大象传媒

Following a religious edict in Iran that fashion and modelling are permissible under Islam, the Iranian fashion industry, which has operated in the shadows for over three decades since the Islamic Revolution, has been going through a revolution of its own.聽 Fashion weeks are popping up across Iran, and with over a 100 catwalks in the last year alone and an increasing need for models, a modelling agency with both male and female models on its books has became the first to obtain official permission to operate. Many see this as part of the general opening in Iran under President Rouhani and the rapid warming of relations between Iran and the West following the nuclear agreement reached on 14 July in Vienna. Emma is joined by 大象传媒 Persian reporter Rana Rahimpour to explain how fashion and modelling are gaining a foothold in the Islamic Republic, and what red lines female models still face.

In her latest book, the writer, Caitlin Davies, explores the history of swimming in the River Thames and celebrates the stories of the pioneering female swimmers who have undertaken long distance swims in the river.聽 One of these was Mercedes Gleitze,聽 who in 1927 became the first British woman to swim the Channel.聽 聽Mercedes began her long distance swimming in the Thames and used the river as a place to train for her Channel crossing.聽 聽Mercedes鈥� daughter, Doloranda Pember, has written a book about her mother鈥檚 swimming achievements, which she is hoping to have published.聽 Louise Adamson went to the towpath at Putney where she met Doloranda and Caitlin.聽

Downstream by Caitlin Davies is published by Aurum Press.

If you watched last Sunday鈥檚 episode of Dragon鈥檚 Den you will have seen Ellen Green pitching her business 鈥楾he Blue Badge Company鈥� which sells gifts which are also disability aids. Her products are all made in the UK and 40% of the workforce is disabled or primary care givers. She talks to Emma about how she got her business started, why she believes she鈥檚 spotted a gap in the market and the ethos behind her company.

Emma spoke with co-authors of 鈥淭he Hillary Doctrine : Sex & American Foreign Policy鈥� 聽Valerie Hudson and Patricia Liedl about the way in which women鈥檚 issues and US foreign policy are connected, and just how far American foreign policy has come in regards to women since 1995, when Hillary Clinton stated for the first time that 鈥淲omen鈥檚 Rights are Human Rights鈥�.聽