For SCK’s 18 year anniversary, we’re sharing interviews with all the current SCK staff so you can find out a little more about the people behind the blog.
Gabriel joined SCK in 2021 and is our youngest team member. They often write about fashion, crafts, art, local events and the darker side of kawaii. You can read all of Gabriel’s SCK posts or find them on Instagram @feralpixiedreamgoose.
Introduce yourself!
Heya! My name is Gabriel, I’m a fashion historian and recently graduated – I want to work in sustainable fashion eventually. I love learning, so you can probably find me at an exhibition, researching something absurdly niche, or watching back to back video essays. I have a tortoiseshell cat called Kiki, after the Animal Crossing character, and my family runs a rescue so we have a lot of other animals too!
Where do you live and what’s it’s like there?
I currently live in Brighton, although I’m from Yorkshire and am planning to move again soon. I moved here for uni, but really I chose it because I love the seaside and it’s very queer here. Brighton is great for kawaii fans! There are so many trinket shops and cool fashion stores, plus regular art markets, and of course the ARTBOX Cafe. I love getting to see the street style here, and it’s easy to commute to London when there’s an exhibition I want to check out.
Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t guess from your SCK posts
Maybe that I wrote my dissertation on dress and textiles in psychiatric hospitals?
How did you become interested in kawaii culture? How did you find SCK?
Oh my goodness that was forever ago, I’m trying to remember! Weirdly, it might have been when Build a Bear Workshop did a Harajuku fashion line for their bears. I didn’t have social media or much access to the internet when I was younger, so I relied a lot more on books and magazines. I’m so glad I get to connect with other people who love kawaii culture now! Finding Super Cute Kawaii definitely helped. I’ve been reading it religiously since I was about 12! I remember pining after the Hyper Japan posts every year, I finally got to go this Summer actually. Oh! And Alpacassos! I wish they were still popular!
What cute products or characters can you never resist adding to your kawaii collection?
I’m obsessed with Sylvanian Families, so if I see a blind bag it probably isn’t going to end well for my wallet. I have a few of the gachapon size Sylvanians which are my favourite part of my collection. I’m also a big Marron Cream fan, she doesn’t have much merch so it’s difficult to resist when I do find some! That said, my favourite thing to collect is art prints. They’re not all necessarily super cute but I have a wall dedicated to the cute ones. Oh! And clothes! And maybe my tattoos?
What are your favourite crafts or creative hobbies?
I love knitting and crocheting, particularly making my own clothes. I like the creative control it gives me, and knowing that at least part of the manufacture process was ethical. I’m very into fashion, so I also spend a lot of time styling outfits and researching. Right now I’m reading a book about the social history of embroidery; history is a big creative inspiration for me. I want to try as many fibre arts as I can, I think the most niche ones so far have been nålbinding and spinning with a dealgan. I recently made a pink mesh overdress which I’ve been wearing all the time, it might be my favourite thing I’ve ever crocheted.
Pick 5 posts from your time at SCK that you’re proud of
Hmm. I always love writing about exhibitions, honestly I take notes just for me a lot of the time, so my Harajuku Haven and Miffy’s 70th Birthday exhibition reviews are definitely up there for me. I had so much fun curating my Cute Valentines Outfit Ideas post, I spend way too much time looking at clothes anyway! I’m also proud of my events round up posts, I like getting to share places for you guys to visit. I need to work on finding some cute Halloween events soon.
Who are your favourite creators to follow?
- I follow so many artists, it’s my favourite reason to have social media. @dayrisfelix paints super cute critters doing human activities, I love when art is a little bit weird. This loading cat is basically what the inside of my head looks like.
- Speaking of slightly weird art, @jeana.pdf makes ceramic Sylvanians. I plan on using one of her cookie jars for my ashes.
- Right now I’m loving @zoenobileau on Instagram. She posts short form videos about cute studies, which is a growing academic discipline. Her videos on neurodivergence are my favourite so far.
- Another more information based account is @kohleaa. She discusses the politics of cute fashion and trends like whimsy. I like that she provides nuance to topics, and doesn’t just water subjects down to their aesthetics. It is that deep!
Got any more questions for Gabriel? Ask them in the comments. Look out for Q&As from the rest of the team soon, and you can also leave a question for Founder/Editor Marceline.
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