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Photographs by Wojtek Szymczak, Jin Lee and Ursa Mali*
Wojtek Szymczak
Wojtek Szymczak
Wojtek Szymczak
Wojtek Szymczak
Ursa Mali
Ursa Mali
Ursa Mali
Ursa Mali
Fancy yourself as a photographer?
Want your photographs from around and about Oxford seen by the thousands of people who visit the Cherwell website every day?
If so, why not send a few of your snaps into [email protected]?
The menu: a medieval hog roast and fresh fish and chips
Well dressed band member
The Hanged Man
Medieval Dancers
Medieval Trance group
The Main Stage
Medieval Dancers showing how it’s done
Different coloured tights
Oxford University’s famous Cocktail Society
Debauchery
Ben Coopman and Matt Waksman finished the night
with their two hour set
Shakespeare’s Globe in Prague isn’t quite as grandiose as the one I remember from home: it doesn’t it have the same history attached to it; it’s about five billion times smaller, and it doesn’t actually put on any plays. What it does have to offer, however, is decent enough beer, a well stocked library that panders to the intellectual whims of its cultured clientele, and a permissive atmosphere in which its perfectly acceptable to sit with your obese tabby cat at the bar (so long as its on a leash, apparently). It is tucked away in a narrow and steep cobbled side street in the torturously hilly and little known Vršovice district.
So we were standing outside said pub, myself clasping a glass of red wine I’d accidentally ordered using an 18th century turn of phrase (thanks, Oxford), when two bearded men staggered towards us; one supporting his grey haired friend who could barely stand upright. The older guy, frail, gaunt but with mad bushy hair which gave his physique a lollypop shape, was muttering loudly to himself. They smiled jovially at us as the more sober one led his friend into the bar and dropped him onto a stool. Job done, the friend stumbled past us on the way out; leant into us and spluttered; “I think you know that guy”. Clearly the man’s nuts, I thought. Besides, my mother told me to avoid drunken biker types who carry geriatric hippies around in their free time. I edged away. The man persisted, pointing emphatically at the older man peering vacantly over at us from inside the pub. I was beginning to think one of my flatmates had a long lost, glue sniffing grandfather she’d completely forgotten about. As it turned out; the guy was only the saxophonist of Czechoslovakia’s most notorious dissident band; Plastic People of the Universe.
In case you haven’t heard of them, the Plastic People of the Universe were, and still are, awesome. They were a psychedelic rock band, formed in the late 60s, who were driven underground when the communist regime decided to object to their ‘devil may care’ attitude, ban the band from performing and eventually imprison its members. The response was phenomenal; Vaclav Havel – a dissident playwright and philosopher who later became president after the fall of communism – collected signatures from notable figures in Czechoslovakia in protest. Thus began a resistance movement that was to play quite a role in the eventual collapse of the regime. Vratislav Brabenec joined the band in the 70s, was imprisoned in 1976 for a several months, and was eventually forced to emigrate to Canada, but returned to his home turf in the 1990s. He continues to play with The Plastics to this day. He spends his evenings at his local, calling members of other, younger, bands “grandmother” and being bought beers by gormless, starstruck Czech students from England.
“So, Plastic People of the Universe toppled communism, that’s cool.” I stuttered. (at least I didn’t comment on his haircut, which was the thing I did the last time I met a rock legend.) He blinks, takes a slow gulp of his beer; the foam clings to his long, bedraggled beard. “Of course not”. He shrugs; “It was all going to happen anyway; we just happened to be the band that were sick of the all the bullshit.” “But Plastic People were a political band, right. I mean, you were pretty much the only band in Czechoslovakia that dared to stick it to the man!” He laughs gently, rearranges his dishevelled checkered shirt, and stares at my ear. “We were a rebellious bunch of kids who wanted to do as we pleased. That can’t be said of most musicians at the time. But the music itself wasn’t political.” He pauses, lights a cigarette and adds; “I prefer to call our stuff poetical”. Incidently, Brabenec is also a writer, wrote a great deal of the lyrics for the Plastics, and also has degrees in both Theology and Horticulture.
He’s starting to fade, fails to hear my following questions, his thick rimmed glasses sliding down his nose. A jolt. Out of nowhere, he proffers; “I’m an old man now. I don’t know. I am supposed to go somewhere tomorrow because someone I know has died. But I can’t remember who they were.” He looks up at me, droopy eyes clouded in smoke, and kindly asks, “So who are you, why are you in Prague?” I say my name and that I study Czech. He beams. “That’s great, that’s just wonderful. Everything is wonderful” and his eyes begin to close. I politely excuse myself. We left shortly afterwards; whilst he remained, dozing in that same stool by himself. Every so often, one of the punters would go over to talk to him, ask him a couple of questions, and then retreat back to their table. I don’t know how he got home.
