Texture Talk: Expert Tips for Growing Longer, Healthier Curls

We’re always wondering how to get long, healthy hair (at the quickest rate possible!) — and the methods and products to get us there. While there’s no shortcut to growing hair faster (hair grows about half an inch a month), you can increase the amount of hair follicles that are growing and prevent breakage so that when it does grow, you retain the length. For those of us with 4C hair, growth is often hard to track because of factors like shrinkage and fragile strands. The good news is that it 4C curls grow at the same rate as any other texture.

We tapped celebrity hairstylist Glenna Sandy (who has styled Issa Rae’s famous curls) and Salon Académie owner Nancy Falaise, and Amika global artistic director Naeemah Lafond for tips on how to achieve the inches we’ve been vying for, plus product recommendations to help us along the way.

Don’t skip wash day

Since textured hair is thick, oils don’t travel down the hair shaft as easily, which is why you may not get that telltale greasy look when it’s in need of a wash. While you might be convinced that you can go weeks or even months without washing your hair, Falaise stresses that anything beyond the two-week mark will cause product build-up, sweat, dirt and oils to accumulate and prevent actual hair growth. Sandy suggests establishing a wash day routine with a shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner and a styler.

Embrace the scissors

It might seem counterintuitive, but in order to retain length, getting your hair trimmed is key. Since dead and split ends stunt the growth of your hair, getting rid of what’s no longer healthy will actually give strength to the root of the hair to encourage growth, says Falaise. If you regularly wear your hair curly, regular trims will also give the appearance of bouncier, more defined curls.

Heat is not your friend

Heat can definitely make life with curly and coily hair a lot easier. It can help elevate certain styles, assist in identifying growth and cut your drying time in half. However, be wary of potential heat damage. Lafond suggests using a heat protectant like the Amika Blockade Heat Protectant Serum to ensure there’s a barrier between your hair and your heat tool of choice to prevent heat damage and maintain your true curl pattern.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Make daily hydration a top priority, says Sandy. Incorporate products that have humectants (like glycerin) to attract and retain moisture. Honey and aloe vera are excellent natural humectants — add them to your deep conditioning masks for an extra boost of hydration. And, use a nourishing oil to lock in any moisture that you add to the hair, says Lafond. Since curly and kinky hair need plenty of moisture to thrive, we often compensate with hydrating hair products. Staying quenched is a great way to ensure you’re providing moisture to the hair from the inside out.

Handle with care

Hair is delicate but curly hair is especially fragile. Since each strand is unique and has a slightly lifted cuticle, it allows for the internal structure of the hair to become exposed making the hair more prone to damage. Ditch the towel (the smallest tugs from the fibres can cause knots and snags) and wrap your hair in a cotton t-shirt or a microfibre towel like this one from Pattern Beauty. When detangling hair and styling, use a leave-in conditioner that contains a lot of slip or a specialized detangling product. Since over-manipulating your hair can also lead to breakage, embrace the wide range of protective styles that are available for textured hair.

Missed our last Texture Talk column? Click here.

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The Best Dressed Celebs at the 2021 Venice Film Festival

While September is notorious for signalling the end of summer and the start of school, it’s also the kickoff to film festival and award show season. With the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) starting on September 9 and the 2021 Emmy Awards just ten days later, all eyes are currently on the Venice Film Festival as stars head to Italy for the 78th edition of the international event.

Hosted at the Lido Di Venezia (Venice Lido), the fabulous fete debuted on September 1 with a sumptuous red carpet that included Penelope Cruz in a timeless black and white Chanel gown and up-and-comer Milena Smit, who dazzled in an avant-garde set by Marine Serre. The grand opening also saw models and faces of Armani Beauty Greta Ferro, Barbara Palvin and Sara Sampaio decked out in decadent dresses from the designer’s couture collection.

Although it’s still early in the schedule, if the Venice red carpet 2021 looks are any indication of the upcoming award show season, monochromatic ensembles are going to be on the menu. Another look we’re loving is pairing understated hair and makeup and minimal jewellery with over-the-top glamorous couture.

Behold the best Venice red carpet 2021 looks so far, and be sure to check in as we’ll be updating the gallery regularly!

