Polyester zine Issue Three

Issue Three

MARY BENSON LORDE INC VIV ALBERTINE DREAM WIFE + MORE

Illustration by Natalia Sanabria

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Third Time's $ a Charm!

Only half way through the year, 2015 in the context of fashion, art and subculture is shaping up to be a year of marginal recognition for those that have previously been ignored. The conversation surrounding fluidity of gender has reached tipping point, with the likes of Selfridges cashing in on the conversation. More often than not it has been the Internet that has initially facilitated these conversations, allowing queer people, feminists and PoC to share their stories and invade spaces previously denied to them. Within intersectional feminism it’s important to not just consider women’s issues but also race and gender. While companies spin these ideas for capitalist gain, in a world in which straight male artists can appropriate young queer artists with no reprimanding, it’s important to stay in control of our own stories.

Although unintentional, but perhaps subconsciously, this issue has shaped up to be all about re-moulding and breaking stereotypes, gender boundaries and beauty standards. For our third installment we’ve interviewed Lorde inc. founder, Nafisa Kaptownwala, about the importance of representation and running a model agency for PoC, shot sexy stretch marks with Chloe Newman, and explored both the tyrannical and empowering nature of make up in a photo series with Maisie Cousins. We’ve also spoken to Signe Pierce, whose short film American Reflexxx threw up difficult questions about the misogynist and transphobic nature of America as a whole. Whilst we currently exist under the bleak conservative government for another five years, it’s apt timing to seek some life advice from not only our resident agony aunt Ceedling but also Slit’s guitarist and female punk pioneer Viv Albertine, whilst separately discussing the deep-rooted misogyny surrounding conversations of androgyny in think piece, ‘Femmes to the Front’.

Whether the conversation exists online or IRL, Polyester’s most important mission is to keep questioning, continuing the discussion and providing a space for people’s voices to be heard.

-Ione Gamble EDITOR IN CHIEF

www.polyesterzine.com

SENIOR EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR

Claudia Walder

Kayla Martinez

JUNIOR FASHION EDITOR Jilian Banjoko

Cover: Photography by Eleanor Hardwick, styling by Claudia Walder, model: Nazifa @ Lorde inc. Clothing by Mary Benson Special thanks to Alfie Gleeson, Rosie Footitt and Kiersty Boon

COPYRIGHT & DISCLAIMER All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission from publishers. © 2015 Polyester. The views expressed in Polyester are those of the respective contributors and Editor, and are not necessarily shared by the publisher. These parties cannot be held responsible for them.

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Talking Slit with Viv Albertine Opening her autobiography with an anecdote expressing her belief that masturbation is pointless, Slit’s guitarist Viv Albertine’s book was never going to be your standard, run of the mill, self righteous memoir. Slipping into almost obscurity for the best part of twenty years, you’d be forgiven for not having heard of Viv until the publishing of her book, in which she opened up her story to a whole new generation. Heading up one of the first all female punk bands during the male dominated punk movement is no small achievement, with The Slits enabling future movements such as Riot Grrrl, as well as setting the agenda of what it means to be a woman in a band.

all stay at Ari's place most nights because we couldn't split up and go home alone due to the risk of violence towards us. We felt passionately that we were doing something new and liberating for girls, and the messages were in our clothes as well as in our music. That sense of being on a mission was very motivating. We were driven.

Don’t expect immediate gratification…

During The Slits we knew we were doing something interesting and groundbreaking.

We knew our music was innovative and very good. We hoped this would be recognised at the time but it took a certain distance for our contribution to be appreciated. Thirty-five years later, when we are not viewed through a veil to choose of fear, we can be seen more clearly. your life

The autobiography, "You have which reads as a less melodramatic, dirtier, if you live Jacqueline Wilson book, making yourself outlines everything Create your own icons… in Viv’s life from Back in the 70s I had no comfortable or you pre-punk childhood female role models so I contribute to the to giving Jonny copied boys to discover Rotten awkward who I wanted to be. Working future" blowjobs, hanging class Girls had no interesting out with Vivienne avenues open to them. I got Westwood and to know boys and chose boyfriends who had post Slit’s married suburban living. something to teach me.

