Diversity and Local Manufacturing & Craftsmanship.
The fashion industry has a devastating environmental and social impact on our planet. Unethical labour practices, climate change, deforestation and excess waste has all been intensified by fast fashion. A large number of designers and brands are now focussing on sustainable fashion.
Sustainable fashion is about producingclothesandaccessories in an environmentally, socially friendly manner and changing how the consumer treats fashion by improving education, attitude and behaviour. It is also up to the fashion companies to change their production, distribution and overall practice to help achieve a sustainable industry.
Helping lead the way, The Sustainable Angle, a not-for-profit organisation initiating and supporting projects which contribute to minimising the environmental impact of the industry, showcased a huge range of sustainable materials at an exhibition held at the Discovery Lab at February’s London Fashion Week. The Discovery Lab showed existing alternatives such as post-consumer recycled denim, grape leather, low impact wools and organic knits as well as future fabrics that are currently in the prototype stage.
Lenzing, a fibre manufacturing company, has successfully produced fibres from trees, making textiles and non-woven products. Dubbed the ‘fibre of the future’, TENCEL™ fibres are created using replenishable raw wood, originating from forestry which practices
sustainability. Pure pulp is extracted from the wood, which then makes fibres via an advanced 'closed loop' solvent spinning process, with minimal impact on the environment and economical use of energy and water. The solvent used in the process is toxic but 99% is recovered and continually recycled. The closed loop process received the “European Award for the Environment” from the European Union. TENCEL™ fibres are notably more absorbent than cotton, softer than silk and cooler than linen.
Transforming the future ofeco-couture, TENCEL™ Luxe filaments produce lightweight, smooth fabrics, ideal for creating a flattering silhouette.
TENCEL™ Luxe filaments are naturally breathable due to their wood-based origin and offer outstanding colour, enabling designers to create bold colour palettes without restriction.
Refibra™ is reinventing TENCEL™ fibres. Refibra™ fibres are made from pulp that contains cotton scraps left over from cutting
operations and wood, reducing the need to extract additional raw materials from nature, in turn, lowering the impact on natural resources. Based on the technology of TENCEL™, Refibra™ fibres are an extraordinary revolution and most likely the most sustainable fibres from natural raw materials.
Piñatex is an innovative natural textile made from pineapple leaf fibre, the by-product of existing agriculture. No additional land, water, pesticides or fertiliser are required to produce the raw material, and its use creates a new income stream for subsistent farming communities. Designed for use as a low-impact alternative to leather and pollution synthetics, Piñatex is strong, flexible, breathable and versatile. It can be easily cut, debossed and embroidered for footwear, fashion, furniture and beyond.
The founder of Ananas Anam Ltd, Dr. Carmen Hijosa’s inspiration for Piñatex came about in the 90s whilst consulting on the Philippines leather export industry. Inspired by the traditional weaving of the plant fibre to form the Barong Tagalog (the national dress of the Philippines), she sought to create
a new, non-woven textile that could be commercially produced, provide positive social and economic impact and maintain a low environmental footprint throughout its life cycle.
In Italy, the citrus industry discards one million tonnes of citrus fruit peels annually. While the peels are biodegradable, it still costs to dispose of them properly.
Orange Fiber, an Italian company founded by Adriana Santanocito and Enrica Arena, is the world’s first and only brand to produce a patented material from citrus juice byproducts, repurposing them to create fabrics. The fabric is formed by spinning the silk-like cellulose into yarn that can be blended with other materials. In its purest form, the 100% citrus textile is super light-weight, features a soft and silky hand-feel, and can be opaque or iridescent.
Last year, Salvatore Ferragamo launched an exciting capsule collection in collaboration with Orange Fiber. Consistent with their motto ‘Responsible Passion’, the collection paid tribute to the Mediterranean with gorgeous prints designed by Mario Trimarchi.
Maryssa Cook-Obregòn and Laure Fernandez are MA Fashion Futures students at London College of Fashion, who collaborated on a project for the Welcome Trust. They developed a series of biomaterials from readily available food ingredients to exhibit and show the potential of growing your own fabric. The ingredients used were vegan, non-toxic and biodegradable.
Born and raised in the Taiwanese countryside, Dian-Jen Lin is an MA Fashion Futures student from London College of Fashion. She has an innate awareness of the symbiosis between humanity and nature, with a particular interest in science, technology and ecological ethics.
Selected by Stella McCartney as a winner of the 2017 Kering award for Innovation in Fashion & Sustainability, Dian-Jen Lin’s project was about developing and testing post-carbon materials to design garments that have photosynthetic or pollution-filtering properties. Whilst she is still in the preliminary stage, she has merged algae cultures with fibres and her initial results have been promising; one post carbon t-shirt can produce 4% more oxygen than a tree.
Today’s sequins are made from plastic and an alarming mix of chemicals, which stay in landfill for approximately 2000 years.
Rachel Clowes has developed organic bio-plastic sequins coloured with natural dyes as a sustainable alternative to the everyday shiny embellishments.
ThelifespanofRachel’ssequinsisappropriate to the average use of occasion wear; two or three events. The sequins are designed to shimmer at special occasions before melting away to produce a new colour and pattern, leaving you with an everyday piece of clothing.
These sequins are currently at prototype stage, but Rachel is hoping to make them commercially available very soon. They will be available in standard pre-cut shapes as well as custom designed.
Whilst there are a handful of designers and brands who already practice sustainability (Stella McCartney, H&M Conscious Collection, Eileen Fisher – we’re looking at you), there was one designer who stood out at London Fashion Week; Vin and Omi.
Vin + Omi, otherwise known as V+O, are far from your average fashion designers. With works spanning film, television, music and oneoff creations, they have worked with some of the world’s top artists and public figures. Their designs have been worn by the likes of Kate Moss, Michelle Obama, Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, Pamela Anderson and their long-time friend and muse Debbie Harry.
Renowned for their innovative designs, they were called in to help with one of Bubble’s outfits in the 2016 film, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. With the look being such a success, they were tasked with creating the rest of Bubble’s wardrobe.
In February 2018, Vin + Omi presented their first ‘real’ ready-to-wear collection, titled ‘WE ARE NOT SHEEP’. It took 60 models to bring to life 66 eco-friendly looks, resulting in a superb show.
Vin + Omi have created 11 eco-textiles, including leather made from chestnut skins, nokill wool from pet llamas and reworked denim –they collect surplus denim, regrind it and make it into new denim. Their most innovative material is a wool-like fabric from plastic bottles. “We
work with an organisation in New York called the River Keepers. River Keepers clean plastic from the Hudson River, we then manufacture the plastic into fabric in upstate New York. We are currently talking to the mayor’s office to see if we can to the same thing in London. We’ve been creating fabric from plastic since 2004 so it has been a long process,” Omi told Manner.
They try to avoid using cotton as it ‘doesn’t come from great working conditions’ and silk as ‘it’s not very sustainable or eco-friendly’. Omi explains, “It takes 7 Mulberry trees worth of
silk worms to make one silk tie. Silk worms go through a Mulberry tree at an average of a week and they take a long time to regenerate. There is only one piece in our collection that consists of silk fibres, the rest is from plastic bottles.”
And to top things off, if you get bored of your purchase, you can sell it back to Vin + Omi and they will reuse the fibres. “It’s not a very clever way of making money, but I think we’d rather be known as being responsible.”
The fashion world has long come under fire for its apparent reluctance to embrace diversity. From my childhood, I remember Kate Moss and how heroin chic was the look of the catwalks. I also remember standing in front of the mirror trying to perfect the hollow cheeked look. There is no doubt that the fashion industry can influence how we view and feel about ourselves. 90s fashion was all about the pale skin and an emaciated frame. Back then, fashion was fascinated with white and very thin models. Diversity was definitely not in the 90s catwalk vocabulary. However, it is important to remember and to acknowledge where the heroin chic look derived from. It was an attempt to make the fashion world more real, to reveal a grittier side. They were trying to distance themselves from the 80s catwalk and the glossy hedonism of unachievable bodies in the shape of Cindy Crawford. 90s Heroin chic was an act of rebellion.
It can’t be denied that this attempt to seek out a more real look for the catwalk ended up going too far. But that’s what fashion is all aboutpushing the boundaries and experimenting. 90s heroin chic was supposed to be a joke, maybe a joke made in poor taste but with good intentions - the belief that the fashion world needed to be shaken up. Since then we have appeared to have forgotten the punchline for that joke. The slender models have remained, surpassing the millennium and now we have forgotten why the fashion world was so fascinated with thinness in the first place.
With the apparent reliance on models that were thin became a catwalk that lacked realism. Until recently it could be argued that we no longer had a catwalk that had moved with the times, it was no longer pushing boundaries. But the fashion world is finally waking up again and realising that now is the time for diversity. For many it has been a long time coming.
We are living in a society that wants to break free from stereotypes. We want to embrace diversity and celebrate individuals for their differences.Wewanttoseebrands using models that represent us, that showcase everyday society. The fashion industry is embracing an inclusive future; one that celebrates men and women regardless of their
shape, size, colour, sexual orientation or religion.We have recently seen the latest ‘Nothing Beats A Londoner’ campaign from Nike, in which diversity is brought to the forefront and celebrated. We have a 3 minute joyful film (which quickly went viral), championing and celebrating the spirit of 258 young Londoners. It is a film that revels in the capital’s diverse talent.
London Fashion Week recently celebrated the theme of health and diversity and as a result we saw gloriousshowscelebratingthebeauty in diversity. London comes just after New York for how racially diverse their catwalks are. Figures from the September 2017 Fashion Week showed that 31% who walked the catwalk were non-white. However, the British Fashion Council would like to see that figure closer to 40%.