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

1/14

Penelope Cruz in Chanel

2/14

Helen Mirren in Dolce & Gabbana

3/14

Barbara Palvin in Armani Privé

4/14

Cynthia Erivo in Tory Burch

5/14

Greta Ferro in Armani Privé

6/14

Milena Smit in Marine Serre

7/14

Cynthia Erivo in Atelier Versace

8/14

Bianca Balti in Dolce & Gabbana

9/14

Kirsten Dunst in Ferragamo

10/14

Isabelle Huppert in vintage Armani Privé

11/14

Mariacarla Boscono in Jean Paul Gaultier

12/14

Adriana Lima in Etro

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Sara Sampaio in Armani Privé

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Elisa Maino in Ferragamo

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Dune’s Rebecca Ferguson Is Up for Anything

Rebecca Ferguson does not like to be boxed in.

So posing for FASHION in a gold look by Thom Browne that’s part fitted tuxedo and part corseted gown was rather challenging. Of course, the Swedish-born Ferguson, who was tough as nails as daredevil spy Ilsa Faust in the last two Mission: Impossible films and has yet another COVID-be-damned sequel on the way, rarely turns down a challenge.

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Jacket, $3,900, bodysuit, $1,390, skirt, $1,660, and boots, price upon request, Prada.

“The angles were stunning,” says Ferguson about the duvet-like dress, likening it to the “enormously heavy” costumes she wore while filming her breakout role in the Starz series The White Queen, which was set in the 15th century. “The wealthier you were, the more fabric you had. This creation really reminded me of that. But once it was on, I couldn’t move.”

She was also hobbled by a pair of Givenchy boots with extreme wedge heels that wouldn’t be out of place in either a Lady Gaga video or her upcoming space epic — the long-heralded remake of Dune. “They were gorgeous but absolutely bonkers; I couldn’t walk in them,” says Ferguson. “When I put them on, my hair designer had to put me on his back and run me to the location. This is why fashion is so much fun — I have no idea what’s going to be there when I arrive at a shoot.”

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Jacket, $4,925, and skirt, $2,720, Gucci. Shoes, $1,135, Gucci by Tom Ford at Found and Vision. Necklace, price upon request, Chanel.

It was less than 10 years ago, in 2014, that Ferguson got her first taste of Hollywood perks: a business class flight to Los Angeles for her Golden Globe nomination for The White Queen. She had never borrowed a black-tie outfit before, let alone walked a red carpet. “Just having a real fitting for a dress was huge for me,” she says. “I’d never had that before. There were hotels and meetings and lunches — it was a weekend of pure ecstasy.” There was also an encounter with Cate Blanchett. “I’d never been so blinded in my whole life,” she says of all the photographers snapping Blanchett’s image. (They also snapped a few of Ferguson herself, thankfully.)

Ferguson recalls “peeing in a stall next to Drew Barrymore” during a bathroom break at the main event at the Beverly Hilton. “She asked for loo paper, and I excitedly passed it to her under the stall,” she says. “She was so cool. You know actors — in Hollywood, they all know each other.”

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Top, $915, A.W.A.K.E. Mode. Ring (top), $195, and ring (bottom), $245, Cornelia Webb.

Once Dune is released next month, it will be difficult for anyone to not know the 37-year-old Ferguson, who lives in Richmond, a borough of London, England, with her daughter and husband. Based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, Dune is a movie that fans have been wanting for, well, decades — or at least since the last big-screen adaptation, in 1984, directed by David Lynch, flopped with critics and at the box office. Ferguson plays Lady Jessica, mother to potential world saviour Paul Atreides, played by red-hot Timothée Chalamet, whom Ferguson describes as “just magic.” “I wasn’t a fan of Lynch’s version,” she notes. “I think I fell asleep. It’s dated, but there’s a beauty to the datedness.”

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Jacket, $4,775, top, $750, and skirt, $1,150, Versace. Shoes, $1,095, Gina Couture. Ring (top), $195, and ring (bottom), $245, Cornelia Webb.

Thanks to French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, the new version is a filmic spectacular that is both painterly and laden with astounding never-before-seen special effects. “For me, it was probably the best experience I’ve ever had on a movie,” she says. “I actually cried when I saw it for the first time. I was so blown away. I just want people to see it in the cinema.” She also heard that her co-star Jason Momoa sat through the two-and-a-half-hour movie and then promptly asked the projectionist to screen it for him again.

Ferguson’s next project, Apple TV+’s adaptation of Wool, is another sci-fi/fantasy epic, and it will, for the first time, give her a producing credit. Our chat takes place while she is travelling by car from a costume fitting for the project. “I need comfort on a day like this,” she says, referring to her jeans and Zara top and clogs that she can “whip in and out of.”

