While many celebrities have fully embraced Instagram Story, where everything is temporary and nothing needs to look quite so picture-perfect, we still prefer a good old-fashioned permanent post. After all, these are the photos that our faves want us to see as soon as we visit their Instagram pages.
This week's roundup of the best celebrity Instagram posts features parties, business deals, family bonding, throwback posts and some seriously cool magazine covers.
Oh, and there's also a clip of Paris Hilton glamming it up outside her private jet, because we grew up watching The Simple Life and some things never get old. Enjoy!
The late, great Whitney Houston would have turned 55 this week. Her friend and duet partner Mariah Carey marks the occasion with a touching throwback snap.
Kylie Jenner celebrates her 21st birthday with a pretty lit party attended by the whole Kardashian-Jenner clan.
Cardi B shows off nails that are precisely as extra as you'd want them to be.
Cara Delevingne and Dame Joan Collins pretty much epitomise goddaughter-godmother goals.
Both women and men tend to "punch up" on dating apps, according to new research.
A study by the University of Michigan published in the Science Advances journal found that, on average, women on dating apps send messages to men 23% more attractive than them.
Men are slightly more likely to "punch up" on dating apps, generally sending messages to women 26% more attractive than them.
The study is based on a pretty extensive data sweep in the US. Its co-authors analysed messages sent by almost 200,000 dating app users in New York, Boston, Chicago and Seattle during January 2014.
Disappointingly, the study also found that a toxic combination of sexism and ageism is all too real on dating apps. Women's relative desirability tends to decline from the age of 18, while men's tends to increase until they reach the age of 50.
However, the study's co-author Dr Elizabeth Bruch said the results suggest women should be more proactive when it comes to sending messages to people they match with.
"Women have much higher reply rates to their first messages than men: men’s average reply rate is around 17%, whereas for women often more than half of their messages can get a response. So women can afford to be more aspirational than they are," she explained.
She also advised dating app users not to be wary of sending a message even if they feel they might be "punching up".
"Even if the probability of getting a reply when you are messaging a more desirable partner is low, it is not zero," she added.
Interestingly, the study found too that dating app users tend to send longer opening messages to people they consider especially attractive. So next time you wake up to a small paragraph from someone you've matched with, you may well be onto a winner.
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When I booked an appointment with a dermatologist last year in a bid to sort out my hormonal acne once and for all, I didn't realise I'd come away knowing a hell of a lot more about my body than I did when I walked in.
In one hour, I discovered that my acne was likely a result of my Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition I share with approximately 1 in 5 women in the UK. According to Dr. Prudence Knight, an online doctor at Push Doctor, PCOS is thought to be caused by incorrect hormone levels. Aside from absent or irregular periods and a difficulty becoming pregnant due to absent or infrequent ovulation, physical symptoms can include acne and weight gain, as well as excess hair growth, typically on the face and also on the chest, buttocks and back, to name a few. In contrast, thinning hair on the scalp is also an issue, as my dermatologist pointed out. Surprisingly, it was a symptom my GP failed to disclose when I was diagnosed, even though I'd made countless visits about the problem before.
This made sense and it didn't. It explained the depleting areas on my temples and around my hairline - the reason why I hate wearing my hair up out of fear of exposing the bald patches. But one thing I didn't understand was that the condition causes excess hair growth in places, so how is it possible that it can cause hair loss on the scalp?
"In PCOS, androgen (AKA male hormone) levels are most often towards the higher range of normal and are sometimes raised," explains Glenn Lyons, Clinical Director of Philip Kingsley Trichological Clinic. "These hormones, particularly testosterone, are also the main catalyst and influence of androgenetic alopecia - female pattern hair loss," he adds, something Philip Kingsley trichologist, Jane Martins, expands on. "The hair follicle therefore miniaturises and starts to produce a finer hair, making the individual more conscious of their parting perhaps being wider," she says. "The pattern of the hair thinning involves the top and centre frontal hairline," continues Lyons. "Contrary to perceptions the loss is always gradual. This causes the usual concerns of seeing more scalp and complaints that partings are wider."
Although widespread, PCOS remains undiagnosed in many women in the UK
It's also important to note that although widespread, PCOS remains undiagnosed in many women in the UK, according to Net Doctor, but hair loss is a common indicator. "It is now established and recognised by hormone specialists that female pattern hair loss (FPHL) alone is now a major criteria for suspecting the presence of PCOS particularly in younger menstruating women," says Lyons, but he continues, "the presence of polycystic ovaries only really adversely affects scalp hair if there is an hereditary predisposition to hair thinning, otherwise PCOS on its own does not cause hair loss. Interestingly, a study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology in 2004 proved that there is a significant higher incidence of PCOS in women suffering with female pattern hair loss compared to those without hair loss. In the study 67% of women confirmed suffering with PCOS had FPHL."
So if your hair is thinning as a result of PCOS, what can you do about it?
Spironolactone
You might have heard of using Spironolactone to treat hormonal acne. The female-only oral pill, usually advised to be taken daily, is an off-label treatment. It is usually used to treat low blood pressure, but the tiny white pill also has anti-androgen effects, and at certain doses, it effectively blocks male hormones and subsequently reduces both unwanted hair and hair thinning, according to consultant dermatologist and author of The Skincare Bible, Dr. Anjali Mahto.
"Spironolactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic that is licensed in the UK for treatment of blood pressure often in older patients with heart problems," she explains. “Women with PCOS tend to have two distinct types of hair problems. They often suffer with excess facial or body hair but also may notice shedding of scalp hair, often exhibiting as thinning at the crown and temples. At a certain dose, off-label, Spironolactone can potentially help improve scalp hair growth. However, in this context it should only be prescribed by a consultant dermatologist with experience in its use. This is because it is an unlicensed treatment.”
It's also important to note that Spironolactone is a diuretic or 'water tablet', which mean's it's likely to increase the passing of urine. Other side effects may include fatigue and breast tenderness to name a few, so always consult an experienced specialist, such as a dermatologist or GP before use. If Spironolactone isn't for you, Martins also suggests visiting your GP to discuss other oral anti-androgens such as Dianette.
Topical Treatments
"Despite the substantial amount of products available and advertised in retail outlets, they are mostly ineffective in controlling the hair follicles' sensitivity to circulating androgens," says Lyons, but there are a select number of topical treatments that can help.
"Hair follicles are only 3-4mm below the surface of the scalp and for many years at the Philip Kingsley clinic we have been successfully treating female pattern hair loss with the daily application of an anti-androgen solution. At least 90% undertaking this treatment have noticeable increased hair density (hairs per square centimetre) during the first 12-14 months. Thereafter, density is maintained with continued application."
Minoxidil
"Minoxidil is a vasodilator which helps to stimulate growth, and is a well know ingredient used to help with this issue," explains Martins. In oral form, it causes hypertrichosis - excess hair growth - but if you have excess facial and body hair already, taking it might not be the best option. Although, an observational study by the International Journal of Dermatology found that low-dose oral Minoxidil (0.25mg), combined with Spironolactone (25mg) resulted in a reduction in hair loss in women.
Topical Minodixil, which you can now buy over the counter, comes in lotion and foam form at different strengths and can be concentrated to areas of thinning. "The percentage prescribed usually depends on the extent of the hair thinning," explains Martins, as it varies from person to person. Always consult a pharmacist, GP or trichologist before use.
Laser Phototherapy
According to Sally-Ann Tarver, Trichologist at The Cotswold Trichology Centre, phototherapy is also an option for those experiencing hair thinning as a result of PCOS. She recommends the Theradome LH80 PRO Laser Helmet, £749, which is a portable device that can be used at home. "Laser phototherapy has a similar action to Minoxidil and stimulates circulation to the hair follicles but in addition it improves hair quality and structure," she explains. "In my opinion, the results are better than with Minoxidil. Phototherapy is easier and there are no side effects. It doesn't have to be performed every day, so patients tend to stick with it and their hair improves over time." According to The Consulting Room, sessions in clinic can start from £45.
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Finished jet-setting for the summer and still have tons of miles left? Consider donating them to an immigrant or refugee family in need through an organisation like Miles4Migrants.
The organisation, which collects and uses donated frequent flyer miles to arrange travel for refugees and to reunite immigrant families separated at borders, went viral after Beth Wilensky, a law professor at the University of Michigan, tweeted out a suggestion for those looking to help out families in need. The tweet then resulted in more than 7.3 million miles being donated to Miles4Migrants, according to CNN.
