Author: Eleanor Hirst

The Sony World Photography Awards is one of the most prestigious award ceremonies for photography around. The awards are separated into different categories. Giovanni Troilo remains one of the strangest galleries in the exhibition, winning first place in the People category with La Ville Noire, which translates as ‘The Black Town’. From gazing upon the photos, one notices clearly why it is named so ominously. The photos document what Troilo describes as ‘the dark heart of Europe’, a bleak part of Italy where literally ‘anything goes’. The rising unemployment, the increasing immigration, and what Troilo documents as a regression to…

As the General Election (7th May) gets closer, Bangor University’s Debating Society have cooperated with Bangor’s Student Union to bring us ‘Candidate Question Time’. If you’re familiar with the format and structure of Candidate Question Time, this needs little explanation. If you’re not, here’s the low-down: the host of the debate was Lucy Grimes, the president of the debating society, who questioned the leaders on certain topics: education, welfare, and housing were covered extensively. The parties included in the debate were the Liberal Democrats, Welsh Labour, Welsh Conservatives, UKIP and the Socialist Labour Party. The candidates first introduced themselves in…

Primers are often a misunderstood beauty product. Many simply skip the process of priming the skin, before you apply foundation and to that I shake my head in disappointment. Primers smoothe over your skin and prep it for foundation, and this leads to your foundation staying on longer. The Bourjois illuminating primer, whilst not strictly cheap, is the most effective primer I’ve found. It is great for those windy months, especially if you suffer from dehydrated and dry skin. It is quite light in formula, a similar feeling to many skin serums and is quite soothing. In this sense, it…

SEREN has been religiously following the tale of Pontio, and whether it will be finished for quite a while now. Recent developments concerning Pontio have shown how far we still have to go for the new art’s centre to be finished for Bangor University’s students and it questions whether the centre will be finished in time for September’s newcomers. A construction worker on the site in Bangor has described that the construction of Pontio has been far from ‘smooth sailing’, describing it as ‘chaotic’. For some students in Bangor, the developments to Pontio seemed encouraging, however we are once again,…

The beauty of any Fashion Week or fashion event is that while they are often a reunion of the same, predictable faces and brands that are the stalwarts of the industry, they can also be a great opportunity to meet new ones. In this instance, one of the most classic brands in fashion has not only been given a facelift, but a completely new face altogether. I am of course talking about the first outing of Oscar de la Renta’s new Creative Director, Peter Copping, at the Mercedes -Benz New York Fashion Week 2015 Autumn/Winter collection. The man personally chosen…

The 90s was a great time for fashion; a mixture of grunge and hippie, psychedelic rap hip and lumberjack chic. It was also the era when the Supermodel was born. As Seren celebrates its 90’s night we look back at some key trends to embrace whilst we go back to this iconic decade. First up is Grunge; this was the trend of the 90’s, think Kurt Cobain, Kate Moss and Courtney Love. This sexed up, devil may care look can be achieved through low slung flared jeans in plain denim, check/ plaid shirts and crop tops. Typically in muted colours,…

The key to having a stylish and fashionable 2015 is all to do with preparation. I have compiled a selection of predicted trends to hit the high street this year, along with some good old advice. Suede: 2015 is the year for Suede. Whilst leather seems to have been a big winner for the past few years, suede is making its comeback in seventies style force. Unlike leather, suede can be tricky to style. It should rather be used as an accent piece in your wardrobe. A simple pair of suede knee high boots is one way in which…

In current events, there has been a mass rally in Moscow for politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead on Friday; but more importantly, there is a dress. However, this is not just a dress; it is The Dress – hashtag. This dress, according to Buzzfeed, has “BROKEN THE INTERNET” and “TORN FAMILIES APART” because no one can decide on what colour it is. A picture of the dress appeared on tumblr where people could not agree on whether it was blue and black or white and gold. More and more people began to weigh in on the colour they…

For  The reality of the situation is the image models present to us is an unattainable ideal. As a person of the public it is unrealistic to believe that we can achieve the tiny frame and beautiful faces of women in the fashion industry. Through the history of fashion and art the ideal body has fluctuated in size from the curvaceous naked bodies of the Pre-Raphaelite period to the American size zero bodies that we see on today’s runways. This variation in the female ideal creates uncertainty in women’s perception of what is beautiful. We continually hear people telling each…

As a response to Black History Month many people have commended the contribution of the black community in various areas of society. There are however aspects of life that still present challenges not only to people of African-Caribbean descent but to other racial communities as well. The Fashion Industry still shows worrying signs of racial preference. Fashion appears to be an industry that continually refuses to accept diversity and equality in the individuals they employ. Considering the ethnic diversity of today’s society it is shocking to see a lack of racial difference in modelling. There are however well established and…

It is certainly the most common question that a celebrity finds him or herself being asked by the media; whether they are simply out and about or attending events such as the Oscars. This is what fills the gossip columns in newspapers and magazines, from The Guardian to Hello! magazine. It is a question that is perceived to be a light hearted, but one that has nonetheless become a recurring theme as our growing excitement for not who is going to win what award, but to see the extravagant and luxurious creations that have been especially tailored for our favourite…

University dedicated to providing a decent standard of living for its employees From the 1st of this month, Bangor University will introduce the ‘living wage’ to its employees. What makes the living wage significantly different from the national minimum, is that the living wage takes into account the cost of living. This makes the living wage of £7.80, significantly higher than the hourly national minimum, £6.50. The minimum wage is a legal requirement for employers, whilst the living wage is entirely voluntary, but has received numerous amounts of support from many parties in parliament, including the prime minister. Bangor University…

A new vintage shop has opened on Bangor’s high street providing both students and locals with quirky and interesting clothes. Three years ago, Paula decided to open a vintage shop to accommodate to all those with a quirky bone in their body. Originally called ‘Ebenezers’, the shop has relaunched itself as ‘Flashbacks’ and is located at 74 High Street (Next to The Harp Inn). Paula spent her youth perusing through cheap charity shops in London and has always been interested in clothes with a smidge of quirkiness to them. She emphasises how vintage clothing is ‘made to last’ and how…

The earth shattering impact of both World Wars changed peoples’ lives forever and one of the most subtle ways it did so was how it dramatically revolutionised the course of women’s fashion. The First World War brought many life-altering changes ranging from the birth of British Vogue in 1916 to the birth of the Chanel brand as Coco Chanel opens her first Parisian store by the end of the war in 1918. The First World War not only liberated women from the strict confines of corsets and long, impractical hemlines, but also from the confines of the home. The First…

John Galliano, a celebrated designer with a career spanning from 1995 to 2011, heading iconic leading brands Christian Dior and Givenchy and the creator of his own label John Galliano. However, all that success sadly came to an abrupt halt in 2011 when he went on a drunken anti-Semitic rant to other customers in a Paris café, regrettably just before the Autumn/Winter 2011-2012 Paris Fashion Week. A time when the fashion-loving public and designers alike should have been focusing on what people love about fashion which is the magnificent designs that are produced by the creative geniuses at the big…

The Walking Dead is still alive and kicking with guts as it enters its fifth season running. Monday, the 13th of October saw the return of The Walking Dead to our screens once again, much to the delight of its loyal fanbase. But did the premiere drag its fans in or leave them screaming in the opposite direction? The fifth season of The Walking Dead has been long awaited by its fans. The overload of publicity for this season has made the anticipation twice the more painful, as we all waited for our weekly fix of horror. To the appreciation…