jesslydiaobrienwriting

The fashion industry is waking up to Arab women’s cultural style and finally giving it the representation it deserves by taking on a new edition of the world’s leading fashion magazine, Vogue. The long awaited and groundbreaking launch of Vogue Arabia proved a revolution. Saudi based designer, Hatem Alakeel, felt that Vogue’s forthcoming into the region symbolised “a whole new movement” for Arab fashion talent, adding so much more credibility to their work.

With Vogue Arabia officially on its second issue, the black tie launch served up a glamorous welcome at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha in partnership with Place Vendôme, filling the room with a stylish VIP crowd and familiar faces such as Naomi Campbell, Lauryn Hill, Suzy Menkes, Zuhair Murad, Peter Dundas, Paul Andrew, Izabel Goulart and Sofia Richie to name a few.

Illuminated by a awe-inspiring light show and the magnificent Qatari skyline, the debut issue cover featuring Gigi Hadid was both boldly and proudly displayed for the crowds to admire. Lauryn Hill stunned the specially selected group of 200 guests as she put on an electrifying performance of some of her greatest tracks while a marvellous three-course meal was served.

At the helm of Vogue Arabia’s launch was Princess Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz, who used her intimate knowledge of Arab consumers and cultural sensibilities to lead the celebration with great pride and power. “The job that Vogue Arabia has is to bridge East and West. To show what we share versus what sets us apart.” Abdulaziz stands firm in her beliefs and explains that although her region is conservative by nature, Arab women are no different to their counterparts around the world – they too want to feel empowered and look beautiful. Vogue Arabia is a chance to create editorials that are tactful and innovative but still celebrate women in a unique way.

Vogue Arabia really couldn’t have arrived at a better time, as a lot more designers are producing traditional fashion that caters specifically to Arab women. Just last year, Dolce & Gabbana launched a new hijab and abaya collection for Muslim women, which many hailed as both “overdue and worth the wait”. Vogue Arabia is a chance to celebrate and incorporate all customs and cultures. Designer, Peter Dundas, spoke on this exciting renaissance, “I think it broadens the horizons for Vogue and for fashion as well.”

Following this exciting event, we will get to see how Vogue Arabia continues to excel and grow alongside the other successful editions while staying true to their roots. If its arrival is anything to go by, the magazine promises to be bold, representative and divergent, providing something that Arab women can relate to. As the new cover states, the mission is to “reorient perceptions” – something that has been a challenge within the region for a long time. Vogue Arabia is about empowerment. Clothes aren’t going to change the world, but the women who wear them will.

• Article written by me while working with Filmatography. This will be published elsewhere but it not copied.

As part of my clumsy journey into womanhood, I decided a couple of years ago to put more effort into my exercise “sessions”. I use the term “session” lightly because back then they probably only consisted of five squats and a lunge… if my right thigh was lucky.

It can be hard to find a way to exercise that is both fun and beneficial. I made it my own personal challenge to try any experience, so I can find something I love to do. Not just that, but something that my body loves me for doing. Otherwise, I’d just sit at home watching “Friends”.

Tonight was Zumba night. I love taking an hour out of my evening to shake my hips like Shakira to some funky music, so I was pretty excited for the class. It’s the best form of exercise that I have found on my quest…so far.

As per usual, I was greeted by an overly enthusiastic instructor, who was so high on endorphins it looked like her smile was going to split her face in half.

“I want what she’s having”, I thought to myself.

She then passed me two white coloured cylindrical tubes. Sorry? I thought this was Zumba? I started to wonder what the awkwardly-shaped things were that I was holding in my hands. Then she turned the main lights out. What have I walked into?

She obviously noticed my subtly (I thought) confused face before doing so, and asked me if I got the memo. Tonight, they were using the room for “Clubbercise”. That’s right. In my hands were two glow sticks. Being a lover of the rave scene, you can imagine how quickly I took my place on the dance floor amid the other dedicated Clubbercise ladies.

She described the class as “an aerobic rave”. Like Zumba, we copied the instructor who led us through a mix of simple aerobic and street dance moves to the sound of the latest floor fillers.

Needless to say, my face was as red as a tomato and I was dripping with sweat by the end. However, it didn’t feel like a chore to exercise in this way. I couldn’t hear the same grating, monotonous sound of “plod, plod, plod” I hear every time I run.