If you want to find out more on the fall of Communism in Czechoslovakia, Sarah recommends Tom Stoppard’s recent play “Rock n’ Roll,” Vaclav Havel’s memoirs, the Czech cult film “…A Bude Hůř”, (“Its Gonna Get Worse”, featuring Brabenec), or a good old-fashioned history book.
Williams (no relation, unfortunately) is a remarkable woman and overlooked by our generation as a political figure. She read PPE at Somerville and almost as soon as she left stood as an MP, when she was just 23. During the 1970s she was variously Paymaster General, Secretary for Education, and found herself on the IRA’s hitlist as Minister for Northern Ireland. In the 1980s she then founded the SDP with fellow Labour defectors Roy Jenkins, David Owen and William Rodgers. Daughter of Vera Brittian, she is now Lady Williams of Crosby, residing in the House of Lords, having finished a ten year stint as an emeritus professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Governance and travelling the world to investigate nuclear proliferation.
For all such achievements, she is totally unpretentious, exuding quiet stoicism and bonhomie. She spoke eloquently and amusingly, managing to create the atmosphere of an intimate chat round the kitchen table, despite the heavy subject matter of constitutional reform and ideals of public service. She charmed the overwhelmingly middle-aged audience at Christ Church with the political anecdotes for which they were clearly hoping. When reminiscing about standing as an MP, she explained how voting patterns were revealed in front gardens: she didn’t bother with the tidy ones with boxwood hedges or gnomes as this was a clear indicator of Conservatism, broken prams or debris in the front on the other hand was a sure green light for Socialism, and those with slow growing, tenderly nurtured trees were Liberal Democrats.
Despite her trailblazing enthusiasm for female MPs, she was unimpressed by ‘Blair’s Babes’, a short-sighted stunt that had left her cold. Particularly niggling to her was that famous photo of them all, lined up in identical smart suits, as she said, a ‘faceless sweep of red, with lovely haircuts’. They were surrounding Blair ‘as though he were God in a Renaissance painting’, and they the innocuous, adoring cherubs.
She has all the homely honesty that people these days complain politicians are lacking. Unscripted, plainly-dressed, and softly-spoken, she earnestly mourned the era when politics was a ‘noble, high-minded profession’, when matters of ideology were passionately tousled over. Today she regrets that politics is ‘about details, not about the heart and body turned upside down’. It has become ‘a side show’ and respect for politicians is being lost.
As a topic of conversation the diminution of cabinet government perhaps sounds dull, but her heartfelt anxiety was arresting as she criticised the presidential prime ministerial style adopted by Blair and maintained, to our detriment, ever since. Parliament is too disciplined and has become a legislating machine, in her words, a ‘processing plant’ for ill-considered legislation, only half debated. Of the mind-boggling three thousand new laws created since 1997, a great many are ‘inadequate and superfluous’.
Particularly in light of the recent expenses scandal, for the first time in her life she is ‘rather worried’ because, in the minds of many, bankers and MPs have been conflated into one cheating incompetent elite. She doesn’t think that Britain is broken, but she is clearly apprehensive, not least of all because we have become so ‘dangerously apathetic’.
Every so often, a film’s release is overshadowed by the news of certain production problems, whether it’s the death of Heath Ledger halfway through filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus or the furious ranting of Christian Bale recorded on the set of Terminator Salvation. Yet events overshadowing The Ghost are surely unique: as you read this, director Roman Polanski is awaiting extradition to the US on charges of having unlawful sex with a 13 year old in 1977. Legions of Hollywood legends have signed a petition for his release, arguing, amongst other things, that Polanski’s artistic skills should not waste away with him in jail. However, since his retrial seems at this point inevitable, The Ghost may be the final film of Roman Polanski. What a shame, then, that this is not quite the fitting epitaph to his legendary career.
Based on the 2007 Robert Harris novel of the same name, The Ghost is a knowingly absurd political conspiracy thriller, wherein a third-rate ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) is drafted in at the last minute to help British ex-Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) finish his memoirs, with his predecessor having died under unusual circumstances. Soon, Lang is facing a trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the ICC, having been accused of aiding the illegal water-boarding of terrorist suspects. The parallels with a certain orange-tanned Middle East Peace Envoy aren’t exactly subtle. However, the film knows exactly what its limitations are, and thankfully makes no attempt at clumsy moralising. Instead, Polanski sits back and lets the grand conspiracy gradually reveal itself over a leisurely two hours.
