Is Meta poised to free the nipple?
After a decade of campaigns against the discriminatory ban, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company has called for an overhaul to a policy it says impedes freedom of expression for women and trans and nonbinary people. For years now, social media’s blatant censorship bias has come under increasing fire, especially its...
Current in Body
Exposure to body positive content can help aid mental health
A new study has labelled the viewing of diverse figures on the internet as an effective ‘micro-intervention’ for self-esteem that prevents or limits the adverse impacts of social media. For decades, body positivity has lived comfortably in mainstream media. Acting as a remedy to idealistic, unattainable beauty standards we’ve long been...
British Airways updates staff uniforms for first time in two decades
Fashion designer Ozwald Boateng has created a new uniform line for British Airways’ staff. After 20 years of sporting the same look, its 30,000 employees – especially female staff – will have more freedom regarding what they wear at work. For far too long, most airline stewardesses’ have had to...
Gen Z Ghanaians are expertly thrifting the West’s clothing waste
Around 15 million pieces of clothing end up at Ghana’s Kantamanto Market every week. Young locals have entered the business of reselling hidden gems to avoid a build-up of local pollution – all while making a pretty penny and encouraging a sustainable way of life. In recent years, Ghana has...
The rise in niche cosmetic surgeries sparks debate online
The ever-growing list of available cosmetic surgeries continues to generate new ways for us to dislike ourselves, but online narratives prove that some are just too ridiculous to buy into. ‘What do you want for your birthday?’ my mom asked when visiting me last year in London. Turning away...
Keke Palmer gives her audience a beauty standards reality check
After a makeup-free photo was posted of her online, Keke Palmer was hit with a wave of hateful comments about her appearance. Her response to the criticism should be a wake-up call for how we measure beauty today and how we value women in general. The internet is a ruthless...
New report links global fashion consumption to inequality
A new fashion report by Berlin’s Hot or Cool Institute presents data on how fashion consumption exposes global inequalities, reveals how many outfits we really need in our closets, and makes suggestions for improving sustainability within consumer behaviour. Whether you already live by the advice of sustainable fashion advocates or not, there’s no denying that making simple changes to our shopping habits will play a significant role in fighting the...
Opinion – the heroin chic resurgence must be nipped in the bud
With nostalgia trends all the rage, nineties fashion has made a comeback. However, recent headlines touting thin as being ‘in’ again imply that so too has its toxic counterpart: the glorification of skinniness and the unhealthy behaviours necessary to achieve it. Although the popularisation of heroin chic occurred long before I was old enough to have it shoved in my face by clothing campaigns and the media, its damaging impact...
Is the Met Gala’s 2023 theme problematic?
He may have been one of the most talented and influential fashion figureheads of the 21st century, but like most in positions of power, Karl Lagerfeld’s fame wasn’t without controversy. Is the Met Gala wrong to idolise him at next year’s event? Last year, I wrote about the Met Gala and the ways in which it seemed to have lost its allure. From its tone-deaf theme to its oversaturated invite list,...
Could sustainability make a bigger impact at next year’s Fashion Week?
Although the fashion industry is not blind to the worsening climate crisis, only a handful of designers have shown serious commitment to utilising sustainable materials in their collections. From next year, things could look quite different. According to CFDA reports, New York Fashion Week emits around 48,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per event. As soon as this information was made public, demands flew in for London, Paris, Milan -...