A Travel Guide to Firenze Schiacciata
A recent trip to Florence offered all the beauty of art and architecture that we were hoping for, but I’m sure it has been spoken about at length by far too many people to warrant another person waxing lyrical on Botticelli’s Venus or Michaelangelo’s David. Instead, I have decided to wax lyrical on Tuscany’s famous sandwich, the schiacciata, a focaccia bread that has been squashed, and then sliced for sandwich bread. I thought that since it was such a large part of our trip, being the most reliable and easily accessible lunch food, that surely it deserves just as much attention, if not more, as the art. After all, although art does feed the soul, sandwiches feed the heart and the body, which is perhaps a more useful purpose.
Haim are back…and celebrating singlehood!!
Pop/Rock trio sister band Haim have re-entered the music-sphere once again with their new single “Relationships” – a fresh, bold song celebrating a new era of singlehood. It is the lead single from their forthcoming album I Quit.
Met Gala 2025: Diljit Dosanjh Proudly Represents Punjabi Roots with His Regal 'Maharaja Look'
Girls.Speak.French: Glasgow’s Next Big Sound
Glasgow has long been a launchpad for some of the biggest names in music, and Girls.Speak.French are the latest band making serious waves from the heart of Scotland’s music capital. With their unique blend of indie and rock, emotionally sharp song writing, and an unmistakable style, the four-piece are quickly carving out their own space in the city’s rich musical landscape.
Kids in America: How Motherhood Became Political Under Trump
Review: Mike White’s ‘The White Lotus’ (Season 3)
Mike White’s The White Lotus has, for many years, depicted the monstrosity of affluence among wealthy Americans. From Hawaii to Sicily, we were rocked by the twists and turns of events throughout their stay at the iconic hotel. Season 3, now set in Thailand, was perhaps the most hotly anticipated TV series this year, and it certainly did not disappoint! We were introduced, yet again, to another ensemble of wealthy Americans eager to put their minds at rest from their everyday materialist lives. A holiday in Thailand was quite the choice!
Let's Get the Girls Behind the Decks Please!
There’s a pandemic of straight, cis, white male DJs flooding club and festival line-ups.
In 2019, research from the University of Portsmouth estimated that in the UK, only ten percent of DJs were female. Even within the music industry itself, only 18% of women stated that they worked in dance music, according to the 2023 music census. Logically, it makes sense; as a woman it’s of course difficult to break into a male dominated field, but how do we invigorate more women into trying DJing?
"Past, Present, Presence, and Pretend” at LFW: Simone Rocha AW25
Simone Rocha is swiftly cementing her place as a key fixture in the London Fashion Week line-up. Now, 15 years since the inception of her eponymous brand, her collections are imbued with a growing sense of personal connection and emotional resonance, often offering glimpses into different chapters of her life. A standout moment from past seasons was her captivating nod to Lughnasadh, the Irish harvest festival, which she wove into the Autumn/Winter '23 collection, drawing us into the rich folklore of Ireland. This season, Rocha revisits her teenage years, with the Autumn/Winter 2025 collection taking inspiration from her Dublin school days and the timeless fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare."
NEWGEN Designer Sinéad O'Dwyer Sets the Stage for Inclusivity and Innovation at LFW: Sinéad O'Dwyer AW25 Review
London Fashion Week is rapidly emerging as the hub for fashion sustainability and innovation, thanks in large part to designers like Sinéad O'Dwyer. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, O'Dwyer is no newcomer to the event, consistently using the platform to challenge industry norms. As part of the British Fashion Council's NEWGEN Programme, O'Dwyer made her debut at London Fashion Week in 2023 and has since secured a place on the schedule.
O'Dwyer's challenge to the fashion industry is embedded in the very DNA of her designs. I first encountered her work during the Spring/Summer 2025 showcase at Copenhagen Fashion Week, where her experimental approach to design and textile techniques immediately stood out. Her creations celebrated femme-identifying bodies of all shapes, sizes, and abilities—an inclusivity often missing in the industry.
"I Want Everyone to Be Very Uncomfortable": LFW- Harris Reed, AW‘25 Review
As London continues to change the fashion landscape, The Duveen Galleries at Tate Britain set the stage for Harris Reed’s Autumn/Winter 2025 showcase. With actress Florence Pugh opening the show with a haunting monologue, the atmosphere was charged from the start, drawing the audience into Reed’s vision. As the designer themself put it, “I want everyone to be very uncomfortable.”
Album Review: FKA Twigs - EUSEXUA
Review: 'Queer' (2024) - "I'm not queer, I'm just disembodied"
Queer’ is a story of obsession and addiction, manifesting itself in the form of William Lee’s love interest, (If you can call it that) Eugene Allerton. Director Luca Guadagnino masterfully takes us through the story of an aging William Lee battling with his inner turmoil as he clings to the idea of love that never existed. The story takes us from 1950s Mexico City to the Ecuadorian jungle, much of its 137 minute run-time is spent unravelling Lee’s obsessive nature, but the final act feels like a slow descent into madness. Guadagnino allows for the long, drawn out nature of act three to explode into a cinematic moment, a payoff for a 3rd act that might test some viewers patience. While act 3 draws to a long close - it highlights the long and challenging journey our two characters have been on.
