Phoebe Stephenson is a fashion communicator with interests in styling and art direction, zine layouts and photography. In all of Stephenson’s projects there is a real sense of nostalgia and personal impact, mostly with documentary work.

‘True to life” takes viewers through a narrative of the beauty of life and cherishing the little moments. Authentic living is portrayed through Stephenson’s “Neighbourhood friends” zine, “Adds character” exhibition, and “Grandma’s rules” film. Each element represents a personal connection to garment meanings and re-cycling through a documentary process. ‘True to life” stems from a Critical Research Project, titled “how can charity shops be a solution to the overconsumption of garments?”. It explores sustainability through an academically written discussion. Further research is still needed regarding more solutions, yet it is evident that charity shops allow consumers to focus on positive shopping habits instead of the usual throwaway culture. This is also seen in the three styling photoshoots featured in the “Neighbourhood friends” zine, which explore narratives of plastic pollution in our oceans and animal consumption; and all three shoots contain second hand garments.

The aims of ‘True to life” is simple, creatively displaying life in a way that resonates with viewers, and maybe even teaching them something new along the way; such as creating a community of people who care about their environment, and appreciating our time on this planet. Reading the “Neighbourhood friends” zine should be as easy as drinking a cup of tea. Hopefully the zine can act as a biscuit; something that is there to make life seem a little sweeter.