Child Modelling: How Much is Too Much?

French Vogue Lolita Under Fire

Where do you stand on the debate over kiddie-supermodel Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau (Phew! Too many names, it does not roll off the tongue well) and her spread in the January spread for Vogue Paris? I'm surprised that it's only blown up now considering it's been seven months since the issue was published. But whatever. Point is, where do you stand? 

Putting Things In Perspective: Fashion and Its Pace

It's hard to imagine a designer's life. With all the hectic schedules, press handling, numerous collections and their celebrity, it does not come as a surprise that most of them fall into a downward spiral and break down. Fashion writer Suzy Menkes notes that "the pressure from fast fashion and from the instant internet age to create new things constantly has worn down other famous names" and these include the likes of Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, and most recently Christophe Decarnin, John Galliano, and the one who took the toll the most, Alexander McQueen. With an industry that is constantly going at a precarious rate, serving up casualties such as the aforementioned, somebody needs to ask the important questions. "Is it all worth it?" "What is it worth?"

Top 10 Favourite Bits Of 2010

Since everybody seems to be putting out their lists before 2010 goes out the door, I thought I'd make my own little list too. This decade was pretty eventful for me, seeing as I have lived it, but 2010 believe it or not is pretty lukewarm for me. I don't know what it is, maybe I've gotten myself stuck in a rut or something? Nevertheless, here are some of my highlights.

10. Entering the Gateway to Senescence. I turned 21 this year. Big Woop! To people in America, it is such a big deal because its the legal age. For the most part they celebrate it because they can now legally drink and maybe pole-dance for a living, but for me it wasn't that big of a deal. Sure I had the massive party. I also had one for my 18th birthday, and every year following that. I always felt as though I had peaked early with the whole clubbing/partying/boozing scene that 21 years allow you to abuse. All the same, it is a rite of passage and I have passed. Woopeeeeeeh!

The Story of O

The Story of O is an erotic novel written in 1954 by French author Anne Desclos under the pseudonym Pauline Réage. The story is about sexual dominance and submission, very similar to Anne Rice's trilogy on Sleeping Beauty (which is in no way anything like Disney!). Now you may get excited about that, but alas I actually have not read the book yet. I want to, but I just don't have the time at the moment. Maybe over Christmas? Sounds like a great way to spend the holiday doesn't it?..reading about S&M and every fetish under the sun! 

Here in Leeds, the Story of O is actually a very decadent vintage store. Well, hair salon really, but we all know here that it's known more for its basement vintage shop instead of the coiffeur on the first floor. From the outside it's a shop that's really easy to miss. I have been around Hyde Park crossing millions of times and I never realised that it was just THERE. Plain and obvious. But also maybe because I never knew that the shop was in the basement that I didn't bother looking in. It would seem odd to just go into a salon to have a peek wouldn't it?

I found out about the store from my editor for the Leeds Student Paper. Remember that article I wrote about vintage clothes becoming a trend? Well, the store was one of the few that my editor recommended for me to go to for interviews and such. At first I didn't know where it was and then when I found out that it's been there all along, along my route from home to the Uni, I decided to just go one afternoon to have a look. Unfortunately, everytime I went around the shop was closed so ultimately it didn't make it on my article, though looking back now, it would have added colour to my piece because of its nature. The Story of O is what you would imagine a vintage store to look like. It was magical.