“[We] have big plans for use of these miles...both to support separated immigrant families, and continue our global family reunification work with refugees around the world,” a spokesperson told Lifehacker.
My husband travels a lot. Downside: he's gone a lot. Upside: frequent flyer miles. We just used some to fly a 3-yr-old and his dad, who had been separated at the border, from Michigan (where the son had been taken) to their extended family. DM me if you have miles to donate.
Ever since President Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance policy took effect, more than 1,800 children separated at the border between the US and Mexico have been reunited with parents and sponsors. Although hundreds of them still remain apart, according to Time.
The process for donating miles to Miles4Migrants is simple: input your name and contact information into the form, and choose your donation from more than 15 travel loyalty programs, including JetBlue TrueBlue, American Airlines AAdvantage, Southwest Rapid Rewards. And voila, you’re all set.
In Refinery29'sSweet Digs, we take a look inside the sometimes small, sometimes spacious homes of millennial women. In today's episode, 37-year-old Quressa RobinsonTK takes us through her three-level Bronx townhouse.
When 37-year-old Quressa Robinson looked around her neighborhood of Washington Heights (where she lived for eight years) and realized it was changing, she decided to make a big move. Yes, her rent-controlled apartment was $2,300 (£1,800) a month, but "[the neighbourhood] started getting really gentrified, and it became clear to us the landlord wanted us to go," she says.
The next step, Quressa decided, would be home ownership. "It was actually pretty kinda crazy because I had just quit my job, but I told me husband, 'Why don't we buy a house?'" she says. "And we looked at our finances and saw we could, so it was a little bit nutty."
The search led them to a three-story townhouse in the Bronx, a much bigger space than their tiny Manhattan apartment. Read on to shop Quressa's buys and hear more about her first foray into homeownership.
Can you tell me about how you found the house?
We looked on Street Easy and Trulia. It was the last one out of five places we looked at; we only looked one weekend, like one day for a house. We got a realtor because in New York, you have to get a realtor, and then you have to get an attorney. So we found a realtor that my friend had used when she bought her co-op. And just kept sending her tons and tons of places to look in the Bronx. What we found was some things are listed, but they’re not necessarily available because they might be in escrow or in the mortgage process, but they haven’t abated. So there were a handful of things that we were disappointed by and we couldn’t look at. But after five houses we found this and we ended up making an offer on it.
How many other offers were in?
There were two other bids, but we went in at asking price for $360,000 (£2,800). I think it was fine because nobody came in with a cash offer, and because we were doing a mortgage, it didn’t make sense to go over asking. It was at the top of our budget, and we really, really wanted it. Luckily, it was enough.
Can you talk about the closing costs?
I think our closing costs ended up being $13,000 (£10,000), in addition to obviously our down payment, because of taxes and transfers and things that have to be recorded. And you're paying for all of that. They say closing costs tend to be about two to five percent of the asking price or the mortgage price that you're paying.
What are some things you didn't think about before you owned your own home?
Something that we didn’t have to pay for when we were renting is we have to pay for our water and garbage. And obviously, electric and gas. And the house is 30 or so years old, so there are a lot of little things maintenance-wise that we have to pay out of pocket for. So we wanted to replace the roof, that was $4,000 (£3,100). And I'm expecting to have to replace our furnace and get central A/C, which will be great. And with the backyard, eventually, we’ll want to repave the entire backyard and the front yard as well. And I would love to have a hot tub in the backyard if I can.
Can you talk about your neighborhood a bit?
Part of the reason why we chose this [neighbourhood] is because one — all the other boroughs are ridiculously expensive. But we’re about a 15-minute train ride away from West Harlem and 126th Street, so we tend to kind of hang out around there. And I love the neighbourhood. It’s really quiet and residential. It feels really weird that it’s in New York City, that this is a neighbourhood that’s a suburb or a burb of or a borough of New York City, because literally I’m hearing the birds chirping outside in my backyard. It’s really peaceful and quiet, and it’s really nice to have neighbours who have been living here for decades, with the kids who grew up on the block and stuff like that. And because we’re only the second owners of this home, we get to add to that and the legacy of this house.
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There is a lot of product out there — some would say too much. At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team, but if you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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Nicki Minaj is out to prove she is rap royalty — namely, the Queen. Given the scant number of women who can top the rap charts, this seems like a foregone conclusion...to everyone except Nicki Minaj. There are two things she has in spades on Queen: hooks and burns. The album is stuffed to the brim with banger instrumentals that are absolute earworms, many of them loaded on the front half. At 17 tracks, plus an interlude and outro, the album is also weighted down with a ton of shit talk that feels out of date and overwrought. Minaj brags about writing her own shit on “LLC,” one of many tracks thought to be loaded with Cardi B disses. So if you were wondering, those are insults out of her own mouth.
Where Minaj is at her best on Queen are the moments when she asserts her own power, stepping forward to advance the power of all women. Her shoutout to DJ Khaled for not going down on his wife isn’t just an insult. It is a sentiment echoed by Minaj numerous times, from “Chun Swae” to “Good Form,” throughout the album in raps about the men who can’t wait to line up to eat her out (“My body's a work of art, he eatin' this Van Gogh”). She’s never a woman who gets fucked, she’s a woman who fucks. That constant flip of gender roles and the way it reaffirms feminine power is a message that women should hear. It destigmatises the idea that women can have a sexual appetite, and reinforces the idea that it’s okay to know what you want in the bedroom and ask for it.
Minaj does womankind another solid by talking about her appetite for money and success. “Majesty” puts her on par with Eminem as the best in the game while coupling it with an absurdly catchy, almost Queen-esque (er, the rock band) track. But, her chants to those who are jealous of her on the end to “die slow” feel heavy-handed, like she’s taken the mantra of being on top of the game one step too far. “Rich Sex” is less about sex and more about the power of an independent woman. Her message gets undercut by Lil Wayne’s guest verse when he talks about coming on the face of the woman who only has sex with rich guys.
The central thesis of Queen comes into view on “Hard White,” when she drops this verse about her Paris crew: “'Cause they know I'm the queen, I still didn't pick an heiress.” It’s a song ostensibly about how she had to work hard to get where she is, but it’s also loaded down with a final verse where she calls women bitches and hoes, which could easily be read as shots at Cardi B and her past as a stripper (“Uh, I ain't never played a hoe position / I ain't ever have to strip to get the pole position / Hoes is dissin'? Okay, these hoes is wishin'”). Both Minaj and Cardi have denied any beef in the press while lowkey dropping disses on tracks, on social media, and in radio interviews. To all appearances, the duo would like to not have beef (or certainly don’t intend to own any malicious feelings towards each other) but can’t get out of the cycle.
The other major theme Minaj wrestles with on Queen is breaking up: she gets incredibly raw and vulnerable on “Come See About Me” and “Thought I Knew You,” and gets a little bitter on “Nip Tuck.” Her incredible wordplay is on display in the album’s first track, “Ganja Burn,” which functions as a cold-hearted breakup song if you read the lyrics as her burning out the weeds in her life and getting high is her success, or incredibly sad if you read it as a depressed woman who gets high and thinks of her ex.
Hip-hop is the genre with the least representation for women in it (given the state of country music and what the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found about pop music, that’s really saying something). Minaj and Cardi B are essentially the only women who can score No.1s in the genre today. There are loads of young women rappers coming up behind them, but the only female features on Minaj’s album are Foxy Brown and Ariana Grande. Foxy is one of Minaj’s idols and a fellow Trinidadian. Grande and Minaj met on 2014’s “Bang Bang,” an attempt to remake “Lady Marmalade,” and have collaborated on three tracks since, including “Bed.” There’s a lot of talk from Minaj about how she’s better than anyone else in the game, but not a lot of opening the doors for the women coming up behind her.
The sharp-tongued insults switch between hilarious and cruel on the much-buzzed-about “Barbie Dreams,” an ode to her idol the Notorious B.I.G. and the days of ‘90s hip-hop diss tracks. Minaj might take a note from Drake on this front: after he was completely owned by Pusha T in a diss track earlier this year, Drake just let it go. It didn’t stop him from landing a record-setting 50 billion streams worldwide, far outpacing Pusha’s (admittedly excellent) album.
