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Day: 20 February 2017

Slogan t-shirts: a political fashion statement

Written by Talia Lee-Skudder on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

This New York Fashion Week saw a number of designers using the catwalk to demonstrate their dissent with the Trump administration. After Trump’s controversial executive orders that included the immigration ban and the removal of funds from US groups that perform or provide information on abortions, NYFW became a platform where designers and models can make statements about the current political system.

This season has seen a wave of slogan t-shirts emblazoned with captions: Prabal Gurung released a range of t-shirts with different captions including, ‘Girls just want to have fundamental rights’, ‘This is what a feminist looks like’ and the popular phrase that is currently making rounds on social media, ‘Nevertheless, she persisted’.

With the fashion industry publicly endorsing Hillary Clinton, it is perhaps unsurprising that designers took this opportunity to voice their opinions on women’s rights and the immigration ban.  Back in October, when the idea of Trump becoming President seemed unbelievable, he caused outrage when he referred to Clinton as a ‘nasty woman’. This sparked clothing brand ‘Nasty Gal’ to release t-shirts with the caption ‘nasty woman’. Now there is a range of merchandise available with this phrase, turning Trump’s insult into a positive attribute for a strong, career driven women.  Fashion Week jumped fully on board with this slogan trend.

While designers from Tommy Hilfiger to Diane Von Furstenberg sent their models down the runway with white bandanas tied around their wrists in support of the #TiedTogether campaign which demonstrates unity amidst the political unrest, Prabal Gurung and other big names fully embraced the slogan tee trend.  New York-based brand Creatures of Comfort followed suit with light blue t-shirts with the words ‘We are all human beings’, while designer Christian Siriano included a black t-shirt with the writing ‘people are people’.

The fashion forecast is that the slogan t-shirt is back and it can be worn casually with jeans or dressed up with heels and a skirt in the style of Gurung’s catwalk show. These designers are encouraging us to be loud and proud with our views and stand up for what is just, so wear your views across your chest with slogan t-shirts and make a political as well as a fashion statement.

These t-shirts that were debuted at Fashion Week are more than just an accessory, they are a symbol of unity, support, and inclusivity.

These politically charged shows are perhaps a sign of what is yet to come in the succeeding shows in Paris, London and Milan. For this season, politics is intertwined with fashion, as the industry uses its voice to demonstrate discontent and celebrate that we are united against hatred and discrimination.

This year, grab your slogan tee and stand together.

Review: 50 Shades Darker

Written by Emilia Ujejski on . Posted in Film.

Based on the best selling book series by E.L James, a dismayed Anastasia Steel (Dakota Johnson) decides to take a second chance on the man who has impressed women worldwide: the chiselled but ever-so brooding Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). In this sequel to the notorious box-office hit, a shocking turn of events get sexual very quickly, but are even the sex scenes worth the ticket price?

Notably, neither the plot nor the acting were seriously accredited in the first film of the franchise and 50 Shades Darker continues to be severely lacking in both onscreen chemistry and a clear narrative. The sex scenes resemble airbrushed perfume ads, where both Dornan and Johnson’s glamorous appearances  —expect for the bulky abs and arbitrarily oiled breasts — and dispassionate performances contradict the premise of a gritty, darker expression of sexuality.

The plot, just as the sex, is white-washed and lacks a focal point. Random events are displayed and dropped as quickly as they are presented. It is unclear if the narrative arc is supposed to be Christian’s dramatic helicopter crash, where he plummets into a forest bed on his way to a work meeting with no context whatsoever. Although there is a moment of initial concern, this is quickly scrapped in the next scene where he strolls in unharmed ready for his own luxurious birthday party. Or perhaps Anastasia’s antagonism towards her sexually assaulting boss is supposed to be central to the plot, or Christian’s worry over his violent self-harming stalker. It is difficult to tell as all these issues are briskly swept under the carpet for decorative sex scenes.

