UCL MODO Magazine March 2022

MODO UCL

M A G A Z I N E

S H AT T E R I N G FA S H I O N N O R M S

M

022 2 H C AR

FRONT COVER

EDITORS NOTE

Dear UCL MODO Magazine readers, I am thrilled to be sharing the incredible work of our writers, models, photographers, stylists, graphic designers and editors who poured their hearts, words and art into this March 2022 edition of MODO Mag. Our editing team chose the theme ‘Shattering Fashion Norms’ to give the UCL MODO Mag team a chance to explore how our generation is breaking down old fashion traditions. The content shatters fashion conventions with topics ranging from the new era of plus size male models, the black community’s fashion foundation to the brand Corteiz’s rise from a bedroom in West London. One of the highlights of this edition was our collaboration with London based brand Kat Maconie, a bold and colourful shoe store (with newly launched jewellery) for our covershoot.

I am incredibly grateful to the Executive Editor team, Rachael, Camilla and Mavi for their teamwork and dedication to this edition! I also want to thank Julia and Jeanmarie for their graphic design contribution and Zhao and Phoebe for their work marketing our magazine!

I am so proud of our MODO Mag team and what we have accomplished together and I look forward our next edition!

Stay tuned!

Sabrina Sabrina Ciauri

Editor- in- Chief

This edition of MODO has been something really special for our team, especially after the amazing success of our first ever printed edition of MODO Magazine in January. We wanted to allow everyone in MODO to be free to explore any weird and wonderful aspects of fashion that they were interested in- and with this amazing edition we have seen just that!

The amount of creativity and talent that is in the members of our society is insane and we have loved watching everyone let loose, get creative and explore shattering fashions norms and conventions through photoshoots, articles, makeup, styling and so much more. We hope you all love this edition of MODO as much as we do and we look forward to collaborating again on the next one!

Rachael

Camilla

Mavi

Rachael, Camilla and Maria Valentina

Editing Executive Team

CONTENTS

4 The MODO Team 5

List of Contributors

6-7

President’s Note

8-12

The Foundation (Article)

13-17

Redefining Clothing (Article)

18-21

Kat Maconie Cover Shoot (Photoshoot)

22- 24

Bridal Bomdage (Photoshoot)

25

Tatty Devine (Advertisement)

26-29

Breaking Gender Norms (Article)

30-33

A Go- Between Cultures (Article)

35-35

Kat Maconie (Advertisement)

36-39

Domestic Bliss (Photoshoot)

40-43

A Guide to Being a Trendsetter (Article)

44-45

Wall of Jeans (Advertisement)

46-49

An Itch to Scratch (Photoshoot)

50-52

Menswear and Inclusivity: A Long Way To Go (Article)

53-55

Silent Genius (Article)

56-57

Fashion in All its Shades and Hues (Photoshoot)

58-61

Rebel Rebel (Article)

62

Behind the Scenes

63

Artwork by Ehsan Saeed

CONTRIBUTORS

The MODO TEAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SABRINA CIAURI

EDITING AND GRAPHIC EXECUTIVE

PRESIDENT

RACHAEL HAWTHORNE

BERNICE NG

EDITING EXECUTIVE

MARIA VALENTINA BEZZI

GRAPHIC DESIGN

GRAPHIC DESIGN

JEANMARIE FISHER

JULIA PODKOLINSKI THOMAS

EDITING EXECUTIVE

CAMILLA MINA

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CONTRIBUTORS

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS Writers

Rosa Toriello Ella Sarax Annabelle Ren Fang Olusola Awosika Priya Jain Sabrina Ciauri Mahidhar Sai Lakkavaram Sarah Mokhtari Charlie Bentley Maria Valentina Bezzi

Stylists

Sabrina Ciauri Maria Valentina Bezzi Rachael Hawthorne Camilla Mina Deniz Pasli Su Wen Liew Eugenie Sere Olusola Awosika Priya Jain Jai D Mohan Emma Ferneyhough

Makeup

Natalia Jakubowska Pimsiri Charoenpong Sarina Sorayya

Photographers Charlie Bentley (Head of Photogaphy) Juju Greenig (Head of Photography) Songju Kang Priya Jain Eugenie Sere Amber Bennett Stefano Blumberg Michael Kim Christoph Davis Deniz Pasli Sam Prescott Sunny Fung

PR/Marketing

Zhao Rong (Head of PR & Marketing) Phoebe Veelenturf (Executive Marketing)

Brands

Kat Maconie Tatty Devine Wall of Jeans Artwork by Ehsan Saeed

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Models

Su Wen Liew (Model Coordinator)

Tom Koide Urte Gumuliauskaite Charlotte Bailey Deniz Pasli Daniela Kaplan Portia Greenig Maahika Singh Camilla Mina Murph Zhang Alina Zhang Olusola Awosika German Baraev Jai Mohan Olusola Awosika Sarah Yang Qu Victoria Andrews Sarina Sorayya Maahika Singh Ravleen Kaur Shriraam Thiagarajan Carmen Chang Nathan Adu-Poku Tiago Costa Safa Khan Zaki Afnoukh Sarah Mokhtari Aino Rajantie

PRESIDENT’S NOTE

Fi rst Ti m e Pri nti ng th e Magazi n e, 1 Custom isation Session, 2 Sewi ng Workshops, 2 Styli ng Eve nts, 3 Th e m e d Shoots, 4 Socials, 6 Pitch es an d Dri n ks, Countless Photoshoots, Untold Creativity an d E ffort, All of wh ich forti fi e d by Teamwork.

This is what we made of our time in Yours sincerely, 2021/2022; this is the way – il modo – our society moved forward as a community.