Nicki seems to be trying to win the game while playing by the rules that the men who came before her wrote. She should throw out the rulebook instead. We don’t have to choose between nice girls and bad bitches; we can all be both. But you don’t have to be a mean girl to prove you’re the best.
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When it comes to treating acne breakouts, scars and pigmentation, there are three skincare acids in particular in which we tend to put our trust: glycolic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) which exfoliates the upper layers of dead skin cells to minimise breakouts and marks), lactic acid (also an AHA, which works in a similar way to glycolic acid, just with less irritation) and salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid (BHA), which penetrates deeper into pores to break down the paste-like mixture of oil and dead skin cells to prevent clogging).
If you have problematic skin, it's likely that at least one of these acids is a staple in your am/pm skincare routine. But what if we were to tell you that there's another dermatologist-approved skincare acid out there which does pretty much all of the above and more? Enter: azelaic acid. Okay, it might not sound that buzz-worthy, but to skin experts, it's an unsung hero when it comes to treating live breakouts and the annoying aftermath, including skin staining and rough skin texture.
Before we get to the good bit, here's the science. "Azelaic acid is naturally found in grains such as rye and barley," explains consultant dermatologist at Skin 55 and author of The Skincare Bible, Dr Anjali Mahto. "It can also be produced by a yeast that naturally lives on our skin, known as Malassezia furfur. Unlike glycolic and lactic acid which are alpha hydroxy acids, azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid." Basically, a natural substance. So what are the benefits of azelaic acid?
"Azelaic acid has anti-inflammatory effects on the skin (reducing redness and swelling in acne-prone skin) in addition to reducing the production of keratin – a protein which can block pores and lead to acne," continues Dr Mahto. "It can also be of benefit for another skin condition known as rosacea. However, one of the key uses of azelaic acid is its ability to even out pigmentation and to improve skin tone. It can therefore also be useful for helping fade some of the marks left behind after acne. It can be used in the morning and evening. You can use it after cleansing and before applying your other layers of skincare."
The best part? According to Dr Mahto, it can be used safely by nearly everyone, and you don't have to visit a dermatologist to get it on prescription. "It can be found in over the counter skincare products (commonly at concentrations of 10%) as well as in prescription-only creams. Personal favourites of mine include The Ordinary 10% Azelaic Acid Suspension, £5.50, and Paula’s Choice Resist Skin Transforming Multi-Correction Treatment, £37. Prescription products available from your GP or dermatologist include Finacea gel (15% azelaic acid) and Skinoren cream (20% azelaic acid)."
As with all acids and other powerful skincare ingredients like retinol, azelaic acid can make your skin more sensitive to UV, so Dr Mahto emphasises the importance of incorporating an SPF into your morning skincare routine. "Azelaic acid is a natural exfoliant and it is important to be using regular SPF on a daily basis," she advises.
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Clare Bronfman has been a tireless champion and financial benefactor to the headline-making alleged cult NXIVM for decades. That is a choice that has lead her from her perch as a multimillion-dollar heiress and award-winning equestrian to squandering her fortune and being charged with conspiracy and criminal racketeering.
Clare and her sister Sara, who are the daughters of billionaire businessman Edgar M. Bronfman, first joined NXIVM in the early 2000s when it was still known as a small group in Albany, NY that offered self-help workshops, according to The New York Times. For more than a decade, the sisters lavished their inheritance upon NXIVM leader Keith Raniere in an effort to build his reputation. Nothing was too much for Raniere. Private jets, meetings with the Dalai Lama, and even a private island in Fiji for retreats were all things the Bronfman sisters funded without hesitation. While Sara Bronfman became less involved in subsequent years after starting a family, Clare remained hopelessly devoted to Raniere.
Bronfman’s unwavering dedication to Raniere and everything he stood for soon estranged her from her family. Even as his health was failing, Bronfman – camera crew in tow – pressed her father to admit that he had wrongly criticized Raniere by describing NXIVM as a cult to Forbes.
Last fall, a story by The New York Times revealed NXIVM for what it really is: an exploitative cult that uses sex and blackmail to control its followers. It was followed by an even darker discovery, a secret sorority of women within the group was branded with Raniere’s initials. Still, Bronfman’s loyalty was unshaken by the news. “I’ve seen so much good come from both our programs and from Keith himself,” Bronfman wrote on her personal website in December 2017. “It would be a tragedy to lose the innovative and transformational ideas and tools that continue to improve the lives of so many.”
During her nearly 20 years in NXIVM, Bronfman went from intrigued follower to the powerful financier who aggressively fought multiple lawsuits against the group. That was, until July 24, when she, along with Raniere, Smallville actress Allison Mack, and several others were arrested for an array of crimes including identity theft, extortion, forced labor, sex trafficking, money laundering, wire fraud, and obstruction of justice.
This was that very last thing my mother said to me before our lives changed forever. I was 14.
She'd been away for the weekend with her girlfriends and I'd been staying with my dad. They divorced 11 years prior. Mum called to tell me she was home and asked me a series of seemingly silly questions. I felt something wasn’t right. I argued with my dad until he took me home early.
The back door was open when I got home, I shouted for mum and I got a groan in response. I ran through to the living room where she was fitting violently. I put her in the recovery position and called an ambulance.
When the doctors suggested a brain scan, deep down I knew exactly what they were going to say – that she had a brain tumour. Pessimistic, but sadly, incredibly realistic. Mum was diagnosed with a left frontal lobe oligodendroglioma which couldn’t be fully removed because of where it was situated, near the brain stem.
School went out of the window at that point. I'd started my GCSEs, but all I wanted was to spend time with my mum. She was very positive to start with, but after a difficult round of radiotherapy, her perseverance waned.
I did everything I could for her – I’d cook and clean, but she was so depressed and confined to her chair. My attendance at school dropped to 33% in my final year.
At 16, I should have been going out, having fun, kissing boys, focusing on my work and grades. But here I was, frightened to leave the house.
I went to sixth form to try and do her proud, but the days were long, mum was lonely and the daily routine of cooking and cleaning took over. Soon, I couldn't bear to leave her. She was all I had, and I was trying my hardest to be all that she needed. At 16 years old, I should have been going out, having fun, kissing boys, focusing on my work and grades. But here I was, frightened to leave the house. What if she had a fit? What if she needed a wee? What if she died?
I was admitted to a mental health hospital at 17. I spent three months there while professionals tried to convince me that I needed to come first, that my mother’s illness shouldn’t be the central part of my life.
Being a young carer is so much more than going through the huge role reversal of becoming the parent in the household. It’s the lack of support. Friends disappear because you spend your time caring. Family can't cope with seeing their loved one so debilitated. It's exhausting.
My outreach mental nurse pushed me to reapply for college. I chose Fashion Design and absolutely fell in love with it. The work was therapeutic. It was part-time so it was manageable, I was home enough to spend the time with my mum that she needed. I was excelling at college, but it was there that I developed an eating disorder. My organs were failing. My bones brittle. My hair falling out in clumps.
I was threatened with a second admission to hospital. I was determined not to become hospitalised, so that I could be there for mum. Instead, I was treated thanks to funding under the Sheffield Eating Disorders Programme.
I had intensive therapy, saw psychiatrists, dietitians, nurses and support workers. I finally began to understand that I mattered, my health was important too. That's when it hit me - I was killing myself over this. I knew mum was going to die, no amount of dedication could change that. I'm the legacy that she has created and I had to preserve that.
Once I got back to a healthy weight and into a routine again, I developed coping strategies. I learned to channel my energies and look after myself.
I chose to go to a local uni so that I could stay with mum, however she was deteriorating rapidly. She needed external care and the agencies weren't able to fund that while I was still living at home. I was forced to move out. I think I needed that, to be pushed into creating my own life. It wasn’t long after then that mum was given two weeks to live and moved into a hospice, it was heart-breaking. We had our final ambulance ride together to the hospice that day.
Her two weeks of palliative care were soon up, but mum had no intention of going anywhere. She lived the last seven months of her life in a care home where I could visit her. I watched her become a shadow of herself; she couldn't eat, walk, talk or remember what happened yesterday let alone five years ago. She had no idea where she was.
Going to see her was painful. I'd given seven years of my life to care for her, to be all that she needed, and what was it for? Life took both my mum and my teenage years.