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Jacket, $5,505, pants, $1,300, and shoes, $1,450, Givenchy. Sweater, $1,430, Vetements.

When she was a teenager, Ferguson wanted to be “one of the cool chicks.” “I didn’t look cool enough,” she says. Acting helped her to be in the moment, to trust her gut. She started performing nearly by accident. “I feel like a lot of people are raised into it, but I was such a novice,” she says of her first foray into performing. “I didn’t go to plays, and the idea of drama school terrified me. I didn’t want to learn a monologue, green from the street, and then stand in front of the jury deciding my fate. I didn’t want to put myself through that.”

By happenstance, someone asked Ferguson to try out for a Swedish soap opera. “I thought, ‘Why not?’” she says. During the audition, she forgot the camera was there. “It just rolled,” she recalls. She got the part and then paid for private acting lessons out of her own pocket. “It ended up being a great learning curve, and I could cry really fast. I really enjoyed it.”

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Bustier, $1,825, jacket, $1,450, vest, $545, shirt, $705, pants, $910, and tie, $235, Moschino Couture at The Room at Hudson’s Bay. Ring, $47,120, David Morris. Watch, price upon request, Cartier.

It turned out that acting is also a clever way to keep her monkey mind steady. Years of therapy have also helped, she says. “I’m quite blunt — too blunt sometimes. I overanalyze things, and it’s quite tiring. You move so fast with film and television. I love going into different rooms I haven’t been in. It helps take my foot off the accelerator of overanalyzing.”

Ferguson has come a long way since then, having acted opposite two of the world’s most famous “TCs”: Tom Cruise (she actually refers to him as “TC”) and Chalamet — not to mention Hugh Jackman, with whom she starred in The Greatest Showman and this summer’s Reminiscence.

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Jacket, $3,980, shorts, $1,100, and boots, $1,650, Fendi. Necklace, $23,700, Cartier. Ring (top), $195, and ring (bottom), $245, Cornelia Webb.

“I never dreamed of these roles,” she says. “Sweden was big enough, and so was the idea that I was a somewhat successful actress there. I learned a lot from Tom on Mission: Impossible. I can see he makes movies for his audience. Sometimes I’m quite selfish; I don’t care what the end product is because I’ve moved on. Tom sees everything from the viewer’s point of view: how to construct the drama — every story line and not the selfish needs of one character.”

Cruise also encouraged Ferguson’s adventurous side. “I’m not a thrill chaser to the extent that Mr. TC is; I don’t throw myself off planes,” she says. “I’m not hyper in that I have to move all the time. But I do want to experience things.” When Cruise broke his ankle on Mission: Impossible — Fallout and production shut down, Ferguson took the time to go diving for fun. (She got her diving certificate during a stint in Thailand in 2004.)

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Jacket and pants, prices upon request, Loewe. Ring, price upon request, David Morris.

Diving, she says, is how she finds a meditative space to reconnect with herself: “I love merging into water. I love that I’m a guest in someone else’s habitat. It’s very quiet and very still. I like that I can’t hear anyone around me. It’s nothing like acting, but I do love to throw myself into things that are completely different.”

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Jacket, shirt, dress, bow tie and pocket square, prices upon request, Thom Browne.

Photography by ROYAL GILBERT. Styling by KAREN CLARKSON. Creative direction by GEORGE ANTONOPOULOS. Hair by ALAIN PICHON FOR KEVIN MURPHY. Makeup by EMMA LOVELL FOR THE WALL GROUP/CHANEL. Nails by REBECCA JADE WILSON FOR THE WALL GROUP. Photo technicians: JOSHUA HEAVENS ONABOWU AND MONIQUE WATSON. Digitech: ALEX CORNES. Post-production: VALLALI. Styling assistant: MOLLY ELLISON.

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Has Dolce & Gabbana Been Forgiven?

For the last 72 hours, my social media feeds have been overflowing with praise for Dolce & Gabbana. As A-list celebrities, supermodels and top-tier stylists flocked to Venice, Italy to celebrate the Italian brand’s Alta Moda — their take on haute couture — presentation on August 29, I descended into the depths of Instagram, only to return hours later feeling really…uncomfortable. 