Bernice

On the contrary, the current issue is about the breakthrough from what is considered the way. Whether it is deviation from industry Bernice Ng | President, UCL MODO Fashion norms or leaping forward from our old prac- Society tices, revolution is nothing novel to fashion.

If anything, it is the one constant that brands March 2022 and designers seek in their work. Likewise, our committee and members never stopped finding new ways of doing things this year; from ‘A transparent horn extends skyward from new social events and workshops to adoptan eagle’s skull. It is the ing the online magazine platform Issuu and visible part of a unicorn, selling physical copies for the first time. I am a magical creature that confident that MODO will go on with this culcan ferry us to another ture of innovation in the new academic year. dimension. Even if, after death, only the skeleton of a being remains, its fossils, its energy continue to spread. There is always hope that we can break through reality and reach another world.’

As we head into spring, we cannot help but think of new life, growth, and rejuvenation.

We attain these by being bold enough to ignore what everyone else is chasing, by breaking away from patterns that no longer serve us and recentering to what is true to our hearts.

The key question here is why we are chang- Koen Vanmechelen, Breakthrough, The Uffizi, 2021 ing. Once we figure out the purpose, what Blu sodalite marble, Murano glass we need to change becomes crystal clear.

As you flip through this edition and march into the new season, I trust that you will reconsider what matters to you, what matters for fashion, and what matters for our world.

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Models are wearing Kat Maconie shoes and jewellery

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TH E FOUN DATION

ARTICLE

BY OLUSOLA AWOSIKA The word foundation is derived from the Latin word ‘fundare’ which means ‘to lay a base for’ and the English word ‘found’ has 2 meanings depending on the context; 1) ‘to have been discovered’ 2) ‘to establish or originate’. In sum, the foundation is the groundwork needed for principles to stand. So what relevance is this to the fashion industry and most importantly who is the foundation?

The black diaspora has contributed tremendously to the creative industry. From Africans to African Americans to Caribbeans to the native black Atlantic people, the creative industry would suffer without the contribution – and theft – from the black community. Spanning from the music industry, hairstyles, the makeup sector and back to the fashion industry, there is not a single area that has not seen the influence of black culture. Black culture has discovered and established many of the trends we have seen through the years. We are the groundwork of fashion.

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Yet there is still a lack of credit for the creators. What the industry needs to remember is that without a foundation the building cannot stand. Let us imagine what would happen to mainstream fashion if the pillars of fashion were to be removed: no double denim, no cornrows, no streetwear, no tank tops, limited gold jewellery, no tooth gems, no cute velour tracksuits. The oversized clothing fashion wave that’s commonly associated with the 90s alongside the micro braids that were trending in the 90s may not be around.

Applying this knowledge to other high-end fashion brands, would we be able to see the iconic juicy couture tracksuit? What about the renowned double denim commercials from both diesel and Calvin Klein? Let’s not forget the never-ending uncredited hairstyles that feature in almost every Vogue magazine.

not that deep’. But it is. Culture is everything to most people and is a constant reminder of where we all as individuals come from. I yearn for the day culture is actually shared accurately.

Although this article is concerned with the exploitation of black culture for the benefit of mainstream fashion we also need to remember that many other cultures have influenced the fashion scene – and as usual have not been credited. From the introduction of silk from South Asian cultures to the wide variety of necklines on shirts and dresses from East Asian cultures to the eyeliner of Middle Eastern and North African cultures, all have heavily inspired sectors of fashion far more than we can comprehend. As someone who grew up in two countries surrounded by so many different cultures, I believe I can say the integration of cultures and most importantly the appreciation of cultures can be achieved. I have taught my friends around me why seemingly meaningless things such as hair, is paramount to the black community. In the same way, my friends and I have shared how similar struggles such as colourism affects our different ethnicities in similar yet different ways. The very understanding of a variety of cultures is what the fashion industry needs to make its main focus.

The constant profiting off the black diaspora without acknowledging the source is what induces cultural appropriation and diminishes cultural appreciation. This is what prevents the general public from appreciating, understanding, and acknowledging the differences and beauties in cultures. Instead, our culture is mimicked and made into a caricature as black people are told over and over again ‘it’s

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Black culture is th e base.

Black culture is th e groun dwork.

Black culture is th e foun dation.

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Through my photoshoot, I wanted to convey all my ideas and inferences stated in this article.

I was not looking for models only of black decent, but models of a range of ethnicities to show the integration of culture in fashion. I want to convey through pictures how we all learn and can learn from one another. It is crucial that not just the brand’s image is portrayed as diverse but the whole organisation itself is truly diverse. Therefore I must also emphasise the diversity of our team in terms of a) Ethnicity/ Ethnicities b) Nationality/Nationalities and c) Countries of Residence.

mode ls:

MAKEUP:

Sarah Yang Qu a) Chinese b) Canadian c) Born in Canada, moved to China at a young age, now lives in the UK since 14 years old

Pimsiri Charoenpong a) Thai b) Thai c) Lived in Thailand, then moved to the UK

Victoria Andrews a) Trinidad b) British and Trinidad c) Lives in the UK

M e:

Olusola Awosika a) Nigerian b) Irish and British c) Lived in Ireland until age 11 and then moved to the UK and lived here since.

