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5 Best Character Arcs in Sex Education So Far

Svetlana Sterlin
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5 Best Character Arcs in Sex Education So Far

Sex Education is Netflix’s hit comedy series created by British-Australian Laurie Nunn. The show is primarily a comedy, but the story is heartfelt and empowering. Asa Butterfield stars as Otis Milburn, the son of a sex therapist, Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson). Otis’s bubbly best friend Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) balances out his introverted awkwardness, but when resident genius Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey) proposes they start a sex therapy clinic at school, Otis is pushed out of his comfort zone.

Most episodes are framed by Otis and Maeve’s clients and their respective issues, which makes even the side characters feel fleshed out and well-rounded. These side characters often complete mini character arcs within a single episode, while the main characters continue to grow and evolve throughout the series. Some – like Otis, Eric, and Jean – seem to still have a long way to go before truly changing at their cores. Others have already developed significantly in the show’s first two seasons.

Adam Groff

Adam is the son of Moordale Secondary’s Headmaster, Michael Groff. After being assigned to work on a class project together, Adam discovers all of Jean’s “weird sex sh**” in Otis’s house. The next day, Otis is humiliated when a video of his mum is circulated at school. Otis tracks Adam down, but he’s having problems of his own.

Adam has been having trouble with his girlfriend Aimee, largely because he feels too much pressure. He admits to Otis that it’s hard being the Headmaster’s son and living up to the rumors about him. Otis helps Adam take ownership of his identity, but that doesn’t stop Adam from bullying Eric in the hallways.

Later in the season, Adam realizes he’s attracted to Eric when they have detention together. Still, he continues to treat Eric poorly in public and is unable to show him affection because he’s ashamed of his sexuality.

In season 2, Mr. Groff sends Adam away to a military school, where he’s wrongly expelled after protecting a gay couple. He returns to Moordale a changed man, hoping to make amends with Eric, who already has a boyfriend. At home, Adam tries to please his dad, but Mr. Groff finds ways to belittle Adam every chance he gets.

Adam finds small successes at work, where he befriends Otis’s girlfriend Ola. She helps him accept that sexuality is fluid, and he listens to her problems and helps her express her anger safely. By the end of the season, after getting some advice from his mum, Adam decides to prove that he’s brave enough to love Eric, and he proclaims his feelings in front of the entire school – including his father.

Aimee Gibbs

Aimee Gibbs is introduced as shallow, slightly frivolous, and not very bright. Nevertheless, she’s Maeve’s best friend, though the two keep their friendship a secret from Aimee’s clique, “the Untouchables”. Throughout the first season, Aimee realizes that the Untouchables don’t have her best interests at heart and that it’s Maeve who truly cares about her. Even though Maeve doesn’t have the best reputation around school, Aimee publicly ditches her old clique to hang out with Maeve.

In season 2, Aimee spends most of her time with Maeve and her first steady boyfriend, Steve. Though they’re two of Moordale’s top academic performers, they love and support Aimee wholeheartedly. Aimee makes a cake for Maeve’s birthday after deciding she’s going to be a baker. She’s on her way to school with the cake when a man assaults her on the bus. Maeve insists that they report the incident, though Aimee doesn’t want to make a fuss.

It’s only later that the experience starts to make an impact on Aimee. She stops taking the bus and making physical contact with Steve. When the girls (Aimee, Maeve, Olivia, Viv, Ola, and Lily) get detention after being wrongfully accused of slandering a female teacher, Maeve and Ola start bickering until Aimee shuts them up. She finally admits that she’s been struggling in the wake of the assault, and the girls all share their experiences of being harassed by males.

Surrounded by her supportive friends, Aimee is able to gather the courage to speak about her experience. The girls then go to a scrapyard and let their anger out by smashing old junk. They cheer for Aimee in what is one of the most empowering moments of the series. The next day, they all meet Aimee at the bus stop and board it with her. Later, Aimee tells Steve about what happened and accepts his emotional support.

Maeve Wiley

Maeve is one of Moordale’s top academic performers, but she’s not ready to own her achievements in season 1. She mostly keeps her head down, makes fun of the school curriculum, and writes other people’s papers for extra cash. But when Adam receives the credit for an essay she wrote for him, Otis encourages her to take what she deserves – in this case, the trophy prize. He leaves it in her trailer at the end of the season, which inspires Maeve to be braver.