Perhaps the strongest potential theme explored in the film is the tension between Anastasia’s desire for a normative ‘Vanilla-flavored’ relationship and Christian’s deviating desires due to his troubled past. ‘I’m a sadist’, he claims during what is supposed to be a key revelation in the film, explaining that he uses BDSM as a coping mechanism towards his hatred of his negligent, drug-addicted mother. On paper, this is a strong psychoanalytic theme, but is hardly presented in the film, aside from a flashback during the opening scenes. Instead we get the stereotypical sugar-coated romantic notion of the brooding rich bad boy who completely turns himself around when the woman of his dreams comes along becoming boring and generic in the process.

Obviously, the success of the first movie can be attributed to the racy sexual scenes, but also by arguably indulging in a fantasy that goes beyond conventional relationship norms. What was so gripping about the premise of 50 Shades, was the viewer’s ability to escape norms and conventional relationships and indulge in an alternative that questions the need for emotional intimacy and sheds light on supposedly deviant forms of sexuality, such as BDSM. 50 shades darker contains an oozing of materialism, beautiful actors, a multitude of narratives, and yet falls flat in terms of the substance which one can fantasise about.

Then again, as a film that was inspired by a book based on Twilight fan fiction, the franchise is doing quite well for itself, with an incredible amount of ticket sales for both 50 Shades and 50 Shades Darker. Whether the audience feels indulged in the stale fantasy is another story.

1/5

The race for the top four

Written by Joe Murphy on . Posted in Sport.

Considering fixtures, form and injuries, as well as several other factors. Everton are exempt from consideration because they are far too inconsistent.

Chelsea: The runaway league leaders are the most balanced team in the league, as they look strong both defensively and attackingly. There was a danger when Costa was rumoured to be leaving in the January transfer window that they may fall from grace and their place at the top of the table was under threat but now all that’s resolved, and contract extension deals are being discussed, Chelsea seemingly have one hand on the league title. The 8-point gap to second placed Manchester City is a comfortable cushion for Conte’s side, and I would say their top 4 place is all but assured, with no hazards in the way. Prediction 1st.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Manchester City: Football is a strange game, Manchester City were 5th only a couple of weeks ago, and the pressure on Pep was growing. With strong form from young Gabriel Jesus, and some divine luck against Swansea they now find themselves resurrected into second, and the only one’s seemingly with a chance of catching the league leaders. To have your bad spell in the season and still be second is a good sign that a top 4 finish shouldn’t be a problem, especially with Aguero to come back into the side. Their involvement in the Champions League may hinder their progress, but a top four finish should be comfortably achieved. Prediction 2nd.

Raheem Sterling, Photo: joshjdss@flickr

Liverpool: Choosing the top 2 was easy, but Man-e it was hard to select the teams for the next two predictions, and thinking which two teams would miss out. As much as I despise them, I believe Liverpool will walk alone into third place come the end of the season. They have had their bad patch and still find themselves in contention. Not only this but now Mane is back, Coutinho is free from injury, no other cup competitions mean a less congested fixture list and they have arguably the easiest running of any of the top 6. Unlike Gerrard, I don’t see them slipping up. Prediction 3rd.

Daniel Sturridge, Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Manchester United: It would be criminal if I didn’t believe my team were making it to the top four. I believe it will be very close but I feel they will just edge out the two north London clubs. There are several factors behind this madness. Firstly, United are on a superb unbeaten run, they are playing good football and have only one or two injuries. The only thing that could hinder United now is their congested fixture run, and this Mata-s. They are still involved in four competitions meaning they could have an extra 20 games of the season should they go all the way. A Europa league win would ensure Champions league football next year anyway, but I see Mourinho’s mean going out of Europe earlier this year, and focusing on the league, I’m Shaw of it. Prediction 4th.

Manchester United playing Tottenham in December, Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Spurs: Purely because on their Europa league involvement, and the fact they haven’t had their inevitable bad spell yet, I feel Spurs will just miss out. They haven’t had many problems, and have played consistently well, but their form against the big teams is Dier and needs improving to finish above such clubs. I do believe Spurs could go on to win the FA cup and have a busy summer transfer window where, hopefully for spurs fans, there is a marquee signing; somebody like Real Madrid’s Morata maybe. Prediction 5th.