Brilliantly named Clothes Clothes Clothes, Music Music Music, Boys Take more emotional risks…

Boys Boys, the book is a very real I took physical risks too but I can't advocate account of what it means to be that. I believe that girls must make more a woman, setting Viv up as a role mistakes, persevere for longer. Lots of women model for all working class girls choose to comment on feminism rather than looking to make a difference. go out into male dominated fields and fight for a Here we sit down with the place there. The trouble is, 'The first one through guitarist, director and now writer, the wall gets bloody', and not many people want to discuss how women can to be the one who gets bloody, and usually really incite change in the 21st poor too. To be ahead of your time, to be one of century… the 'firsts' often means a lonely life. You have to choose if you live your life making yourself On street harassment and comfortable or you contribute to the future. how to stay motivated in the Words by Ione Gamble face of danger…

It helped to me in terms of the way I dressed to be with the rest of The Slits. We would

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Illustration by Nina Goodyer

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American Reflexxxion

All images by Signe Pierce Illustration by Hatti Rex

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Polyester interviews reality artist Signe culturally and socially progressive Pierce, star and victim of the now documentaries such as Paris is Burning. landmark film American Reflexxx. With 1.5 “This video has always been extremely million hits on YouTube, the film, directed personal and important to Alli and I

by Alli Coates, documents Signe in a tight since the night it was filmed. My love blue dress, stripper heels and a reflective for American Reflexxx keeps growing, mask, moving down a busy street in South especially since having released it online Carolina’s Myrtle Beach. The following and realising how the themes of the film 14 minutes shows Signe verbally and impact viewers,” Signe says. “So many physically assaulted, branded a “shim” and people have reached out thanking us for called an “it.” Her identity as a woman was making work about the kind of treatment questioned, her body shape mocked, and that they face every day.” The duo have misogyny and transphobia proved itself already created a breakthrough piece of to be deeply embedded in the American work that’s actually made a difference psyche. Since then, American Reflexxx has in peoples lives and altered people’s featured on websites and news outlets perceptions. “Personally I think that across the world, and has even been used creating progressive dialogues is one of by teachers in schools across America to the most exciting things that art can do, teach young people about LGBTQ rights, it means everything to be a part of these mob mentality and bullying. We talk to conversations surrounding tolerance.”

Signe about what it means to be part of Months on, the "I think that a byproduct the conversation, mirrored mask about violence Signe wore that of a patriarchal society and acceptance in night becomes is that women are American culture. more and more significant. Initially conditioned to hate The introductory credits reflecting the bounce along to the madness and hate themselves and to view beat of “Blurred Lines” in the crowd, it other females as a

by Robin Dick [sic] and now forces every Pharrell; an apt choice person watching on threat. It's a part of of song considering the to reflect on their own the power structure." rapey, misogynistic tone, morals and social and the title; “Blurred Lines”, responsibilities. Signe that seems to suggest that the notion of adds another layer to consent is a grey area; a concept sadly familiar the mask’s new relevance, “The film seems to most girls. The jagged beat joins Signe who to provoke a visceral reaction in most people, is pressed up against a tree, swaying her hips but the difference between watching it provocatively, her masked face tilted back, an online to watching it in a gallery is that people invitation as much as an act of confidence. “At on the Internet have a means for leaving most we anticipated some heckling and cattheir feedback.” She says, “In a way, the calling” says Signe. “While it was happening I felt mask serves as a bit of a metaphor for the kind of protected by the mask. They couldn’t exchange that occurs between someone who see me and therefore they couldn’t shame me.” posts something online and the commenters.

But the come-ons quickly turned into something When you can’t see someone’s face or eyes, much more sinister. The sickening flow of the it’s a lot easier to pretend that they’re not real.” video documents jibes progressing from, “Will you do me in that later?” – “I’d love to make love Although the positivity in the aftermath of the to you with that on” to “EEWWW” - “That’s man video has been so important, your heart still right? Look at them feet!” Quickly Signe loses breaks for the treatment Signe received that personal pronouns, her existence reduced day. It’s interesting that the majority of the from human being to a genderless creature verbal and physical assaults came from fellow that sparks fear and violence in her onlookers women. Her body was scrutinised and picked resulting in terrifying physical violence towards at. But more than that, her confidence was her. intimidating, her nakedness an insult. “I think that a byproduct of a patriarchal society is that The aftermath of the film has been sensational. women are conditioned to hate themselves and Although completed two years prior, American to view other females as a threat. It’s a part of Reflexxx circulated art shows and exhibitions before finally being published on the Web. And now, its impact is being likened to other

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the power structure, and I think it’s telling that all of the people who got physical with me were women. I think that because I was playing an idealised, hyperfeminine character they viewed me with disdain. In a weird way I understand where my aggressors were coming from, because I’m aware of the ways thatsociety perpetuates these feelings inside of us.”

the successes and failures of a place whose infrastructure was built late in the game in the grand scheme of world history. The aesthetics surrounding dead malls, strip malls and parking lots are all very interesting to me, both as a cultural consumer and visual artist.” Signe believes, “These types of spaces signify physical representations of capitalism in an increasingly digital society, and their decay is an embodiment of the burgeoning change that’s happening in the US economy.”

