Time for a change..

I'm delighted to announce the release of the new Mirri Media website!!

Since launching Mirri Media earlier this year the company has steadily developed from strength to strength and we hope all our readers will follow us over at our new site for interesting articles in the magazine section. 

www.mirrimedia.weebly.com

As a multiplatform brand we believe the new website will be easier to navigate and easier to stay on track of whats happening, so add it to your bookmarks!

alternatively follow us on Instagram @mirrimedia 

Issue 4: Styling in summer

Styling In Summer-LVG

Photograph: Perla Valenzuela Instagram

As summer approaches most of us have already begun holiday shopping, the sales are in every window and the newspapers are rammed with celebrities setting the trends. Over winter the dedicated few of us have lived in the gym aware of the pending beach body watch. Healthy lifestyles are always linked to fashion and celebrity icons and although we can all agree it's important to get vitamin D, the majority of us forget modesty during the summer months.

Photograph: Tess Munster Tumblr

Following on from the Beach Body ready controversy the conversation has been sparked regarding which types of body are suitable for beachwear. Whilst in Britain the majority of us would feel uncomfortable walking down the high street or visiting a supermarket in a bikini top once we arrive in a hot country it seems our morals of modesty are forgotten. There are role models for every body size and ethnicity reinforcing the importance of a healthy relationship with body image, however this doesn't stop us wearing ourselves out when something doesn't quite fit right and having days where we hate our bodies. I've often wondered if we would be able to hate our body if there was no one to compare them too. Now more than ever we see an increasing acceptability of plastic surgery as the idea of an obtainable perfection has become the latest trend. Glamorous stars since Marilyn Monroe onwards have inspired us that summer is the opportunity to feel sexy and confident but within modern society there has become a desperation to achieve this which disregards the link between self respect and fashion.  Kim Kardashian is one of the most photographed women in the world which as mentioned by Vogue makes her one of the iconic role models for fashionable women. There is plenty of attention given to discussing how enhanced are Kim's assets which has only become possible through our acceptance in dressing with disregard to modesty. The shock is no longer caused by what celebrities are wearing but by how they look in what their wearing. Often celebrities over come revealing outfits by simply dressing skin tight instead which isn't necessarily modest or positively influential.   

Photograph: Kim Kardashian E Online

Notably Rihanna has also been considered the face of provocative fashion for many years and in recently discussing the future of her career she identifies the importance of respecting ourselves in order for others to respect us.  Women, How many of you have been approached by a man or starred at simply because of what your wearing? or put differently 'because of what your not wearing?' Feminism may be becoming fashionable but it will always be debatable if revealing clothing is actually empowering or just accepting objectification.  

Photograph: Amber Rose Instagram 

When discussing modest fashion the majority of us think of traditional Islamic wear or Christian church clothing rather than simply older perceptions of inappropriate fashions. There has become a notion of modesty not being fashionable, We have conformed to identifying the Bikini as a normal outfit worn during the hot summer months despite on its release in 1946 being seen as too revealing for even the celebs. French designer Louis Réard struggled to find a model to display the Bikini upon designing it, settling for a stripper to showcase the design that has now become common. Modest swimwear is a google search away so it's questionable that if the Bikini has become normal will nude beaches and minimal clothing also become ordinary due to role models such as Amber Rose.  Strippers have set our summer styles for a long time as we leave behind trousers and shirts claiming the weather is simply too hot, we forget in humid religious countries such as Qatar the temperature doesn't affect morals surrounding dignity. Jennifer Lopez has become the focus for her latest provocative display and outfit in Morocco and is possibly facing time behind bars. Discussions surrounding this incident highlight her age when discussing how appropriate her actions were as well as cultural difference, this summer whether you decide to travel or not, will you consider what your outfit says about you? Do you want to be respected or simply a sex object?  I can honestly say I see myself dressing more modest this summer through considering expensive & desirable goods such as diamonds and pearls are kept out of sight, we value and respect things which aren't easily obtained. Many men when discussing their ideal woman outline the difference between someone who they would use and someone they would marry identifying self respect as a key factor on how they treat women. 

