I know it sounds trivial, maybe even a little lame (probably 8 parts trivial: 2 parts lame), but I actually felt as if a little part of me died when I heard Stevie Dance was saying “farewell” to her role as editor of RUSSH. I admit, throughout my teens, I used to buy magazines for the sole purpose of ogling the pictures, but since I discovered the words of writers like Stevie, I get a rush of excitement when I spot a new edition on the shelves, simply from the thought of unveiling the ‘Editor’s Letter’ that lies inside the cover. Stevie’s words have opened my eyes to the possibilities when it comes to written expression. Each sentence is so engaging, so colourful, so relatable, and so ‘now’.
While flicking through the pages, I always notice that every breathtaking editorial has her touch added to it and every photo that captures my attention was snapped by her. For a kid like me, who studies journalism and has a penchant for all things fashion, music and culture-related, Stevie is a true source of inspiration and motivation to say the least. She’s the person I’ll always look to and think, ‘I hope that’s me one day’.
“Some people, rather than being of-the-moment are in fact of-the-always. Be it the way they dress, how they shake their hips or the manner by which they sing their story. Indeed it happens in life, once in a while, that some people’s ways are completely unforgettable. They are the ones who revolutionize aesthetics, movements and sensibilities often unbeknown to themselves at the time.”
I find it amusing then, that Stevie herself wrote the words above because they encapsulate, in fact, everything I’ve wanted to say about her in this post – beautifully crafted into one single paragraph, as per her usual Stevie Dance geniusness.
RUSSH in bed - Photographed by me.