In Conversation with Archive Magazine
What does a day in your life look like?
To be honest every day looks different for me, I wear a few different hats.
I am the founder and Creative Director of Archive Magazine, a freelance stylist, signed model and personal assistant. However I do try and create a flexible routine.
Most days I will start my morning with a dog walk. I live in the UK so at the moment I have been wrapping up warm with lots of layers and a hot drink in hand.
I am trying to cut down on my coffee intake so today I had a green tea and lemon.
I have found that I work the best in the evenings and into the nighttime, I always say that my brain needs warming up before I can do anything productive.
If I don’t have a job on I will take my mornings slower, with a shower, skin care, vitamins, breakfast and emails. Music accompanies me on these days, I love to match the mood or season with my playlist.
Following in the evening with the bulk of my work from my desk and later at night from my bed.
If I do have a job on I have to either travel into Manchester or London early morning and come home late so it looks like a very different day. Organised chaos!
All in all I need to stay busy, unusually I feel my best when I am consumed by projects and to do lists.
Which aspects of fashion interest you and what message do you try to convey with your publications?
There are so many areas of fashion I love aesthetically but the aspect of fashion that interests me the most is when it is showcased in its most authentic form,
made through collaboration and shown through personal expression.
I love to see art, culture and perspective in the images I flick through or runway shows I watch.
I think less is more sometimes and a picture truly is worth a thousand words.
Overall, I think when fashion creates a feeling and tells a story for the viewer it is at its most interesting to me.
A message I wanted to convey through my publication ‘Archive Magazine’ is that there are no rules to this,
I founded the publication with the idea that fashion cannot and should not be defined by one thing.
Fashion is often mistaken, I think it is an accumulation of many areas, talents and individuals that creates one art from- whether that be one image, one garment or one show.
Moreover I collaborate with creatives from all over the world who have multidisciplinary passions, and a sense of self and authenticity in a world full of digital litter “the mass sharing of content”.
I called the publication Archive as each issue is something we will collect and keep forever... printed fashion publications is something we want to avoid losing.
Do you think communication in fashion has changed over the last years?
In my opinion fashion is a way to communicate without having to use words or even speak the same language, Miuccia Prada said “Fashion is instant language.”
and I do not think that has changed or will, I just feel like we have more things to talk about with less authentic opinions.
Printed publication is a way to communicate fashion.
Obviously I am relatively new to the area of making a publication but I have always loved the feeling of flicking through pages and collecting articles and imagery I am inspired by.
I am not sure if that will change as I do believe those with a true love of fashion will want that nostalgic notion.
However, I think we are overcomsumed with most things in general, as we have both the virtual and physical now.
Social media plays the biggest impact as realistically more people are going to see a campaign on their screen before seeing it on a billboard or in the pages of ‘archive magazine’ for example. But is more people, your people?
Obviously, there are positives and negatives to these changes I could talk about for days especially in an industry as visual as this one therefore I just think you have to be excited for what’s to come and not dread it.
But maybe I am just a hopeful cynic.
The first issue of your magazine is all about hair and connection. What drew you into choosing this topic and how did you translate this into the actual publication?
It all started out as my final university project, I knew I always wanted to get into publication as I loved fashion imagery throughout my degree in Fashion Art Direction.
But knowing I was going to have to work on one topic for over 6 months I decided to pick something that was personal to me.
My childhood pony had just passed away, I had her since I was 6 years old and traditionally when a horse passes away people cut a piece of their mane or tail to keep.
Normally I would find the whole thing strange but something about this made me want to look into why we view hair as so important and what was the connection of hair with us as people or animals.
I began looking into different cultures, their traditions with hair and spirituality, and from there it spiralled really.
I kept seeing hair everywhere in fashion: garments made out of hair, hair campaigns, hair at fashion week. I even began to notice how important hair was to a styled look.