Alexis Sanchez, Photo: dom fellowes@flickr

Arsenal: I’ve watched Arsenal, and they have been incredibly lucky in so many games. They didn’t deserve to win against Burnley, and had some help from the referee to beat Hull. Yes, champions must win gritty games any way possible, but they haven’t looked like the old Arsenal, and I genuinely believe that if the club lose Alexis Sanchez, Laurent Koscielny and Mesut Ozil (who at the minute looks a shadow of his former self), then they could fall out of the top eight without sufficient backup. They have the least depth on any squad in the top six. I do feel that they won’t go far in the Champions League this season, as they are facing Bayern Munich. However, I feel going out of the competition at this stage will improve their chances of a top four finish. One thing’s for sure, the pressure on Wenger will be immense if they finish any lower than 4th. Prediction 6th.

Album: Sampha — Process

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Music.

Released 3rd February via Young Turks

8.5/10

After being prominent on the music scene for a number of years and working with the likes of Kanye West, Drake and Frank Ocean, Sampha has finally blessed us with his eagerly-awaited LP.

Way back in 2014, when Sampha decided he was ready to write his album, he stopped recording in his bedroom and starting renting out studio spaces. The product of this is Process, a beautiful piece with a lot of weight to it, coloured as it is by Sampha’s recent loss of both of his parents. In that sense, Process is his way of doing just that: processing changes to his life in recent years by looking towards his music.

Every track is written for a purpose. On a record full of ballads, Sampha explores love, life and death in the most sophisticated of ways. His own health struggles over the last year are magnified in ‘Plastic 100°C’ — “I didn’t really know what that lump was, my luck”, and in ‘Reverse Faults’ he deals with brotherly regrets over an erratic yet controlled beat. ‘Timmy’s Prayer’, co-written by Kanye West, explains love in the most peaceful yet truthful way. Sampha makes clear his feelings that love is like a prison and that he must decide if he is okay with that dynamic — “I wish that I listened when I was in prison/ Now I’m just a visitor.”

The stand out track on the album is ‘(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano’, dedicated to his late mother Binty Sissay. It is the perfect amalgamation of childhood regression and acceptance of the future, complemented by clean piano notes and a gospel-inspired chorus. After playing his first piano at the age of three, it is clear how much music shaped his childhood and is now a vessel for him to relive his warm family memories and the home he grew up in — “You know I left, I flew the nest/… And you know I’ll be back home.”

Process can be considered as an ode to his mother and is swamped with references to her, leaving us in awe of their relationship — “the more time that passes, the more I see the extent of her love for me”. Sampha’s frank explanations of his struggles after his mother’s death make ‘Kora Sings’ (“a mother needs her sons/… I just need you here”) and ‘What Shouldn’t I Be?’, an encrypted celebration of all he and his family have achieved, highlights of the album.

Sampha is one of the very few figures who has mastered the ability to make his own genre. The use of classical instruments and electronic beats combine to create an ethereal and potentially soul-shattering musical experience. What makes this album so good, however, is the precise music’s interaction with Sampha’s raw emotions. On Process, Sampha reminds us again and again that is okay to feel, as long as you let it drive you forward rather than hold you back.

Andy Burnham and the Mayoral election’s historical significance

Written by Barney Weston on . Posted in Features.

Andy Burnham is expected by many to breeze through the Greater Manchester Mayoral election, and into the Mayor’s office at Churchgate House (across the road from Palace Theatre) on May the 4th.

All bar one of Greater Manchester’s councils are controlled by Labour. (Trafford Council is the exception, controlled by the Conservatives. Its leader, Sean Anstee, is the Conservative Mayoral candidate.) There are just five, out of a total twenty-seven Greater Manchester constituencies that Labour MPs do not represent. Before 2015, there were only three.

