Grace Pierce
Meet GFF Talent, Grace Pierce. Grace’s age-positive fashion magazine seeks to shine a light on women over the age of 60 in contemporary fashion media, where they are often ignored and neglected. Inspired by fashion photographers like Ari Seth Cohen, Bill Cunningham, Grace street cast and photographed her subjects to empower and celebrate women regardless of their age. Read more about Grace’s work and her plans for the future below.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
My time at university has taught me the importance of collaboration and the opinions of others. I was not previously aware of the sheer number of practitioners usually involved in making photoshoots, films, runways etc. happen. University has allowed me to contribute my thoughts and views on contemporary culture and society, while also taking on board the input of others. I believe that being able to successfully communicate with other practitioners is a key skill to have in the fashion industry.
What was the starting point of inspiration for your final project?
I remember my Gran once telling me that when you reach a certain age, you can often feel ignored and forgotten about by society. You could walk down the street and feel invisible. My Gran’s shocking statement sparked my interest to explore the representation of older women in contemporary society. I decided to ask around other women over 60 about their experiences and if they feel they are viewed differently in society now that they are in their mature years. All women agreed with my Gran that they often feel they are looked down upon by younger generations or even glanced at funny if they dress a bit more out there or wear a bold lipstick.
I was astonished to hear that many older women often feel judged for expressing themselves purely because of their age. From here, I decided to research the representation of 60+ women in contemporary fashion. As a fashion practitioner, I am aware of the importance of diversity in the sector and believe that continuous diversity is the way forward for permanent positive changes. I attended a diversity exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland, where I learned that less than one percent of models cast for A/W 2019 were over 50. This fact appalled me. I then got in contact with relevant industry practitioners including older fashion bloggers and models, and interviewed them about their first-hand experiences and their thoughts on diversity in the fashion industry.
Some believed that older women are being represented, but not nearly as much as they could or should be. A fascinating question arose from one of my interviews; are fashion brands featuring older women occasionally because they view diversity as a current trend? I do not know the answer to this question but have taken it upon myself through my project to encourage the use of older models consistently rather than taking advantage of them.
What form will your final project take?
My project will take the form of a contemporary fashion publication. I am highly inspired by and drawn to print that does not take the typical form of a glossy high fashion magazine, but rather more of an artistic zine. I love A3/A2 publications that are obnoxiously big and not the norm. In the first semester of my final year, I purchased a copy of i-D magazine’s annual limited edition. From then on, the magazine has been my bible. I made the decision to base my own publication on this. The copy of i-D is A3, printed on A2 paper, with spreads that can pull out as large format posters. I thought this would be a great way to include large format graphics and zine-style posters. The uncoated thin digital paper will be used to create an older newspaper feel.
I had originally considered printing my publication as an actual newspaper but decided against this. I will still achieve a newspaper feel and I think this will help my presentation to be more professional also. The contents of my magazine will include contemporary photography, styling mashups, graphics, collage and old photographs. With a personal interest in collage and image manipulation, the large format of the magazine will allow me to showcase these while still creating a zine feel. It will also allow me to create posters featuring my own photography. I will also create a short video to introduce my project and to give an overview of the content and creative processes involved in creating my publication.
How has it evolved from your initial ideas and what have you learnt along the way?
I started my project with the intentions of carrying out documentary and street photography. Having researched the likes of Ari Seth Cohen, Bill Cunningham and Joshua Woods, I was inspired by their street photography, capturing true emotions of real people in the moment. These photographers all had one thing in common however that I did not have; they shot a lot of their images in New York. This was unfortunately not something I could do. I also wanted my project to be based solely on British, specifically Scottish women. I attempted to street scout older women in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but with no such luck.
I questioned if the flamboyant women Cohen captures in his photography actually existed here in Scotland, then considered that maybe they do, but fear being judged by society and their expectations. Either way, I was not going to find exactly what I wanted. I then decided to find older women who were passionate about the topic and who wanted to help make changes. In the end, this actually turned out better than I imagine the documentary-style would have. I was able to style my models and create narratives related to my models’ memories of their childhood and youth through my styling and location choices.
My photoshoots were informal and personal and allowed for me to hear about my models’ first-hand experiences while encouraging them to embrace their identity as women over 60. Along the way, I have learned the importance of empowering those who often feel disadvantaged by things out with their control, i.e. their age. Nobody should be put down or unable to express their true selves because of societal expectations.
What are the messages and themes behind your project that you want people to take away? Do explore any topics like diversity, sustainability or politics in your work?
I believe that it is so important to continuously be diverse and ethical, so I try my best to ensure that I am in all aspects of my work. My project explores age diversity, and through primary and secondary research, I was able to find out the extent of the representation of age diversity in the fashion industry, or the lack of, and how older age is viewed in contemporary society. Using childhood memories as a basis for narratives throughout my project has allowed me to connect with older women and stem conversations about impactful and memorable experiences.
This has enabled them to chat comfortably while reflecting on their youth. I loved encouraging these women to embrace who they are now as I truly believe that you are only as old as you feel. I am also really passionate about sustainability and this has been at the forefront of all of my decisions throughout university. With this project, I ethically sourced all of my clothing for styling by borrowing from friends and family and purchasing from charity shops. I also tried to keep travel to a minimum by shooting my models in and around their homes.
What’s an aspect of the fashion industry that you’re passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
I would love to push sustainability further. I and many fellow students at my university are ethically conscious when carrying out university work and purchasing for ourselves, however, this is because of our knowledge of the negative impacts on the environment caused by aspects of the fashion industry. Fast fashion is causing more and more landfill waste and encouraging overconsumption. I personally love shopping second hand, in charity shops and online.
Finding a hidden gem is so exciting and second-hand shopping is such a unique and personal experience. It also allows for more creativity and individuality. I would love to use my experience and knowledge to encourage and teach others, who may not be aware of the effects of their actions, how to shop sustainably, reduce their waste and reuse what they have already got. I also believe that going forward, if we want to see positive changes in the world, it is very important for fast fashion and high street brands to reconsider their manufacturing methods and sources, to ensure their workers are treated ethically and fair.
What is your plan once you finish your BA?
After finishing my degree, I would love to carry out internships and work placements relevant to my experiences gained during my time at university. I would also love to continue collaborating with other creatives to further build my knowledge and skills. My interests lie mainly in graphics, typography and collage, so I would like to continue doing this in my spare time and to build my portfolio further.