Designers like Mimi Tran are helping the London catwalks towards the 40% benchmark. Tran showcased her latest evening collection using a diverse range of models. It was a breath of fresh air to see her beautiful collection being brought to life by models that weren’t the usual bland stereo-types. We also had Ashish whose vibrant multicoloured “midnight market” catwalk saw him going back to his roots and celebrating immigrant communities. It was a stunning show that reflected British diversity.
We now live in a culture where we can make our opinions known to millions of people at the drop of a tweet or Instagram post. We live in a society that isn’t afraid to question bad behaviour, it isn’t afraid to push against societal expectations. Social media means that we can make our voice heard and the fashion world is listening. We also have websites like The Fashion Spot in which we see them holding the fashion world accountable. For the past couple of years, they have been monitoring every Fashion Week and reporting on the race, size and gender of models. They also very helpfully let us know those designers and labels who are clearly championing diversity, and those who are not.
drop our designers those
More than ever, consumers are taking a stand and making their feelings known. The result is that our 2017/2018 fashion shows have been the most diverse yet. The Fashion Spot reported that diversity and inclusivity seem to be very much on the rise and that, “plenty of diversity strides” were made. We are starting to witness a sea of positive change. Vogue, who had a shocking stretch of 14 years with only 6 nonwhite women on stand-alone covers, featured 6 women of colour in their December is-sue, this heralded a truly momentous moment for the fashion world.
Yes, this is still very much a work in progress and there are still improvements to be made. Many magazines still lag behind when it comes to featuring models of colour on their covers, but we also need to talk about size. Spring 2018 saw a record number of plus-size models booked for the catwalk. However, this isn’t translating to the everyday. There is still a lack of plus-sized models gracing the front cover of our magazines. In 2016 less than 1% of magazines featured a model who was a size 12 or over. Disgraceful when you consider that the average size of a UK woman is a 16. The #MorePlusPlease campaign is aiming to change this statistic and bring more plus size women to the front covers of our magazines.
The fashion world does need to become more forward thinking and quickly if it isn’t going to continue to alienate the “average” woman. Research carried out by Simply Be found that
89% of British women believed that their body shape and size was not represented in modelling and advertising. 2017 saw real movement towards celebrating our bodies, recognising how beautiful and strong they are. We have brands like Dove who are recognising this change in consumer direction and recently ran a Dove campaign for real beauty. We had mummy bloggers sharing their bikini photos with C-section scars and stretch marks proudly on display. We also had the hashtag #LESSISMORE that was part of a petition created by eating dis-order survivor Erin Treloar. Her aim was to expose the fashion’s industry’s love for photoshopping everything, putting these unobtainable photos of supposed perfection in front of our eyes. A similar point was made by Hayley Hasselhoff who protested outside the London Fashion Week hub in February, calling for more curves to be seen on the catwalk.
We have to recognise the efforts that are being made in order to read-dress the balance. New York Fashion Week strode ahead with its efforts for the spring/summer 2018 shows. They had 45 transgender models, four non-binary models and 27 models over 50 years of age on the catwalk. New York shows that we are moving in the right direction but it’s hardly full on marching, just yet. Some of the fashion labels might want to pay attention to Chromat who stands head and shoulders above everyone else when it comes to diversity on the runway. Their autumn 2018 runway show was a pure masterclass in being inclusive. We saw models
from all genders, ages and sizes strutting their stuff. The result? A dynamic and joyful show featuring women that the audience could relate to. In response, the audience actively participated and cheered every woman down the catwalk. The Chromat show was fashion at its finest, fearless, bold and breaking down barriers whilst still being inclusive. This was a fashion show that shouted from the soul and spoke to the heart.
Fashion should carry on working towards becoming more inclusive. We need to ensure that it isn’t purely done as a token gesture. It’s time for fashion to leave its exclusive values behind and look forward to becoming more inclusive. Right now, the fashion world still has its flaws but nobody or nothing is ever perfect. However, fashion is not as flawed as it once was. The future of fashion looks very exciting. We can finally bury the waif like clones, we can close the door on the boring stereotypes and finally welcome a new fashion era. The world of fashion is changing for the better and we are on the cusp of something new.
As consumers we must ensure that the diversity movement doesn’t falter. We shouldn’t settle until diversity has become the industry norm. For my two daughters, I want a fashion industry that empowers, inspires and embraces body positivity. Most of all I want the fashion world to recognise that one look doesn’t fit all.
Fashion is redefining, it’s looking to the future.
Fashion houses and high street retailers are starting to break down the barriers that determine what is and isn’t OK for men and women. Words by Ria Wolstenholme
The pictures of me as a little girl have a running theme. The bright orange hair, up to no good facial expression, and a dress or skirt. Usually paired with some shockingly coloured patterned tights (thanks mum and dad), I dressed in what could be labelled as a very stereotypical girly way. My uniform at school was a dress or skirt, with trousers and shorts simply not being an option. But as I got older, and had the freedom to make my own fashion choices, I became a lot more comfortable in jeans, t shirts and trainers. When I look at my wardrobe now, the way I dress day to day is pretty neutral. I don’t feel the need to wear a dress or a skirt to embrace my femininity. You might even say my chosen uniform is gender neutral, a phrase heard a lot recently in the fashion and media world. But is everyone on board with it? With the question of whether little girls and boys should be boxed into gendered categories before they themselves get to choose being somewhat of a hot headline in the past couple of years, the topic has spilled over into the world of fashion.
The industry has coined on to the evergrowing trend of ditching labels when it comes to sexuality and gender and responded in a number of ways. One of the biggest fashion giants to start the ball rolling was Louis Vuitton, who featured Jaden Smith in their 2016 Spring campaign for their series 4 collection. The images of Smith blew up on social media, but a very mixed response of both negative and positive feedback was received. At the time, the trends for 2015 were revolving around gender-free themes that celebrated individuality and freedom to be and dress how you want. But the shock that it was Vuitton that took the concept off the runway and into their campaigns in such an unapologetic way rippled throughout the fashion world, and soon took effect.
This trend wasn’t reserved for the high fashion houses of the world. Soon after the campaign dropped, high street retailers followed suit and launched their own gender free ranges. High street meets high fashion retailer Zara launched their ungendered line in March 2017, containing a 16-piece capsule of unisex items that fell into both their men’s
and women’s sections. This didn’t make huge headlines and was actually celebrated by most in the press.
However, later that same year in September, UK retailer John Lewis announced that they would be removing gendered labels from their children’s clothing, changing their signage and labelling to ‘Girls & Boys’ and ‘Boys & Girls’. Many claimed that this decision was dangerous, and uncalled for, claiming that by removing gendered labelling in children’s clothing they were confusing young children about their identities. There were claims from the public that by doing so, John Lewis were taking political correctness too far. Only two months later, River Island announced they were launching a gender-neutral clothing line, with the slogan ‘kids just want to be kids’.
The controversy surrounding these decisions sparked debates of whether pushing a genderneutral agenda had the potential to seriously damage children’s sense of identity and self awareness. However, this didn’t cause the movement to slow down. If anything, it only propelled it to move further into the fashion world.
Online retailer ASOS teamed up with the world’s leading LGBTQ media advocacy organisation GLAAD to launch a collaborative gender-neutral capsule collection. Pieces in the collection featured the ‘&’ symbol, which is said to represent the power of everyone’s voice, the concept of togetherness and resistance to discrimination and hate. A spokesperson for the organisation stated that ‘proudly wearing the symbol is one way for people to unite in accelerating acceptance.’
The idea of unity and encouraging the resistance of discrimination followed on to influence renowned retail giant Selfridges to open Agender. Described as an interconnected three-story space, it was designed to exist outside of the traditional ideologies and expectations of gendered dressing. The new approach for the space was to encourage everyone of anyone, no matter their gender, to shop for and wear whatever they want.
This year, we’ve seen River Island take on gender stereotypes yet again, this time with a global advertising campaign to celebrate the brand’s 30th Birthday. With a focus on anti-bullying, they have partnered with the international anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label. The diverse range of models in the campaign include twelve different spokespeople who have been subject to outdated social stereotypes.
The campaign runs alongside the selling of a collection of t-shirts and sweatshirts which propel the message of ditch the label. With every sale, £3 will be donated to the Ditch the Label charity, who provide support for those who have been victim to both on and offline bullying. With the slogan ‘labels are for clothes not people’, the campaign aims to encourage people to be themselves unapologetically and without risk of discrimination.
Whilst every concept and message behind these campaigns champions the notion of accepting yourself and others, and not conforming to society’s norms or expectations depending on your gender, when you look at the items in the collections, questions are raised.
Most of the collections claiming to be unisex or gender neutral mainly consist of baggy fitting t-shirts, shorts, trousers and hoodies. All of which are considered to be somewhat masculine style clothing. So, if you are claiming gender neutrality, is it right to ignore the feminine aspect? Are these brands claiming to champion change but in reality are too scared to go all the way? If the focus remains on masculine style, cut and fit, how can the clothing be considered gender neutral?
There has been an outcry of false advertising from social media in response to the multiple campaigns and collections, with public users claiming brands are being misogynistic and non-inclusive by leaving out the femininity in their pieces. They argue that by neglecting the more feminine aspects of fashion, such as skirts, dresses and certain colour and patterns, these brands are only propelling the notion that embracing femininity is reserved for females. There’s a lack of encouragement or acceptance in their imagery and creation to show that men too can don the more feminine cuts and styles of clothing just as much as women can with masculine elements.
With this in mind, it’s important to remain aware of the difference between a bandwagon campaign and a genuine step towards equality
in fashion. Just because a brand claims gender neutrality, doesn’t mean they are fully embracing the aspects of what makes an item or a person gender neutral. By neglecting to accommodate their branding and design for every type of person, no matter who or what they identify as, they are failing to follow their own message.
Gender neutrality isn’t about restructuring the traditional elements of fashion and design. It’s not a call to abandon the feminine and masculine elements, it’s a call to make them available to anyone and everyone. The chance to break down the social barriers that determine what is and isn’t OK for men and women to wear and do is here, and I hope that both high-end and high-street fashions make the most of it and encourage it.
