2. 2
Assemblage
Contents
Welcome to Assemblage
3. Art, Stories and Women
4. About Me: Michelle
5. Dear Diary: The Magic
of Molly Ringwald and
John Huges
6. Designer Sophie West:
The Beauty of Contrast
and Nanny Vera’s Flat
13. Yoga Your Way to Mind
and Body Confidence
15. Contributors Page:
Thank You From
Assemblage
10. I’m Not a Secret
Dress up and be dazzled ...
We care and we inspire ...
Story time ...
This section includes a story on a woman’s journey to health
and happiness.
Return to contents
< >
3. 3
Assemblage
Art, Stories
and Women
Welcome to Assemblage magazine!
Our aim is to celebrate women who love to inspire
and be inspired. We want to give the quirky
individual (you) something exciting to read, which
is why we have filled Assemblage with real life
features, talents and designs by some very unique
women.
Our style is a nod to nostaliga with a strong 70s
and 80s influence. By using our love for art and
everything vintage, our creation is a colourful
scrapbook for your screen – it is like being in your
very own 80s, teen John Hughes’ film or relaxing in
a 70s patterned living room!
So click away and browse through all of the art,
stories and women. We have additional content on our
Facebook page!
Michelle Antoniou
michelleantoniou@hotmail.com
Instagram
LinkedIn
Feel free to contact us; we are
looking forward to hearing your
comments, suggestions and ideas.
< >
4. 4
Assemblage
My previous degrees in film and
teaching helped to influence my love
of writing and creating. Teaching
children about the power of language
encouraged me to further pursue
my own education, and my interest in
feature writing meant that studying
for an MA in Journalism & Media
Communications was the perfect
direction for me. As well as writing
about topics that I’m interested in, the
course has given me the opportunity
to develop my own writing style.
The creative modules have inspired
me to experiment with visual styles,
looks and themes; the work involving
creative imagery and my love for
writing, have both reinforced my
desire to work in the magazine
industry.
Editor
< >
5. 5
Assemblage
Dear Diary,
Why were John Hughes and Molly Ringwald the perfect
1980s partnership and why wasn’t I there?
Life as a teen just seemed so much more fun in the
80s. I mean, having frizzy hair was fashionable;
detention was a life changing moment and Molly
Ringwald was the queen of style.
Pretty in Pink
1986 was a simpler time for technology, so how
exciting when your dream boy sends you a bad quality
picture of himself in the library. The old, old-
school messenger … so cutting edge. And of course,
it was Molly who received said message from her
dream boy; because she was a style icon, who could
make her own prom dress and everything. What a
vision in pink floral and giant glasses she was.
Sixteen Candles
Everyone may have forgotten her sweet sixteenth,
but that’s fine because 80s Molly could steal the
coolest guy in school off of anyone – the popular
girls were probably shaking in their legwarmers.
She had to jump through hurdles along the way,
like geeks being obsessed with her (of course) and
worrying that coming of age hadn’t yet filled her
bra. But she got those sixteen candles in the end.
The Breakfast Club
Molly was so ahead of her time; she was eating
sushi for lunch like it was the most fashionable
thing in the world already. And she could put on
her favourite pink lipstick with her boobs. And her
amazing dancing; I wish people still danced like
that and if they did I would probably go to clubs
more often. Just what happened to the vigorous 80s
style leg kicks? Detention just looked like so much
fun and Molly even got Judd Nelson to fist pump the
air because of her magic lips.
So diary, please can I be Molly Ringwald in the 80s?
Sincerely yours,
The Breakfast Club
Michelle
xoxox
Words and photography
by Michelle Antoniou
< >
6. 6
Assemblage
Designer
Sophie West:
The Beauty
of Contrast
and Nanny
Vera’s Flat
27-year-old designer Sophie West talks fashion,
mixing prints and the inspiration behind her
latest collection. She invites you, not only on her
fashion journey, but also inside her head and so
inside Nanny Vera’s Flat – which is a 70s inspired
clothing-dream; full of stunning embroidery,
a variety of fabrics, vibrant colours and
vivid prints.