When mum finally passed, I wanted to pass with her. She was my purpose in life, she kept me going. But now I can see clearly that I am what my mother left behind, I'm her only child and was her reason for living. I’m working to put the trauma behind me and to move forward, to make her proud. I'm still scarred, but I’m seizing life with both hands and grabbing every opportunity I can to become the very best I can be.
I'm now working in a college that specialises in education for those who haven't had the greatest school experience, if any at all. I'm inspired and studying for my teaching qualification so that I can help those who haven't been able to access the education that everyone deserves. After all, I've been there too.
One of my last happy memories of mum is when I did a charity run in 2011 and she was there, bald after losing her hair on Christmas Eve the year before, but still able to stand and cheer me on. It’s a lovely thing to remember and something I want to do again in the future in her memory.
Amber is supporting Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in partnership with Tesco. Visit Raceforlife.org for more information.
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, please call Beat on 0808 801 0677. Support and information is available 365 days a year.
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Copenhagen Fashion Week, once a small affair with little international impact, has grown exponentially over the past few seasons. With brands like Ganni and Cecilie Bahnsen stocked by online giants Matches, Browns, and Net-A-Porter, and the shows garnering the cream of the crop of industry insiders, its fashion influence is now hard to deny.
Click ahead to find the designers, looks, and pieces that stole the show at Copenhagen Fashion Week.
Summer Sequins
Copenhagen was anticipating Mathilde Torp Mader's debut at the helm of By Malene Birger, and she didn't disappoint. The show saw models stomping along the catwalk to a thumping soundtrack, wearing bold hues and punk detailing fit for a legion of strong women.
Our favourite looks from the collection were the sequin-laden dresses and skirts, which made us consider the impact of heavy sparkle for summer. What would've otherwise been formal, feminine pieces were made stronger with rebellious cut-out body stockings and backless chunky trainers. We want to be a part of the new By Malene gang.
Photo: By Malene Birger
Camping Chic
"For me this season was about chasing a feeling," Ditte Reffstrup, creative director of Ganni, explained. "In Copenhagen in summer, it's tradition that friends get out to the forest or the beach at the weekend...by the end you want to live in the woods." Models were certainly dressed for a summer in the wilderness, as the brand collaborated with Icelandic technical outerwear brand 66° NORTH, bringing an edge of functionality to the looks.
Ganni's signature feminine dresses were paired with camping hats, walking boots, and rain-ready waterproofs. There wasn't a floral print in sight, which marked a change from the brand's previous collections, usually filled street-style-approved botanicals. We can't wait to see Ganni's girls in a more utilitarian get-up, bringing a dose of the Scandi outdoors to our wardrobes.
Photo: Mathias Nordgren
Green Machine
Stine Goya's A Palazzo show was brimming with frou frou femininity, from baby blue boudoir tulle and picnic-ready pink gingham, to floral-smattered suiting. Stine looked to Italian master of interiors and architecture, Renzo Mongiardino, this season, evoking the clashing prints used in his works throughout the collection.
While Stine's dresses are always the standout pieces - we guarantee Danish girls will be donning them all next season - what stood out for us was the lime green jumpsuit. Paired with lilac heels and marble-printed totes, the hue popped and marked the first of many shades of green we spotted throughout the shows. The next Gen Z yellow? We think so.
Bedroom Dressing
Cecilie Bahnsen explained that this season, she wanted to embrace the brand's aesthetic, rather than feel the pressure to start from scratch with each collection. Her design DNA? Architectural, elevated, fantastical pieces, all dreamy and innocent in whites, tulles, and cottons.
This season was no different, but, in taking inspiration from Japanese photographer Osamu Yokonami's photo book, Assembly, which sees groups of girls shot together in the same outfit, she gave each piece its own quirk. While these details range from bow ties to puckered sleeves, our favourite looks were united by their bedroom aesthetic. Soft, billowing, pure white fabrics in empire lines and gathered shorts fit for a luxurious day in bed are what we're aiming to wear next spring.
Photo: Mathias Nordgren
'80s Power
SS19 marked Brøgger's debut show, a schedule highlight many were excited for. The collection, called Margrethe, was inspired by two of designer Julie Brøgger's formative fashion memories: her mother, Margrethe, and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
Fusing the '80s and '90s aesthetic of both women, from her mother's power dressing as a law attorney, to the Queen's ladylike yet eccentric glamour, the collection was an amalgamation of the best parts of each decade, where quilted coats met bold florals. Our favourite look, though, was the slouchy lilac suit, complete with oversized silver bow which wrapped around the waist and trailed along the floor. The pastel two-piece is nothing new, but with a thoroughly '80s spin, it's top of our list for SS19.
Utilitarian Details
For its 10th collection, Vår Sommer, Holzweiler also looked to the great outdoors. The runway was a dimly lit giant tent, and a Norwegian poet recited words evoking warm Scandinavian summer evenings. "It’s all about spending time in nature, feeling free and careless, being with the ones you love," co-founder Susanne Holzweiler explained.
Utilitarian details such as climbing rope, belt bags, and khaki raincoats were styled with silky fabrics and soft-focus hues, lending a certain romance to the practicality of the element-battling get-ups. We're expecting chic waterproofs, belaying ropes worn as belts, and the comfiest walking boots to be seen on the streets of fashion week next season.
Photo: Holzweiler
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Scrolling through the millions of images of immaculate makeup on Instagram, it's very easy to lose sight of what's real. Thanks to apps like FaceTune, BeautyPlus and Photoshop to name but a few, erasing breakouts, fine lines and pores from pictures before posting them onto the grid has become second nature for a lot of makeup artists and beauty brands.
But Urban Decay is embracing 'real' skin and it isn't going unnoticed by their 9.8million followers. Recently, the brand has made it their mission to showcase the work of makeup artists who haven't edited their pictures to perfection, instead, showing off their pores, wrinkles, moles, spots and peach fuzz, because no, these things aren't imperfections - this is what skin actually looks like.
Famous for her bold beauty looks and pictures where her pores and stray brow hairs haven't been erased into oblivion, self-taught Instagram makeup artist Meg, AKA @glowawaymeg, was one of the first to make it onto Urban Decay's page, having fashioned a striking eye makeup look with their new Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette, £39.50 - and it wasn't long before Urban Decay's followers took to the comments section to praise them for choosing to feature her picture over something so edited.
"I love it when makeup companies show skin unedited", wrote one Instagram user. Another said, "LOVEEEEE TO SEE PORES & makeup look is beautiful", while another wrote in agreement, "It’s refreshing! And a good reminder of what skin should look like. It looks healthy and REAL!"
Known for embracing her freckles, makeup artist and beauty brand founder Linda Hallberg has also popped up on Urban Decay's Instagram page, and the comments are just as encouraging.
"Urban, I feel like you’ve really been listening to your commenters and started showing us REAL artists again, not over filtered, Photoshopped nonsense. Super inspiring to showcase real talent! Love the diversity and humanity," wrote one. Another simply said, "I just love the bare skin".
Refreshingly, Urban Decay aren't the only beauty brand moving away from unattainable beauty standards and making a case for real skin, as beauty giant L'Oreal Makeup has also recently been applauded for featuring an unedited model in one of their Instagram ad campaigns.
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Finding a bra that is supportive, comfortable and halfway decent to look can be a tedious challenge – no matter what size you wear – but a new Kickstarter project is promising to change all that.
Canadian company House of Anesi is introducing an innovative bra that adapts to your changing breast size and claims to do away with back pain, get rid of red shoulder marks, underwire marks and underboob sweat.
The campaign has already raised £26,192 out of their £38,726 goal. Campaign founders Stephania Stefanakou, Jacob John and Leen Al-Taher felt women deserve better than the bras offered by most retailers and wanted to create a bra “free of social, cultural, and physical constraints that have historically been identified as part of womanhood,” according to their campaign page.
Breast size changes are normal, it’s just one of those things people don’t talk about a lot.
Stephania Stefanakou, Co-Founder & CEO of House Of Anesi told Refinery29 UK: “We decided to create the Anesi bra after realising many women, myself included, get frustrated when their breast size changes and the bras we bought no longer fit. Breast size change is normal, it’s just one of those things people don’t talk about a lot. Me and my co-founders believe women deserve better - so we took it upon ourselves to speed up innovation in the lingerie industry by creating an adaptable bra that strives to make women’s lives more comfortable.”