"Most of the collections consist of baggy t-shirts. All of which are considered to be somewhat masculine."
"ASOSteamed up with leading LGBTQ organisation GLAAD to launch a gender-neutral capsule collection."
Having pursued athletics professionally, Gemma Dawkins is known to most as ‘the confident sports girl’, but behind closed doors, Gemma was struggling with her own mental health issues. She’s back running and on a mission to help others and make a difference. Gemma shared her journey with Sophie Wilkinson.
Most people will instantly recognise Gemma for her incredible record on the track, but what they won’t realise is just how long she has been running for. “I started running when I was just 6 years old. I have my primary school teacher, Miss Luxton, to thank for getting me involved in athletics! I won a competition at the school sports day, so she encouraged me to join Jersey Spartans. My family have always been into running, my mum competed in boarding school and my granddad competed in the army.”
Declaring herself a tomboy, Gemma explained that she had always been really sporty, taking part in netball, athletics, swimming and hockey, but if she was going to succeed in sports she had to choose just one to focus on. “I was doing too much, I knew I needed to cut down, but I didn’t know how to choose as
I enjoyed them all. I had hockey trials for the west of England once. Not because I was good at hockey though, it was because I could run! I realised it was running that made me good at all of these sports so that’s how I chose to stick with the running.”
After Gemma had made the decision to focus on running, she put all her efforts into training, taking part in local races as well as travelling to the UK to compete in various competitions, including the English Schools. In 2007, Gemma travelled to Rhodes for her first Island Games. “I was 16 when I went to Rhodes, it was tough! I got disqualified in the 200m for a false start, but we did win gold in the 4x400m. I remember my coach being so positive, I had never run in the 4x400m, but he knew I could do it. I kind of felt like everybody was thinking “oh my gosh, they’re putting Gemma in this”, so I was determined to do well, I ran a really good time too!
Last year, Gemma took a well needed 6 month break from training after she broke her foot. “I’d never taken a break from running, even in university, I wasn’t competing, but I was still training as I felt like I couldn’t stop. Just before the Island Games last year, the doctor thought I had tendinitis but told me I could still compete, not realising the extent of the damage. Going into the games everybody thought I was going to get the gold in the 800m final, but I won the bronze. I’ve now realised that was still an amazing achievement but at the time I just couldn’t believe it. When I got back to Jersey I went to the hospital as my foot was so swollen and the results showed my foot was actually broken, so I was forced to stop immediately. It was really hard for me as I was the fittest I had ever been, although I wasn’t the strongest I had ever been, so it was actually a blessing in disguise.”
On the outside Gemma was the poster girl for health - she ran, she ate well, she did yoga, but something wasn’t right on the inside, Gemma was suffering with anxiety and depression. “Running has been my big constant, it has been amazing for me, but it has also been negative. I’ve always loved running, but there came a point where I’d stopped enjoying it. I struggled with the transition of being a kid and having no fear at all to suddenly becoming an adult and having the pressures of performance. You become your own worst critic and it took all the enjoyment out of athletics, it was all about the performance and I had forgotten why I fell in love with athletics in the first place, I just wasn’t feeling it.
I had underlying anxiety, low moods and depression but my way of dealing with it was just to carry on, I put a lot of pressure on myself. I got myself into a really dark place, but thankfully I was able to get support. A lot of people are anti-medication, but we do all have a biology so it does play a part, it's not the answer but it does serve its purpose. Medication helped lift me and gave me the mental clarity I needed so I was able to get to the crux of the problem."
I’m really self-aware, so when I saw a psychologist I was really able to identify the pattern I had got myself in and with that I learned that I had no self-love, I was so hard on myself and everything came from that. Once I was aware of that I knew why. That’s what motivated me to do something different, I was able to think about it in a
different way. When you’re a perfectionist you constantly beat yourself up. I took everything to the extreme, I’m all or nothing, and that was my issue, I needed to find a healthy balance and be OK with it.
You never know when mental illness is going to strike and unless you’ve been through it you just can’t even imagine what it’s like, I look back and I realise it just wasn’t me. I now take a holistic approach to mental health and really invest time in myself.”
Gemma and her brother, Ben, set up ‘Born to Run’ to help support other people fuel their mind and their body through running fitness. Born to Run caters for everyone, it’s not about how far or fast you can run, the sessions are designed so people can go at their own pace. “I understand how important running is in terms of helping you to learn more about yourself as well as how amazing it can make you feel. The aim of the group is to get people to realise that running does come naturally to us all and the only reason people think they can’t run is often due to confidence. We designed Born to Run to help people with their confidence, both physically and mentally and to help teach them techniques and get them in tune with their natural running abilities and as a result seeing how far they can go with it. It’s like a support group for runners.”
Gemma is also an assistant psychologist at CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and is planning on becoming a clinically qualified psychologist in the near future. “It’s my dream job! I am currently supervised by a clinician, but I work one to one with clients and have a say in the services and treatment that would work well for the younger people. It’s very eye opening, there are some kids that are coming through that I just look at and think ‘Oh my gosh, that was me’.They are so hard on themselves and it’s that internal critic that is putting them in that dark place. I think because I have been through it myself, I have a great connection with the kids and I can see such improvements in them.”
Gemma explains that a lot of health
coaches talk about mental health and mindset as if they are one, but you can only really work with the mindset once you’ve been able to work with the mental illness. “Mental health is so different to mindset. When you are suffering with depression, every thought you have is negative and you can’t just change that. Telling someone who is suffering with depression to ‘just be positive’ or ‘just snap out of it’ will not help at all. Mindset helps keep you well, it doesn’t make you better. People need to realise that depression is an illness, nothing you say like that will help. These kids think that they must be positive all the time, but because they are suffering with depression, they beat themselves up further because they’re struggling to be positive – it creates a vicious cycle. A lot of people in the health industry preach about mindset and positive thoughts and it creates this ‘happiness trap’. It’s the same with social media, you only see the positives and it can make people feel awful about themselves and wonder why their life isn’t like that. Social media had a massive effect on me. I was using it as a coping mechanism, so I took a 5 week break off to reassess my relationship with it. I started researching the effects of social media and found studies that show how social media plays into our own personal reward system, it’s the same as addiction. You get that rush every time you get likes and comments and it can either have a really good affect or you just end up comparing yourself to everyone and it really damages you.”
Today, Gemma looks great, and she says she is feeling better than ever too. “I feel amazing. I would say I’m recovered, but I won’t say I won’t ever suffer with mental illness again. Right now, I think I am the definition of happy, I love what I’m doing, and I have great friends and family. My granddad always told me to be a good listener, and I think I am now, I have learned to accept myself and I’m happy being perfectly flawed. I’m only 26 but I feel like I have a pretty good tool box, I have everything I need to be able to deal with the shit life throws my way.”
"I’m only 26 but I feel like I have a pretty good tool box, I have everything I need to be able to deal with the shit life throws my way."
"AROUND 80 PERCENT OF MARINE RUBBISH ORIGINATES ON LAND, IT IS EITHER SWEPT IN FROM THE COASTLINE OR CARRIED TO RIVERS FROM THE STREETS DURING HEAVY RAIN VIA STORM DRAINS AND SEWER OVERFLOWS."
Sir David Attenborough, Prime Minister Teresa May, the Queen, Frans Timmermans, these are just a few of the names who have publicly declared war on plastic.
Words by Amber BlakeIn January of this year a multitude of islands, countries and nations made a declaration of war on plastic. UK Prime Minister Teresa May gave an environmental focused speech in which she pledged to eradicate the use of "avoidable plastics" over the next 25 years, along with the vicepresident of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, who said that the EU is waging war against plastic waste as part of an urgent plan to clean up Europe’s act and ensure that every piece of packaging on the continent is reusable or recyclable by 2030.
The Queen has also declared war on plastic and has banned the use of plastic straws and bottles across the royal estates, it is said that the Queen became personally interested in the problem with plastics after working with Sir David Attenborough on a conservation documentary dealing with wildlife in the Commonwealth.
Here in local news, islanders are being urged to join the war and drastically reduce the amount of plastic we use in line with global efforts to change and ultimately eliminate our reliance on the everyday material. Local retailers, cafés and restaurants are joining the fight – Dunnel's will no longer stock water in plastic bottles, Plemont Beach Café are removing plastic bottles of water and cartons of juice with plastic straws from their menu and AR Vitel Family Butcher in St John are considering offering a discount if their customers bring their own reusable containers as opposed to wrapping the produce in plastic.
The war on plastic is of a global scale and here in Jersey we have been blind to the magnitude of the problem. The nations Grandfather, Sir David Attenborough appeared to educate the country with his latest TV series, Blue Planet II, where he brought much-needed exposure to the enormous threat that plastic pollution is having on our oceans and marine life. The series has got the ball rolling and finally opened the nations eyes to the
devastating problem we are facing. According to a recent study conducted by Plymouth University plastic pollution affects at least 700 marine species, while some estimates suggest that at least 100 million marine animals are killed each year from plastic pollution.
It will take global efforts on a mammoth scale to remove the plastics polluting our oceans, but we can all do our bit to help.
Around80percentofmarinerubbishoriginates on land, it is either swept in from the coastline or carried to rivers from the streets during heavy rain via storm drains and sewer overflows. The best thing we can do to protect our waters is keep as much plastic as possible out of the waste stream in the first place.
More and more I find myself making conscience choices to remove plastic from my day to day life. For example, when shopping I have stopped buying pre-prepared fruit which is always heavily packaged and started buying fresh produce to prepare myself. Reducing the demand on these types of products will ultimately reduce the supply. There are many small ways you can have a big impact.
