Nicola Harrowell is an accomplished hairstylist for whom curly hair is a passion. Nicola works as a freelance hairstylist and has worked on projects across film, editorial and runway.

Meet Nicola Harrowell

Who would you love to get camera-ready?

I don’t usually dream of working with specific celebrities because you don't know if you’ll gel well with someone until you actually work with them.

I do love the people I have worked with already: Lashana Lynch, Nicôle Lecky, Iman Perez, Jessica Plummer, Indya Moore, Lauren Ridloff, Olive Grey, Toheeb Jimoh and Alexandra Shipp to name a few. I’d love to work with them all again in the future!

I also met icon Kate Moss (of course, she is fabulous), whilst I was assisting Anthony Turner. I would move heaven and earth to accommodate it if I was ever given the chance to work with her again.

But regardless of who I'm working with, I just like to have tons of hair to play with and manipulate. I'm also quite obsessed with red/ginger hair!

Oh! I'm a big fan of Sir David Attenborough too!

What do you love about your job?

I genuinely love going to work! I brainstorm a lot before I get to a shoot in order to get my mind working and thinking outside the box.

What excites me is the energy on set, the hair itself and then whether or not I can go crazy with it!

What do you hope to achieve with your work?

I’d LOVE some more Vogue covers! But really, I want my work to make a mark in showcasing people as the best versions of themselves. I love not suppressing people's natural texture and colour—I like enhancements rather than coverups.

Hair is very political to me because of its historic relationship with racism.

I recommend that everyone reads 'Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture by Emma Dabiri'. It's not just a book about hair—it’s extremely educational on what hair means to people and the injustices people continue to face due to the follicles they were born with.

We asked Nicola to share the creative vision on her bucket list, the editorial concept that she hopes to one ay bring to life...

Big hair, don't care

One of my dream concepts is based on the Goddess, Lady Godiva.

I would love to have a person on a horse with a huge amount of hair (real and added extensions) cascading down their body. I’d love it to be shot on a cobbled street with people fully clothed in formal wear in the background.

I have always been obsessed. I made my logo based on me and Lady Godiva!

Who wants to give me the budget?

If you want to fund Nicola's Godiva tribute shoot, or simply find more of her work, check out her Instagram.

Rasa Balciunaite is a Lithuania-born, Birmingham-based fashion stylist. Her work can be found on the pages of pop-culture magazines like Flanelle and PhotoVogue.

Meet Rasa Balciunaite

If you could style one iconic fashion piece, what are you choosing?

It's impossible to pick just one item! Definitely something from Gianni Versace's 90s collections, such as the Bondage dress or the Sea Shell dress. Absolutely iconic!

I do also love Mugler and the current direction they're taking. I would happily style the majority of their current pieces, as well as the unforgettable work of Thierry Mugler in the 90s.

What designers would you love to work with?

I would love to collaborate with Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Pansczczyk, the designers behind AREA. Their work is incredibly inspiring and represents my aesthetic. I love how they combine glam and street style with a twist of playfulness and pop.

Another brand would be Gucci, of course. I love how Alessandro Michelle combines unexpected pieces together. He creates a sort of a messy, yet cohesive look. It's an art.

What celebrity would you love to work with?

If I had a chance, Rihanna. To be honest, I think I would learn more from her! She's my fashion icon and I think together we would create some true statement looks for her. I love how she's taking risks and mixing styles, yet still keeping her own flair. I think she'd be a dream to work with!

How do you want to be remembered within the industry?

I want to be remembered as an image architect, like Law Roach. I'd like to be recognised as a trendsetter with a true passion. I pride myself on elevating people's styles and defining their aesthetics. I hope that is remembered.

We asked Rasa to share her 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that she hopes to one day bring to life...

Secret Shore

I'm planning a concept shot by the beach—it's a location that I haven't shot at before but would absolutely love to. There's just something wonderful about being by the sea, especially when the weather is right and the golden hour is present. I can't give out too many details on this idea, so just a teaser...seductive, mysterious, glamorous, one-with-nature, free.

As for the rest, well, you'll have to wait and see!

See more of Rasa's work on her Instagram or her website.

Claire Cook is a multi-disciplinary creative working across graphic design, photography, styling and creative direction. Claire runs her own styling & creative management studio, fittingly named Claire Cook Studio.