So, how much of the violence in the film is a result of transphobia? And how much The Internet acts as Signe’s playground to is it the desire to punish and shame a explore consumer identities and gender sexually confident woman? “I think that both stereotypes. “I think Tumblr and Instagram are were motivators for the harassment. I am the new TV. Instead of watching shows, we friends with brave trans women who have watch each other. We can curate our feeds to fear their lives in the least ostentatious to create our own worlds, and within that you of situations. Strangers spew hatred can curate your own identities. It definitely when these women are minding their own creates a metaphysical mindfuck in terms of business, modestly dressed in the middle ‘what is real’, but that’s why I make art about of the day. They don’t have to be sauntering it.” And Signe, like many girls, has found Tumblr around scantily to be a breeding ground clad at night to for feminist expression. “I "I think Tumblr and garner reactions, especially appreciate Tumblr and that’s a sad Instagram are the new because it gives anyone who fact that needs to doesn’t fit into the patriarchal TV. Instead of watching be examined and idea of what’s ‘relevant’ a rectified.” Signe place to live out our own shows we watch each continues, “Alli and The internet provides other. We can curate our ideals.

I didn’t set out to anyone female identifying make a piece about feeds to create our own with an outlet to express our transphobia - those ideas and interests in a way themes found us.” If worlds, and within that that I don’t think was overtly the film teaches us available before.” you can curate your anything it’s that we must still fit into a own identities."

There is obviously so much physical mould to be more visual candy and accepted by wider cultural mind slime to be generated by Signe society.

Pierce as well as her partner Alli Coates.

Signes other work is branded as cyberfeminism; her bright photography and videos are unashamedly pop culture and a love letter to the US. Signe explains, “I’ve lived all over America and feel keenly attuned to this place. I’m very interested in modernity and ‘the new.’ To me, the country’s colonisation represents

Together they broke the internet, (the important kind), and made real movements for social equality, confronting the ugliness in humanity so that maybe some people might be kinder, some more willing to help and hopefully some who might feel less afraid.

Words by Claudia Walder

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Photography by Maisie Cousins Makeup by Robyn Fitzsimmons Lipstick provided by Nizz Cosmetics

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She’s Got the Midas Touch Polyester interviews Mary Benson Photography by Eleanor Hardwick Styling by Claudia Walder Set Design by Amy Exton Makeup by Robyn Fitzsimmons Hair by Terri Capon Assistants: Stephanie Wilson and Sarah McClarence

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Despite only graduating from Westminster a year ago in the summer of 2014, Mary Benson is no stranger to the fashion industry.

Beginning her own label at 16, Benson is now shaping her own surrealist world on the fashion week schedule.

aware her tactile and fun approach to design won’t appeal to everyone, “Most people were saying I was super inspired by Bowie, but in my mind I literally just wanted to make everything garish and outlandish. I think it was quite a bold thing to do.”

After setting up a small but successful name Mary’s design straddles two worlds; for herself in Leeds, Mary – like so many others inspired by Renaissance paintings as much – found moving to London an overwhelming as the internet, her work remains strikingly and somewhat isolating experience, “It was relevant, interesting, and appealing to a type like starting afresh and those first two years of girlishness that is often ignored within at university were so hard; I wasn’t doing the context of high fashion, “It’s a bit creepy anything creative and I found it difficult.” and a bit weird,” says Benson, “If I had to After a short stint in PR during her sandwich choose someone to represent what I do year, Mary decided to take an additional year it would be Kate Bush. She’s so innocent out to focus on her own brand, creating and pure but also quite dark and disturbing, custom pieces for the likes of Azealia Banks which is the epitome of what I think of my and Paloma Faith. Rediscovering her love brand.” Resonating with an alternative girl for design, she returned to Westminster, isolated by the glossiness and glamour still culminating in so apparent within the a huge buzz fashion industry, Mary’s "If I had to choose someone wish is to redefine the around her epic graduate feminine figure. With to represent what I do it collection and fashion re-appropriating would be Kate Bush. She's so the term Goth to define landing herself a coveted spot on Rick Owen’s clean cut innocent and pure but also minimalism, Fashion East’s as opposed quite dark and disturbing, to ripped fishnets and roster. exaggerated eyeliner, which is the epitome Her AW15 Benson champions the collection, more traditional beginnings of what I think of my Benson’s first for of the subculture. An brand".

