Author: Igor

  • Advice And Guidance For Coping With A Difficult Divorce Or Breakup

    Divorce and breakups can be emotionally challenging and tumultuous experiences, often leaving individuals feeling lost and overwhelmed. In this article, we will provide valuable advice and guidance for coping with the complexities of a difficult divorce or breakup. From seeking emotional support to legal considerations and even the option of taking paternity tests, we’ll explore various aspects of navigating this challenging period.

    Seek Emotional Support

    One of the hardest parts about going through a divorce is the emotional aspect. Divorce can often be one of the hardest points to experience in many people’s lives. Sharing your feelings and thoughts with a trusted friend, family member, or therapist can help you process your emotions and gain perspective on the situation. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a support network that can provide you with a safe space to express your feelings.

    Legal Considerations

    The legal aspects of a divorce or breakup can be daunting to try and understand. However, it’s important that you get to know your rights and responsibilities. Start by consulting with a qualified family lawyer is essential, as they can provide you with guidance on issues like property division, child custody, and financial support. Making an attempt to understand the legal framework can help you make informed decisions and protect your interests.

    Exploring Paternity Tests

    In some cases, doubts may arise about paternity, especially when children are involved. AlphaBiolabs paternity test kits can provide clarity in such situations. It’s essential to approach this topic with sensitivity and ensure that all parties involved are informed and consenting. Consulting with legal and medical professionals is advisable to navigate this process correctly.

    Co-Parenting and Child Custody

    If children are involved, co-parenting and child custody arrangements are pivotal. It’s essential to prioritise the best interests of your children during this challenging time. Open communication with your ex-partner, and, if necessary, mediation or legal support, can help establish a stable and healthy co-parenting relationship.

    Self-Care and Wellbeing

    Taking care of your physical and emotional wellbeing is vital during a difficult divorce or breakup. Engage in self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, or hobbies that bring you joy. Prioritising your health will help you navigate the challenges more effectively.

    Conflict Resolution

    Conflict can be inevitable during a divorce or breakup, but it’s essential to find constructive ways to resolve disputes. Mediation can be an effective approach to reach mutually agreeable solutions. Keeping the lines of communication open and focusing on finding common ground can help minimise conflict.

    Moving Forward

    Coping with a divorce or breakup is a journey, and it’s essential to keep moving forward. Set goals for yourself, both short-term and long-term, and work towards them. This can provide a sense of purpose and motivation during challenging times.

    Professional Help

    If you’re struggling to cope with the emotional toll of a divorce or breakup, don’t isolate yourself or try to contain your struggles. Seeking professional help is a wise decision, and therapists and counsellors can provide you with strategies to manage your emotions and develop resilience.

  • NKITH – New Kids in the Hood

    NKITH – New Kids in the Hood

    Sarah Seidel is the founder of New Kids in the Hood (NKITH), a kidswear label producing upcycled and sustainable clothing in Nuremberg, Germany. Along with her boyfriend Florian and Hamdi, a production manager from Syria she met whilst working with refugees on an art exhibition, Sarah creates caps, trousers, shirts and other children clothing using fabrics and prints from the 80’s and 90’s.

    We talked with Sarah to find out more about how NKITH started, the label’s design and manufacturing process, and future plans.

    www.instagram.com/newkidsinthehood
    www.nkith.com

    Photos by Maria Bayer.

    Can you introduce yourself and the rest of your team?

    My name is Sarah, I am a seamstress and social worker living in Nürnberg, Germany. I have a 3-year-old son with my husband Florian, who I am also doing this project with.
    Florian is the creative director of “Die Krieger des Lichts”, a design agency from Nürnberg. We share the same workspace – I design the clothes while Florian is head of all print / online designs and also develops all strategic matters for NKITH.

    We also receive a huge amount of help from our friend Hamdi, a textile production manager from Syria. He helps with sewing all the kids clothing.

    How did NKITH start?