Sarina Sorayya a) Persian b) Caribbean c) Lived in Iran until she was 7/8 years old, then moved to Dubai, then moved to the UK aged 17/18 Charlotte Bailey a) St. Vincent and British b) British c) Lives in the UK Ademini Nwadike a) Nigerian b) Dutch and Nigerian c) Lived in the Netherlands until she was 4 years old, then Nigeria till she was 11 years old, and since UK

PHOTOGRAPH E RS:

Michael Kim who’s a) South Korean b) British Citizen (gave up SK nationality due to military conscription) c) Resided in South Korea until age 8, UK since Songju Kang a) South Korean b) Korean Citizen c) Resided in South Korea until 18 months old, UK since Christoph Davis a) Trinidad b) Trinidad c) Lived in the UK and Trinidad

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BY JAI D MOHAN

REDEFINING CLOTHING

PHOTOSHOOT 13

What do we define as ‘clothes?’

Can it be anything we make it to be?

In this concept shoot, I aimed to shatter the definition of clothing. Using food, children’s toys, and stationery, designer Emma Ferneyhough created pieces to show that clothing doesn’t have to be mass-produced, uninspired garments you find in the mall. And the best thing about it? It was all made using one glue gun so you can do it too.

A project inspired by Nicole McLaughlin.

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Concept, Stylists: Jai D Mohan, Emma Ferneyhough Designer: Emma Ferneyhough Photographer: Songju Kang Models: Carmen Chang, Charlotte Bailey, Nathan Adu-Poku, Shriraam Thiagarajan 16

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Model is wearing all Kat Maconie jewllery

COVER SHOOT

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MODO

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Model is wearing Frida Wide Kicker Heel sandal

r at Maconie team fo Thank you to the K d their London base letting us shoot in shop 19

Photographers- Juju Greenig, Songju Kang Models- Tom Koide, Urte Gumuliauskaite and Charlotte Bailey Stylists/ Concept CreatorsSabrina Ciauri, Maria Valentina Bezzi, Rachael Hawthorne, Camilla Mina Makeup- Natalia Jakubowska

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Aya Wide Kicker Heel Sandal

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PHOTOSHOOT

Bridal

BONDAGE

BY SU WEN LIEW

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Concept Creator/Stylist- Su Wen Liew Photographer- Juju Greenig Models- Daniela Kaplan, Portia Greenig, Maahika Singh 23

My concept photo shoot is based on layering harnesses with formalwear in order to create a contrast between elegance and bondage. The bridal theme of this photoshoot originated from my experimentation with different shaped harnesses and how they complement simplistic dresses.

With this idea in mind, I have aimed to show the versatility of harnesses and their capacity to be graceful or ethereal, shattering a fashion norm.

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SS22

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Model is wearing the Very Berry ring, earrings and statement necklace

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ARTICLE

BREAKING GENDER NORMS

ARTICLE BY SARAH MOKHTARI 26

In the past, women were only allowed to wear dresses or skirts, however, that was not the case for men. As recently as 2013, women were technically outlawed from wearing trousers in France (BBC). But, times have changed.

we haven’t seen before. In fact, this was already the case in ancient Egypt, when the Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut reigned over Egypt by pretending to be a Pharaoh, wearing a false beard and male regalia (royal Egyptian clothing).

Nowadays, breaking gender norms in fashion is even more common. More than ever, people are searching for an ideal of fashion that could be genderless. The fashion world aspires to revolutionise itself, break the codes, and even eliminate them. Gender has always been central, especially in the making of fashion garments.

Believe it or not, it was men who were the first to wear high heels. They were first worn by Persian soldiers in the 10th century, followed then

by European aristocrats in the 17th century.

Worn in a very passive way, the heels gave an air of power, superiority and grandeur. One of the most well-known figures that wore high-heels was the Sun King, Louis XIV. His love for heels was so intense that he passed an official order stating that only nobility could wear them.

Dresses = Women’s clothing Trousers = Men’s clothing How can we break these famous fashion codes? In what way does genderless fashion represent beauty or art?

Society enforces binary fashion on younger generations and has encouraged the creation of a framework in which it is impossible to escape, particularly with the high risk of marginalisation.

Little girls have to grow up in pink.

Little boys are surrounded by blue.

We have to be aware that we currently are in the era of gender fluidity, of fashion neutrality. It is no longer a question of designing according to the genre, but according to one’s desires and tastes.

However, this is not something new or that

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In the past, clothing items such as dresses were considered gender-neutral, exempt from the scandal dress wearing has brought with it in recent decades. Today, male children in dresses is shocking for society, but it used to be perfectly normal and there was no differentiation between boys and girls clothing. Gendered clothing became particularly popular after World War II.

Most clothing pieces have a very specific purpose - to change things, sometimes for comfort, sometimes for practicality or sometimes to claim a denied right. In terms of women’s clothing, it was only during the twentieth century that women began to acquire their fundamental rights and liberate themselves clothing-wise. Little by little, they adopted atypical looks, starting with what was called “à la garçonne” look, revolutionised by Coco Chanel, who introduced men’s clothes for women. The same goes for Yves Saint Laurent, who introduced “smoking”, a male associated activity to women in 1966, as a symbol of empowerment, freedom and self-confidence.

Fashion, history and art all influence one another. We have flashbacks of the past, of what life, art and clothing was like before, of timeless heritage. The world found and can find in fashion a way to express itself, a way to be free. People are shaping, creating, they are actors of this constant transformation.

Indeed, Zendaya recently released her collection of clothes, which for the most part, are non-gendered.

During one of her interviews, she was asked the following question: “Why genderless?”, and she simply answered, “It’s the future of fashion”.

Gender fluidity in fashion is more common among women and has been for decades.

However, for men, it is a new freedom, an opportunity to be seized, still very uncommon.

Thus, it is only in recent years that we have observed the emancipation of men’s fashion.