Fashion East, saw unashamed Blink 182 and the same ideology; Panic! At the Disco fan, a love of print and constant source of inspiration vinyl cut outs transferred on to the more for the designer is taken from her childhood wearable canvas of denim. Swapping holidays to Whitby Goth Weekend, “The whole fascinators for berets, Benson’s Goth thing for me is really personal. It’s not latest collection may not be literal fold really about the way they dress as such, it’s out landscapes as her graduate ball more about the people that go and the love for gowns were but that’s not to say the it.” collection doesn’t have a message or story to tell, “In a way my work has a 2015 is a difficult time for any designer without very quiet political undertone which the backing of big time investors or rich parents, a lot of people miss, but for me I sit but trying to survive and thrive creatively in a back and can see all the references city overbearingly run by bankers and the tories and why I did things.” For example hasn’t robbed Mary of her sense of humour, Benson designed all clothing for the “I’m always really tight for money and wanted presentation to be androgynous. to make a joke of it, so that’s what the jackets Despite this forward thinking, the splashed with money and the jeans are all collection’s main purpose had less about,” she continues, “I think what I do is quite intellectual motives, “I wanted to humorous, it’s a tongue in cheek take on what’s show that fashion doesn’t have to going on and where I am in my life.” Seeking her be that serious, I take it seriously inspiration from real experiences as opposed the but it doesn’t have to be pristine. latest run of exhibitions or film releases, Mary’s Fashion is just clothes, its not that creative process seems more down to earth than important.” Using purposefully most, “It’s usually just raw and taken from my dayclashing colour palettes to to-day life. Emotional situations really drive me and provoke an extreme reaction in inspire.” customers and critics, Mary’s

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But one official fashion season in to her career, does Benson feel any more at ease and at home in London than she did at the beginning of her university experience?

“To be honest I feel like there’s a really tight fashion crowd that are very close and very in their own bubble. I’m quite alone in that sense. I feel a bit more of an arty weirdo. Hardly any of my friends are fashion people.” However, that’s not to say Benson has struggled to find her own community within the capital. Naming recent collaborator Terry de Haviland and his wife Liz her “London mum and dad,” Mary has managed to build herself a close knit support network of artists and creatives, one of the most prominent to her personally being Princess Julia. “She’s just so supportive no matter what. Princess Julia is one of the key people for me who have pushed me to do what I want.”

Finding an honest voice with no agenda in this industry is rare, and Mary applauds Julia’s ability to tell it how it is, “She’s quite straightforward in the advice she gives, but I think that’s so important. She pulls me up on my shit and calls me out when I don’t know stuff; she’s just such a great mentor really.”

Looking to the future, Mary hopes to break away from the ‘emerging designer’ label and in to the luxury market, “At the end of the day I don’t want to make boring clothes.

I’m just not doing it anymore. I’ll do t-shirts but they’ll be beautiful with an amazing finish. But I’m not doing anything boring, no way, not again. I’m very fiery about that.”

Whilst London seems to cave in on itself, with multiple houses closing with each season and a move towards a more sober fashion industry, Mary is gearing up for her most personal collection yet, “This time around I definitely feel more headstrong and like I know what I’m doing. My next collection is very vocal - lets put it that way - it’s saying something.” Championing her northern heritage, club culture and magic, Mary is cutting through the bullshit of faux conceptual design and subtly standing up for what she really believes in.

Words by Ione Gamble All clothing by Mary Benson

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"At the end of the day I don't want to make boring clothes. I'm just not doing it anymore.

I'm very fiery about that."

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Photography by Chloe Newman Styling by Claudia Walder Creative Direction by Ione Gamble Makeup by Chhimmi Dholkar Gurung Assistant: Rosie Footitt

Opposite: Dress: Dagda London This page: Jumper: Issey Miyake

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Both pages: All items: Issey Miyake Jewellery by Coco’s Liberty

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Opposite: Top by Sophie Cull Candy This Page: Glasses by Black Eyewear

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This Page: Hat: Issey Miyake Opposite: Dress: ShopFloorWhore

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In

Lorde We

Trust Photography by Eddyline Sikuku Creative direction & styling by Jilian Banjoko Makeup by Julia Edwards Models: Malaya, Marley and Akuc @ Lorde inc All clothing by Kelly Cho

The lack of diversity within the fashion industry is hardly a new topic. It’s something that is discussed tirelessly in the mainstream media, with outrageous figures and stories being churned out every season. Yet from where most of us are sitting, tangible change is scarcely seen. With the backing of a host of major players from Jourdan Dunn to Naomi Campbell, Iman to Diane Von Furstenberg, you have to wonder what it will take for the industry to stop ignoring its very limited representation of what beauty looks like.

“I think for most models of colour in the industry they’ve been made to feel like there is a really marginal place for them.”

So how does Nafisa pick who gets to be a part of her underdog uprising? “We can kind of tell by how people pose if taking photos feels natural to them. Often people, myself included, make faces that we think are our most flattering look, so we tend to want to work with models that can be totally comfortable in front of a camera.”

This comes off strongly from the Lorde Inc roster – people who are being themselves and owning it.