Stop using disposable plastics: 90% of the plastic items in our daily lives are used once and then chucked: plastic bags, product packaging, disposable cutlery, straws, coffee-cup lids etc. Look at of how often you rely on these products and replace them with reusable versions. It only takes a few times of bringing your own bags to the store, or travel mug to your regular coffee shop before it becomes a habit.
Stop buying water: Every year close to 20 billion plastic bottles are thrown away. Carry a reusable bottle in your bag, and you’ll never be caught having to resort to a Highland Spring or Evian again. If you’re nervous about the quality of tap water, there are bottles available with a built-in filter.
Purchase items second-hand: New toys and electronic gadgets come with all kinds of plastic packaging. Search charity shops, car boot sales, or online postings for items that are just as good.
Recycle: It seems obvious, but we’re not doing a great job of it. Less than 14% of plastic packaging is recycled. Confused about what should be put in the bin? Check out the bottom of the container.
Buy in bulk: Single-serving yogurt, fruit and those little packets of nuts - consider the productto-packaging ratio and select the larger amount instead of buying several smaller ones over time.
Pick up litter: On the beach, in the woods, if you come across litter – pick it up!
To find out more about how you can make a difference, get in touch with Eco Active Jersey which is run by the States of Jersey to promote and raise awareness of sustainable environmental practices in schools, businesses and homes – they organise regular beach clean-up days where you can join like-minded people and clear the rubbish from our beautiful beaches, or you could organise your own with friends and family.
Incorporate advanced technology into your beauty regime with the latest brushes and rollers designed to massage the face, stimulate the muscles and revive tired skin.
2018 has already seen a rise in people opting for non-surgical face treatments, eliminating any potential surgical risks and the long post-surgery rest time.
Double bound ponytails at Ferretti and twisted hair at Rejina Pyo are the epitome of chic. Perfect post gym hair do.
Selena Gomez is the inspo pic to take to the salon if you're after dirty blonde hair. According to celebrity hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez, you should "keep the roots dark and the length a warm golden blonde."
Even bigger than last year, nail art has gone wild! Floral prints, letters, rhinestones, even logo nails were seen backstage at the spring runway shows.
2017 may have been the year of the unicorn, but 2018 is set to be the year of everything glitters. Glitter eyes, glitter lips, glitter cheeks - make this your sparkliest year yet.
The 80s hair tie is making a comeback. Velvet, leather, silk, printed, sequinned, embroidered... There's a style for every occasion.
Synonymous with Cleopatra, Eyeliner was first used in Ancient Egypt to protect the skin from the sun, but it wasn’t until the ‘20s that eyeliner was introduced to the western world after Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered. Fast forward some 90 years and the trend is still going strong - from '50s icon Sophia Loren to modern beauty Lana Del Rey, the iconic look will never go out of fashion. Don’t worry if you haven’t perfected the flick though, this season rounded edge, fingerprint style eyeliner a la Tom Ford and Jason Wu is taking charge.
With so many eyeliners to choose from, how do you know which is the best for you? Pencil eyeliner is easy to apply, but sometimes doesn't glide as smoothly or thickly as gel or liquid liners. They are easy to use and great if you’re after soft definition. Gel liners are matte and glide on easily, perfect for creating everything from smoky eyes to precise graphic lines. Liquid liners are used for their precision, and usually come in a tube with a small brush, or "pen-style" with a brush tip. This is the eyeliner you want if you’re aiming for a delicate, crisp line. If you don’t have a steady hand, draw dots or dashes along the lash line first and then join the dots together with a pencil. You can then go over this line with your gel or liquid eyeliner for intensity.
Fresh and dewy seemed to be the running theme at Saint Laurent and Marchesa, with models sporting only illuminator and highlighter to give a youthful glow to otherwise bare skin.
Highlighters are light-reflecting products enhance your complexion and give skin a brighter, dewy glow as well as making cheekbones look more prominent. They also reawaken dull or ageing skin and accentuate your favourite facial features in a subtle, natural way – they’re not meant to make you look shiny or glittery, instead they bring light to an area.
For an all-over radiant glow, mix a few drops of highlighter with your moisturiser or apply after your foundation to the areas you would like to add radiance.
Apply highlighter to the inner corners of your eyes to open them up and sweep under the arch of your brows to define the brow bone and finish by highlighting the tops of cheekbones, blending the highlighter right up to the temples.
If you want to give the illusion of bigger lips, apply highlighter to your cupids bow and the centre of the lips, meanwhile, to slim the nose apply highlighter to the bridge.
Your highlighter should suit your skin tone - if you have olive skin opt for golden, peachy coloured highlighter, while those with fair skin should choose rosy, silver hues.
Matchthetextureofyourhighlighter to your foundation, if you’re using liquid foundation, choose a liquid formula. However, it’s important to consider what will work best on your skin type. For example, powder highlighter may not work well on dry skin types, but oily skin may welcome its mattifying effect.
To avoid a cakey look, use a buffing brush in circular motions over your face for a seamless blend.
NEVER SAY NEVER POWDER BLUSH £12.50, MAC AT VOISINS
EYESHADOW IN FEARLESS PETAL £19.50, ESTÉE LAUDER AT DE GRUCHY
EYELINER IN EMERALD VOLT £16, ESTÉE LAUDER AT DE GRUCHY
EYESHADOW IN NEW CROP £12.50, MAC AT VOISINS
EMERALD
LIPSTICK IN IMPASSIONED £15.50, MAC AT VOISINS
Whilst 2017 paved the way for hints of 80's inspired brights, coloured faces were taken to a whole new level at the spring/ summer 2018 shows. Attracta Courtney created a pastel watercolour affect at Palmer Harding whilst House of Holland opted for an exaggerated blue eye. Experiment with a cheerful pink lip or a sweep of green eyeshadow for an unexpected pop of colour.
THEY'RE REAL MASCARA IN BLUE £18, BENEFIT AT DE GRUCHY
So, Julia Roberts knows how to rock some serious promo, but who knew that when she raised her arm in a gesture of hello, the world would freak out about her armpit hair. It might have been the reaction she was aiming for, perhaps she was making a statement; but perhaps she just doesn’t care about underarm hair, maybe she lets her lady parts bloom with hair and frankly, no care for others’ opinions on the matter. And why should she? More to the point, why do we? Why do we care what other women do and to put it bluntly (iffy razor pun) what on earth has it got to do with anyone else?
It seems that female hair growth has gotten a fair amount of media attention quite recently - it was being billed as a bra burning rite of passage for ‘feminists’ in 2017, to display their womanism stance but seriously, some women genuinely just couldn’t give a hoot about hair. It’s not, ‘grow your pubes in support of prochoice,’ or, ‘let your pubes hang low, you can tie them in a bow for breastfeeding’… Hair growth is just a thing we all manage to do - like breathing. It’s simply a preference for the majority to rid themselves of theirs. All the fuss over female follicles must come from somewhere.
Back when we dwelled in caves and caverns, we were pretty much covered in hair (maybe a bit before then, I’m no historian but the fact is, we derive from hairy homo sapiens) and there’s no real scientific reason to suggest why we’ve kept hair in certain areas, like our armpits. It could be to avoid friction as we use our arms, or they’re there to soak up underarm sweat - who knows. Until around 1915, women used to let their hair grow free, wherever it sprouted from, then suddenly someone decided it was unsightly. An advert in Harper’s Bazaar was the apparent catalyst and it read something like this, “The fastidious woman today must have immaculate underarms if she is to be unembarrassed.” I mean it’s not exactly a catchy strapline, but it worked nonetheless. I think this was around about the same time everyone was drinking cocaine for toothache…
Most women still prefer to remove their underarm hair, even feminists do it; it is a way to avoid a ‘pheromone' overload. In other words, hairless pits are best for deodorant to adhere to and thus in turn be more effective and furthermore, hair is a hotbed for sweat to stick around and smell that bit riper. Eeew.
Hair is just dead skins cells turned into keratin and popping out of pores, it’s harmless and it’s
useful and to be honest, you don’t have to be hairless to be beautiful. You can grow it, dye it, whip it off - it’s your choice. Miley Cyrus has kickstarted a trend of plumes of colourful armpit hair and hundreds of Chinese women have done the same thing as a sort of two fingered salute to the patriarchy. Emma Watson conditions hers; not too sure what for, but hey, it’s what she does. All well and good and commendable statement making, but at the end of the day a hairy pit is just that and it’s not going to change the world. It does however open up the debate as to whether we should, or we shouldn’t shave, and I believe that I’m on the fence. I shave when I can be bothered, I stopped getting waxed because it is agonising, and I hate unnecessary pain. I personally prefer my armpits hair free (my legs can do what they like until summer), at the same time, I am not repulsed by others’ armpit hair - I am repulsed by Donald Trump’s hair but that’s only because it’s on his head.
Women, the conclusion of this ‘wax on, wax off’ hair today gone tomorrow article is to basically inform you that you can be as god damn hairy as you like and the only difference you’ll make by letting your pit hair grow, is that you’ll need to swap to a spray deodorant as the solids will stick like you know what to a blanket, leaving you with little white cling ons dangling from your pit pubes. Now THAT is not a good look.
"I think this was around about the same time everyone was drinking cocaine for toothache…"Clockwise from top: Julia Roberts sporting hairy pits at the 1999 London premiere of Notting Hill. Miley Cyrus dyed her armpit hair pink in May last year. A depilatory ad in Harper's Bazaar, from 1922.
Ethical beauty certainly isn’t a new topic, but the recent ban on manufacturing products containing microbeads has shone a brighter light on the subject. We look at 5 ways you can make your beauty routine an eco-friendly one.
Thousands of tonnes of plastic microbeads from products such as exfoliating face scrubs, shower gels and toothpastes wash into the sea every year, causing tremendous harm to fish and marine wildlife. Whilst microbeads play a small role in a larger problem, campaigners argued it was the easiest to prevent. The initial phase of the law has put a stop to manufacturing rinse-off products, but a ban on selling such products will follow in July.