I even enjoyed a guilt-free caramel macchiato and a packet of popchips on the way home.

If I can have a night out and a work out at the same time, I think I’m onto a winner.

Who says exercise can’t be fun?

Not knowing where you are heading in life at a young age isn’t always a bad thing. This uncertainty definitely ended up as a positive for Bronwyn Gillespie, who changed the path she was on to become a make-up artist and hair-stylist. Once she discovered her desire to be a part of the beauty industry, she went on to train in different places with various people. From the Perth College of Beauty Therapy, all the way over to the USA Empire Academy in California, Bronwyn’s experience continued to grow. Following her determination in learning the tricks of the trade, she went on to work Perth Fashion Week, Feroze Magazine and a lot more. Finally, we had the chance to talk to her and find out how difficult it was to break into the beauty industry. Here is what she had to say about her journey so far:

Bronwyn Gillespie – Breaking into the Beauty Industry.

Following her fascination with make-up from the young age of 16, Bronwyn Gillespie broke her way into the beauty industry as a make-up artist, using strong determination, passion and perseverance. “It was eyeliner and the achievement of making a perfectly straight line that fascinated me the most. I wore it everywhere” she told us during the interview. Make-up provokes a lot of different reactions within our society today – nearly everybody holds an opinion. However, Bronwyn’s inspiring story portrays how make-up can be seen as an art form. It takes patience, hard work, a creative eye and a steady hand.

Like many young people, Bronwyn’s certainty about where she was heading in life was shaken at university when she was studying a psychology degree. Realising that psychology wasn’t what her heart was truly set on, she made the brave decision to leave university and follow her passion. It was then that she made the courageous phone call to her parents to let them know that her exciting journey to become a professional make-up artist had begun.

It wasn’t an easy road to get there. Bronwyn’s family voiced their concern regarding her decision to take on her passion as a profession – they were worried she could not make a profitable living. Bronwyn reassured us, “They love me and their concerns were a fair call, but I managed to show them that there is so much that can be achieved when working in beauty and as a make-up artist. As for my friends, well, they all lined up to be “models”.”

Becoming a make-up artist is not nearly as easy as it sounds. Yes, a lot of women wear make-up so the practice is easy to come by. However, polishing up different techniques can be just as tricky as any other artists work. Knowing how to correctly apply your foundation, what brushes to use to blend out concealer, and where to bronze in order to contour are just a few things to learn in order to create a flawless face! To start her career, Bronwyn took a big dive into the deep end. With no training at first, she decided to make calls to well known make-up artists in Perth and asked to be their assistant so she could learn the tricks of the trade. It was a bold move as many artists attend training or academies to become qualified before trying for jobs. Due to her passion and strong determination, Bronwyn succeeded. She then went on to do a short course in basic make-up and secured a job working at Myer for a cosmetic brand soon after.

2015 saw the start of Bronwyn’s make-up and hairstyling agency, BG Creatives, and now holds over 1000 likes on Facebook. We asked her how she sees the business growing in future, “I’d like the agency to build enough to support a handful of extremely talented artists, here in Perth and then nationally. It won’t be an overnight success but I’m looking forward to the journey.” The business has had a steady start and is progressing consistently with a number of artists already subcontracted under the agency.

Bronwyn’s achievements so far provide the rest of us with the realisation that dreams can become reality with a bit of hard work and enthusiasm. She reassures us that parts of the journey to reach your goals will encourage mistakes. “I spent the best part of my starter years learning from trial and error, reading, following and learning from artists, whom I still follow to this very day.” Even without a mentor at the start of her career, Bronwyn and her business remain reputable.

All the girly readers are probably begging the question – “What’s her secret?” or “What brands does she use?” Bronwyn notes that she uses products that work and suit the desired look. Some brands will work well for one feature, whereas something different might work for other features. She claims that she uses products that do her work justice and what you find in an artists kit will vary a lot. Everyone has their favourites! Bronwyn also shared with us that she prefers making someone up to look natural, demonstrating “clean beauty”. “To me, it is the ultimate test of art. To create the perfect look whilst enhancing features or reducing blemishes without a single trace of make-up visible on the skin. It’s perfection at its best.” Although, being the brave soul she is, Bronwyn also says she loves creating daring works of art (if she is given the option!).

