In the ever-evolving media generation we live in, trends can be in today and replaced by the seemingly next best thing tomorrow. From maximalists to the clean girl aesthetic, BBLs, and now Ozempic, beauty standards are constantly varying. While westernisation and colonisation have impacted what we as Africans deem as a classically beautiful face and…
There was a time when the Met Gala could do no wrong. The same could be said of celebrities. At the beginning of May, when these two forces collide, most with a keen interest in pop culture take note. But in the past few years, things have been getting a bit tense. From the rising…
Out of pure fandom, I interviewed Zoliswa Mbadu, aka @Zolfreckles—a model, content creator, influencer and the founder and designer of the fashion line, Evolving Revolver. With her characteristic features, make-up tutorials, cute Procreate self-portrait illustrations and sophisticated sense of style, she has amassed a substantial following on her well-curated and motivational social media pages. But…
Let’s be honest, the boy-meets-girl trope is a thing of the ancient past. In today’s dating world, it’s more like dog-eat-dog. With the inevitable decline of marriage and traditional gender roles, it’s no wonder people are finding new ways to win in the game of love. Contemporary relationships have seen transactional love become prevalent, evident…
For those who have been living under several rocks, Reesa Teesa is a TikTok sensation who has taken the internet by storm in the past few days. Her 50-part series titled Who TF Did I Marry?, chronicles—in minute detail—her tumultuous marriage and eventual divorce with a man she calls “Legion”. Reesa’s captivatingly raw storytelling style…
Situationships, bites, talking stages, and sneaky links. Gen Z has invented every term to describe a relationship that is not an actual relationship. Scrolling through TikTok, my algorithm has thrown me into the failed relationship side of the platform. From life coaches to single girlies, to random finance bros all giving their unmediated advice on…
This past weekend I was once again reminded by the streets, or more accurately — the spaces of Twitter — of how cultural conformity is at an all time high amongst youth digital culture and what DAZED Magazine describes as “the era of the monomass”. I’ve never been one to be pessimistic about our society,…
Part of the charm of the younger generation is their careful balance of a nostalgia-based creation, with an almost equal dedication to affirming themselves and their future in all that they do. This precise balance — of two seemingly different approaches to creating and living — come together in a perfect marriage to form an…
“I’m not really worried about other people or their expectations. This is the first bottle I ever made, I’m never gonna forget that. Be yourself, don’t worry about anybody else — stay true.” Joshua Vides for Ballantine’s Joshua Vides is a renowned California based artists and creative known all across the world for the ways…
In 2012 short-form video sharing platform Vine was founded in the now social media golden age. Vine was a platform that allowed users to create 6-second videos and created many online personalities such as David Dobrik, Shawn Mendes and Liza Koshy. The platform at the time, was ushering in a new era of social media…
AFROPUNK festival has become a celebration of self-expression through music and art. One aspect of the festival that holds the attention of people is the outfits that people wear. These outfits have become as symbolic of the AFROPUNK movement as those who perform and share their creative practices. I had a conversation with five of…
Adrienne Raquel is a photographer and art director based in New York. Drawing her inspiration from Summer, femininity and tropical motifs, her work evokes playfulness, vibrancy, and nostalgia. With the use of distinct colour and composition, Adrienne’s striking imagery has led to many large-scale brand collaborations. She has been deemed an influencer and one of…