Going into the speed networking event with Andy Burnham, organised by the Greater Manchester branch of the Fabian Society, and held at UTC@MediaCityUK’s television studio in Salford, I felt unexcited over the prospect of a predictable election.

Over forty people sat in a room, separate from the studio, watching the event via a projection of the YouTube livestream.

Waiting, I introduced myself to Matt Mason, a University of Manchester Politics student. He was here taking notes on the event as a requirement of one of his modules; on political communication. But Matt was also a member of the Labour Party. I asked him what he thought of Andy Burnham. “He seems alright, but as charismatic politicians go, he’s not one of them.” He expected, he said, “a massive figure of the North of England.” He quoted IPPR North, the Northern thinktank he works for, to clarify: “A Nicola Sturgeon for the North of England”.

A relatively ordinary video opened the event. It explained how members of the audience, ‘networkers’, would be able to come and take the ‘hot seat’ and have two-and-a-half minutes to chat with Andy monitored by a countdown clock.

Microphones bumped. Awkward questions about CVs were asked. Laughs were forced. Especially when a ‘May the 4th be with you’ joke was made, out of the blue. A shelf sat behind Andy featuring Manchester memorabilia such as the album cover for the Smiths, for The Stone Roses’ Fools Gold single, and for New Order’s Substance.

Halfway through the evening, Matt leaned over to me: “He’s making some good points but I don’t think anyone is listening.” He seemed right. Perhaps the most exciting event of the evening was one of the ‘networkers’ getting the microphone caught on his foot. It certainly drew the biggest reaction from the audience.

The event only seemed to help Andy Burnham. Perhaps things will change as the campaign progresses, but ultimately, it seems that as long as he does not lose the momentum Labour has in the region, he should have the job as Mayor in the bag.

One ‘networker’ even opened a question with “once you do become Mayor…”, to which Burnham replied: “I like that you say ‘once you become Mayor’, because you think it’s a given… but I’m still… I’m not taking the election for granted, but I hope I do become Mayor.”

As the event progressed, it became clear that ‘devolution’ was the buzzword of the night. Andy Burnham wants “to use devolution to reinvent ourselves”.

When asked how to get rid of the London-centric view of the UK, he cited “devolution as the chance to change that”.

But Andy Burnham seems aware that devolution does not seem to be the word as much on everyone else’s lips as it is on his. “If we could click our fingers and make that happen, I’d be so happy, because I feel at the moment maybe people aren’t so sure about this whole thing […] and I don’t think people yet have embraced what it means and got involved.”

I started writing this feature and it became clear to me that, in the context of a perhaps predictable election, the news here was in the historical significance of the election itself, as a product of devolution.

In recent years, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has been making strides forward for Greater Manchester. A ‘city deal’ was announced for Greater Manchester in 2012. It included a Revolving Infrastructure Fund, allowing the GMCA to earn back up to £30 million a year for spending on infrastructure projects; a Greater Manchester Investment Framework, letting the GMCA have increased independence over both Westminster and EU funding; and a Greater Manchester Housing Investment Board, permitting the GMCA to build new housing in the area (it currently has a £300 million budget).

This is where things get important. In 2014, George Osbourne, as then-Chancellor of the Exchequer, reached agreement with each of the leaders of the ten district councils to create the first county-wide elected Mayor outside of London. (Different to Liverpool’s city-wide elected Mayor.) The ten district council leaders will form the Mayor’s cabinet, whilst continuing to lead their own councils. To introduce any major changes, and prevent the wants and needs of Manchester being paramount, instead of Greater Manchester’s, the Mayor will need the support of two-thirds of his cabinet.

The power devolved to the Mayor of Greater Manchester via this deal is tremendous. The Mayor will be chair of the GMCA, (meaning he will lead the Revolving Infrastructure Fund, the Greater Manchester Investment Framework as well as the Greater Manchester Housing Board). He or she will be the Greater Manchester Police & Crime Commissioner, setting the policing budget and deciding priorities for Greater Manchester Police, as well as being responsible for the transport budget. These are just some of the powers devolved.

