United Kingdom

Two years ago, when the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing more than 1,100 people, it became the largest disaster in the history of the garment industry. This woke up companies and people around the world to how their clothes are made and the absurdly long hours, lack of benefits, abuses and sheer danger that workers can be exposed to in the process.

Even knowing the hazards that the world's poorest people face in earning a living for their family we shared in the shock and outrage of these needless deaths - turning our clothes inside out to see if the companies that sourced from Rana Plaza were in our closet.

The fight for compensation continues, but attacks on those working to organise and protect workers has made this fight harder. And the challenge of the most vulnerable workers in our world to find safe non-exploitive work is proof that we still have a long way to go to make progress in the working conditions in the world's poorest countries.

Rana Plaza drew urgent and immediate attention to what is often a silent crisis that begins in childhood. Poverty and marginalisation drive children into work because it is perceived as the best use of their time in contributing to the needs of the family and preparing them for the life they are expected to lead. These children grow up in factories, mines, or - especially for young girls - unpaid domestic work that offers just shelter and board.

Though there are laws against it, and despite the attention the Rana Plaza disaster and the work of campaigners around the world has brought, Bangladesh garment factories are still exploiting child labour. In many cases children are performing the same tasks as adults - cutting, trimming, sewing, packing and cleaning - in an environment that can be 'unhygienic and suffocating,' and where children may work for more than 12 hours a day. Around the world we must remember that we will not break this cycle of exploitation until the children of these workers have the options that only an education can give them.

As long as families have little or no opportunity for free or affordable education and no hope for breaking the cycle of poverty with new skills and safe, paid work, children will continue to go to work for gruelling, long, unhealthy hours into their adulthood - and their children will do the same. There are currently at least 600,000 - some estimates say as many as 1.5million children - out of school in Bangladesh. When children are in the factories, they are not safely in school and learning. It is these same children--the poor and most vulnerable - and their families that continue to be exploited in unsafe, unsanitary working conditions. The relationship between education, child labour and later exploitation in the workforce is clear.

Today, Fashion Revolution, the global coalition of designers, business leaders, politicians and others calling for reform of the fashion supply chain, has organized protests in nearly 70 countries and is urging all consumers to ask ' who made my clothes.'

We must continue to fight for the rights of workers everywhere by ensuring that no one should be coerced or forced into unsafe work - especially not children - because that is all that is available to them. The children of the Rana Plaza disaster should be managing the factories of the future and their children should have options that those brave men and women never dreamed of.

We will not get there until we ensure that all children everywhere have access to an education.

#upforschool #fashrev

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First we wanted more representation for plus size women in modelling. Then we had plus size women 'reclaiming' the term. Then we had a nineties pop star say she disapproved of stores selling clothes in 'unhealthy' dress sizes. Now finally we have people saying we should drop the term 'plus size' altogether.

Where will it all end?

Well firstly let me explain something - in the modelling industry 'plus size' works as a way to differentiate between dress sizes. If a client asks for a plus size model I instantly understand what they mean. Another example of this would be 'sample size' shoes. I know that a sample size shoe is a UK size four because that's generally the size that the samples come in from the factory. But if a store started selling 'sample sizes' it would just confuse the customers, which coincidentally is exactly what's happened with the bizarrely inaccurate term 'plus sized'.

But one thing a lot of people seem to be forgetting is that models - whether plus size are not - are absolutely bloody gorgeous. In fact sitting in the agency watching a parade of beauties in all sizes come in and out of the office is terrible for my self-esteem I assure you. Models, whatever dress size, represent the absolute ideal. A size 18 model doesn't look as big as many size 18 women because they don't have any lumps, bumps or flabby bits like the rest of us. Everything about them is perfectly in proportion; which to be honest is why they're a model and why they still look great.

As for dropping the distinction between plus and skinny sizes; yes of course in an ideal world every store would sell every item in every size but here in reality that makes absolutely no commercial sense. I have a good friend who worked for a plus size retailer and they explained that through trial and error the brand discovered that there are some styles that just don't sell well to plus size women. The cold-hard fact is that some clothes only suit certain body shapes.

Interestingly there doesn't seem to be any of this stigma attached to plus size menswear retailers. I can assure you that overweight men feel no better about themselves than their female counterparts when they are bombarded with images of six packs and chiselled jaws. But guys just seem to get on with it and shop for their size without feeling judged or hated on by the industry.

Of course, I understand that in society women are scrutinised much more for the way they look than their male counterparts but if women dress well and feel good about themselves it really shouldn't matter what the rack in the store had written on it.

To clarify, I do understand that some women are just made larger than others and I also understand that there is a big problem with society equating being slim to being beautiful. But if you think that there's some big conspiracy to body shame larger women or marginalise them in the fashion industry then I'm sorry but that's just not the case.

This whole thing is doomed to go around in circles because there really is no solution. It seems like all we're doing is waiting for the next retailer or celebrity to slip up and do or say something stupid about plus size so we can all get outraged again. Granted, it fills column inches but I can't help but feel it's perpetuating a stereotype of fashion divas getting all worked up about nothing. In the grand scheme of things being called plus sized isn't the end of the world and there are really more important things to get angry about.

Ultimately as long as you feel comfortable in your own skin who gives a crap what other people call you?

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Being raised by immigrant parents in multi-cultural London, I have always been passionate about the fusion of cultures and what we can learn from each other when we "Collaborate". I'm also passionate about leveling the playing field in the creative industry by supporting talent from all backgrounds, whether they be a weaver in Ethiopia or a talented young designer from Harlem. The LDNY Foundation and our Legacy Collection initiative does precisely that. We are truly honored to be working with the UN, London College of Fashion and Parsons.

In 2013, I went on a trip to Ghana, the purpose of the trip was to see how I could do something to "give back", the country of my parents birth. Forty years ago my Mother and Father came to the UK separately but with the same dream to create a better life for the children they would one day have. They east end of London the UK's answer to Ellis Island, Walthamstow home to a diverse range of people, which is where they would indeed raise the children the eventually did have.

Walthamstow or Wilcomestu as the Anglo Saxons called it means place of welcome (coincidentally the Ghanaian greeting for hello is "Awaakba "which also means "Welcome"), so being welcoming is literally part of both my British and Ghanaian origins. During my early years Walthamstow more or less lived up to its name, we had the longest street market in Europe where you could get anything from anywhere. The older generation of market stallholders was mainly white working class survivors of Second World War. They were community minded and would call out to you if they knew your mum and chuck you an apple or bag of sweets, nuts or a random item off their stall. My school was like a blue-collar version of the UN and believed diversity was an asset. All the main religious holidays were celebrated, my Indian friends always brought in the best sweets on Guru Nanak day (Founder of the Sikh Religion). I was well liked, being an inquisitive soul I often found myself at my friends houses celebrating Shabat, Eid and Diwali. My best friend Levan Trong was Chinese so this meant free Mandarin lessons and amazing New Year parties.

This multicultural upbringing served as a great basis for my media career connecting with people from all walks of like. I started off as an intern at a Kiss FM a vibrant fresh radio station uniting the young people of London through music. So where ever I went it was a given for me that difference was never a problem in fact it was cool and what London was all about. I carried this belief with me from radio to television to my first presenting job. I was getting to do what I had enjoyed doing my entire life meeting and talking to people from any and everywhere.

My initial thinking when I arrived in Ghana was to help develop entertainment talent and somehow try to support it's burgeoning media industry. However upon further investigation I soon realized that what was more urgently needed was jobs and particularly jobs for women from low-income and low skilled communities. There's old theory in the villages of Ghana, which is no self respecting village girl should marry a man who can not afford to buy her a Singer sewing machine. There are a lot of married village girls in Ghana, armed with this data I decided fashion and manufacturing was probably the route to take and thus the LDNY Foundation was born.