Issue 3: Should you study Media?

Should You Study Media? -LVG

Choosing Alevels can seem like a high demand especially as most of us aren't certain what career path we want to take and who we want to be. 

I remember being certain about two of my choices as they were simply carrying on from subjects I had chosen at GCSE, however Media I chose simply because I knew my sister had chosen it and highly recommended it. After a few months I began to realise how diverse studying media could be and it's ability to bring all my interests together.  At AS level we were asked to produce a magazine cover and content page, although print media can be seen as a dying craft this taught me many transferable skills besides creativity such as the relationship between image and text, intertextuality, marketing and mass communication. We were given the opportunity to learn basic photoshop skills and although photoshop is often highly criticised for producing negative body views it has become integrated into societies simulacrum, this means photo retouching has now become a lucrative career. At A Level we were given the task of producing a film trailer and DVD cover using Final cut pro which is highly used within the media industry.

Despite the influence of the Media on our daily lives, universities and politicians continue to disregard Media as a true subject preferring students to specialise, for example Journalist  should study Journalism rather than Media and sound technicians should focus on studying sound technology. In continuing to study Media at university  for me the focus has been more on analysing media than producing physical products and although I understand there are other courses with a more practical focus I believe analysis skills are just as important to have. Analysing media crosses over into sociology and gives studying Media the ability to diversify in potential career paths. For those of us who are creative and willing to freelance to gain experience media is defiantly a valid subject to study. 

Issue 2: Cultural Couture

Cultural Couture-LVG

RUNWAY ROBES & RUFFLES, COULD YOUR CULTURUAL HERITAGE BE A NEW TYPE OF COUTURE? - YOUR CULTURAL HERITAGE IS PERFECTLY MADE TO MEASURE BUT SHOULD YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO EMBRACE IT.  

(This entry was initially written as a submission to Haute Arabia) 

The debate between feminism and fashion is on going as we question weather representations of women within the fashion industry can ever truly be as empowering as they are objectifying.  As multiculturalism continues to spread across the world we observe how cultural wear disappears and societies idea of the norm dominates. Although Feminist appeals urge for women to not feel pressured to conform to mass media standards there is a continuation of a lack of representation of diversity within the fashion industry.

Channel 4’s recent plus size wars documentary grabbed Britain’s attention to women’s growing waistlines with its aim at empowerment, however it soon gained backlash by those suggesting it encourages obesity.  When considering the lack of plus sized women present in making decisions within fashion organisations it’s understandable why they aren’t represented in the media and the need for a documentary highlighting the changing consumer. 

Could this also be applicable to the lack of cultural diversity within the fashion industry, Would the face of our most iconic fashion magazines and brands be more diverse if those in charge of production were from more varied backgrounds?

Photo: @KhloeKardashian Instagram

Staying fashionable yet true to your own cultural heritage can be seen as a feminist battle not only because of the lack of representation of different ethnicities within fashion media, but the lack of differentiation in presenting cultural attires. Integrating cultural styles not only inspires the creation of new trends but also empowers women that their culture is just as iconic and beautiful as any other. Growing up in Britain I hadn’t previously considered until writing this article what the cultural attire is based on my Caribbean background and it dawned on me that, I’m likely not the only person curious about their fashion cultural heritage. It’s time for us to confidently reinvent our cultural couture and express the multicultural nations that we are.  With celebrities such as Khloe Kardashian causing controversy from embracing cultural wear other than their own, it seems finally attention to cultural attire is being highlighted and debated. We may not all be able to agree on the difference between embracing cultures and mocking but we can’t deny the  dominance of western representations of style and beauty. Is it our civic responsibility to change the fashion industry through protests, boycotts and trendsetting or should the fashion industry take responsibility for itself?

Cultural empowerment and diversity should be the future of the fashion industry, discover yourself and dress truly according to who you are. Fashion and beauty were developed to help us enhance who we already are we shouldn’t forget that.