Meet Claire Cook

Do you have a favourite designer?

Phoebe Philo. I love her simplicity of style and her ability to distil complex design problems into simple, elegant and almost invisible solutions. Any of her old Celine pieces would be a dream to style.

What celebs would you love to style?

Zoe Kravitz and Alexa Chung—if only to have access to their insane personal closets! Also, Johnny Depp because his ring collection is iconic. I've recently watched 'Why didn't they ask Evans' and so I have to say Lucy Boynton too. I'm hooked on her personality and general charm.

How do you want your work to be remembered?

I'd love to be known for a unique, timeless (in the sense that it endures) aesthetic that feels human and genuine. I am inspired by so many different mediums (poetry, ceramics, books, art, online platforms like blogs, Pinterest and Instagram, food & drinks, etc.)

I hope that variety comes across in my work and feels holistic in that inspires your mind, body and soul.

We asked Claire to share her 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that she hopes to one day bring to life...

Modern Art

Walking through the Louvre is so invigorating and inspiring yet, at the same time, it feels so calm. It is the universal symbol of elegance and art history, located in the most romantic city in the world (IMHO).

I'd love to do a shoot recreating classic oil paintings with modern clothes/design with a real warm, nuanced feel to each shot. Think: Art-lexa Chung.

Find more of Claire's work on her Instagram or check out her website.

When you think of an iconic logo, what comes to mind? The striking yellow of the ubiquitous golden arches? The almost audible swoosh of the Nike tick? Or maybe the crisp curve of a half-bitten apple?

We live in an age of logo-mania: mascots, monograms and mottos. But do we know the story behind any of these infamous designs? We've retraced the history of famous logos to find out how exactly they came to be...

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Nike Wings

Designed by: Peter Moore

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Legendary designer Peter Moore could have multiple entries on this list, but we settled upon his first claim to fame. True sneakerheads know that prior to the 'Jumpman' logo, which is synonymous with Air Jordan's today (also oft-credited to Peter Moore), there was 'Wings'.

As legend has it, Peter Moore watched a child be gifted a captain wings badge by a flight attendant as he boarded a flight. He then asked for his own badge, scribbled out the wings on the back of a napkin, added a basketball and voila!

The logo was more than just an image. It fed into the air-borne narrative that Nike masterfully cultivated: with a pair of Air Jordan's you can 'take flight' just like Michael.

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Ferrari shield

Designed by: Francesco Baracca & Enzo Ferrari

The Ferrari shield was born from a chance collision between Enzo Ferrari and fellow speed-demon Francesco Baracca—or rather, his parents.

Francesco Baracca was a Major and pilot who tragically lost his life in the First World War. On the bodywork of his fighter, Baracca had painted a black prancing horse with its tail downwards—a symbol of courage. Following one of his victories, Ferrari met Mr and Mrs Baracca who told him of their late son's personal emblem. The pair suggested that if Ferrari were to paint his vehicle with the same, it would bring him good luck. Enzo Ferrari took their advice. The infamous Ferrari shield made its debut mounted on the Ferrari 125 S in 1947, now with an upward turned tail and emblazoned on top of a bright yellow background in honour of Modena, Ferrari's birth town.

Today the prancing horse is a symbol of excellence in engineering, luxury and class—so long as it's not going too fast for you to see!

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Paul Smith Stripe

Designed by: Paul Smith

The tale of the Paul Smith stripe begins, as these stories so often do, with a happy accident. In the 1970s, working out of his first shop in Nottingham, Paul Smith began experimenting with different coloured threads using hand-held windings. The resulting colourful pattern is what we know today as Paul Smith's signature stripe.

Today the stripe is often reserved as a certification for premium fabrics. However, it is also an embodiment of playful innovation used to revive classic pieces with a cheeky bit of character. The classic 40-coloured stripe has been adapted into different tonal palettes and forms over the years, perhaps most notably emblazoned on a Zebra! The classic motif has stood the test of time and acts as an instant identification of Paul Smith tailoring.

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Recycling logo

Designed by: Gary Anderson

22nd April 1970 marked the first Earth Day in the US. In celebration, students from around the country were encouraged to enter a competition to produce a symbol for future use on products made from recycled paper. Gary Anderson, a 23-year-old urban design student, submitted to the competition. His entry, which apparently took no longer than a day or two to design, comprised 3 arrows folded to command a triangular shape that loops continuously. Needless to say, he won!

