SheRa Magazine

Earlier in the year I met up with my long time friend Victoria Khroundina after not having seen her for a few years.  I was really excited to catch up with her, because having spent most of my teenage years growing up next to her, I knew that she would have some great and interesting stories to share.  I’ve always known Vicky to be a “doer”, an inspiring and ambitious woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Which is why it came as no surprise, when she told me of her incredible new venture, of starting an online magazine with fellow writer, actor and friend Viva Bianca.

The online magazine, (which you should all be reading) is SheRa.

Having just released their second issue, “The Sex Issue” this Monday, these ladies are seriously kicking butt, and serving up some pretty interesting, informative and empowering content.

The magazine provides a powerful platform for female expression, and with Viva and Vicky having travelled and lived in many corners of the world, it has a strong global voice. (Both originally form Melbourne, Vicky now lives in Istanbul, and Viva in Los Angeles).  The subject matter is sometimes controversial, but always entertaining and spans from Film & TV, music, fashion & design, to sex, social issues, and politics.

SheRa was created with real women in mind and is for all of the intelligent, spunky, independent and free spirited women out there who love a bit of fashion and also want to leave with food for thought.

I ask that you please check it out, share with your friends, sisters, mothers and daughters, and of course your male counterparts too (there are really meaningful and entertaining features in there for everyone)

And also…these ladies give a real good interview, make sure you check it out below!

SheRa Mag website

Image from SheRa Fashion Editorial “Because Sex is Everything” featuring VivaViva & Vicky

Tell us a little bit about yourselves and how SheRa Mag came about?

 Viva: I’m an actor and a screenplay writer living in LA. I’d started writing for a couple of online pop culture magazines and pretty soon became disappointed by the way girls of my generation were being portrayed in the media. I felt there was a significant gap in the market and, consequently, online discussion. I wanted to create an online girls magazine that engaged in pop culture discourse but that challenged the status quo, encouraged girls to think and, ultimately, championed kick-ass female pioneers of our generation.

 Vicky and I became friends in Melbourne when she was about 19 and I was 21. She was a little crack shot! And we got up to all kinds of mischief 😉 When I had the idea for the magazine, I knew I needed a collaborator and thought hard about who that person would be. Vicky now lives in Istanbul and works as an editor, and when she came to mind, I was like a dog with a bone. We Skyped one day and when I began pitching the idea to her, she interrupted me and said, “V! This has been my dream as well! Lets do it!”

 There are a few of you who have founded and contribute to the magazine. How did you all meet?

 Vicky: Well, Viva and I met about 10 years ago in Melbourne through mutual friends and…it was love at first sight. We really hit it off and we had an important part in each other’s lives growing up. After she moved to LA and I to London and then Istanbul to pursue our dreams, we remained in touch and always barracked for each other. Earlier this year, Viva called me with a great idea for a magazine and I have also been contemplating starting a magazine but wanted to collaborate with someone likeminded. So Viva’s call couldn’t have come at a better time! Then, Bridget, a fellow Melbournian girl, came on board as our Production Director and we have a team of wonderful young writers from every corner of the globe contributing. It’s been pretty amazing how everyone has come together and has given their absolute all to our little venture.

 What inspires your creative decisions?

 Viva: Values, ultimately. Thankfully mine and Vicky’s values are in line so as Co-Editors in Chief, so creative decision making runs fluidly. We’re both also a little bent and far from conservative so we like to push the envelope as much as possible. But our creative choices are always driven from the urgency to open the world up to the many dimensions – good, bad and ugly – of the female experience.

 Name some of the people who inspire you and why?

 Vicky: Haruki Murakami, for the way he uses language. Jonathan Franzen, for writing real, all-encompassing characters. Paul Thomas Anderson, for his versatility and consistency. Erykah Badu, for not giving a fuck and always blazing her own trail. My mum, for always letting me be who I am and supporting what I do. My grandma, for teaching me about love.

Viva:  Aung San Suu Kyi is one off the greatest living heroines of our time. She sacrificed years of her life for her beliefs, for freedom. Cate Blanchett is not only a great actress, but also an intelligent ambassador for feminism and reason in an often silly industry. She’s also a mother of three and for a few years was the Co-Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company. Lena Dunham. She’s rewritten the rules in Hollywood, and showed ‘em who’s boss.

 If you could interview anyone in the world (dead or alive), who would it be?

 Vicky: Hmmmm, great question. When I was younger, I was obsessed with Marilyn Monroe and so I think I would have to choose her. Or Sappho (she founded Western literature). Or Anaïs Nin. All three women overcame great odds to do what they did and are, in their own ways, all fascinating.

 Viva: I never met any of my grandparents. I would give a limb to have an hour with one of them.

 What are the top 3 resources that you turn to for inspiration?

 Vicky: The New Yorker is great for essays, Vanity Fair is where I go for my “smart” celebrity news, Wonderland for fashion and music. Also love blogs such as Vagenda and The Reductress.

 Viva: The New York Times, the Huffington Post is pretty good, the library – whichever city I’m in, I immediately locate its state library – books are gold, Vanity Fair and Vogue.

 In terms of fashion, how would you describe your personal styles?

 Vicky: I’m pretty casual and I have to say, I don’t pay too much attention to fashion. Having said that, I do like clothes! But I like to keep things classic with a bit of an edge. Nice jeans with vintage shirts, slim-cut jackets (I’m really short) and boots; and in summer, I’m always in a colourful dress and a nice pair of sandals.

 Viva: My dad reinforced in me at a young age that Italian leather shoes are mandatory. So along with my own contemporary edge, I have a kind of classic elegance to my style. I love colour and I love contradictions – like a feminine woman in a masculine shirt or oversized blazer. I also love combining high-end designer clothing with vintage. I can swing from homely hipster to glamour queen in heartbeat.

 What is the best place to shop in Melbourne / Sydney / Istanbul / Los Angeles?

 Vicky: I’m out of the loop for Melbourne, but I can say that Istanbul is the textile capital of the world and the fabrics I see in the markets and in the windows are phenomenal. The problem is how those fabrics are used and what they’re turned into. Sometimes, the clothes here miss the mark, however, there is also a pool of interesting, fashion-forward designers. My favourite would have to be Dice Kayek, a whose cutting-edge couture is inspired by Byzantine icons, Ottoman robes and Istanbul’s mosques and palaces, and who won V&A’s coveted Jameel Prize last year. It’s really fun to browse in different neighbourhoods depending on what you want to buy. If someone was visiting Istanbul and wanted to shop, I would tell them to go to Galata for unique souvenirs and artisans’ creations, Nişantaşı for designer wear, Cihangir for vintage and costumes, and Çukurcuma for antiques. For Turkish ceramics and textiles, head straight to Arasta Bazaar in Sultanahmet.

 Viva: Nolita and Soho are great places to shop in New York. In LA, I love the flee markets. The flee market on Melrose and Fairfax is amaze. There’s also a great store on La Brea called American Rag which sells cool US and European labels along with some vintage garb. And super jewellery.

 What is next for SheRa Mag? Where do you see the magazine going in the future?

 Vicky: Well, the sky’s the limit really! But what’s most important for us is widening the conversation on women’s issues, introducing our readers to interesting and accomplished women and generally empowering girls and women, no matter who they are or where they are from. We want to keep putting out issues and content that we ourselves can’t wait to read.

You can read more about Vicky and Viva here