Every inspirational person still has their goals though, and she’s not quite reached her final destination yet! Her ultimate dream is to work the runways of Paris Fashion Week, colouring and contouring the faces of top models.

So it’s pretty exciting, huh? Make-up artistry sure takes a lot of hard work and creativity. The industry is ever growing internationally, with more looks and styles coming into play. “HD set a new standard of perfection,” Bronwyn spills. “Artists have been more daring and non-conservative. It’s exciting to see where make-up will go in the future.”

Check out Bronwyn’s Facebook page “BG Creatives” to see some of her past work. Who knows? It might inspire you to break into the beauty industry yourself!

Have you ever experienced a theatrical performance without lighting? Without sound, audio/visual,  set or scenery? Instruments or costumes? I, for one, don’t think I have witnessed a performance missing ALL of the above, and to be honest, I don’t think I’d want to anytime soon. Don’t get me wrong, there are some stupendous playwrights, dazzling actors and gut-wrenching scripts but I am a strong believer that the “backstage performance” is  perhaps just as important – if not more – as the performance on-stage. Yes, of course I have seen some great minimalistic performances that purely focus on text, plot and the actors. However, an audience doesn’t need to be told the actors are talented – they can watch them, hear them and feel them. What an audience may not be aware of are the actors’ resources. Actors use elements of technical theatre as tools, helping them to bring the play to life and draw out the emotion. To me, the importance of backstage is that it is used to prevent an audience overlooking a deeper meaning behind the performance. It’s truly incredible how much more powerful a performance can become using technical theatre.

Now, I may be losing some of you amongst my passion here. So, step into my shoes for a second; I want you to become the playwright. You have written a love scene between two characters. Think about the details. What colours could you use in your lighting to represent the emotions the actors are feeling? What is the scenery like? What sounds would be in the background? Are the sounds inside the characters’ heads or atmospherical? Suddenly, a tornado hits the city. Your sounds need to become harsher and more violent – what can you hear? What special effects can you use to create a natural disaster? Is it a projection? How many colours are you visualising now? Are the lovers’ costumes becoming dusty or ripped amongst the chaos? Theatre has no walls. (Except the fourth.) It is your imagination, as far as it can go. There are NO limits. Now imagine that scene without any backstage help. It’s just your actors and the script…Do you feel my enthusiasm yet?

This particular thought has been in my head since I was very young. I would go and see West End shows with my family in London when I was living in the UK and wonder at the mystery of special effects, how lighting created different moods and atmospheres and how sounds could immerse you in a whole new world away from reality. At the end of the show, I’d find myself clapping for the “techies” rather than the performers. It’s what drove me to study Drama and Stage Management earlier in life and why theatre still remains a passion today. Backstage, for me, is where the real magic happens.

I urge you, next time you go to see a play, a concert or a musical, take note of each change. Someone backstage is making that happen. That lighting or sound cue has been programmed individually. Someone is backstage, pressing buttons on a board to make it happen – if they miss a cue, it could make the actors look pretty daft! Or, if a piece of scenery came on late for a scene, the play would stop! It’s no walk in the park. The workers backstage create a huge part of the story you are watching and take you into a world they have formed. Credit where credit’s due. The actors get a bow in their curtain call, why not the crew?

Looking for a new rebellious attitude to set your individuality on fire? As a label notoriously known for their enhancement of the hip-hop era and attitude through clothing, Geedup took the word off the street and put it into fashion. Orchestrated by four young entrepreneurs, Geedup offers garments for a wide selection of people that can relate to 90’s hip hop, 80’s graffiti and 70’s crime families. Beau, Jake, Marc and Benny claim that their clothing line and relationship as “team boss” represents a brotherhood rather than a business. Originating with a team up between the guys, the idea to sell baseball caps and basketball jerseys online was born. With Jake’s whiz photoshop skills, the team managed to get a mock up design fairly shortly after the website and logo. The demand was high and proved a successful product; the first ten trials of the sweaters sold within ten to fifteen minutes! It was only a week later that those same customers were asking, “what’s next?” As for their punchy and organic name, nothing more than a quick look inside themselves was needed. The phrase “Geedup” had been a part of their everyday lives and love for hip-hop culture for as long as they can remember; it was cemented into their heads through the entirety of their mission. I guess you could say the boys are the definition of everything their name stands for. G’d up – “To be amazing at something and succeed extremely. Murk all others and destroy competition.” Check out some of the street savvy looks for yourself at geedupclothing.com.

