Stella Marbles is London’s masked club queen. She is a nightlife producer, performance artist, designer and LGBTQ activist.
When she is not producing immersive club nights and queer events such as Cookie Jar, she brings her unique mask-inspired performance art to the cities’ best stages, clubs and museums. Her aesthetic mixes high fashion with otherworldly underground – during the light of day Stella creates masks and works with a network of designers and other creatives as a stylist and artistic director. Outside of nightlife, she collaborates with brands and venues to create inclusive experiences and promote LGBTQ+ talent.
As well as featuring in our newest print issue, Noctis XX, Stella recently took part in our Noctis x Garment Streak slow fashion week, reworking one item of clothing into 5 looks. These looks were shared all week on our instagram to break the taboo of being seen in the same outfit multiple times, there’s no shame in wearing the same!
We asked Stella about her thoughts on fast fashion…
Do you remember when or how you first became conscious of the connection between fast fashion and climate change?
I think the experience that really made me conscious of the link between fast fashion and climate change was at a small slow fashion festival in London I attended as a journalist a few years ago. I had been generally aware of the problems of fast fashion, such as underpaid and child workers, unsafe sweatshops, but listening to small designers at this festival talk about their struggles to keep up with these monolithic, industrialised brands and their detrimental impact on the environment really opened my eyes. The fashion industry is one of the highest contributors to climate change and CO2 emissions, so we need to take it very seriously.Â
What positive role do you think public figures and influencers could have in the fight against fast fashion and climate change generally?
Personally, I find most of my fashion inspiration on social platforms and by looking at other artists and creatives that I admire, so I think that influencers and public figures play a pivotal role in making responsible choices in what brands they support and share with their followers. The more influencers and public figures promote and raise awareness of sustainable fashion, the more people will consider alternatives to fast fashion. As consumers we have buying power, spending less money on fast fashion takes away power from these brands and encourages them to change their practices.
What has it felt like for you to be seen on Instagram wearing one item of clothing multiple times?
It has definitely made me realise the possibilities to be more versatile and creative with the clothing items that I currently own. In nightlife there can be pressure to never turn the same look more than once, and constantly bring new outfits to every event and night out. Not only is this a pressure financially but it perpetuates fast fashion. Having participated in the garment streak I’m now looking at my wardrobe, both daytime and night, and seeing new possibilities to create from what I have.Â
Besides performing in the Garment Streak, what else should we know about you or what you are doing? Any new work or projects coming up?
As nightlife is on pause at the moment, I am working on new masks and spreading my creative work into graphic design! I am selling daily face masks so that people can be safe and stylish (via my instagram) and using my platform to raise awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement and the trans rights pandemic currently happening in the UK.Â