Over the years I have worked extensively with different UN agencies on various initiatives including "UnGrounded" where I helped create a collaboration between the UN ITU (International Communications Union) and British Airways to turn a aircraft into an innovation lab and have some of the best minds from Sillicon Valley solve UN poverty related issues. I wanted to do something similar with fashion, so I approached Professor Frances Corner at London College of Fashion who immediately said yes and then I stalked Simon Collins the then Dean of Fashion at Parsons and after months of harassment eventually said yes. Then came the ITC (International Trade Centre) who selected artisans from their "Women and Trade Programme" to join our programme.

LDNY formed a partnership with LCF and Parsons to create a competition that would be imbedded into their curriculum, where students from both institutions would design with the ITC artisans. This first time collaboration was a year long programme that would eventually showcase winning designs by students from both LCF and Parsons interwoven with traditional crafts by the artisans to enhance and energize the overall designs with inspiration for the collection celebrating the energy and talent of the two most exciting and iconic cities in the world: leaders in creativity, culture, entrepreneurism and originality. I'm blown away by the phenomenal pieces the students and artisans "Collaborated" on together.

We've had some phenomenal industry support and a stellar panel of UK & US judges who chose the winning pieces including: swimwear designer Melissa Odabash, Laura Weir, Fashion Features Editor at Vogue and Scott Mackinlay-Hahn, CEO of ethical fashion brand Loomstate. David de Rothschild, Supermodel Cameron Russell and Designer Charlie Casely-Hayford all came on board as advocates.

The collection has been ethically manufactured by London-based social enterprise 'Fashion Enter'. In September, we were able to open the 69th UN General Assembley External Calendar with the first-ever fashion at the UN.

The cherry on the cake has to be Liberty coming on board as partners, I still pinch myself that Liberty will be showcasing the winning designs in-store.

Ed Burstell, the Managing Director of Liberty has been a phenomenal support, his quote expresses the commitment and passion he and his team have for this project.

"Liberty is delighted to be supporting Women: Inspiration and Enterprise and the LDNY Foundation initiative which firmly puts sustainable fashion on the world stage. In our continual bid to support new and emerging design we look forward to raising funds through the sale of this collection in-store for educational grants and scholarships to LFC and Parsons."

This collaboration with LCF and Parsons students interwoven with crafts by artisans from the ITC's Women and Trade Programme is a first and we are excited to able to be part of this inspiring initiative to support the next generation of design talent whilst promoting female artisans from around the world.

Our London show promises to be as exciting as our New York show at the UN, and will be Co-Hosted by: Caroline Rush (CEO British Fashion Council), Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, Professor Frances Corner and Aldijiana Sisic (Executive Director of the UN Trustfund). We're also thrilled that the show will be live-streamed on Huffington Post UK.

This project has been a true labour of love and the team I are very much looking forward to phase two which will be a factory in Ghana full of many self respecting village girls making a fair wage out of their Singer sewing machines.

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Since 2005 I have enjoyed the privilege of being Head of London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, one of the world's leading fashion education institutions. Right from the beginning I wanted to embed the importance of using education to transform lives which is why I'm so proud to have been nominated for a WIE award for Services to Education.

I have seen first-hand how fashion education can drive change, build a sustainable future and improve the way we live which is why I was keen to partner with LDNY and the UN Women and Trade programme, which brought together our womenswear and menswear students with artisans from places such as Ethiopia and Mongolia. The resulting collections which will be shown at tonight's LDNY catwalk show before the WIE awards, exemplify the best of new design and ethical manufacturing, whilst supporting some of the world's poorest communities.

What makes being nominated for this award so gratifying is that it will shine a light on projects which I am really passionate about and my ethos of 'Better Lives', which has been one of the cornerstones of my Headship here at London College of Fashion, UAL. It is a wide agenda that I feel encapsulates how we need to work as educators; it is a dialogue between staff, students and the wider community to develop an understanding and definition of what sustainability and diversity means to us.

We did this by setting up the Centre for Sustainable Fashion back in 2005 cementing our aspiration to put sustainability at the heart of what we do. Its work revolves around safeguarding our industry for future generations and to secure the future of the millions of people worldwide, the majority of whom are women, who rely on the fashion industry for their incomes. We have never advocated fashion at any cost.

I have also overseen the development of a range of outreach activities, social enterprise projects and community partnerships such as Style Young with teenagers in Hackney and with the charity Art Against Knives, where we have repeatedly found that not only do we have a positive impact on the lives of these young people but we also have much to learn from them; this in turn has changed the way we think about teaching and learning.

Another great example of how social enterprise can turn people's lives around is our work with the prison service. Just last year we opened a manufacturing unit at HMP Holloway prison which came as a result of many years work embedding fashion education into the prison system. The unit engages female offenders in learning machine skills, a skill in high demand as fashion manufacturing moves back to the UK. The aim of the project is to reduce the rate of re-offending by providing the women with marketable skills that they can use to escape the poverty trap that many find themselves in.

By challenging the status quo and making our world a fairer and more equitable place fashion can play a vital role in showing us what's possible - by its very nature fashion is constantly evolving, renewing itself, innovating and creating a world which we can aspire to. If we look at fashion in its broadest sense, beyond clothing and fast fashion, and look at the power of fashion to communicate some of the biggest problems of our times we have incredible opportunity. You just have to look at the latest project by one of LCF's leading researchers, Professor Helen Storey's Dress For Our Time, which is tackling climate change, to prove what fashion and education can achieve.

But of course none of this could be delivered without our links to industry. Last year we partnered with Kering - whose portfolio of world leading brands include Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. Our students have the unique opportunity to generate innovative sustainable solutions to real problems, whilst taking into account the individual values of each brand. It's no mean feat and will result in changes to our curriculum as well as changes to Kering's business practices. It demonstrates that education cannot work in isolation. Working hand in hand with industry energizes our practice and ensures enterprise and employability are embedded in the student experience.

I strongly believe that when our students graduate from London College of Fashion, UAL they should leave with the confidence and abilities to shape our world, to plan and respond to challenges in ways that are inconceivable to us now. Whether they study pattern cutting, cosmetic science, journalism or management, each graduate will go into industries around the world with a questioning mind and able to give a challenging perspective on the future of our industry, its values and possibilities. They represent the future of the fashion industry and have the power to change it from within.

I am greatly looking forward to tonight's proceedings and being in the company of some of the world's most inspiring women who, like me, are trying to push the boundaries of what is possible, to ask difficult questions and not shy away from the issues that some might feel are controversial. I hope that all of the incredible work bought to the fore by tonight's awards will inspire people to do the same and to support those issues which they feel passionate about.

Frances will be tweeting live from the event @fcorner

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Lots of people think that fashion is something frivolous and not necessarily meaningful or full of purpose. That's not the case at all.

Many retailers are now making more of an effort than ever before to reduce their impact on the environment and support local communities. H&M for example have recently launched their Conscious Collection which is about making clothes that benefit everyone around them, and US brand Reformation do a lot to ensure that their clothes are doing the same. Their whole brand is about being eco-conscious and respectful of the sources of their clothes, and loads of people around the world are buying into that ethos.

For a long time people have wanted to know that the bananas and coffee they buying are Fairtrade and supporting local communities (and even their taxis, I'm a huge fan of GoGreenRide in the US which leases out environmentally friendly cars), but now the era is upon us where people care about fashion doing the same. There was outrage when it was discovered that the 'I am a Feminist' t-shirts worn by politicians were produced in factories where workers were paid only a few pennies an hour.

People will always want cheap clothes, but they also want to know that the clothes they buy are good in the moral sense.