    Two years ago, when I was studying social work, I met Hamdi while working on an art exhibition with refugees. He used to own a huge textile production company with 200 people working for him, back in Syria. We decided to start working together by making kids clothes out of old fabrics. Initially, we gave our products to family and friends – this is how New Kids in the Hood was born.

    Hamdi is a great production and high quality manager. This project would not work without his enthusiasm and his love for clothes and life.

    Sustainability is key in your products, can you tell us about your design and manufacturing processes?

    NKITH is an upcycling kidswear brand with a slow fashion approach. We are driven by the colorful and fearless memories of our childhood, and we collect used fabrics to create new and timeless pieces for kids.

    Our first collection is inspired by 90’s sitcoms and public transportation seats. They feature exuberant patterns and illustrations from the time that brought us the internet and a prince from Bel Air.

    We love what we do and this is an ambitious project for all of us. We want to make fashion without wasting too many natural resources in terms of the fabric production. There are tons of old fabrics still in good shape and it would be so stupid not to use them – you probably know about the critical water consumption due to the world’s cotton production…. Every item is unique and handmade with love in our studio in South Germany.

    What products do you currently offer and what you’d like experiment with in the future?

    At the moment we offer kids clothing: trousers, skirts, dresses and caps for 0-8 year-olds. We also make caps and mum-shirts in adult sizes. The upcycling process allows us to only craft unique pieces.

    All fabrics are collected from huge textile recycling factories in the south of Germany. We manage to produce about 30 caps out of one fabric – when it’s used up, we will probably never find that very same textile print again.

    For the SS18 collection, we will add some basic items. In order to generate more single colour fabrics for the basics collection, we will upcycle and hand dye old fabrics.

    How do you see NKITH growing in the next few years? Do you have any projects or ideas you’d like to develop?

    In the future we would love to invite more people to work with us, as there are many very talented seamstresses living in our area. Textile factories are very rare in Germany, so we would like to bring the fashion production back to our hood.

    We want to experiment with special techniques; we figured out how to avoid remnants by laser cutting all pieces to give an example. We are calculating, developing and trying out a lot. It feels like a huge everyday puzzle that we are completing day by day. It’s this particular challenge what we really love about our project.

  • 5 Pergola Add-Ons and Accessories To Consider Installing

    A pergola can be a beautiful addition to any backyard, providing shade and style. But a plain pergola structure alone doesn’t necessarily make for an ideal outdoor living space. To create a pergola setting you’ll really enjoy, it’s important to think about enhancing the space with useful accessories and add-ons. The right pergola attachments can transform the space from basic to extraordinary. They allow you to customize both the form and function of your pergola to perfectly suit your needs and lifestyle.

    A homeowner might consider aiming for a 12×20 pergola – large enough to be highly usable without occupying too much backyard space. The best 12×20 pergola accessory options to consider that can take your outdoor oasis to the next level are listed below.

    1. Pergola Curtains

    One of the best pergola accessories you can add is curtains. Pergola curtains allow you to control the amount of shade and privacy your pergola provides. On sunny days, you can draw the curtains to provide cooling shade. On cooler days when you want light and warmth, you can open the curtains fully or partially. Curtains also allow you to divide your pergola into different functional spaces or hide things like pool equipment. Many types of curtains are available, including burlap, canvas, mesh screens, and solar shade screens.

    2. Arbor and Vine Plantings

    For natural shading and beauty, plant climbing vines or arbors at your pergola posts. Plants like grapes, wisteria, jasmine, and passionfruit vines can form stunning flowering displays along your pergola structure. You can also plant arbors like climbing roses or clematis to adorn the posts and beams. The plants will grow up and overhead across your pergola, providing natural dappled shade. Be sure to research the best plants for your climate.

    3. Pergola Lighting

    One of the best ways to enhance evening enjoyment of your pergola is to add lighting. String lights or lanterns hung from your pergola beams create a magical glow for evening dinners, parties, or relaxing. For more ambient light, install recessed ceiling lights or post-mounted lights on your pergola posts. Go for elegant fixtures that complement your pergola style, or playful options like hanging wire sphere lights. Consider LED lights for brightness, efficiency and longevity.

