Darling Magazine

by Keisha Myers The discourse surrounding religious freedom and expression has been a source of contention in France for many years now, where staunch secularism often clashes with efforts for people to express their own religiosity.  French laws designed to prevent the spread of religious beliefs to help with freedom, sometimes inadvertently restrict individuals’ freedom to practise their faith, marginalising them in French society and leading to discrimination of tourists and locals alike.   Recently, this has become a hot topic in the influencer world, when Topicals (a black-owned skincare brand) organised a trip for 20 influencers of colour to the French Mountain Resort of Megeve. Among them was Nella Rose, a Belgian-born, UK based, popular influencer who is fluent in French.  Nella Rose shared with her million followers that during their stay, a staff member at the resort approached some of them, advising against their choice of attire and suggesting they purchase bikinis and bath

by Emily Duff In the midst of celebrating Earth Day, it’s crucial to reflect on our everyday habits. When it comes to the fashion industry, it’s no secret that it plays a large part in its environmental impact.  Considering the planet with your fashion choices is super important - from embracing vintage and charity shops to organising clothes swaps with friends and family, to learning how to get the most from what you already have, there are myriad ways to align our wardrobe choices with sustainable practices. By 2050, fashion production could contribute to 26% of all carbon emissions if left unregulated. This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for brands  to start making a change with their practices -  a no that will only occur if consumers demand accountability from these companies.  Most brands prioritise money, as many must in order to survive in this economy, so we need to use our money for good.  This can come in many shapes and sizes such as only putting your money

by Michaela Piontková It’s a warm spring Saturday, a day perfect for a hot girl walk. Today, however, the air doesn’t only  smell like blossoming flowers - and the soundtrack to your walk isn’t children laughing in the playground.   Rather, the air brings you back to life in uni halls and you hear adult giggles instead. Yes, today is 420.  Associating the smell of marijuana with student accommodation might sound irrelevant to some.  After all, not all students smoke, and it’s a common perception that majority drink, just like the all other adults.  If they didn’t, we wouldn’t have Dry January.  This year, however, the trend changed into what some called High January. As the name suggests, some people swapped alcohol for marijuana, very similar to the Cali Sober trend that appeared few years ago.  At the time more countries legalised the drug, many of the older Gen Z and young millennials found themselves cutting down their alcohol usage and transitioning into smoking or digesting weed.

  by Oana-Maria Moldovan In the last two years, Ukraine has garnered significant international attention, although often for less favorable reasons. However, we are not talking about politics (or are we?) today. We are talking about art, fashion, and creation – with a little bit of history. Ukraine is a Slavic Eastern European country that can be tracked town – like most of its neighboring countries – as far back as ancient times in history. Various tribes, including the Scythians, Sarmatians, and Cimmerians, inhabited the area around the Black Sea. In the 9th century, Kyiv (Kiev) became the center of the powerful East Slavic state known as Kyivan Rus’. Under the rule of Prince Volodymyr the Great in the 10th century, Kyivan Rus’ converted to Christianity, primarily following the Byzantine Orthodox tradition – remember this part for later, we will need it. This conversion played a significant role in shaping Ukrainian culture and identity. In the 13th century, Kyivan Rus’ was occupied