In season 2, she accepts Miss Sands’s invitation to become a member of the Moordale Aptitude Scheme, a class for bright students who are looking for more ways to ensure college acceptances. Maeve also joins the Moordale Quiz Heads, but sabotages her own place on the team several times. Miss Sands is the one to encourage her to keep going, especially after Maeve is too afraid to read out an essay about where she sees herself in a few years’ time. Coming from a financially disadvantaged background and having no family around, Maeve’s dreams are simply to have a house with windows and chairs so that she doesn’t feel so lonely.

Miss Sands tells her she could do a lot better than that, but Maeve still struggles not to feel like a disappointment, especially when her mum returns to Moordale, a young toddler in tow. Maeve slowly begins opening up to her, but when she finds drugs in her possession, she has no choice but to call Child Services. Preoccupied, Maeve doesn’t perform to her best abilities for the Quiz Heads, leaving her feeling like a failure. Otis, Aimee, and Miss Sands are always there to remind Maeve how capable she is, but in the end, it’s Maeve who decides which direction her life will take.

She knows that reporting her mother is the right thing, even if she feels horrible about it in the moment. She also knows that she should put herself first, so she decides to stop worrying so much about boys, whether it be Jackson, Otis, or potentially her new neighbour Isaac. Instead, Maeve pours her energy into her studies and her friendship with the girls.

Jackson Marchetti

Jackson is Moordale Secondary’s newest Head Boy, a star athlete, motivated, ambitious, creative, and academic. He’s also casually sleeping with Maeve, at first wishing to keep their relationship a secret, then changing his mind and expressing his desire to date her. She’s elusive, so Jackson asks Otis for advice and does exactly the opposite of what Maeve would ever want from a potential romantic partner: he makes a grand gesture. He sings Billy Ocean’s “Love Really Hurts Without You” in front of their classmates. At first, Maeve is embarrassed, but she soon gives in.

Maeve still has her reservations, but Jackson isn’t aware of this. He’s grappling with other issues, like the pressure he feels from his mother to perform well at swimming. He latches on to Maeve and her brother Sean. Though he’s dependent on them, especially Maeve, the relationship is mostly a healthy and positive one. They support each other and are matched in intellect and maturity, which can’t be said of Otis and Maeve at this stage. It’s clear that Maeve doesn’t love Jackson as much as he loves her, and she didn’t even want a boyfriend to begin with. Viewers can see it from a while away, but Jackson is shocked when their relationship falls apart.

He’s heartbroken for the first time in his life and isn’t really himself anymore. Even so, he does everything he can to ensure Maeve isn’t expelled from Moordale after Mr. Groff finds her brother’s drugs at the school dance. In season 2, Jackson continues feeling anxiety surrounding swimming. He even injures himself to get out of training for a while, during which time he makes a new friend and finds a new hobby.

His new tutor, Viv, quickly becomes his friend, and she’s unlike anyone else in his life. She’s supportive, frank, and incredibly smart. She helps Jackson prepare for his role as Romeo in the school musical and encourages him to tell his mother how he feels about swimming. When he harms himself a second time, Viv is the one to go to his moms and report his behavior. Of course, Jackson is angry at her in the moment, but it’s the right thing to do. It helps Jackson be honest with his mother and rebuild their mother-son relationship. Jackson also comes around to Viv and their friendship becomes purer, free of the transactional dynamic on which it’s first established.

Maureen Groff

Maureen is one of the unsung heroes in Sex Education. In season 1, she’s rarely seen, but the storyline in season 2 allows her more room to be. She finally asserts her autonomy in her marriage, informing Michael that she wants a divorce. In season 1, she’s a bystander to his bullying of Adam, but in season 2, she defends her son and takes him under her wing. She gives him inspiring and invaluable advice that Adam takes in stride, having just learned the same lessons herself.

Importantly, Maureen branches out and finds a friend in Jean Milburn, who works at the school in season 2. She finally gains the courage to talk to Jean about her personal troubles, both sexual and marital. The two women find that they enjoy each other’s company outside of therapy, and their adventures together are some of the most empowering moments of the series so far.

Maureen takes ownership of her life and control of her destiny in season 2, which embodies what most of the characters are trying to do. Hopefully, her journey of growth will continue into season 3, when Michael will no longer be living with her and Adam.