Andy Burnham therefore stands both in the midst and on the brink of that history, and he seems to understands that. He references the IRA bomb on Corporation Street in June 1996.

“It then kick started, I guess, a whole series of change in Manchester. The rebuilding of large parts of the city centre and, I think, though it was a terrible event and people were injured, in some ways it kind of was a turning point for the city. And then the Commonwealth Games came and that took us on a whole new level again And then Media City came, about five years after the Commonwealth Games. So really we never looked back and Greater Manchester really kind of built through that era.”

He also consistently references Manchester’s future throughout the evening. “In ten years’ time I want the rest of the country to look at Greater Manchester and say ‘you know what, they do things right there. They do things differently, but they do things better. And I want Greater Manchester to be a real beacon of social justice to the rest of the country.” He cites how he wants Greater Manchester to be “the best place to grow up, the best place to get on, the best place to grow old”. It seems he has plans to be Manchester’s very own turning point.

Andy Burnham was also quizzed on the national question. On Labour and having a continuing role on the national stage and in the politics of the Labour Party; “I do, but I wouldn’t put it about me really. I want Greater Manchester and the North to have a stronger voice on the national stage.” In the context of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland reaping the benefits of devolution, he describes how the North has been left “unsure where it fits in”. He believes he can make a success of devolution for Greater Manchester, and create a “more distinctive Northern brand of Labour”, allowing for the party to recover both “its position and its standing in the North”.

On how he thinks Manchester should respond if the rumours of Trump coming to Manchester were to be true, he said: “I think we should give him a traditional Manchester welcome, tell him straight what we think.”

Even on clubbing, within the context of Fabric being reopened and Sankey’s being closed, Andy Burnham was asked, “what would you do as Mayor to fight for Manchester’s proud and historic music culture, and broader reputation as the best place in England to be young?” Referencing his experience growing up in the 1980s, he describes the music as one of the few positives of the era: “This is another passion of mine [… but] I feel a bit of complacency has crept in to the Manchester music scene and we’ve got to challenge that.

“I’m a big believer in the life and soul of the city […] these venues need to be protected and I will protect them […] this will be a big agenda.”

Andy Burnham also spoke about his Mayoral influences. He cited Sadiq Khan in London, Bill de Blasio in New York, as well as Mayors in several Spanish cities as well as Singapore. “But we wanna do it our own way as well don’t we. We’re gunna be Greater Manchester and we’re gunna be unique and different and do it our way.”

However, although he claims to be putting young people at the heart of his campaign, (and testament to that, he is promising a free bus pass for 16-18 year olds, as well as the implementation of a UCAS-style system for apprenticeships), there does not seem to be much to appeal to undergraduate students.

I pressed him on the issue. “Well I’ve got to be careful about the commitments made,” he replies, much to my initial disappointment. But he thinks on his feet. He doesn’t dodge the question but goes on to decide to include (only paid) internships on that UCAS-style system. He also talks about helping people in their 20s and 30s on the housing ladder. He considers offering them an affordable Greater Manchester housing rent-to-own programme, thus encouraging them to stay in the region.

This attitude is evident in a policy he floats to me in regards to the NHS bursary, cut as of August 2017. He suggests that perhaps he could fund them if graduates were to spend at least five years working in the Greater Manchester NHS, or perhaps he could pay off 10% of their loan for every year they spend in the Greater Manchester NHS post-university.

Andy Burnham seems full of ideas and he encourages people to submit their ideas as he writes his manifesto. I wondered if perhaps he could work with the careers service in the implementation of that UCAS-style system. Could he do more for students going into privately rented accommodation?

Andy Burnham also seems keen on conversations with the universities. He talks of the benefits of “all the research coming out of the University of Manchester”.

As the evening came to a close, Andy Burnham said it had been “good to be tested in that way”. Tested? We will see if things get much harder as the campaign progresses.