Lifestyle Barometer: your guide to what's hot and what's not this week from Sourdough to Serena Williams
From mental health to diversity and British GQ, Sarah Young brings you what’s hot and what’s not
Going up:
Avocado
Everyone’s favourite brunch food has officially been given the Michelin seal of approval.
At this year’s ceremony, which announced the restaurants that have been awarded Michelin stars for 2019, guests were treated to an avocado-inspired cocktail reception.
Collaborating with the World Avocado Organisation (WAO), the organisation served guests everything from white miso tofu filled with avocado mousse topped with caviar and a warm roast chicken broth, to avocado macarons filled with white chocolate and avocado ganache and raspberry.
The evening also showcased the first avocado beer made in Europe by the WAO.
Talking about mental health
As we begin to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health, more and more people are beginning to open up about their personal struggled, celebrities included.
This week, Lily Allen opened up in an interview with Cosmopolitan about the moment she was almost sectioned following an argument with her ex-husband Sam Cooper. Speaking about her struggles with mental health issues, the singer revealed how the row affected her so greatly that a group of nurses had tried to sedate her.
Actor Emma Stone has also spoken about her experience of suffering from anxiety this week, revealing that she had her first panic attack at just seven years old.
Fashion diversity
While the industry admittedly still has a way to go, this season’s fashion month proved that change is finally on its way, with catwalks in all four cities showcasing a diverse range of models.
In New York, Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty received widespread praise for its line-up, which featured women of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities, including pregnant model Slick Woods.
Similarly in London, Alice Temperley cast women of all ages, including her own mother, while Ashley Graham, Eva Herzigova, Isabella Rossellini and Carla Bruni all walked for Dolce & Gabbana in Milan.
The diversity continued at L'Oréal too where everyone from Duckie Thot to Winnie Harlow, Eva Longoria and Doutzen Kroes graced the runway.
H&M
High-street retailer H&M has unveiled a line of bras specifically designed to suit the needs of breast cancer survivors.
Coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the capsule collection – which was inspired by an H&M employee in the US who overcame the illness – will raise funds for the American Cancer Society by donating 100 per cent of the profit.
The brand hopes to raise $125,000 (£160,000) to fund breast cancer research.
So far, the range includes three styles of bra in muted neutral tones, all of which prioritise comfort without compromising on design.
Serena Williams
Tennis champion Serena Williams has hit the headlines multiple times this week after releasing two separate videos designed to raise awareness of breast cancer and domestic abuse.
The sportswoman joined forces with lingerie brand Berlei and Breast Cancer Network Australia to create a video in which sings the classic Divinyls song “I Tough Myself” while covering her bare chest with her hands.
The clip was created to encourage women to check their breasts.
Williams also came together with Purple Purse by the Allstate Foundation to create a powerful video highlighting the invisible signs of domestic abuse – financial abuse in particular.
In the video, Williams is seen getting ready for a tennis match while saying: “If I limped on to the court, you’d notice. If I had black eyes and broken bones, you’d notice.
“If I had marks on my arms and fear in my voice, you’d notice. It’d be easy to see that I need help, to know something was wrong. But what about the abuse you can’t see?”
Going down:
Sourdough
Sourdough bread has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years but, according to a new report, all is not what it seems.
Consumer watchdog Which? has revealed that four out of five sourdough loaves sold in British supermarkets do not contain the correct ingredients to be able to live up to their name authentically.
It found that just four out of the 19 loaves tested contained the traditional four ingredients: flour, water, salt and what’s known as a starter culture.
In contrast, the majority of the supermarket loaves contained additional ingredients such as yeast, ascorbic acid, yoghurt and vinegar, most of which are added to speed up the rising process, boost volume or create sour flavour.
Céline
Hedi Slimane’s debut collection for Céline faced immense backlash this week after fashion fans labelled it “narcissistic”, “tone-deaf” and a “big f**k you to women”.
Loyal followers of the brand’s previous creative director, British designer Phoebe Philo, were shocked to see that Slimane had replaced his predecessors minimalist aesthetic with his own signature stamp of sexed-up, rock-and-roll-inspired garb.
While some criticised Slimane for regurgitating the same looks that he created at Saint Laurent, others took issue with the show’s casting. People were quick to point out that 87 of the 96 models who walked in the show were white, and it was a third of the way through the show before viewers saw a model of colour.
Johnny Depp’s British GQ cover
British GQ has been heavily criticised for the cover of its November issue, which features Johnny Depp, marking two years since the actor was accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife Amber Heard.
After describing the actor as “an outlaw” in a cover line, the magazine has been accused of glamourising and belittling the allegations against him.
Social media users have labelled the magazine’s interview with the star as “dangerous” and “dismissive”.
“Can’t believe I have to say this @britishgq but being accused of domestic violence does not make you cool,” tweeted journalist Anna Leskiewicz.
“It does not make you an ‘outlaw’. It does not make you a sexy, conflicted hero. It does not mean you know ‘torment’. It does not lead you to the ‘sordid beautiful truth’.”
Clapping
The traditional loud expression of support, clapping is being quashed by students in Manchester in a bid to make events more accessible to people suffering anxiety disorders.
The University of Manchester students’ union announced that it would be encouraging people to replace clapping with jazz hands – a technique known as “silent jazz hands” in British Sign Language that involves waving both hands by the sides of your body, around shoulder/face height.
The action was originally created because deaf people wouldn’t be able to hear clapping and also because people often clap their hands in their laps or at waist level, which isn’t always easy to see.
Clear & Simple pregnancy tests
Manufacturer Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech announced a recall of faulty Clear & Simple digital pregnancy tests after an investigation revealed that a number of them were producing false results and misleading customers.
A document released by the company explained that the false positives were being caused by a manufacturing issue, and that more than 58,000 affected tests had been distributed in the UK.
People are advised to check if they have any of the affected tests, which have a lot number of DM10220170710E and expiry date of January 2020.
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