I am passionate about working with children in underprivileged communities, which is why I help under privileged children in Kenya every year. This involves feeding, clothing and giving them stationary. One of the amazing things about fashion is that it gives you a platform to get important messages around the world, and I feel like I want to make the most of it.

I'm excited about attending the Legacy Collection tonight at the Goldsmiths' Hall in London. It will showcase designers from the London College of Fashion and Parsons School in New York. These young designers have all worked with artisans from around the world to create beautiful pieces whilst also supporting local communities and businesses in those areas, which are of vital importance for everyone involved in the organisation that created this, the LDNY foundation. Whilst I'm not involved directly in the foundation, I'm really excited to be supporting the event and seeing all the designers who will be in town. I'm also excited about seeing the merging of UK and US talent, as being from the UK but living in New York, I have a distinct understanding of the two cultures and how they work together.

The LDNY Foundation is an initiative which supports lower income communities in the UK, US and developing world gain entry into the creative industries and fulfil their potential whatever their background by providing educational scholarships, grants and supporting a range of innovative and effective projects. Their hope is that over time this foundation will become a major force in harnessing and linking the raw creative talent of the "underprivileged".

The Legacy Collection will kick off the WIE Awards tonight. The awards stand for 'Women: Inspiration & Enterprise', and they celebrate enterprising and inspiring women from around the world. I'm really excited about seeing who will be there and learning about the incredible things womankind has achieved this year.

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When I was approached to be a judge of the Legacy Collection I knew instantly I wanted to be involved. The support that the LDNY Foundation gives to women worldwide from differing backgrounds, ethnicities and locations is so inspiring and it's a real privilege to be a part of this ground-breaking programme. The fashion industry has so many levels of which consumers are often completely unaware and the positive attention that the Legacy Collection is drawing to the creation and artisan aspect of the manufacturing process is really exciting. Usually this work goes on behind the scenes, in far off lands and in the hands of highly skilled women who receive little credit even though their role is so integral to the luxury clothing design process. I really can't wait for them to have their moment to shine and their hard work be recognised, it's the perfect way to kick-start what will be a fabulous, female orientated evening at the WIE awards.

As a women in the business-world myself, I have always been a strong believer that females should support each other in every way possible. From the girls who work in my London stores, to the women who we source fabrics from in Italy and the clientele I cater to worldwide, I'm always sure to treat everyone equally. At the end of the day, to be successful you have to value your people and the role they play, which is why the recognition that the Legacy Collection gives to rising designers and unknown artisans is so unique. At my company I have the philosophy that we are all part of a team, no matter how large or small someone's role may be. If we don't look after each other, encourage each other and motivate each other to ensure we are all performing our roles to the best of our ability then the end result can be affected - meaning my company and my company's reputation may suffer and what savvy business-woman would want that after fifteen years of pouring your heart and soul into building up your brand? There are so many negative words used to describe successful business women in contrast to successful business men and levelling out any gender inequalities is something I have tried to spearhead throughout my career.

This is why I am such a strong supporter of the LDNY Foundation and what they are trying to achieve. Not only are they reaching out to developing countries and forging successful trading relationships, but they are also focusing on helping a fashion career become attainable to those from less fortunate back-grounds in in two of the Fashion capitals of the world whilst helping to empower women in the process. What is really commendable is that this is a long term partnership, the ITC's Women and Trade programme has set a goal of building a design establishment in Africa, thereby creating an international platform for these talented artisans.

It's also been a pleasure to witness the work and craftsmanship from the next generation of designers at the London College of Fashion and Parsons New School New York as part of the judging process for this event. Yet the LDNY foundation has not just focused on the now, in fact they have set their sights further into the future and have carefully and consciously invested in the future of fashion by funding scholarships at both Parsons and the London College of fashion to empower women from less affluent backgrounds and give them the opportunity to progress into their chosen career. To see pieces designed in London, New York and more diverse places such as Ethiopia, India and Peru and ethically produced with London-based enterprise 'Fashion Enters', shows the positive global reach that this project has been able to achieve and personally I'm very excited to see the different cultural representations that we will be coming down the runway.

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As my wife and I exited the V&A's current big draw exhibition Savage Beauty, a retrospective of the work of fashion designer Alexander McQueen, I was filled with feelings of wonder and sadness. When you see such a large collection of McQueen's designs in one place you realize what legacy he left behind, and that led me to wonder what he might have gone of the achieve had he lived. However this gloom soon left me as I remembered the impact of room after room of truly stunning fashion. Designs that challenge preconceptions of what fashion is, what beauty is and firmly sticks two fingers up to conformity. I found myself smiling as it struck me just how much McQueen changed what we now think of as fashion, and began the new movement towards a desire for more diversity in the fashion industry.

I recently wrote an article for the online disability magazine, Disability Now, exploring how McQueen was the first couture designer to use disabled models and how his legacy paved the way for a new generation of disabled models who are currently taking the fashion world by storm. Disabled people should remember McQueen as a champion of equality, which is not something you'd expect from a fashion designer. But McQueen was so much more than that, and Savage Beauty captures this with a reverence that takes your breathe away.

The first room in the exhibition, named London, is much as you'd expect, with rows of mannequins clad in McQueen's early designs. Already it becomes clear that this was designer set to be world class. Savage Mind, the second part of this room, highlights McQueen's cutting and tailoring skills. The ageing fashion student in me, with my studies stemming from the flamboyance of the 1980's, was fascinated by the intricacy and detail of these designs. However I could not be ready for the what follows. From now on every room is truly stunning. Each builds in their design and layout to show McQueen's work to it's fullest. I cannot find the words to describe the impact of entering the double height Cabinet of Curiosities section, other than to say it took a moment to steady myself as I was flooded by McQueen's creativity and originality. In this space McQueen's creations are accompanied by videos of his fashion shows, which further demonstrate his desire to push to against conventions and boundaries. His later work reaches a level of inventiveness that took fashion to a higher level and ensured his place in the history of fashion.

For people like my wife and I, who have always walked on the alternative side of life, McQueen holds a special place. To us his influences are more obvious which means it is easier for us to see how far he took influence and made it his own. His ability to see what was happening in the underground fashions scenes and use what he saw as a jump off point to design something so original was second to none. An example of which would be the American football protection shoulder pads and helmet in the Romantic Exoticism room. I remember wearing a set of these in Camden's alternative clubs back in the mid 80's, but mine were just painted back to go with my bike leathers. McQueen took that idea of using sports equipment in fashion but turned it in a work of art. Only he could imagine something as bulky and masculine as football shoulder pads and a helmet into a beautiful feminine work by having them printed with Japanese Kimono patterns, and then combining them with satin corsetry and thigh highs. Not sure who might wear such an outfit, but whoever did would stop a room dead as they entered it. But that goes for any of McQueen's work really.

The entire exhibition is one not to be missed, whether you are interested in fashion or just want to witness the V&A at it's very best. I would advise to pre-book as I know the day we went it was packed... so maybe book a nice early slot if you want to avoid the crowds. Even with each room being filled with people, all as awe filled as we were, the exhibition will take some effort by the V&A to better. The exhibition's curator Claire Wilcox and her team Kate Bethune, Louise Rytter and Sonnet Stanfill should all be applauded for their superb work on Savage Beauty. It really marks Alexander McQueen's place in the history of fashion and design. Miss it at your peril.

Images by permission - Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London

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When June Sarpong asked me to be involved in this year's WIE Awards, I of course said yes. I have been fortunate to work with and be inspired by so many women in work and in life. It really wasn't until I reached my 40th birthday (almost four years ago) that I took time to reflect the impact these women had had on my life. I of course knew I had great people around me, but to understand that limitations were removed from my psyche from early life, I understood why I had little fear and that hearing no in my career was always seen as a challenge to change perception, not a final answer or restriction.

