Giselle, a talented artist and recent graduate, shared her insights with us into the creative journey and the inspiration behind her magazine, “Crave”. As a black, queer woman, Giselle seeks to shed light on niche issues within feminism and create a platform that authentically represents her perspective. The interview offers a glimpse into her inspirations, the creative process, and what lies ahead in the future.
Giselle describes herself as a unique blend of being weird, awkward, and confidently passionate about her work. From Brixton, South London, she recently graduated from Manchester University and has now returned home. When asked about the choice of meeting location at Telegraph Hill Park, Giselle shares her love for the park, which holds nostalgic memories from her youth and is a common gathering place for her friends.
The conversation delves into the foundations of “Crave” magazine and its underlying concept. Giselle explains her interest in politics and feminism, which she explored during her university years. Wanting to move onto a larger project that combines her love for feminism, art, photography and fashion, she drew inspiration from pop culture, including films like Black Swan, which she believes carries significant feminist undertones.
Talking about the photography and fashion within the magazine, Giselle discussed her creative process, mentioning specific influences for each fashion shoot. She recreated a Prada underwear campaign from 1999, and added a touch of fantasy by incorporating silver shorts, and used both her mother and grandmother’s underwear as well as her own to symbolise the generational experience of womanhood and the representation of her period-related emotions.
The conversation then shifted towards the importance of addressing feminist issues in the current climate. Giselle emphasised the need to focus on lesser-broadcasted issues of womanhood, particularly from the perspective of a black, queer woman. She also expresses her desire to bring awareness to issues such as an unspoken pressure for women to maintain perfection even within their private spaces.
As the conversation progressed, Giselle shared her thoughts on the creative process behind “Crave” magazine. She mentioned conducting extensive research, drawing inspiration from various sources such as books, films, and personal experiences. She highlighted the importance of trusting the process, starting with a basic idea, and allowing the project to evolve organically. She highlighted the significance of maintaining authenticity and personality into her work, even if it means embracing the occasional messiness.
The chat concluded with a glimpse into Giselle’s future projects. She revealed her plans to continue her artistic endeavours under the name “Crave” and mentioned ongoing work on a book exploring the different perspectives on sex and marriage.She would like to tackle topics such as sex work, cam-girling, and the meeting of sex and religion.
Finally, she informed us that “Crave” magazine initially sold out within two weeks but will soon be available for purchase during our launch event. Giselle invites interested individuals to follow her on Instagram for updates on the reprint and future releases. (you can access her instagram with the button below)
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