All Walks of Life...

Image via Sushi and Starbucks

Sometimes you mean to post something for a good while, yet somehow manages to take you a life time to get around to doing it.... it is not to say that is of any less relevance or importance to anything else, if anything more-so because for me I want to give everything I post my utter most best to at least research and  produce a piece that not only informs but hopefully that I can be proud of....

One such piece that has been lurking around for a while is.... (sorry I want to scream out of excitement!), that the legendary Caryn Franklin made a visit back in December to my humble uni in Epsom to give us a fantastic, thought provoking lecture about her new project, 'All Walks Beyond The Catwalk'.

Taken back by not only how effortlessly amazing she looks... we are of course all in awe of her from her Clothes Show days, she spoke eloquently and engaged us all in her discussion on the female form, from our perceptions to what the fashion industry promotes and how we can change this skewered view on body image:

"All Walks Beyond the Catwalk is an organisation that recognises the power the fashion industry has to communicate positive messages to women and men about their bodies and acts. Small steps, big ideas"     

I love the idea of  ‘celebrating diversity within fashion’ and rung true to my own investigations for my dissertation, and with us being "the future of fashion" yet it be said, it is important that we consider the message our own work may convey and implement positive representations.   

One book Caryn recommended us all to read is Susie Orbach, Bodies... a challenging literary discussion on the contemptuous subject of the body... 'A rousing polemic on the western obsession with physical perfection' --India Knight, Sunday Times. 

We all also had the chance to add our response to the topic and answer what is diversity? onto the travelling calico below: 

Image Via All Walks

Image Via All Walks

Image Via All Walks

Which then was adapted by co-founder Erin O'Connor into a beautiful interiors piece and then displayed as part of a fashion piece at the All Walks 'SNAPPED' event at the National Portrait Gallery. "Turning a collaboration between many into a form of art expressing young creatives views on diversity in a celebratory way" - All Walks

Unfortunately I was unable to make down to this celebratory event as I would of loved to of seen the beautiful images by Rankin on show, although many of my student peers went and found it truly inspiring. 

Be inspired yourself and read this fabulous interview with Caryn Franklin herself by my good friend Nada for Volt Cafe, resulting from nabbing her after our lecture we couldn't help but want to spread the word... How about getting involved yourself?.... be sure to check out the All Walks Website: allwalks.org