However, Nafisa Kaptownwala is bored of waiting. Fed up of the fact that, “there are very few models of colour cast in shoots, It’s a movement resonating strongly or if they are, they’re with those that it set out to target. pigeon holed to a Nafisa explains, particular type of “When we first “Beauty isn’t look.”She set up started we got a slew Lorde Inc in 2013, something that’s of messages and with the aim to, emails from people “create a platform innately ours. I expressing how much that could show think a lot of people we mean to them. models of colour If we’re filling a void in all types of of colour want to feel in visual culture for looks and a beautiful , but have people, and making range of styles.” people feel like they A London based never been allowed to.” have a place or are street cast beautiful, well damn, agency, Nafisa that’s just rewarding as fuck and believes that, I really can’t explain how extremely “it’s pretty clear we aren’t a conventional special that feeling is.” Before she modelling agency,” and just by glancing started the agency, Nafisa says that, a quick eye across the Tumblr, you’d like any other recent graduate, she be blind to disagree. It’s fresh and was “working inane jobs and trying incredibly relevant for not only what to figure out what I wanted to do for people look like today, but also for a living.” For a project that’s barely what they want to see. “If you’re with it two years old, Lorde Inc “is just very at all you’ll probably pick up on the fact cool, ‘cause even if we never make that we mostly cast models of colour. an impact in the fashion world at So far most - if not all - of the models large, at least our POC community we’ve approached have already been supports us.” familiar with us.”

Lorde Inc is more than a modelling agency – it’s building a community for those who have felt that they do not belong in the forefront of fashion,

Nafisa seems like a girl who feels strongly about what she’s setting out to change - a society that has been conditioned over the years to simply swallow and not to question.

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“Beauty isn’t something that’s innately ours. I think a lot of people of colour want to feel beautiful but have never been allowed to.” She raises the point that, “we never see people that look like us in magazines, so how are we supposed to internalise this idea of beauty if we’ve never been included?” The Lorde Inc mission statement is, “to be a space where not only do we support and accept all types of people as beautiful, but also work with POC stylists, photographers and creative directors to appreciate the work that our community is doing for our community, not for the hegemonic fashion world.” It’s starkly simple – something which Nafisa recognises when she says, “I think for POC’s, we’re mostly just showing them something they already know, which is we’re cute, we look good, we’re amazingly creative, talented and make dope work.”

Whilst Lorde Inc is mostly London based, they’ve recently been signing models in New York and also models in Canada.

“The reception we’ve gotten from the POC community is fucking important!

Clearly, many, many people feel like there’s a lack of diversity in the industry, and have welcomed our efforts in the POC community and want us around.” For every small victory, such as Rihanna becoming the first black spokesperson for Dior, there are huge step backs – see A.P.C.’s Jean Touitou naming one of his runway looks “Last Niggas in Paris.” Fashion is in a strange place – it wants to take from cultures, (baby hairs, headdresses, bindis), but give nothing back. This could only go on for so long before somebody decided to stand up and do something about it.

It seems bizarre that it hasn’t happened sooner, but to quote Nafisa, when “discrimination is institutionalised; it isn’t something that you can point out - you live with it”. But with organisations, collectives and communities such as Lorde Inc calling out the industry on their outright racist attitudes, it seems essential that change comes sooner rather than later.

Words by Beccy Hill Interview by Jilian Banjoko

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"If we're filling a void in visual culture for people, and making them feel like they have a place or are beautiful, well damn that's just rewarding as fuck and I really can't explain how extremely special that feeling is"

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Beanie: American Apparel Jacket: Fred Perry

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form Photography by: Henry Gorse and Eamonn Freel Styling by: Cifford Jago and Thomas Ramshaw 3D Avatars by Eamonn Freel

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Jumper and shorts: Nicopanda Trainers: Model’s own

Jacket: K Way Dress: Sessùn Skirt worn as headscarf: Samsoe Samsoe Bucket Hat: Nike Beanie: American Apparel

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Dress by Samsoe Samsoe Crop Top ralph Lauren Flip Flops Havaiana

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Hat: Umbro Crop Top: American Apparel Dress worn as skirt: Samsoe Samsoe

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Dress: Nike Top: Vintage Dress worn on arm: Samsoe Samsoe

Leggings: American Apparel

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FEMMES TO THE FRONT Polyester

Recently, my Facebook news feed confronted me with an society on certain terms. So it’s not advert for a campaign that combined designer clothing, surprising that a collection based shopping and exhibition, set in a environment intent on around the neutralising of gender in exploring a “difficult” experience clothing, under the current societal of dressing-for-gender, or and capitalist climate, almost entirely perhaps of being “agender” - as it was called. While avoids the feminine. Femininity is feeling torn about the idea of a shopping experience not always indicative of complicity or where the notion of being queer, (as agender weakness. It can be rebellious. Think suggests), is celebrated, I was annoyed that what of drag queens and trans* girls, femme was considered queer here was almost essentially lesbians and other groups for whom glorified, monochrome menswear. I think, at first, my often femininity is pivotal to their main objection was how sporty, identities/ skinny and plain most of it lives. These " The truth is, capitalism seemed. I found myself flicking are often rewards masculinity. through photo after photo of people you boys and girls in shorts, hoodies Notions of success are can’t overlook and t-shirts. I quickly got bored.