I was very lucky to have a strong mother who insisted the route to happiness was being in control of your own destiny. She instilled strong beliefs about how women had fought for the right for equality, the vote and that our generation mustn't settle for anything less - that any man that might suggest anything different was simply a relic, but that education not demonstration was the key to change.

I have worked with many inspiring women, not least the current chair of the British Fashion Council Natalie Massenet MBE who is visionary in the way she considers the fashion industry and inspires you to push further and think bigger. I am also incredibly lucky to have Anya Hindmarch MBE on our board who encourages you to be brave, take on the new and make things happen. But in the early days of the fashion industry I had a great mentor, Annette Worsley-Taylor, then creative director of London Fashion Week. Annette is a fashion pioneer, she has exacting standards, and is credited for creating the first designer fashion exhibition in the UK and shaping London Fashion Week for its first 20 years. She has a real love and care of the industry which was imparted to me in my late 20s. Slightly later on it was Hilary Riva, commercially savvy, strategically brilliant and a pioneer in the fashion retail sector an area then dominated by men. Of course I am also surrounded by brilliant women, the women who work at the British Fashion Council, the editors, retailers, designers, stylists, sales agents, PRs, philanthropists, as well as great friends and not least my daughter Lana and my two incredible sisters Liz and Shelley. Take inspiration from those around you, if they are good people they will empower you to be the person you want to be.

For the first time this year's WIE Awards will be opened with a fashion show of the LDNY-Legacy Collections, an initiative that supports the next generation of design talent and promotes female artisans from around the world, from territories such as Ethiopia and Peru, through the International Trade Centre's Women and Trade Programme. These collections opened the external calendar of the UN's 69th General Assembly Meeting - the first ever fashion show at the UN! The proceeds of the collections, which go on sale from July 2015, will go towards funding scholarships for students from low-income families to attend London College of Fashion or Parsons (NY).

An evening when we celebrate the success of women is incredibly important to inspire future generations that anything is possible. Fostering self-belief, determination and knowing there is a network of support for young women is a small step to giving-back just some of the support that I have been given along the way. Being also able to champion the LDNY-Legacy Collections that will lead to raising scholarship funds is close to my heart and the work of the British Fashion Council Education Pillar. Anything we can do to support young people to study as part of our pipeline of future talent for this industry is essential. And of course, working with two strong women who take seriously their role in inspiring young women, June and Miriam (Gonzalez) is both rewarding and a great pleasure. Roll on the 2015 WIE Awards.

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1. Trimming it is totally terrifying

2. People will compare you to literally any bearded person they can think of

3. The itching stops. Eventually.

4. There will be so many little hairs everywhere that everyone will think you've got a cat

5. You will either end up looking totally fierce or completely cuddly

(Or it could be both)

6. But your beard will add an aura of sophistication whenever you need it to

7. There's an unexpected comradery between anyone who has a beard

8. The longer it gets, the harder it'll be to keep it looking good. But it'll look so much more majestic if you style it right.

9. Your options for Halloween costumes become unexpectedly limited

You can basically only be a pirate. Or Jesus. Don't even think about using face paint.

10. Anything is a comb if you're desperate enough.

11. Keeping stuff in your beard will start off as a party trick, then becomes legitimately useful

12. But food will always get stuck in it and that's never a good look

13. Stroking it will either make you look deep, intelligent and pensive, or horrendously creepy

14. People of the opposite sex will start paying you a lot more attention

15. And rightly so.

16. People will ask you how long it took to grow. All the time.

17. You'll start checking yourself out in the mirror way more. Partly because you look more awesome, but also because you always need to make sure you don't look too homeless.

18. You'll probably have a weird urge to feel the tender, refreshing tingle of freshly shaven skin, but you'll immediately regret it

19. Also there's the temptation to do stuff like this

And also immediately regret it.

20. Don't like the idea of mustache hair in your mouth pretty much all the time? Don't grow a beard.

Seriously, you can comb at much as you want but it'll tickle your lips all the time. The only way to escape it is using mustache wax - a specially formulated hair-gel-type-thing which, even if you don't want to actually style your tache, is still a good idea.

21. Beard oils are ridiculously important if you want it to look good

Seriously. You need them, you just don't know it yet.

22. And they'll help your significant other avoid the ever-present risk of beard rash

23. Some people will say "you need a shave"

24. These people are just jealous they can't grow a beard like yours

25. Things will get really, really sweaty during the summer

26. So much so that you'll be praying to find a shop with air conditioning every time you leave the house

27. Even if you can do that curly thing with your mustache, you probably shouldn't

28. Your facial hair will make pretty much anything you say in a deep voice sound totally epic

29. But sometimes you just need to face facts: if you're beard looks awful, you should probably shave it off

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As part of the Inspiring Women Campaign that I have been leading for the last year and a half, we brought together some months ago some of the most talented women in the fashion industry in the UK with one hundred teenage girls at a school in East London. For one hour, the women talked to the girls about their jobs, their careers and their lives. The reaction of the girls could not have been more uplifting: no matter how well-known and famous some of the women were or how senior, or even how beautiful they looked, all that the girls wanted to know was how to succeed in such a competitive industry. They did not look at fashion as an aside interest, they saw fashion as a serious career option. 'Looks' could not have mattered to them any less.

Not a signal, considering that fashion is an industry worth £26billion and an industry that generates millions of jobs for men and women all over the world. Fashion is is not only one of the most dynamic sectors in the UK economy, but also one of the most successful ones in terms of social mobility.

The strength of the UK fashion industry is precisely the reason for the UN Fashion Show to come to London for the first time. The talent of ten students from two of the best fashion schools in the world is being recreated on the catwalk by the expert and delicate hands of artisans from developing countries. Both sides, fashion students and artisans, moved by the same aim: excellence and hard work.

The message could not be closer to my heart. I have spent months going around the country with the Inspiring Women campaign trying to convey this message to thousands of girls: that they should feel free to aim high (as free as boys), but that no dream happens without hard work and effort.

The women awarded at the Women: Inspiration and Enterprise (WIE) Awards know that well. They are all exceptional role models. The very best in their fields, which is why it is only fair that we all celebrate their success. But we also need to recognize the work that thousands of anonymous women - whose names we don't know and whose faces we don't see in the glossy magazines or on TV - who are silently making their own mark and setting fantastic examples for the coming generations of young girls.

Paying homage to those women and encouraging them to speak up and inspire the younger generations is precisely what we also do with the Inspiring Women Campaign and that is why I decided to support the WIE network (and yes, I am doing this in the middle of a general election - and no, it is not an oversight).

Because no matter your age, your skills or your background, every woman has an inner role model and it is the duty of every woman of my generation to stand up for young girls.

Miriam González Durántez is a partner of international law firm Dechert LLP where she is co-chair of the firm's International Trade and Government Regulation practice, focusing on international and EU trade law and policy

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Where and who are the British menswear fashion YouTubers (vloggers)?

"The trouble is", said David as we sat in a pub, "I'm not that into fashion but I do want style tips. And most YouTubers are either kids, or too eccentric. There's nobody doing funny and interesting menswear videos with clothes I'd actually want and could afford."

It's a problem I've heard many times during my suit tailoring appointments. Whether it's some of the UK's leading businessmen, hedge-fund managers, heads of investment banks, top barristers, entrepreneurs, CEOs; or if it's any Tom, Dick or Harry, more men than you may think tell me they are interested in looking good and learning about menswear style advice.

However, the same men enjoy English humour: dry, satirical, self-deprecation. And this is where there's a big disconnect on YouTube. Most menswear fashion YouTubers are loud, brash and American.