Whilst the ban on microbeads is a step in the right direction, research has shown that many other types of plastics are added to personal care products including Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or Nylon.
Brands or companies that do not carry any form of microplastic can proudly wear the “zero plastic inside” logo. In one glance, this logo makes it absolutely clear for consumers that a product is guaranteed 100% free of microplastic ingredients.
Palm oil, a type of edible vegetable oil, is found in everything from snacks to household cleaners to cosmetics, but it is heavily linked to major world issues such as deforestation, habitat degradation, climate change, animal cruelty and indigenous rights abuses in the countries where it is produced.
Whilst oil palms were originally from Western Africa, today, palm oil is grown throughout Africa,Asia,NorthAmerica,andSouthAmerica, with 85% of all palm oil globally produced and exported from Indonesia and Malaysia.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, an area the equivalent size of 300 football fields of rainforest is cleared every hour to make way for palm oil production. This large-scale deforestation is pushing many species to extinction. The government found over 50,000 orangutans have already died as a result of deforestation due to palm oil in the last two decades.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) say palm oil has the potential to be very environmentally friendly, if it is grown sustainably, as it requires far less land to meet our needs than alternative oils as well as employing about 6 million people worldwide, with over a third of these being small time farmers who often live at the edgy of poverty.
There is a growing trend for companies to use biodegradable packaging that is less harmful to the environment.
Zero Waste Week, an annual awareness campaign in September for reducing landfill, reported that more than 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry. The cardboard that packages perfumes, serums and moisturisers contribute to the loss of 18 million acres of forest each year. Beauty has a long way to go and many products still have an element of excess, but as the movement gathers pace, it can only mean change for the better.
The UK’s organic beauty sector, including organic make up, is currently worth £61.8 million. It goes without saying that organic and naturally sourced products are on the rise, and no wonder when they are the gentlest to our skin and the environment.
Whenyoubuyorganicproducts, you’re supporting organic or natural ingredients, sustainable manufacturing processes, biodegradable packaging and protection of wildlife and the environment.
Natulique, a sustainable and ethically sound brand, is now being stocked in K Hair Salon. Natulique hair products and colouring system is cruelty-free,vegan-friendlyandcertifiedorganic.
All Natulique products are available in 250ml & 100ml bottles made of 100% environmentally friendly recyclable PET plastic. With K Hair believing in eco-consciousness with a holistic approach, you really can get your hair coloured with a clear conscience.
Water and beauty go hand in hand, but the amount we use while lathering up in the shower or cleaning our teeth is only one part of the story. Just scan the back of your skincare or makeup products and you’ll see it’s usually the first ingredient mentioned, accounting for 70 to 80 per cent.
Mintel, the global market research company, dubbed water a luxury product. “Water is set to become a precious commodity as consumption outstrips supply. The more consumers become aware of this, the more beauty brands will need to change how they manufacture and formulate products to limit their dependence on water.”
Charlotte Libby, Global Beauty and Personal Care analyst at Mintel, commented.
Water is often used in formulations as a cheap base but once you remove that water, botanicals and oils are used instead, which results in a much stronger offering.
Even if you're not ready to go completely organic, just remember that one small change can make a huge difference.
"The more consumers become aware of this, the more beauty brands will need to change."Natulique hair care products are available from K Hair Salon, located at 11 Bond Street, St Helier
Specially formulated to soothe and refresh tired or irritated eyes, Dr. Hauschka Eye Revive will give your eyes some serious pampering. Formulated with extracts of eyebright and chamomile to calm the skin, it also contains fennel extract to visibly reduce puffiness.
Now here’s something you may not know; snail gel is extremely effective in softening wrinkles and smoothing skin – chic French women love it! Optima Organic Snail Gel combines anti-ageing snail secretion with a beautiful blend of natural extracts such as Aloe Vera juice and lemongrass oil.
Green People is an organic range free from sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and harsh chemical additives. The range instead contains pure, organic Aloe Vera, Rosemary, Avocado and other powerful, yet gentle, natural plant actives to gently cleanse your hair without stripping your scalp of its protective oils.
100% Health offers a fantastic range of beauty products, many of which are vegan, anti-oxidant, paraben-free and cruelty-free. Discover a world of natural beauty at the store in Conway Street. Telephone: 01534 871588. www.100health.je
This has become a cult favourite of beauty editors for a good reason. Like a vitamin shot for your complexion, this facial spray delivers an instant burst of refreshing radiance. Give your skin a hydrating spritz and feel your energy levels and skin restored.
With 100% nature-derived Vitamin A, Pro-Vitamin A and Retinoid Analogue, this potent breakthrough concentrate delivers retinol results without irritation while enhancing skin vitality and radiance.
Say hello to natural detoxification and enjoy a brighter smile, whiter teeth and fresher breath with CocoBaci coconut pulling. Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic tradition from over 5,000 years ago. The ‘pulling’ of oil through your teeth eliminates harmful bacteria and toxins that live in your mouth.
Over the course of a lifetime, we can ingest as much as 3kg of lipstick: It is absorbed through the lips or swallowed when eating or drinking. Antipodes lipsticks are formulated with ingredients that are not only safe to consume but actually healthy!
100% vegan and crueltyfree, Pacifica makeup gives you eyeshadows, foundations and more. Amplify your lashes instantly with Pacifica’s Dream Big mascara, containing natural plant fibres that build and build. The nail polishes are void of many chemicals that one would find in traditional nail polish with amazingly vibrant colours. Even the brush is 100% vegan!
Fiona Weston is a Jersey girl at heart. Having lived and worked in Canada, she has settled back home to bring her years of experience in skincare to the island.
Fiona shared her story with Sarah Jane Holt
y parents were originally living in Jersey with my sister Tara, then my fathers’ work moved them to the Bahamas where I was born. After a fairly short time their relationship broke down, so my sister, Mother and myself moved back to Jersey. I loved growing up on the island; I get emotional when I remember endless days of fun with my sister on the beach at St Ouen, which is still my favourite place in the island. The smell of cut grass still takes me right back to end-of-term time at JCG! Eventually though, my mother remarried a Brit when I was about 14 so I ended up having to move to the UK for two years. At age sixteen I went to Toronto, Canada to live with my father and his wife.
What did you do in Canada?
I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I had always been interested in beauty, so I started working for Lancôme, Estée Lauder and other well-established beauty houses. After a time the makeup side no longer challenged me and I knew I wanted to get more into skincare, so I went back to school to learn beauty therapy.
I worked initially as a therapist for a salon, but then I started out on my own whilst working alongside a beauty therapist who offered electrolysis and laser hair removal treatments and it worked well, really well. In fact, that’s probably where I’d still be if I hadn’t met my husband, Adrian.
We went to school together in the UK, we were both 15 at the time, but we were just friends. Suddenly he popped up on Facebook and we started chatting quite regularly. He came out to visit me in Canada and from there we began a long-distance relationship until I made the decision to move back to England.
Yes, I actually set up a business called ‘Treat’. I was offering facials, waxing, tanning and nails. It was great because my clients would come to me for everything. When I first started the business, my older sister, Tara, asked if I had heard of Environ – I hadn’t, so I was interested to find out more. Once I started researching suddenly there were articles everywhere about it, very positive articles. I particularly researched the man behind the brand, Dr Des Fernandes.
He is rated among the top five plastic surgeons in the world. Des was a pioneer in the 80s and through intensive research he discovered the essential role vitamin A plays in skin health. He was determined to create a skin care range that would maintain healthy, beautiful looking skin for life, and Environ is the result. I think he’s wonderful; a truly remarkable man. I really liked the company ethos and its impressive links with the International Institute for anti-aging, so I brought Environ into the salon and started using it myself – I was my first test subject!
Are there a lot of products that clients would need to use?
No, Environ offer a wide range of products which I would highly recommend, but I am happy to work with client’s current regime and introduce Environ gradually. The most important thing is getting the vitamin A on your skin. Along with products for home use, I would always recommend a course of salon treatments (usually 6) using the Environ technology for the best results. The Environ facial machine uses sound waves to push product into the skin rather than a facial massage which can’t penetrate as far.
Can you buy Environ anywhere?
No, your skin needs to be correctly assessed in the salon to discover which products are best suited to you as Environ has a step-up system. This is in order for your skin to adapt to the product to counter any sensitivity issues.
Environ has remained my product of choice because it’s completely results driven. It’s cosmeceutical, as opposed to cosmetic. The average person going into a store is faced by hundreds of products all making similar claimsbut most of those products don’t have the ability to change the structure skin.
Can you explain further?
Cosmeceutical means it has the ability to change the structure of the skin as opposed to cosmetic products. Environ uses vitamin A, retinol and peptide combinations which are known to be really the only thing which can change the structure. Back in January there was a BBC programme called ‘The Truth About Looking Good’ where they explain that the only thing that tackles wrinkles and ageing is retinol and sunscreen. And yes, Environ has a superior suncare product range as well!
With Treat being such a success, why did you leave?
I loved my business and I had really great clients, but I didn’t feel 100% settled in the UK. Deciding to make the move back to the island was not a difficult one to make. On Adrian’s first visit to Jersey it rained nearly every day and he still loved it! Decision made.
You have now set up ‘Fiona Weston Skin Health’, are you offering the same services?
When I first arrived in Jersey I was working with Environ as well as offering massage treatments, however, I knew I wanted to specialise in skin health as that has always been my passion.
As my skin started to age I also wanted to look at non surgical treatments for myself and my clients, knowing the great reputation CACI technology has I wanted to incorporate that into my treatments. The original CACI technology was designed for people with cerebral palsy to create memory in the muscle. The technology has been copied but CACI is the original and
the best, with CACI known as the non-surgical facelift. Being able to offer Environ Skincare plus CACI treatments is a fantastic combination.
Would you recommend any other products?
