Iconic feminist magazine Spare Rib’s digitised archives were launched online by the British Library yesterday, providing selected highlights from the magazine, examining how it was run, why it was started and the issues it dealt with. Running from 1972-93, it challenged the stereotyping and exploitation of women, while supporting solutions to the problems they faced.
The archives are a testament to how much has changed in terms of individual rights – a quick read of the news pages provides examples such a woman being fired for wearing a lesbian movement badge – and a reminder of all we have won. Yet it is also a reminder of how much further there is to go.
Spare Rib is enjoyably full of self-parody, lightheartedness and warmth, a surprising product of that era – and your perfect weekend read.
A Model Moment is back, and we’re kicking off with Agustina, 24, of Premier Model Management, who hails from Montevido in Uruguay. A cookery-turned-sound-engineering-student-turned model, she has been in London for three months. Photography by Sophia Aerts.
On London
My favourite place to live in London would be Notting Hill as it’s calm and peaceful, but the area where I can do everything I love doing is East London – there are lots of cinemas and cool stores really close to each other, and Voodoo Ray’s. It’s my favourite place to hang out and it’s just magic on a Friday night, with awesome food. I first started going east for castings, but my boyfriend introduced me to it.
On style
I’ve always loved extra large clothes – big jumpers and shirts with tights and leather jackets, or my fake leopard fur coat. I also like high-waisted jeans and one-off t-shirts, or short dresses, big earrings and rings, as well as my “Maria” necklace. I’m never without a backpack at the moment. I recently discovered the 60s, and I find Edie Sedgwick and Jane Birkin truly inspirational.
Credits:
Make up by Bobana Parojcic using Nars Cosmetics Hair by Ditte Lund Lassen using TIGI Bed Head
A post-apocalyptic action movie would not usually warrant a mention on Twin, but it specifically caught our eye for a post on feminism in Hollywood.
Men’s rights commentators from website Return of The King called on right-minded males to boycott the movie because of the feisty Furiosa, played by a smoking hot Charlize Theron. His main complaints were that Theron ‘spoke a lot’ during the trailers and ‘barked orders to Tom Hardy’s Mad Max…when nobody barks orders to Mad Max.’ Theron, in true kick-ass fashion, responded by calling on film-makers to “stop misrepresenting women.”
This has resulted in a social media storm, with both naysayers and supporters taking to various platforms to share their thoughts. The most recurrent opinion is that the film is excellent – so perhaps we’ll put aside our stilettos to make a trip to the cinema in the near future.
This is just the latest in a series of outcries against sexism in film, with Kristin Stewart also commenting on gender bias this week. Charlize Theron, in fact, recently made headlines by negotiating a deal to get the same £6.5m salary as her co-star Chris Hemsworth in the Snow White and the Huntsman sequel, firmly cementing her as a Twin grrl and feminist icon.
While these are certainly shocking revelations about La-La Land, it seems that our favourite starlets have the matter well in hand.
For more feminism, along with our usual fashion, beauty and culture, and to stay in the know with all the goings-on at Twin, sign up to our new newsletter here.
At aged 72, clad all in black and with messy hair, Judith Bernstein may not strike you as particularly political. But searching her name on Google rapidly proves otherwise: she is listed repeatedly as a feminist, psycho-sexual artist, with several references to her work being so erotic that it was censored. She was a founding member of A. I. R. Gallery, the first gallery devoted to showing female artists, and an early member of Guerrilla Girls, Art Workers’ Coalition and Fight Censorship. Bernstein’s oeuvres d’art sit at the intersection of pop, feminism and protest: it seems fitting that now, with the current resurgence of pro-female feeling, Mary Boone Gallery in New York is holding a major exhibition of her work.
Voyeur, curated by Piper Marshall, will feature pieces selected to highlight the way Bernstein confronts conservative gender politics with sexual aggression. The war-time phallus has been a recurring theme for the artist since 1964, but this exhibition in particular will focus on female genitalia, which Bernstein insists on calling the ‘angry cunt’: “I like to use that word. I like to rub it in…it takes the rawness away.” Works include Crying Cuntface, where the vagina is a head with horn-like cock eyes, and Quattro Cunt, a grid of four open faces shooting phallic-eyed glares at each other.