The bra boasts three features that make it adapt to your breast size and prevent discomfort: dual compression zone fabrics, a 3D Flexi wire and biocompatible gel straps. All that is high-tech speak for “ultimate comfort”. It conforms to your breasts and can shift up to two cup and band sizes, promising not to stretch if your breasts shrink. So whether your breasts grow or shrink, one is bigger than the other, you’re pregnant or you’re due your period, the bra will fit perfectly. It also has moisture-wicking and antimicrobial properties, keeping sweat stains (and smells) at bay, special gel straps that mould to your shoulders’ natural contour and distribute weight evenly, reducing back pain.
Aside from being the first of its kind, it’s also the most size-inclusive and is going to be available in over 90 sizes in both a full coverage and balconette style. It seems as though they’ve finally managing to fill that gap in the market and cater to all of our needs, and it’s especially refreshing to see a brand normalising the fact that women’s body shapes fluctuate.
At a special launch price of £54 (plus international shipping costs) the bra isn’t exactly cheap, so we asked women in the UK what they thought and if they would be willing to pay the price for it. Here are their first impressions:
“It sounds like an amazing idea. I gave birth to my first child in April and as I’ve been breastfeeding her I definitely notice that my breasts change shape and size throughout the day, not to mention the fact they grew a lot bigger during my pregnancy and none of my pre-pregnancy bras even fit me now.” Lauren, 27
“My weight can really fluctuate month by month and I also tend to (weirdly) put on weight around my torso, so the changing band sizes is definitely interesting. Not 100% sure on the aesthetics, but I do prefer the balconette style.” Natalie, 26
“I used to work for a selection of lingerie companies as well as studying design in lingerie. I’m a big fan of using technology in aiding lingerie, and I love how they've got a range of women in different sizes wearing it. My main concern is that from the photos I can actually see that the bra isn’t an ideal fit as is. The technology is fantastic though and I think the gel straps are great idea, as well as the anti-bacterial properties considering a lot of women don’t wash their bras!” Emma, 28
The campaign has 21 more days of funding to go. You can make a pledge for the Anesi Bra on their Kickstarter.
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Not being able to fall asleep is frustrating enough, but often, that frustration and anxiety you feel when you're up all night staring at the clock makes it even harder to fall asleep.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults need at least seven hours of sleep per night, but only a third of adults actually get that much rest. You already know how grouchy you can get without enough sleep, but not getting the appropriate amount of rest also has consequences for your health in the long run. You might become less optimistic, and sleep deprivation might even lead to cardiovascular disease.
There are plenty of scientifically-backed techniques to help you fall asleep, but at the end of the day, what actually works will be different for different people. If you think you've tried everything, read on for weird things that five different people do to fall asleep at night.
"If I have a really hard time falling asleep, I'll watch a movie — but not just any movie. It has to be something that makes me cry because I find that crying makes me tired enough to fall asleep. It sounds masochistic, but it works!" — Jamie, 26
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
"I turn on my air conditioner (no matter how cold or hot it is outside) and run it to as cold a temperature as I can stand, and get in bed with a cozy duvet. I can't sleep if I'm warm and uncomfortable." — Alice, 31
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
"I put my phone in the living room and use the alarm on my Amazon Alexa. I read somewhere that looking at the time when you're trying to fall asleep is bad for you, so I basically isolate myself once I get into bed." — Christine, 21
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
"I sing myself to sleep. Seriously. The louder the song (think show tunes), the better, because it wears me out enough that I knock out." — Amber, 22
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
"I write down every single thing that I did that day, and everything I'm worried about happening the next day. I have a tendency to overthink, and I find that it helps me wind down and get all of that out of the way so that I'm not thinking about it when I'm trying to fall asleep." — Jan, 27
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
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Following the news that Universal was developing the project, titled Blond Ambition, Madonna (whose turns 60 this month) wrote on Instagram:
"Nobody knows what I know and what I have seen. Only I can tell my story. Anyone else who tries is a charlatan and a fool. Looking for instant gratification without doing the work. This is a disease in our society."
IMDb Pro lists the film as still in the "script" phase of development.
So how did Blond Ambition come to be, if Madonna herself had little interest in seeing it on the big screen? It's simple, really: Blond Ambition is, apparently, a great script, one selected by industry leaders as the best of the year.
In 2016, Hollander — whose previous credits include the assistant to the director on 2015 Best Picture Oscar winner Birdman, as well as a number of shorts — earned the top spot on The Blacklist, an industry-wide list of the most-liked unproduced screenplays.
According to Blacklist founder and film executive Franklin Leonard, who spoke with Refinery29 about the list, "the annual [Blacklist] is simply a survey of Hollywood gatekeepers most liked unproduced screenplays from that year." Typically, the list consists of a mix of scripts from established writers (Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained was once on the list) and newcomers who wrote something particularly buzzy.
According to the logline for the script, which was shared on Deadline, the script tells the story of Madonna's now well-known journey through New York City in the '80s, as she "struggles to get her first album released while navigating fame, romance, and a music industry that views women as disposable."
"It’s hard for me to say why it, in particular, ended up top of the list," said Leonard when asked about Blond Ambition. "But it does continue a trend of biopics finding their way onto it: Hillary Clinton, Fred Rogers, Michael Jackson, Jim Henson, etcetera. I suspect it has something to do with getting well-written insight into the humanity of people most of us experience only as icons."
Soon after the 2016 Blacklist's release, Universal swooped in and scored the rights to Hollander's screenplay. Producers Michael De Luca and the since-disgraced Brett Ratner reportedly signed on to the project, per The Hollywood Reporter. Still, as far as the public is aware, Blond Ambition(which takes its title from her legendary 1990 world tour) has not received a greenlight to enter production, nor has anyone been cast as Madonna herself.
"I was born in Bay City, not Detroit. And I did not drop out of high school. In fact, I went to University of Michigan."
Yet it seemed that Hollander did do her research, at least about those specific details: Madonna herself states them in a clip from American Bandstand. In an interview with Dick Clark, the pop star says that she was born in Detroit and is a "famed high school dropout."
Though Madonna did note that particular moment in the script,The Hollywood Reporter states that there were actually a few other moments that she might have an issue with. The script implies that Madonna stole a pivotal fashion look from a woman she met in the downtown club scene named Bianca Stonewell. Near the end of the script, Madonna tells her then-boyfriend and producer, Jellybean Benitez, that she aborted her pregnancy so she would not have to choose between "family and career."
Biopics don't inherently need the approval of their subject — Mark Zuckerberg wasn't thrilled about his callous depiction in The Social Network, and the movie went on to win three Oscars. The problem with Blond Ambition, specifically, is that without Madonna's approval of the script, it's unlikely that the film would be able to use any of her original music. And really, what's a movie about the making of Madonna's first, eponymous album (released in 1983) if your film can't feature renditions of classics like "Lucky Star," "Borderline" and "Holiday?"
Refinery29 has reached out to representatives for Madonna. Representatives for Hollander declined to comment for the story.
Given Madonna's pushback, it's possible that the movie won't ever see the light of day, at least in its current state as a telling of the "Lucky Star" singer's life.
There is, however, some good news to all of this drama. We need more women's stories onscreen, and more women to tell them. Hollander, by way of this Madonna-centric script, proved she's a voice capable of doing so. Perhaps her next project, be it a biopic or completely original piece, will make it to the big screen — no snarky Instagram response necessary.
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This past April, Instagram took stern action against a particular class of drug-related hashtags. You probably wouldn't have noticed unless you were actively searching for them, or they regularly appeared in posts on your feed, but #oxycontin, #fentanyl, and #opiates were completely removed from the app or appeared with very limited results, seemingly overnight.
The decision came amidst mounting pressure from the FDA, senators, and advocates, for social media platforms like Instagram, which can harbour dark web players, to help curb the spread of the opioid epidemic. Many argued these platforms were not doing enough to police potential drug sales that initiated online and used corresponding hashtags — and phone numbers in bios — to draw in buyers.
"Internet firms simply aren’t taking practical steps to find and remove these illegal opioid listings," Scott Gottlieb, the FDA commissioner, said in a speech at the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in April. "There’s ample evidence of narcotics being advertised and sold online. I know that internet firms are reluctant to cross a threshold; where they could find themselves taking on a broader policing role. But these are insidious threats being propagated on these web platforms."