    4. Overhead Fans

    On hot and humid days, overhead ceiling fans can make sitting in your pergola much more comfortable. High-powered outdoor ceiling fans can circulate the air and make it feel noticeably cooler. Most outdoor ceiling fans are designed to withstand weather exposure and have protective coverings over motor housings. They have adjustable fan speed and pitch settings to control airflow. Install overhead fans centered within your pergola to maximize comfort.

    5. Storage Solutions

    Add functionality to your pergola by incorporating storage solutions. Install shelving, cabinetry or racks on your pergola posts or underside of beams to hold items like gardening tools, pool towels, cushions and more. For larger storage needs, you can attach an outdoor cabinet to a pergola post. A cabinet with doors keeps items concealed yet easily accessible. For a built-in look, add a recessed storage box inside the pergola structure. Storage solutions help reduce clutter and give everything a place.

    With the right combination of accessories, your pergola can provide shade, beauty, and functionality for years to come.  Choose pergola add-ons that appeal to your unique style and needs. With creative accessories, the possibilities are endless! Transform your basic pergola into your ideal outdoor living space.

  • Meet the Graduate: Alannah Cooper

    Meet the Graduate: Alannah Cooper

    Alannah Cooper is a Fashion Communication graduate from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. We talked to Alannah to find out more about her course, her final project ‘Teran’ and how it feels to graduate in 2017.

    www.alannaheileen.com

    Photographs taken from ‘Teran’.


    Can you tell us about yourself and your course?

    I grew up in the Orkney Islands in the very north of Scotland. It is very cold and windy there but you get to see a lot of beautiful things, like waves crashing into cliffs and the Aurora Borealis (known locally as the ‘merry dancers’). I spent a lot of time cutting pictures out of magazines and sticking them to my bedroom wall, as well as painting and charity shopping.

    Then I moved to the Scottish Borders to study Fashion Communication at Heriot-Watt University, where I spent even more time cutting pictures out of magazines, painting and charity shopping. My course included a broad mix of subjects, such as photography, graphic design, journalism, styling, events and marketing. It suited me well because I loved doing everything and was initially unsure what I specifically wanted to pursue as a career. By the end of the course, each one of us had found our own individual handwriting and was able to demonstrate it within our work. I was very fortunate to receive the Bernat Klein Award and Watt Club Medal from my university, as well as being awarded the Fashion Photography Award at Graduate Fashion Week. In January, I will begin a Masters in Fashion Communication and Promotion at Central Saint Martins, where I will be focussing on image-making.


    Can you tell us more about your final project?

    I created a publication titled ‘Teran’, which focussed on rural out-migration within youths. It’s common for young people to be encouraged to leave their home following school to attend university and pursue career ambitions but I questioned whether creatives could be missing out on unique and interesting opportunities where they lived. Whilst reading poetry written by my great grandfather’s cousin, Robert Rendall, I could see my own personal experiences of growing up in Orkney – as opposed to picturing his own stories. I decided to use these poems to inspire each editorial, in an attempt to show my own interpretation.

    I made a conscious decision to include no makeup or retouching and to use only natural light. I cast people who weren’t models professionally but I felt were interesting and beautiful. The clothes were all second hand, vintage or borrowed because there are no high street shops in Orkney and I wanted to stay true to that. I interviewed some really interesting people who were having successful creative careers in the islands, such as the Cathedral Stonemason, who as a 24-year old woman was likely to be the first female in the position, and had taken such an interesting creative career path.


    How has your course and school prepared you for life after graduating?

    My course was quite demanding, which I think helped me to build a strong work ethic. I think having a balance of internships/jobs as well as academic learning was really important, because I gained experience and skills through working but refined my knowledge and expertise within university. My course gave me the room to experiment, make mistakes and figure out what worked for me. I learned in depth about ethics, sustainability and a number of other important issues within the industry, which has shaped my perspective dramatically. I have left university feeling very aware of my responsibility to create positive change within fashion.


    How does a graduate feel in 2017?