Anderson received around $2000 for his efforts and his design was gifted to the public domain. Anderson went on to make great contributions to urban design and planning. The symbol is likened in recognisability to that of giants like McDonald's and Coca Cola, but its impact runs far deeper. The simplistic design played a big role in bringing the concept of recycling into the public eye and continues to educate people on how best to responsibly dispose of their waste.

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I love NY

Designed by: Milton Glaser

In 1977, graphic designer Milton Glaser was tasked with a rather unusual commission: to brand a city. New York City was suffering from an economic lull and it was decided an effort to draw in tourism was needed. The story goes that Glaser sketched the design on an envelope in the back of a taxi.

Ironically, Glaser thought his design would be a fleeting campaign, "gone in a few months". How wrong he was.. These days you can't walk past a tourist shop without seeing an adaptation of the iconic logo. Though its prevalence baffles Glaser to this day, he describes its enduring place in pop culture as "a great pleasure". Disappointingly, Glaser never directly profited from its unanticipated success. However, his work was acknowledged with multiple awards. Notably, Glaser was the first graphic designer to ever receive the National Medal of the Arts award.

Taline Guzelian is a virtual stylist based in Boston, MA. Virtual working means Taline is able to 'source' pieces from any price range, any era and any location—an infinite wardrobe!

Meet Taline Guzelian

What iconic collection would you love to style?

As a virtual stylist, I am fortunate that I can style any item as long as I have a good image of it. I always love mixing iconic vintage pieces with today’s modern pieces.

What designers are you loving right now?

I love Giorgia Tordini & Gilda Ambrosio from The Attico, Christine Centenera of Wardrobe.NYC, Nensi Dojaka and Amina Muaddi. They are all incredibly talented and it would be such an honour to work with any of them.

Who would you love to style?

Hailey Bieber has always been a style icon to me. Her style is so effortless, cool, chic and street. I think we have similar styles, so it would be a dream to style her.

We asked Taline to share their 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that she hopes to one day bring to life...

An ode to Armenia

A dream of mine is to shoot an editorial look in Armenia! I love my Armenian heritage, it’s the biggest aspect of my life and I am so proud and grateful for that. It would truly be a dream to merge my love for my culture with my love for styling whilst being able to showcase it on a major publication or platform.

Armenia as a country has gone through so much tragedy, whether it be the Armenian Genocide in 1915, the earthquake in 1988 or the recent war in 2020 and yet many people don’t even know that the country exists. If this dream became reality, I would hopefully introduce the beauty of Armenia to so many who are unfamiliar.

I would dress an Armenian model in traditional Armenian jewellery paired with modern, chic garments, hopefully from an emerging Armenian designer. I would keep the makeup natural with a long sleek ponytail braid. As for location, there are so many places in Armenia that would be a stunning backdrop for a shoot. There are 3 places that I have in mind:

• Sevanavank—two ancient churches founded in 874 on a hill next to Lake Sevan.
• Noravank—founded in 1105, located 2 hours outside of the city in the mountains.
• In the city of Yerevan.

But the root of the concept is much deeper than the images themselves. There are so many talented Armenians who have very successful careers in the fashion/editorial industry. I want my team of models, hair, make-up, photography and styling team to be all of Armenian descent. This is important to me because in 1915, the Armenian land, people and culture could have been erased. This concept honours the struggle and the fight our ancestors had to go through for us to succeed as a people.

I think the idea derived from the Vogue Russia, October 2015 issue. There was a Stella Maxwell spread shot in Armenia. At the time I thought it was so cool that a top tier model would go to Armenia. I didn’t get into styling until 2019 but the more I began to love the styling world, the more I realised that styling a photoshoot in Armenia with an all-Armenian team would be an amazing way to give back to our ancestors, culture and the future of Armenia.

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Find style inspiration on Taline's Instagram or check out her website.

Brenda Tham is a London based fashion stylist. specialising in styling for editorial, commercial, runway, video and social media.

Brenda uses clothing as a medium of storytelling. Her work often feels futuristic but remains distinctly emblematic of her Chinese heritage.