And Harry Styles is a clear example of this movement. He has made history, by being the first man to pose for the biggest fashion magazine, Vogue, wearing a dress. Styles advocates for a fashion that is tolerant, and a fashion that is artistic, rather than gendered. It is about feeling valued in clothes that represent our identity and our p e r s o n a l i t y.

Photography : Songju Kang Stylist : Olusola Awosika Makeup Artist : Natalia Jakubowska Models: Safa Khan, Victoria Andrews, Zaki Afnoukh, Sarah Mokhtari

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ARTICLE

A Go-Between Cultures: Inspired by Osman Yousefzada

BY MAHIDHAR SAI LAKKAVARAM & SABRINA CIAURI

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Nigerian traditional Ankara, Malaysian typical casual wear and a Brazilian football jersey under a British suit, all catured with a London backdrop.

In this photoshoot, we explored the ‘Go-Between’, the title of Osman Yousefzada’s newly released autobiographical novel. The book tells the story of his life growing up in Birmingham in the 1980s and 90s as a Pakistani Afghan migrant caught between different cultures and genders. From the orthodox mosque down the street to the prostitutes and pimps on the sidewalks, and from his family’s cultural traditions to his school’s Western teachings, Osman describes the cultural expectations, gender constructs and racism he faced growing up in Birmingham. He also reflects on his discovery of London as an alternate world of ‘dizzying freedom’ and his studies at SOAS University and Central Saint Martins. Each of these experiences shaped his identity and laid the foundation for the world-renowned work he does today investigating socio-political issues as a fashion designer and multi-disciplinary artist.

Yousefzeda’s designs stand at the forefront of the intersection between culture, identity and sustainability, all neatly tied up with a flair for creativity.

From Rajasthani mirror work to traditional Afghani waistcoats (Sadri), he attempts to create a mixing pot of cultures, adding a modern twist. He pairs these traditional designs with items like western crop tops and stiletto heels, creating a seamless blend of identities through these looks.

Photographer - Sam Prescott Models - Olusola Awosika, Carmen Chang, Tiago Costa Makeup - Sarina Sorayya

Regardless of the project, Yousefzeda attempts to find a ‘Go-Between’ for his looks, whether that be his own or that of another community.

Inspired by this, we wanted each of our three models to explore their own ‘Go-Between’ as well: Sola is wearing a traditional dress called Ankara, worn across many West African countries.

The dress was custom made and designed straight from Lagos, Nigeria. This style of garb features bright and bold colours that are woven in intricate patterns and designs. To accompany it, we used subtle red undertones for her makeup and accesorized with gold jewellery to bring out the colours of the dress. The traditional look was contrasted by the modern and western backdrop of London, bringing together the two different worlds.

Carmen’s Malaysian culture is conveyed in her outfit with a Malaysian graphic t-shirt, a skirt and flip-flops, a testament to the tropical year-long weather and a contrast to the classic British tweed blazer. The macaroon earrings link back to a trend a few years ago where people wore food and daily objects as earrings, soju Korean bottle earrings are just one example alike these macaroons. The funky hairstyle has also been worn by many influencers in Malaysia.

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Tiago is wearing Havaianas, a Palmeiras jersey (a famous football club from Sao Paulo) and brought along Guarana, a Brazilian soft drink made from the Guarana fruit. He combined these Brazilian elements with a British suit. Sarina, our makeup artist added green below his eyes, breaking a typical gender construct.

In these changing social and political times, it’s hard to imagine what the future of fashion would look like. However, with designers like Osman Yousefzeda who are actively breaking the barriers between cultures and identities, it’s safe to say that we can expect to see the fashion world from an entirely new lens, deeply rooted in social advancement. Through these three looks, we hope we can give you an insight into what this possible future could entail, and give you three of our own different “Go-Betweens.”

ving a h d ce an y takes a p s upying h actuall conc c o hic bout w a y e not t i ’s ’r t t u I n “ o e wn y d i o e n r r e u w h ing yo your o a space w t a r b o cele ity” d i e r ’r b you t u y ng…yo ssion and h i m r o f expre zeda, f e s u o nY - Osma ’s Bazaar r Harpe

Osman’s book can be purchased at Waterstones, WHSmith and on Amazon.

Model is wearing Aya Kicker Heel Sandal

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Model is wearing Arti Kitten Slip On Heel

ARTICLE

Domestic Bliss

BY CHARLIE BENTLEY

The late New York Times photographer and allaround visionary Bill Cunningham said that 'fashion is the armour to survive everyday life.'

I desperately want this to be true, and it feels true, but perhaps the saying is not considered rich enough. In my own life, I use fashion to feel like myself (I know, get ready for more clichées); these items are mirrors into my personality, how I am feeling, and who I want to be. But, I noticed when I spent time in my little caverns of domesticity during the various lockdowns, I would occasionally put something nice on. Was I dressing in a nice cream shirt and french-fitting jeans hoping someone would accidentally walk in and admire my outfit during an extended Netflix binge?

Of course not, even though the Amazon delivery driver is fantastic. In our own domestic habitats, there is a purpose or even a meaning to dressing up for yourself, even if you're relaxing, doing some washing up, or making breakfast. Perhaps Cunningham's phrase has even more meaning than simply using clothing as insights into our lives for other people. It seems that the 'survival' of everyday life is not just what other people think, but the jungle of your own mind when you are alone and glimpse your reflection in the mirror - we like to feel good for ourselves. I decided I had to turn this into a photography project to spotlight the most private fashion moments of our everyday existence.

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Photographer- Charlie Bentley Model- Charlotte Bailey

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Charlotte, a persistently lovely feature in my work, was set in various domestic settings, and I acted as a fly on the wall, or maybe less-flatteringly a creepy tabloid photographer peeking into someone’s private life. Regardless of whether I was the innocent insect or a perverted journalist, I felt that I have captured an eerie mid-point, a liminal space between the outside catwalk and domestic living, a place where those interested in how they dress spend a good amount of time.