Curtains Up, Crisis Offstage: Trump’s Inauguration as a Divisive Spectacle
Last week, the Oscar nominations marked the official start of awards season. However, another theatrical performance from the week demands further attention, one defined not by artistry, but by calculated divisiveness: Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration. A meticulously staged event steeped in controversy, it ignited fierce debates over hateful gestures dismissed as “Roman salutes” and inflammatory rhetoric like “crises of trust”. While theatrics dominated headlines, the event exemplified Trump’s core strategy: the deliberate use of spectacle to distract from pressing national issues.
Album Review: Ethel Cain - 'Perverts'
Ethel Cain’s latest album, Perverts, is a sharp departure from the haunted Americana of Preacher’s Daughter. If her 2022 debut mapped a Southern Gothic narrative of faith, familial trauma, and martyrdom, Perverts is a harsh confrontation with desire, decay, and defiance. The album avoids easy categorisation, leaning into experimental production and fragmented storytelling that feels deliberately unruly—as though Cain, Hayden Anhedönia’s musical persona, is both exorcising demons and summoning new ones.
Unapologetically GANNI: Paris Fashion Week SS25 Review
GANNI made its debut at Paris Fashion Week at the Palais de Tokyo, a fitting venue since Balenciaga's deputy CEO, Laura du Rusquec, took the reins earlier this year. There's nothing more exciting at Paris Fashion Week than a debut, creating high anticipation for what's to come. Ahead of the show, Creative Director Ditte Reffstrup promised nothing short of magic with the Spring/Summer 2025 collection, aptly titled "The Craft."
“An incantation to individuality, The Craft proposes a wardrobe for the future, and the GANNI girl holds the magic formula” said Ditte Reffstrup”
Orebella by Bella Hadid: Cash Grab or Authentic Fragrance Revolution?
Bella Hadid, the fashion icon and supermodel, launched her new perfume brand, Orebella, in May 2024. The brand offers three scents: Window2soul, Salted Muse, and Blooming Fire, available online and at Ulta stores in the US. Orebella distinguishes itself as the first intentional skin parfum, featuring alcohol-free, vegan, dermatologically tested, clean, and hydrating formulas infused with essential oils. The bi-phase formula combines hydrating snow mushrooms and five moisturizing oils (camellia, almond, olive, jojoba, and shea). It requires shaking before use to create a long-lasting fragrance.
The Social Class Satire: How the Ultra-Rich Lost Their Allure
Poking fun at those in positions of power or privilege is nothing new; in fact, it’s the very foundation of satire. Yet, the 21st century has introduced a new generation of the rich and famous, complete with a fresh set of mannerisms and stereotypes for those on the outside to laugh at. Films such as Triangle of Sadness – a scathing satire centred on models, influencers, and oligarchs – and TV series such as The White Lotus – a darkly comedic take on luxury resorts – suggest that being inordinately wealthy has lost its chic, if fact, it’s actually quite embarrassing.
Why the Vampire Trend is Immortal
Twilight was a big deal. The 2008 supernatural romance film hit screens with a bang, and everyone had something to say about it. Even though the craze for the saga has faded with time, nobody can deny the impact it’s had on teen pop culture. Hitting the peak of its popularity with the final film’s release in 2012, it seemed that every girl had an opinion on whether glistening vampire Edward or broody werewolf Jacob made the better match for Bella. This was the pinnacle of the so-called ‘vampire trend’, which also saw the success of TV series like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. Many look back at this time with nostalgia (even if such feelings are met with ridicule from the actors themselves), but the 2020s are seeing a resurgence in vampire-related content.
Christmas Films and the Demonisation of the Big City
The Hallmark Christmas movie formula is one so well-known that it has an almost mythical status in popular culture. A woman living in the city, with a high-powered career and an endless stream of meetings and espressos, goes back to her rural hometown, falls in love with a man in a plaid shirt, all while discovering the joys of Christmas, and ultimately, becoming a housewife. They’re undeniably cosy and sweet, and the formulaic approach means you can half-watch whilst wrapping presents and still follow the plot. But why does festivity have to come at a cost to life in the metropolis?
Why the 2022 John Lewis Christmas Ad Matters
Every year, British retail giants John Lewis release a heart warming festive advert, and 2022’s edition has been met with both praise and criticism. Ranked as the 3rd best Christmas ad of this year (Saville, 2022), ‘The Beginner’ tells the story of a soon-to-be foster father learning to skateboard, trying his best to fit in practice sessions between his regular 9 to 5; at first, it appears as though he may be pursuing a hobby simply to escape the mundaneness of life, as much as it may hurt and frustrate him. It’s then revealed that he’s doing it to share a common interest with a teenager he’s fostering, who arrives at his doorstep with her own skateboard, nervous about joining a new family for Christmas (John Lewis, 2022). Viewer opinions seem to be divided; on the one hand, some appreciate the sentiment that the idea of a picture-perfect biologically-related family on Christmas doesn’t have to set the standard for ‘traditional’ norms. On the other hand, some viewers have noted that the ad could be misinterpreted and any foster children watching might receive the wrong message (more on this later). You may also be wondering how 2022’s ad has compared to previous years — and what other elements have led to the public deeming it a success or a flop.