Meet Brenda Tham

What iconic collection would you love to style?

Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 1998 collection.

Whose work are you loving at the moment?

Guo Pei. I'd love to collaborate with her. I think her work is absolutely stunning and it screams royalty and elegance.

A name we should know?

A model named Tin Gao. Her features are extremely unique and I find her beautiful.

How do you hope your work will be remembered?

I want my work to be remembered for my Asian aesthetic. I truly love my culture (I'm Chinese) and its traditions. I definitely want to showcase it in my work.

We asked Brenda to share her 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that she hopes to one day bring to life...

Age of the Cyborg

I'm envisioning a futuristic dystopian cyborg world! The model will have cyborg body parts and be suspended in the air by wires/tubes, within the Large Hadron Collider.

There's been so many campaigns and shoots in the fashion industry championing sustainability and going green for the future, and that's a really good thing, but I want to see it from a different point of view. I want to create something a bit more drastic.

This concept is essentially about how, with such relentless technological advancements, we're fast approaching a dystopian future where humans will want to switch out organic body parts with stronger, faster and better robot counterparts.

Find an archive of Brenda's work on her Instagram or check out her website.

Aimee Twist is a make-up artist born and bred in London. Having worked with of-the-moment brands like Lexxola and Jaded, Aimee is at the forefront of ever-evolving modern-day beauty trends.

Meet Aimee Twist

Whose 'glam team' would you love to be a part of?

I would love to do Anya Taylor-Joy's makeup. Not only is she one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, but she also looks great in all kinds of looks and I think you could really push the boundaries with her.

Name a timeless beauty icon...

I am a huge Pamela Anderson fan and have always been inspired by her mix of classic beauty and a bit of Rock 'n' Roll. I try to emulate this in my own work. I like to add a little bit of edge to whatever I do.

How do you want your work to be remembered?

I want my work to be remembered for being fun and inclusive. I am a firm believer that makeup is there to express yourself, in whatever way you see fit.

I love to challenge beauty standards and play with shapes and colours, but really I see makeup as an escape. I am not here to challenge people's beliefs or take a political approach, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I just want my work to be remembered for fun and inclusion of everyone.

We asked Aimee to share her 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that she hopes to one day bring to life...

Dollhouse

Think: Plastic perfect.

In this shoot, all the models would be dressed as very 90s versions of Barbie and Ken and I'd use makeup to create a 'plastic-looking' effect. Big hair, big makeup and excess in all forms.

I would want this shot in a purpose-built real-life 'Barbie Dream House' with colourful walls and plastic furnishings, even a mechanical elevator! Essentially, it would be complete with all the things we remember from our dolls' houses growing up.

The idea derives from my love for icons of the past. I love anything glamorous and, what appears to be, perfect. If we look at the icons through time, like Marilyn Monroe for example, they often have imperfect or tragic lives. The idea of the dollhouse is that it appears to be perfect from the outside but never truly is. It’s also a nod to the current state of beauty standards. We are prone to over-editing our lives (social media, plastic surgery etc.) but I want to make people question whether any of that will ever make us truly happy...

See more of Aimee's work on her Instagram, or her website.

Anh Dinh is a Berlin-based fashion stylist. Anh works with artists and commercial productions, using clothing as a way to communicate their image and goals.

Meet Anh Dinh

Which designer would you love to collaborate with?

Sydney Nwakanma from the Berlin-based brand, Emeka Suits. I truly admire what he does.

Emeka produces one-of-a-kind suits from fabric that he finds in markets in Africa. He travels regularly to find the right materials and has found opportunities to work with members of the community on his travels. I have styled his designs on several of my artists before but I would love to take it further with maybe a custom collaboration if the opportunity arises.

Who would you love to style?

My favourite thing about styling personalities is getting to collaborate with them creatively on the most intimate of topics: what they wear.

Clothes say so much about a person, so it is really important to get to know and understand my artist in order to have them look dashing and fashionable but still 100% like themselves.

So, therefore, everyone I dream of styling is someone whose personality I admire: Selena Gomez, Zendaya, Emma Watson, Anna Kendrick and Jessica Alba to name a few.

What collection will you never forget?