I'd like to finish by stating that this is not a call for pulling out your best threepiece suit from the closet for doing the washing up. Rather, a little cheesy supportive message: if you want to dress to feel nice, go for it - I promise you won't have me peeking through your windows to photograph you.

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ARTICLE BY ANNABELLE REN FANG

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PHOTOSHOOT CONCEPT BY EUGENIE SERE

Fashion is all about feeling confident in our outfits and embodying our personality. This photoshoot and article present a mix of various styles which represent the models’ personalities.

Leather is back in! Skinny jeans are out. Double denim is in, so are knee-high boots. An extensive list of dos and don’ts develop every season, influencing what we decide to buy.

These purchases are likely to only last through the season, purchases that instantly make us cringe when we look back on them. So, why do we fall for this cycle, when we have timeless pieces that make us feel empowered?

Pieces that exist beyond the realm of trends.

sible to have a personal style, untainted by the ever-changing fashion world of norms.

Fashion has been fueled by a rotation of trends, with fast fashion taking the lead, mass-producing a myriad of clothing articles in the attempt to keep you intrigued. With the increasing creations of microtrends by brands and influencers, we are led to believe that this constant consumption and rejection of clothing is what constitutes style and even happiness. However, just like with clothing, trends are not one size fits all. What one person finds flattering is not the same for another. Consequently, this desire to consume is being rightfully questioned.

We often hear about the concept of personal style, an outlet of expression that is unique to each person. It stems beyond your preferred clothing choices and is rather a process of discovery related to your identity, embodying the true power of fashion. It is a fascinating concept that we all strive to find.

However, this is definitely easier said than done. With trends constantly circling in our society, it is difficult to distinguish what you like and what you think you should like. This raises the question of whether it is truly pos-

Searching for your personal style is now a growing phenomenon. I know the rollercoaster it is, and I would be lying if I said that I knew my style exactly. I decided to conduct interviews on this topic, reaching out to Olusola Awosika (Sola), German Baraev and Jai Mohan (all photographed, styled by themselves), who 41

EM

are much farther along in their process of fashion discovery than I am. I asked them about their personal style and how trends influenced them. Although their styles all differ greatly, they appeared to have very similar opinions.

The concept of silhouettes is one that was important to all. As aforementioned, trends often overlook the individual experience of fashion, assuming that they are for everyone. However, the fit of an outfit is unique to each person, as indicated by Sola, she chooses styles to enhance her height, bringing in shorter tops, longer bottoms and platforms. Sola emphasizes the personal aspect of fashion, saying that “seeing people break the trends made me think, maybe I can do that too”. “Especially up until 2017 where white, very slim, tall, lean, models were the face of fashion”, it was difficult to use fashion as a form of expression when this beauty standard was not met. This lack of inclusivity for other races and bodies makes it difficult for those who do not fall under that umbrella to feel comfortable in clothing. This issue was

POWERED

also brought up by German, who drew inspiration from the super skinny, heroin-chic look, with icons like Hedi Slimane. Nevertheless, he quickly realized that this look could not be replicated by him as the body type comes with it and what was important was pulling influences from that style and learning to incorporate it.

Having a personal style often comes with the rejection of fashion norms. Maison Margiela’s split-toe tabi shoes have risen in popularity, becoming iconic to the brand. For German, these are a generator of confidence. “I don’t know many guys my age who wear super high heels and I think that that’s something that really sets me apart.” He highlights how they can trigger emotions of empowerment. “When I walk down the street and I’m like ‘these people are looking at me, I’m looking sick!’” The uniqueness factor creates an exclusive feeling which embodies the power of fashion.

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Trends, however, are not always a bad thing.

For Jai, trends were what initially got him into fashion. The skinny jeans, Chelsea boots look that dazzled the male fashion industry was what got him started. As his style progressed, he prioritized timeless pieces and now uses trends as a form of inspiration rather than something to copy. This combination is what makes him feel the most confident.

For example, balaclavas are now seen on celebrities like Justin Bieber, A$AP Rocky, and Jared Leto. This new fashion item intrigued Jai, and he says it’s“amazing how versatile they can be, whether you get a knit one, a fleece one” they can be adapted to each person’s taste. Sola had a similar approach as “trends can be extremely useful sometimes, things are trendy for a reason.” Pieces like trench coats and Dr. Martens can be styled in an infinite number of ways and can be worn far past a season. “I styled those docs all throughout secondary school, those were my school shoes” and yet Sola still considers Dr. Martens to be

a part of her personal style. Trends are thus helpful when looking for inspiration, especially when you alter them to our own taste.

This inspiration is not limited to clothing.

Much influence can also be drawn from art and music. Sola found much of her style in R&B music, fascinated by how “artists look like their music.” This pattern appeared in artists ranging from Khalid to Gunna and Megan Thee Stallion, whose fashion styles mimicked their music styles.

The common consensus is that inspiration is key. The aim should not be to replicate looks but to see how to incorporate them to fit with your own style. This is a process of trial and error, heavily reliant on experimentation. While it is easy to crave the newest collections, once you find what works for you fashion can take on an extremely powerful role in shaping your identity.

NF O C

Models - Camilla Mina, Murph Zhang, Alina Zhang, Olusola Awosika, German Baraev, Jai Mohan Photographers - Eugenie Sere, Amber Bennett, Stefano Blumberg

IDENCE

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PHOTOSHOOT

BY DENIZ PASLI

AN ITCH 46

We find refuge in magazines as an escape from our insipid, monotonous routines. Let’s now take a glimpse into the life of a woman who has lost all care for outside appearances. Tired of keeping up appearances, of always tidying and cleaning up, of being perfectly manicured, being ready to please. She is unapologetic, she is fed up, she is angry. She has boiled over.