Videos of dry satirical humour and informative advice is a difficult combination. Done right, it's what makes British TV the best in the world: Top Gear and Have I Got News For You as great examples. So who are the British fashion menswear YouTubers or vloggers that achieve this? My brother Terry Church and I decided to go on a hunt.

What Terry and I found astonished us. There was only one British menswear YouTuber. Some British YouTube celebrities such as Jim Chapman and More Marcus occasionally did a fashion-related videos, but really there was only one: Steve Brooker.

Brands and organisations have YouTube channels - British Fashion Council, Mr. Porter, GQ, T. M. Lewin, etc., but we were looking for personal YouTubers with independent advice. Thousands of menswear bloggers exist - photo blogs mostly (I'm a big fan of the Grey Fox Blog) - but again, no YouTubers... Over Sunday roast, Terry made the decision to change that.

#1 British menswear fashion YouTuber: Terry Church

In this Friday Bargain themed video Terry goes to Oxfam to see what he can get for £15. He ends up with some Tiger of Sweden trousers and a black jumper.

Comedy strikes as Terry shows you 'how to walk sexy'.

The great British panama hat is featured as the ultimate menswear accessory, able to accompany even the most disastrous of outfits.

#2 British menswear fashion YouTuber: Steve Brooker

Steve goes to Westfields in London for some shopping and experiences a virtual reality store.

Steve Booker attends London Fashion Week and looks at some of the styles people are wearing outside the events, capturing the feel of the event.

Vintage fashion and design gets a visit at a car boot sale as Steve explores what's available to buy.

It seems strange that with YouTube as such a large platform and menswear growing larger and larger as an industry in the UK, there aren't many independent British YouTube personalities - if you know of any more, please comment below and add them here!

There are thousands of bloggers and photographers using things such as Tumblr and Pinterest, but what makes menswear different than most of fashion, at least from my suit tailoring experiences with customers, is that they want an informative experience too. Yes, men want to be stylish, but there's also a demand for knowledge of the materials, the manufacturing process, the trade and craft that goes into the clothes. YouTube videos provide an opportunity for this, and I hope many more Brits along with Terry and Steve take to the stage.

Read more from Tom Church on his creative design blog Screams.

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Beyond The Ballot is The Huffington Post UK's alternative take on the General Election, taking on the issues too awkward for Westminster. It focuses on the unanswered questions around internet freedom, mental health and housing.

"Why does a flat in London cost X times a flat in Milan?" asked my Italian colleague.

Speculators: London is being crammed with high-rise luxury apartment blocks which are empty.

My husband described the young rich mothers who meet for coffee in Clapham, where we live, after dropping off their children to private schools. They wear smart keep-fit clothes with £2,000 handbags. He hears how they sold their family townhouses across the river in Chelsea for £10million, and now live in Clapham in a family house that costs £2million.

Poor people in Clapham! A family near to me are being evicted after 35 years - by the council! So they can sell their home. The council are coming at this from two points: central government has cut their funding in half (austerity), and they are taking advantage of prices in the rocketing house market (breaking up communities, short term thinking, storing up trouble for the future). Since Margaret Thatcher scrapped the Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords have been able to evict tenants easily with short notice. People are told: whoever cannot afford to live in London should get out.

The English background: I refer to England rather than the UK because England has the dominant ethic. The Bank of England is in touch with all world banks, able to trade 24/7. Historically it had the British Empire, a vast market whose wealth it exploited, which it handed over to the monopolies, via the US and its organizations - NATO, WTO, etc. It is the best friend of America, the greatest power in the world. England taught America the tricks of propaganda ("we are good, therefore you must be bad") and death-dealing. The world speaks English.

For speculators London is a safe place to be. It is protected by the (at present invincible) corrupt political/financial system, based on what is now runaway debt. Our Conservative coalition government is the pet of the private central banks that control and manipulate world economy. In their five years in office the government borrowed £70billion, which doubled our debt. Our government's top priority is to help speculators but there are few assets left to invest in because these assets have been based on exhausting the finite treasures of the earth.

So assets have to be invented, e.g. fossil fuels: investment portfolios express assets at 100% of all available fossil fuels, yet if we extract more than 20% we will all be dead from global warming. These are now considered frozen assets and speculators are divesting. Now that debt has run out of control - the poorest in the privileged world live on debt - speculators have too much spare capital, from interest extracted from other people's debt. And they have to find ways to invest it.

The London housing boom for speculators is another invention. The houses remain empty, so that means they are really worthless - until people live in them they have no true value. The government might as well issue bonds which say 'we will build an apartment block' so no-one need bother to actually build them.

Meanwhile, London is a disaster. What was once Chelsea Barracks - home of the Grenadier Guards is now the largest most expensive hole for building on earth - owned by the Saudis. The skyline is not yet filled, for everywhere they are pulling down the old buildings - grand houses along Piccadilly! - and building towers... there must be a floor completed every five minutes. There are cranes everywhere. Their red lights fill the sky at night.

In Oxford Street the road was closed but I went through on my bike. London is terrible for road works. Unlike other cities all the pipes and cables are underground, so they are constantly being dug up. In Paris they use the sewers and in Milan the cables and wires are high up. Now there is the added closure to traffic from demolition/construction along the streets.

I was looking for a street leading into Soho Square, where I could eat vegetarian Indian food, and there on the street was this giant square hole. I thought the square had gone and went down the side of the hole through a corridor hung with blue plastic sheets under the scaffolding and emerged to discover that Soho Square was still there... Luckily.

People hate it. Everyone hates it. Stop the destruction! We don't want this giant rubbish. All the houses where people lived happily, even in one room amongst the thriving town, are going, going, gone. Clubs and dives, gone or moved out. There's a space near our studio and next to the Royal College Sculpture department next to the Thames with a lock and boats and bars and meetings and table tennis tables and boxing - buildings with tiled staircases, once warehouses, now offices and theatre. Goodbye Doodle Bar!

In Brixton black people demonstrated claiming racism because their homes are going and they can't afford a place to live. Russell Brand successfully helped women who refused to leave their rented homes belonging to the Council. Yes, that's the idea. Pull down the social housing. Yet all the political parties are promising to build houses because there are so many who need a home. Short-term economy! Napoleon said, "The English are a nation of shopkeepers". He meant they'd sell their grandmother.

Smashing communities, laying up trouble and expense for the future. What can we do? Politicians are criminals. Vote for who you believe in. Tactical voting is rubbish. After the election, fight for every issue. Demonstrate. Build the public debate. Talk to people. The social media can help to build a wave of opposition to government crimes against humanity. Talk, talk, inform yourself. And most important show your face: Demonstrate. Build the opposition, see what happens - take it from there.

As part of The Huffington Post UK's Beyond The Ballot series we want to know what issues you think aren't getting enough attention in the election campaign. Tweet using the hashtag #BeyondTheBallot to tell us in 140 characters and we'll feature the best contributions

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Whilst some may argue that fashion and politics have no business being mentioned in the same sentence- I disagree.

My interest in fashion from a young age stemmed from a fascination in clothing's purpose beyond the practical. I've always been intrigued by the way personal style acts as a non-verbal rhetoric that we use to communicate who we are with each other.

Psychologist have deduced that it takes us just 3 seconds to make a judgment about someone based on their appearance. That's a snap judgment, but a judgment nonetheless. And whilst it may seem depressingly shallow, humans are intrinsically wired to decipher things like gender, social class and status symbols from each other's appearance- and clothes play a large part in this.

Much like politics, fashion is paradoxically elitist whilst also being democratic. Sure, the fashion industry may appear to be an exclusive club shrouded in mystique and glamour, but at the end of the day, or rather the beginning, everyone gets up and puts on clothes (unless you're a naturist, obviously).