Album Review: The Antlers, ‘Green to Gold’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Album Review: The Antlers, ‘Green to Gold’

You’d have to read a bit too much into the lyrics on Green to Gold to see them as a metaphor for the Antlers’ long-awaited return, but a couplet on ‘Wheels Roll Home’, the first non-instrumental track on the album, fittingly sums up the expectations that complicate such a comeback: “Every second we got, we gotta make believe/ That you’ll be right back like you never left.” The group’s first album in seven years is tinted in the same hushed, muted tones that have permeated much of their discography, but their artistic growth seems less a result of strained deliberation than a genuine reflection of the changes that have occurred in their personal lives. In the wake of the tour cycle for 2014’s Familiars, primary singer-songwriter Peter Silberman was forced to set music aside after his aural health had suffered a severe blow, causing him to relocate from the city to the more serene environment of upstate New York, where he grew up. But he then endured another setback after touring Impermanence, the 2017 solo album that quietly mirrored his struggles with hearing loss, this time diagnosed with lesions on one of his vocal cords.

It would be understandable if Silberman decided to take a break from music entirely, or dedicate his career to making spare, instrumental solo music. He took up gardening and hiking, fostering a sense of home that came both from leading a more peaceful existence as well as the safety of a fulfilling relationship. As evidenced on Green to Gold, the music came naturally, like the small miracles that illuminate its warm palette – field recordings of crickets and chirping cicadas that displace the Antlers’ music from the claustrophobic environment of hospitals and bedrooms to a more open and organic space. Imbued with an air of lightness and touches of country-tinged Americana, the album aptly fulfils Silberman’s intention to make “Sunday morning music,” but at its brightest also transcends that somewhat characterless description. Highlight ‘Just One Sec’ draws from the instructions of a meditation retreat Silberman attended with longtime drummer Michael Lerner, pleading, “Free me from your limiting ideas of me/ Free me from the version you prefer I’d be.”

It’s hard not to hear that liberated sense of self reflected in the duo’s songwriting as well as Silberman’s vocals, which never strain to achieve their desire effect. His disquieting falsetto, once responsible for some of indie’s most devastating emotional moments, has been eased out but not erased; his voice has lost none of its distinct resonance, punctuating atmospheres of intimate beauty that stem from the simple pleasures of day-to-day life. The songs don’t so much ignore interpersonal drama as filter it through a wider, more amicable lens, zooming out to lighten its weight, the way time often does. The album opens with the lines, “There’s a point, way out, past the present tense/ Where our weeks away make a lot less sense,” while ‘Solstice’ finds the narrator “winding back down the decade past/ Through the afternoons when I knew you last,” recalling how “we were walkin’ true like the stars don’t hurt.”

Silverman has cited David Lynch’s The Straight Story, a lesser-known but positively received road drama the director made for Disney, as a reference point for the album, calling it “heartfelt” and “melancholic.” The comparison makes sense, except that the melancholy one might have traced up until 2014’s Familiars is largely absent here, or at least softened out as if by a smooth breeze. While some might yearn for more of the trademark intensity or emotional peaks of Hospice, part of Green to Gold’s success lies in the fact that the group have matured their sound without abandoning the qualities that made them striking in the first place; in fact, it was going on a tenth-anniversary tour of the album that partly drove the decision to revive the project. You can hear echoes of the past on ‘Volunteer’, but Silberman seems more enraptured by the possibilities of the future: “It’s challenging, practicing living like beginners,” he admits. Then, as if slowly watching something unravel, he adds with a sense of wonder, “But it’s happening, it’s dazzling.”

3 Reasons Why You Should Get a Personalized Gift for Your Loved One

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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3 Reasons Why You Should Get a Personalized Gift for Your Loved One

Seeing that there’s a special date coming up in your calendar makes you eager to get an exceptional gift, such as custom challenge coins, for your loved one, one that is thoughtful and reflects your feelings for that special someone. A personalized gift would be perfect for this situation since it tells your loved one that you took their personality and taste into consideration. However, you may feel overwhelmed and not fully convinced with the almost infinite options available on the market, so if that’s the case, consider the following 3 reasons why you should get a personalized gift for your loved one.

Options are more Diverse than Ever

Nowadays it’s almost incredible to think about the number of shops and products available for browsing for all occasions. It is up to you whether you prefer shopping in a mortar and brick store or spend some time looking for the best options online. However, the convenience of shopping online for gifts is undeniable at this point since there are plenty of features and perks you can access through this method. 