I am aligned with the IIAA (International Institute of AntiAgeing) which has a philosophy of Feed, Fortify and FinishFeed with the Advanced Nutrition programme; Fortify with Environ Skincare; Finish with Jane Iredale makeup.
The Advanced Nutrition Programme is a cutting-edge range of supplements that supports skincare regimes. One of the most popular products is the Accumax, a natural product for hormonal issues and adult acne. It really is true that to achieve beautiful skin on the outside, you need to feed it from the inside with the right nutrients.
Environ Skincare treatments are beautifully complemented with Jane Iredale makeup. Jane Iredale’sbeliefisthat‘themostbeautifulcosmetic you can wear is a healthy skin’. Her range of
products are free from synthetic oils, dyes and preservatives yet with beautiful colours across foundation, eye shadows, lip colours and make-up kits. It's so effective that it is recommended by dermatologists and skin care professionals around the world. You now no longer need to worry about running into your friends straight after your treatment as I offer Jane Iredale mineral makeup at the client’s discretion.
You have an impressive loyal client base already, what’s the secret?
It’s no secret, it’s just about caring. I work with my clients and to see their skin improving is very satisfying, that’s what matters to me. I don’t want to just give them a facial and see them to the door, they are investing their time into me and vice versa.
You can contact Fiona on 07700 875777 or visit www.fionawestonskinhealth.co.uk Fiona Weston Skin Health is located at 3 Charing Cross (3rd floor).
"They are investing their time into me and vice versa."
Practicing Pilates during pregnancy and the postpartum period is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise you can do for your body and your baby. Tabitha Orchard explains
Pilates, which is centred on safely strengthening your core muscles and pelvis, will not only provide your pregnant body with the support it needs to carry the growing weight of your baby, but also to birth him with greater ease and restore your muscle tone postnatally.
Your Core
Swimming
(4-point kneeling)
An excellent exercise to perform during and after pregnancy. Starting from a 4-point kneeling position, engage abdominals and hug baby in to support lower back. Alternate lifting opposite arm to leg in line with torso before coming back to 4-point kneeling.
such as ‘Planks’, and modifications on exercises like, ‘The Hundred’ and ‘Teaser’ that work to hold in and engage your core statically, rather like a corset. Aim for at least two to three 30-45 minute sessions per week.
Your Pelvis
The Hundred (Modified)
term. baby hits centred unsupported
Imagine your uterus as the size of an orange in pre-pregnancy, deeply embedded in your pelvis. As your baby grows, your uterus will expand to accommodate him, stretching to the size of a watermelon and spanning from the floor of your pelvis to your ribs once you have reached full term. As baby grows, he naturally hits your transverse abdominal muscle centred in the middle of your stomach, which is often referred to as the ‘six-pack muscle’. But with no further room for growth, your body must adapt. More often then not, this results in your transverse abdominal muscles parting ways down the middle in order to make way for your uterus to push through. This is known a, ‘Diastasis Recti’ and can leave women feeling unsupported post birth, due to loss of muscle tone at their core. This can, in turn, lead to lower back pain and poor posture.
Abdominal strengthening exercises, pre, during and post pregnancy will certainly help to alleviate this problem by keeping those central muscles strong enough to withstand these changes as well as restore any damage after birth by knitting those muscles back together. One detrimental mistake many mothers make in order to rectify this problem postpartum is to strengthen this area with abdominal crunches and this is a big nono. Crunches will only strengthen that doming your uterus has created in pregnancy, leaving you with a very toned but pregnant looking tummy postpartum! Opt for isometric Pilates exercises
Dreadthemumsneeze?Incontinenceisarealissue, particularly post birth for many women. Imagine your pelvic floor as the shape of a hammock at the base of your pelvis. Its role in pregnancy is to support the weight of your growing baby for 9 months. With the average weight of a baby totalling 7.3lbs at birth, alongside the added mass of amniotic fluid and placenta coming in at almost 3 extra pounds, plus any fat the mother may gain, it is no wonder the floor of your pelvis looses some of its elasticity and strength. Exercises such as, ‘Kegels’ will help restore and tone this problem area and should be performed daily during and postpregnancy. A Kegel; known as a pelvic floor exercise is basically the sensation of imagining you are stopping yourself from urinating, holding and then releasing. This muscle contraction should be performed 10-15 times, 3x a day. There are plentiful reasons to practice Pilates during this time, including the strength it offers the surrounding muscles of your pelvis in order to eliminate Pelvic Girdle Pain, a troublesome symptom that affects 1 in 5 women during pregnancy. But finally, why not try it for its for its therapeutic benefits. Classed as a, ‘Mind and Body’ form of exercise, it offers calming breathing techniques that offer mums-tobe relaxation methods before and during birth.
This exercise should be performed during the first trimester only and then after birth. Keeping the legs bent, feet firmly on the floor, flex up through the upper torso and hold. Begin pulsing your arms by your sides as if pushing the space between your palms and the floor. Stay lifted and contracted throughout.
the your problem
Side Plank (Modified)
Lateral exercises are great for prenatal women as they strengthen the core from a safe and comfortable starting point without putting the pregnant woman on her back, which can cause a lack of oxygen to her and baby. Keeping knees bent and legs together, lift and lower hips to work the obliques.
By choosing to work-out with a pre and postnatally qualified Pilates or fitness instructor that understands the anatomical changes your body goes through during pregnancy and childbirth, you will feel assured that you are giving your body the best possible chances of care and restoration it needs.
Plank
This should be performed postnatally but it can be modified by placing the knees down during pregnancy. It engages, strengthens and flattens the abdominals. Hold for 1 minute and increase time as your progress. Don’t sink into your shoulders and keep your abdominals engaged to support your lower back.
Laura Morel enjoyed an afternoon at the Ayush Wellness Spa for some much needed R&R.
On a dark and dreary February day, there was little of my usual enthusiasm left towards beinganislander.Ilonged for instant transportation to foreign climates, the relaxation of being on holiday and the joy of feeling sun-kissed (or even just kissed!) Thankfully there is a place of solace on this small island for those winter blues, in the form of Ayush Wellness Spa at the Hotel de France, where you feel completely removed from the daily toils of life, utterly relaxed and deservedly pampered.
Offering Ayurvedic treatments at the Spa, their team of therapists look to not only revitalise your body, but to restore balance to your body, mind, spirit and well-being. The Spa is designed precisely to be an escape from it all, reflecting elements of nature is its design but leaving the weather firmly at the door! My body was in desperate need of a reset, while my mind longed to break free from the melancholy of current climates with a restorative package of treatments.
As you climb the stairs to the Spa’s treatment rooms you are struck by how open and spacious the layout is. Instead of dark and confined, these rooms are light and airy, perfect for breaking free and just letting it all go. Countless recommendations told me that this was the place to try something new. So I let the Spa’s team of experts guide me to the best treatment for my tired body, matching my body’s desires with a choice of oils to
achieve balance and to treat the senses.
As I tried my first ever body scrub and envelopment, I felt a sense of warm and calm wash over me, along with a desire never to leave this treatment room and the cocoon of peace and nourishment I had been placed in. It took my last bit of strength to wash the scrub from my body, feeling my worries melt down the drain with the warm water.
With fresh and glowing skin, my body was then coaxed free of niggles and stresses with a personalised massage, and without even noticing my mind began to relax and wander. In the bamboo lined rooms it’s easy to day dream, hearing birds tweet subtly behind soothing music you can almost feel the seasons begin to change. As my treatment was finished with a soothing and refreshing facial, I felt rejuvenated and replenished, my energy restored and resolve to soldier on renewed.
Your spa experience is not over once the treatment is finished as I was led to the relaxation room to reflect quietly, sipping on herbal tea whilst summoning the energy to return to the cold and stark reality of the outside world once more. Too soon to return? Then you are free to wander down to the sauna, pool and jacuzzi, or browse the spa brochure to explore your next escape.
Built on the foundation of Ayurvedic healing therapies and restorative spa waters, Ayush Wellness Spa is the perfect place to relax and unwind. Located at the Hotel de France, you can contact the team on 01534 614171.
"I felt rejuvenated and replenished, my energy restored and resolve to soldier on renewed."
Ayush Wellness Spa distills 5,000 years of Ayurvedic knowledge into luxurious authentic therapies and spa treatments, in surroundings designed to balance the body and mind.
Immerse yourself for a few hours in our spacious and peaceful award winning spa, before our signature body and facial therapies detoxify and restore you to the rhythm of nature.
Soften your body, balance your mind and return to the path of complete wellbeing. Wait no longer to discover Ayush Wellness Spa at Hotel De France.
didn’t realise just how quickly she would fall in love with the city.
When I booked the first part of my travels, I opted to start in a traveller’s hotspot; the capital of Argentina – Buenos Aires. From what I’d seen and heard, BA was full of the unexpected, and quite hard to describe. With many barrios (neighbourhoods/areas), each neighbourhood offered something rather unique. From the birthplace of tango and eateries with smoking assados (huge BBQs), a
nature reserve alongside towering skyscrapers and more incredible street art than you could ever get around to looking at, BA is definitely worth a visit. Behind an old battered door there could be an incredible modern bar and through a simple whitewashed archway, you could find a stunning floral courtyard and boutique shops. Turning down a side street could mean witnessing an impromptu performance of tango dancers or bumping into a street party.
Within each area we explored, the surprises kept on coming. I’d done my research on the city, but it’s not until you actually get here that you realise that you know very little of the reality here. I realised why people I had spoken to about the city had found it difficult to explain what it was like: Buenos Aires has to be lived. Luckily enough I got to visit several different areas, each with its own history and atmosphere.
My favourite part of the city is an area called Palermo. With it’s cobbled streets, huge array of incredible bars, restaurants, coffee shops and gorgeous boutiques, it had so much more to offer than I could fit into a few days there. Fairy lights are strewn across many of the outdoor areas of restaurants and the trees sprout pink and white blossoms.
