The Chase Urban Creators are digital creatives who produce videos, photos, articles, and social media content on topics such as urban music, lifestyle, the creative community, and society. It is a diverse group of young people seeking a platform to express their passions and hone their skills.
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Establishing yourself as a fashion journalist at 23. How did you get there?
Last year I graduated with a degree in Journalism. During my studies, I joined the online magazine Enfants Terribles, where I had the opportunity to write opinion pieces, and I immediately learned a lot from that experience. Afterward, as an intern at Knack Focus, I mainly focused on more classic fashion and learned to write critically. Currently, I am still very involved in fashion and I have a part-time job at Snipes Streetwear, who have also offered me the opportunity to join their Event and Blog Team in the future.
But fashion has actually been a part of me since I was a child. I always wore hand-me-downs from my parents, but once I got a little older, I started following brands and designers in magazines. When I was five, I got a CD by Missy Elliott, so music has also always been an important part of my life.
People ask how I still find the time to go to the Charlatan. But those are exactly the moments when I get inspired.
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You're very active on social media. How important is that to you?
Next year, I’ll be taking the postgraduate program in Digital Storytelling at KASK through Chase. Since I think Facebook is on the decline, I mainly focus on Instagram and Tumblr. I only use Facebook as a calendar for events. From my own experience, I’ve noticed that Facebook is trying to keep up, but is falling behind. On top of that, it’s also harder to reach a wide audience.
With Tumblr, the most recent and biggest problem is the new policy regarding adult content. I find this difficult to deal with: it goes so far that even photos of a leg are flagged as explicit content. Quite a lot has been removed from my blog, and many friends have lost almost everything on their blogs. On Tumblr, you try to create a beautiful blog: you think about what you post and in what order. Now none of that makes sense anymore.
Young people feel more at ease on Instagram because they can do whatever they want there. There’s a lot of “fake” content, but there are also many users who can express themselves and show who they really are, since they have complete control over how their page looks.
After Instagram, a new social media platform will definitely emerge that will hopefully be just as interesting. Many of my photos on Instagram are analog. In the digital age, you can just keep taking photos if the first one doesn’t turn out right. With analog photos, the images are sometimes blurry or overexposed. Precisely because everything on Instagram is so fake, I thought: I’m going to shoot on film, and whatever ends up in the photo is what it will be.
How does being an Urban Creator for Chase fit into your career path?
For me, Chase has been a way to write about all my passions right from the start. Specific tasks include the weekly fashion “what’s new” posts, which actually take quite a bit of work to put together every week. People ask me how I still find time to go to the Charlatan, but those are exactly the moments when I get inspired.
I also regularly write list articles and opinion pieces about fashion. Right now, I’m working on one about PVC in the fashion world. Fashion and music are closely connected, and that’s how I got into the world of hip hop. For Enfants Terribles, I wrote a review of Masego and Why G. At Chase, I can now also write about Dutch-speaking artists, which is something new in Belgium.
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How do you handle negative feedback from your readers?
I actually think it’s quite nice when people feel personally attacked by articles, because that means they took the time to read them. People often underestimate what it takes to write. I recently wrote a streetwear article in which I mentioned six brands, but some people reacted by saying I had overlooked so many others.
I can’t write an article about the “124 streetwear brands.” Maybe that specific brand will be featured next month. When I write an article, I don’t have any contact with those brands; I research all the information myself. If I receive constructive criticism or fair comments, I definitely take them into account for future articles.
Which experience has left the biggest impression on you?
At Hip Hub Hooray, I got to know the entire Chase Limburg team. My assignment was to cover street style at the festival itself. That allowed me to write both a fashion article and a review. It was the perfect combination for getting to know everything and everyone.
In my first year of journalism, I never expected that by the time I graduated, I would already be writing for various media outlets and meeting people who have had a significant influence on me. So yes, I’m proud of that. For example, I got to interview The Black Eyed Peas for Chase: as a child, I would have dreamed of that, but now it seems like a small thing. Maybe one day I’ll be able to interview A$AP Rocky.
You've had quite a busy year. What are your goals for 2019?
I would like to find a permanent job in journalism; that is my clear goal for 2019. I also want to get more involved in the Dutch hip-hop scene, especially across the border. That music appeals to me more than Belgian hip-hop—everyone there is friends and collaborates with each other. Video is also one of the digital skills I want to develop further. I work with Bavo Goossens, who makes a lot of videos, and I’d really like to learn how to shoot and edit documentaries. I’d also like to get to know international brands. Through friends, I meet other people, and that’s something I especially want to keep working on in 2019: networking.
What advice do you have for young people who also want to get started as an Urban Creator?
A few tips I can offer other young digital creatives are mainly: keep at it. I think it’s important to start writing while you’re still in school, to take on volunteer internships, and to do more than just “schoolwork.” If a company asks you to do something, do it. The first time I went to Paris Fashion Week, I just went there on my own and figured everything out myself. I learned much more from Knack, Chase, and Enfants Terribles because they already have an established readership.
Young creators definitely shouldn't be afraid of anything digital. Learn how to edit, take photos, and use software. And get your driver's license. Also, don't be afraid—artists don't bite. And finally: make sure you do your research on your topics.
Interview and photos by Joke D'Hooghe.
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