And whether you're a front row fixture, or couldn't give two hoots whether the seventies are making a resurgence for SS15; (FYI: they are) you probably consider what the outfit you pick to wear each day conveys to the world to some degree- be that donning a suit to look smart and professional for a job interview, or wearing a particular brand to signal your allegiance to a style tribe.

But whilst our personal style decisions can be quite subtle and even subconscious, politician's sartorial choices are often much more considered than it appears. After all, it's imperative that politicians (and their spin doctors) use everything in their power to convey and solidify who they are and what they stand for.

Over the years political figures have done this in various ways to varying degrees of success. Here's a few of my favourite political fashion statements from the past and present, call it the alternative 'Downing Street Catwalk' if you will.

Michelle Obama: The Sartorial Diplomat
Whilst I wanted to focus on British political figures, I couldn't leave out Michelle Obama who is a pro when it comes to sartorial diplomacy. At international State dinners the first lady has developed a tradition of wearing designers from the country being honoured. Highlights include the first state dinner with the prime minister of India in 2009, for which she chose a golden gown by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan, as well as the asymmetric purple dress by Korean-American designer Doo-Ri that she wore to the South Korean State dinner in 2011. And most recently, the Japanese state dinner just last week for which she donned a sapphire tulle gown created by Japanese-American designer Tadashi Shoji.

David Cameron: Austerity in Action
Whilst Sam Cam is often heralded as some sort of fashion martyr for deigning to shop on the high street, the same hasn't always been true for her husband David Cameron. When he came into office, the leader of the Conservative party was criticised for wearing a £3,500 Richard James suit from Savile Row. But since becoming Prime Minister he has reportedly made some cuts to his clothing budget. Cameron claimed earlier this year that he now only wears Marks & Spencer suits at £400 a pop, though some experts believe that these have been carefully tailored to improve their fit.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Nationalist Fashionista
Scotland's First Minister and leader of The Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon is devoted to representing Scotland, which is something that's also evident in her wardrobe. Sturgeon often chooses to wear designs by small Scottish brands like Totty Rocks for public appearances.

Tony Blair: The Flaky Patriot
When you're the Prime Minister, endorsing British industries is a good PR move. Tony Blair championed British designers like Paul Smith, as well as high street shops like Marks & Spencer when he was in office. Since leaving he has shopped nearly exclusively at the Italian brand Armani.

Margret Thatcher: The Handbag Hero
Much like Churchill's cigar, ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's boxy black handbag became so synonymous with her that the term 'Handbagging' became a byword for the way Thatcher dealt with her political opponents. Thatcher's iconic handbag sold for £25,000 at a charity auction in 2011.

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We're getting to that awkward, between Bank Holidays time of the month and it already feels like a long way off until the next pay day.

So, for some bargain fun, I heartily recommend heading down to Covent Garden this Saturday for the Seven Dials and St Martin's Courtyard Spring Shopping event where 120 shops, bars and restaurants will be giving (free) ticket holders a 20% discount between 12 noon and 5pm.

These kinds of events crop up every so often but are usually evenings and after a long day at work the last thing I really feel like doing is standing at the end of a long line to get a few quid off a mascara - I did this once on my way to a birthday party and was holding a giant helium balloon which was 'an experience' (single people, if you find it hard meeting people, may I suggest loitering with a balloon. Most of the strangers who stopped to talk to me were nutters but you never know I guess...).

Seven Dials is holding their Spring Shopping Event on a far more sensible Saturday late afternoon. Not only that but it's one of my absolute favourite areas to shop. Not gonna lie, its proximity to the fabulous cocktails at Freud's, where I held my 20th birthday party back when it was a britpop hotspot, and the Gwynneth Paltrow-approved Covent Garden Hotel's Brasserie Max, both of which are taking part in the event, also has a great deal to do with it.

2015-05-08-1431045597-2023162-TheSevenDialsandStMartinsCourtyardSpringShoppingEvent9thMay2015CoventGardenLondon.jpg

The range of stores in this super cute area is crazy - everything from the poshest naughty knickers at Coco de Mer, to fun accessories at my beloved Tatty Devine, and a whole world of arty potential that I could spend literally days exploring at the London Graphics Centre.

Of course there are a ton of fashion stores at a variety of price points too - Urban Outfitters, Adolfo Dominguez, etc - and some super hot shoe shops - Poste Mistress is a firm fav.

Haven't snapped up some adidas Superstars for the summer? Get them while the discount's good over at Size? or Offspring. Need to Spring clean your makeup look? Head on over to Benefit, Shu Uemura, or any of the other amazing beauty shops taking part in the event to stock up - this is literally one of my favourite things to do - that 20% off suddenly means adding that extra lippy or maybe trying that contouring kit is totally justified because you've done so well saving on the essentials...

I've just run out my supply of Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Serum, that blue dropper bottle of skin saving, mosturising, overnight wonder, so was excited to hear they're taking part too. Joining them is Magma, the awesome arty book store, which has recently opened its new flagship store in Shorts Gardens, which - as with Cath Kidston and Scribbler - provides a top window to pre-buy gifts for birthdays, weddings or, for the more forward-thinking amongst you, Christmas.

For the men there are some brilliant must-visits, including Fred Perry's super fancy Laurel Wreath Collection shop actually on Seven Dials by the roundabout (be warned, their sizes tend to come up a little snug when I've bought guys gifts from there so consider going one bigger), and the Carhartt Work in Progress store, as well as The Watch Shop and Happy Socks for the more accessory-focused.

Lastly - top tip - if, like me, you've been reading in the press recently about all the gross reasons why you need to replace your pillows and make sure your bed has a mattress protector, you might want to make a quick pit stop at Covent Garden's White Company store for discounted bed essentials. I bought our current crop of pillows from there and they're like proper hotel pillows. What more could you want?

You can find the full list of participants, which includes bars, restaurants, and even a dental spa, here.

Don't forget to visit the website to register for your free ticket first, which also entitles you to various freebies and gets you access to a host of other special events in the area. You can thank me later. Happy Drinking/Eating/Shopping!

The Seven Dials and St Martin's Courtyard 20% discount Spring Shopping Event in association with Elle and Esquire takes place on Saturday 9th May from 12 noon until 5pm. For more information and to register for your free ticket in order to claim discounts at the selected outlets taking part, visit sevendials.co.uk or stmartinscourtyard.co.uk

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What is it about being pregnant that makes some once stylish women covet (or should I say crave) smocks, leggings and at worst, their boyfriend's trackies?

It's as though as soon as that positive blue line shows up on the pregnancy test, a switch flicks and they're right back to those awkward teenage years when they thought perms, fringe t-shirts with those garish beads at the bottom, and shell suits were cool. But they weren't, were they? Not at all.

You may call me shallow and argue that when a woman is pregnant, it's more about how her baby is developing than the way she looks and yes to some extent I agree.

But with hormones raging and that smidgen of self-doubt that comes with your changing figure, it makes you feel good when you look nice.

So, what's a pregnant gal to do? Welcome to the five commandments of maternity fashion...

Thou shalt accept defeat and buy a pair of maternity jeans

Ahhh, the maternity jean journey. You squeeze into your normal jeans for as long as you can and then resort to the elastic band around the button just to make them last the teeny bit longer.

However, I knew it was time to admit defeat when mine were so tight I couldn't sit down without yelping - cue panic that there was something wrong and me having to sheepishly explain that it was just the jeans.

So I braved the maternity denim range and found that those jeans with the big elastic panels down the side - the ones that make you look like an elastic covered mummy - were the most comfortable pair in the world.

In fact I'm not ashamed to admit that I still roll them out when the local buffet calls!

Thou shalt channel trends and not tents

Did you see Cara Delevingne strutting her stuff down the catwalk in a tent? No, nor did I - because thankfully this is a trend that never happened - I wish the same could have been said about crocs.