Designer Sophie’s journey:
‘When I was little I used to go to my friend’s
house and her mum would teach us to paint. These
memories marked the start of my love for art, which
eventually led to a love for the art of fashion.
As I grew, my inspiration soon turned to artist –
Picasso; his work showed me a use of colour that
I had never seen before, but one my mind always
goes back to – even when I’m thinking about my
collections now. His work showed passion through
colour and he will always be my first influence.
Part of his influence was his ability to experiment
with the unusual, in both his style and use of
colour; I have always found something beautiful
in the unfamiliar – sometimes when things are so
contrasting, their combination is unexpectedly
mesmerising. Miuccia Prada does this so well; when
looking at items individually they seem odd, but
when they are together they create this interesting
mixture of a style so inspiring. This idea is so
much part of my taste, I look for it in art that
I love, fashion I create and clothes that I wear.
< >
7. 7
Assemblage
My fashion career started when I began my
foundation year at Chelsea College of Art and
Design. I started to focus on the textiles area
and based my project on a book called Farm by
Jackie Nickerson. The images in Farm are both raw
and aesthetically beautiful; filled with women in
delicate slips, worn under men’s blazers and natural
materials finished with plastics – again that
perfect and artistic contrast.
After my foundation year, I completed my BA at
Central St Martins, where I was able to develop
my own style and love for embroidery, but it is my
latest collection, entitled ‘Nanny Vera’s Flat,’
which is not only my style, but also extremely
personal to me. I created this collection when doing
my MA at the Royal College of Art. It was hard and
tiring, but it is something I will always be proud
of because it meant so much to me.
Nanny Vera’s Flat resonated with me because I
created it not only as a vibrant contrast of
materials and patterns; but also a nod to the 1970s
and an homage to my grandparents. Vivid memories
brought to life by vivid colours in my own little
world of nostalgia. In old photographs I’ve seen
how every Christmas my grandparents would cover
their patterned flat in sea of Christmas cards and
tinsel; the over-decorating – like my love of the
contrast – again brought beauty out of something
seemingly mismatched.
As well as my grandparents, I took influence
from art forms I had been exposed to – one being
photography – which had a big impact on me. Diane
Keaton’s book Reservations, shows the interiors of
American hotels in the 1970s, and the photographs
represent an era so artistically.
< >
8. 8
Assemblage
Whether her pictures depict a lamp or an armchair,
the images she took are so pertinent to my
collection; for me, sometimes just objects from an
era can hold so much interest. Photographer Lukasz
Wierzbowski also has a talent of taking the most
amazing photographs; they look like he has gone
back in time to the 70s and this is what I wanted
for my collection’s set; I wanted even the wallpaper
and furniture to look like a home from the past; I
wanted it to look like my Nanny Vera’s flat.
I like to question taste to create my visions.
Like my inspirations before, for my collection,
I combined colours, patterns and materials – the
thought of velvet, leather and plastic together
seems a little too surreal for clothing in theory,
but in practice it is so beautiful. I used this idea
when creating my clothes, with fur against delicate
embroidery and animal print against intricate
plastic flowers.
Everything (especially the plastic flowers) took
a long time, but seeing it all come together was
worth it. I knew how I wanted it all to look in my
head and so when it finally came to life it was a
surprise – but a good one. I’m proud of what I have
achieved so far and will continue to design, create
and be inspired.’
Check out Sophie’s Instagram here!
< >
10. 10
Assemblage
I’m not
a Secret
Three different people, share three different
stories with two things in common:
They all felt the need to keep a secret about a big
part of their life and then they all had the courage
to share that secret with the world.
Bound by stigma and released by empowerment,
Miguel Ferreira-Monteiro reveals his life with HIV.
‘I first discovered I had HIV in 1993 and the
medication was not developed. I was told that I had
three years to live. At first my struggle was not
only having the illness but also facing how I got
it, which was something I didn’t want to think about
because of the memories it conjured. I was a victim
of rape, and admitting this as well as accepting
my HIV was a big part of my recovery. I know that
it was not my fault and I know that having HIV is
nothing to be ashamed of – but it is something
others looking to recover, whether mentally or
physically, need to know.
