urban coco issue 4

Etta Smith

www.urban-coco.com

Fashion, lifestyle and music magazine

Issue Four

Urb

an C

oco

Birth

day an

d B

each E

ditio

n Ju

ne 2

01

2

Henne

ssy Ha

ir & Be

auty S

tudio

Hair Services Include: Specialising in Afro Caribbean and European Hairdressing Racoon 100% human hair extensions Micro ring extensions Perming Relaxers Hair colour specialist Colour correction Intense conditioning treatments Weaves & Plaits Stocking caps Hair patterns

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Tell us about Pink Gorilla, when did you start it? I started off by yering for clubs & bars which was good to get in to places and meet people. Then I did a few nights. But started doing Pink Gorilla ve years ago and since then over time its evolved from doing nights and parties, to a marketing agency working with companies such as Harvey Nichols, Ofce, Revolution and Aqua to having an APP to a free voucher site. But we are essentially a marketing company with the benet of these extras! Its great as every day is different and its going from strength to strength.

What has been your career highlight to date?To be honest right now is a highlight as we will be taking Pink Gorilla outside of Leeds and the fact I have my own APP on the Itunes store. Not many people can say that.

Men in Business

Jordan Odu

You dominate the Leeds scene with your discounts and offers available through your popular app. Are there plans of expanding in to new cities?Yes we have some amazing things in the pipeline watch this space!

You recently launched PG Vouchers, tell us more about this?We launched the APP two years ago and have just over 12000 users, however it was just for Iphone so it cut out a massive group of people who also want to save money. So over a quick drink we decided to join forces with Hairy Lemon and launched a voucher site. Its different from the rest of the sites out there as its free for everyone to use, all they need to do is print off the voucher. You can get discounts in loads of different places such as Levis, Accent, Casa Mia, Malmaison, Rebecca Charles and Urban Turka and Harvey Nichols. It works for businesses as they get a great uptake and we dont take a massive cut from them. So everybody wins!

Where do you hope to see your brand in 5 years?In an ideal world we would go national with www.pgvouchers.co.uk and have work marketing and running events in those cities. Also an ofce like the one in Ugly Betty!

Where can people keep up to date with everything you are doing?Follow us on twitter @pinkgorilla1 or search Pink Gorilla on facebook. If you want the best discounts around download our APP on Itunes

Pink Gorilla is a leading lifestyle marketing agency based in Leeds. Headed up by socialite and boy about town Jordan Odu, we caught up with him to find out more about life in business.

www. urban-coco. com2

Contents4 Lust List Check out this months must have pieces, perfect for Summer.

8 Vidal Sassoon We talk about the late legend.

12 Bikini Shoot We couldnt get to the beach, so we brought the beach to us.

20 Amanda Wakeley Read all about our meeting with the fabulous fashion designer on her recent visit to Leeds.

22 Highstreet Highlights Weve searched the high street to nd the best bits on offer.

26 Etta Smith Interview Read all about our cover girl.

29 Nicole Farhi We had the pleasure of meeting the fantastically French fashion designer.

30 For and Against This months topical debate returns, focusing on beach bodies.

32 Summer Scents The nicest smelling perfumes on the block.

33 Dating Disasters Old favourite is back again, prepare to laugh.

35 Interiors Our Greedy Little Girl has been sourcing the most amazing Pieces on the market for your home.

36 Week in the Life of This month we see what its like to be a Radio presenter with Capital FMs Jojo.

38 Street Chic Did you get spotted by the Capital FM style hunters?

40 Competition Fancy getting in to festival fever, then enter this months competition.

41 Mochas and Mojitos We tried out the new Midtown Grill in Leeds.

42 Socialite See what we have been up to this months, did you get spotted?

47 Spotlight We shine the light on rising star Georgia Barry.


ContributorsManaging Director and Editor-in-Chief Laura Bartlett

Senior Designer Anna Wanczyk

Writers: Dale Ellis Georgina Ryall Stacey Wilkinson

Art Director and Retoucher: Lara Ostertag

Photographer: Simon Paterson

Make up Artist: Natalie Willingham

Models: Anisha Hamilton- Sutton

Lucy Ashwell

Videographers: Tyron Maynard Mick Hone

Shutterstock credits:

Page 1illustrations by Irmak Akcadogan Pages 2, 34,35 illustrations by Cherry Blossom Girl Pages 4,5 illustrations by Mcherevan Pages 28,29 Jane Rix Pages 40 illustration by F-F-F-F

June alre

ady, seriously

where is this

year

going? I sup

pose

they do say

time flies

when youre

having fun

(cheesy or w

hat!)

This months

magazine is

a special on

e to

me as it ma

rks 2 years

since I launc

hed Urban

Coco as an

online maga

zine. Back in

June

2010 when

all I wanted

to do was w

rite about

fashion and

events in Le

eds and do a

ll I could

to put the c

ity on the fa

shion map a

nd I have

to say Im p

retty proud o

f where I hav

e got to

considering

I have done

it alone.

I have had a

brilliant 2 y

ears with hig

hlights

including Lo

ndon Fashio

n Week, the

launch

of the rst p

rint edition a

t Harvey Nic

hols,

presenting

awards at e

vents and b

est of all

meeting all

the amazing

people I ha

ve done

along the w

ay.

Anyway I don

t want to bo

re you or ge

t all

sentimental,

I hope you w

ill join me fo

r a party

to celebrate

my baby tur

ning 2 years

old. 15th

June, Norm

an Bar Leed

s where we

will throw

a right old p

arty...See you

in the gutte

r.

Now back

to the issue

in hand, this

month

we had lots

of sun for on

ce but we c

ouldnt

make it to t

he beach. S

o, we broug

ht the

beach to us

! On a Sund

ay afternoo

n on a

busy Call Lan

e we took o

ver a shop fo

r the day

where our fa

bulous artist,

Claire Bentl

ey-Smith,

created a be

ach scene w

ith her amaz

ing

skills. We th

en had our

models in th

e window

acting like liv

e mannequin

s showcasing

the

latest swimw

ear from one

of my favour

ite design-

ers, Dancing

Dolls UK. T

he whole da

y was

loads of fun

and created

a bit of a b

uzz in the

city. Dont fo

rget to subsc

ribe to our Y

outube

channel to s

ee the behin

d the scene

s videos.