Last week, CNN reported that Instagram had taken an even stronger stance: Search for #fentanyl or #opiates now and you will no longer see the message that previously appeared, "Recent posts from [the hashtag] are currently hidden because the community has reported some content that may not meet Instagram’s community guidelines." Instead, there is just a brief three-word signal that these are now banned: "No hashtags found." Instagram confirmed the bans, telling Refinery29, “Keeping the Instagram community safe is our responsibility and we spend a lot of time thinking about how we can create a safe and open environment for everyone. We have taken action against this content – including removing the @fentanyl_connect account and blocking the #fentanyl hashtag.”
While Instagram certainly has cause for removing these hashtags — they can, indeed, be linked to accounts trying to sell the drugs, which is expressly forbidden in the app's Community Guidelines — experts are at odds on how large of a role social media apps actually play, how much action they should be required to take, and ways to effectively prohibit drug sales. The bans on drug-related hashtags speak to the larger challenges of trying to proactively target illicit activities on social media while allowing for the free speech of those who use such hashtags without illegal intent.
In contrast to Silk Road, a dark web marketplace for drug sales that appeared in 2011 and was shut down by the FBI in 2013, social media apps are home to what the DEA calls street level dealers. "There are obviously people selling drugs or advertising that they can sell drugs on social media platforms, and using hashtags to do it," Wade C. Sparks, a special agent in the Office of National Media Affairs at the DEA told Refinery29 over email. "These situations usually involve a street level dealer selling directly to a drug user, as opposed to people moving large quantities of drugs."
Although Sparks says technology does play a role in the DEA's investigations, hashtags are not usually involved. The DEA is focused on "the highest echelon of traffickers," those using more secure, encrypted servers, as opposed to street level buyers. "In other words, I would be surprised to see a major Mexican drug cartel trying to sell 100 kilos of cocaine using hashtags on a public social media platform," Sparks says.
But what about those street level dealers? Are they drawing in new customers via Instagram and expanding existing drug problems to a larger portion of the population through social media? The answer, as with most of the complicated issues facing tech companies these days, is not as black and white as it may seem.
“In terms of media effects, if I’m on Instagram and I see somebody promoting opioids or the otherwise illegal consumption of drugs, the research shows that the effects of that are likely very weak," Michael A. Stefanone, an expert in social media and an associate professor of communications at the University of Buffalo, says."The people that would respond to a drug dealer’s phone number [on Instagram] would seek out those drugs in other ways as well."
"In other words, I would be surprised to see a major Mexican drug cartel trying to sell 100 kilos of cocaine using hashtags on a public social media platform."
However, there is evidence that the content young people are exposed to online can impact their beliefs. The Rand Corporation, a non-profit research organisation, looked at the effects of youth exposure to another substance — alcohol — online. They found that the majority of the 11-to-14-year-old study cohort viewed alcohol and drinking more positively after seeing an average of three alcohol ads per day. It's plausible, then, that increased exposure to posts related to banned substances might have a similarly normalising effect, if not a positive one.
The disparate beliefs about the impact that seeing illegal substances on social media can have on viewers speaks to the lack of the research on the topic. As an American Academy of Pediatrics article on “Digital Media and the Risks for Adolescent Substance Abuse and Problematic Gambling ” says, social media research is still in its early days, making it hard to know how the effects of online exposure compare to offline exposure.
There is something to be said for the fact that even if drug dealers are not necessarily attracting new users, they can can easily connect with existing drug users online, making the platforms where these exchanges take place unwilling facilitators. The challenge facing Instagram, Facebook, and other social media apps and sites is that "there is currently no system in place to identify these types of criminal acts," Patricia A. Cavazos, PhD, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University's School of Medicine.
Hashtag bans are one attempt to target them, but that's not always effective. For starters, there’s often a way around them. As CNN noted, the process of eliminating hashtags can be like playing an extremely frustrating "game of whack-a-mole": Those who are trying to sell drugs through social media will find ways around a ban, using related hashtags to reach users (search for #oxycontin right now on Instagram and you'll find similar alternatives, including the obvious — #oxycontins, and less obvious — #oxycontin40mg). Although dealing with drug sales should be an easier task than, say, figuring out how to handle a controversial figure like Alex Jones, constantly evolving approaches to gaming the system complicate these efforts.
Secondly, the same hashtags social media apps have banned are often used by those working in drug prevention and drug treatment, as well as by the DEA, Sparks says. In other words, not everyone who posts #fentanyl is coordinating a drug sale, meaning that many posts that don't violate Community Guidelines can get caught in the crosshairs of a hashtag ban. Take, for example, posts that report on news of drug-related arrests. While Instagram aims to preserve hashtags, the consistent abuse of specific ones can necessitate their removal.
For drug-related hashtags, one chapter has reached a seemingly inevitable conclusion. At the start of last week, searches for #cocaine on Instagram still pulled up hundreds of thousands of results. When Refinery29 reached out to Instagram to ask why results for #fentanyl were hidden, but #cocaine were not, Instagram took action and blocked posts with the hashtag.
“Instagram prohibits the promotion and sale of illegal drugs,” A spokesperson said. “Our team reviews reports and will remove content if it violates our policies.”
But, if past games of whack-a-mole are any indication, you can expect more where those hashtags came from as the fight continues.
If you are struggling with substance abuse, please visit FRANK or call 0300 123 6600 for friendly, confidential advice. Lines are open 24 hours a day.
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The average Ikea store is approximately 320,000 square feet, or roughly the size of 24 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to information compiled by Google. As if the sheer size of the store isn't overwhelming enough, most locations carry about 10,960 products at any given time. That means it can be quite a challenge to pick out the perfect piece while perusing the home goods megastore. Luckily, there are certain Ikea items that stand out, ones you can't go wrong with because of their track record.
According to Ikea, there are a number of products that rank as the most popular of the company's 75-year history — many of them you'll likely recognise. These are the pieces that you've undoubtedly seen in a number of different homes around the country or even around the world. Maybe you even own one of these iconic items yourself.
Among the 13 most popular products are pieces of furniture, small decorative items, storage solutions, and more. And, they offer a mix of comfort, reliability, and affordability, the same qualities that keep many shoppers coming back. Knowing all the items that are most beloved by fans could make deciding between 10,000-plus options much more straight forward.
Take a look ahead to find out exactly what they are.
There is a lot of product out there — some would say too much. At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team, but if you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
13. FRAKTA Shopping Bag
Ikea FRAKTA Shopping bag, £0.50, available at Ikea.
If you were to heed the words printed on the latest drops of bi-annual culture magazine 032c’s recently launched line of apparel, you’d be right to indeed resist the “resist” sweatshirt. Yet as soon as somebody like DJ Peggy Gou is spotted wearing one on Instagram, it sells out instantly. The 032c fanbase is growing as much offline as it is online, embodying the free spirit of a brand that took its name from a Pantone shade of red. While the vibrant colour still forms the basis of each issue’s layout, its clothing doesn’t rely on the same gimmickry.
What started in Berlin in 2002 as a magazine has since developed into a veritable platform. 032c considers itself a Manual for Freedom, Research, and Creativity, which manifests as much in each issue as through its various events, exhibitions, and merchandise. Two years ago saw the arrival of the brand’s first items of clothing, with its very first ready-to-wear show in January 2018. The collection was shown during Pitti Uomo in Florence and was a showcase of what 032c believes in. Meaningless merchandise? Not on Maria Koch’s watch. Koch is not only wife to editor-in-chief Joerg Koch, but also the designer behind 032c apparel; she boasts previous work experience at Jil Sander and Marios Schwab.
Below, Koch opens up about fans of the brand who haven’t heard of the magazine, why she doesn’t think the Kardashian hype will wear off any time soon, and what the appeal of streetwear today is really all about.
Have you taken something niche and kickstarted a trend with 032c Apparel? "We don’t identify ourselves as niche. There are other, supposedly more commercial titles that are much more niche, actually. We have a readership of 75,000 and online followers on top of that. We’re independent —that’s how we manage to work the way we do. Joerg and I are the only shareholders.
"We also launched Apparel because I’m a designer. I originally wanted to set something up on my own, then I put that aside. 032c was always meant to be more than a magazine — we do events and exhibitions; we consult fashion brands; we’re co-owners of the Reference festival, and Joerg is still editor-in-chief of Ssense, too. You can’t rely on print alone anymore. Newsagents are dying out. It’s a problem.