I waited until 1998 to tell my mother, and my father
even after that. The dark place I lived in, after
watching friends die and facing my own end, was
the reason for this; during this time I felt like
I couldn’t even see the light from the sun. I was
glad when I finally told them as their love and
support helped heal some of my internal wounds.
In 2000, things got better for me as my new
medication was working. I was no longer dying; I
was no longer in a dark place and life was again
full of colour, light and beauty. But I know that
for others the right medication isn’t the end of
their journey, because of the stigma; the judgement
in eyes from strangers and friends, but most
troubling comes in the form of the judgement from
within – the self-stigma. We need to give ourselves
the same love and understanding that we want from
others and not carry around the mental scars that
some people think comes with the illness; instead
let education and understanding heal these scars.
Charlie Sheen was blackmailed for having HIV, when
he should have been understood and supported. I
have heard people mention how traumatic it must be
for him to have the illness and this thinking must
change. I feel no trauma. I am a survivor; I am
alive and I am strong.’
Miguel now works for
Positively UK, a charity
working to remove the
stigma from HIV.
‘I am a
survivor’
< >
11. 11
Assemblage
Mark Broadbank first realised he was gay
at school. Now in his thirties, he’s realised
how far he’s come.
‘Even as a child I knew there was something
different about the beauty I saw in a man. But when
I got to secondary school I knew. I was gay.
School children can be cruel and although they
don’t fully understand what they are doing, their
flippant comments can cause damage they are too
young to understand and with this they can also be
unknowingly perceptive. I didn’t want them to know I
was gay. Not really know. So I hid it from them and
hid it from myself and I listened to peer pressure
which told me that I had to kiss girls, even though
my heart knew it wasn’t what I wanted.
When I was fourteen, I had my first same-sex
relationship and he wanted to hide it for the same
reasons as me. It’s hard to feel something but have
to keep it all locked away. If I could go back now I
would say be yourself, as holding on to a secret is
like holding on to your own happiness – but, for me,
this was a lesson that I learnt with time.
At seventeen I told my friends and family and when
it was over I felt liberated. With this liberation
came the chance to really be myself. This was
fourteen years ago, and I have since seen attitudes
to homosexuality change for the better. I remember
being a teenager and watching Queer as Folk and it
changed my life. I can see now, how it paved the way
for a new acceptance but also how far television
has come. Now dramas centred around homosexuality
aren’t all ‘sex, drugs and rock n’ roll;’ they are
now about love and life.
Previous generations fought hard for gay rights;
even today there are still charities such as the
LGBT Foundation dedicated to rights and support.
I am forever thankful and believe we should always
fight for what is right, because no one should have
to keep a secret about love; because love is love
and doesn’t discriminate.’
‘If I could go
back now I would
say be yourself,
as holding on to
a secret is like
holding on to your
own happiness’
< >
12. 12
Assemblage
As a man, I wasn’t myself so I couldn’t be happy. A
good friend said to me, ‘you can be a people pleaser
and do what they want, or you can please yourself
and follow your heart.’ So that’s what I did.
After extensive research, and the help of an amazing
specialist, I made the decision to transition; this
is something I didn’t take lightly but in the end
I knew it was right, and with every person I told,
I felt more confident in my journey. My new clothes
and makeup make me feel beautiful and my mother
told me she has never seen me so happy and that’s
how I feel. Happy.
Unfortunately, I have met prejudices along the way;
this has inspired me to create awareness and to
educate in order to stop discrimination. The world
isn’t always a nice place and it saddens me to think
people suffer because of this. It would help to see
more transgender people in the media and not just
the celebrities, the person from ‘down the road’
that I can relate to. We have a cause, a voice and
we need more people to listen.
Of course I am afraid, but I know what a strong
person I am and how much support I can give others;
words really can make such a difference in someone’s
life and it’s beautiful. But for me, now, when I look
in a mirror and into my eyes, I see me.’
For support with this issue, the Beaumont Society
are here to help.
Transgender woman Joanna Parker, decided six months
ago that she was ready to be herself and now she is
ready to reveal her journey.
‘This is a secret that I’ve always had, whether I
knew it or not. From the age of five I wanted to
wear my sister’s clothes and although it made me
happy – a happiness that I only found again when I
finally became who I wanted, I felt as though I was
doing something wrong.