We also had

our cover s

hoot with the

lovely

Etta Smith,

you can read

my interview

with

the rising sta

r in this issu

e. Massive

thanks

to Sunshine

Bakery for p

roviding the

perfect

venue for th

e shoot.

You will noti

ce a running

theme thro

ughout

this month a

s we have fo

cused heavi

ly on

beach ideas

and swimw

ear, hopefully

we will

be having a

hot summe

r to get to w

ear all of

the designs

we have fea

tured.

Check out o

ur socialite p

ages too to

see what we

have been

up to, did yo

u get

papped?

Hope you en

joy reading t

his as much

as I

enjoyed putt

ing it togeth

er.

As always, w

ould love to

hear your fe

ed-

back so twe

et me @urb

ancoco2010

or drop

me an email

laura@urban

-coco.com.

Laura Bartlett

EditorEditors lette

r


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It was due to her love of gems and crystals that lead her down the jewellery designing path. As a self taught designer, Debbie proudly hand crafts every piece by hand. With a high level of quality and attention to detail, it is clear how much pride is taken in her work.

Working with semi precious gems, genuine Swarovski crystals and Sterling Silver, Debbie takes inspiration from all things natural. From rainbows, owers and trees she seeks inspiration from all around her in the rural part of Yorkshire she lives which comes across in all of the pieces where a romantic feel is also evident.

Perfect for day or evening wear, each design is simple yet attractive and can really add a level of class and sunshine to any out t.

Debbies mission is to brighten even the darkest of days with her jewellery.

All jewellery comes beautifully gift packaged with free P&P and has the Ruby James signature of a tiny faceted genuine Ruby Gemstone.

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Vidal Sassoon

It is with a great sadness that we have lost Vidal Sassoon this year. He was born on 17 January 1928 and died on 9 May 2012 at the age of 84. Sassoon was a hairdresser but he was also so much more and I dont think that many people really grasp how culturally significant he was.



Vidal SassoonThe Daily Telegraph newspaper called him an antifascist

warrior hairdresser. Over his life he was considered an artist, a human rights advocate and a revolutionist as well as a keen pilates practitioner. Watching an 80 year old man almost in the splits was impressive in itself. Whilst hairdressing will always be considered his greatest achievement he also established the Vidal Sassoon International Centre for the Study of Anti-Semitism in Jerusalem.

Growing up Sassoon did not have what would be considered the easiest of upbringings. His father left the fami-ly unit when Sassoon was aged 3 and with his mother unable to look after him he ended up living in an orphanage until the age of 11. As the war broke out he went through evacuation and later fought in Israel for a year at the age of 20.

Coming back from the war, like many in similar circumstances, he was instilled with a sense of discipline and a new raw understanding of the bigger picture. He could have gone in many directions but it was hairdressing that he chose. Whilst working as a shampoo boy and learning his trade in the 1950s

IDAL

SASSOO

N

V he attended elocution lessons in London

to help to soften his cockney accent. He believed that this would help him to build his brand

and deliver the kind of customer service he saw was needed for his trade. The rst step in what would soon be the rst of a mighty empire was the opening of his rst salon on Bond Street in London in 1954.

Sassoon was slap bang in the middle of London cool when he moved his small Bond Street salon to Carnaby Street in 1958. He was the hairdresser that all the top models and actresses as well as the hipsters of the time wanted cutting their hair. When you think about the 1960s in Britain you think of the sexual revolution and the contraceptive pill, the early beginnings of punk, ower power, mini-skirts, political revolution, Twiggy and Mary Quant to list but a few people and movements and style. This was the time in which Sassoon was building his empire; Mary Quants famous hair was the work of Sassoon. Britain was going through many political changes and Sassoon changed the world with a pair of scissors

What I love about what Sassoon did for the politics of hair was the revelation of wash and wear styles. He said that; if I was going to be a hairdresser, I wanted to change things. I wanted to eliminate the superuous and get down to the basic angles of cut and shape. Up until the 1960s women were ragging, pin curling, wet setting and more.

The ways in which they curled, set and styled their hair changed constantly but there was always a preparation process and strong products involved. Whilst Sassoon did go on to sell products with a campaign that claimed if you dont look good, we dont look good his cuts were not styled with the same level of lacquer or products as in previous times.

Sassoon was thriving in the 60s and sat comfortably alongside the womens liberation movement. Whilst women entered the workplace more and more, the time they had to spend on their hair was less and the fashions changed with this in the blazing trail of Sassoon. The cultural practise and styling of hair were timely pursuits and often signied the time women had

on their hands, whether they

did their hair themselves, had maids, or later visited the salon once a

week. Women spent much of their lives within what Sassoon saw as the tyranny of the salon but his styles meant that their hair would fall naturally, even if the cuts themselves were bold. The styles didnt involve the same processes of previous times and he was always encouraging his models to shake their hair to prove that they would fall back into place.

Aside from the part he played in the establishment of the swinging 60s, one of the most interesting things about Vidal Sassoon in a commercial sense was that he was the rst of his kind to establish a real global brand in hairdressing. He established the rst worldwide chain of salons in 1964 starting with a branch in New York. He built his brand by personally training the staff who would work in each store. Trainee hairdressers would jump at the chance to see Sassoon work; he became a celebrity in hair which has led the way for so many hairdressers today. He went on to launch a hair care product line in 1974 and also appeared on television in the United States, such was his charismatic personality. The company at its peak turned over $133million a year but in 1983 he sold his empire which was later said to be his biggest regret.

Vidal himself was the ultimate entrepreneur and cultural revolutionist. As a man he had a wonderful style: strong bold glasses and a neck-a-chief. If you want to know more about Sassoon there is a wonderful documentary that includes interviews with his nearest and dearest as well as with the man himself, Vidal Sassoon: The Movie (2010) (available to rent on iTunes).