Many new companies have specialized in creating high-quality, custom-made products at an affordable price over the years. They show that you’re tech-savvy who likes to research the latest trends and niche products and can also save from frustratingly wasting time on a gift that won’t hit the mark. Remember to hide the package if your loved one lives with you. In that case, it’s best to leave your work address to the delivery service to avoid spoiling the surprise.

They’re Suitable for Every Occasion

Whether Valentine’s Day is coming up, a person in your life is graduating from university, or your partner just got promoted at their job, there are plenty of reasons to get a personalized gift for the people you care about. Gone are the days where you could only pick between a teddy bear and a rose bouquet. 

Some of the most popular gifts according to https://manlymanco.com/ include manly bouquets made of bacon or beef jerky. These make for unique celebratory gifts for men who have just started a new job or successfully took another step up the career ladder. Other options, like personalized mobile covers, etched leather bags, and printed coffee cups are perfect for birthday celebrations, anniversaries, and even weddings. It’s just a matter of knowing what your loved one likes and keeping yourself from spoiling the surprise beforehand.

Your Loved One Will Appreciate the Gesture

Finally, but not least, receiving a personalized gift will always be an unexpected and well-received gesture for your loved one. Even if they’re secretly hoping to receive something small for their birthday or anniversary, a personalized present means that you spend time and effort looking for the perfect item, considering your loved one’s taste and preferences. While some people may loudly declare that they despise receiving gifts and can even find it cheesy, in reality, almost everyone will smile and thank you for taking the time and money to get them something.

The occasion gives a chance to bond and creates a shared memory that will get immortalized in that item for both parties. A gift has been a sign of friendship and love for so many cultures, which has lasted through centuries for a good reason. As we all know, life circumstances may change, and physical distance can become an issue for seeing each other in person. You may not be able to see them as often as you would like, but having that token of love will always be highly appreciated. And in the worst-case scenario of losing someone close to your heart, having these personalized gifts to cherish those wonderful experiences together can also help with the grief process and cope with the loss.

As you’re pondering about what your loved one will appreciate most for a special occasion, there are some aspects you should consider before settling on any gift. For example, you may want to consider how they have reacted to previous presents from you and note if it has been a positive or negative response. Contrary to popular belief, it’s usually best to abstain from purchasing tools or materials If they have a specific hobby unless you know exactly what they need. At the end of the day, a personalized gift will always be your best option since it allows you to express your love and creativity while creating a special memory for your loved one. After all, what could be better than a thoughtful gift that reflects the receiver’s personality and preferences?

Artist Spotlight: Du Blonde

Rachel Chandler
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Artist Spotlight: Du Blonde

After releasing music under her birth name with her band The Hooves of Destiny, including 2012’s much-praised album Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose, Beth Jeans Houghton hit a creative block. Having taken the time to regroup and reassess, she came out the other side and began to create again, this time as Du Blonde. Her debut LP under the new moniker, 2015’s Welcome Back to Milk  – the title of which was inspired by a bout of constipation and using her lactose intolerance as a bowel loosener – introduced the world to the snarling, raw and cathartic sound that encapsulates Du Blonde. From there, Beth went on to release a comic book series, directed music videos for Ezra Furman, LUMP, and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and took on production duties for her sophomore outing, Lung Bread For Daddy, an achingly honest collection of songs that explored her ongoing battles with mental health.

Lead by the singles ‘I’m Glad That We Broke Up’ featuring Ezra Furman, ‘Medicated’ with Shirley Manson, and ‘Pull The Plug’, Du Blonde’s latest album, Homecoming, is her first on own, newly founded label Daemon T.V. It’s fitting then, that it sounds like the truest reflection of herself so far, one that stems purely from a love of music and a need to create. She faces her demons on ‘Pull The Plug’, shows us a more reflective side on ‘Ducky Duffy’, and establishes her distinct way of telling an ugly story beautifully on the Andy Bell-assisted ‘All The Way’. At the helm, as always, is Beth’s commanding voice, orchestrating the magnificent cacophony she’s created from top to bottom.

We caught up with Beth Jeans Houghton for the latest edition of our Artist Spotlight Q&A series to talk about past collaborations, her creative process, Homecoming, and more. 

The important question, now more than ever; how are you doing, really? What’s been the biggest thing keeping you afloat in these incredibly trying times?