Had everyone suddenly forgotten Dolce & Gabbana’s history of racism and homophobia? Did I miss the memo that D&G had atoned and been forgiven for, among other things, their deeply tone deaf 2018 campaign mocking Chinese culture? The fanfare around this unabashedly extravagant event seemed to imply as much.

At every swipe, a new, more lush image illuminated my phone: models and guests arriving via glamorous gondolas; a selfie between Kardashian supermom Kris Jenner and Princess Diana’s niece Kitty Spencer; a video of a golden Jennifer Hudson (both literally and figuratively, as she was dressed like an actual princess) belting out “Nessum Dorma” from the Italian opera Turandot; a Venetian gothic runway, that used the iconic landmark of Piazza San Marco as its backdrop; ornate and ostentatious gowns, dripping in kaleidoscopic patterns, lavish fabrics and intricate embroideries; crowns and floral headpieces as far as the eye could see. And I haven’t even mentioned J.Lo’s jaw-dropping ensemble.

 

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A post shared by Jennifer Lopez (@jlo)

But for every beautiful image and celebrity photo, I was reminded of fashion’s problematic short-term memory.

For those unfamiliar with or in need of a quick fashion history refresher, Dolce & Gabbana is well-known for at least two things. The first is their quintessentially Italian and over-the-top design aesthetic. Minimalism is not in creative directors Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s vocabulary and their dedication to exuberance — despite the continued rise of streetwear and a more relaxed approach to dressing — is loved by many.

The second and far less positive defining characteristic is the brand’s history of racism, misogyny and homophobia.

In no particular order, Dolce & Gabbana once named a shoe the “slave sandal” and jewellery as “Blackamoor earrings;” Elton John called for a ban against the designers after they called children born from In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) “synthetic children;” Stefano Gabbana called Selena Gomez ugly for no apparent reason other than misogyny; and the brand is now infamous for supporting former First Lady Melania Trump, having dressed her on multiple occasions during her time at the White House. The luxury house even poked fun at anti-Trump administration protestors and their continued support of the former President through a bizarre series of #boycott Dolce & Gabbana T-shirts. 

However, it’s perhaps the Italian brand’s 2018 controversy that speaks the loudest — and reverberated the most.

 

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A post shared by Diet Prada ™ (@diet_prada)

Ahead of Dolce & Gabbana’s 2018 fashion show — ironically conceived and designed to woo its Chinese clientele — the luxury fashion house released a series of racially insensitive videos featuring a Chinese model attempting to eat Italian foods with chopsticks. The backlash on social media was instantaneous and forced the brand to delete the series from its Weibo account. Adding more fuel to the fire, Gabbana began personally responding to critics insulting both China and Chinese people in the process, as his DMs quickly leaked online and resulted in the cancellation of the brand’s 500-look show — and the cancellation of the brand as a whole.

In the wake of the aftermath, Diet Prada was at the forefront of the public condemnation of the brand and published the founder’s screenshots. It wasn’t until earlier this year that they revealed they have been battling a lawsuit from the Italian brand since early 2019, claiming defamation. The media outlet wasn’t alone in their criticism. Net-a-Porter and other e-tailers removed D&G products from their websites, Kim Kardashian West deleted a photo of her wearing one of their designs from her Instagram and customers around the globe starting returning their purchases.

Seeing as anti-Asian hate crimes have risen in the last 18 months due to racist rhetoric and misinformation around COVID-19, for major fashion outlets and celebrities alike to embrace Dolce & Gabbana so eagerly and effortlessly is disappointing, but perhaps not that surprising.

Fashion loves a comeback story (or is just too quick to forgive and forget for the sake of a free trip/gown/lavish party, depending on who you ask). Think John Galliano, who was infamously fired from Dior for anti-Semitic comments in 2011 and is now celebrated as the creative director of Maison Margiela.

The internet can be quick to cancel people and brands, but who stays cancelled and who is once again publicly embraced after a reprieve is much murkier. As celebrities, companies and media figures alike are examined under a microscope of political correctness, cancel culture has led to tangible results. Ellen DeGeneres is perhaps the best recent example, as public accounts of her fostering a toxic work environment prompted the comedian to cancel her daytime talk show after 19 years. Cancelled for now? Yes. But will Ellen be back in a year or two with a comeback project? Chances are, also yes.

