Introducing the new feminist website that seeks to rebel against the mainstream and celebrate the diverse and different in the creative industry. Snatch is founded by Maisey Brown, Natalie Blain, Whitney Harrison and Amrit Chana. Below, we chat with the team and get the 411 on their mission…
Hi team Snatch! Tell us about your project’s aim?
Mais: Snatch is an online feminist zine for those who choose to be out-casted from the mainstream. It was created in 2017 with my university friends and was voted best zine as part of our second-year unit, with a limited amount of copies going into print. As four young women starting in such a daunting industry, we felt that it was important to create a platform that celebrates and provides coverage of different and fresh creatives – a space for females and femmes to feel represented and motivated by the influencers we discuss, whilst allowing the rags that you wear express your attitude and not limit you to fit into a particular stereotype.
Where did the inspiration from Snatch come from?
Mais: Our inspiration for Snatch initially came from the empowered lives that strong female characters in rock music led – heroines such as Debbie Harry and Patti Smith brought their soulful charge into the world and played a huge part in the culture of music, change and social revolution. They were incredibly poetic, unconventional, muses to themselves and their ethos still resonate today – being the forefront of Snatch’s content. Thus, splitting Snatch into 3 sections; creatives, attitude and rags.
Nat: Creatives is filled with people whose life achievements, success and advice, empower and guide us to be the best versions of ourselves. Under our creative section, you’ll find a ‘Creative of the month’, interviews, profiles and topical news on influencing individuals we deem to be creative visionaries – past or present. We want to get to know a diverse range of people, and also let it be a platform where they can showcase their talent as a way of promotion and all-around female/femme power.
Whit: Attitude is the lifestyle of a Snatch creative – independent, strong-spirited and one-of-a-kind. Attitude is a guide on how to live life; the good, the bad and the ugly. Empowered by Snatch-like powerhouses who follow this mantra, attitude is where you’ll find our secret hangouts, upcoming events, reviews and discussion about issues we all face.
Chana: Rags showcases the fashion and style a Snatch creative wears or aspires to buy. Just because Snatch creatives’ interests lie within fashion, it doesn’t mean they follow the seasonal trends. They create their own, taking influences from different subcultures and inspirations around them. What they wear expresses their daily mood – they dress for themselves and don’t care what anyone else thinks of it. Here you’ll also find our fashion archive of when we unintentionally look like a girl band with matching outfits. When I came to university, I was exposed to so much inspiration and people with individual creative styles. The Snatch team met and became friends because of a mutual interest in fashion, so we wanted to merge all our different tastes together to create a section about our adoration of rags.
What do you want to see Snatch grow into over the next year?
Mais: We want to bring together and showcase more creatives, plus we have some exciting collaborations coming soon. We’re all extremely busy trying to find our feet and land our first jobs, but we are determined and passionate about attending zine fares with a mini print taster. All of us are avid writers but we also have an interest in style and directing, so we hope to create some exciting photo shoots featuring inclusive/diverse brands.
How did the team meet? What strengths do you individually bring to the table?
Nat: We’ve been friends for 3 years and as recent graduates of UCA Fashion Journalism we have decided to carry it on online. With a recent website make-over by Nat, it looks well and truly ‘snatched’. We all come from different parts of the country and each brings our different skills and interests into Snatch when writing and coming up with ideas.
Mais: I have adoration for female and femme creatives who are influenced by other iconic powerhouses from the 70s, 80s and 90s so love voicing their mantras and art forms through Snatch. I love the aesthetic of archaic printed zines and wanted to convey the look of DIY on our online platform.
Nat: I am constantly scrolling through social platforms to find undiscovered creatives as interviewing people is the best part of running a magazine. We have recently altered the ethos slightly, so it’s more inclusive to all femmes in society, rather than just cis females.
Whit: I’m a cultural enthusiast with an appetite for all things creative whether that’s fashion, film, music or art. I think it’s an important trait to have in a cultural hub like London, that’s full of so many young diverse creatives.
Chana: I believe that fashion and art links all aspects of society and I like to explore these connections within Snatch’s platform. I love hearing or reading about somebody doing something new or exciting and keeping Snatch topical.
What role does feminism play in Snatch?
Nat: Feminism has become a really important part of our lives; especially as young creatives we have found it’s so important to use our privilege of being able to create an online zine to be inclusive, expressive and thought-provoking. We are constantly analysing topics, events or movements in the media, which drives us to produce content that celebrates female and femme creatives. An important role feminism has in our platform is finding brands or people who make it their mission to feed feminism into their own work and shout about them! We love including people who inspire us to keep on fighting for equal rights and freedom for women.
Now, for the question we ask everyone on GRL Talk – what advice would you go back and tell your 16-year-old-selves?
Mais: Take risks and don’t worry about the outcome, be it good or bad. There is no worse feeling than looking back and wishing you’d gone for something. I spent far too many years giving a shit about what people thought of me. They’re going to judge you no matter what you do in life, so just do you. Also ditch friends who don’t celebrate your successes in life, a handful of supportive friends is better than loads of bitter ones!
Nat: When I was sixteen I was very insecure about the way I looked so I would tell myself to stop following unrealistic people on social media and look at the right stuff that makes you feel great about yourself. You don’t have to copy what your friends are wearing and doing to their bodies, so wear what you want and own it. I would also tell myself to stop being so shy and voice your opinions when people are hurting you. Oh, and stop reading Vogue, because there are so many better publications out there than that.
Whit: I’d give myself a lot of reassurance and say that although it might seem like the world is ending sometimes, or you may feel like you’re completely inadequate, but everything will work out in the end if you believe in yourself and put in work!
Chana: Don’t sweat the small stuff, look after yourself and practice in self-care. Put yourself out there and do creative things that might scare you, because you never know where it might take you.
Check out their website www.snatchzine.co.uk
Follow them on Instagram @snatchzine.