What I'm trying to say is take note of this when you're dressing for your bump and avoid buying mainstream clothes four sizes up because they seem cheaper than maternity ranges. Instead show off your gorgeous new figure.

Got a cleavage to rival Holly Willoughby's? Pick a V-neck maternity top which will accentuate this. Getting a bottom better than Kim Kardashian's? Opt for a maternity dress that will clinch at the waist and skim over your booty.

Though shalt always carry around a fab pair of flats

I can tell you from experience this is a must-have mantra for any woman in the later stages of pregnancy and post birth. After-all - and get ready for the science bit - your limbs and muscles loosen when you're pregnant meaning you're more likely to trip and really hurt yourself.

Kate Middleton may have shown off her beige heels just after giving birth but I'd much rather have my flats.

In fact, channelling the heels and forgetting the flats at seven months pregnant made for an interesting journey home on the tube in Primark's finest slippers... but that's another story for another time.

Thou shalt know that maternity bras and knickers can be glam not granny

Just because your boobs are getting bigger and your bump's growing you don't have to lose your lingerie lovelies.

Just buy them in maternity form instead!

You can also buy gorgeous underwear sets, which are perfect for making you feel great - how much better do we feel when we know our bra matches our knickers?

And your briefs don't have to be Bridget Jones style either, as long as you're not suffering from piles you can still wear those thongs - just make sure they're cotton and a size bigger. Chaffing - need I say more.

Thou shalt not be embarrassed to beg, borrow or steal...

All things I decided to do - well maybe not the last one (honest guv). I sniffed out those friends who had just become mums - via Facebook sometimes - and begged them to let me have their maternity clothes.

After-all it wasn't like they were going to need them. And when it came to my friend's wedding I hired a gorgeous maternity frock (designer don't you know) from a store that catered specially for maternity wear.

What did I do with all the money I saved, I hear you ask?

I got my hair done. Well if it's good enough for Kate Middleton...

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It's happening. The thing I thought couldn't get any worse is, in fact, getting worse: my hair is getting thinner.

It wasn't always like this, in fact I was born with a thick head of hair, which had even started to make its way down my back - "hello baby gorilla".*

*FYI the back hair has well and truly gone.

Nowadays, after years of straightening, blow drying and washing it daily, my hair is rebelling in the worst kind of way - it's thinning out. Big time.

Here are nine annoyances I encounter on a daily basis:

1) Slug Ponytails

I envy the women whose ponytails look like a big bushy squirrel's tail. Especially as mine resembles a measly brown slug. Yuck.

2) Tiny Buns

Have you ever tried putting the thinnest slither of hair into a bun?

You end up with something that is completely ridiculous in size that looks more like a hairy growth of some sort rather than a hairstyle.

(Oh how I envy this illustrated woman with thick lovely hair...)

3) Battling Static: All. The. Time

Oh wispy locks, how I do love it when you defy gravity and float up into the air.

Looking like I've been electrified is just what I want to deal with every damn day.

4) Want Curls? It Ain't Happening.

Oh how you dream of having luscious, bouncing curls. But let's face it, as soon as you've curled those limp locks (regardless of the kick-ass hair tools you use) those unruly strands are already on their way to becoming the straight, drab bits of hair that you've come to know (and hate).

And this is regardless of how much hair spray you've poured onto your head. Ugh.

5) It Gets Everywhere

It's like the Roman Empire of the hair world: on your clothes, on your carpet, in your next door neighbour's mouth.

Just, everywhere.

6) Sometimes It Even Attaches To People

When the hot guy goes in for a kiss and your hair somehow manages to get all up in his beard? Yeah, that's not the one.

Cue awkward detachment.

7) Hair Grips Don't Work

Your hair is so thin and slippery that even the clips designed to keep it in check don't want to play ball.

And, inevitably, they end up everywhere too, just like your hairs.

8) Despite Your Best Efforts, It Never Looks Shiny

No matter how much Moroccan oil you slap on after every wash, your lifeless shitty hair still looks, well, lifeless and shitty.

Let's face it, it was never going to look as glossy as Penelope Cruz's.

9) It's Bankrupted You

Ever spent £10 on shampoo? I have. And guess what? IT DIDN'T WORK.

*Buys a wig*

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Wow, how things have changed! When I was younger I played Camogie (badly) but I played and as the Horse always said, "Lisa is a great team player" read into that one what you will. In my teenage years, like every other girl in Ireland we rocked out in Buffalo or Sketcher chunky heeled boot runners, Nope and Susst flared jeans and baggy trousers , but then came the era of the O'Neills. Now was the time for the tracksuit to shine. The O'Neills Tracksuit was a fashion statement, it was not just for sport- in fact rarely was it worn for training but yes you wore it in town, at mass, at school, to the cinema, for all general teenage hanging around and then it also got thrown into the mix for any discos you would be putting your moves down at.

O'Neills came in every colour and then when some genius realised when they brought out the very stylish white one, that we could in fact dye these tracksuits to almost customise them, well lets just say there was a colour explosion across Ireland. O'Neills represent alot of things to me, they were all I wore as a teenager, I loved them. As my weight fluctuated through these years, O'Neills were always a friend to me. They didn't judge and with that elasticated waistband they always fit. The skinnier ladies would roll down the band and mix it up with a slim T or crop top (daring) but to the more rotund, the O'Neill just worked perfectly with a simple hoodie.

Now as health, fitness and training plays such a huge role in my life, I have built up an extensive sportswear wardrobe. Every store on the high street is doing a sports line, so now there is more options than just the O'Neills. There is every colour in short, top, pant and in runners and I love them all. Yesterday I was excited to try on some high street alternative to premier brands sports wear, all very sexy in design with mesh, cut outs and really more of a nod to standing there posing gear than actually gear you could brake out a 100m sprint or back squat 80kg in. That is where you need to really look at what is out there, try it all on, do a few moves in the changing room to see how the garment will move with your body. That's all we want is good clothes to move with us and not against us.

Often low cut tops, or bralets designed as a sports bra just won't work for anyone with a bust size over an A cup but you know what to anyone with a flat chest, rock on! It is so good to see that sports clothes have come on so much, the quality, the design, the colour range- it is like sports clothing has come out of its depression of only having black as an option and is saying- "Hey ladies, get out there and rock out in a neon tank, pink shorts and turquoise runners"

I vowed in my very early 20s when after two years of ONLY wearing O'Neills in first and second year in College, that I would NEVER wear a tracksuit again other than when training. Why? Because this was a time when I was fat and literally couldn't wear anything else, I didn't look or feel good in jeans so the O'Neill was really my only option. Now at 29 and in the healthiest shape of my life, I have never gone back on this. It is funny how an item of clothing can be an emotional trigger or can be a reminder to you of great, good and bad times for you. I'll always love the teenage O'Neill years as they represented freedom, laughs and so much learning but for the 20s the lost their love for me.

But I do look on them as a motivator for me to always keep going on the path I am on as the tracksuit days for me are well and truly over.

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A someone who isn't particularly trend focussed in my work, it's become exceedingly apparent - certainly from a business perspective - that there has been a natural inclination from the luxury and premium industries across fashion, pop art (I'll elaborate), music and automobiles to re-embrace the legitimacy, brand clout and timelessness of heritage icons.

Referencing the past and re-inventing past icons is nothing new, but recreating these successes for a 21st Century business model and audience has become something more frequent.