The performances are fairly strong, with McGregor making a likeable and interesting lead (despite a bloody awful cock-er-ney accent, guv’nor) and Brosnan flashing a winning smile often enough for the cracks in Lang’s persona to shine through. Yet the real standout is Olivia Williams as Lang’s wife, a performance that skilfully balances a biting intelligence with intense emotional vulnerability. Backing all this up is an interesting and unsettling score from Alexandre Desplat that holds the attention when the script occasionally cannot.
Most importantly, Polanski’s direction is assured, drawing tension out of every scene and creating an effective atmosphere of intrigue. Indeed, in their reactions to The Ghost, critics have repeatedly compared him to Hitchcock, a plaudit that seems somewhat generous; this has none of the stylish audacity or sheer balls that Martin Scorsese’s direction of Shutter Island displayed. Instead, Polanski directs in an inoffensive manner, refusing to show off in the manner of Scorsese. Perhaps he felt less need, having rightly beaten him to Best Director at the 2003 Oscars with The Pianist. Indeed, it’s a shame that Polanski’s heartfelt and deeply personal portrait of one man’s survival of the Holocaust wasn’t his last film, as it offers far more insight into the mind of the troubled director than this workaday thriller. Many have pointed to the similarities between Lang and Polanski, both men awaiting trial in a foreign country for crimes that many regard as morally ambiguous, yet there is never a sense of Polanski’s personal investment in the story. He treats it in a skilful yet frustratingly dispassionate manner, and refuses to wring more emotion out of the script.
The Ghost is a well-constructed thriller directed with style – particularly the inspired framing of the final shot – yet it lacks any truly personal touches from Polanski. It’s entertaining enough, but one can’t help but be frustrated that this might be his last cinematic endeavour, as it shows his directorial skills to be on fine, if uninspired and impersonal, form. If it proves to be Polanski’s last film, The Ghost will be no more than a stylish footnote on an illustrious career.
Fancy yourself as a photographer?
Want your photographs from around and about Oxford seen by the thousands of people who visit the Cherwell website every day?
If so, why not send a few of your snaps into [email protected]?
Saturday – OUDS prepare for Japan tour – Ollie Ford
Friday – Last ditch Tory sabotage – Michelle Tan
Thursday – Spring Blossoms on Banbury Road – Lauri Saksa
Wednesday – Last night’s OFW Concept show at the Randolph Hotel – Ollie Ford
Tuesday – Imp MCs warm up the crowd at Wadstock 2010 – Sonali Campion
Monday – OFW Style Show on Sunday – Jess Benhamou
Sunday – May Day Dancing – Ursa Mali
Yesterday saw the opening show of this year’s Oxford Fashion Week. The Style Show, taking place in Oxford’s Town Hall, was a new addition to this year’s line up: the event is in its second year, and with The Couture Show dropped from the bill, the Style show offered a refocus of the event towards a younger audience with tickets costing £6. Cherwell Fashion was invited along to experience the show that lasted nearly 6 hours, and to forecast what the week ahead (if not the weather!) would be for OFW.
Entering the Town Hall, it was hard not to be surprised by the queue that awaited us. Whilst we nearly avoided crashing a ‘reunion lunch’ going on in the next room, we quickly escorted ourselves into the hall and to the friendly staff of OFW to gain ourselves the coveted ‘press entry’. The burgeoning queue outside was waiting patiently to discover what was going on inside the main hall, and of course for the rumoured ‘goody bags’ on offer to the first 300 people through the door. Though the queue itself posed no worry that everyone would grab themselves a mini selection of Dermologica goodies (probably the only worthwhile investment in the shiny black bags), the hall quickly filled up with an excited buzz as the first show of the day was about to start.