Was our definition of chivalry ever even alive? I have gone back so far in history in my head to think of a time that I would say it was completely apparent. The word comes from the middle ages when men rode valiant steeds and women stayed home working twelve hours a day in a property that they didn’t own and were treated as property themselves. Chivalrous, right? The term actually represents certain ethical factors and qualities of manhood, not just a man’s attitude towards a woman. A lot of these qualities are good, yes, but many of them involve such things as “protection of the weak,” which we ALL know would offend a vast amount of independent women today. Let’s not forget that this chivalrous code of conduct was only applied to noble women, which meant it was totally okay to disregard and abuse the poor. Am I the only one that sees a rising over a fall? I am really struggling to think of a time that women overall were treated better than they are today, yet all we hear are complaints that “chivalry is dead” and “gentlemen don’t exist”. WRONG.

I’ve read articles blatantly blaming each gender, complaining that men have become ignorant and impolite and that women have become complacent and disrespectful. Neither are totally correct and these generalisations are just excuses to use in blaming something that has been apparent in creation for centuries. I’m talking about EVOLUTION.

Presuming chivalry (as we know it) did exist, it’s merely evolving – not dying! It was women that technically brought about change and offered up equality which gave men the sneaky chance to split the bill and chill out a bit. What’s wrong with that? It was bound to happen at some point because men and women thrive for progression not oppression. So, inevitably men and women have ended up working more as a team: in households, at work and in general life. Do we, as women, really expect men to be completely ignorant and not latch on to the fact that we begged for independence? Give them some credit! Chivalry has changed. It could now be described as “a man and woman exchanging a sense of equality and respect”.

We can’t really criticise a man if he chooses to not pull our chair out for us, either. One, because pulling a chair out for a lady was a gentlemanly act displayed over the course of many years including today. Yes, it does still happen! In my opinion, it was not the era that was chivalrous, it was the man as an individual. If you aren’t getting your chair pulled out for you, he’s just not that sort of guy! Granted he probably makes up for it in other ways. Two, nothing has necessarily changed, apart from man’s cleverly evolved intuition helping him to realise that a lot of women would be offended by this act nowadays, so he instinctively avoids getting his head bitten off. Does Beyonce need her chair pulled out for her? She is a strong, independent women. I think not! Whether Jay-Z wants to is another matter…

Other women appreciate the gesture. Every person is different and there can be no way of knowing without communication before the date. Sorry men, sometimes it is a risky guessing game! You do get both ends of the spectrum with each gender. Some men wouldn’t know what romance was if it bit them on the butt. Then you get the women that would struggle not to vomit and run a mile if they were “wooed”. There is no right way to court. However, some of the traditional chivalrous acts are now mind-numbingly archaic and remind us of a time when women were considered the lesser half of the human race. It’s like anything, people use laptops or computers instead of typewriters now because it’s more effective. Maybe a few casual drinks without the awkward fumbling over a posh plate of squirmy oysters is just more compelling. Some women will like feeling protected, others will like feeling in control.

We’re all trying our best and let’s be honest, an intense, chivalrous and old-fashioned atmosphere on a date is hardly relaxing or fun. Chivalry, as it’s old fashioned definition, should be used in doses – like a guide book! This is all part of the “chivalry evolutionary  process”. Pick and choose what works: loyalty, maturity, courtesy? I think generally, the right man (the one worth pursuing) will demonstrate these qualities anyway. All people that treat you right and show you respect are, in a basic form, chivalrous. It isn’t even a gender restricted term. Chivalry is all around; people are thinking that it doesn’t exist because they have a certain definition of it in their head which limits its meaning to certain actions or words coming from a certain person.  I think men – well, the majority – have evolved perfectly to fit the modern day man, woman, society and relationship. It’s simple, really. As our queen of Independence, Miss Aretha taught us, “all I’m asking is for a little respect.” Men, you don’t need to do any of these things for us. Wanting to is another matter.