It took less than a year for much of the fashion community to welcome Dolce & Gabbana back into the inner circle. D&G gowns started to once again appear on red carpets in 2019 when Emilia Clarke wore the designers to the TIME 100 Gala, and then at least seven A-list celebs wore them to the 2020 Oscars. An entire editorial centred around the brand appeared in British Vogue, featuring an interview with the designers.

 

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A post shared by Dolce&Gabbana (@dolcegabbana)

Dolce & Gabbana got un-cancelled relatively quickly, and whether they did the real work to change after offending so many communities is up for debate.

The brand has undergone something of a rebranding. After the backlash of the 2018 Chinese campaign, both designers issued apologies and remained relatively quiet for several months as they rebuilt their image. Gabbana has since deleted his personal Instagram account. Kerry Washington’s 2020 Emmys look was auctioned off to benefit the When We All Vote, the nonprofit dedicated to voter registration founded by Former First Lady Michelle Obama. The luxury house pledged to make a “significant donation” to the NAACP on #BlackOutTuesday in June 2020. And they partnered with the LGBTQIA+ charity The Trevor Project for their 2021 Valentines Day campaign (above).

But is this enough? Is it as simple as forgiving and forgetting?

Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic at the New York Times, told Fashionista in March 2021 about D&G mounting a comeback that when it comes to the luxury fashion house, or really any brand or person you choose to align with, it’s all about living with your choices.

“If you are going to publicly support — and fund — a brand that has acted in a hurtful way in the past because you believe they have learned from their mistakes, I think you should then be able to say, ‘I understand what they’d done in the past, and I feel this, and I thought this about it, and I made this decision; to me, that’s completely acceptable. But I wish that people would do that instead of either pretending that there wasn’t an issue or revealing that they haven’t bothered to think about their choices and are ignorant of the issue.”

When it comes to cancel culture and accountability, memories can be dreadfully short. Influencers, celebrities and shoppers have seemingly never been so woke and more vocal on social media, but the regular resurrection of cancelled celebrities and brands suggest the public are not following through when it comes to who they align themselves with, whether via their wallets or double taps. An angry online mob might be quick to form, but distractions — like a glamorous party and an extravagant outfit — arise just as fast. It’s up to the rest of us to continue the conversation.

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You *Should* Be Having Sex On Your Period — Here’s Why

I’ve never had sex on my period on purpose. There are only two circumstances in which this would’ve occurred — by accident, or at the bitter end of my cycle when I couldn’t wait to get it in. Two halves of my brain fight against each other when it comes to period sex: The part that is a raging feminist and wants to smear my endometrial lining on any man who dares cross my path, and another part that feels ashamed I even bleed at all.

I grew up in the ’90s and got my first period at 13. Periods were a dirty secret — I didn’t tell my mom or my friends for a year when I got mine. I hated it and the constant reminder from *gestures vaguely* society that I was dirty. At school, we were discouraged from even mentioning it outside of sex ed class and at the time, many public washrooms weren’t even equipped with pad or tampon dispensers. We used passive terms for it like “Aunt Flo” or “monthly visitor” instead of calling it what it is. Pads are commonly called sanitary napkins when nothing is unsanitary about them at all. Now 30 years old, I still refer to my period as “Shark Week” to help ease the tension of discussing periods with my sexual partners. They always laugh, so, mission accomplished?

But as I’ve come into my own in my late twenties, carrying around this weird shame — among many others, namely my body size — has become my ball and chain. For at least one week every month, my menstrual cycle runs the show. She dictates what I eat, how much exercise I do (or don’t do), whose head I bite off, how I feel about my body, how horny I am and the fact that I can’t have partnered sex — or so I thought.

Rachael Newton, the founder of period-care brand Nixit, wants to change that.

She first got the idea of creating a sustainable period product while living abroad on an island, and noticing just how much waste she was producing from tampons and pads alone. But while shopping for a menstrual cup, sifting through confusing information from some leading brands and chatting with friends about their period troubles, she finally decided to design one of her own.

It took three years for the Nixit menstrual cup to come to fruition. The brand’s silicone cup, unlike tampons and other leading period cups, doesn’t use absorption or suction to stay in place. Instead, it uses gravity and our bodies own unique natural forms to sit comfortably in place. It’s super light, ultra flexible body leans against the pubic bone and vaginal fornix, higher up that most other products that sit at the base of the cervix in the vaginal canal, like a diaphragm. The material is thinner, lighter and more pliable, and the lack of suction allows for comfortable movement and shifting into the perfect position for you. And because it doesn’t use suction, it’s actually a lot easier to insert and remove; while it sits higher, it’s easier to reach and take out with your fingertips — no awkward pinching and tugging required.