This goes out of my usual, but there is one collection that has stayed in my mind all these years—Chanel SS 2012. My personal epic fashion memory. Thinking of it now, I think my bucket list concept is definitely inspired by that show. Only my dream would be in pink, rather than white.

How do you want your work to be remembered?

Oh, this is so difficult to answer! I am Gemini—I am interested in so many things!

One of the biggest compliments is people telling me they recognise my signature on a styling—clean and harmonious but still fresh and bold.

But beyond my work in styling, I use my platform to advocate for social justice across racism and mental health. I actually started a streetwear company with my business partner, Nida Temaj, called Frank Berlin—our mission is to raise awareness surrounding mental health. I hope that I can be remembered for inspiring others to speak up and not feel alone in whatever they are going through.

We asked Anh to share her 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that she hopes to one day bring to life...

Think pink

Cool but cute but cool.

I dream of a shoot where set design and styling come together in a perfect candy land harmony.

They would build a dreamy wonderland according to a pink colour concept to which I will bring the perfect matching outfits. I am really into pink. Sometimes I have a hard time working so much with male rap artists! I got one of them into a pink latex blazer suit recently and he loved it—he even said he would consider wearing pink more often now. All my dreams came true!

Anyhow, for the concept I would definitely keep the styling rather cool and clean instead of tapping into the cute area too much. Maybe we make it a video instead of photos. I prefer to style moving visuals, hence my focus on music videos and commercial styling.

Follow Anh's signature style and fight for social justice on her Instagram or check out her website.

Odds are you didn't set out on your own as a creative to spend your time calculating sales tax, drafting invoices and monitoring business expenses. But, like it or not, balancing the books is integral to the success of your business. Unless you work with a specialised accountant for creatives, it can be hard to find reputable information on accounting for creatives, and even harder to find the right tools. Luckily we've rounded up the best accounting software for creatives to give you a helping hand. These cost-effective alternatives to Quickbooks and Xero are designed to provide ease of use and plenty of support because, let's face it, accounting for creatives can be confusing!

So, whether you're weighing up Honeybook vs. QuickBooks, searching for the best accounting software for interior designers, or simply trying to understand the art of bookkeeping for creatives, these accounting software tools will answer all your questions. Accounting for creatives shouldn't distract from your creative work. In fact, these tools are designed so you can spend less time accounting and more time doing what you do best, creating.

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5 accounting tools for creative entrepreneurs

Fincent

Fincent's refreshingly simple interface lets even the most 'financially illiterate' creatives understand where their business stands. Fincent makes it easy to communicate with your bookkeeper because, after all, "You were meant to create. Not do books." Who knew bookkeeping for creatives could be so chic?

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In-app comments allow for direct and clear commentary about your expenses, meaning you and your bookkeeper are always on the same page.

Pricing

$$$

Fincent offers all new users a 14-day free trial period. After that, your monthly bill will depend on whether you deem your business to be starting ($69), growing ($159) or thriving ($269).

Suits you if...

You want the insight, without the stress. Fincent acts as a full-service accountant for creatives, but still lets you stay in control.

Try Fincent.

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Zoho Books

Accounting for creatives made simple. Automated, effortless and easily scalable, Zoho is a comprehensive expense management tool available as a mobile app so you can manage your money wherever you are.

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Zoho have managed to 'streamline corporate travel', making it easy to track mileage, request and approve travel, organise itineraries and keep a tab on the expenses of it all!

Pricing

$

Zoho operates a pay-per-user pricing plan across four membership tiers. But for any company with fewer than three employees, this one is completely free—a win for the solopreneurs!

Suits you if...

You're constantly on the go! Zoho's tailored travel expense features make managing travel a breeze.

Try Zoho.

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Honeybook

A favourite accounting software for interior designers, Honeybook offers secure payments, digital contract signing and sleek templates for invoicing, contracts, and payments. With Honeybook, accounting for creatives has never been so sweet!

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Honeybooks is available as a mobile app—allowing you to keep in touch with clients wherever you go.

Pricing

$$

Following a 7-day free trial, HoneyBooks is available for $39 p/m or $390 p/a. But, attention bargain hunters: head over to Honeybooks' website to take advantage of their $1 a month for 6 months offer.

Suits you if...

You like having everything all in one place, even though you never are!

