Fashion does Hurt

So this morning I had such an interesting lecture about the environment, ethics and exploitation of the fashion industry.

First of all we learnt about how fashion can ruin the environment from making cotton to creating the perfect jean. Fast fashion has been the main cause in the environments destruction. I learnt that millions of farmers and workers are hospitalised each year during the production process of making cotton and the cotton industry also uses forced labour. Although we love our denim jeans, the dyes (from China) which make those amazing shades of blue are toxic, polluting the surrounding waters, causing a higher percentage in cancer than anywhere in the world.

One of the main reasons why I decided to study fashion was because I want to change the way that people think about the 'norm' in fashion. Although I do enjoy flicking through glossy magazines with stunning models with slim figures, I feel that bigger women are not looked at in a positive way. Fashion has many consequences, especially being a women and being exposed to so many photoshopped images every day, you seek perfection. I found out that 90% of women have depression or anxiety because of their body image, and 50% of women smoke because it suppresses their appetite. This actually shocks me. I myself have and still have issues with my body - always thinking that different parts of my body don't look right in what I'm wearing daily. I admire models which are considered 'big', (although I don't agree they are big) and their strength to go against people in the fashion industry that say that 'big' is not beautiful.    
                                                                 

                       

Another topic that we looked at was exploitation of models. I learnt that the photographer Terry Richardson is known for over-exposing models to create a very sexual orientated image. In some ways, this type of photography is viewed as fashionable, but also exploiting women's bodies in such a way can lead to harsh comments and abuse. Imagine if a child saw this image, what would they be thinking?

There are many bad sides to fashion which are not properly highlighted and explained. Just because a women (or man) looks perfect on a glossy magazine page, does not mean that, that is what they look like in real life. Just because a woman has her legs open in an image does not mean they are a 'slag' or  a 'whore'. And think twice before you buy something from a shop, think about how was this product made, were people killed during the process, were innocent children hurt?

I am not saying that the fashion industry is all bad, there are many positives to the industry. But I feel strongly that the negative side should be shown!

Saskia x 

Iconic Sunday's - Audrey Hepburn

After watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady, I've realised how much I love Audrey Hepburn. From her singing to her looks, she was (and still is) truly one of the most iconic actresses.

Audrey Hepburn was born on the 4th May 1929, she has starred in over 30 film and tv programmes, her most famous however are Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady, Roman Holiday and Charade. She managed to win 23 awards in her lifetime, including one Oscar, 3 BAFTA awards and one Prime Time Emmy award.

Aside from her film career as a leading actress, Audrey also was a fashion model and a humanitarian. She starred in magazines such as Vogue and Cosmopolitan, and had a long term relationship with the fashion brand Givenchy. In 1992 she was award the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her humanitarian work. Sadly, Hepburn died on Januray 20th 1993 after a battle with colon cancer.

I admire Hepburn because of her wit, her beauty, her sense of style and her never ending talent. I am excited to watch all of her films and learn more about the person she was.

Saskia x 

Black Friday

For so many years, Black Friday has been a day of madness and savings across the globe. With people getting violent with each other to get the best deals, shops packed full of sweaty bodies - not something I am into. 

Black Friday was first mentioned in reference to the USA financial scandal in 1869. In a business term, when the business is loosing profit, accountants say that they are in 'Red', whereas if the business is making profit it is marked as 'Black'. Yes you are saving money from products, but still businesses are gaining a lot of profit from the amount of products being sold. Since 1960, the term was used to mark the kickoff of the christmas shopping season. 

For me, when I see a discount in store or online, it makes me want to buy more than just one product from the store - there is an immediate buzz when getting something cheaper than it was originally was and a scare that if you don't get it now at a cheap price you won't buy it at all. I have received hundreds of emails from the stores that I love about percentages off products and deals which I could grab 'before it's too late'.

The telegraph has stated today that 'this year, internet scales over the 24-hour period are expected to surpass £1 billion' - that is a crazy amount of money just made in a small gap of time. 

Black Friday is a CRAZE. I think it's mad that some people will go to extreme lengths just to get the TV they wanted, or a pile of clothes that will probably end up in the black of their wardrobes in a few months time. 

Saskia x 

Balmain X H&M

This week the high end fashion brand Balmain debuted it's new collection with high street store H&M. Olivier Rousteing at 30 is the Creative Director for Balmain. Rousteing was born on September 13th 1986 in France. He started as a designer at Roberto Cavalli but at aged 24, he replaced Christophe Decarnin as CD at Balmain.

H&M has collaborated with many high fashion brands such as Karl Lagerfeld (the first H&M collaboration back in 2004) Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Lavin and Alexandra Wang. Using these high end brands strengthens its 'Brand Recognition''.

This Balmain x H&M collection ranges from luscious velvet bodycon dresses, fun faux fur jackets, the classic black, gold and white combo, and a dash of sophistication. I think it's a gorgeous collection, the prices range from £12.99 to £399.99.

I read that some customers waited for over 24 hours outside H&M to buy the new collection, and some people travelled from over-seas. This brand collaboration truly exploded. Everything online is sold out (cry). H&M are completely meshing high end and high street together, which allows people like me to shop for beautiful products at an affordable price (maybe not the £399.99 jacket)

If you want to read more about this collection or see the products, please take a look at these websites!

http://www.hm.com/gb/balmain
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/h-ms-ongoing-high-fashion-experiment

Saskia x