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So when we came across the PAIRFUM Collection, couture perfumes for the home, we were instantly in heaven. Each product within the PAIRFUM range is created by hand and uses only the highest quality natural or organic materials in all of their products (candles, diffusers, sprays, sachets, lotions, etc.). Their ethos of luxury with a conscience allows us to enjoy indulgent moments without regrets. We even give them brownie points because we love the fact that they use part of their prots to buy beehives for farmers in Africa. No wonder they say that inside every PAIRFUM is a loving and giving heart with passion and pride poured in to every creation. Each product typies great British design, with elegantly clean and pure lines. PAIRFUM is created to bring out the dreamer in you. Conceived by a husband and wife duo with a background in couture perfumery, whose passion for perfume, beauty and all things natural is the reason Pairfum was born. www.pairfum.com

There is nothing nicer than going home after a long day at the office to relax in your home filled with beautiful fragrances which creates a healthy, relaxing and welcoming environment.

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Amanda Wakeleys evening dresses have draped the shoulders of fashionistas worldwide including Angelina Jolie, Kate Middleton, Scarlett Johanssen and Dita von Teese while her effortlessly glamorous work wear is a staple in the wardrobe of any fashion conscious businesswoman.

Amanda has been designing clothes since teaching herself to sew. The London based designer, responsible for arguably some of the most breath-taking wedding dresses in the world has started up a jewellery collection with Ernest Jones and was appointed an OBE by her Majesty two years ago.

However the road to where she stands now, in two perfectly polished stiletto boots, has been bumpy.

Since launching her signature label in 1990 Amanda has been the victim of a corporate takeover that took a turn for the worst. I use the term victim loosely as the former student of Cheltenham Ladies College bounced back spectacularly in 2009, bought back the company, returned to London Fashion Week and was secured rmly again in the hearts and wardrobes of the womens social elite.

Amanda has stores abroad and throughout the UK in Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. I met the OBE and water ski-ing enthusiast (read on) at a meet and greet/fashion show for her stores top spenders in Harvey Nichols, Leeds.

The brand personied, she sauntered in, glossy blonde hair and beaming blue eyes, teaming her dark jeans with a tted blazer and just oozing sophistication.

Champagne was poured on arrival, petite cakes and nger sandwiches were presented on swirling cakestands, a Harvey Nichols goodie bag was tied with a bow and eloquently placed on the seat of each chair.

Women sat at beautifully decorated tables in tailored suits and tunic dresses, lifting bubbly to their mouths with perfectly preened hands. This was most certainly an Amanda Wakeley interview.

Her signature is soft, uid dressing or sharp tailoring. She steers clear of dictatorial fashion, on the grounds that she is dressing a woman, not a girl. Italian silks skim, jersey wraps gather and if the dress will sit close to the tummy its in a breathable viscose or adds a classic belt.

Any present trends seem to be purely intuition, I spotted 1920s Gatsby-esque dresses, deco beading and strong prints, one of which was inspired by the beautiful effect the sunlight has when you look up at it through the trees.

And her customers dont just love her clothes, they love her. Throughout the interview, ladies pop over to say hello, goodbye, and to

gush about how beautiful her S/S collection is.The adoration of her customers actually once extended to a boycott of the

fashion label when Amanda announced that, her services were no longer required at the Amanda Wakeley fashion label.

We asked why she thinks she has such a loyal following. I just love women to look as though they feel at ease in their clothes. She explains. Thats really important. I want my woman to feel great. And I do what I do because I really like women.

The feeling is more than mutual. Some of her fans include Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Hurley, Queen Rania of Jordan and the Duchess of Cambridge. We want to know, whose style does Amanda really admire at the moment?

Hmm...Thats a difcult one. Angelina Jolie, I think has such an easy grace with her dressing, she always looks really comfortable. Is she some-one that you would think of as an Amanda Wakeley woman? Oh I think shes fabulous. And would she say that her clothes are empowering?

Empowerment is a word that I often use but have mixed feelings about, because people think empowered clothing is sort of 80s shoulder pads and its not that at all.

Its about how somethings cut and about how it makes you feel.Its how

Amanda Wakeley


Amanda Wakeley

the silk lining feels so gorgeous against your skin, that in itself is empowering, no one else knows about it but you or the fact that you know its got a lovely mono-gram embroidery inside. And the comfort factor and the attery factor can be really empowering too.

If you know your body looks a bit skinnier, sexier, taller wearing something youre going to feel more condent. So maybe condent is a better word than empowered.

Before launching her own label Amanda worked for Go Silk in New York. We asked if she drew much inspiration from New York women.

That was decades ago! Yes. Just in terms of that very, easy, understated but luxurious look. In America they have something called sportswear which is not what wed call sports wear in this country. Its just an understated approach to daywear. American women tend to be quite groomed and they understand quite a glamorous look, so yes, that did inuence me.

Amanda mentioned the use of ne Italian silks in her fashion show earlier so the question was asked, whether she felt pressure to Buy British in fashion with the inuence of Mary Portas etc..

I feel a great desire.And do so wherever we can. Sadly, weve really, really diminished our manufacturing industry in this country.Really sadly and I nd it hugely disappointing but wherever I can I do. Ive found a British tannery to do our bridle leather because we do

things like that really well, so we do all of our beautiful bridle leather belts here. We do our sheepskins here wherever we can. We do some of our wedding dresses in the UK-I would love to do more!

It would make my life so much easier. Just to be able to pop in a car or on a train rather than on a long haul ight, denitely, Id much rather support British. Id love to see a resurgence of British manufacturing but it will take time for people to learn those skills again.

A few years ago, The Sun plucked a model from Amanda Wakeleys catwalk to use in a backlash against skinny models. I wanted to know what Amandas take was on concerns around the size zero industry.

Its a catwalk aesthetic. And I would never use any-one that I would consider to be unhealthy. There have been times that Ive rung an agent and said, so and so is too thin, we wont use her.

But I think when putting together a show, not in this sense (referring to the in store show at Harvey Nichols) but in a (London) Fashion Week show, you want a uniformity of girl really so that your eyes are actually on the clothes rather than on the woman.

And what about other designers, are they sending home girls that are too skinny?

I dont know... I think sometimes it gets a bit blown out of proportion because you have to remember a lot of these models are sixteen. They havent nished growing.