IRL, people all based on masculine I wondered why a shopping you don’t want concept of this ambitious nature to ignore when aspiration, and erasure face had veered in the direction of to face. I the plain. Where the hell did all think we ought of the opposite" the glitter go?! What happened to not to forget the infinite possibilities of fabric, that some people colour, texture and form? don’t have the privilege of blending in.

Statistics suggest that the majority The fashion industry and fashion press have of transgender people globally face a long laborious history of masculinising violence for living authentically as “androgyny.” From Dior’s Le Smoking to Coco themselves. Being someone who’s Chanel’s bias cut, flash forward to the second constantly interacting with other half of the 20th century, to Grace Jones’ and Annie Lennox’s pioneering androgynous dress.

One similarity remains despite the fact they exist decades apart one. The fact they are dubbed radical is reliant on the fact they are women adopting traditionally masculine codes of dress.

With the rise of LC:M, comes a change in Menswear; no longer is the masculine defined by suit and tie. Instead we have sportswear, so it’s unsurprising that the baggy shapes, basketball shorts, trainers, and bucket hats popularised on the catwalk by designers like Christopher Shannon and Nasir Mazhar play a starring role in defining 21st century androgyny.

This near exclusion of the outright feminine into the criteria for “androgyny,” is the same tired misogyny we see in all other areas of mainstream western culture. I want to see all kinds of clothes being considered for the status of ANDROGYNOUS. The lack of colour or florescence in menswear denies power to all queerness at the heart of what I’ve always associated my queerness with being – deliberate and in-your-face femininity.

Femininity is always deemed shameful, even when it’s sexy or desirable, and only acceptable to

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trans people/is trans themselves, I can quite confidently confirm that discrimination and violence against us is extremely common particularly the kind of violence that attempts to silence any expression of reclaimed femininity.

A lot of the time, masculinity goes unnoticed or unscrutinised even within queer circles, unlike femininity, which is always the hot topic for criticism. The truth is, capitalism rewards masculinity. Notions of success are all based on masculine aspiration, and erasure of the opposite. Personally, I treat my femininity as an opposition rather than as an opposite.

This often involves a lot of platform shoes, large amounts of fabric and generally anything that will increase my size and visibility. I use my freedom and my right to throw femininity in the faces of straight people and still be queer, and to queer femininity. As soon as conventions once considered “girly”, (for example make-up), have been removed from compulsory heterosexuality - used by someone whom those structures have no essential relevance - it has greater power to be viewed without that particular gaze.

As I browse the collection of £80+ t-shirts and sweaters, I am found lacking. Absent is the mix and eclecticism in style that I see from my friends and on the streets. You only have to walk into any gay club or queer club night to see the serious variety in the dress senses of people living on the fringes of gender. It seems that while designers are co-opting subculture and using kids in their shows that would otherwise be found throwing looks at school, on the street or in a club, they still aren’t prepared to indulge the kind of politics that makes these kids so radical and visual.

Why is blending together or blending in presented as something of an aspirational goal anyway? Where’s the campaign that wants for us to win the fight, not to be normal, but to be whatever we want - the campaign that’s going to bring real change, as opposed to the one that’s just throwing the word “radical” around department stores?

What I cannot understand is why I have to fight to get people to understand that if you want to call menswear “androgynous” or “agender”, then of course you have to do the same for womenswear and all things feminine.

Companies and designers often only decide to acknowledge the gender identities that many people have already fought to establish, when newly accepted identities create opportunities to market objects or “lifestyles” to people. Even then, it’s an extremely selective and palatable vision of

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"Why is blending together or blending in presented as something of an aspirational goal anyway?

Where's the campaign that wants for us to win the fight, not to be normal, but to be whatever we want?

what “agender” or androgyny means – presented for example by a department store. It’s the same oppressive systems re-packaged; attempting to define androgyny or gender neutrality within the squared lines of menswear is anti-feminine.

This is misogyny at it’s very best. I suppose the best we can hope for here is that this new found “progressiveness” is not treated like a trend, abandoned come next season.