Voyeur at Mary Boone Gallery, from 7 May to 27 June.
French director Céline Sciamma tackles feminine identity and coming-of-age in her latest film Girlhood, which debuted at Cannes last year. Originally attracting attention because of the implications of a white filmmaker directing and writing a story about black teenagers in the infamously troubled Parisian banlieues, the film has been nominated for four Césars, including Best Director and Most Promising Actress for its star, 20-year-old newcomer Karidja Touré.
Coming-of-age is not a new topic for Sciamma – witness her last two projects, Water Lilies and Tomboy – but a group of black teenage girls is a subculture that has rarely been depicted before. Protagonist Marieme is oppressed by her family setting, dead-end school prospects and the boys law in the neighbourhood. She starts a new life after meeting a group of 3 free-spirited girls, changing her name, her dress code, and quitting school to be accepted in the gang, hoping that this will be a way to freedom.
The result is a sensitive portrayal of feminine identity within the framework of social pressure, restrictions and taboos, of which image and identity are central. Perhaps most importantly, Girlhood’s success and publicity has made this particular subculture a lot more visible in France.
Material and nature: those are the focus behind vegan bag brand Matt & Nat. Their e-shop features a cornucopia of chicly-designed backpacks, satchels, totes, clutches and other assorted arm candy, all created from recycled goods.
From its inception, the company committed itself to not using leather or any animal-based materials in their designs. The result is a variety of sustainable fabrics: recycled nylons, cardboard, rubber and cork, with linings created from old water bottles.
Yet these are not fusty, out-of-date, hippy designs. Witness sleek backpacks, perfect for the city-slicker: the Paxx (£138) in midnight blue or black, or the more feminine Peltola (£115) – perfect for summer in duck-egg-blue. The vintage collection is rife with retro, structured shapes. The curved Nemesis (£103) and the Phil mini-messenger (£95) are favourites.
Using such textiles requires constant innovation. The vegan leathers produced by the team in Quebec are coloured with vegetable dyes, giving them an authentic appearance, much like the real deal, and means the bags come in an incredible range of hues, both on-trend pastel and day-glo brights. And the material’s strength means you can continue loving your bag for years to come.
Quirky fashion and music label Maison Kitsuné continues its infiltration of the US with the opening of its second US store in NYC.
The 700 -square-foot space will occupy 5 Rivington Street on the Lower East Side, which, founders Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki say is the “ideal neighborhood…[because] there’s an independent vibe and a natural convergence of music and fashion here that perfectly reflects the spirit of Maison Kitsuné.”
Offering a more feminine and intimate feel to offset the existing New York flagship, the store is launching several Rivington exclusives which include a grey cotton sweatshirt and t-shirt with the brands signature tricolour patch. They’re limited edition though, so you’d better get in there quick!
In our latest Model Moment installment, we meet Fia Ljungström, 21, who comes from south Sweden. Her philosophy is to always have fun, which truly comes across in Sophia Aerts’ photos.
On London
I love London as a whole, although there are some places that mean a little bit more to me. I particularly like the contrast between the greenery and the vibrant energy of the people in London Fields and the park next to Broadway market. The neighbourhood is a lovely walk from where I was staying n Dalston Junction. I find the whole area very British!
On style
I would describe my style as very simple and easy, and a mix between new and old. I like to feel comfortable and like to look good in what I wear, and have fun with it. My style signifiers are coats, jackets and my low-rise Dr Martens – the last thing I bought was a red coat from COS, through a Swedish website like eBay. My favourite designers are Christopher Lemaire, Phoebe Philo of Celine, Raf Simmons at Dior, The Row and Acne.
Issey Miyake has obtained legendary status in the fashion world, with his multitudinous labels garnering a cult following. On 4 April, the brand will open its first multi-label store, Issey Miyake Marunouchi, in Tokyo.
Featuring 6 Issey labels (although sadly not the iconic Pleats Please), the store focuses on the contract between history and the future. The Tokujin Yoshioka-designed space is themed around the colour red, with a sleek, luxurious feel to compliment Miyake’s minimalist aesthetic.