And trust me, you see them backstage and they are stufng their faces, because theyre hungry! Theyre

between shows, theyre working 18 hour days! Theres a lot of talk about it and yes, as in any body aesthetic industry, unfortunately you will nd some with eating issues, which is sad, because I want to dress real women.

Amanda stops to talk to one of her customers to discuss how she should wear a particular fur item. Is it real fur..? She matter of factly tells me that it is. It is a racoon, dyed. I think as long as its ethically sourced then... I eat meat. I wear leather. Thats my view on it.

We switched the conversation to the reward for all her hard work, that OBE...

It was a real surprise! She reected. I remember the accountant handing me a brown envelope before Christmas and I thought, Oh God I wont open this before Christmas, I just assumed it was some sort of tax demand type thing. And Im not great at opening bank statements at the best of times, She laughed.

But I opened it up and, really, you couldve knocked me over with a feather, it was a huge honour.

What was it like meeting the Queen?

It was Prince Charles in fact, and it was really lovely. He was very chatty and warm. I wore one of my scuba dresses.

In our May issue we had a debate on the topic of high heels in the workplace and I thought who better to ask for her take on the subject than Amanda herself.

I think theres something fantastically empowering about putting a heel on! I always feel more dressed and actually more empowered wearing a heel. But then at the same time if Im in the studio Ill put on biker boots.

No, I think heels are fantastic for women, as long as they work for you. I dont think you have to wear them but you hold yourself in a different way. Do you always wear heels at work? (she asks me)

I answered yes and popped my 6in stilettos out from under the table and gave myself an inward high ve,

admitting that I had an emergency pair of ats in my bag.Yes, I do too! She laughed.Amanda is nice to be around. But she genuinely loves

what she does, shes happy to talk about the pitfalls of the fashion industry and even veer off topic into the re branding of feminism. When asked if Amanda consid-ered herself a feminist she paused.

No I dont. She replied.I enjoy my femininity. I dont feel like I have to compete

with men. Men and women have different things to offer without having to pretend to be a man. I agree that men and women should be equal but they should different.

Any budding designers reading, pay attention. What advice would Amanda Wakeley give to someone starting out?

Get as much experience as possible in many different roles. There are many very fullling jobs in fashion and not just in design. Theres the PR, theres the buying, theres the retail side- theres a myriad of fantastic jobs in fashion.

Leaving the interview I was an even bigger fan of Amanda and will continue following her fashionable career.

If you want to nd out more about an average day in the life of Amanda check out www.urban-coco.com where we also have some quick re questions which she answered during our interview. www.amandawakeley.com and also available at Harvey Nichols Leeds.By Georgina Ryall


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26

Cover Story

All dresses by Katie Newsam www.katienewsam.com Red shoes www.danielfootwear.com Daniel Red Morzilla Platform court shoeWhite boots www.danielfootwear.com Daniel White Cartina patent boot

It was a pleasure meeting this months cover girl, Etta Smith. The flame-haired songstress has been dubbed Britains answer to Alicia Keys due to her soulful voice and singing ability.


Cover Story

Etta, born Harriet Wigley-Smith, arrived on set for the shoot to get straight in to hair and makeup. With the shoot taking place at Sunshine Bakery in Chapel Allerton and her outts for the day being very fun and quirky by designer Katie Newsham, Etta made it clear she was excited for the fun shoot ahead.

Etta has grown up listening to Northern Soul, Disco and Motown thanks to her parents love of these genres. She started singing from a young age and from just 8 she was playing the piano and then a few years later she began songwriting and has never looked back.

I chatted with Etta to nd out more about what excites her about music and what we can expect to see from her in 2012.

How would you describe your music in 3 words?Soulful, captivating, piano-driven Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?Id like to have a successful career doing something that I love and that Im passionate about. If I am able to make a living writing and performing my own songs, I will be so happy.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?I have always loved Paolo Nutinis music. Hes a great songwriter and musician and I think it would be a great experience to collaborate with him.

What inspires you?Personal experiences are what inspire most of my songs. However sometimes listening to other music can provoke ideas in my mind.

If you werent pursuing a career in the music industry, what other career path would you have liked to follow?I have no idea! I have always wanted to have a career in music, whether it be as a performer, writer or producer. I guess if those career paths didnt work out I would go into teaching.

As a young female youre clearly in to fashion, do you prefer highstreet or designer?Well as a student, I can only afford high street at the moment! I do like designer but I often nd it to be very overpriced. Most of my clothes are from the highstreet and Im really happy with what I have in my wardrobe!

In 2012, what can we expect to see from you?Over the summer I am touring London, performing at some great venues and festivals and supporting Mike and the Mechanics at the end of July. I hope to release another EP, which will include some tracks I have been working on with some top producers. Follow Etta on her rise to stardom Twitter.com/ettasmithmusic

Etta Smith


Urban Coco Advertorial

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The unique changing room feature allows you to see any bag alongside an outt and colours based on your wardrobe. And if you cant nd what you like or want, or even a bag that may be vintage or out of stock, BagServant offers a complementary Handbag Concierge Service to nd it for you.

BagServant also publish inspiring fashion editorial and interviews with well-known business women, fashion designers and stylists of the moment featured in on our Blog and e-magazine. You will also nd Street Style photos on the Facebook page along with competitions. We encourage fashion chat with our followers on both Facebook and Twitter.

We couldnt wait to catch up with the brainchild behind BagServant, Lenka Gourdie to nd out more about the brand and her inspirations.

Tell us why you decided to start BagServant?I always loved fashion, especially handbags and shoes. However, my real passion for handbags was born when my husband bribed me with the promise of a new designer handbag so that I would take a helicopter trip on our honeymoon in Hawaii. Since then I started buying designer bags and noticed all the lovely selections in the market. I treat my bags like my best friend and carefully choose them for every special occasion. At the end of the day, a womans status comes from her handbag and

shoes. BagServant.co.uk was actually born out of 2 passions technology and love for handbags. Our goal was to create the premier handbag destination. Are there any new exciting designer handbags coming to BagServant this year?We are always on the lookout for new, up and coming designers as well as brands which may not be that well known, especially in the UK market. We have recently launched Aubrey England and TellUs Fashion. We are currently in discussions with Brit designers Hayley Miller and Jane Goodchild. We believe that it is very important to have a wide range of bags to serve everyones style and personal preferences.