"We quickly developed from merchandise to real apparel because our pieces are more than just fan merchandise. At the Reference festival in October, we’ve got the first women’s ready-to-wear show, mixed in with the men’s line."
Was there something that triggered the launch of the first pieces? "It was a few different things. We found kids on Instagram that had drawn 032c onto T-shirts. Then there were people that had made their own 032c phone cases. And friends were telling us we just had to do it."
How do you feel when people wear your clothes but don’t know the 032c brand or magazine? "It happens; we know that. Just because somebody wears Chanel perfume doesn’t mean they will have seen or understood the latest couture collection.
"It’s normal and I don’t see it as a problem. Lots of people don’t know that there’s a magazine at all. A few young people have told me that it’s [just] a clothing line — I think that’s funny, even cool. I don’t need the intellectual side of things. And it works the other way round, too — lots of people don’t know the clothing. It’s exciting to us to have both."
How does the design process differ from menswear to womenswear? "Each has different criteria. I struggled with Apparel at the start because I’d done women’s ready-to-wear for 15 years. But I see it as a challenge and an opportunity to learn."
What inspires you? "Everything I come across. That might be through travel, or it might be through music or Instagram or — of course — exchanges with my husband."
What music do you most like to listen to? "I listen to rap, a lot of soul or '90s pop, and classical music. I don’t think my musical taste is particularly elaborate. I like it hardcore or catchy and poppy. Classical music absolutely breaks my heart though — I’m completely gone when I listen to it — so I can’t really listen to it every day!"
What kind of posts do you like seeing on Instagram? "That’s really hard to say. I unfollow people as soon as I find one of their posts stupid. The most cliché, annoying post is food. The pretending-to-enjoy-it or food as some kind of fetish is banal and bleak."
How do you choose who to collaboration with? "It’s a question of expertise. If I wanted to make a phone, I’d go to Apple. If I were looking to create a wax jacket, I’d turn to Barbour. And so on. We want to work with experts."
What would be the dream collaboration for you? "A perfume with Frédéric Malle. I love the aesthetic and the standards they work to. Plus, it’s a brand that’s supposed to be niche, yet it’s insanely successful."
How do you motivate yourself when motivation is otherwise lacking? "I don’t believe in the idea of having specific things you can rely on to inspire you or anything — that’s crap. I’m strict about going into the office every day, even if I don’t want to. There’s always something that needs doing. Deadlines force me to make decisions, and that’s what leads to a creative process."
How do you deal with doubt and worries? "They’re part and parcel. You shouldn’t necessarily pay mind to what other people think."
What’s the reason for the focus on limited editions? "It’s not that we’re looking to create hype. We limit things from the outset so as not to overproduce. We estimate quantities realistically. Limited editions aren’t part of a marketing strategy for us. I can’t bear when products are discounted pretty much straight away."
Does it also have something to do with sustainability? "Absolutely. I used to teach a design strategy master’s program in sustainability within fashion. And for me, that’s not all about organic fabrics. I think it’s unintelligent in general to deal with resources irresponsibly. The same applies to a workforce. Overstocking and exhausting the market…I don’t get it. Why do I need something in 50 colours if there’s one shade that’s the perfect shade? Sustainability is simply stronger and more powerful than more flippant, mass-market approaches."
Are seasons still important to you? "No, so much has changed on that over the last few years. Key pieces always work. I might buy a cashmere sweater in summer if it’s what I need at that time."
Do you ever design for yourself? "All the time actually. There are pieces that I’d never wear which turn out to be bestsellers though! [Laughs.]"
How would you describe your personal style? "It totally depends on my mood. My style is a bit all or nothing — sometimes it’s super opulent, other times it’s very minimal. I’ll get dressed up for an event: big dress, extravagant jewellery, the highest heels. My everyday uniform is a silk blouse and jeans. I guess I’m about sex appeal and a certain sense of class."
Do you shop [for clothes] when you have downtime? "No. I know the profit margins, so I don’t see the point. That's not the case with beauty, though. I’m totally into beauty products."
Do you have a beauty routine? "I try a lot of different things out. I watch YouTube tutorials sometimes, and I ask friends that have particularly good skin which products they use. I like Biologique Recherche and Dr. Barbara Sturm. I've used to use a lot of Sisley before, too. For perfumes, I love Frédéric Malle — I have three that I mix together. For as long as there’s no 032c perfume anyway…"
What do you like about Berlin? "The unbelievable quality of life. It really fits to my idea of culture and the size of a city. I like the worldliness. And you can’t do too much in one day — I can really concentrate in Berlin. Lots of people say that it’s easy to just float around, but I see it differently. The quality of life attracts an exciting kind of person. It’s what makes our team possible. You don’t need to pick up shifts in a bar of an evening, like you would maybe have to in London, for example. Plus, our children love the city too."
Could you imagine living anywhere else? "I’d find LA exciting — I don’t really understand the city but so many relevant youth movements have come from there: skate, grunge, the whole aerobics-inspired thing… And I’m a fan of Salzburg in Austria. In Salzburg, I like the musical history, the landscape, and the quality of the food. I love how clean the streets are kept too, even if it can come across a bit stuffy. Maybe right now I’m just attracted to places that are the opposite of Berlin."
What do your children think of 032c Apparel? "Sometimes June will come in and do some work with us to earn some cash so she can afford pieces herself. Karl isn’t interested in fashion. I like it when June loves something. She’s almost our target group and thinks the collection is really cool."
Who would you love to see in 032c Apparel? "We’ve had most of them already. Maybe we shouldn’t meet the people we admire from afar — it’s easy to be disappointed. Like Monica Bellucci. I think she’s crazy beautiful, but I can’t say at all if she’s smart. I think Milly Bobby Brown is great; Djuna Barnes; even Kim Kardashian. I think she’s really great — meant quite unironically. Or Anne Imhoff. These are all people that are completely individual and who have a certain intensity about them."
Isn’t the Kardashian hype wearing off? "I think people that are less consistent in what they do are more likely to wear off. I think, in the future, she’ll be on the same level as Marilyn Monroe and Jane Birkin — as somebody who represents a certain time. Right now, many people, understandably, still laugh at her. But many people today define themselves through the superficial and through aesthetics. The Kardashians are quite fantastically bizarre. It’s impressive. The redundancy of it all as well. I find [them] to be very poignant."
Could you imagine being more in the foreground as a designer? "Being famous, so to speak, isn’t particularly interesting to me. But it’s part of my job to show my face and give interviews, etc. — to be approachable."
What role do you think gender has to play in the future of fashion? "Separate from my own private preferences, gender plays absolutely no role at all for me."
What’s the appeal of streetwear? "Streetwear works because fashion comes from the streets. It’s purely sociological. We trust the establishment, with their suits and business wear, less and less. People we’re meant to take seriously often don’t have a uniform anymore because this look is no longer immediately representative of success and respect. Not everybody gets that though. I’d still define streetwear as a kind of alternative wear."
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On August 24, Spike Lee’s BlacksKkKlansman, a movie based on a wildly true story about an undercover operation to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan with a black detective from Colorado Springs in the ‘70s, is out in cinemas. Considering everything old is new again, and that thee silhouettes from the ‘70s are in high demand, we asked costume director Marci Rodgers about the pieces from the film we can wear in real life. Turns out: She’s banking big on denim and fringe.
“I love fringe,” Rodgers tells Refinery29. “A good fringe coat or jacket will take you far. It never goes out of style.” It was important for Rodgers to work with pieces, like fringe, that feel timeless, but also speak to the time period in which the story was set. The costume designer sourced tons of items for the film at costume houses in New York and LA, but also she says, scored big in Brooklyn vintage shops like Beacon’s Closet and L Train Vintage. After Lee sent Rodgers the script, she says she set up shop in Howard University’s library in D.C., where she dug through an archive of black magazines like Essence, Ebony, and Jet to make sure the clothing was historically accurate.
Actress Laura Harrier’s character, Patrice, is an activist who is a mash-up of Angela Davis and Kathleen Cleaver, two women who were very active in the black power movement. “Patrice needed to always be in black,” Rodgers says, noting that she kept it interesting by playing with different textures. As for Connie Kendrickson (played by Ashlie Atkinson), who is plus-size, Rodgers couldn’t rely on finding the perfect item at a vintage shop. “I also designed a lot of her clothing (as well as pieces for John David Washington) because she is a full-figured woman, so I just wanted to make sure she was represented correctly within that era.”