It’s not easy to leave the house everyday sure that I am being true to myself. The way I wear clothes are the loudest part of my gender expression. It’s always bright and confrontational. I get a lot of shit everyday for dressing the way I do. When societies’ idea of “androgyny” has been static for so long, I have to ask what on earth is going on? Dressing up is my way of pushing-back. One of my favourite lyrics from a song written in 1984 reads, “kewpie dolls and urine stalls will be laughed at the way you’re laughed at now.” I’m left waiting for the day.

Words by Jender Anomie Photography by Meg Lavender

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Vloggers may often veer towards the more annoying, less informative side of the net, but nestled amongst the sea of haul videos and bad Paramore covers is Celia Edell. A philosophy graduate with an A* fashion sense, Celia’s feminist vlogs exploring issues ranging from anxiety to make up as an art form, rack up over 20,000 views. Her Tumblr inbox may be closed, but that’s not to say you can’t contact her for help.

Acting as Polyester’s resident agony aunt, Celia is here to answer all your woes, worries and fears.

Hi Celia…

I’m becoming increasingly jealous of my friends and their achievements. Even though I honestly want to be happy for them, I can’t help but compare our lives and successes. I read so much about eliminate girl hate but I just don’t know how to put those ideas in to practise! Help me please!

-Olivia Dear Olivia, You’re right – simply knowing that girl hate is bad isn’t enough to unlearn it. Girl hate and jealousy are hard to shake when we’ve grown up convinced that we are in constant competition with each other. One thing that has helped me is simply questioning my own jealous thoughts whenever I have them. It is part of unlearning what we’ve internalised about our fellow girls but also about ourselves – that we’re never good, smart or pretty enough; that there is only so much room for women in society. I don’t try to stop myself from feeling jealous or judgmental, but when I do have those feelings, I try to evaluate and change them. I can’t always do it, and sometimes girl hate is just plain-old hate or a clash of personalities. But even the attempt to re-evaluate my initial reaction usually helps stop it in its tracks.

Try to remember that another person’s accomplishments say nothing about you everyone is insecure in some way, and, of course, the more girls who are achieving greatness, the better off we all are.

Good luck Celia

Illustrations by Hatti Rex

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To Celia…

I’ve just finished my degree and I don’t know what to do with my life. I tried going to a careers advisor and they just gave me a load of leaflets and absolutely no advice. I’m feeling pressure from my friends, my parents and basically everyone else to have everything figured out.

What should I do, how do I figure it out?

- Alice.

Dear Alice, First thing to know: I don’t know a single person who hasn’t felt this way. This is a normal feeling.

Second: There is no test you can take to reveal your ideal destiny, you can only imagine it.

So, do that. Don’t focus on a career plan. Instead, think about where you want to be when you’re old. Ask yourself: do you want to live close to home or far away? What makes you feel accomplished? Are you a people-person? If you could choose one thing to do every day, what would you do?

Third: you can always improve. Do something that makes you feel like you’re becoming a better person. Volunteer for a charity or local support helpline. Save money and travel somewhere new or familiar. Working on yourself is the best way to learn what you want out of life.

Lastly: There is time to figure it out, change your mind and figure it out again. There is time for false-starts and do-overs. There is time to experiment and challenge yourself. We are all trying to figure it out.

Love, Celia

Dear Celia..

I’ve been with my boyfriend for nearly two years, however recently he’s become a different person. First of all he has an issue with me having friends of the opposite sex, even in a professional context. It’s really stressing me out as it makes me feel like I have to lie about what I’m up to as he makes me tell him everything. I’ve tried to convince him there is nothing to worry about but I feel like he should trust me.

- Kelly Dear Kelly, It sounds like the person he’s become is not fit for a relationship. I don’t know what brought on this change in him, or if he has a reason to feel insecure. Regardless, I do know one thing: It’s not good or healthy to base your friendships, how you spend your time or who you choose to spend it with, on your boyfriend. He should add to your life, not control it or have you doing so on his behalf. You should not have to lie to your significant other, and you shouldn’t have to tell them everything either. He clearly has trust issues and that is his problem. If he can’t learn quickly how to trust you, and let you live your own life as well as be a part of his – there is someone out there who will. Go find them.

