In the 1920's shortly after The First World War Berlin became the sex capital of Europe and a sexual playground for adults experimenting with sexuality. Erotic dancers were bigger than ever and people were indulging in alcohol and drugs.

The fashion at this time was also very experimental, women were dressing provocatively, and the androgynous look was big at this time. Women were dressed as men and men were dressed as women.

 

The Beauty Myth

This book 'The Beauty Myth' by Naomi Wolf is a fascinating exploration into what peoples idea of beautiful is and why it is that way.

"A culture fixated on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty, but an obsession about female obedience. Dieting if the most potent political sedative in women's history; a quietly mad population is a tractable one." _Naomi Wolf, The Beauty Myth; How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women.

We've been asked to think about what our own version of beauty is, and about what the difference is between beauty and attractiveness.

To me being beautiful is someone who is happy and confident in their own skin. Some women are naturally skinny and some women are naturally bigger but women who embrace the person they are is what I find beautiful. Sometimes just knowing people for who they are is all it takes to think of someone as beautiful. Attractiveness is the good elements in someone that makes them more attractive.

Rick Owens Spring 2014

In today's seminar we discussed diversity in fashion and watched this video of Rick Owens spring womenswear collection Paris 2014. I like the video but I did find it a bit strange, although it does demonstrate the idea of diversity very well I think we are so used to seeing stick thin models who all look similar so this was dramatically going against that.

There is a huge lack of diversity in contemporary fashion not only with cat walk models but on magazine covers and all over the fashion industry. All girls have the same attractive look about them and are very skinny. This project is about exploring the equality of people, men, women, and children with different backgrounds and shapes.