Featuring the “Emerging Designers Collection” including Shakyra Shakeena and Terri Hughes (check out our slideshow below), the show began confidently: although the majority of the models were and did appear to be students, it was carried out fluidly and had the attention of the entire hall. Yet the one major problem, which we found with other shows during the day, was the ending – or the fact there was none. The shows were consistent, yet the ending was never signalled leaving an awkward dithering of the audience and the choices of whether to clap or not to clap and to move or not to move. A simple dip of the lights, abrupt change of music or even the parade of the entire models featured (a usual occurrence) would be a great improvement in defining the end of the show. Also there were a few other ‘glitches’ in the show(s) we noticed, and a few people in the audience surrounding us commented on them. Firstly, the underwear. Although not the lingerie show, there were certainly some pieces on offer! A few of the items worn were either sheer, nudes, or had a low back: some of the models were wearing black bras which were thus visible through the fabric or the bra itself was not the appropriate fit for the top worn. Seeing the underwear on show was uncomfortable next to the professionalism that the event was attempting to convey. With the concept show coming up, perhaps this is something to check on before sending out the models out slightly too over-exposed. Secondly, the music. In some of the samples played during various shows, the “BBC Radio 1” commercial was heard over the mixes (if you’ve listened to any of the late night shows, such as Annie Mac’s, you’ll understand what we mean!) – now we know the station isn’t associated with the event, so all we can assume is that the music was ripped from the station (or taken from a site) – we’re not questioning the legality of it, but simply the professionalism involved: again it was distracting and it would have been better to use music that wasn’t interrupted!
Divided between the runway and stalls, where facials, body art and various clothing collections were on offer to distract the audience, the Main Hall provided a picturesque setting to a modest, but inviting introduction to the world of fashion and OFW for many first time goers. During the breaks between the shows (around twenty minutes), we headed off to the individual stalls in search of any other fashionable goodies and to ask those taking part what they thought of the day.
Gillie McCollum, Piglet Skirts, pigletskirts.co.uk
Our favourite stall, if for the sheer amount of choice available, was Gillie McCollum’s home business start-up “Piglet Skirts”. The business began when Gillie’s daughter (currently studying at Durham University) complained about the price of similar skirts costing up to £50: deciding that she could make them cheaper and better, Gillie designed the elasticated skirts to be versatile -the range of materials and prints (see our favourites below) certainly mean you can’t run out of choice. Our favourite is the ‘Chanel-inspired’ number, and the blue satin skirt is one of her best sellers – starting from £14, the skirts are definitely worth the money, worn with a simple vest t-shirt or even a more delicate blouse, they would be a great investment for the summer. Also check out these Abercrombie-esque PJ’s – but at £20!
We stuck around for the next show – a change of music and crowds began to gather around the stage. The first of three ‘High Street’ shows, Crew, Gap and Next ‘showed’ their clothes from both their female and male (hurrah!) collection. Yet we were a bit perplexed: poking out from a few pieces of clothing were the tags – we later learnt that the clothes were returned to the stores after the show making us wonder, were the stores actually showing their collections, or was it OFW showing their clothes (sadly we weren’t around for the other shows so couldn’t see how the other stores panned out). Nonetheless, the show was worthwhile to watch, yet as previously mentioned we didn’t understand if it had ended! Check out a few of our pictures from the show:
Whilst out and about trawling the stalls, we stumbled on some rather well dressed women (to be expected from a Fashion event!). Wearing two colourful floral dresses from Republic, Christchurch girls Chloe Mills and Anakaret Fillipich (see the photo below) had come out to “check out the style show, and if it was any good, get a few tickets to the Concept Show”. Chloe’s entire outfit had caught our eye: bought in her native Australia, the Woodford & Co cream cape shows the true versatility of pales transitioning from Winter to Summer and her gorgeous ring (again from Australia, but we’re sure Topshop will sell something similar) added that touch of glam perfect for a day out.
The next show we were treated to was the Annabelinda “Vintage Show”. As massive fans of the vintage wear (using REIGN, Unicorn and various Parisian finds in our shoots), we couldn’t help but claim our space early in the front. The clothing was classic: from structured tea dresses to the exuberant patterns, we’d probably have bought it all – if we could. Our favourite piece was the green all-in-one dress suit (see the slideshow below), yet we couldn’t forgive some of the chunkier and unattractive shoes- some things vintage should just be left in the closet! The music did cut off towards the end – we had noticed an intentional shift in pace from the previous shows, but it proved to be too slow and the timing was off.
After the vintage show, we took our last sweep of the floor: at six hours long, we sadly had other things to do, but were adamant to return for the finale. The other two stalls that truly caught our eye were “Terri Hughes Boutique” (a collection that had showed earlier) and Aspire, one of our favourite stores on the High Street.