Try Honeybook.‍‍‍

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Wave

Wave offers a comprehensive suite of products to help you efficiently manage your business's finances, covering accounting, invoicing and payments. Wave truly understands the complexities of accounting for creatives and delivers accordingly.

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Wave allows businesses to accept payments online*, so you can get invoices paid even faster. *You are charged for said online payments, but at a reasonable rate.

Pricing

$

Wave offers their tools in invoicing and accounting for creatives completely free, yes really!

Suits you if...

You're ready to wave goodbye to unnecessary stress—simplistic and reliable, Wave almost makes accounting pleasant!

Try Wave.

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Dubsado

Quick, simple, and accessible. Create an invoice, get paid—accounting for creatives has never been so easy. Oh, and Dubsado's automatic late payment follow-ups save you from those cringe-inducing client chase-ups!

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Dubsado is one of the best accounting software for interior designers, or other creatives who offer ongoing services with long-term clients. Dubsado sends recurring invoices and offers automatic payment plans.

Pricing

$$

An annual payment of $200 for starters, or $400 if you want all the bells and whistles (automated workflows, public proposals, and multi-lead captures.)

Suits you if...

You foster ongoing relationships with your clients, some of whom may be prone to a late payment or two...

Try Dubsado.

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Salina Thind is a London based make-up artist and hairstylist responsible for royal up-dos (Duchess of York, Princess Beatrice) and glam editorials (Vogue India, Conde Nast Brides).

Who would you love to get 'camera ready'?

I'd love to work with one of the 'original supermodels', like Cindy Crawford perhaps. I'd love to hear all her stories and find out what the industry was like back then.

What makeup look will you always remember?

This probably isn't as cool as it should be... As a teenager, I was obsessed with the Guess advertising campaigns. The make-up was always glam Sophia Loren vibes—now I'd love to put my own spin on them!

How do you want to be remembered within the industry?

I want to be remembered for enhancing natural beauty, rather than masking a face. I hope to be synonymous with timeless beauty and beautiful, clear skin.

We asked Salina to share her 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that she hopes to one day bring to life...

Beauty Beyond Bollywood

I spent a few months based in Mumbai in 2015/2016, during which time I got to work with a real mix of people. On one shoot, I worked with a model from Nagaland—a state in Northeast India. Meeting her made me reflect on how we are usually only sold a very one-dimensional view of the Indian aesthetic. But in reality, India is home to such a range of skin tones, features etc.—it is so much more than just Bollywood! I'd love to shoot a story where the models reflect all of India's different regions and communities and the diversity of beauty within them.

I would shoot all over India. With such a vast array of landscapes and backdrops at my disposal, the possibilities would be endless: beaches, mountains, palaces, crazy cityscapes...

Follow Salina's work and commitment to diversifying the beauty industry on her Instagram or check out her website.

Sylvester Yiu is a fashion stylist, creative director and consultant. Working between London and LA, Sylvester's knack for evocative storytelling has earned him work with clients such as i-D magazine and Louis Vuitton.

Meet Sylvester Yiu

In what unusual places do you find inspiration?

I am very inspired by music and theatre. I travel regularly between London and LA and they both have very different music scenes, but that's the beauty of music. One second I feel like classical and the next I feel like K-pop—representing these ideas in a visual (styling) way is always interesting to me.

You can work with one designer and one of their collections, who are you picking?

Marc Jacobs, hands down. I would love to style his Louis Vuitton SS2008 collection. It is my absolute favourite collection to date. It was the first time I visually saw how 'art' and 'fashion' can truly work together—from the artist's mind to the designer's approach to clothing, colour, silhouettes, etc.

Who is your dream client?

If I could style one person, I’d pick Pennywise. He’s fascinating because, out of everything he found on earth, he decided to be a clown!

How do you want your work to be remembered?

Of course, whatever I do in the present is driven by what is currently in fashion but I hope I can look back at my work after a few years (which I actually do) and still think it works!

We asked Sylvester to share his 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that he hopes to one day bring to life...

Namesake

One day I walked past 'Sylvester Street' in London and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be cool to have a full editorial of models being shot at their namesake streets/roads?' This could take place all over the world! Foreign names, on foreign streets in foreign languages—it would be a long process to cast and organise locations etc. but how cool would that be!?

Dictionary definition of this concept: one that is excessively self-absorbed.