All my best Celia

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Photography by Joanna Kiely Styling by Claudia Walder

Set Design by Amy Exton Make-up by Robyn Fitzsimmons

Bella wears Dress by by Sun, shoes by Serap Pollard (all sunglasses by Black Eyewear), Rakel wears Dress by El Pizo, Shoes by Kat Maconie, Alice wears jacket by Cheek LDN, Trousers by Fleamadonna, Shoes by Miista

night ‘Dream World’ in partnership with Maisie Cousins and Boy With Wings, amongst others. Collaboration and submerging themselves within a community of artists has become core to the groups ideology, “One of the things we decided when we formed is that we are going to use Dream Wife as something more than a band that just practices and plays shows - we're going to use this as a creative platform for all of our interests.” As well as already having a whole host of interdisciplinary experimentations under their belt, the band also has collaborations with other groups and musical artists lined up. With an upcoming split release with Manchester based Pins, as well as Alice producing for a variety of Brighton based acts, Dream Wife thrive on being self sufficient within the industry. “There's this whole wave of media showing women as creators rather than just performers, showing that no, we’re not just girls with cute outfits on - we put a whole lot of work in”, says Rakel, “It's really fulfilling that you can apply yourself in a multitude of ways.“

If David Lynch based his next project in the girl power gripped 90’s, his heroines would surely be Dream Wife. With their juxtaposing lyrics and stage presence, sweetly saturated wardrobe choices and feminist ideology, Dream Wife may appear to be a contradiction. But if there’s anything the latest wave of female empowerment has taught us, it is that it’s nothing but naïve to place all female bands in a box that can only exist amongst screeching basslines and Riot Grrrl ideology.

Based in Brighton, though brought up as far apart as Iceland as Bristol, Rakel, Isabella and Alice were thrown together during their time at art school. “Bella and I ended up moving in together. She was really shy and barely spoke to me. Then she moved to Korea, dyed her hair blue and became a rebel”, tells front-woman Rakel. Bassists Bella’s return called for a new project, a band. Formed only last autumn, the project began as a performance piece; an idea never intended to last more than a summer break touring Canada.

When the trip came to an end, they decided that Dream Wife was just too good to give up. Since then, 2015 has seen the trio embark on a number of projects including their debut video, single, and mini tours, including a one-night only themed club

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With all three of the girls’ backgrounds in the arts, it came only naturally to express themselves through their image. Rakel attributes this motivation in part to the thriving drag community in Brighton, “When you’re dressing up for a night out with drag queens

Left: Top left- dress vintage, bottom right- dress by Dagda London. This page: Alice wears coat by El Pizo, Earrings stylist’s own

"As women, we aspire to show all sides of ourselves, females aren't supposed to be super photoshopped and flawless, because who wants another perfect little pop star?"

Despite the fact they abandoned the project’s purely performance based beginnings, the interplay of different genres and influences drive Rakel, Alice and Bella to subvert industry conventions, and build their own path. “Dream Wife initially referenced mostly 90’s heroes, there was a lot of girl power and this idea of doing it for yourself; not asking for permission and not having someone else like a record label build your image,” says Alice. All three of the girls refuse to acknowledge that their love for clothing and performance restricts their ability to identify as feminists, attributing the evolution of the band with boosting their confidence and giving them a positive sense of self esteem, “It's quite a brave thing to wear colour, it takes guts to rock outfits that Sabrina the Teenage Witch wore that you admired when you were a kid”. With their name taken from a Cary Grant film, Dream Wife are inspired by hidden darkness in domesticity and fake female stereotypes. “We want to present ourselves as multi-faceted. That’s the fun part of this and also a huge feminist statement as well. As women, we aspire to show all sides of ourselves - females aren’t supposed to be super photoshopped and flawless, because who wants another perfect little pop star?”

But what does the future hold for Dream Wife? Still so young and occupying an awkward space in which they could easily appeal to either a mainstream or niche audience, the girls are enjoying touring, creating things with friends and refusing to grow up.

The interplay of all these components existing within the context of the band is essentially what sets them apart from other acts co-exist in the same space, but it’s their defiant attitudes against fitting in a cookie cutter mould of what it means to be female in a band that makes Dream Wife all the more interesting. “You might think you know what we are, but then we're going to flip the page. There’s no predicting what we’ll do next and it’s definitely not going to be what you think.”

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Words and production by Ione Gamble

Top left- Rakel wears top by Chic Freak, Trousers by Cheek LDN, Shoes by Kat Maconie, Cuff by Romy LDN, bottom left- Jacket by Cheek LDN

you’re stepping up your game. Often you show up and always feel underdressed.” Alice also recognises these parallels, “The more we continue, the more I see the similarity with drag, just in regards to spending a portion of your time super dressed up and glamorous, and then just being really quite grotty and understated day to day,” she laughs, “We get a lot of glamorous photos taken but we are all still very real people inside of that.”

DICKTIONARY Glittmall glittmall \ [glit-mawl] \ noun glittmall is a used to describe a party where everyone is dressed super-cute.

Are you going to the glittmall irl? The glittmall was UH-mazingggg!

The Pink Touch the pink touch \ the pink touch is a phrase used to describe something good or lucky that has happened.

Tara has the pink touch.

Illustrations by Emma Farrant