GUAP x Reuben Selby at LFW

Follow Blur.'s Editor, Rae, to London Fashion Week, giving a rundown on her experience with GUAP Magazine at the Reuben Selby SS22 show. Written and shot by Rae on iPhone 11.

Shot by Rae.

The opportunity to join a team of creatives, alongside a magazine like GUAP, going BTS at London Fashion Week was one I never imagined would happen, but on June 12th 2021 I joined GUAP Magazine and Reuben Selby for their SS22 London Fashion week showing. As a fashion communications student studying more business-related units, I’ve dedicated the entirety of my time in higher education to seeking opportunities within the more creative high-fashion scene, as well as finding like-minded brands to develop my identity and style, both in industry and personally; and upon finding my creative outlet with film photography, this experience proved invaluable in making up for lost opportunity, with studying through the pandemic and further adversity, giving me the space to explore and develop my work in a professional scenario. This collaboration between GUAP and Reuben Selby to improve accessibility to fashion education for marginalised groups was another reason the experience resonated with me, as the high-fashion scene seems so inaccessible and difficult to break into, and traditionally exclusive in terms of expectations, leading me to consistently centre my work around intersectionality - particularly considering fashion media and accessibility being key themes of my upcoming dissertation and future aims post-study.

The day went above and beyond my expectations, and while massively overwhelming in ways, the production scale, fashion featured and stunning models were well worth the wait in losing my Fashion Week virginity. Differing from my perception of industry, the models were massively diverse, seeing people of colour normalised on the runway, and getting to know both plus-size and non-binary models at the event - which may be more of a testament to Reuben Selby personally, rather than a universal standard. Spending the day doing what I love, in an environment I love, only affirmed my love for the industry. Beyond my previous admiration for them, I felt that this collaboration experience has given me a newfound respect for both GUAP and Reuben Selby - opening doors for young creatives already facing barriers to industry, and for being so future-forward in their approach and generous in the opportunities given - I couldn't be more grateful to be a part of it.

To GUAP, Reuben Selby and every other organiser and individual responsible for making this happen, or taking the time to interact and build relationships with me throughout the event, I can’t thank you enough. I can only hope that one day I will take this memorable experience, alongside my fashion knowledge and equality commitments, into a creative direction position for high-fashion media or further creative fashion communications role, and i’m beyond thankful to say that this experience only brought me one step closer to that.