Considering the year we’ve all had I’m doing alright thank you! I’m lucky that the work I do I can mostly do from home. The biggest thing keeping me afloat is my mum. I came to stay with her at the beginning of the pandemic and I’ve been here on and off  AR for a year. She’s been there for cuddles and also to give me a hand with things like packing up the records to post out. I’m self releasing so I’ve turned her house into a warehouse full of LPs and CDs and she’s been very gracious.

You’ve collaborated with some incredible people on the album including Shirley Manson on the track ‘Medicated’ and Ezra Furman on ‘I’m Glad That We Broke Up’. What was the most rewarding part of those experiences?

Really, I think it was just having experiences with friends again. Everybody recorded their parts either from home or their own studios and sent me the tracks via email. Having that kind of experience with people outside of my tiny quarantine bubble was really uplifting. I’d check in with Jorgen Jorgensen-Briggs (of Ezra Furman and The Visions) who did some bass parts on the record and he was out in the Mojave desert the whole time. It was a nice reminder that there’s a whole world beyond the house I was making the album in and that you don’t always have to be in the same room as someone to share an experience. I’m stoked to have these amazing people on my record, I’m super grateful, but first and foremost they’re my friends and that’s what made the whole thing so fun.

Over the years you’ve had an impressive creative output. You’ve released a comic book series Butt Hurt, a collection of illustrations done by yourself, you’ve painted (notably your album cover for Lung Bread For Daddy) as well as of course releasing music as Beth Jeans Houghton and Du Blonde. Is creativity something you’ve always harboured, has the arts always been your outlet and way of expressing yourself?

I think it’s probably the only thing I was ever going to do. I’m not academic, I struggle a lot with things outside the creative field and creativity just came very easy for me. I’m sure having a mother who taught me how to use Photoshop instead of video games helped, but it’s always been the easiest way for me to express myself. I’ve always leaned towards using different mediums and part of my wanting to ditch the record label route was because I wanted more time and freedom to make all these different things. Releasing records on record labels can end up being a very convoluted and complicated journey to get to the point of actually putting an album out. I wanted to work with people who’d be like ‘wham, here’s the album let’s release it in 6 months’ and then I can work on painting or something for a couple of weeks. Luckily I’ve found that and I’m really grateful.

Homecoming is your third release as Du Blonde. What’s the biggest marked difference between your initial release as Beth Jeans Houghton and this album in your opinion?

The biggest difference is that Homecoming is self released. This is the first album I’ve released without label backing and so the entire journey has been different from start to finish. I wrote, recorded, engineered and produced the album at home, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m also an entirely different person now. I wrote most of my first album when I was 16 years old, I’m now 31. I love my first album, I’m still proud of what I made back then at that age and under those circumstances, but I hadn’t yet figured out how to write a straight up rock song. I had access for the first time to a studio and all sorts of instruments, and so I was like ‘let’s see what I can make when I can do anything I like’, and I love how it came out, but playing shows to an audience who are sitting down and nodding isn’t how I saw my life playing out. I always wanted to play raucous shows in basements where people can feel some kind of release, and I feel like three Du Blonde records in, I can play a show and feel like I’m finally in the right place.

The album has a beautiful cadence, there’s a real sense of control and nuanced pacing. It’s almost a hybrid of Lung Bread for Daddy and Welcome Back to Milk. Did you have a clear vision of what you wanted it to sound like before you started recording?

I did but it wasn’t how it turned out! At the beginning it was gonna be a stripped back shitty garage record, like very simple songs with very little songwriting. A lot of the records I listen to while I’m working are a bunch of good songs that don’t have a lot to them, that’s what I enjoy most of the time. So for me this record was going to be the least song-written, simplest record of overdriven ditties, which is how I sold the thing to Sam Grant (Pigsx7) who mixed the thing. I feel bad that by the time I turned up to mix I was like ‘here’s a couple of garage tracks but then also some epic ostentatious guitar solos with strings and a 30 person choir’. He was a good sport though and turned my mediocre engineering skills into something that sounds a lot more polished than it really was.

Perhaps a personal one, but how do you feel when you perform/write/create as Du Blonde? Listening to your music is empowering and cathartic, it’s raw and in your face with honesty. I wondered if that is somewhat how you feel when you’re in the process of writing?