Terri Hughes Boutique, www.terrihughesboutique.com
Run by Terri Hughes (the woman herself), the boutique is primarily a vintage store (selling both online and on Ebay) sourcing from various wholesalers, grandparents’ wardrobes and shops in America, the outfit on show (see below) truly caught our eye. Whilst we did describe the skirt to be as if “a Hermes scarf had thrown up on pleats”, it was our favourite piece on display in the entire show – at £35 it was a bit pricey for a day out, but for something one-off, it’s a great investment. Talking to Terri herself (appearing to be in her early twenties), we were just slightly overwhelmed: having finished a degree in Fashion and now pursuing a Masters in Enterprise Management -not only did she sell clothes – but made them too, it certainly put our ‘day jobs’ to shame!
Aspire, High Street, www.aspirestyle.co.uk
If you haven’t ventured into Aspire yet, the Trinity term is definitely a brilliant time to make a visit. Selling everything from clothing and homeware to jewellery and gifts, if you’ve got a birthday to buy for, it’s the perfect stop. The range and choice is so huge, it’s often hard to decide what not to buy. Our stand-out piece was this cream dress: at £69 it’s a bit expensive for a boutique, but with the right heels and accessories, it’ll suit any black tie event.
At just before 3 o’clock, we decided we’d had enough of wandering and went our separate ways. Although it’s great to have the gap between the individual shows, the stalls are not distracting enough to fill the entire 2 hours (a “guestimate” at the entire time left between shows lasting between 10-20 minutes), and we noticed (see the photo below) are few other visitors were feeling the strain too. Perhaps a few more chairs would be appreciated, instead of resorting to the floor.
Just before we left the event, we saw our favourite outfit/well-dressed person of the day. Olga Owczarek, one of the photographers at the show looked fabulously cool in her Utility inspired (our take) outfit. Bought recently, the high waisted peg- leg trousers were from Zara, and were complimented by Gap sandals (forget gladiator, think chunky straps) and a linen shirt – we definitely wanted to steal her style.
We managed to return in time for the 6 o’clock finale. Broadcasting on the Ukraine’s number one T.V Channel, the Sunlight collection by Zinaida Likhacheva had already caught our eye when paroling the stalls. The headdresses were exquisite – apparently inspired by traditional Ukrainian hair knots – it was so tempting to purchase one for any upcoming balls. Fortunately the catwalk began and our purses remained firmly closed within our bags. The collection itself certainly championed the ‘maxi dress’, the style of the moment as we move into summer, and whilst not all to our taste, the headdresses themselves stole the show (see our main photo for our favourite).
The event ended with a certainly subdued and smaller audience than with what it began, but at six hours long, it would be hard to expect anyone to stick out the entire show. Yet we gained positive reports. Emma, from Jesus College, told us that “the shows are really good and there’s a great atmosphere. At £6 it is definitely worth the money”. Furthermore the models seemed to enjoy themselves: Sophie Lassman, said, “some of the clothes are amazing. I particularly love the London College of fashion and Zinaida Likhacheva pieces. I’ve met some really lovely people and not just from Oxford, Brookes and the city too. I’m terrified about falling on my backside in some of the shoes I have to wear though- they’re really slippery”, and whilst there were certainly a few hitches, the show seemed to be received well by those participating, attending and even organised. Rosie Piggott, one of the show’s main directors, stated that the show was a success and with over 500 people attending, it sold very well and was very happy with the outcome.
We certainly enjoyed ourselves, and whilst there were a few hitches, it’s nothing that can’t be improved upon for the next week and even the next year. The Style Show itself is an interesting concept – it definitely felt like a smaller, more contained version of the Birmingham Clothes Show, thus whilst this time it attracted a good size crowd, a returning audience maybe tricky to achieve. It’s location in the Town Hall was beautiful, yet we do think next time more could be done and at six hours, it’s incredibly long to wait out all the shows with limited seating capacity. To do it again, perhaps open slightly later, encourage a walk-around before the shows start and expand the catwalk. Furthermore, additional seats lined up would encourage people to stay and give the catwalk a greater presence within the show. We’re however truly excited for the remainder of the week and can’t wait for the Concept Show, which we’re hoping to be the event of the week. Perhaps see you there?
Yesterday saw the opening show of this year’s Oxford Fashion Week. The Style Show, taking place in Oxford’s Town Hall, was a new addition to this year’s line up: the event is in its second year, and with Couture show dropped from the bill, the Style show offered a refocus of the event towards a younger audience with tickets costing £6. Cherwell Fashion was invited along to experience the show that lasted nearly an entire 6 hours, and to forecast what the week ahead (if not the weather!) would be for OFW.
