Not Just a Scandalous Heiress, She’s a Forgotten Early Ally of Black Lives Matter

When we think of an heiress, we tend to picture an overdressed spendthrift sipping a top shelf cocktail from an expensive crystal glass; her eyes mischievously peering over the rim telling stories of glamour, sex and scandal. Heir to the Cunard shipping dynasty, Nancy Cunard was known for all of that too; her paramours included Ernest…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. DLV)

1. Julie d’Aubigny, a French bisexual opera-singing sword fighter Julie d’Aubigny, aka “La Maupin” led a life so wild – complete with duels, grave-robbing and burning convents – that she had to be pardoned by the king not once, but twice. Known as one of history’s greatest rascals, she performed regularly with the Opéra, first singing as a soprano, and…

Ever Wondered Exactly How an Egyptian Temple Ended up at the Met?

During a visit to The Met in New York, the sight of a full-size Egyptian temple within its walls may no longer faze us amidst the amazing collections that we’re used to seeing in our museums these days. But as you stroll back out into the busy streets, perhaps you might also wonder, hang on…

The Vault

The Grand Re-opening of Paris: A Spring & Summer Guide

It’s finally happening. After months (or what felt like years) of lockdown, Paris is finally swinging open its doors, polishing its wine glasses and getting its groove back. As always, we’re here to accompany you with a little inspiration and guidance as the city returns to a degree of normality. And don’t forget to make…

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The Complicated Rise and Fall of Udoli, an Unsung Subculture of Black Fashion History

Black women have been at the forefront of many cultural trends throughout the centuries, from hoop earrings worn by ancient Nubian civilisations and 80s disco divas alike, to streetwear trends pioneered by R&B and Hip Hop artists of the 90s. There is one unsung fashion subculture however, which never quite took off with mainstream consumers…

She Lives at The Last Stop to The North Pole

For the adventurous of spirit, and those who yearn to pack a bag and disappear to somewhere as remote as possible, arguably nowhere quite captures the imagination as Svalbard. The far flung Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ice lies just six hundred and fifty miles from the North Pole. It may be a place where…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. DLIV)

1. Aerial photographs of 1960s communal dining areas in Singapore’s social housing A series by local creative Jonathan Tan found on Creative Boom. 2. For 2,000 years, the waters of the Euphrates have washed over these Roman mosaics in Zeugma, Turkey When plans for new dams on the Euphrates meant that much of Zeugma would be…

The Curious Youtubers Building Fantasy Pools and Secret Temples By Hand

Youtube can be a weird and wonderful place. Let’s see, there’s the Oposom lady (the undisputed queen of Youtube in our opinion), the folk singing Kardashians of Eastern Europe and a guy who takes us around dead malls and motels on our lunch break – although perhaps you’d be more into watching Italian grandmothers making…

Madame Mori, Haute Couture’s Real Madame Butterfly

European fashion designers have been inspired by Japan since it open its borders for trade in 1853. But while the art coming out of Japan was often appreciated and admired, the asian artists themselves have not always been welcomed with such open arms. One example of this admiration of Japanese aesthetics without a true understanding…

The Ruins Of A Swinging Seventies Spa That Kept A Siberian Tiger Behind The Bar

About a half hour north of Manhattan is a curious ruin: a giant, circular concrete drum resting on a narrow concrete plinth, and wrapped with floor to ceiling windows, most of them broken. More concrete can be found in the futuristic looking ramps that swirl around the peculiar structure, giving the abandoned building a Brutalist feel…