I feel like I’m my ultimate form. I’m not a social person in the slightest. I barely leave my house, sometimes I’ll go to the pub with friends but mostly I like to be alone in my room making stuff. So in a way performing and touring is the opposite of my personality. Standing up in front of a crowd and opening myself up to a lot of opinions is quite anxiety-inducing, but when I’m out there as Du Blonde I feel better equipped to deal with those kinds of things. I feel like I created Du Blonde as this ideal of who I’d like to be in the future, someone with a lot of bravado who doesn’t get embarrassed and can defend themself, and I’m moving closer and closer to actually filling that space. It’s helped me in my writing as well. There are probably a bunch of songs I wished I could write in terms of honesty, but wouldn’t have felt so comfortable doing so 10 years ago. But having a character who is basically a braver version of myself has allowed me to open up much more about mental health and abuse in my songwriting. That isn’t always the subject matter but for me being able to touch on that has helped me deal with a lot of things that have happened in my life.

You’ve always been extremely honest and transparent about your struggles with your mental health and this is something you’ve explored musically. Is making music intrinsically tied up with catharsis and does it provide an emotional outlet for you?

It does. I (like most people) have a lot of thoughts and feelings swimming around in my brain and the way I make sense of those is to put them into a song, take a step back and look at them from a new perspective. Sometimes I’ll write a song of nonsense and then 6 months later listen back and realise I was actually saying something important about a situation or a relationship I hadn’t managed to navigate yet. It’s kind of like having a diary but instead of words it’s songs and paintings and a video game. I have all these things I can look back on and see how I’ve progressed or regressed. I have two self portraits I painted for no particular reason, but if you place them together you can see clearly who I was before I took medication for depression and anxiety (in this painting I’m screaming with strings of spittle flying out my mouth) and after (post-medication I’m laying serenely in some clouds happy and kind of stoned). I hadn’t thought anything of them but I was moving things around my garage one day and suddenly they were next to each other and it was so clear how far I’d come with my mental health. So I’m glad I have things like that even if they’re painful to look back on.

Du Blonde’s Homecoming is out April 2 via Daemon T.V.

This Week’s Best New Songs: BROCKHAMPTON, black midi, Mannequin Pussy, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
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This Week’s Best New Songs: BROCKHAMPTON, black midi, Mannequin Pussy, and More

Throughout the week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with the new releases that caught our attention the most, be it a single leading up to the release of an album or a newly unveiled deep cut. And each Monday, we round up the best new songs released over the past week (the eligibility period begins on Monday and ends Sunday night) in this segment.

This past week, BROCKHAMPTON returned with news of a new album along with an exciting, fiery new single called ‘BUZZCUT’, featuring a stellar guest appearance from Danny Brown; London collective black midi showcased their unique brand of avant-prog on the staggering ‘John L’, the first preview from their upcoming sophomore LP; Philadelphia trio Mannequin Pussy delivered their first single since 2019’s Patience with the soaring, dynamic ‘Control’; Phoebe Bridgers joined Luminous Kid (aka Olof Grind, the photographer behind the Punisher artwork) on the fourth single from his debut album, blending indie folk and pop melodies on the lovely ‘Mountain Crystals’; North Carolina singer-songwriter Sprig (formerly known as rosemary) released a new EP called What Life Would Be Like, and the hauntingly dreamy ‘Sleep Paralysis’ also inhabits a world close to that of Punisher; and finally, New York-based Pakistani composer Arooj Aftab’s transportive voice foregrounds the latest single from her forthcoming album, the mesmerizing and evocative ‘Last Night’.

Best New Songs: March 29, 2021

Arooj Aftab, ‘Last Night’

Sprig, ‘Sleep Paralysis’ 

BROCKHAMPTON feat. Danny Brown, ‘BUZZCUT’

Song of the Week: black midi, ‘John L’

Mannequin Pussy, ‘Control’ 

Luminous Kid feat. Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Mountain Crystals’

De_caffeine homme Ready-To-Wear Autumn/Winter 2021

Ayana Torio
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De_caffeine homme Ready-To-Wear Autumn/Winter 2021

De_caffeine homme, a brand for people who love coffee and not caffeine, showcased their 2021 autumn-winter runway collection at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. Designer Avizmo Jo designed his collection with clean, sleek silhouettes in which he used various materials, which gave it a luxe appearance. We saw velvet, a fabric which had partly feathers attached, and houndstooth — to name a few. Some of the lapels merged to become half a scarf, and some of the shirts appeared backwards. Additionally, there were a variety of tailored garments with added femininity.