Entering the Town Hall, it was hard not to be surprised by the queue that awaited us. Whilst we nearly avoided crashing a ‘reunion lunch’ going on the next room, we quickly escorted ourselves into the hall and to the friendly staff of OFW to gain ourselves the coveted ‘press entry’. The burgeoning queue outside was waiting patiently to discover what was going on inside the main hall, and of course for the rumoured ‘goody bags’ on offer to the first 300 people through the door. Though the queue itself posed no worry that everyone would grab themselves a mini selection of Dermologica goodies (probably the only worthwhile investment in the shiny black bags), the hall quickly filled up with an excited buzz as the first show of the day was about to start.
Featuring the “Emerging Designers Collection” including Shakyra Shakeena and Terri Hughes (check out our slideshow below), the show began confidently: although the majority of the models were and did appear to be students, it was carried out fluidly and had the attention of the entire hall. Yet the one major problem, which we found with other shows during the day, was the ending – or the fact there was none. The shows were consistent, yet the ending was never signalled leaving an awkward dithering of the audience and the choices of whether to clap or not to clap and to move or not to move. A simple dip of the lights, abrupt change of music or even the parade of the entire models featured (a usual occurrence) would be a great improvement in defining the end of the show. Also there were a few other ‘glitches’ in the show(s) we noticed, and a few people in the audience surrounding us commented on them. Firstly, the underwear. Although not the lingerie show, there were certainly some pieces on offer! A few of the items worn were either sheer, nudes, or had a low back: some of the models were wearing black bras which were thus visible through the fabric or not the appropriate fit for the top worn. Seeing the underwear on show and was uncomfortable next to the professionalism that the show was attempting to convey. With the concept show coming up, perhaps this is something to check on before sending out the models out slightly too over-exposed. Secondly, the music. In some of the samples played during various shows, the “BBC Radio 1” commercial was heard over the mixes (if you’ve listened to any of the late night shows, such as Annie Mac’s, you’ll understand what we mean!) – now we now the station isn’t associated with the event, so all we can assume is that the music was ripped from the station (or taken from a site) – we’re not questioning the legality of it, but simply the professionalism involved: again it was distracting and it would have been better to use music that wasn’t interrupted!
Divided between the runway and stalls, where facials, body art and various clothing collections were on offer to distract the audience, the Main Hall provided a picturesque to a modest, but inviting introduction to the world of fashion and OFW for many first time goers. During the breaks between the shows (around twenty minutes), we headed off to the individual stalls in search of any other fashionable goodies and to ask those taking part what they thought of the day.
Gillie McCollum, Piglet Skirts, pigletskirts.co.uk
Our favourite stall, if not for the sheer amount of choice available, was Gillie McCollum’s home business start-up “Piglet Skirts”. The business began when Gillie’s daughter (currently studying at Durham University) complained about the price of similar skirts costing up to £50: deciding that she could make them cheaper and better, Gillie designed the elasticated skirts to be versatile -the range of materials and prints (see our favourites below) certainly mean you can’t run out of choice. Our favourite is the ‘Chanel-inspired’ number, and the blue satin skirt is one of her best sellers – starting from £14, the skirts are definitely worth the money, worn with a simple vest t-short or even a more delicate blouse, they would be a great investment for the summer. Also check out these Abercrombie-esque PJ’s – but at £20!
We stuck around for the next show – a change of music and crowds began to gather around the stage. The first of three ‘High Street’ shows, Crew, Gap and Next ‘showed’ their clothes from both their female and male (hurrah!) collection. Yet we were a bit perplexed: poking out from a few pieces of clothing were the tags – we later learnt that the clothes were returned to the stores after the show making us wonder, were the stores actually showing their collections, or was it OFW showing their clothes (sadly we weren’t around for the other shows so couldn’t see how the other stores panned out). Nonetheless, the show was worthwhile to watch, yet as previously mentioned we didn’t understand if it had ended! Check out a few of our pictures from the show:
Whilst out and about trawling the stalls, we stumbled on some rather well dressed women (what to expect from a Fashion event!). Wearing two colourful floral dresses from Republic, Christchurch girls Chloe Mills and Anakaret Fillipich (see the photo below) had come out to “check out the style show, and if it was any good, get a few tickets to the Concept Show”. Chloe’s entire outfit had caught our eye: bought in her native Australia, the Woodford & Co cream cape shows the true versatility of pales transitioning from Winter to Summer and her gorgeous ring (again from Australia, but we’re sure Topshop and Australia will sell something similar) added that touch of glam perfect for a day out.
