Deep Read with Phoebe Lovatt – Details, episodes & analysis

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com

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Deep Read #30 is a conversation with Céline Semaan, a Lebanese-Canadian artist, designer, writer, and the founder of Slow Factor, the environmental and social justice non-profit.

Céline recently published her first book, A Woman is A School. Part memoir, part cultural anthropology, A Woman Is a School tells Céline’s story as a war survivor and child refugee, and creates an archive for the powerful Indigenous knowledge and wisdom of the Global South.

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@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

@theslowfactory

@celinecelines

Deep Reading Lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com

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Today's guest is renowned brand expert Ana Andjelic, author of the forthcoming book 'Hitmakers: How Brands Influence Culture'. Ana and I talked about personal branding, marketing in visual culture, and what she considers the biggest brand hits and misses of 2024.

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@andjelicaaa

@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com

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My guest today is the photographer Shaniqwa Jarvis (aka @sheekswinsalways - her long-standing Instagram handle that has an unexpected backstory, as we discussed during the podcast!)

Shaniqwa is one of those friends I’ve known for so long that I can’t quite remember when we met. Suffice to say it was a while back. Over the years, it’s been a pleasure to watch Shaniqwa gain recognition as a prolific and highly-regarded image-maker, who subjects include Cardi B, David Byrne, Erykah Badu, and former President Barack Obama in the last few years alone.

Even though we’ve known each other for so long, this conversation was the first time I’ve had the chance to properly ask Shaniqwa about her upbringing as a native New Yorker, her experiences navigating the white male-dominated photography industry as a Black woman, and her philosophy on building a creative career that goes the distance. We also talk at length about her photographic inspirations, her artistic philosophy and, of course, the books that have shaped her.

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@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

Deep Reading Lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com

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My guest today is the publicist and creative consultant, Gia Kuan. Raised between Taipei, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, and Australia, Gia is now based in New York City, where she runs the go-to PR firm for the city’s coolest and most cutting-edge fashion brands.

On a muggy New York day in October, we sat down to discuss her nomadic childhood, her early days in (and later, running!) the club, and her thoughts on PR in an era of ubiquitous personal branding, among many other things.

I hope you enjoy the conversation. 

@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

@giakuan

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com

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This episode is a conversation with Missy Flynn, co-owner and founder of beloved London restaurant, Rita’s. I’ve been eating at Rita’s since it was a pop-up in a rowdy Dalston nightclub and have dined all its iterations since – mostly recently, at its current home on Soho’s charming Lexington Street.

As fellow born-and-raised Londoners, the conversation between Missy and I inevitably turned to the city - our thoughts on its past and present, and our hopes for its future. We also spoke about what social media is doing to dining and food culture, the joys of eating out in New York, and the books Missy turns to when she’s craving food for thought, excuse the pun. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

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@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

@missyyflynn

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com

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My guest today is the creative director, Juliana Salazar. Juliana and I became internet friends a little while back and have now managed to become IRL friends who sometimes cross paths when she passes through London, as she did earlier in the year. While Juliana was in town I managed to sit down with her to have this discussion, in which we discuss the meaning of personal style, the refinement of taste in a digital era, and the highs and lows of life as a creative multi-hyphenate. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

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@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

@julianasalazar

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com

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My guest today is Ana Kirova, CEO of Feeld –" a dating app for open-minded individuals". Founded in London in 2014, the app now has hundreds of thousands of users worldwide and offers over 20 Sexuality and gender identity options – making it the go-to for anyone seeking a connection beyond the heterosexual, cis-gendered end of the dating spectrum. I had a fantastic time talking to Ana about the way that our romantic, sexual, and familial lives are rapidly evolving – as well as how broader cultural and economic shifts play into the ways we have sex and fall in love. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

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@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

@feeldco

Deep Reading lists for every episode are available at phoebe.substack.com

My guest today is the author Sheena Patel, whose debut novel I’m a Fan was published to widespread acclaim in 2022.

We had a wide-ranging conversation about her experience of writing her debut novel, her decision to spotlight the very darkest impulses of human nature, and why she hopes I'm A Fan will age badly. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

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@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

@imightbesheenapatel

Deep Reading lists for every episode are available at phoebe.substack.com

My guest today is Isabella Burley, former Editor-in-Chief of DAZED, current CMO of Acne Studios and founder of Climax - a distributor of specialist materials.

We talked about the lightbulb moment that led to Climax, her thoughts on the growing value of rare books and cultural ephemera, and how she manages multiple projects without burning out. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

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@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

@climaxbooks

Further Reading Lists are available at public-library.online

@phoebelovatt

@phoebelovattpubliclibrary

@chchchen

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My guest today is the DJ and promoter Louise Chen - who also happens to be my long-time friend! Born and raised in Luxembourg, Louise moved to Paris in her early twenties, where she co-founded the iconic club night, Girls Girls Girls. Since, then she’s built a thriving career DJing at clubs, parties, and festivals worldwide, as well as hosting a regular NTS radio show, CheNTS, from her new homebase of London. Anyone who has heard Louise DJ in a club knows she’s guaranteed to fill a dance floor in minutes, and anyone who has had a conversation with her knows she’s incredibly astute on topics from politics to fashion to her speciality genre, pop culture. My chats with Louise can and do go anywhere -and this one is just a small sampling of her range.

I hope you enjoy it!