And yes, it’s perfect for period sex. Unlike other menstrual cups, Nixit sits higher up in the vaginal canal, not only reducing the amount of blood that can leak during sex, but also actually allowing for more comfortable penetration while it’s inserted.

Orgasming during your period can help relieve menstrual pain

“Some people are totally comfortable with [period sex], and that’s fine for them,” Newton says. “But for a lot of people [who aren’t comfortable with it], it opens up the conversation because they’re like, ‘I’ve got this product [and] it doesn’t matter that I have my period.'”

There are many reasons people may want to have sex on their periods, she explains. For some, their sex drive runs high while menstruating. And furthermore, orgasms can help with relieving cramps.

Research shows that having sex on your period can relieve cramping pain thanks to the oxytocin and endorphins released after orgasm. Research by former professor and author Beverly Whipple found that women’s pain tolerance and detection increased by 74.6 and 106.7 percent respectively after orgasm.

Additionally, for those who experience pain during intercourse, period blood can act as extra lubricant during penetration, thereby increasing pleasure — for both parties.

Having period sex can be an act of sexual self-confidence and empowerment

Beth* grew up knowing her period was a secret, encouraged by her mother to stay quiet about it and always feeling awkward bringing it up with partners. As she matured, being able to have sex on her period became an important part of her life and relationship with her partner, who’s always been open to learning.

“I want to know that my partner is comfortable with all of my body, and period sex is a big part of that for me,” she says. “And having a longer than average period has meant that being comfortable with period sex is almost a necessity.”

Using Nixit has allowed Beth the freedom to not have to plan around her period, but rather make it a part of her life — a move that’s helped improve her sexual confidence tenfold.

“When I used a menstrual cup previously, I found it difficult to get excited about sex because planning around my complex menstrual cycle started to become a burden,” she says. “Using Nixit as a means of having mess-free period sex … gave me flexibility to have sex whenever I want.”

On the other hand, when Stephanie* got her first period, her family took her out for dinner to celebrate.

“My parents never told me to hide it or not talk about it, and definitely never mentioned it was dirty” she says. The most she was concerned about was smelling bad in high school, but periods were never an issue when it came to having sex.

“If sex was initiated, I would just say, ‘By the way, I have my period right now,'” she says. “It’s never been an issue. The usual reaction from a partner was, ‘let’s get a dark towel or try the bathroom counter, to avoid making too much of a mess.'” Now, “if we’re in the mood, it’s a non-issue,” she adds.

Period sex also has a lot to do with building body respect

Millie* grew up in a period-friendly household; her grandfather was even a gynaecologist. But because her friends weren’t as vocal about periods, she didn’t talk about it as much. The more comfortable she got with her body, the easier it became.

“In the beginning, I only ever mentioned my period as a ‘warning’ before sex,” she says. “As I become more comfortable with my sexuality and my partners, it would become a more open conversation.”

“What’s most important to me is that my partner respects my body … That includes not shaming me for something that’s natural to my body.”

At the end of the day, being able to enjoy our bodies on or off our periods is paramount to building a positive relationship to our own beings — whether it’s sex with ourselves or sex with our partners, or exploring our bodies through using period cups.

*Names have been changed at the source’s request. 

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The Pandemic, a Pair of Knitting Needles and Old Jeans Gave Life to Knitwear for Vejas Kruszewski

Like many people, Vejas Kruszewski learned to knit during the pandemic. But he worked with yarn made from recycled post-consumer denim, so his results are unique.

Photography by Samuel Francis Houston

Making the most of it

Since 2016, when he became the youngest winner ever of the prestigious LVMH Special Prize, Canadian creative Vejas Kruszewski has been riding a wave of international attention for his architecturally-off-kilter pieces. For several years, the design phenom ran his eponymous brand out of Paris. Then came COVID-19. Unable to renew his work visa, Kruszewski found himself stuck in Canada initially sans sewing machine but with plenty of time on his hands. “I learned how to knit,” he says. “It was quite an experience and something I normally wouldn’t have had time for. I spent a lot of hours watching The Crown and a National Geographic series called Mars while practising.”

