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"This is the year of women celebrating women. Embrace your fellow sisters- appreciate them, admire them and let them inspire you."
As you’re probably aware, 2018 marks 100 years of women’s suffrage. Without giving you all a history lesson (thank god we’ve left those days behind), it has officially been 100 years since the passing of The Representation of the People Act that allowed women over the age of 30 and who met the required property criteria (still not all that fair I know, but baby steps, people), to vote for the very first time. And now a century on, women aren’t just eligible voters, but powerful dominators of the business world. For a lot of these top dogs (very glam ones at that though!), they’re in the business of women supporting women. So to commemorate this anniversary, we’re giving you a round-up of the best brands who’ve embraced that this year.
All Woman Project (AWP, for those who get the lingo)
A non-profit foundation set up by models Charli Howard and Clémentine Desseaux, who were criticised by their modelling agencies for being above the average size they hire (although not above the average size of the women models are advertising to, which in the UK is around a size 16), All Woman Project (www.allwomenproject.com) aims to take action against body image and self-esteem issues. They’re celebrated in the media (seriously, check them out ALL over Instagram) for showing un-retouched photographs and using a wide array of sizes, ages and ethnicities. They have teamed up with various fashion houses to encourage the world of sartorialism to become more inclusive. Some of their latest campaigns, include collabs with Nike, Stella & Dot and lingerie brand Aerie. They champion female creatives in the industry by using an all-female (or all woman, as it were) team, from the photographer to the designers themselves. Aerie (www.ae.com) also advocate for a #RoleModel collection which donates 100% of proceeds to various for- women charities.
Megababe
With a slogan stating “as women, we are perfectly imperfect”, beauty brand (if you can call it beauty- you’ll find out why in a minute) Megababe are certainly not what you’d call conventional. It offers up products that are often overlooked and brushed to the side (*cough* just like women often are in the views of society *cough*), such as the ‘Thigh Rescue anti-chafe stick’ and the ‘Bust Dust boob-sweat-spray’ (see, told you the beauty angle was questionable). However, what is beautiful perhaps, is the fact that brand founder Katie Sturino wants to make the daily issues and inconveniences women face, such as struggling to fit into a jumpsuit because your top and bottom are two different sizes (believe me, it’s a real nightmare) more mainstream. Newflash: the experience of being a woman isn’t beautiful at all times, but that doesn’t make women themselves any less so. Described as revolutionary, Megababe is helping us be our real, unashamed selves and so if you’re wanting to get your hands (or thighs) on their products, visit www.megababebeauty.com
Tamara Mellon
Formerly the co-founder and chief creative officer of Jimmy Choo, when lover-of-shoes Tamara Mellon decided to form her own brand, she knew she wanted to do things differently. Being one of the very first luxury companies to indulge consumers’ ‘Buy Now, Wear Now’ mentality (that’s opposed to the traditional –yawn- ‘buy now, wait a few months to wear until the weather is more appropriate’ philosophy) Mellon hired a female CEO to head things up. In recognition of the feminine influence on their popular shoe brand, they fired up the Friends With Benefits (not the benefits you’re thinking of, tut tut) campaign. This campaign actually saw Tamara Mellon acknowledge benefits for mothers as a particular issue, and so recognised fellow companies that go the extra mile (we’re on a shoe theme here) for women and mothers in their employment. This included Spotify, Patagonia, Netflix and Estee Lauder. You can find out more about the Friends With Benefits initiative at www.tamaramellon.com
Other brands paying homage to their suffrage forefathers (or more correctly; foremothers) that you can support include Diane von Furstenberg (www.uk.dvf.com), sustainable clothing producers ADAY (www.thisisaday.com) and jewellery company Wolf Circus (www.wolfcircus.com).
So, let’s get to answering that titular question (‘how to be a woman in 2018?’- just in case you weren’t paying attention). This is the year of women celebrating women. Embrace your fellow sisters- appreciate them, admire them and let them inspire you. Whilst we may not receive as many opportunities as our male counterparts, gone are the days where women need to compete against one another. Instead, make like Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Wilding Davison and support every single woman.
Article By Pippa Luisetti Gardelio
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