What is your lust-have handbag, and what is your handbag personality?My lust-have bag is the iconic Hermes Birkin. I would love to own the entire collection, not just one. And I love them in all the colours. My personality is Classique Condent with Big bag lover edge.

What are your plans for BagServant in 2012?We would like to work more closely with emerging designers, new brands and brands directly. We are trying to develop a tool which connects brands directly to our website. We are also launching a ShoeServant Blog, featuring the most lust-have, on-trend shoes in the market. We are also planning to launch Handbag Treasure Hunt for people to have some fun when they are searching for their perfect handbag.

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Nicole Farhi was in Leeds this month with a little fashion event to showcase her S/S collection. I was invited to chat to her beforehand and have 5 minutes with this legendary fashion designer.

Although she is over the age of 60 (would be rude to pinpoint exactly how many years over), Nicole oozes sophistication, class and style. Neatly sitting within the personal shopping department, Nicole immediately made me feel at ease with her friendly demeanour, I instantly felt as if we had known each other for some time.

I opened by asking what her career highlight had been to date, I personally could name several for her but was intrigued to see what stood out to her. She answered instantly with My highlight has to be that I am still alive, still breathing and loving every minute of my life. I have been charmed throughout my entire career and every day has been a pleasure. I am just so grateful to still be here to tell the tale.

Clearly a woman not afraid to speak from the heart. I went on to ask what it was like starting out in the industry and what

advice she would give to any aspiring fashion designers. When I started out as a designer it was so hard, there were no jobs

around in the industry and if you werent known then it was hard for anybody to trust or believe in your ideas. I decided that I would do anything to get

recognised and said yes to every single opportunity that came my way. Even if it meant making coffee for other designers it was still a foot in the door and the perfect opportunity to learn from them.

I agreed with her as I am a true believer that you have to be the YES girl that doesnt turn down any opportunities, big or small, as you never know where they will lead. I personally have spent years networking and a couple of years ago would have happily showed up to the opening of an envelope just for the chance to potentially meet someone new within the industry. Nicole agreed that this is the way to get ahead especially in competitive industries.

We moved on to discuss the catwalk show which we were about to see which was to showcase Nicoles S/S 2012 collection. She told me that the whole collection was inspired by a stunning garden in Delhi where the owers were full and vibrant and this is reected in her fabric choices throughout the designs. The Olympics were also a huge inspiration for the collection where sporty shapes are interpreted in unexpected ways, with knitted shorts and ne vests layered under sequinned tops and dresses.

Time ran out but we could have happily chatted for hours, her French accent and fun personality were infectious and it was a real pleasure to meet her. The Nicole Farhi sunglasses which she gave me were a nice end to our brief but fun meeting and I look forward to seeing what she produces next season.

We went on to watch the show where my favourite piece from the collection had to be the printed dress which was a blown up photograph taken by Nicole of oversized blooms which are then printed on to crisp cotton. The accessories throughout were really fun and bright making them perfect to add a bit of colour to your outt making it instantly on trend.

You can follow Nicole and her new collections at www.nicolefarhi.com By Laura Bartlett

Nicole Farhi


Its that time of year again. The sun is shining, its heating up and us Brits are getting bombarded with articles on becoming Beach Ready. What I love about these articles is that they wait for the sun to be shining. They start everyone talking about getting fitter, eating more salad or going out for runs when really, shouldnt we have been thinking about this in December? Or more to the point; shouldnt we always be thinking about this?

Im not sure if its because of the continually bad weather that we all suffer through for the majority of the year that we stop considering baring our esh. I think that if I lived in perpetual sunshine where I was inclined to take my clothes off and was naturally drawn to salad that I would probably be more proactive in the pursuit of a beach body. Actually scrap that, just access to a beach would probably be an incentive. I dont really see myself prancing along the shores of Scarborough in a two piece.

I must say that the pursuit for perfection that kicks in this time of year is a familiar annual occurrence. There is a seasonal beauty industry at work here. Winter its all body bufng and going to bed with your feet slathered in moisturiser with your socks on and coating your face in various balms. Summer its a hard core tanning, waxing, spray salt in your hair madness.

If we listened to our bodies and followed our own understanding of what our skin needs wed be generally healthier all year round. And surely less focused on it? I know I am guilty of the exact opposite of feeling healthy all year round but I certainly dont feel the same bouts of low self-esteem that I do in the summer when Im wrapped up in tweed and woollen tights and digging into a plate of mashed potato in the winter months.

Women already feel under pressure to look good. Most of the time, even if I contemplate indulging in some

Beach Goddess

summer chiffon, the majority of magazines advertise bare mid- drifs and hot pants (are there really people who wear both at the same time?). When youre not particularly overweight do you really want to end up having to go to Evans for something with sleeves?

The pursuit of the beach body is also surely a signier that you are going on your holidays. This summer as a catwalk culture feeds into an assumption that we are all going abroad and we all are even able to take time off work. Ive not been able to afford a holiday for two years and lots of my acquaintances havent for even longer. If I indulge in a magazine over the summer months I often have to ip through the majority of it.

The last thing on my mind during the few glimpses of sunshine should be whether or not a man nds me

attractive but this if often how such articles are framed. I know that being tter is probably better then feeling sweat nestling between your fat rolls. For anyone ghting fat and frizz, yes I am that lucky, means that when the sun starts shining its the effort of having to change our style for one short season. Nothing you own will keep you cooler than the centre of the sun, your hair triples in size with no accessory known to man with the ability to contain it.

Summer fashion is for summer babies. Some women look great in a oaty skirt, beach waves, wooden bangles and a denim waistcoat. There are girls with smooth even coloured skin who look good in that. And then there is me, and many like me: the winter baby. I spend the summer months sweating and ghting frizz, waiting for the snow and dreaming of corduroy and tweed.

By Dale Ellis

I think that if I lived in perpetual sunshine where I was inclined to take my clothes off and was natu-rally drawn to salad that I would probably be more proactive in the pursuit of a beach body.