Self-care — but make it fashion

Kruszewski’s pieces may have a complex structure, but they recall laid-back inspirations — “sexy, lazy beach vibes,” as he describes them. “The skirt is in the shape of a towel wrapped around the waist, and the bra is like braided hair,” he says. The contented and ritualistic feelings captured relate to how Kruszewski has approached design this past year. “It feels so good to work with my hands and to share that work with others. That’s what keeps me going.”

Skein graft

Once the prototypes were developed for his knits, Kruszewski sent them to be made at a factory in Italy’s Veneto region in limited quantities. “I started collaborating with this factory in 2020 and am working with one of the sons — it’s a family business,” he notes. “It’s so nice to work with someone of my generation and who has similar sensibilities, which is not so common.” Speaking of uniqueness, Kruszewski explains that the yarn used was “created from recycled post-consumer denim in Prato, Italy — an area long recognized for its textile-recycling knowledge. Old jeans were shredded, and a new fibre, with a unique marled texture, was produced.”

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Everything You Need to Know About You Season 3

You is not your typical psychological thriller. Since the show’s premiere in 2018, it has taken a unique approach to murder mystery by positioning the predator as the main protagonist. You follows Joe Goldberg (played by Penn Badgley), a dangerous murderer with a hero complex. The show provides an uncomfortably intimate look at how Joe thinks, and why despite his violent actions, he sees himself as the good guy. You plays on the tropes of a misunderstood man longing for love: Joe is a nice guy — until things don’t go his way. While deconstructing romantic clichés, the series challenges its viewers to question why men like Joe so often get away with violence toward women.

After a year and a half, the self-aware, at times dark comedic drama is coming back for a third season. Here’s what you need to know about You season 3, along with some info to get you caught up on seasons 1 and 2. (Spoilers ahead, of course!)

Where did You leave off?

The show’s first two seasons were adapted from Caroline Kepnes’s You book series. In season 1, audiences were introduced to Joe as a charming bookstore manager who is taken with aspiring writer Beck (Elizabeth Lail). His affinity for her quickly grows to an obsession, and he manages to track her daily life via social media monitoring and in-person stalking. He dates Beck and throughout the season, gets rid of anything and anyone in his way, leaving a trail of blood behind him. When Beck eventually finds out about his violent impulses, he kills her — something he decides is for her own good.

Season 2 takes on a whole new spin, as we see Joe assume a new identity and move from NYC to Los Angeles to escape his past. Despite trying to lay low, he falls in love with Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), an aspiring chef who works with him at an upscale grocery store. In true Joe fashion, he kills more people throughout the season, but when Love inevitably finds out, she reveals that she is just as murderous as he is. Joe has met his perfect match in Love — but this makes him less fond of her. The season ends with them living together in a manicured suburban neighbourhood, with Joe looking unhappy and eyeing the woman who lives next door. This final scene was a strong hint at who Joe’s next target would be.

Photography courtesy of JOHN P. FLEENOR/NETFLIX Canada

What’s the plot of You season 3?

The upcoming season will open with Joe and Love married and raising their baby, Henry, according to a synopsis from Netflix. The family is living in the northern California suburb of Madre Linda, surrounded by “privileged tech entrepreneurs, judgmental mommy bloggers and Insta-famous biohackers” — all types of people that traditionalist Joe hates. While trying to remain committed to his new role as a husband and father, Joe is increasingly feeling trapped by Love. He fears her impulsiveness and how well she understands him, and he is becoming more and more interested in the woman living next door.

Photography courtesy of JOHN P. FLEENOR/NETFLIX Canada

The third book in Kepnes’a series, called You Love Me, was published in April 2021, after the show’s writers mapped out its story, as reported by Variety. The novel reportedly follows Joe as he takes up a new job at a library and has moved on completely from Love. In this new gig, he becomes fixated by one of his coworkers, librarian and single mother Mary Kay. It’s unconfirmed how closely the season will follow the novel’s plot.

Is there a trailer for You season 3?

Not yet, but on August 30, Netflix released a short teaser video announcing the season 3 premiere date. The video is a compilation of clips of Joe baking and icing a pristine white cake while he muses about what to name his new child. He settles on Henry, eventually.

Who will star in You season 3?

Along with the aforementioned Badgley and Pedretti, Deadline reports the cast will be joined by plenty of additions, including Saffron Burrows as Dottie Quinn, Love’s mom, and Michaela McManus as Natalie, the neighbour and object of Joe’s growing obsession. Both actors made brief season 2 appearances.