In 2020, a group of internet friends launched an event on X, formerly known as Twitter, as an attempt to unite and inspire their online community through the difficulties of the pandemic. Armed with just a “very active WhatsApp chat" and a simple aim of “democratising the fashion industry” they created the High Fashion Twitter Met Gala (HFTMG)—an inclusive digital alternative to one of the biggest events in the fashion calendar.

The event quickly gathered international participation and ignited a flurry of global press, who were keen to find out why exactly the fashion industry was falling so short in progressiveness and inclusion when a Twitter community had seemingly solved the problem from their bedrooms. Now, two years on, we speak to the creators of the event to understand how an event born out of a community is now nurturing a new frontier of fashion enthusiasts holding the industry to account.

Re-imagining the Met Gala

The success of the High Fashion Twitter Met Gala is a phenomenon grounded in community. In every industry the pandemic made people re-evaluate the importance of community and their place within it. For the High Fashion Twitter (hftwt) community, it allowed them to reimagine what they each could contribute to the fashion industry as a whole if they focused their attention on spotlighting themselves rather than already celebrated ‘names’ in the industry. The HFTMG was a manifestation of the perspective shift rippling through the community at the time.

The entirely digital event runs as a companion to fashion’s most famed night by the same name—inviting participants to join in the fun of the Met Gala by expressing their interpretation of the prescribed theme in a variety of accessible virtual mediums. The organisers wanted to empower the hftwt community and celebrate the voices within it that make up the new generation of fashion. But above all the idea to host a virtual Met Gala was really "just for fun” in an attempt to ease the community's mid-lockdown blues. The founding members leveraged their existing presence in the community—high followings and a reputation for being vocal in industry discussions—to draw attention to their newly curated event. But they were still overwhelmed by the interest the event garnered from all corners of the hftwt community. There are very distinct subcultures within the overarching HF community on Twitter, from anti-fashion to archivists and deconstructionists. But the HFTMG acts as a uniting moment for all the HF Twitter factions, allowing members of the community, especially those unfamiliar with one another, to establish connections by crossing the chasm. The result embodies everything the organisers love about the event, "It's so interesting to see all these different perspectives and interests collide."

Utilising their platform

Of course, the novelty of the first HFTMG in 2020 and the huge influx of attention from pop-culture magazines like Dazed and i-D were very exciting for all involved. But the team endeavoured to find ways to preserve their enthusiasm for the event beyond public praise and celebrity status. So, in the absence of the 2021 Met Gala the following year, the organisers "took creative liberty" and decided to design their own theme driven by the industry change they wanted to see reflected in the event. And, building on that momentum, this year's HFTMG themed 'In the Americas' was the "most politically driven yet". Whilst the IRL Met Gala red carpet was awash with gilded glamour, fashion creatives attending the HFTMG set about reclaiming the definition of 'American'. The organisers explain, "We're challenging The Met's use of America as an isolating term—it excludes the whole Pan-American continent and just focuses on the United States. America is a continent, not a country."

In the last 3 decades, the Met Gala has gradually evolved from a humble charitable event to a celebrity extravaganza. This year, perhaps more than ever, the event has come under scrutiny for flaunting lavish exclusivity whilst the general population are crumbling under rising costs of living. But hftwt's DIY alternative is challenging that narrative with a focus on accessibility and inclusivity—giving creatives a chance to proudly embrace and explore their diverse heritage as part of the 'American' lexicon. One approach to inclusivity is the 'Brand Challenge'. Participants signed up to the challenge are randomly assigned a brand (this year that list included Phillip Lim and Tom Ford) and must create an outfit made purely from their designs. "Our brand challenges are designed to uplift designers and creatives that are overlooked by the main event. We want to spotlight all the designers who are just as qualified but don't get the same screen time."