Palermo is what I’d call the ‘hipster’ area of the city. In many places it has quite an upmarket feel and was full of younger locals, sightseeing tourists and backpackers. At night it was busy with revellers and music coming from the many bars along it’s streets. The streets we explored were full of beautiful houses painted in mostly pastel colours; shades of pink, blue and purple and many buildings were decorated with incredible street art. You could spend a day just wandering the streets of this area admiring the exquisite designs on the walls.
Another place that made a big impression was San Telmo, one of the oldest of the barrios. An antique hunter’s and artisan’s paradise, this barrio is expressed by some as a bit of a ‘dodgy’ area, but has a wonderful creative vibe to it. Like many market areas, you just have to be alert and
keep valuables out of sight.
Home to the famous weekly street market, every Sunday the very long road of Defensa buzzes with hundreds and hundreds of stalls lining both sides, where local artisans, pop up stalls and antique dealers sell pretty much everything, including handmade bags and clothes, jewellery, notebooks, Native crafts, vintage glassware and fascinating knick knacks galore! Art galleries (many free entry) are dotted along the street, and there are even more undercover markets, antique shops and boutiques that are housed in the permanent buildings behind the stalls. While there are bigger restaurants and some quirky eateries,
inside the actual San Telmo Marketplace there are some wonderful places to eat, little stalls and café’s run by young entrepreneurs where you can get different foods from around the world, including Middle Eastern, good ol’ American burgers and fish and chips. For a truly authentic taste of Buenos Aires, there’s also a very popular stall in the market which sells empanadas, made fresh in front of you by a local grandma.
In San Telmo, Spanish guitar players filled the streets, their brown leathered faces singing local folk songs and the air smelt of delicious chimichurri spices, sizzling steak and fragrant incense. San Telmo really offers a unique bohemian experience.
Also,wellworththetripdowntown,isawalking tour around the birthplace of Argentina’s favourite dance - the tango. The barrio of La Boca gave me a real understanding of not just thehistoryofthearea,butthestoryofEuropean settlers in Buenos Aires. Awash with primary coloured, scrap metal covered buildings, the main street of El Caminito pulses with tango beats and tango dancers are happy to pose with tourists for a tip. The market along the main street offers different artisanal goodies and beautiful tango inspired sketches, watercolours and artworks are displayed along the street by the many talented locals.
The La Boca Junior Stadium tour and museum is available for a tour if you love football. However, if you’re not a football fan, the best way to take in La Boca is to find a spot at one of the many alfresco restaurants, sip an icy beverage in the sun and watch the tango dancers and guitar players fill the streets with passionate movement and song.
One of the most surprising areas I explored was the area of Puerto Madero. Modern, trendy and affluent, the tree lined areas along the river are dotted with posh cafés and high-end shops, luxury skyscrapers and a huge promenade. Next to the promenade? A wetland nature reserve. It seemed like such a contrast; a special reserve for the many bird species calling Buenos Aires home, but next to the steely grey of new high rises. It is a beautiful area for a stroll, or simply to relax on the wall of the promenades with some organic ice cream.
One of the things that struck me most was that I came to the city with expectations from what I’d researched, watched and heard. I left with quite a different view on this lively
yet calm, luxurious yet simple, modern yet traditional place. Buenos Aires was truly a city of contrasts and surprises.
Take a 15 minute boat ride from Corralejo to the Lobos Island - a hidden gem in the corner of the Atlantic Ocean. Here you can swim in the turquoise waters and sunbathe in the fine sands of La Concha beach or fall in love with the underwater reserve before enjoying a delicious paella in the island’s only restaurant.
Fuerteventura is a sanctuary for Aloe Vera as the plant grows naturally throughout the island. Aloe Vera has many health benefits (far too many to list here!), and is available to buy from several companies who are dedicated to cultivating and producing many natural products from the plant, including soap made with fresh aloe vera extract, coconut oil and goat milk.
The Hotel Riu Palace Tres Islas stands in the spectacular dunes of the northcoast, a short 30 minute ride away from the airport. The magnificent building enjoys a seafront location on Playa de Corralejo beach and boasts beautiful sea views. Besides the excellent temperatures and atmosphere, the Palace includes two fresh water swimming pools, a solarium terrace, Jacuzzi, sauna, gym and the “Renova Spa” health and beauty centre. If you want a relaxing break with friendly, attentive staff then this is the hotel for you.
Known for its white sandy beaches and year-round warm weather, we visited Corralejo for a few days of winter sun.
Corralejo has many eateries, from relaxed restaurants to cafés and tapas bars. Choose from over 50 different tapas plates at Antiguo Cafe del Puerto, a historic bar right in the harbour or enjoy a cocktail whilst watching the sun go down at the Banana Lounge Bar.
Whether you're heading to the beach or to the bar, you can't go wrong with a neutral toned cotton dress. Team with metallic accessories for extra style points.
Think large scale leaf prints, oversized insects, wildlife and exotic birds.
LARGE CUSHION £75, FRIDA KAHLO AT CHICHI
MONEY BOX £24.99, CHICHI
PAPER PLATES £8.99, CHICHI
ECO LUNCH BOX
CARD
IPHONE 6/6S CASE £5, BLAISEFASHION.COM
CATH KIDSTON AT
£14.50, AMELIE £25.99, AFFINITY
FELT PINEAPPLE £4.99, CHICHI
TABLE LAMP £40, NEXT
GLASS VASE £16, NEXT
We may dream of white washed walls, light coloured upholstery and a clutter free home, but in all honesty, it isn't a reality. So, why not make the most of showing off your collection of home accessories, knickknacks, books and of course, art! The quality and complexity of materials, techniques and colours is not something to hide away from. Jason Miller, the founder of Roll & Hill says, “When the only goal is minimalism, you eventually end up with nothing.”
When well-executed a collection of patterns, contrasting colours and layers of textures you can create a look that is show stopping. Use the opportunity to flaunt your creativity. However, there is a fine line between perfectly executed maximilism and it appearing sloppy. Whether it be a cluster of lanterns, an array of antique mirrors or even the magazines you have been stock piling, these can be used to create an appealing feature to your room.
“There is a joy in designing a space without limitations and restrictions, where excess is encouraged, and unlikely pairings create beautiful and unexpected harmonies.” Kelly Wearstler, interior designer.
There is an increasing global design culture which is playing a role in the surge of maximalist design driving the creation of more unique, modern pieces that appeal to different tastes. While some manufacturers are still targeting high-net-worth consumers, other luxury companies are expanding their markets. The tides certainly seem to be shifting toward a more theatrical, historical and eclectic decorating style.
Johanna Uurasjarvi, the woman behind West Elm, has said that “We’re entering a new era that embraces personality, rather than minimal perfection, layering new modern pieces with other objects in our homes–existing furniture, art, photos, childhood and travel mementos–brings it all to life.”
Maximalism is not for the faint of heart. It’s dramatic and a little overwhelming, however its good to remember Robert Venturi's famous line "less is a bore". This style is defined by rich colours, playful layers of texture and pattern, and a mish-mash of time periods and styles. No surface is safewalls, furnishings, pillows, drapes, floors all covered in lush fabrics, colors and patterns. Maximalism is perfect for those who love to collect objects, books and mementos from world travels; the rebels who like to break the rules with traditionalism.
Ultimately, the most important thing to remember when it comes to maximalism is not to fill your home with mass market pieces, but to fill your home with things you love, artwork that inspires you, colours that make you happy, and textures that make your home comfortable.
If you love playing with colour, textures and patterns and you’re not content until you’ve upcycled your quirky finds to the hilt, then maximalism is definitely for you. Maximalism isn’t really a look you can put together overnight so be patient when putting it together, it’s a look that’s constantly evolving over time with boutique buys, vintage finds and travel mementos there is always room for more in a maximalist home.
"Fill your home with things you love, artwork that inspires you, colours that make you happy..."
Whether you're hosting a birthday event, a bachelorette party or a not so casual dinner, Laura Butlin shares her handy tips to help make everything run smoothly and ensure everyone has a great time, including yourself!
There are a few things over the years I've learnt about hosting that have definitely prepared me for the lastminute gatherings as well as the more intentional soirées.
1. Keep the guest list manageable
Be realistic about how much space you have and what type of event you're hosting. If you're having a drinks party you can expect that people will be happy to stand, they'll want to mingle
with other guests so having enough seating for each person is not essential. However, if you're having a traditional dinner party it’s important that everyone has a seat and can fit around the table. It's not important that all the seating match, mix and matching furniture is always fun and creates a relaxed environment. You’ll want everyone to comfortably be able to sit around the table for an intimate feel without knocking elbows every time they take a bite. It’s equally important knowing that not everyone can be
invited to everything. Hosting fewer, smaller events means you are able to spend more quality time with each guest instead of trying to say a few words to everyone at a bigger event.
2. Send your invites in good time
Giving your guests enough notice is important so if they need to plan they have time to adjust their schedule. The further in advance they know of your event, the more likely they'll be able to attend and you will know how many to cater for.
3. Assess inventory
The week of your event, make sure you have everything you need. Have you got enough glasses, plates and cutlery? If you’re serving food on platters, are they clean and ready to be used? Having plenty of ice and napkins are essentials, so write a checklist. If you are missing something, you've given yourself plenty of time to pick up extra bits in advance.
4. Don't feel ashamed outsourcing
Just because you're the host it doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy the party. Giving yourself less to do before or on the night is a simple way to leave the stress behind, particularly if the kitchen is not your happy place. Could someone make your canapés? Could you ask a family member to pour drinks? Or could a friend bring dessert? A joint effort can take the pressure off.
5. Prepare ahead of time
If you're hosting a dinner party I'd pick a menu where aspects of it can be prepared ahead of time. Whether it's a one-pot main course which can be slow cooking whilst your guests are arriving, or a simple dessert of strawberries and ice-cream which needs little prep work. Not just the food can be done in advance, why not set your table the night before your event? It's one less thing to do on the day and it will make you feel like everything is coming together.