By the second day of this beautiful sunshine (the first day consisted mostly of sheer disbelief) I ran into the tanning shop for my six minutes, concentrated far too much time on getting my legs looking human again and even ventured the bikini top.

I thoroughly did my homework on swimwear trends, hats, festival fashion and what I cant now tell you about vintage sundresses isnt worth knowing. Because summer in Britain is a catwalk.

And why shouldnt it be?We are home to the fashion capital of the world and

due to having cloud, wind and rain simultaneously for 90% of the year, sunshine has a particularly liberating effect on us Brits.

Firstly I would like to point out, that I am in no way implying that the sun is a temporary license to strip naked or dress inappropriately (unless youre at the relevant beaches) and it shouldnt sanction harming your skin in a desperate bid for a suntan.

Some of the most glamorous women in the world will step into the sunlight covered up from head to toe in loose white linens and giant hats topped off with eau de factor 50. For example, a huge inspiration for Chanel this year has been the way Indian ladies drape their elegant silk saris.

And you dont have to be stick thin or have legs up to your armpits to look your best in summer. There is a swimwear to t every size and shape, with curvy girls being able to step easily into the most high fashion pieces as 1930s swimwear makes a roaring reappearance.

So Im afraid I am partial to a bit of sunshine snobbery at this time of year, because we can do so much more with our appearances when its warm and I think that we should.

VS Beach Beast? I despairingly try to understand

the red backed women sitting in beer gardens with their tracksuit bottoms rolled up or those few who STILL wear ip ops with socks. Its lazy.

Is a nice dress or a pop of bright lippy too much to ask?!

There is always the argument that we dont need make up and dresses to make us feel good. But I put it you, why in summer, when our serotonin levels are boosted and were full to the brim with cheeriness anyway, do we bother to make that extra effort?

Not to sound too much like a Muller Corner advert but when were happy, I think we want to show it on the outside.

The aphrodisiac qualities of the British summer are as much aesthetic as they are chemical, the colours, the tans and the esh, everywhere. Yes, diet to squeeze into that swimsuit and look after your feet. Its not like you have to do it all year! By Georgina Ryall



Paradise Eau de Parfum,the seductive,captivating new fragrance from Oriame. With the essence of paradise in every drop, the glamorous yet bohemian scent is perfect for the modern trendsetting femme fatale who appreciates the ner things in life. 29.95 www.oriame.co.uk

Top 5 Summer Scents

DKNY from 34.50. As every girl needs her very own sparkle and shimmer for summer, this sizzling scent will be available only at The Perfume Shop from 15th June 2012. www.theperfumeshop.com

Amor Amor 24.99Embrace the fragrance of forbidden love, for the young, audacious and mysterious lover in you, be sure to celebrate Cacharels latest launch; Amor Amor Forbidden Kisswww.theperfumeshop.com

Clinique Happy 35 for 50ml A fragrance that captures the spirit of happiness in all its incarnations, moods and ages. www.clinique.co.uk

Opus 200 www.amouage.com It is inspired by the power of erasing, destroying and re-inventing memories of broken love


I tried online dating recently because I just didnt have time to

go out and meet a guy. I had been chatting to this one particular guy for some time and we had a clear chemistry and

he was really attractive. Then after a few weeks I though what the hell, Im going to meet up with him. We arrange to go to La Tasca and when I arrived I looked around

and couldnt see him and then I heard someone shout my name. When I turned around it was blatantly a different guy from his picture, this guy was much fatter and uglier. I didnt want to offend

him too much so once we ordered drinks I said I needed to go to the toilet where I asked a random girl to call my phone in two minutes. When I was back at the table she

rang me and I made up a massive, fake, emergency so that I could leave. Awkward

I

Dating disasters

At U.C we love to have a laugh with our girls, conversations usually end up being all about men. So we talked to some fearless females that we know to find out their dating disasters, as expected, they ALL want to remain anonymous!

Think youve had a more disastrous date? Then we want to know! Email [email protected] and tell us all about it!

was on a date with a guy who I knew through a friend of a friend, and had also met his ex girlfriend once.The date was going ok (I wasnt

really interested in him and wasnt going to see him again, but we were half way through drinks so I didnt want to be rude), making polite chit chat the subject of exs came up. I asked how long he had been single for, and he looked away, then when he looked back he had tears in his eyes..... Obviously still in love with his ex I made my excuses and left! He text me apologising, but I thought it was best to leave it!

was on a double date recently with my

friend and two guys which we had been dating for a few months. It was the

rst time the four of us had been together but since my friend and I were good friends it made sense to try and double date. Things were going really well until my friends guy suggested that we swap for the night and

change partners. Needless to say that was the end of that relationship and

my friend and I left, very offended.

I

went speed dating with my friend, more of a thing to do before I die than a new level

of desperation. Anyway it turned out it wasnt as bad as I thought and I actually got a date out of it. I met him a few days later and we had a great night, went for a meal and a few drinks and had a cheeky kiss at the end of the night. It went so well that we ended up seeing each other a few more times that week. I was then asked to go to another speed dating night, more to get the numbers up than anything. When I turned up and was sitting with my girls laughing at the sorry states on offer I nearly died when I turned around to see my date from the previous night. As you can imagine, a very awkward conversation followed especially when he had to sit through three minutes with four of my friends.

II

Bring some summer style to your garden with some amazing accessories that will certainly righten up your british summer.


Interiors

Stacey wilkinson, stylist and owner of www.greedylittlegirls.comshows us some key pieces we know youll LOVE!

1. French connection clock - 120 - www.frenchconnection.com2. Bird Cage cake Stand - 29.95 - www.notonthehighstreet.com 3. Sky planter - 32.50 - www.theo-theo.com 4. Pink Elephant Light - 129 - www.grahamandgreen.co.uk 5. Moroccan Style Cushion - 14 - www.matalan.co.uk 6. Rabbit Print Cool Bag - 38.00 www.grahamandgreen.co.uk 7. Bird Cage chandelier - 395.00 - www.grahamandgreen.co.uk 8. Metal peacock - 125.00 - www.marksandspencer.com

Here comes the sun...