“I’m still in shock,” Rodgers says of working with Lee on the film. “I just wanted to make sure everything was historically correct while adding my flair here or there,” she notes. “And that everyone leaves thinking love and not hate.”
BlacksKkKlansman is in cinemas August 24.
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From dire warnings to business advice, Erica Korman has heard it all in her time as a medium — a profession she only came to after years of working as a psychotherapist in both clinical and hospital settings. That might not mesh with the mainstream image of a medium (beaded curtains, crystal ball, an overall macabre and mystical appearance), but trust us, Korman's unique background plays a major role in her work now.
Korman recently spoke with Refinery29 about her process, the first experience she had with the other side, and why her background as a psychotherapist is an advantage as a practicing medium.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What was it like when you started receiving information from the other side and how did your journey into mediumship progress from there? "When it started, I was receiving what I know today as a 'download' which is where I receive all this information in my head that I have to write down. The first [spirits] were relatives of my husband and [I received] words like 'Frogger' — [their message] was about a Frogger watch. I just kept hearing things in my head. I was able to see these clues and know who [it was for]. Then I’d see a vision of a person, whether it was my husband or a friend of mine, and I knew this information was connected to them. I was a trained psychotherapist and had worked with every psychiatric disorder there is, so I knew I wasn’t becoming schizophrenic or anything like that. I know what that looks like.
"Most of my life, I just knew things about people. I knew I was psychic, but I was still super confused, super scared, super anxious. I had two great friends who knew more about this stuff than me and they said, 'Erica, you’re receiving. You’re channeling.' They said, 'You're a medium.' I’m like, 'What are you talking about? What is that?' But I was a little less scared because I had them."
So, you can hear things and you can see things — do you experience or receive information from the other side in any other way? "Some people have one [sense], some have two, some have all. I pretty much have all: seeing, hearing, feeling — I didn’t really like taste and smell. They’re a little bug out for me. You can close things off and they go away, but once in a while I’ll have that — all of a sudden, I’ll smell cigarette smoke and that’s a spirit working with your senses to try to show that this person was a smoker or something like that."
What does a regular session with a client look like? "Everybody’s different. Some people come because they’re curious. Some have one specific person they want to hear from. Some are just really open and psychic, and know that they’re feeling their people and just want a confirmation.
"I work with crystals a lot. Crystals have different vibrations and energies and they really help me work. One of them grounds my energy (because I’m working in another dimension, if you want to call it that). One helps to open my psychic abilities. One helps to relax me. I usually have a couple of crystals in my pockets or in my hands. Then, just to ground and relax them, we do a five minute breathing meditation... It’s like a three way connection — the people that have passed’s energy, my energy, and then the person that I'm sitting with, they have to be open and relaxed. Some people are super easy reads because they’re so open. Then others, the meditation helps.
I hug, I cry, I say how sorry I am. It’s always weird to me when [other mediums] don’t do that.
"By that time, the spirits are ready to go... And that’s not only coming from relatives that have passed. We all have guides and spirits that are giving me that information... We just open up to whatever comes through and I've never had people not come through... There’s so many spirits or loved ones wanting to connect all the time, even if you think you haven’t had a lot of losses, they want to connect with you... Maybe people that weren’t so good when they were here come back with a lot of apologies. Sometimes the spirits give advice."
"If I feel like we need to meditate after [making contact] or just relax, we’ll do that. And that’s about it. It’s not like I’m blurting out information, saying goodbye and having no warmth or empathy. I’m aware while I’m doing this what it’s freeing up in the person."
How, specifically, does your background in psychotherapy inform your work as a medium? Are there certain “tools,” so to speak, that you implement in your work? "Empathic listening. People feel when you’re with them. They feel your empathy and your warmth. I’m there. I hug, I cry, I say how sorry I am. It’s always weird to me when [other mediums] don’t do that. I get that they’re focused and that’s not their job — they aren’t psychotherapists... Most of us were taught way back when, 'You’re a clean slate. Don’t bring any part of you [into the session].' I do the complete opposite now. I share details from my life...
"This isn’t like getting a service done, like getting your nails done, this is super emotional. After we have a session, I always ask them how they’re feeling. I usually check in after, like the next day or the day after, whether it’s just a text or whatever to see how they’re feeling, because I know it brings up so much."
Now that you’ve made mediumship your profession, do you still receive random downloads? "Rarely, mainly because I don’t really want to. I have a busy life. I have kids. I have friends. This is now my work — it’s still my passion, but I have good boundaries now. [The spirits] were just doing that to open me up... It’s very rare [to happen now], but I know if it’s happening it needs to happen for a reason."
If you mention that you work as a medium, will people ask you to channel spirits at the drop of a hat? "Yeah, all the time."
Is that annoying? "Yeah... I just laugh and brush it off and try to explain that’s not how it works."
What do you hope people take away from working with you? "[I just hope they] feel better knowing that it’s real and that their loved ones are around them. I want them to just feel happier — more at peace, more healed... If I could add just a little more healing, happiness, closure, and peace to someone’s life, that is what I’m doing."
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For years, sex therapist Vanessa Marin would often see clients who were worried about their "sex number," (the number of people they'd had sex with in their lifetime). Sometimes, the concern was over a mismatch in their number compared to their partners'. But, other times, they'd realise that their sex number was climbing higher than they wanted, and worry about what that said about them. "Then, they would get judgmental about their own sexual decisions," Marin says.
Yet, in the last year, she can't remember a single time one of her clients brought up sex numbers. Maybe that's indicative of a change in how people are thinking about sex, or maybe it's just a coincidence. But, either way, there's no question that our culture is not only becoming more sex positive, but also starting to recognise that "sex" doesn't mean the same thing for everyone. So what does your "sex number" mean in 2018, when sex is not longer well-defined? And should we even worry about keeping track anymore?
To some, the answer is that sex numbers aren't worth counting (and they never were). "People are pushing back against sex negativity in a number of ways," says Shadeen Francis, MFT, a marriage and family therapist who specialises in sex therapy. "For many, that has meant abandoning keeping track of sex number, which historically was used as a way to shame people for having 'too few' or 'too many' sexual experiences. " And that makes total sense. Why keep around a practice that has been used to police people's sexuality, as well as further harmful stereotypes about race (Black women are perceived as having higher numbers, Francis says, because of stereotypes that Black women are promiscuous). In a new, more sex-positive society, the number is totally arbitrary. "You learn very little, if anything, about a person through their sex number," Francis says. "Let's say your partner's sex number is 10. Maybe they had sex with one person 10 times. Does that give you different information than imagining that they had sex with 10 people one time?"
It absolutely doesn't, because the number is just a number without any context. Yet, Marin does see value in keeping track of our sexual experiences in some way, though just counting the number of people we've slept with may not be the best way to go about it. In college, she had a friend who kept a spreadsheet of all of his sexual encounters. "It wasn't just this conquest, alpha male, kind of thing," she says. Her friend wouldn't just track names. He'd track the experience itself, and that could be incredibly useful.
Most of the time, people think about their sex numbers in a very shame-based way, Marin says. And that's not beneficial. But what if you were looking at the "data" objectively? Keeping track of your sexual experiences could actually tell you a lot about the kinds of sex you want to have, and what kinds of people you want to be having them with. "That could be really interesting, to take a look at which decisions make you feel really good and healthy and which decisions didn't end up feeling like they serve you," Marin says. Much more valuable than the sheer number of people you've slept with, are conversations about the kinds of safer sex practices both you and a new partner use, whether or not you're into monogamy, what your kinks are, and what your sexual boundaries are, Francis says. "And if you're talking about someone's sex number but not entering a sexual relationship with that person, then quite likely it isn't any of your business," she says.
So, instead of doing away with tracking sex numbers, let's take the shame out of it. "If we really want to move in a sex positive direction, then it's actually going to be talking more about our sex numbers and having it be something that's out in the open," Marin says. You don't have to stop counting unless you want to, just recognise that we can't attach any kind of value (positive or negative) to the number itself. Because it's not how many people you've slept with that make you an attentive lover, it's how much you've learned about yourself in the process.
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