    Personally, 2017 has been a very surreal year because I went from showing my work to mostly friends and family to exhibiting my work in London and being interviewed by ELLE magazine. I am feeling really excited about creating new work and motivated to improve my abilities. I’ve been reading a lot, trying to see as much art as possible and exploring topics that could be interesting subjects for editorials. After this year, I really believe that if I work hard enough and am persistent, I can achieve my goals.

    If you’ve graduated in 2017 and would like to be featured on our blog, please send us an email to hello@thefuturepositive.com with some information about yourself and your graduation project.

  • The New Mediterranean

    The New Mediterranean

    A shared love for plants, handmade products, natural materials, Henri Matisse and the organic shapes found in the Mediterranean architecture and landscapes are just some of the elements that connect a new wave of Barcelona-based creatives and collaborators who are influencing current fashion and art trends. We’ve selected some clothing and accessories brands, shoemakers, illustrators and jewellery labels that represent the aesthetics and values of what we have called ‘The New Mediterranean’.

    Paloma Wool


    Image via Paloma Wool Instagram

    Founded by artist and designer Paloma Lanna, Paloma Wool is described as a “a project on photography, clothing and other experiments”. Paloma Wool’s products are locally made in Barcelona, often collaborating with artists to create items ranging from clothing and jewellery to bags and art books. Paloma also explores “the space or ideas that are created around the act of getting dressed” through art installations and performances in which she also collaborates with other local creatives like art director and photographer Carlota Guerrero, known for her work with Solange.

    www.palomawool.com

    LEVENS

    Image via LEVENS Instagram

    Actress Mar del Hoyo is behind LEVENS, a jewellery label founded in 2016. Mar creates ceramic earrings inspired by her fascination for nature and femininity. All LEVENS’ products are handmade, with differences in shape and colour which make them unique. In fact, these ‘imperfections’ are part of the ethos behind this project: “Imperfect pieces that arise from a manual movement, almost intuitive, in which the simplicity of forms and materials are a sign of identity”.

    www.levensjewels.com

    About Arianne

    Image via About Arianne Instagram

    About Arianne was one of the first Stories we published on our website. The founders of About Arianne, Ariadna Guirado and Ernest Vidal, have been creating women’s shoes 100% made in Spain since 2010 and have also recently started to design bags. From their shop/studio in Barcelona’s Poble Nou, Ariadna and Ernest produce slow-fashion centred around three values: quality, comfort and design. About Arianne’s shoes and bags are inspired by classic lines and silhouettes which are reinterpreted with a contemporary vision, creating unique and timeless pieces.

    www.aboutarianne.com

    Tana Latorre

    Image via Tana Latorre Instagram

    Tana Latorre is an artist and one of the close friends and collaborators of Paloma Wool – she has illustrated clothing and worked together on other art projects with the label’s founder Paloma Lanna. Born in Nairobi, Tana lives in Barcelona and her minimalist drawings of female silhouettes and faces have been reinterpreted by other artists like sculptor Diego Cabezas and the Berber women behind Anou, a project connecting artists with artisans in Morocco.

    www.instagram.com/tanalatorre

    Matagalan Plantae

    Image via Matagalan Plantae Instagram

    Born in Costa Rica, Carolina Spencer moved to Barcelona in 2004 and worked as a florist before starting Matagalan Plantae in 2013 as a project exploring the relationship between plants and pots, and their connection to the city. Caroline saw the plant and its container as just one object, and wanted to replace the traditional plastic pot with ceramic vases made by hand in Cataluña in order to create a plant/pot combination more aesthetically pleasing.

    www.matagalan.club

    Ölend

    Image via Ölend Instagram

    Fran Rios, Adriana Dumon and Antonio Longás started Ölend with the idea of creating backpacks for themselves, and their friends liked them so much that they decided to start making them on demand. Ölend’s backpacks and bags are inspired by travelling, challenges and mountaineers from the 40’s and 50’s. They are handmade 100% in Barcelona, using only the highest quality materials and sometimes even customised based on the clients’ preferences.

    www.olend.net