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A week in the life of

Working on the radio I am very much heard and not seen so it really doesnt matter how Im dressed. Occasionally a picture or a bit of filming from the studio during the show may get tweeted but that doesnt warrant me getting all dressed up for work. To be honest I tend to wear baggy comfortable clothes, anything reminiscent of my bed and theres certainly no make up involved. But when Im invited to an event I like to dress up. I dont think Im particularly fashionable but I reckon I do have my own style. Im a busy working Mum. I require clothes that create maximum impact with minimum effort.

Hull Fashion Week

A week in the life of...

This picture was taken just before Simon Hirst and I hosted a charity night to nd the Next Top Model Leeds at The Warehouse. You cant beat a simple black number when hosting an event like this. I borrowed this dress from Fashion Pony - its Klue by Kelly-Ann another Yorkshire based designer. I really rate her stuff as its all really funky and wearable. Again, I think it was the big hair that made this outt and of course having Simon on my arm!

I got to wear this lovely striped halter neck number by Leanne Jennison of Gracious Plum based in Hull for the finale of Hull Fashion Week. It was held in a massive 800 year old church and it was good to wear something made by a local designer who graduated from the Hull School of Art and Design back in 2008. It was a bit nippy so I ung on a staple garment from my wardrobe, a soft leather jacket from Whistles which goes with everything.

Next Top Model - Leeds

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A radio presenter

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CenterstageA reliable black backless number was required yet again for this event at The Wardrobe - it was the nal heat for Centre Stage which is a competition to nd new musical talent while simultaneously raising money for Martin House childrens hospice. Again I was hosting so wanted to look cool in front of all these budding musicians and not draw too much attention to myself. The nal will be held at the O2 Academy and the winners get to play at both Leeds and Reading festival this summer. Again the dress is from Birdshell and the head scarf was a charity shop buy.

(Photo - Hirsty, Cheryl, Danny and Me as if the boys were going to let me stand next to her) We get quite a few celebs dropping into the station so Im learning to take my make up bag to work with me just in case. Lets face it if you end up having your picture taken with Cheryl Cole you dont want to look like a total pleb. Comfy slacks are from Jigsaw, jumper M&S and my headscarf is yet another charity shop buy. Really wish Id put on some eye make up on though, as its well applied eye make up that can instantly make a woman more attractive.

Jane Tomlinson Leeds Half Maratom

I hosted the Jane Tomlinson Leeds Half Marathon - not an easy event to dress for as I was on stage from 8am on a Sunday morning in Millennium Square. I decided to have some fun with it and wore a unitard (which incidentally helped keep me warm!) accessorised with a hint of neon courtesy of Leeds market! Checkout the orange perspex shoes! They have been in the JoJo dressing up box for years. I did a full aerobic workout in those babies!


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Whether its big and breaking artists on the main stage, top DJs in the superclub, fringe theatre in the forest or the inspiring spoken word tent, where you now get the chance to have your say.

You could come and join us for a credible mix of avante pop, fringe cabaret, inspiring speakers, thought provoking cinema and ne food, all set in the spectacular grounds of Broughton Hall.

All you have to do to enter is email us and tell us:WHICH ARTIST IS PERFORMING ON THE MAIN STAGE ON THE FRIDAY?

Email your answer along with your number and address to [email protected]

Good Luck

The Magic Loungeabout is back for their third year with three headliners and an increasingly enticing programme of music and arts. A proper boutique festival where you get the chance to see arena filling acts in an intimate setting for just 3000 people.

Urban Coco Competition


We dined here recently and had a lovely evening. The Midtown Grill restaurant is quite intimate which was perfect for our date. Being a Friday evening the restaurant was quieter than I would have expected.

After being seated in our cosy seats the waitress talked us through the menu choices with a speci c emphasis on the steaks and their origins. The introduction seemed quite formal but we soon relaxed when our wine arrived which had been recommended by the waitress.

Our wine for the evening was Los Romeros Sauvignon Blanc which was light but surprisingly complex with notes of plum and green pepper.

The food menu was extensive but the choice was easy. Steak.

Before our meaty mains we got stuck in to our starters which were well presented. I chose Midtown Grill Market soup (5.00) which was a homemade tomato based dish, very thick and lling and perfectly accompaniment to the freshly baked bread.

Wondering where to stay when youre eating here?

My guest chose the Campbell and Neil smoked salmon (10.00) which had traditional garnish and lemon. Although the portion looked quite small it was just enough to tease us before our mains arrived.

Being in a steak house it would have been rude to get anything but. We both opted for the T Bone American steal which was Creekstone Kansas black Angus, medium rare to ensure we got the most avour out of the meat.

To go with this we chose a couple of sides (3.50 each). I had the roasted potatoes with caramelised onions whilst my guest followed the recommendation from the waitress and chose the Twice baked Potato with sour cream, spring onions, cheddar and bacon. When it arrived it looked like a meal in itself, very rich and lling but a nice change to the usual sides.

The steak was immense, cooked to perfection and a pretty big portion too but I still managed to eat every bit.

Moving on to dessert, I made sure I had saved room because I knew brownies were on the menu. They arrived with a chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. I was disappointed to nd nuts in them as I prefer plain brownies but nonetheless they were good.

My guest chose Warm Apple Pie which was accompanied by Clotted Cream. I am told this was to

The Marriott hotel is a 4 star establishment right in the heart of the city centre of Leeds. They offer last minute weekend rates and fun packages which would be great for a night out with your girls including the Fizzy

Fridays where you can take advantage of an overnight stay, bed and breakfast and a bottle of Prosecco from just 89. Find out more at www.marriott.co.uk/leeds

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&Mojitos

&Mojitos

die for and the best dish of the night,

All in all we had a nice evening. The staff were very attentive, service was quick and smooth but something was lacking with the atmosphere which I put down to this been a newish eatery.

I would de nitely dine here again but only on special occasions as the final bill was pretty hefty compared to other steak houses in the city.

There were lots of nice touches, including the comically oversized menus and the mini re which we were given at the end of the evening along with marshmallows and chocolate.

Theres a new kid on the block in Leeds and it goes by the name of 1871 Bar and Lounge and Midtown Grill. Situated inside the Marriott Hotel this new offering is part of a recent 500,000 transformation.