I spent a long time knowing nothing about what it
meant to be transgender, just that I felt like a
puzzle with a piece missing; only I didn’t know what
that piece was or where to find it. Then one day I
started looking in the mirror and seeing female
eyes but a man’s body. A body that would carry on a
life structured by society; a body that would put on
a suit and go to work, even through the sadness. A
body that never felt like my own.
‘Follow your
heart’
Words by Michelle Antoniou
Photography by Michelle Antoniou
and Sophie West
< >
13. 13
Assemblage
Yoga Your
Way to Mind
and Body
Confidence
The practice of yoga might be thousands of years
old, but it’s becoming increasingly fashionable
in modern life. However with countless Instagram
accounts, showcasing unrealistic yoga goals (well
for most of us), 25-year old yoga teacher, Kate
Lister, shares why the exercise is so much more
than just doing the splits in a bikini.
Kate’s Yoga Journey:
‘After spending my teenage years suffering with
poor body image which led to an eating disorder,
yoga helped me in more ways than I ever knew it
could. It allowed me to connect with myself and
understand what I wanted and needed. It showed
me how to look after my body, instead of loathe
it. I discovered this new calm, which meant I
could really hear myself — and more importantly,
I was listening.
What I love about yoga, is that there is no one
point, and everyone gets something different
Don’t forget to breathe,
breathe, breathe.
< >
14. 14
Assemblage
out of it. It’s personal and so impacts people in
a personal way; but whether you take up yoga for
a tighter arse or meditation, you will find an
inevitable connection with everything and everyone:
a new connection with the world. Even the style
of yoga you pick can be personal to you and there
really are so many! I teach a style called Vinyasa,
which is creative and rhythmical as it involves
moving in the flow of your breathing. As well as
finding a style I love, my personal connection with
yoga, made me more understanding of both others and
myself. We are human; I am human – and that’s okay.
If you are on Instagram, you will probably be
overwhelmed with the amount of yoga accounts; they
are full of very slim women doing very flexible
poses. Now, I love that these accounts might get
people involved, because ultimately the goal is to
help the mind and body and if something inspires
people to do that, it’s great – but I want people
to know that yoga is for any age, any size and any
gender; it is for anyone and everyone. I demonstrate
this through my personal Instagram. Whatever
ability you are, it is amazing for the body and
mind. It is so much more than poses – for instance,
even concentrating on your own breathing is yoga.
Whatever form of yoga I am doing, I love the
reaction I get when doing it in public. I do it not
only to promote the culture and lifestyle, but also
in support of Boys Of Yoga – a movement designed to
get more males involved. Recently I was meditating
on the underground and someone sent a picture of
me to Radio One, thinking I must be mad to relax
in such an un-relaxing place! It is all just
positive for me though because the yoga community
is so wonderful and it would be great to get more
people involved.
When I first started, I was flexible but I wasn’t
strong; what I’ve realised is, as you get stronger,
you get stiffer, which means everyday on the mat is
a new challenge and exercise is never boring. It is
an endless practice in the best way, because you can
always learn, improve and grow which you are always
doing and will always do. Now I am strong; I am
healthy and I am happy and yoga played a big part in
getting me to this point.
My advice to anyone who is thinking about taking up
yoga, is to try it and remember how great it feels;
and while you are doing it, don’t forget to breathe,
breathe, breathe.’
We are human; I am
human – and that’s okay. Words by Michelle Antoniou
Photography by Kaley Ann
< >
15. 15
Assemblage
Assemblage magazine would like
to thank the following people for
the contribution of their amazing
talents ...
Singer, April March; her record label, Sympathy
Records and Staci Slater, Owner of agency, The
Talent House: For allowing us to use the song, Chick
Habit.
Photographer, Stephen Allwright: For giving us
permission to use his photographs.
Designer, Sophie West: For sharing her story,
designs and photography.
Photographer, Kaley Ann: For giving us permission to
use her photographs.
Joanna Parker, Mark Broadbank, Miguel Ferreiro-
Monteiro and Kate Lister: For sharing their stories.
Lots of Love,
Assemblage.
< >
