Fashion Editorial

This module gave me the opportunity to develop my understanding of the multimedia fashion editorial landscape, having me engage with contemporary contextual issues and agendas. By producing both print and multimedia work, I have developed my critical analysis, independent research and writing skills. This project also gave me the opportunity to expand my photographic and portraiture work, which I then used through my editorial work.

We were asked to select a person or people who I see as a HERO. We were told to look at communities, trailblazers and change-makers who are wanting to make the world a better place. Based on these HEROS, I created three photoshoots inspired by them, wrote a journalistic article and produced a digital multimedia version of my story, which was then publication on the Universities Fashion Communication website.

Initial research

I began my initial research into people and groups I see as HEROS as part of a website I developed to showcase summer tasks I had been asked to complete, please click here to view it.

After deciding on ‘Our Streets Now’ as the main inspiration for my feature, I began in-depth research into street harassment by carrying out an independent survey (results can be viewed here) which supported me in also identifying people who were happy to discuss their experience in an interview setting. I found it really interesting when reviewing the statistics from around the world and knew then that this was an angle I wanted to explore more, so I began looking at other advocacy groups. Together this research gave me a very clear understanding of the subject and really helped me to develop my proposal and pitch to my tutors.

Now that I had my idea I began to put together research for the actual work I would produce taking time to read a host of different articles linked to street harassment but also articles that had used different formats to present their piece. I did similar research for my photography, looking at artists from different decades and fields of work.

Additionally to this project, we were asked to explore SEO processes and implement them into our site to help me do this I put together a selection of keywords and used these in my article description and titles.

To view my full research book please click here.

Feature article

An Open Letter to all Catcallers

Women have had enough, along with advocacy groups like Our Streets Now and Hollaback we are fighting back against Street harassment. Here Cyra Bryant pens an open letter to all Catcallers.

[Wolf Whistle]

Did I get your attention? Did I make you feel special?

I understand it’s hard to stop preying on that group of underage girls in their school uniforms, or staring at that same sex couple that’s walking by, but please just indulge me. 

As these people walk by going about their day to day, why do you feel the need to interject yourself into their life?

Street harassment is now so common, YouGov found that 64% of girls and women have been affected by it. That means your mum, your sister… your daughter will have experienced it in some form. Plan International UK learned that the average age a girl will begin suffering from street harassment is 14, 35% of the time they are in their school uniform.

You may think that a quick comment on how much you’d like to “take care of her” (Sabira, 24) is harmless but to them, that comment is surrounded by implications of rape and abuse. More than likely that girl already has her keys between her fingers ready to defend herself and is looking ahead for help; maybe a house with a light on to run to. She’s planning her route to escape your gaze as quickly as possible.

Can you imagine that fear?

Your jabs aren’t always directed at your typical white women. You also call upon those with a different sexual orientation, race or religion, groups that are already marginalised in the UK. They are not a fetish for you to tick off your list, and even if that’s your idea of a “goal”, shouting “I’ve never done an Asian before” (Ghaida, 24) isn’t going to help your chances. With or without a face mask no one seems safe from your harassment.

So what do you gain from this? Sociology would say your behaviour is your attempt to gain control… but why would someone so confident that they are able to whistle at a single person across the road need to gain control and prove themselves? Others say men do it to help dominate themselves as the alpha in their group.

I would like to tell you on behalf of all women, the people who stand out to us are the ones standing up against inequality and working with advocacy groups like Our Streets Now. Shouting at a woman, calling her a “slag” (Paige, 22) for simply wearing a dress in summer, not only makes you look like a creep, it suggests that you lack the basic intelligence to understand how people stay cool in summer.

I’m hoping you are beginning to understand and learn how your actions can affect those around you. The survey I did found that 72% of us feel anxious after being catcalled with 69% just being plain angry.

So what can you do to help others understand? Well, you can take part in the ‘Hollabacks Bystander Intervention Training’ learn to hold yourself and others accountable. It teaches how to safely react when you see someone being harassed, checking on them and reminding them that what has happened is due to no fault of their own. It doesn’t matter what they are wearing, who they love or what their race or religion is. The issue falls on the harasser.

We don’t want your attention we want to walk home safely. You are not paying me a compliment when you tell me how hard you would fuck me, you are disrespecting my body. We do not smile for you, dress for you or live for you, we are here for ourselves and we wish people would stop trying to diminish us to anything less than human.

“It’s important for us to continue talking about this to make people aware that it’s not ok” (Sabira, 24)

Photography

Below is a selection of images from all three of my photoshoots for this project.

To view my photography publication please click here.

Video

To produce my video, I rewrote my feature article and put together clips from stock footage with minimal text over it. This was my first experience using premiere pro and I am very happy with the outcome. I used this to start my digital multimedia piece as it set a very clear tone for the article, I also thought it was an interesting way to take my written feature and update it for an online piece.

Voiceover: Lucy Curry

Multimedia Piece

To view my complete digital multimedia feature including video, imagery, interviews and an article on campaigner Eliza Hatch (Cheer up luv) please click here. Password: hero