This approach is grounded in education, the antithesis of the frivolous celeb culture we now see paraded at the Met Gala. It seeks to challenge a community of fashion enthusiasts to dig deeper, understand the historical and modern significance of dress (pertaining to the theme) and celebrate those previously overshadowed in the industry. Though the Brand Challenge is designed to push the community to try new things, the other participation categories were derived from an analysis of the community's existing behaviour. The organisers saw first-hand that the community were already using moodboards and illustration to express themselves creatively and so they just had to find a way to direct these expressions into a common agenda, i.e., their virtual Met Gala. This resulted in the formation of four categories for HFTMG attendees to participate in:

• The aforementioned 'Brand Challenge'
• Photoset Creation. Creating a mood board that encapsulates your interpretation of the yearly theme.
• Wardrobe Styling. Creating an outfit that encapsulates this year's theme, using items already found in your wardrobe—no shopping allowed! A focus on sustainability and creative re-working.
• Illustration Expression. Designing or sketching your own look, or sketching the existing work of another designer.

Inclusivity is key across all categories. The digital nature of the event allows people to participate without incurring the costs of buying garments, fabrics or even tickets ($35,000 to be precise). It also alleviates waste production, the unsustainable by-product often associated with one-time fashion splurges.

Mobilising the community

Despite the continued success of the HFTMG, challenging the status quo of the industry cannot be done with just one annual event. Therefore, the team have been looking at ways to harvest the talent and passion of their community year-round. Furthering community engagement is also done in the hopes of preserving the future of the event. As much as the organisers wish they could be involved forever, they are aware that ultimately their careers will take priority. And so, in the interest of preservation, the team are attempting to find ways to pass this tradition forward—in the hopes that it will continue to foster a sense of togetherness within the community for years to come.

Part of that strategy was an open invitation to their community, to brainstorm and write collaborative threads for the event's official Twitter page. The result was a bank of informed, passionate content that aligned with their commitment to amplifying a diverse range of voices. Of course, given this year's theme, the narrative centred around dispelling misrepresentations of Latin America in mainstream media and highlighting influential names in fashion across the entirety of the Americas. Centring the hftwt community's discourse on critical commentary surrounding fashion and culture is a calculated approach. The organisers are aware that Twitter is often overlooked by industry insiders in favour of Instagram, but they still believe Twitter is the platform best suited for their mission because, "unlike Instagram or TikTok which put imagery before commentary, Twitter values both." This means fashion enthusiasts who are disillusioned with the superficiality of Instagram and unable to thrive in its visually-biased environment may find that Twitter’s conversation-centric infrastructure suits their needs better—allowing an opportunity for thoughtful, insightful learning uninhibited by aesthetic appeal.

Another advantage to Twitter is that it lends itself to anonymity. Many of the hftwt community run their accounts anonymously and the organisers endeavour to respect this privacy and ensure it never becomes a limiting factor to participation. The team are operating on the theory that ‘if you build it, they will come’—by pioneering these conversations themselves they hope to attract more like-minded individuals to the community and slowly facilitate the establishment of High Fashion Twitter as a reputable and respected place for industry discourse.

What happens next?

After more than 300 #HFMetGala2022 tweets and 400 famous faces on the IRL red carpet, 'fashion's biggest night' is wrapped up for another year. But the work for the organisers does not stop here. The team will now return to working on a reflection of the Met Gala 2021, to be published as an openly available e-book titled 'Faces in the Mirror'. Their previous e-book, a summary of learnings from the first High Fashion Met Gala in 2020, titled 'Temporal conflation', can be found here. The educational e-book is just another example of the team's commitment to empowering the community that birthed the event. For all of the team, their 'seat on the board' has never been motivated by a desire for self-promotion and this selfless attitude is undoubtedly key to the event's longevity. The team simply see themselves as a launchpad for the community's success, they are providing the wheel with which the community can steer.

From our talk, it was clear that the future of the High Fashion Twitter Met Gala is dependent on the community's commitment to its upkeep. Will that be in the form of a new wave of committee personnel? It's hard to say. But even in the absence of a coordinating team, the tradition itself will remain. That is not to discredit the work of the committee thus far; their hard work, eloquence and foresight have been instrumental in the HFTMG's success. The work done to empower and educate the high fashion community will have long-lasting implications and we imagine that on the first Monday of each May, the High Fashion Twitter community will, of their own accord, offer up an innovative, thoughtful, thematically comprehensive (no shade to the real Met Gala...) display of talent. And what a beautiful legacy that is. The High Fashion Twitter Met Gala serves as a reassuring reminder that grassroots initiatives and passionate creative communities will always be there to hold the fashion industry to account—although we live in the hope that one day, they'll no longer have to.