I started to interview hairstylists, people who had lost hair, designers who’s medium is hair, textile artist with hair sculptures... I went hair mad!
Eventually I collaborated with creatives who’s imagery focused on hair or images I felt focused around the hair as much as the garments. It all fell into place and the Issue 01 was born.
How important is the concept of community in a project like Archive Magazine and what kind of people would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Community is very important, it allows those who create to feel like they are supported to share their ideas and opinions and for those who view to feel they can relate or feel inspired.
I think supporting up and coming creatives, designers or brands as well as established ones is why an ‘archive’ community is essential in this industry as there isn’t always a trusting platform to showcase your work.
Having like minded people in a community allows ideas to develop, networking to happen and aspiration in the industry to thrive.
I want to continue working with multi disciplinary creatives across the world and in the future travel to work with them in their own countries and curated teams.
I am excited by old and new! I would love to collaborate with some fashion week designers I have had the pleasure of seeing and maybe with some fashion events/ exhibitions.
Which artists, books, designers, etc. inspired you to create Archive Magazine?
To be honest there’s too many different things to list that have inspired me to create Archive Magazine and I wouldn’t want to reveal all of my secrets, everyone likes a bit of mystery.
However I will say that I once went to a talk by Elsie Olsen who at the time recently opened the ‘Fashion Research Library’ in Oslo where she preservers and mediates fashion printed matter.
I was in awe of how she started her own Youth Culture magazine RECENS in 2013 when she was just a young teenager and then founded fashion commentary publication ‘Wallet Mag’ in 2018.
It really put into perspective the idea that it doesn’t matter how young you are, just start. What is the worst that can happen? Start again.
In terms of inspiring publications I developed a collection consisting of: ‘Viscose journal’ for its topically, clever articles ; ‘Revue Magazine’ coming out twice a year with so many different areas covered I especially love their beauty images;
‘System magazine’ specifically the 10year anniversary issue focusing on Paris Fashion Week, ‘Violet Magazine’ by my favourite “it girl”and Issue Issue magazine for its variety of fashion imagery- to name a few that come to mind.
For aesthetic I wanted to create something that would last “to keep forever”, avoiding the trendy. A lot of my career evolves around this idea whether that be with sustainability or high quality.
I was drawn to my style icons and designers who are the epitome of ‘less is more’ and evoke the ‘effortless’ vibe eg, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Olsen Twins, Prada 1996, Tom Ford Gucci, Bianca Jagger, Anita Pallenberg and many more which you will see reflected purposely on the typography and imagery chosen.
I suppose the style of Archive Magazine reflects my personal style and develops with me with each issue as I grow and my community grows.
In terms of artists I am obsessed with artist Claudia Lau right now... a little sneak peak of Issue 02. There is so many more things to answer for this question but I think I will leave it there...
Does fashion play an important role in your daily life?
Yes definitely, every day.
Do you own any vintage pieces and if so, do you have a particular piece that stands out or that is special to you?
I own a lot of vintage pieces. I think a curated wardrobe with unique garments that you can mix and match and will last a long time, is the goal.
I couldn’t pick just one piece that is my favourite! However one that comes to mind is my 1970s dark brown, fur jacket from Italy
that I wear as soon as the temperature starts to drop, it is so well made and I always wonder what cool older Italian lady used to own it.
I can’t not mention the ‘Dior Columbus bag 2002’ that my boyfriend got me a couple years ago, its the perfect timeless staple
( Archive Magazine featuring Casa Las Paces SS2023 Campaign )
What is your favourite piece from Casa Las Paces?
I have collected a few things now but I think my favourite has to be the white Prada Spring/Summer sandals.
They are perfect for the warmer weather and I love the mint colour insole. I wore them all summer! I think I will have to get some new pieces soon ...
In conversation with Archive Magazine by Casa Las Paces
- "In conversation with" is a series introducing new and old friends of Casa Las Paces, like-minded creatives and people who inspire us. -