How is music luxury you might ask? Music isn't luxury but the creative vision behind it can be. One of these pioneers is the newly appointed Dr. Kanye West. I think we can all agree that Kanye is a brand in his own right, whether it is through his partnerships with Louis Vuitton, his creative identity, the press success (we will wait to see the sales stats, but undoubtedly these will be huge) of Yeezy Season 1 and his press persona. He has achieved this through marketing himself as an icon of timelessness - a Renaissance painting to a certain extent. When questioned recently as to why he chooses not to smile in photographs, his explanation was exactly based on this argument. The vision of himself is that of a Renaissance painting - he states that you don't walk through a Medieval castle and see portraits of people smiling. Digital is the new and only relevant medium that exists in a multi-platform capacity - art is being created digitally and represented physically now, Kim Kardashian's partnership with Rizzoli for her book SELFISH is proof in point of what art has evolved into.

From a fashion perspective, Hunter and Barbour are two brands that have seen a huge revival as British heritage brands meeting the new contemporary taste palate for fashion. The Business of Fashion recently published a piece on When Heritage Brands Become Accidental Fashion Labels focussing on the 160 year old brand Hunter's re-emergence from signature boots to ready to wear. History of the brand creates a sense of trust, and collaboration, exciting marcomms initiatives and new product development propels levels of newness. Another example is MCM (Modern Creation Munich) - the German luxury accessories brand which was bought in 2005 by Sungjoo Group, a South Korean retail business - the brand has since undergone an incredible transformation to appeal to a more premium market - retaining the historic monogram iconic logo but developing the product to a more commercial audience.

In the automotive market, the 2015 Ford Mustang is another success story in the making of heritage as the new contemporary. The car (alongside the Corvette) is undoubtedly part of the construct of the American dream. Launching finally in Europe this Summer - after 50 years, the Mustang has already exceeded expectations in pre-orders. What was a classic beast of a car featured in pop culture in over 500 films including its debut in James Bond Goldfinger, countless editorials and pretty much wholly positive brand association, it was almost a surprise that they hadn't already broken the EU market. Ford have subsequently re-envisioned the Mustang, keeping its iconic shape, gnarly and robust bumper but injected a contemporary twist of functionality creating a multi-faceted and stylishly affordable vehicle propelling a timeless icon into the future of automobiles.

What the above examples lend themselves to is the focus on the rebirth of pop culture icons. Mustang, MCM, Hunter and so on are providing the legitimacy of established heritage combined with futuristic thinking that has evolved beyond the natural trend cycle. It is re-invention in the oldest sense of the word but for a generation that trusts and believes in an icon.

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DO Wipe the brush clean before you first apply a brand new mascara. That way you get a feel for the brush and how much to load up for maximum effect minimum flick back!

DON'T Rely on one mascara to do it all! Consider mascara wardrobing - using more then one mascara - to create your perfect look or to suit your lash needs. For instance if you have short, sparse lashes and crave length and volume begin with a lengthening formula and slim brush design to extend lashes followed by a curved or bigger brush combined with a thickening formula to add volume to upper lashes.

DO Curl your lashes before applying mascara to maximise the effect. Try a curler with sprung handles and a wider cage opening for pain-free, fuss-free curling.

DON'T Wiggle the brush from side to side only wiggle into roots then pull the wand straight up for even root to tip coverage, length, separation and a clump-free finish.

DO Look down into a mirror as you apply mascara to minimise smudges messing up your make-up.

DON'T Worry if you make a smudge wait for it to dry then use a cotton bud to pick up and remove the colour without ruining your eye shadow or base.

DO Wield your brush like a pro and go vertical as well as horizontal. Using the tapered end of the brush allows you to push lashes up for a wide-eyed look.

DON'T Load up to much mascara to lash tips as that could make them heavy and result in the dreaded droop! Focused on roots and pulling the wand through to tips.

DO Use a cotton wool pad soaked in either a bi-phase or waterproof eye make-up remover and press over eyes for a several seconds before gently wiping off to ensure minimum lash damage.

DON'T Rush! Take as much time to take your eye make up off as you did to put it on to prevent lash loss and minimise tugging at the delicate eye area which could cause fine lines and wrinkles.

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There's something refreshing about a haircut, isn't there? From BBC's Naga Munchetty to NBC's Tamron Hall, women everywhere are confidently sporting short styles, reminding us yet again of the Halle Berry era, when short hair was a popular trend. And why not? Short hair is not only stylish but it is also fresh.

No wonder 12 Year's a Slave's Lupita Nyung'o has wowed the world with her cropped natural tresses.

Still, cutting one's hair is a big deal in a woman's world. A few years ago, a distant friend of mine nearly had a breakdown when her daughter cut her extraordinary long hair. And come to think of it, when a friend with the most wonderful lengthy locks got her first hair cut back in college, everyone gasped. But they're breathing again; it grew back. Surprise, surprise!

Years later, even after umpteen haircuts, I still balk during the process. When my hairdresser told me a few weeks ago that she wanted to trim my hair at our next weekly visit, I agreed quickly: the ends were splitting; breaking, owing to a whole lot of stress.

But a week later as I sat in her chair, her steady hands skilfully wielding the tiniest of scissors, I squirmed at the pruning. Yet after the cut, when I looked into the mirror, I saw instantly that I not only looked better, but felt revived, too.

And lo and behold, the new wrinkle lines that I had noticed underneath my eyes earlier that morning were seemingly gone and I no longer sat slouched but ever so upright. Cautiously, I adored my new look and shot off to Harvey Nichols to pick up a few beauty products.

This got me thinking about the politics of hair, particularly long hair. Why is it seemly preferred in general to short hair?

A little digging around suggests that the long of the short is this: the politics around long hair reach further back in history than other hair-related discussions, and affect women from different walks of life.

The Bible references long hair in 1 Corinthians 11: 15 (KJV): 'But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.'

Not to mention Samson's story, in which hair was the essence of his strength. But that's a man's story. Fast-forward thousands of years later, and this celebration of long hair has been perpetuated in fairy tales such as Rapunzel, in dolls, in different media, and so on. Flipping though my own magazines, I found nine out of ten of the cover girls sporting long hair.

And thumbing through a few novels, it didn't take long to come across luxurious long hair. Even I used long hair as a hallmark of Lil Lee's beauty in The Barrenness.

No wonder long hair is seemingly advantageous to short. We do tend to ham it up. Thus, having been celebrated for thousands of years, and explicitly so in one of the most read books of all time, it stands to reason that it is considered preferable, and therefore to a woman's advantage.

But perceptions are not necessarily the real deal. We've all seen long hairstyles that look tired and frazzled, or don't suit, or perhaps have even worn them -- short ones too. In reality, neither long nor short hair offers an advantage; it is all about the style and the individual's ability to carry it off.

'Long hair doesn't suit everyone, any more than short hair does,' says one acquaintance with naturally long hair. 'I've had short haircuts that just didn't work, but yours looks great. It actually makes you look younger.'

I'll have to take that as a compliment, since I said so myself. Anyhow, another acquaintance, who fluctuates from extensions to short cuts, regards her hair the same as she does her fashion.

'It is all about trends, rather than stereotypes or political beliefs,' she says. 'I do what suits, what is stylish, and of course healthy.'

Hair experts agree. Putting politics aside, a top UK stylist admits that trends come and they go, but some do last longer than others, such as the preference for long hair ... or blonde hair for that matter.

A few years ago everyone had to have a GHD, made with ceramic blades, to straighten their hair (oh yes, the Holy Grail of hair straighteners), then a Keratin, a treatment for defrizzing and smoothing hair. Now many women are dip-dyeing their hair or highlighting the ends, and others of African descent are enjoying the trend of not straightening at all for one reason or another, whether to give their hair a break from chemicals, or their chequebooks a break from the cost. Others never needed to relax in the first place.

In any case, however, hair has to be maintained, the celebrated stylist says. That means trimming, moisturizing and treating it regularly, regardless of texture, colour or length for that matter.

That is the key to being trendy as far as hair goes. And that's the short of the long of it; nothing political about it. Relax! It's only a haircut.

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