Other new cast additions include Tati Gabrielle as Marianne, Dylan Arnold as Theo, Shalita Grant as Sherry, Travis Van Winkle as Cary, Scott Speedman as Matthew, Shannon Chan-Kent as Kiki, Ben Menhl as Dante, Chris O’Shea as Andrew and Christopher Sean as Brandon.

When will You season 3 be released?

You Season 3 will hit Netflix on October 15.

The post Everything You Need to Know About <Em>You</Em> Season 3 appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

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Scott Disick Tried to Shame Kourtney Kardashian’s PDA With Travis Barker and It Backfired

One indication that you’re winning at life? Your exes DM about you while you vacation in Italy with your new love. This is the very chaos we’re watching unfold on the internet after Kourtney Kardashian’s ex-boyfriend Younes Bendjima exposed an extremely salty message from her other ex, Scott Disick.

Kardashian is currently in Italy with her boyfriend, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, generating some PDA-heavy pics. One of these photos caught the attention of Kardashian’s ex-partner and co-parent, Disick. And what came next was very messy.

On August 30, Bendjima posted a screenshot of an alleged DM conversation with Disick to his Instagram Stories. The reality star seemingly sent a photo to Bendjima of Kardashian straddling and kissing Barker on a boat ride. He accompanied the photo with a message expressing his disapproval: “Yo is this chick ok!???? Broooo like what is this. In the middle of Italy.” We think that kind of steamy romance is actually perfetto for Italy, but that’s beside the point.

Bendjima responded to Disick, writing, “Doesn’t matter to me as long as she’s happy. PS: I ain’t your bro.” Yikes! He also captioned the screenshot with, “Keep the same energy you had about me publicly, privately.” Bendjima is likely referring to the many public digs Disick has taken at him in the past. Take the Keeping Up with the Kardashians reunion in June when Disick was asked if he gets “upset” when Kardashian dates other men and he responded, “Me? No. I just want to kill them,” he said. “Well, the last guy,” he added, hinting that he was not a fan of the 28-year-old model. The Kar-Jenners then chimed in to say that they all didn’t like Bendjima.

Younes Bendjima shares Scott Disick's DMs criticizing Kourtney Kardashian's PDA with Travis Barker. pic.twitter.com/FjEj0z3Ju8

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 31, 2021

The model made another Instagram Stories post of a black screen that read, “Couldn’t miss this one. He been playing around for too long, [tried] to stay quiet and be the nice guy.” Bendjima followed by saying that he was “going back to work” on a 10km run. He really woke up and chose shade.

Kardashian met Bendjima at Paris Fashion Week in 2016, and the pair had an on-off romance until they officially split in 2018. But Disick and Kardashian, for those who don’t keep up, have a much more complicated past. They met in 2006 (the year before KUWTK premiered — a lifetime ago, really) and spent years breaking up and getting back together while Disick dealt with substance abuse. After having three kids together, the two have seemingly honed their co-parenting skills — but from this mess, it seems Scott has some unresolved feelings for Kourt.

Fans were also quick to point out that 38-year-old Disick shouldn’t criticize other couples, as he himself has had a questionable dating track record. Since splitting with Kardashian, he’s been known to date much younger women. Previously, he dated Sofia Richie — with whom he had a 15-year age gap. And now, he’s seeing 20-year-old Amelia Hamlin — with whom he shares an 18-year (!) gap. It’s the skewed power dynamics for us.

scott disick is criticizing kourtney’s relationship while dating someone born in 2001 😭😭😭

— ♓️ (@sstastas) August 31, 2021

Kardashian, on the other hand, is thriving on her romantic Italian getaway. From enjoying gondola rides and strolling around Venice in matching goth hoodies to attending the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show, it’s clear that Kravis is on cloud nine. Barker seems to have subtly responded to the drama, liking a post from a fan account called @rendezvouswithk with the caption, “#younesbendjima just exposed #scottdisick.” He also posted a very meme-worthy picture of someone laughing to his Instagram Stories. Disick has yet to publicly respond to the situation, but we wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed completely silent. He’s clearly done enough.

Kardashian, being the Aries that she is, is kind of iconic for having all these men talk about her while she remains unbothered. To put it in her words, clearly her vibe right now is just living life.

The post Scott Disick Tried to Shame Kourtney Kardashian’s PDA With Travis Barker and It Backfired appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

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