Women

Women and women issues have been a driving force behind host. Our first project to define Self Esteem was commissioned by the Body Shop and resulted in an International campaign that exposed the media ‘waif’ stereotype and the frightening consequences of fashion obsessed marketing. Since then, host has run a series of think tanks to explore women’s self esteem and evolved a self esteem map. The map challenges the relevance of Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs in a world where cosmetic surgery has greater impact than food. Kiki Kendrick, whose passion for the subject inspired the work, has since turned the map into a sell out show called ‘Babooshka’ (Russian Doll). The play takes a peek behind the curtain at 5 women in a changing room - they’re all at different life stages with different hang ups. It’s a noisy romp that delivers energy and humour. Women are also a major feature of host’s fair trade work which recently portrayed Alivera Kiiza, Tanzanian coffee grower, as Madonna of Africa in a stunt to focus media attention on the liberating aspects of trade in the run up to the Gleneagles G8. Google Alivera Kiiza if you’d like to know what’s she’s up to.