She might have gone a little crazy. Have we found her mid-episode? Maybe so. It’s a breath of fresh air.

We see her with her marigolds still on, a scarf that she’s fashioned into a skirt, stomping around the house in her big boots, choking on her headphone cable, rolling around on the floor. It’s appalling, but you can’t look away.

TO SCRATCH 47

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Photography- Priya Jain Concept, Editing, Styling, Model- Deniz Pasli

ARTICLE

MENSWEAR & INCLUSIVITY: A Long Way to Go

BY ROSA TORIELLO

26th January 2022. Pierpaolo Piccioli, Creative Director of Valentino, presents his Haute Couture collection “Anatomy of Couture” in Paris. Piccioli challenges beauty stereotypes and places value on the uniqueness of identity, diverse perspectives and imperfections through the collection’s name as well as the choice of models with various body types. However, while the female models represented this message, the male models were not as diverse or inclusive. A few days after the show, Piccioli responded to this criticism by posting a slideshow on Instagram detailing the reasons why male model presence is not as diverse and inclusive as female presence. He declared that “men never had to accept any specific body stereotype, the only fashion obsession reserved to men was around youth and ageing”. This statement did nothing but exacerbate the criticism, and in fact, brought up a whole new debate about older fashion models including Jeff Goldblum and Kyle MacLachlan who modelled for Prada during the Milan Fashion Week and Ivo Raspudic who modelled for Balenciaga. These men shattered fashion norms with their age, but age is not the only issue male models are battling in the fashion industry.

wear, menswear has lagged behind especially when it comes to shapes and sizes.

The little progress which has been made for men includes the case of Steven Green, a fashion photographer-turned-model who posed for Savage X Fenty Vol. II by Rihanna in a US size 2XL. He agreed to pose wearing only a pair of boxers with the aim of promoting body positivity and racial diversity, immediatly rising to fame. In various interviews, he declared how honoured he felt for having been offered the possibility of representing a broad group of people still neglected by the fashion industry.

He has condemned those who refuse to accept larger body types often appealing to health-related discourses as an excuse. Many people thanked Green for his confidence and bravery clearly signifying that something in the fashion industry and in society as a whole has to change.

Plus-size males continue to have limited access to fashion garments, and while they are not as basic (eg. t-shirts, shorts) as they used to be, they are still unavailable compared to what brands offer in smaller sizes.

As a consequence, shopping experiences are much more difficult and less satisfying when compared to their female counterparts and While in recent years the fashion indus- smaller-sized males. Not only are XL mannetry has made progress in terms of body quins non-existent in stores, but it’s also rare diversity and inclusivity for womens- to find XL and XXL items on display, forcing 50

customers to ask shop assistants. Particularly, in an era of constant judgement of others and perpetual insecurity, having to ask for your size from a shop assistant can be incredibly demeaning and potentially have an impact on mental health. Furthermore, most of the time, plus-size items are also not designed to fit actual plus-sized bodies which often prevents customers from buying in cheaper stores as they search for well-constructed items.

tailored trousers, discouraging inclusivity and oppressing certain individuals’ creativity.

Parth Rahatekar, Creative Media Professional, non-binary and plus-size, is one of many who believes this has to change. Beyond the necessity of opening fashion to queer people, the disabled and various other minority groups, Rahatekar first wants to challenge outdated stereotypes of masculinity that still pervade. He explains how he “invented” his aesthetic by adapting clothes that didn’t suit him, that were often too short for him, which he managed to transform into a distinctive style, although this wasn’t intentional or pleasant at the beginning.

Our society has continually framed men as being disinterested in fashion, but maybe the reason behind this is partly attributable to the fashion system lacking representation of a large portion of males. If more designs were catered to men of all shapes and sizes, would menswear become more successful?

Going back to the starting point of this article, on the 6th of March, Piccioli revealed another collection, “Valentino Pink PP Collection”, during the Paris Fashion Week. The inclusivity he promoted during the previous shows completely disappeared with this new collection.

Both female and male models were thin and tall, contradicting his previous work. This not only erased Valentino’s progress but also revealed that body diversity and inclusivity has not been cemented in industry practices and was treated as a one-time celebration during a single fashion show.

Most men have opted for increasingly popular streetwear and oversized items, but often not by choice. While these streetwear brands cater to all body types, the industry more broadly does not, neglecting plus-sizes in other types of garments such as a pair of simple 51

Tagwalk 2021

Savage Fenty 2022

Beauty is a social construct that has developed overtime so what gives someone the authority over another to decide what is an aesthetically appealing body type? As long as the industry professionals continue to push their authority and beauty standards upon us all will the fashion industry ever be an inclusive and diverse place?

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ARTICLE (Tom Schwimmbeck, 2021)

BY ELLA SARAX

Silent Genius The Marketing of Corteiz & Their Impact on London’s Fashion Scene

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Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corte Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corte Founded by owner, Clint, in 2017, Corteiz is a London based streetwear brand bulldozing its way to the forefront of the UK’s fashion scene. Its notorious Alcatraz Island logo has adorned Stormzy, Slowthai, Jorja Smith, and even the late Off-White founder and Louis Vuitton creative, Virgil Abloh. The exponential demand for streetwear over the last 10 years has resulted in one of the most competitive markets in fashion. This makes Corteiz’s rise from a bedroom in West London even more impressive. From their refreshing authenticity to their ground-breaking marketing, the label manages to offer a precisely curated experience that cannot be acquired elsewhere.