The next show we were treated to was the Annabelinda “Vintage Show”. As massive fans of the vintage wear ((using REIGN, Unicorn and various Parisian finds in our shoots), we couldn’t help but claim our space early in the front. The clothing was classic: from structured tea dresses to the exuberant patterns, we’d probably have bought it all – if we could. Our favourite piece was the green all-in-one dress suit (see the slideshow below), yet we couldn’t forgive some of the chunkier and unattractive shoes- some things vintage should just be left in the closet! The music did cut off towards the end – we had noticed an intentional shift in pace from the previous shows, but it proved to be too slow and the timing was off.
After the vintage show, we took our last sweep of the floor: at six hours long, we sadly had other things to do, but were adamant to return for the finale. The other two stalls that truly caught our eye were “Terri Hughes Boutique” (a collection that had showed earlier) and Aspire, one of our favourite stores on the High Street.
Terri Hughes Boutique, www.terrihughesboutique.com
Run by Terri Hughes (the women herself), the boutique is primarily a vintage store (selling both online and on Ebay) sourcing from various wholesalers, grandparents wardrobes and shops in America, the outfit on show (see below) truly caught our eye. Whilst we did describe the skirt to be as if “a Hermes scarf had thrown up on pleats”, it was our favourite piece on show in the entire show – at £35 it was a bit pricey for a day out at the show, but for something one-off, it’s a great investment. Talking to Terri herself (appearing to be in her early twenties), we were just slightly overwhelmed: having finished a degree in Fashion and now pursuing a Masters in Enterprise Management -not only did she sell clothes – but made them two, it certainly put our ‘day jobs’ to shame!
Aspire, High Street, www.aspirestyle.co.uk
If you haven’t ventured into Aspire yet, the Trinity term is definitely a brilliant time to make a visit. Selling everything from clothing, homeware to jewellery and gifts, if you’ve got a birthday to buy for, it’s the perfect stop. The range and choice is huge, it’s often hard to decide what not to buy. Our stand-out piece was this cream dress: at £69 it’s a bit expensive for a boutique, but with the right heels and accessories, it’ll suit any black tie event.
At just before 3 o’clock, we decided we’d had enough of wandering and went our separate ways. Although it’s great to have the gap between the individual shows, the stalls are not distracting enough to fulfil the entire 2 hours (a “guestimate” at the entire time left between shows lasting between 10-20 minutes), and we noticed (see the photo below) are few other visitors were feeling the strain too. Perhaps a few more chairs would be appreciated, instead of resorting to the floor.
Just before we left the event, we saw our favourite outfit/well-dressed person of the day. Olga Owczarek, one of the photographers at the show (and often contributes to The Cherwell) as well, looked fabulously cool in her Utility inspired (our take) outfit. Bought recently, the high waisted peg- leg trousers were from Zara, and were complimented by Gap sandals (forget gladiator, think chunky straps) and a linen shirt – we definitely wanted to steal her style.
We managed to return in time for the 6 o’clock finale. Broadcasting on the Ukraine’s number one T.V Channel, the Sunlight collection by Zinaida Likhacheva had already caught our eye when paroling the stalls. The headdresses were exquisite – apparently inspired by traditional Ukrainian hair knots – it was so tempting not to purchase one for any upcoming balls. Fortunately the catwalk began and our purses remained firmly closed with our bags. The collection itself certainly championed the ‘maxi dress’, the style of the moment as we move into summer, and whilst not all to our taste, the headdresses themselves stole the show (see our main photo for our favourite).
The event ended with a certainly subdued and smaller audience than with what it began, but at six hours long, it would be hard to expect anyone to stick out the entire show. Yet we gained positive reports. Emma, from Jesus College, told us that “the shows are really good and there’s a great atmosphere. At £6 it is definitely worth the money”. Furthermore the models seemed to enjoy themselves: Sophie Lassman, said, “some of the clothes are amazing. I particularly love the London College of fashion and Zinaida Likhacheva pieces. I’ve met some really lovely people and not just from Oxford, Brookes and the city too. I’m terrified about falling on my backside in some of the shoes I have to wear though- they’re really slippery”, and whilst there were certainly a few hitches, the show seemed to be received well by those participating, attending and even organised. Rosie Piggott, one of the show’s main directors, stated the show was a success and with over 500 people attending, it sold very well and was very happy with the outcome.
