Bulletin

The topic of using real fur in the fashion industry has been something that has been ongoing for many years now. After many high-end brands have been under fire for using real fur in their clothing designs, a few top names within the industry have listened and have finally pledged to go sans fur from now on. Designers such as Gucci and Armani have been amongst the selection to initiate this honourable decision, with Chanel and Versace following closely behind after London and Paris Fashion Week AW18. ‘I don’t want to kill animals to make fashion. It doesn’t feel right.’ Says the woman herself, Donatella Versace – but are they aware of the consequences of switching to the opposite side of the debate?

Obviously, the other more moral alternative to real fur is faux fur, right? Don’t be so sure because recently in an article by Financial Times, it has come to light that faux fur may not be as good as your think it is: ‘Most faux-fur coats get discarded on landfills rather than saved as hand-me-down heirlooms. And, even when faux-fur is kept in use, it sheds microbeads with every wash, increasing sea pollution.’ Doesn’t sound good does it?

In this dispute, it would appear as though you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t so the next step is to see in what innovative and inspired ways these fashion houses can create exceptional and quality clothing in a more sustainable and eco-friendly way.

What are your thoughts about the faux fur debate?

While much of London has been draped by a dark cloud of uncertainty regarding house prices and Brexit, there does appear to be a hint of light at the end of the tunnel as things in south east London are looking pretty optimistic. According to some of the latest research on the residential market carried out by JLL, the next 5-10 years are going to bring great things for this side of town with property prices expected to grow by an estimated 12%.

So, why is south east London having its moment in the sun? There are a number of reasons why this is the case but the vast amount of regeneration projects that are occurring in the area is astounding and it is having nothing but a positive effect on the residential market. JLL have professed; ‘One of the keys to the success of the south east is the numerous open spaces. Developers are listening to the needs of residents by also including leafy communal parks and leisure facilities within their schemes.’ Residential amenities is something that is in high demand within the area and the delivery and promise of this is playing a crucial part in the enhancement of many pockets of south east London.

In addition to amenities and communal green space, improvements in transport are another aspect affecting the area’s values for the better. Redbridge has been reported as the top of the leader board for house price growth in 2017 because locations within the Borough including, Ilford, Seven Kings, Goodmayes and Chadwell Heath will be welcoming the arrival of Crossrail at the end of this year, meaning many commuters being pushed out of Central London due to high prices are turning further east for somewhere to live.

Redbridge isn’t the only area that is seeing the positives in property value at the moment as places such as Lewisham and Bexley are also benefitting from great arrivals of regeneration and have also appeared at the top of the table for house price growth.

Ever wanted to learn to art of dreaming? Well, now you can at the Somnai Immersive Experience in an expansive warehouse in Clerkenwell. Proposing to draw the audience in with a live performance which will play on all their senses, this 90-minute experience will be unlike anything that London has seen before.

Upon arrival, in your group of six, you will be asked to take off your daily attire and change into the bed socks, nightgowns and sleep trackers provided and prepare to be introduced to your deepest psyche with the help of a soothing bedtime story. Your ‘sleep-masks’ will help you on your way to discovering a whole new reality in a dreamlike setting and you will be taken through the paces in different stages which will concentrate on various themes.

You will witness an interaction between virtual reality and theatre and observe the frightening, dramatic storytelling which will bring all of your senses to life. After the whirlwind of this surreal and theatrical performance you will be eased back into reality with a merited ‘wake-up’ beverage – this whole experience sounds so intriguing and mysterious and it is definitely something that is on our radar.
Brought to London by dotdotdot, an entertainment business based in London, it will be exciting to see what else they can bring to the table after Somnai has received such a positive reaction.