Social media can leave you feeling flat or give you FOMO at the best of times, and these feelings can become especially heightened whilst in self-isolation. In response to the current crisis and the closure of bricks and mortar stores internationally, many retailers and brands have really stepped up their URL game – proving that social media can be a fantastic place to get inspired, creative and connect. Instagram especially is a treasure trove for creativity right now, with more content being released on the daily.
Yesterday, JW Anderson announced the launch of JW(Q&)A. As you can probably guess from the fantastic portmanteau, it’s a new online series of video question and answer sessions with JW Anderson’s creative collaborators, friends and fans. All filmed from the safety of their homes, the series is available to watch from yours via JW Anderson’s Instagram (@jw_anderson) or on jwanderson.com. The virtual Q&As will begin with photographer Tyler Mitchell, whose lens has captured the house’s most recent campaigns. Next up will be Mx Justin Vivian Bond, the multi-talented singer-songwriter, artist, actor and author, with more fabulous creatives yet to be announced.
“Now more than ever, digital is our new common ground, a place to share and come together. Even though we are apart we have never been closer,” says Ditte Reffstrup, Ganni’s creative director. The Danish label has launched its Home is Where the Heart Is project through Instagram (@ganni), which challenges their community to get creative whilst staying in and staying safe. To be in with a chance in winning 1,500 euros and to be featured as part of their pop-up exhibition in Copenhagen in August, Ganni is asking entrants to submit 1-2 original (unpublished) images or artworks that are connected with the theme of “home is where the heart is”. In an effort to bring the IRL to the URL, Ganni has also digitized their Ganni Guide (@ganni.guide) bringing you a handpicked selection of fantastic things to do from the comfort of your own home. Plenty of hygge guaranteed.
It is the idea of creative community that is integral to Alexander McQueen collections. Hoping to start creative conversations and inspire their community, the brand has launched McQueen Creators, via Instagram (@alexandermcqueen). McQueen’s followers are invited to engage artistically with pieces from a selection of images shared on social media, with a new creative concept being released each week. A series of digital tutorials will also connect their followers with the McQueen teams and collaborators. To start the project, this week’s inspiration comes from Roses, the exhibition at Alexander McQueen’s New Bond Street open studio. Tune in to a sketch-a-long with the team to draw the AW19 finale Rose dress today. A selection of the best responses from the community will be reposted on McQueen’s social media, so why not grab your sketchbook and get arty?
Although Selfridges’ stores are currently lying dormant, its online presence is more alive than ever. Shipping fees have been waived whilst closed and the store is looking to inspire kindness and creativity by connecting with its community through specially commissioned projects and initiatives launching on selfidges.com and on Instagram (@theofficialselfridges). The Selfridges #KindnessChallenge is encouraging people to contribute to a ‘Good Deed Feed’ by sharing a daily challenge with their followers to inspire generosity and goodwill. In addition, Selfridges has also launched the Creativity is Not Cancelled series, commissioning a selection of their creative collaborators, friends and even friends of friends to respond to the word ‘together’ in their practice.
Since the series started Studio Nari created gif shareable stickers, artist Wilfrid Wood created a sculpture ‘Granny enjoying a meme’ and Max Siedentopf created an amusing short film encouraging viewers to self-isolate. James Massiah wrote and performed the poem Long Ride on Selfridges IGTV on Saturday. “I wrote the poem thinking of a way to talk about the lockdown and the virus without talking about the lockdown and the virus so that it could exist as a “good” poem outside of just this current season,” Massiah tells Ten. “So, the nostalgic references help to tie it to the past and connect with the minds of other London kids who knew what it was like to play out in the streets, run home to listen to pirate radio sets and have a praying mother, but also very much in the culture of now, so it connects with the friends and partygoers I tend to tailor my work towards.” Today Selfridges are sharing recipes from Alex Paganelli aka @deadhungry, because when life gives you lemons why not make lemon polenta cake (or the pineapple upside-down cake)?
Top image: JW Anderson SS20 photographed by Tyler Mitchell. Watch James Massiah perform ‘Long Ride’ commissioned as part of Selfridge’s ‘Creativity is Not Cancelled’ series below.