We certainly enjoyed ourselves, and whilst there were a few hitches, it’s nothing that can’t be improved upon for the next week and even the next year. The Style Show itself is an interesting concept – it definitely felt like a smaller, more contained version of the Birmingham Clothes Show, thus whilst this time it attracted a good size crowd, a returning audience maybe tricky to achieve. It’s location in the Town Hall was beautiful, yet we do think next time more could be done and at six hours, it’s incredibly long to wait out all the shows with limited seating capacity. To do it again, perhaps open slightly later, encourage a walk-around before the shows start and expand the catwalk. Furthermore, additional seats lined up would encourage people to stay and give the catwalk a greater presence within the show. We’re however truly excited for the remainder of the week and can’t wait for the Concept Show, which we’re hoping to be the event of the week. Perhaps see you there?
The self-important title of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford tells you everything you need to know about the film in question including its entire plot, tone and buttock-killing length. It is by turns slow, incoherent, ponderous, predictable and thunderously dull, and was aptly described in the Hollywood Reporter as being “smothered in pointlessly long takes, grim Western landscapes and mumbled, heavily accented dialogue.” In short, it’s one of the best films of the decade.
This is only the second film directed by Andrew Dominik, following the ultra-violent and stylish Chopper, yet he handles it with the mastery and patience of David Lean or Terrence Malick. Scenes go on just as long as they have to, as he gradually paints a portrait of America’s first true celebrity alongside his obsessive fan and eventual assassin. As Jesse James, Brad Pitt is the best he’s been since Fight Club, as he carefully reveals a man trapped by his own fame and persona whose mind is rapidly disintegrating. Alongside him is the serpentine Casey Affleck, portraying an unctuous, beady-eyed Robert Ford. Together, the two men develop an unnatural friendship born out of circumstance, and it’s not much of a spoiler to say that it doesn’t end well.
Yet for Dominik, plot is entirely secondary. Instead, he provides surprisingly modern ruminations on the destructive construct of celebrity and examines the nature of obsession. And while Affleck, Pitt and the surrounding cast are impressive, the real star of the film is the cinematography of Roger Deakins. In Jesse James, Deakins is at his best, employing natural lighting, entirely new lens combinations and haunting time-lapse photography to incredible effect. Early on, Deakins shoots a night-time train robbery with utter confidence and tenderness, embracing the darkness and smoke. Indeed, so stunning is this ten minute scene that it threatens to derail the rest of the film, though Dominik’s consummate skill ensures that this never happens.
Upon its heavily delayed release in 2007, the film was almost entirely drowned out by No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood. It was a commercial failure, and resultantly Andrew Dominik has been unable to find funding for another film since. Three years on and Jesse James remains unfairly ignored, yet it is increasingly clear that he has created a supremely confident masterpiece.
Somewhere in the east, adherents of religious sects are killing one another. Rationality and women’s rights are the predictable collateral damage. Agora could easily have been no more than a sword-and-sandals epic for the Iraq War generation, nodding to the standard set of liberal sensibilities. But while it competently fills this brief, Agora achieves much more. It is a brave and deeply thought-provoking film.
Plot synopses focusing on the relationship of Rachel Weisz’ fourth-century philosopher Hypatia with her slave Davos, do Agora little credit because its strength lies elsewhere. It deals powerfully with the intimate and the personal, but in a very different way from a suburban character-piece. Like Hypatia, who looks at the stars to understand their movements, Agora deals with what can be observed: the working of historical forces, most importantly the fall of Rome and rise of Christianity – two sides, we understand, of the same coin.
Some of the film’s Christians are more psychopathic than self-righteous, but Christianity itself is not dismissed as mere metaphysical insanity. Perhaps it is a failing, from a theologian’s point of view, but doctrines and dogmas are nowhere to be found. To the average convert, what distinguishes the new faith is its role as a social movement of the poor and disenfranchised, not least slaves like Davos. In this context, it seems almost irrelevant to point out the tragic absurdity of a slave beating his master with a club while shouting, ‘I’m a Christian, I’m a Christian!’
The stroke of genius, and Agora‘s reason for being, is the juxtaposition of this revolutionary passion with an equally convincing portrayal of pure intellectual curiosity. It is an achievement to make scientific experiments this dramatic, comprehensible, and genuinely interesting. The shots from space succeed remarkably well at instilling cosmic wonder. We sympathise with the Roman prefect Orestes, who becomes torn between pragmatic politics and awe-struck admiration for Hypatia’s unearthly pursuit of reasoned understanding.
Ultimately, even with its ambiguities, Agora is a celebration of enlightened scepticism. It locates religion on the streets, and rationality among the stars.
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