6. Don't forget the ambience
Candles are the most flattering lighting and can create that hygge atmosphere we all swoon over. Use classic dinner candles, scatter tea lights or place pillar candles in lanterns. Music is really important too. If you're struggling with the playlist, there are endless options on Spotify. I'm a big fan of greenery as well as florals - introducing greenery or fresh herbs on your tablescape is an easy, organic way to lift a space.
7. Let your guests serve themselves
There's nothing wrong with serving a meal family style, in fact, I prefer it. Everyone can decide how much they want, they can help themselves to seconds and it helps create a less formal environment.
8. Keep the drinks flowing
There's nothing worse than a dry bar so make sure there are plenty of bottles for your guests. A drink on arrival will ease anxiety and warm up the party - make a welcome cocktail or have champagne on ice. It's important to keep non-alcoholic drinks for those who don't drink or are driving.Try homemade lemonade or put some cucumber and mint in water for an easy twist that everyone will love.
South American Cuisine
The rise in popularity of South American flavours are continuing to grow this year. The profile of high flavours and naturally low sugar is increasingly popular. It regularly incorporates every millennial’s love of avocados with it’s guacamole routes. The fresh colourful cuisine is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Dip your toe into the trend by choosing chimichurri sauce to accompany your next steak, or submerge yourself by ordering some naturally gluten free arepas. Seek out local street food vendor El Fuego who have been leading the way for some time.
Sustainable Seafood
‘Sustainable seafood is seafood that is either caught or farmed in ways that consider the long term vitality of harvested species and the well-being of the oceans…’ Where possible shop for fish at your local fishmonger, you should be able to ask them where your fish has come from and whether it is from a sustainable source. More than ever we have the ability to be selective on what we choose to fuel our bodies with.
The Forth Meal
There are a variety of ways to include the forth meal in your day. If you regularly indulge after dinner, your dessert would count as your forth meal. However, this isn’t just about gluttony, it could be a late breakfast after your bulletproof coffee or a mid afternoon salad. If you’re working out regularly, it may be your pre or post work out. This year it’s predicted we’ll see more and more reaching for a forth meal.
"Candles are the most flattering lighting and create that hygge atmosphere we all swoon over."
free Seek have
Gail Honeyman
Winner of the 2017 Costa Book Awards
Hi, I’m Hannah and I’m a biblioholic. My love of reading, and creative writing, is the result of three years spent at Oxford Brookes University where I studied for a degree in publishing. I love a good murder mystery book, but I also regularly read travel, health, action & adventure and science fiction titles.
Anthony Horowitz
For those who like nothing better than to curl up with a good old murder mystery, look no further than the latest offering from Anthony Horowitz, author of Foyle’s War and Midsomer Murders. The story starts when an editor receives the latest piece from her bestselling author, Alan Conway, who writes crime novels featuring Atticus Pünd, a detective who solves mystery and murder cases in quaint English villages. However, as she reads the text she is convinced there is another, hidden, story within the familiar manuscript, one which could betray real-life issues of jealously, greed and even murder.
Elizabeth Strout
Following on from 'My Name is Lucy Barton', we get a brilliant collection of nine connected stories featuring people from the fictional rural Illinois town of Amgash. Almost Steinbeck-esque, there is quite a lot of sadness and pain in these stories, but the characters and their situations were so well written it is hard not to empathize with their stories. Lucy Barton, now a successful writer, makes another appearance since leaving the abject poverty of her hometown upbringing, meeting up some years later with old friends and neighbours, introducing readers to their fears, hopes and ambitions.
First Novel Award, Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive - but not how to live. Leading a simple life by wearing the same clothes every day, eating the same meal deal for lunch every day and buying the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend, the walls built up around her start to crumble thanks to a simple act of kindness. Honeyman’s warm, brave and at times unexpectedly humorous narrative, is a moving reminder to the reader that life can be changed by small acts of kindness.
Jon McGregor
From the award-winning author of 'If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things' and 'Even the Dogs', Reservoir 13’s narrative spans over thirteen years with the aftershocks of a teenage girl’s death refusing to subside amongst traumatised village residents in the heart of Yorkshire. McGregor’s beautiful, yet haunting tale, investigates the sense of loss in a rural community that leaves a lasting impact on its audience. A slow-paced page-turner that isn’t for the fainthearted or impulsive reader.
1932 was an intensely creative period in the life of the 20th century’s most influential artist. This is the first ever solo Pablo Picasso exhibition atTate Modern, bringing you face-to-face with more than 100 paintings, sculptures and drawings, mixed with family photographs and rare glimpses into his personal life.
Three of his extraordinary paintings featuring his lover Marie-Thérèse Walter are shown together for the first time since they were created over a period of just five days in March 1932. The myths around Picasso will be stripped away to reveal the man and the artist in his full complexity and richness.
The exhibition runs September 9th at Tate Modern
Pat Robson and Elizabeth Le Gal
15 years ago the Harbour Gallery in St Aubin became the home of Art in the Frame Foundation, the not-for-profit charity which celebrates 20 years this year. But where did it all start? Sarah Jane Holt spent an afternoon with Pat Robson
Back in 1998, Pat Robson was Head of Art at Beaulieu and Elizabeth Le Gal was Head of Primary School Art, but they realised that living on an island had its limitations, as they often needed outsiders to bring in more creativity, more ideas.
“I had sent a lot of students to art college and they were coming back to find that there was nothing here for them. I was feeling quite guilty, how were we going to help these people?We also knew we needed to help with art education, not so much primary school, but more for GSCE and A Level as a lot of the exam papers they want the students to have first-hand experience of artists.
There was the most amazing art advisor
at that time, Grant Jones, who came up with such fantastic ideas that we decided we needed to do something about it, so Art in the Frame Foundation was set up. The aim of the foundation was to promote local art and crafts, especially for up-and-coming artists and craft workers, plus bring to the island really topquality artists and craft workers, textile artists, 3D artists, etc. to run workshops.”
At the time, Sister Marie Louise was the Head Teacher at Beaulieu, and she allowed the foundation to use the art block at weekends. After five successful years they had outgrown the art block and needed a permanent home for the foundation to operate seven days a week. “That’s when we moved into the Harbour Gallery – although a lot smaller than it is now!”
Pat recalls
Once the foundation was established, they started doing more classes for kids and school work. Now they offer GSCE and A Level Art & Design, Textiles, Photography. “Many of the children in our classes are home schooled, or some attend because the art they’re interested in can’t fit into the school curriculum and they are desperate to do those subjects, so they come here.
So many people still just look at us an exhibiting gallery without knowing all the educational work we do. The education side here has grown enormously, in the last two years we’ve doubled the number of children taking exams here. We are also part of the Creative Arts as well which provides awards equivalent to GSCE and A Level, just a slightly different way of doing it.”
Starting the 2018 celebrations to mark 20 years of the Art in the Frame Foundation and 15 years of the Harbour Gallery, the fantastic ‘Oddities & Curiosities’ event had a steampunk and circus theme.
The Art in the Frame Foundation work with Les Amis and Mencap students, with Elizabeth Le Gal going the gallery to teach them.
“It’s a safe environment for them. They have to get themselves here (some are brought in), then they buy coffees and snacks so that they are learning to use money in a safe environment. Rosemary Hill, who was a head teacher at Beaulieu, often comes in to help with these particular workshops. It’s such a great atmosphere and the students get a lot out of it - they are socialising, learning skills and they even sell stuff through their corner in Gallery 3. Elizabeth really enjoys it too, it’s doing something that makes a difference to people’s lives” explains Pat.
There is a process to exhibiting at the gallery - they want pieces that will sell as they need to raise funds. Not many people realise that the gallery is run by a charity, so the foundation charges a commission to help with the running costs.
“Artists submit their work and we have a chat. Sometimes it’s an immediate yes, or we have to let people down gently. We often get full as there is only so much space.
The response for an event for this year called, ‘AllWashedUp’hasbeensohugethatwe’renow having to tell people we may only be able to accommodate one piece as it’s oversubscribed. Other exhibiting artists we just come across purely by chance. When we were organising February’s Oddities & Curiosities exhibition I came across a Facebook post from an artisan ironworker, Kevin Crozier, his imaginative iron sculptures are incredible.”
Even though the foundation is a charity, they receive no funding at all and have to rely on money from workshops and sales just for running costs. “We’ve got very few sponsors as we’re not medical or sport, people don’t see our charity as being that important. Last year a bank did kindly give us some money which enabled us to set up a second workspace and refurbish an exhibition space, that was a very welcome donation. The money paid for the new displays and the materials, but all the work was done by volunteers. I’m a volunteer, but we do have a few part time paid positions including students at weekends. The
biggest challenge is keeping the funding coming in as our overheads are extremely high.”
The foundation is non-stop, and Pat explained that they work a year ahead with exhibitions. “We’re totally full up for this year and we’re now looking at 2019 for exhibitions. We work well as a small group, we like to promote a very friendly, encouraging positive atmosphere here.With the Harbour Gallery celebrating 15 years and the Art in the Frame Foundation 20 years, it’s a very special time for us, a time to look back at where we’ve come from, where we are now and the local artists and craftworkers we’ve helped along the way.”
The Art in the Frame Foundation gets regular top UK and continental tutors to the island to run weekend talks and workshops for adults and children. For the younger children there are regular arty crafty fun workshops every half term and holidays, putting the fun, excitement and inspiration back into learning.
We can all continue to support the work of the Foundation by purchasing items from the Gallery, attending an exhibition or event, and by sponsorship. To find out more visit the website www.artintheframefoundation.com
For events, visit the ‘What’s On’ page at www.theharbourgalleryjersey.com
“It’s a very special time for us, a time to look back at where we’ve come from, where we are now...”
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