Watch the runway show here.

HxCx Ready-To-Wear Autumn/Winter 2021

Ayana Torio
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HxCx Ready-To-Wear Autumn/Winter 2021

HxCx digitally presented their 2021 autumn-winter collection titled Insane Youth. The ready-to-wear collection was inspired by streetwear, in which designer Takashi Kido uses denim as his key material. The designs had a relaxed fit and a rough appearance with frayed edges of materials. The roughness of materials was contrasted with clean and smart slouchy shirts. The most memorable items from the collection were the ripped jeans with fabric attached behind and the bomber jacket held by a combination of materials.

Watch the digital presentation here.

Rito Autumn/Winter 2021 at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo

Ayana Torio
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Rito Autumn/Winter 2021 at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo

Japanese brand Rito presented their 2021 autumn-winter collection at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. The theme for the season was outline-contours. Japanese designer Miyako Shimakawa experimented by creating textiles and combining them with masculine and feminine silhouettes. As Miyako Shimakawa put it, the contour expressed by straight lines and curves presents and hides fragility and strength depending on the given light and shadow.

For the collection, neutral colours were explored in contrast with vibrant blue and yellow. The garments had a soft structure that created a movement with the wind. Layering made different contours in the light; there were curves and straight lines throughout the garments. The film’s setting enhanced the theme with thick structured columns and the sun shining down on the background creating various shadows, formulating the perfect scenery for the presentation.

Watch the digital presentation here.

SHINYAKOZUKA Autumn/Winter 2021 at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo

Ayana Torio
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SHINYAKOZUKA Autumn/Winter 2021 at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo

SHINYAKOZUKA digitally presented their 2021 autumn/winter collection at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. TInterestingly, the pieces for the designer Shinya Kozuka came in a dream he managed to render into an entire collection. “The model wore the painter-ish garments, and he gazed at the easel which ornaments a knit jumper of someone’s painting pattern,” added Shinya Kozuka. The digital presentation had a haze effect which aided the viewers to visualise Kozuka’s dreams. Exploration of mixed pastels, dark and vibrant colours resulted in a colourful collection. Individual items were presented like painted canvases with a mixture of colours dyed onto them.

Watch the digital presentation here.

The Best College Degree Options for Gamers

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The Best College Degree Options for Gamers

Playing video games might be one way you fill your spare time, but it’s not necessarily a waste of time. Doing so might help you become smarter, and if you want to work in the field, you’ll need intelligence and curiosity. Several degree options will help you live your dream, whether that’s working with video games or just putting your tech skills to work.

Preparing for School

If you are still in high school, now is the time to start preparing for college. Look for relevant classes and consider taking a couple while still in high school. That way, you can get a better idea of whether this is something you want to do for the rest of your life.

You’ll also want to think about how you’ll pay for your degree. Many students find that taking out a student loan from a private lender is the best way to pay for school. You can fill out a quick online application to learn about your options. That way, you can prioritize your education and get a great start on your career.

Tech-Focused Degrees

If you are already good at video games, you likely have an aptitude for technology, so that you could look into programming and computer-focused degrees. A bachelor’s in computer science is a great starting place. Many schools offer training on coding, and they’ll likely offer courses on science and math as well. Computer science is relatively broad, so you will learn things to apply in a range of careers.

Another potential field is software engineering, allowing you to make powerful software. Classes might include databases, programming, and networking, among other fundamentals. And you can expect to learn about usability and artificial intelligence during your time at college. One of these programs could help you get into a STEM career, and these often have promising job outlooks.

Working with Video Games

You could get an associate’s degree in developing video games. Expect to learn about multimedia design and software engineering, as well as modeling and animation. Plus, you’ll learn how to work with digital graphics and do programming. You can also learn how to do video game development. Many technical and community colleges offer degrees in the field, allowing you to enter the technological world. That might be in the form of computer applications engineering, designing, or video game programming.

Animation and Design

If you want to work on the artistic side of things, you might go into media design or art. Expect to take classes on lighting, shading, and other elements that can help the game come alive. You’ll only need a bachelor’s degree for this career path, although gaining some relevant experience is often helpful to land your dream job. Computer animation is another promising degree path. If you want to further your education, you can get a master’s in computer animation. You might learn about 3D and 2D aspects. After graduation, you could get a job working with game art and make sure that everything is ready for end users.

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