Due to streetwear’s rapidly ascending market value in the 2010s, many fashion houses were investing in the scene. With no prior acknowledgement of the history behind the clothes, millions were being poured into unlimited runs of monogram athleisure and simultaneously, the market began to feel diluted. Luxury brands were offering exclusivity for huge amounts of money, whereas genuine streetwear offers it in exchange for time, dedication, and support. The Corteiz @crtz.rtw 2021

small-supply-huge-demand model streetwear utilises is key in keeping buyers engaged. Every Corteiz item is released in limited runs, and for followers of the brand, virtually racing thousands of other hopeful buyers for a piece is all part of the fun. It only takes a quick browse of the Corteiz Twitter page prior to a scheduled ‘drop’ to see the engagement, anticipation, and excitement, which can only be likened to the queues outside the Supreme stores in the label’s prime.

Unlike the vast majority of their contemporaries, Corteiz have never paid for social media advertisements, funded influencer endorsements, or sent out PR packages. Their Instagram (which has amassed over 230,000 followers) is private, and their website, which is the only retailer of their merchandise, is password protected. It’s this exclusivity that has helped build one of the strongest streetwear communities in years.

Celebrities who are showered with free clothes are paying to wear Corteiz to the Louis Vuitton Fashion Show and the Met Gala. Young people are wearing the same £30 t-shirts as their idols. riety of his creations hasn’t altered his morals.

Corteiz @crtz.rtw 2021

Corteiz has managed to capture the spirit of London in a way that completely defies status. At the centre of this revolution is the founder, known simply as Clint. From loudly discouraging reselling, to declining messages from Urban Outfitters, the notoriety of his creations hasn’t altered his morals.

This lack of traditional promotion carved space for their unique marketing strategies to blossom. Most notably, “Da Great Bolo Exchange” which took place in January and saw hundreds of supporters running to a given location for the chance to swap a luxury puffer jacket for one of 50 brand new unreleased Corteiz “Bolo Jackets”.

Among the jackets handed in was a Nike NOCTA – currently valued at over £700 on StockX. Clint went on to donate all the traded jackets (value totalling £16,000) to homeless people in and around London. Prior to this, the brand has pulled other stunts, once releasing coordinates and handing out free t-shirts to anyone who could present a valid tube or train ticket. Not only did these events provide a great opportunity for fans of the brand to meet the team, talk to like-minded people, and get their hands on free

stock, they also sent out a bold message to competitors. By posting a location on their private Instagram account, Corteiz flooded the streets of the capital with hundreds of young people running to get in on the action. This proves the hold Corteiz has on the London fashion scene, an undeniable threat to any other brand.

Overall, Corteiz’s influence on streetwear over the past year has been colossal, and it’s been established through dedication and friendship.

Their marketing strategy has been designed flawlessly to engage their supporters whilst keeping a certain nonchalance. In the current epidemic of influencer endorsements and paid promotion, their competitive in-person events are a breath of fresh air and carry an exhilaration that most areas of fashion are currently lacking. With the roots of the scene running deep in Black, hip-hop, and skate culture, it’s unsurprising that a brand favoured for its authenticity is Black-owned and started from a bedroom. The history of streetwear cannot be bought by a corporation or sold for thousands by a fashion house specialising in couture, and it is that which Corteiz continues to prove.

Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corte Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corteiz Corte

ARTICLE

Through this eccentric, but quaint photoshoot, I wanted to highlight the beauty of culture. The brown skin tones, contrasted with beautiful bright colours are quite distinct to the Eurocentric, skinny models we see in the media every day.

Diversity in fashion - or the lack thereof - has been a discussion for years. Often always being rejected for perhaps being too dark, or having unusual facial features, models of colour have become sidelined. Or when diversity is included, it has become a token of novelty, or inclusion.

FASHION

IN ALL ITS SHADES AND HUES

BY PRIYA JAIN

Photographer - Deniz Pasli Stylists - Priya Jain & Deniz Pasli Models - Maahika Singh, Ravleen Kaur, Shriraam Thiagarajan

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And when they are picked for their vibrant skin tones, it is people with Eurocentrically similar or “whitewashed” features that are chosen.

Thus, the point of this shoot is to emphasise just how elegant our natural features and skin tones too, can be. The dark hair, charming noses, colourful accessories all come together to display the need to be included in the wider fashion industry.

Projecting stills of old Bollywood movies creates a nostalgic idea of how fashion is perceived in India, versus other parts of the world. A lot of beauty lies in the eyes, with dark eyeliner drawn across the edges, a bindi (red dot) on the forehead or large earrings decorating the ears.

Not much focus is placed on the size

of their waists or how tiny their noses are, contrasting the conventional beauty standards we see every day.

A huge percentage of fashion consumers are little boys and girls who would love to see people who look like them in magazines, or their favourite TV shows. And through shattering these outdated and unhealthy fashion norms, we can give them just that.

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REBEL REBEL ARTICLE

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BY MARIA VALENTINA BEZZI

An exploration of the most iconic fashion statements by three amazing performers spanning between the 1970s and 80s - Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Madonna - and how their innovative approach to style shattered fashion’s norms, and continues to influence fashion to this day.

The twenty years between 1970 and 1990 can be summarised in one word: individuality.

Identity was embraced and tradition was broken. In the 1970s, discos were loud, colours were popping and outfits were explosive. Riding on the 1960s’ heritage, bright colours were embraced and, in the music industry, glam rock was born. This combination of the music of rebellion and liberation, intertwined with a sweet desire to express one’s identity free of constraints, originated in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s as a counter-movement to the psychedelic and pretentious approach that had been taken to music in the previous years: it was time to have fun, in all of its materialistic and excessive glory.