Socialite


Socialite

A CHARITY fashion show which included models who have beaten cancer has raised around 4,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Money is still coming in for the Catwalk For Life event, held at Leeds Corn Exchange on Thursday 19 April, which saw three women who have beaten cancer take their turn on the catwalk alongside experienced models and special guest, international burlesque dancer, Anna Fur Laxis.

The show-stopping event, hosted by ITV Yorkshire Calendar Newss Duncan Wood, had an audience of more than 400 against the stunning backdrop of the historical building for a preview showcase of Leeds Corn Exchanges independent boutiques spring/summer collections - and raised much needed funds for research into cancer.

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Photography by Josh Tarn

A few weeks ago Elisha Lauren of Elisha Lauren Lifestyle Salon in Leeds needed photos for her web-site and around the salon.

The budget couldnt stretch to a professional photography shoot and Elisha didnt want to sacrifice quality for a low price, so she suddenly had the brainwave of getting together individuals trying to break into various areas in the fashion industry and bring them all together for a fashion shoot......that was entirely voluntary.

And Leeds lived up to its creative expectations. See our website for final images from the day www.urban-coco.com and www.elishalauren.me.uk

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Revolution at the Electric Press hosted a Girls Night Out charity event in aid of Leeds Childrens Hospital Appeal. The evening included boutique stalls, a prize raffle, canapes and of course, cocktails! The event raised over 800 for the appeal.

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1st June saw the launch of the Bo Carter Boutique in Leeds. We have been following the progress of Bo for some time now and are so proud to see her name above the shop door. Guests were treated to champagne and cupcakes on arrival and the first look at all the amazing designs on offer. You can keep up with all things Bo at www.bocarter.co.uk


Already creating a buzz in the music world, Georgia has so much more to look forward to in the coming months. With an album release just around the corner and plans of gigs across the UK, it wont be long before Georgia Barry is a name on everybodys Itunes collection.

Honest, passionate and soulful. These 3 words describe everything that Georgia Barry is about and portrays through her music.

We caught up with Georgia to nd out if her musical roots were an in uence to her passion for the music industry...

Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?On the big stages of the world. I would hope to have made a number of albums and collaborating with some inspiring artists. As well as this I want to be making music that people enjoy and respect me for that is the most important thing for me. If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?There are so many great talented acts out there but if I had to choose it would be Jazmine Sullivan, shes a great singer/songwriter and I could learn a lot from her.

What inspires you?Everything and everyone. If you want to express yourself creatively you rst have to have a life to express. I truly believe that inspiration comes from personal life experiences whether it be somewhere you have visited or something that has occurred in your life. Everyone is different and has different stories to tell. To date, what has been your career highlight?More of an ongoing career highlight for me is my voice teacher David Lee Brewer who is the former vocal coach for Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, Letoya Luckett, H-Town, EnVouge etc. Especially dueting with him at the Berlin Philharmonic. If you werent pursuing a career in the music industry, what other career path would you have liked to follow?Something creative, probably would

work in lm or as a writer. I always nd that question a tough one because ever since I was little I have wanted to be a singer. It may sound clich but I honestly just love singing and always will. However, saying that there was one time when I was six when I wanted to write a novel but I am pretty sure that lasted for about an hour and then I quickly wanted to be a singer again! As a young female youre clearly in to fashion, do you prefer highstreet or designer? Both can work if youre creative, I dont have a preference. I like clothes which re ect the music I am performing and whether that be high street or designer I dont really mind. They both have positives but to be honest I just like good looking clothes which feel comfortable and have some kind of impact to the people who are watching my videos or performances. In 2012, what can we expect to see from you?You can expect a lot! I am currently starting the promotion of my EP release which is coming out towards the end of summer. We will be doing a number of interviews and features in the lead up to that release. You can also expect to see my new promo videos up on YouTube and other social networking sites. We shot them in May which was a hectic but extremely enjoyable experience. If you are around in London you can see me performing regularly in the coming months and I will be continually working with my producer on my debut album which we hope to be released after the EP at the end of the year.

Follow Georgia while she cracks the music industry www.georgiabarry.co.ukTwitter.com/georgia_barryFacebook.com/georgiabarryof cial


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Tell us about Pink Gorilla, when did you start it? I started off by yering for clubs & bars which was good to get in to places and meet people. Then I did a few nights. But started doing Pink Gorilla ve years ago and since then over time its evolved from doing nights and parties, to a marketing agency working with companies such as Harvey Nichols, Ofce, Revolution and Aqua to having an APP to a free voucher site. But we are essentially a marketing company with the benet of these extras! Its great as every day is different and its going from strength to strength.

What has been your career highlight to date?To be honest right now is a highlight as we will be taking Pink Gorilla outside of Leeds and the fact I have my own APP on the Itunes store. Not many people can say that.

Men in Business

Jordan Odu

You dominate the Leeds scene with your discounts and offers available through your popular app. Are there plans of expanding in to new cities?Yes we have some amazing things in the pipeline watch this space!

You recently launched PG Vouchers, tell us more about this?We launched the APP two years ago and have just over 12000 users, however it was just for Iphone so it cut out a massive group of people who also want to save money. So over a quick drink we decided to join forces with Hairy Lemon and launched a voucher site. Its different from the rest of the sites out there as its free for everyone to use, all they need to do is print off the voucher. You can get discounts in loads of different places such as Levis, Accent, Casa Mia, Malmaison, Rebecca Charles and Urban Turka and Harvey Nichols. It works for businesses as they get a great uptake and we dont take a massive cut from them. So everybody wins!

Where do you hope to see your brand in 5 years?In an ideal world we would go national with www.pgvouchers.co.uk and have work marketing and running events in those cities. Also an ofce like the one in Ugly Betty!

Where can people keep up to date with everything you are doing?Follow us on twitter @pinkgorilla1 or search Pink Gorilla on facebook. If you want the best discounts around download our APP on Itunes

Pink Gorilla is a leading lifestyle marketing agency based in Leeds. Headed up by socialite and boy about town Jordan Odu, we caught up with him to find out more about life in business.

Etta Smith

www.urban-coco.com

Fashion, lifestyle and music magazine

Issue Four

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