The brands included in the store cover just about anything you could imagine. From In-Ei, which uses materials from recycled polyester, to 132 5., which creates clothes through algorithms, the focus remains on Mr Miyake’s pioneering approach to sustainability in fashion.
In the second instalment in their Artist in Residence program, Hostem has teamed up with Atelier Baba for the whole of the month of April. The collaboration has seen the take-over of the entire lower ground floor of the Hostem store on Redchurch Street to celebrate the launch of Baba’s debut collection, Timiditine.
Established in 2013 by Gabriella Massey and Melissa Thompson, the luxury London-made womenswear brand creates footwear using craft techniques and rarefied natural materials. They have worked with dealers, artists and makers in London to source artefacts for the installation, from antique linens and furniture from Christopher Howe to rare indigo textiles and clothing from Molly Hogg. Perfumed with rose and tea from the Sahara desert, the display is set to musical recordings and the sound of bells.
Timidtine is collection of boots, shoes and blankets, dyed with indigo pigment from North Africa. The collection includes an unlined thigh boot in midnight suede, a low boot in indigo calf leather or raw silk appliqué and three slipper shoes in unlined indigo-dyed cordovan, raw silk and Sahara suede with crocodile toe.
Jil Sander and UNIQLO: rarely have a high street and a designer brand worked so perfectly hand in hand. When the collaboration first launched in AW09, it immediately garnered a following because of its avant-garde, clean-cut styling and reasonable prices.
Last week, UNIQLO launched the Best of +J Spring/Summer, a selection of items from the iconic +J Line. The sharp tailoring, freedom of movement and statement silhouette perfectly characterise the brands’ shared design ethos.
The ‘Best of’ collection consists of 22 items and will be sold exclusively online, with women’s items starting at £29.90 and men’s at £39.90.
Best of British: this is an ethos that has always emanated from luxury brand Burberry. But it is now taking this one step further with the addition of a café, featuring an all-British menu from Rocket Food. The café is already under construction in its 121 Regent Street store. While a restaurant belonging to a major design house isn’t new (see Armani, Ralph Lauren and Bulgari), Burberry’s space will have the edge thanks to its plans for a gifting area.
Taking the phrase ‘for your eyes only’ to another level, Eyeko has launched a bespoke mascara service at Harvey Nichols.
During a one-to-one consultation, Eyeko’s mascara editors will match your ideal brush with a custom-made formula. With over a 100 combinations, the result will be the ultimate mascara that will allow you to style and manipulate your lashes. Each Bespoke mascara is made instantly on-site, before being places in a monogrammed box that is wrapped in couture packaging that is sure to set beauty addicts a-flutter.
In the latest chapter of A Model Moment with Sophia Aerts, we meet Charlotte Richman, 21. Originally from Dorset, she moved to Brighton at 18 to do an art course and after one year moved to London to pursue modeling.
On London
My favourite place in London is Love Walk around Camberwell, where I often go to the Love Walk Café with my housemate. Sometimes we have Malibu on the rocks at an inappropriate hour in the morning and walk all the way to Herne Hill market, eat burgers and sit in Brockwell Park smoking and laughing at passersby.
I also love the Grant Museum of Zoology, which is full of weird and wonderful things, such as taxidermy and jars filled with bugs.
On style
My style completely changes week to week. Sometimes I’m very tomboy and punky and kind of scruffy, at other times I love to look 60s with shift dresses and jackets and heavy eye makeup with little shoes.
The last thing I bought was some blue and white big striped jeans from Mango in Istanbul. They remind me of a shirt my mum used to were when I was little. Designer-wise, I love Paul Smith.
You’ll aways find milk and diet pepsi in my fridge for tea and hungover mornings, plus ham and halloumi.
I absolutely hate it when people say ‘emotional roller coaster’.
Stockholm electro-poppers Kate Boy have been going from strength to strength over the past year, and their latest single, ‘Higher’ (launching on 27 April through Fiction Records), is no exception.
This is the most recent track to be taken from the group’s debut album, set for release later this year. A combination of ultra-slick production, bellowing bassline and red-blooded beats provide a powerful background for singer Kate’s melodic mantra.
A stunning video has been unveiled alongside the single. Directed by Ben Strebel (Gorgon City and Phoenix), the video video was shot in the scenery of Northern Sweden, and it follows several characters as they fight to throw off their oppressive shackles in order to see just how beautiful their surroundings are.
