“Don’t hide what makes you special. Blow that shit up in people’s faces so they know.”
Molly Bair, The New Luxury Issue
“No one remembers the girl who sits quietly and properly with no character or soul. I want my energy to move people.”
Sasha Lane, The Big Issue
“As a society we need to concentrate more on the emotional stuff. Why is that not as important as the academic? We must learn to talk, share, and be honest about how we are feeling, because it’s only then that we will regain our power.”
Adwoa Aboah, The Female Gaze Issue
“Decline is inevitable. And the fear of death should be one of the greatest reasons to do something while we’re here.”
Rick Owens, The Game Changing Issue
“The cultural revolution is on its way. The new generation of kids have their own concepts and principles, and they’re strong because they’re so informed.”
Demna Gvasalia, The Futurewise Issue
“Any queer or gender non-conforming person reading i-D, who might feel lonely or isolated, try and seek out friends who are like you. Hop on the internet… look at the people who are talking about the same things you are talking about.”
Hari Nef, The Female Gaze Issue
“I don’t think a new picture will be made by a man in my lifetime. It’s not that men don’t make good pictures, but they’ve been making pictures for so long that I think we might have seen all the pictures they might make — until the world changes drastically.”
Collier Schorr, The Female Gaze Issue
“Women are running for president and sitting on company boards, they’re breadwinners and they’re multitasking. They don’t need twinsets anymore.”
Fran Stringer, Pringle, The Game Changing Issue
“People often want black men, and black people in general, to dim their light. I’m sorry. I can’t apologize for my blackness. This is who I am.”
Ashton Sanders, Moonlight, The Big Issue
“Luxury is having a bit of cash in your account after you’ve paid your rent.”
Maisie Cousins, The New Luxury Issue
“Politics is like sex. The more you talk about it, the less you do it.”
Clara 3000, The Futurewise Issue
“I don’t feel like I’m doing a revolution. I live in a revolution. It’s my life.”
Alessandro Michele, Gucci, The New Luxury Issue
“The underground shapes every single part of life. It gives a home to the weirdos, the awkward, the misunderstood, the outrageous, dreamers, and far-out minds.”
Beth Ditto, The New Luxury Issue
“My message is that of a young, black 23-year-old don who came from nothing and has made something of it. I stand here as a human, a son, a brother, a boyfriend, a bredrin, a donut, a grumpy, angry, miserable c*nt sometimes, and a happy, silly idiot at other times.”
Stormzy, The Game Changing Issue
“We are conditioned to pigeonhole people. People continue to tokenize in order to normalize. But I no longer want to have my baby hairs slicked down or put into cornrows.”
Palomar Elsesser, The Female Gaze Issue
“I’m tired of sympathy and pity, put yourself in someone else’s shoes and assist in change.”
Art Hoe founder Gabrielle Richardson, The Female Gaze Issue
“Revolution begins in the self and with the self.”
bell hooks, The Female Gaze Issue
“Understand the past, then design the future.”
Claire Barrow, The Female Gaze Issue
“We need to give people something that’s real, that reignites the conversation about female representation. We are all too used to seeing furiously objectifying images as standard these day.”
Harley Weir, The Female Gaze Issue
“Let’s fight, but let’s fight for each other.”
Maxine Peake, The Female Gaze Issue
“Anyone who can stand up and be 100% themselves and unapologetically bizarre, strong, outspoken, and wild, to me that’s the ultimate thing and something I completely aspire to.”
Pixie Geldof, The Female Gaze Issue
“Experience is the best education to have, it’s the most valuable kind.”
Asa Butterfield, The Game Changing Issue
“I’ve always stood for what I believe in, always. I don’t back down for anything.”
Lady Leshurr, The Futurewise Issue
“I feel too creative to be limited to just having my picture taken.”
Abbey Lee, The New Luxury Issue
“I think the only way to get more young people involved in activism and politics is by removing those words.”
Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh, The Futurewise Issue
“Luxury is often just unnecessary shit society makes you feel you need.”
Binx Walton, The New Luxury Issue
“I look at life like it’s so easy. If you want to be rich; you can be rich. If you want to make yourself famous, you can make yourself famous. You just have to put your mind to it.”
Lil Yachty, The Big Issue
“I want to be influential. I’m mad on this anti-governmental shit. Fuck feds. At the same time, I want to teach people how to govern their money. Know what’s going on in the world. It’s not about p’s, it’s about happiness.”
Novelist, The Game Changing Issue
“Everyone is called an ‘art director’ or a ‘stylist’ now. Is there anyone left to style or art-direct? Or do they sit at home and art direct and style each other?! Oh, I art directed getting out of bed this morning. I’m going to style the show I’m in. And it’s because they’ve read a book and been to Primark. Oh, do fuck off.”
Judy Blame, The Futurewise Issue
“The biggest issue facing young people? Not enough unity, too much vanity, barely any sanity.”
Londone Myers, The Futurewise Issue
“Beyoncé sends women a valuable message: you are the CEO of your own life.”
Jamia Wilson, The Female Gaze Issue
“Now is not the time to sit back and assume the tide is turning in women’s favor. We must remain vigilant. Rights, once won, can be taken away.”
Jenni Murray, Women’s Hour, The Big Issue
“There are a lot of people who say ‘you’re 15, you don’t know what you’re talking about.’ But speaking out is me trying to figure these things out for myself. I never want to be like, ‘don’t worry, I have all the answers to this,’ because I don’t.”
Rowan Blanchard, The Big Issue
“What is an empowering mode of dressing? Women should dress how they feel.”
Luella Bartley, The Female Gaze Issue
“I believe in art. Love and art are the two most pure things humans have. And you can’t always make love, but you can always make art.”
Torraine Futurum, The Female Gaze Issue
“I want to encourage people to learn from each other, speak to each other and liberate one another.”
Matthew Morgan, AFROPUNK founder, The Big Issue
“Work your ass off and enjoy the ride.”
Joan Smalls, The Female Gaze Issue
“You can study the history of boxing, who did it before you, the great commentators, but it’s not until you’re in the ring and you get punched that you figure out what it is you need to do.”
Mia Goth, The Fashion Issue
Credits
Photography Alasdair McLellan