Insider • 4th November 2021

Miss England winner Rehema Muthamia says she expected to face racism after winning the pageant

Miss England 2021 says she received racist comments online after being crowned the winner of the beauty pageant in August. Rehema Muthamia, a 25-year-old health-technology consultant, told Insider she faced criticism on social media and in the comments sections of articles, where she said some commenters suggested she shouldn't have won because she is not "ethnically English" or white.

Insider • 6th October 2021

2 French drag designers are redefining wedding attire for nontraditional brides and grooms

Dresses for wheelchair users, kilts for boys who like skirts, suits for heavy-metal loving grooms — these are some of the nontraditional wedding outfits that Benjamin and Cedrick, who operate under the drag names James and ViviAnn Du Fermoir-de-Monsac, created since founding their design house. The Strasbourg duo told Insider they met in January 2020 when Cedrick (ViviAnn), was competing in a French drag race that Benjamin (James) was judging.

MESA Magazine • 26th September 2021

Yahya Mahayni returned to acting to play a human canvas in “The Man Who Sold His Skin”

As the tired saying goes, “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.” Kaouther Ben Hania’s latest feature film, “The Man Who Sold His Skin” takes this trope and makes both spheres completely indistinguishable from each other. Taking inspiration from Belgian conceptual artist Wim Delvoye and his human artwork “Tim,” the film follows its own piece of human artwork, Sam Ali (Yahya Mahayni). Sam is a Syrian refugee who flees to Lebanon to escape war, continuing to Europe in a bid to win back Abeer (Dea Liane), the love of his life.

MESA Magazine • 1st September 2021

Sara Jafari takes on sexuality, addiction, and Muslim guilt in “The Mismatch”

Coming of age stories broadly follow the same exhausted arc: protagonists discovering themselves through sex and narcotics, neatly slotted into the Lynx or Impulse wearing teenage years, before arriving at something resembling adulthood. But where are the stories for those of us who have never been drunk? Those of us whose parents did not let us go to sleepovers, let alone ragers? Those of us who did not attract attention from boys because we hadn’t yet discovered the transformative power of bleaching the generous hair above our lip?

Insider • 5th June 2021

After 30 years in exile, the Prince of Venice says there is still a role for abolished monarchies even if they never see the throne

Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, the Prince of Venice, spent the first 30 years of his life away from his ancestral home. In 2002, the Italian government ruled that the Savoy royal family could re-enter Italy after a 56-year exile imposed on male heirs, Prince Emanuele told Insider from his Monte Carlo residence. "I'd always dreamed of Italy. I always wanted to go back because I felt Italian," Emanuele said. He remembers turning to books, documentaries, and the company of Italians who visited him in Switzerland to stay connected to his heritage until he was allowed to go home.

Insider • 9th May 2021

A Moroccan creative turned her 68-year-old mom into a streetwear style icon on Instagram

Many people have cherished childhood memories of playing dress-up with their parents. For Rotterdam-based creative, Meryem Slimani, 37, dressing her 68-year-old Moroccan mother in striking outfits of the day on Instagram is a joyful subversion of this parent-child dynamic. One scroll down the Instagram account @meryemsfirst reveals photogenic Najate Leklye sat in front of Moroccan-inspired backdrops wearing kaleidoscopic color palettes and cool streetwear ensembles with sports hijabs. Think neons, animal prints, and those sneakers that are currently sitting in your ASOS cart.

Insider • 21st April 2021

The artist behind Prince Philip's final portrait reveals 3 hidden details in the painting — and what they mean

In 2017, Prince Philip spent one hour sitting for a final portrait before he retired from a long career in public service. The portrait, by Ralph Heimans, an Australian-British royal painter, depicts the Duke of Edinburgh in formal attire standing in a long corridor at Windsor Castle. The duke looks regal yet slightly hunched, surrounded by fine art and busts. Upon closer inspection, however, the portrait is saturated with hidden references to Philip's family, history, and heritage — subtle threads that form the fabric of the duke's unique life.

MESA Magazine • 25th June 2020

Talking fashion, diversity and more with modelling agency Feat Artists

Model and talent agency Feat. Artists have been in the game for a short amount of time but already beguiled industry professionals.

Founded by Creative Consultant Nikhil D. and former IMG model Smita Lasrado in July 2018, the agency has gone from strength to strength, boasting campaigns for big names and magazine editorials for the likes of Vogue, GQ, Harpers Bazaar, Elle, and more.

Having featured in GQ’s list of the most influential Indians, 2019, the agency can only grow bigger.

MESA Magazine • 17th March 2020

Brwnxblended on Bangkok & amplifying brown beauty

It’s fair to say that there are endless negative aspects that go with living in the digital age, but a redeeming feature of living a life online is that it has become so easy to find people and communities that reflect our own experiences.

Growing up, glossy magazines were a collage of unreasonably beautiful white women, with body types I could never diet my way to, sleek hair that my Hagrid genetics would not allow, or tiny button noses that I imagined would turn up at my ethnic features.

Enlist

FavourUp • 6th February 2020

FavourUp | Luxury is Something Feels Good Close to Your Skin - Enlist

Enlist is a contemporary clothing brand that offers luxury at an affordable price to ensure that everyone has the freedom to create a wardrobe of self-expression. We caught up with Brand Director Jubie Wigan at the LFW showrooms to discuss the ethos of their womenswear collection and their new A/W 17 line.

What does luxury mean to you and why should it be offered at an affordable price?

Brand Director of Enlist: I think luxury is, first of all, something that should feel good close to your ski

Elena Karavasili

FavourUp • 6th February 2020

FavourUp | Minimalism and Classicism - Elena Karavasili

At the heart of this handbag brand is a concern for minimalism, classicism and design experimentalism. Incorporating subdued colour palettes and simplicity of form, this London/Athens based designer produces luxury with longevity. During our time in the LFW showrooms, we chatted to Elena about trend setting, her design process and the culturally rich Greek heritage that her brand and her A/W 17 collection are founded upon.

How would you describe your brand identity?

Elena: My brand is based on

FavourUp

FavourUp • 6th February 2020

FavourUp | Beautiful Collision of Masculine and Feminine - Emma Charles AW17

Eclectic, fun and energetic- Emma Charles is an upcoming designer with an innovative eye and a keen interest in androgynous fashion. Her collection features a beautiful collision of the masculine and the feminine, resulting in sophisticatedly unique pieces that place an emphasis on the interplay between material and design.

How do you combine elements of masculinity and femininity in your designs?

Emma: I like to mix really feminine silhouettes with a masculine fabric so maybe a tailoring whir

Eudon Choi

FavourUp • 7th April 2017

FavourUp | Talk with Eudon Choi

A connoisseur of the fashion industry, Eudon Choi talks about finding inspiration in unusual places as we chat to him in the LFW showrooms. He discusses the fine line between men and women’s wear, his recognition from the British Fashion Council and his knack for mastering relevancy after seven years in the industry.

How do you combine elements of masculinity and femininity in your designs?

Eudon: It’s a really difficult question, I don’t really have the answer to that. I always play around wi