The punk counterculture, embraced in its “pop-punk” form by singers starting from the late 1970s, added a new layer to this: unique, yes, but accessible, and it resonated with all those people who did not see themselves reflected in the glaring lights of the early 1960s and 1970s.

David Bowie David Bowie’s influence on fashion cannot be overstated. Starting with his early collaborations with Kansai Yamamoto, his multiple personas and androgynous style sprouted his iconic kimonos and unitards from the Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane eras, and allowed him to forever alter fashion’s landscape, just as much as he did music’s.

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But David Bowie was not one to limit himself to any one broken norm: his androgynous style faded during his 1985 Live Aid performance, during which he instead donned a stark light gray suit with a matching light tie - a symbol of masculinity and composure, juxtaposed with his early outfits and an ironic symbol of revolution to be donned by a rock artist at one of the biggest concerts of the 20th Century Bowie’s style has inspired countless designers: from Jean Paul Gaultier’s SS13 collection, which saw models donned in full Ziggy Stardust outfits, to Dries Van Noten and Lanvin’s FW11 looks which evoked the Thin White Duke’s stark elegance. Hedi Slimane of Yves Saint Laurent has “openly cited Bowie as one of his greatest influence”, reports GQ Magazine, and particularly his 1976 persona, the Thin White Duke, mastermind behind Heroes and Low. The likes of Gucci, Missoni, Balenciaga and YSL continue to draw inspiration from David Bowie’s eccentric looks to this day: from Gucci’s SS22 androgynous, floral looks, to Balenciaga’s iconic power suits, and YSL and Collina Strada’s catsuits, BBC’s “best dressed Briton,” who’s posthumous exhibit recounting his life was fittingly sponsored by Gucci, continues to influence the fashion scene to this day.

Freddie Mercury A symbol of flamboyancy in the 1970s, Queen’s lead singer moved towards single statement pieces in the 1980s. Unlike David Bowie, Mercury’s approach to style consistently framed the same persona: a passionate and theatrical performer, who consistently sought to “dress to kill, but tastefully.”

Freddie Mercury’s collaborations across the years have spanned from Zandra Rhodes, who was responsible for his 1970s wardrobe, to the Emanuels, the minds behind Princess Diana’s wedding dress, who designed Mercury’s famous military jacket in which he jokingly married Jane Seymour during Fashion Aid 1985. Freddie Mercury’s famous yellow jacket, and the matching white trousers embellished with red and gold, were said to be inspired by the Spanish opera and flag respectively, and were designed by Diana Moseley For Gucci, Mercury has recurringly been an overarching influence, while Balmain’s bold, wide-shouldered trophy jackets from the SS19 collection masterfully embraced his 1980s look, as did Céline’s 80s-style leather jackets. Colourful outfits, statement pieces and exposed chests characterised YSL and Ann Demeulemeester’s menswear runways, demonstrating the profound versatility of Mercury’s style.

her influence on fashion.

David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Madonna have been some of the most influential people in the history of fashion.

Entertaining concerts which As in his video for I Want to Break Free, ultimately Freddie Mercury spent his life embracing doubled as androgynous and unconventional styles, fashions shows, with a complete disregard for gender norms. they were David Bowie himself appreciated this thortrue peroughly, having always admired “a man who formers in every wears tights”, with Mercury having gone on to way - undeniably and inspire plenty of young artists, such as Mykki sense of the unapologetically themselves, Blanco and Young Thug, who’s androgynous they steered modern culture in a style has become an icon of youth revolution way which cannot be overstated, against gender norms and societal conand the fashion industry was no straints.

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Models: Jai D Mohan & Aino Rajantie Photographer: Sunny Fung Stylists: Maria Valentina Bezzi & Sabrina Ciauri Make-up: Natalia Jakubowska

Madonna

From Gucci to GAP, all the way to being on the first Vogue celebrity cover, Madonna’s influence was transversal, spanning everywhere from couture to casualwear. Having collaborated with the likes of Givenchy and Alberta Ferretti, as well as helping boost the carrier of designers - such as Rick Owens and Olivier Theyskens - when they were still in the early stages of their careers, Madonna’s extensive influence over haute couture. Conversely, commercial for GAP, together with Missy Elliot, where she donned jeans and a tank top adorned with a stylish pair of high heels and a tilted grey beret, goes to show the breadth of her influence on fashion.

From punk, to androgynous, and even classic Hollywood, Madonna’s influence on fashion cannot be overstated. Her controversial name, heavy with religious connotations, is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to her outrageous take on style, sexuality and gender which has come to define much of the last three decades’ show business, her influence being evident in young performers of the 1990s, including Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.

It can hardly be denied that Madonna’s most defining style choice was her 1980s take on ‘underwear as outerwear’, with Jean Paul Gaultier’s ‘cone bra’ being the most evident expression of this - having been first released on catwalk in 1982, the cone-shaped brassiere only became widely known and recognised in the popular mainstream in 1990, when Madonna wore one. Her rebellious attitude struck a chord with the growing youth in the 1980s and 1990s, the crucifixes and nun outfit defining aspects of her anti-conformist nature.

David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Madonna have been some of the most influential people in the history of fashion. Entertaining concerts which ultimately doubled as fashions shows, they were true performers in every sense of the way - undeniably and unapologetically themselves, they steered modern culture in a way which cannot be overstated, and the fashion industry was no exception.

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SCE N ES

Artwork by Ehsan Saeed @ehsan_saeed221

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Front and back cover photographed by Juju Greenig