Originally emerging in the nineteenth century as a response to the surge of interest in a Welsh sartorial identity, Welsh national dress became an indication of pride in heritage, with this same recent resurgence of interest in speaking the Welsh language delivering its own set of nuances. “When I first started at Jukebox in this current role, I read a lot of Charlotte Williams’ work,” shares Lauren, raising questions like “What does it mean to be Welsh”. These propositions bring to the forefront a question of identity, and of shared identity, acting as a gesture towards a nation filled with a rich cultural heritage that doesn’t overlook its history, but rather celebrates it.

Working closely with Jukebox Collective’s Academy programme supporting the next generation of young Welsh creative talent, Charlotte and Clémentine of Bleak Fabulous created a space for students to play with Wales as it is presented to us, exploring costume design, styling, photography, illustration, and art direction in a way that handed young people the reigns. This was a unique opportunity for the students to take charge of the narrative as it’s laid out, and rewrite it in a way that makes sense to them, resulting in an exclusive ffasiwn zine in addition to the public campaign that we now see across Cardiff and Swansea. This rendering of Welsh pride and identity is an editorially impressive and emotionally accomplished collaboration, showcasing the power of national identity as it really is; a movement of inclusivity, joy, and heartfelt connection.

This collaboration between Jukebox Collective, Bleak Fabulous, and BUILDHOLLYWOOD feels deeply intentional, rooted in heritage, identity, and creative youth development. Can you walk us through how this partnership first came together, and what made this project stand out from the start?

The partnership between Jukebox and Bleak Fabulous has been going on since 2021 – we’ve been working together with our academy students through workshops and shoots which quite organically developed into this series of images. I wanted to support the project with a strategic lens. I kept thinking about these beautiful images, the partnership, the students, and the really strong yet nuanced statement on being Welsh and making Welsh traditions feel contemporary. That’s how the partnership with BUILDHOLLYWOOD came about, we wanted to develop a campaign around St Davids Day and create moments for people to engage with the images.

Clémentine’s quality of work is just amazing and Charlotte’s creative vision is incredible – we loved the outcomes and their style of blending editorial with community work.

The project reframed traditional Welsh costume through the eyes of a new generation. Why do you think now is an important moment to challenge and reimagine cultural narratives, particularly in a Welsh context?

It’s important to be creative with traditions because we’ve only ever seen the Welsh hat worn in a very traditional way, so bringing in that fashion editorial element engages young people to care about their heritage and reimagine what those traditions mean today. We’re making it creative and adaptable so that people can add their own creative style, their own influences, their own heritage and story.

You’ve spent years at the intersection of youth, identity, and culture in Wales. What continues to drive your commitment to this space and how has your own background influenced your leadership at Jukebox Collective?

I met Liara Barussi, the artistic director of Jukebox, when I was about 12 and living in Cardiff – I used to go to Jukebox dance classes when it was just Liara doing it on her own. I think from an early age, I had just been in that world of dance and music and just surrounded by different cultures and really loved it, and it really supported me and my growth and my journey as a young person growing up in Wales. I moved to London to study at London College of Fashion and started working in Hong Kong after that in communications and PR. I continued to consult and work internationally but wanted to bring my skills back to the community that shaped me. When I came back to Wales, I started my role at Jukebox and collaborated with Liara to develop new strategies, and we’ve really grown over the last five years. I think it’s been a good partnership of skills, and we’ve focused on building a team of people that are invested in the same vision as us.

When I first started at Jukebox in this current role, I read a lot of Charlotte Williams’ work. She’s a Welsh-Guyanese writer, academic, and cultural critic whose work explores themes of race, identity, and multiculturalism in Wales, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of Welsh culture.

Do you see that reflected in Welsh culture more broadly?

Yes – the perception of the Welsh language is changing. My friend Aleighcia Scott is a music artist in Wales, and she’s just brought out the first Welsh language reggae song, I think you’ve just got to make it connect, for example, using it for a reggae song, using it to make it feel part of your own identity, rather than just something you have to learn if you live here..

Butetown and Cardiff Bay are important locations for you, both as the setting of your office and outreach, and as a space of historical resonance. How does that physical context shape the energy and storytelling behind Jukebox and the project more broadly?

Our office is in Butetown, which, if you know Wales, is quite a historic location. It’s previously known as Tiger Bay, one of the first multicultural communities in the UK. Our office is in Loudon Square, in the community centre, so that’s where all the Windrush groups will get together or there’ll be weekly domino sessions – all the Caribbean funerals will take place there etc.

We also created a film called Of Us as part of the Beyond The Bassline exhibition commissioned by the British Library in 2024. It was directed and choreographed by Liara and filmed in South Wales, and pays homage to the heritage of that same location in Tiger Bay through dance and movement. Being based in Butetown really shapes our storytelling and output in that same way – it’s a reflective, historical place of significance in Wales.

One of the most striking outcomes was the ‘ffasiwn’ zine. Why was it important for the young creatives to produce something physical, and how did the process of self-publishing empower them? 

Clémentine and Charlotte worked with their art director and graphic designer Claire Huss to design the zine, and I love their approach of keeping it very rooted in how the students would have interpreted things, and a really nice takeaway for them to keep forever. They sold really well on the pop up shop and online, so it shows that people really appreciated it. It’s something I always want to give as a gift to my non-Welsh friends to be like “look this is Wales!” – you want to show off about the project, we’re all really proud of the outcomes.

You often work behind the scenes as strategic director building platforms for others, especially young creatives. What has this project taught you about your own leadership style and your role in Wales’ cultural ecology?

It’s good to have someone on the team who always has that lens on how to level up what we’re doing and share it wider, and I like to bring that energy. I’m interested in how we are shaping contemporary Welsh culture and how we can really grow and highlight our work, because that’s what’ll create new opportunities.