Kate Boy will next be performing live in the UK at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton on 14 May.
Grab your bikini and don your snazziest shades as Miami Music Week kicks off on Tuesday 24 March. With temperatures already hitting 30, where better to chill out in the sun with amazing beats than The Miami Beach EDITION, hotel mogul Ian Schrager’s latest concept.
The 6-day festival aims to showcase today’s most relevant DJs, with a line up curated by Basement Miami and media produced by THUMP. Just a very brief selection from the stellar list includes Jamie Jones, Hector Romero and Dennis Ferrer.
Sneakers and running shoes have been an unexpected trend that has spread like wildfire in both the fashion circles and on the high street, and it seems that many consider them to be well and truly here to stay. Well, that’s what lifestyle retailer Pam Pam thinks, at any rate.
Last week, they launched the first women’s only sneaker store in the UK, 1,500 sq foot space located in Bethnal Green, featuring 10 footwear brands including adidas, Reebok and New Balance. Not limited to just footwear, the store will be home to accessories and clothing from a wide variety of expertly curated, well known and independent labels, including the Australian brand Vanishing Elephant, Bethnals and Penfield.
The store’s founders, Bethany Heggarty and Rio Holland, hope to enrich women’s lives; aside from their tightly edited selection of clothing and accessories, they will be providing different opportunities, such as yoga classes, workshops, music sessions and cultural events.
Trainers, clothing, yoga and female empowerment – a fashion and lifestyle concept that’s not just for kicks.
Blackburn native Charlotte OC launches her latest single, If My House Was Burning, today. Twin last covered her gig back in September, blown away by her soaring vocals and, to be frank, her perfect fringe.
Since then, Charlotte’s talent has been lauded far and wide by music critics, and this latest track is yet another hit to add to her stable of catchy tunes that are characterised by the slightly sinister undercurrent, cutting straight through the electro-pop beats.
Last week, Charlotte also announced her New Faces tour, with live dates starting in April of this year.
Two major fashion retailers hailed the start of something new last week, with Selfridges unveiling its new ‘Agenda’ store concept and thecorner.com announcing plans to create a no gender area on the website in June.
Selfridges launched a three-storey Agender space designed by Faye Toogood, starting in the Beauty Hall. The space will be home to items specially selected by their buyers as suitable for both men and women, as well as exclusive offerings from 5 unisex labels: Bodymap, Underground, Nicopanda, Rad Hourani Haute Couture and Toogood. Other featured designers include Twin favourites Comme des Garçons, Ann Demeulemeester and cutting edge Hood By Air.
The launch was accompanied by the release of an Agender film, featuring original music by Devonte Heynes.
Creative director Linda Hewson, said that the campaign ‘challenges the future of shopping at Selfridges,” which sounds similar to thecorner.com’s support of a new approach to shopping that goes beyond the gender divide.
The luxury online boutique prides itself on being forward-thinking and will open a brand new section dedicated to gender-neutral clothing. From Rad Hourani to Yohji Yamamoto, their expertly curated selection will allow you to choose according to personal taste rather than being influenced by a male-female dichotomy.
Those who like to maintain cutting-edge style at all times, including whilst sweating out last night’s cocktails on the treadmill, should take note of a brand new collaboration between NikeLab and Sacai.
Founder Chitose Abe has carefully mined the Nike archives, directly pulling designs from running, tennis and American football, before re-imagining them in keeping with Sacai’s feminine and modern image.
The 8-piece women’s collection will include the Tech Fleece crew, Tech Fleece hooded sweatshirt with zip, Windrunner jacket, Sport Skirt, Graphic tee, Tech Fleece dress, Tech Fleece crew top with back zip and Tech Fleece pant, plus a not-to-be-missed reworking of the iconic Air Max silhouette.
Both Nike and Sacai have fabric innovation and functionality at the core of their brands, so the collaboration comes as an extremely exciting development in the world of women’s sportswear – leaving you no excuses to not get to the gym.
NikeLab x Sacai launches in stores in New York, London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai as well as online on March 19th.
PREVIOUS
Twitter
Tumblr
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram
