DOCUMENT EVERYTHING #3 - The Devil Wears Little Fire Swim đ
"Why is it that just because we're older, we have to dress boring?"
Hello and welcome to the third edition of DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. I know. I didnât think Iâd be back this soon either. But the world needs culture recommendations and scintillating conversation. I am happy to provide limited amounts of both.
Since Iâve known her, Katie Haskins has always made things. Thatâs why it came as little surprise when she set up Little Fire Swim, her own swimwear brand, in 2020. Itâs even less of a surprise that sheâs made it a success. We meet in London Fields on the afternoon when Boris Johnson finally resigns, which just so happens to be Flying Ant Day. It feels fitting; all the disgusting creatures fleeing their nests at the same time.
As well as me badly exposing my lack of fashion knowledge, we discuss inspiration from unexpected sources, the battle between your day job versus creative pursuits and balancing being comfortable with feeling amazing.
Firstly, I'd like to know about where the inspiration came from for Little Fire Swim but also what you were doing before that. Have you always been into fashion? Have you always made things and been into DIY culture? What was your first endeavour?
I had made things previously - well, a lot of stuff that wasn't very good - but that was before I went to uni and I was making stuff for myself. That was before I finessed my skills and realised their potential, I guess. If I had something and I didn't like it as it was, I would cut it or make it shorter or cut the sleeve off or something because I've always just been a bit crafty.
Why do you think that is? Is it something your family encouraged from a young age?
Interestingly, my Nan is really into cross stitching and crochet and knitting, so she's always done things like that. And then her best friend who we call Auntie Glynnis, as you do with best friends of family members, she made my nan's wedding dress for her. Theyâve always been around sewing. My grandma's mum was a seamstress in the shirt factories in Derry, which is super cool. And then my granddad's mum on my dad's side was the most phenomenal knitter ever. My mum kept every single thing that she knitted for me. You could buy it in a shop, it's that nice. My nan would make curtains and stuff. So it's always been a family thing.
So youâve always been around that DIY attitude. Why buy it when you can just do it yourself? Why not make it?
Yeah. Obviously, now, I know that making things is a lot of effort. It can be a real pain in the arse. But it's something that I want to get more into again, just because especially living here there's obviously loads more fabric shops and Woolcrest down the road is the most insane place ever. And there's a lot more inspiration as well, when you're just walking around. I think seeing how people dress here has definitely sparked a different thing in me to be like, âOkay, nobody's going to be judgemental like in a small townâ where it's like, âOh, what the fuck is that?â
That was actually one of the things I was thinking about earlier. We're both from Braintree [a small town in Essex]. And my personal experience was that I always wanted to get out the whole time and come to London. What about you?
My dad lived here when I was younger and I would come up every other weekend and spend a few weeks here in the summer. And even though he lived in Canning Town, it wasn't exactly like the field of dreams, but it was still cool. And we'd go to random little festivals and we'd go out for food. It just felt cool. And having all of the museums we'd constantly be going to like the Natural History Museum or and doing touristy stuff like going to the Tower of London or the aquarium or the zoo.
That broadens your imagination and your horizons.
Yeah. And I was like, I just want to live here. I think I decided then when I was eight or nine. I was like, this is where I want to be forever.
You touched on it a bit there, but you're obviously inspired by the fashion sense you see here and different cultures and stuff like that. Are there other parts of culture that influence you and what you design?
I think so. I personally can tell you what I've been inspired by, even down to what I've been watching on TV. I'm such a 90s nostalgia kid. And I'll rewatch Sabrina The Teenage Witch and Buffy and Sister, Sister. I recently started rewatching Charmed. I think what I have learned from uni and through my interest in fashion in general is that every single designer will look back to look forward. You cannot make new ideas without pulling from the past because you either learn from it or you're inspired by it. Previously, it was the 90s. And then the 70s. I read this book years ago called The Buddha Of Suburbia the summer before I did my foundation course. There were a lot of references to Bowie and the fashion of the 70s, so that was super interesting.
I looked at your store before we chatted and you know the design that you've got, I'm going to describe it really badly [this is an understatement - Lee], it almost reminds me of an oil slick, that feels very 70s, super psychedelic.
The print design is 70s inspired but then the actual shapes are probably more 90s. But I like to fuse the two together and it somehow makes sense. Even though if you were to put those two decades next to each other, it makes no fucking sense.
Are there any specific designers or brands that you draw inspiration from?
I think it's changed a lot recently. When I'm looking for inspiration for the brand, I'll always go to Copenhagen Fashion Week. Well, I don't go personally but I will go to the website and scroll through. In my opinion, all Fashion Weeks serve a different purpose. London Fashion Week is for street style, New York is for sportswear, Milan is very experimental and then Paris is couture. But Copenhagen feels really fresh and very typically Scandinavian but not in a block colours sort of way. Itâs exciting. And the designers that show there are really cool. And then, recently, I've been into Lazy Oaf. I think they're really cool. I like what they do. I like how they just have this real sort of community-seeming aesthetic. And it feels very typically London-like as a brand.
When you say community, what do you mean by that?
For me personally, if I see someone walking down the street wearing Lazy Oaf, I would always be like âehhhhâ. I've got a few bags and a pair of sandals and I've had people be like, âOh my god. Lazy Oaf! I love that.â And there's also this really cool brand called Kina and Tam, I think they're Australian, but I'm not 100% certain. And the tagline on their website is âkids designs for grown upsâ, something to that effect. And I think that's cool. Why is it that just because we're older, we have to dress boring?
Is that the attitude that you carry for yourself and one that you want to instil in your work?
Yeah, I think especially with swimwear everybody just wants to have a black bikini. This is why I wanted to start it. I've always wanted to do it, probably since I was at uni, and, if I could design anything as my job, it would be swimwear. And then in the summer when lockdown was starting and the weather was amazing, I wanted some bikinis just to sit in my garden while I'm furloughed with nothing to do. And they were all really boring. It made me sad. It was just like a plain colour or even down to how it was made for someone with a stick figure, which is fine if that's how you look but not everybody looks like that. And I think swimwear can be very alienating. People get scared of wearing a bikini or wearing something where their stomach's going to be out. And they tend to go for a safer option to not stand out and be chill. But why can't you have both? Why can't you be fun and feel amazing? And have people think you look so great and look at this fun thing you're wearing. I couldn't find it so I started making it.
What's your process? How did you find getting it off the ground? Did you find it difficult at first, or was it quite natural?
I use the same kind of structure as what I had when I was at uni because obviously it's what I'm used to. And I think I knew that I wasn't going to launch it in 2020 because there was, in my opinion, no point. I think I started doing it properly from May and I knew that I wanted to launch it in the spring of the next year. That gave me ten months or so. I took it really slow. Because it was the first one, I wanted to make sure that it was meaningful and that the designs were something that I believed in. I didn't want to just half ass it for the sake of getting it out. I really took my time with it. I even stopped for a bit because I went back to work. I think doing it alongside a full time job is definitely a challenge, especially because you have to be a content creator, a customer service person, a social media manager and a copywriter. And I'm literally a seamstress and print designer with a hope and a dream.
Do you ever struggle for motivation? I know you said it can be tricky alongside a full time job but generally, in terms of designing and things like that. And is there a way of breaking that deadlock?
I think sometimes I definitely struggle with motivation. Sometimes it's because I'm pushing myself too far. I have a real tendency to do that, which is silly. We shouldn't do that, kids. It's not smart. But I think it's natural. If I feel unmotivated, I will just take a break and don't feel guilty about it.
If you're a creative person, I think what some people forget is you draw your inspiration from the outside world, even if itâs subconsciously. So if you're dried up creatively, the worst thing you can do is stay in and try and force it. You actually need to get out. Try and get that weight off your shoulders and do something else for a bit. That's what I try to say to other people, everyone's different, but I do genuinely believe that.
As people we're always trying to fill up all these cups of being social, family commitments and all of these different things. And then you forget sometimes that you need to chill and take time for yourself. Before this year, I wasn't doing a lot of things for myself. And then at the start of the year, I started swimming again, which I hadn't done for two years. But then I tipped the scales with it and I went from not having done it to then doing it every single day. An all or nothing approach. And I was like âwell, this is silly because I'm exhausting myself in a different way.â And this is supposed to be a thing that I'm doing for fun. I didn't swim for two months after that. I get very infatuated with things. Once I start doing something, I go all in. I'm a ârepeat a song 10 timesâ kind of girl. That's just who I am as a person. Iâm not ashamed.
On the flip side of that, do you think that having a creative endeavour alongside your full time job is a helpful outlet for you?
I think so. I think, especially in terms of because my full time job is, for the sake of the tape, in product development for homeware. I'm still always being creative but I think it's like a blessing and a curse. Because I'm constantly in it. The swimwear always feels less of a chore, which is ridiculous because the swimwear pays a hell of a lot less than my day job does. But no, it is nice because I'm always surrounded by different trends and other creative people, even. And then you've got people who work in marketing and social media and reading different ideas. Everybody's creative in different ways and it's nice to surround yourself with those things.
Is there any advice you would give to anyone who's trying to get into the fashion industry?
When I left uni, I was never under the impression that getting into the design industry would be easy, right? Thank God because I feel like I would have spent a year crying over all of the job rejections that I got, and I got many. I got rejected from internships that were unpaid, entry level design assistant jobs where they were like, âyou need more experience.â I can't have it if you wonât give it to me! But never give up is piece of advice number one. From my particular degree, there's like a lot of different things that you can do. You can be a stylist or you can curate exhibitions, you can be a designer, you can be a technician of something. Or you can go into buying, which is what I did. And I felt like, because buying is more of a desk job, I'd failed for a little bit. Piece of advice number two: the fashion industry is killer. I think I'm grateful that my first job was so horrible. It wasn't so horrible, there were obviously good days, and I met some really cool people. But they toughened you up. And then I went to homeware where I felt like Iâd failed myself again because I felt like I didn't make it in fashion. Like I couldn't hack it. And now, here I am in this really cushy life. But if I hadn't done that, then I would never have done the swimwear. It might feel like a failure at the time but it's just a journey to lead you to wherever you're supposed to be. Don't be hard on yourself. Trust the process. You will move out of that small town and live your dreams.
Do you have an idea of where you want to take Little Fire Swim in the future?
I definitely like how it is at the moment. I'm super lucky that I like my job. I love my job. I love my career. I wanted to be a buyer when I was 15. I feel like not a lot of people can say that they have the jobs that they wanted when they were 15. But I would obviously love to see Little Fire Swim grow. I think I am a bit hesitant to do that now because Iâm making so many waves in my career. I can't do it all or I'll burn out and that's not good for anybody. But maybe in a few years I could expand it, I always toyed with the idea of moving it into sleepwear and lingerie and then maybe even do clothing. You need to devote quite a lot of time to it though. For now, I'm really happy with where it's at. I think I'd be lying if I said, one day, it's not my dream for that to be my sole purpose in life.
Finally, what has Little Fire Swim got coming up in the near future?
I am currently making lots of things because I'm doing a market in Hackney on the 13th and 14th of August. Itâs a pop up market with Wasted Chic events and it's in Bohemia Place. Iâm working slowly on collection three, which will launch spring/summer 23.
As mentioned, you can catch Katie and Little Fire Swim at Bohemia Place in Hackney on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August. You can purchase free tickets here.
If you want to keep up to date with everything Little Fire Swim, head to @littlefireswim. To purchase some great swimwear or merch, order here.
RECOMMEND EVERYTHING
Purelink - Purelink (UwU Dust Bath)
Fancy being elevated above the clouds for just over half an hour? If so, this is the record for you. Purelinkâs productions bubble beneath the surface throughout, never quite reaching full crescendo but feeling warm and welcoming nonetheless. Remixes include a fun Rihanna splice too.
Ferkat Al Ard - Oghneya (Habibi Funk)
What would we do without Habibi Funk? No label unearths forgotten treasure quite like this imprint and Oghneya is another gem, hailing from Lebanon and exploring pop, jazz and folk. The label head also produces regular mixes focusing on various regions across the globe, which I recommend searching out.
Rat Heart - Ratty Rids The Clubs From The Evil Curse Of The Private School DJ's (Shotta Tapes)
Whenever I get the Bandcamp notification announcing a new Shotta Tapes release, itâs a good day. Even better when itâs Rat Heart, the playful moniker by label head Tom Boogizm. Following in the footsteps of previous releases, itâs a sludgy, unpredictable listen with the erratic âTeeth Like A Burnt Fence M8â and âRatboy Beat 4 Ur Girlâs Big Fat Feetâ sitting as obvious highlights. It also poses an important question in the form of a track name: âWot Happens If U Just Eat Crisp?â
Caterina Barbieri - Spirit Exit (light-years)
It feels like a cliche to lump Caterina Barbieriâs output in with âspace musicâ but much of Spirit Exit could soundtrack the discovery of new life and planets across our sprawling galaxy. Thatâs because the Italian composer manages to weave in feelings of tranquility, alarm and sheer awe into her work, resembling something both otherworldly and unexpectedly comforting. Donât be fooled by the machinery at her fingertips; this is synthesiser music with a gorgeous emotional core.
J Dilla - Motown Tape (Self)
Itâs been fun diving back into J Dillaâs discography after reading the book Dilla Time. His back catalogue is vast to say the least, made up of scratchy beat tapes and rarities, but Iâve found one of my favourites: Motown Tape. In it, the production wizard weaves samples from the iconic label into something even more gorgeous. His technical gift is astonishing but itâs how he transmits so much emotion through his machine work that I find most interesting. Whoever bootlegged this tape and put it online, thank you.
Jessy Lanza - Oh No (Hyperdub)
When the heatwave was at its most melting, few records hit the spot like the second album from Jessy Lanza. Sheâs a remarkable songwriter and I would listen to anything sheâs involved in but Oh No stands tallest for me. Her mix of sleek electronics and sugary vocals are at their peak here, perfectly pitched for a summerâs day, creating exquisite pop music for both the dancefloor dwellers and head nodders.
unknown - untitled - uu004 (unknown - untitled)
I donât know much about this label and I think thatâs the point. After catching a couple of tracks from this release on YouTube (thanks hurfyd), I knew it was an essential listen and so it proved. Think big percussive slammers and youâre on the right track. Apparently a full reveal of the artist follows later but the anonymity is a nice touch and lets the tunes speak for themselves.
Moor Mother - Jazz Codes (ANTI-)
Iâm going to need more acclaim for Moor Mother please. The Philly poet is relentless in her creativity and leaves me reeling with inspiration and excitement when I wrap my ears around anything she does. She combines her relaxed flow with weighty themes on Jazz Codes, which refuses to be tied down by genre as guest stars breeze in and out on highlights like âREAL TRILL HOURSâ, âRAP JASMâ and âBARELY WOKEâ. I canât stop listening.
Death Is Not The End - Pause for the Cause: London Rave Adverts 1991 â- 1996, Vol. 1 (Death Is Not The End)
While I love future facing music, I also love releases that feel like chancing upon a time capsule. Thatâs exactly what we have here, as adverts no longer than three minutes are expertly curated to transport us back to the heyday of pirate radio. Perfect if, like me, you wished youâd experienced this chaotic era.
Ethel Cain - Preacherâs Daughter (Daughters Of Cain Records)
Despite riding a steady wave of hype since its release in May earlier this year, Preacherâs Daughter took a while to click for me. But when it did, it resonated in exhilarating fashion, mainly because of the excellent âAmerican Teenagerâ. If you need your annual dose of moody pop, this album should hit the spot nicely. My angsty teenage self reckons nobody understands me apart from Ethel Cain.
Kincaid - Sugar (Control Freak Recordings)
When an EP of this quality drops, itâs hard to pick a favourite track. All four of them flutter between the boundaries of garage and hazy dubstep, driven by skittering percussion and rumbles of bass. âEâ is readymade club weaponry while patience is rewarded with the likes of âAir-ismâ and âSugarâ; given time, theyâre just as deadly as the former.
Ambient Babestation Meltdown & JBS - Who Goes There (Optimo Music)
A sense of menace grips Who Goes There from the outset. A mysterious narrator accompanies us on our voyage into the twisted universe of Ambient Babestation Meltdown and JBS, which bounces between industrial bops and glitchy, acid soundscapes. Itâs a foreboding listen but youâll want more as soon as it comes to a close.
Demdike Stare - Physics (DDS)
Iâm a simple man. Sometimes all I want is some old school jungle and Demdike Stare are happy to provide it via this exquisite compilation. The duo keep it pretty straightforward, delivering a steady stream of notable and lesser known bangers at a relentless pace. Itâs a brief snapshot of the frenetic hardcore jungle scene but a welcome one. Just hang on for dear life.
DâAngelo - Voodoo (Virgin)
Another recommendation, another J Dilla associated project, and I doubt you need me to tell you much about this one. In short, itâs a timeless fusion of soul, funk and jazz; a classic upon its release which shines even brighter now since Iâve been revisiting it.
Smoke Point - Smoke Point (Geographic North)
Iâve been making a point of listening to ambient records before I go to sleep and Smoke Point is a perfect accompaniment. Opener âAwakeningâ is the only beatless track here and, if âSteam Machineâ lurks around the surface, âWaterwheelâ fully submerges us and smudges the line between relaxation and downtempo dance. Whatever your reason for listening, this is a gorgeous collection of songs for pretty much every mood.
Wu-Lu - LOGGERHEAD (Warp)
As debut albums go, you wonât hear many more confident than LOGGERHEAD. Thereâs a swaggering quality to these songs, which veer between spiky guitars, venom-spat vocals, erratic time signatures and warm strings. Itâs a fun juxtaposition; on the surface, itâs a punch to the gut but thereâs solitude beneath the grit. For those unaware of Wu-Lu, this is an abrasive, unforgettable debut, which at times resembles The Streets, Dean Blunt and the Pixies. And itâs fucking great.
Finn - Everything Is Alright (2 B REAL)
Finn is one of dance musicâs most dependable figures. His DJ sets are amongst the most euphoric out there and his recorded output follows a similar blueprint. Released earlier this year, this is a record I havenât stopped playing, lapping up the simple but massively effective house tunes like âThings, Things, Things!â and âNever Leaveâ. Itâs the sort of soaring, stratospheric business heâs become known for, both on record and in the clubs. In short, every dancer should experience a Finn set before they die, but this will do for now. You know what to do.
SAUL - Mutualism (Rhythm Section)
Iâm still squeezing the last drops out of summer, nervously looking over my shoulder as September approaches. Until then, records like the one from SAUL will keep my climes firmly tropical. A joint project helmed by Jack Stephenson-Oliver of Vels Trio and producer Barney Whittaker, better known as Footshooter, itâs the duoâs collaborative approach which offers so much scope here, as âCanât Waitâ (feat. James Mollison) has the transportive quality of a bouncy video game soundtrack while âFlowersâ (feat. Lex Amor) prickles with heat and seductiveness. One listen of this album conjures up images of hazy summer nights but it might just get me through the colder months too.
Loraine James - Building Something Beautiful For Me (Phantom Limb)
Iâm at a point where Iâll buy anything Loraine James is involved in. She is currently one of musicâs biggest talents, relentlessly prolific while remaining consistent with every project. Not one to stand still, this forthcoming record finds Loraine paying homage to American composer Julius Eastman. I knew little about him before this album but itâs sent me down a very welcome rabbit hole, as well as revelling in Loraineâs intriguing sonic explorations.
Jaylib - Champion Sound (Stones Throw)
Continuing the J Dilla obsession is Champion Sound, his collaborative album with close friend Madlib. This one shouldnât require much recommending by me, itâs two musical geniuses after all, and it actually delivers on its towering promise. The two divide the process in half - one spits while the other produces on each side - and itâs a joyful, effortless back and forth between two greats.
Yraki - Argento (inklingroom)
I was first introduced to Yraki when he supported Loraine James at Cafe Oto. While the latter channeled the blissful refractions of her Whatever The Weather moniker, Yrakiâs set glided between gentle soundscapes to cuts primed for the club. Itâs fair to say he made quite the impression. Much of that energy has been crystallised in the form of Argento, his debut EP, which is the sound of an artist to keep an eye on.
Various Artists - TARAXIA (GODDEZZ)
In a change of pace from their usual output, GODDEZZ, in their own words, âdecided to assemble a project of tranquility, with sonic advisors who we wholeheartedly trust to achieve a formula of escapism and naturally beautiful sounds.â That trust has been repaid, as artists like Salamanda, Oliver Coates and SHE Spells Doom offer up soothing balms for the soul.
Pixies - Surfa Rosa (4AD)
A new Breeders live album dropped a couple of weeks ago and I found myself in a Pixies deep dive, tracing Kim Dealâs fantastic run in both bands. While all of their older albums are great, I kept going back to Surfer Rosa. Itâs a blistering album and the standout track is âGiganticâ which is about a big dick.
Thugwidow & Bruised Skies - Blimey (Hooversound)
Those Overmono-inspired, pitched-up vocal tunes are all the rage right now and itâs usually a mixed bag. But Thugwidow and Bruised Skies arenât just piggybacking off an easy trend as they put an addictive spin on âBlimeyâ before surrounding it with some of the best breaks across the rest of the EP. Plus itâs out on Hooversound, helmed by Naina and Sherelle, so itâs a real dream team involved.
BATTER BITS
As you might have picked up from my recommendations, Iâm in a J Dilla phase. This is because of Dilla Time, an engrossing book by Dan Charnas which traces a generational talent whose life was tragically cut short. Itâs one of the best books about music Iâve ever read and I canât recommend it highly enough. Before that, I read Bob Mortimerâs autobiography, And AwayâŚ, in about three days. It has the same gentle charm of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, which I love, so itâs a must-read if youâre a fan.
Iâve also picked up some interesting magazines recently. After ceasing their output due to the pandemic, MUNDIAL are finally back in print and itâs mostly business as usual, packed with offbeat footballing stories and the latest threads. Similarly, OOF Magazine casts a unique eye at football and art, tracing its through lines and conducing an insightful interview with cover star David Shrigley.
For some reason, if you want to read more of my writing, you can catch my interview with HAAi for Clash here or pick up the latest magazine. I also wrote about Michael Diamond, somebody who I mentioned in the first edition of this newsletter, in the latest issue of DJ Mag too. Be sure to grab a copy if youâre able to.
And finally, congratulations to the Lionesses! England actually winning something? I don'ât know how to act. I know a few people reading this have tirelessly advocated for womenâs football, and women in sport, for a long time so Iâm especially happy for you. As for the rest of us, letâs buy those tickets and take the leagues to the next level.
If youâve made it this far, hello again and thank you. If youâve enjoyed the newsletter, feel free to recommend it to other people. If youâve hated it, slag it off them to as well. I work in PR. Sometimes itâs good just to be spoken about.
Whenever you fancy a chat, Iâm mostly on Twitter here. Next edition of the mailer, I will ask: what is the point of the Night Czar? More vital music venues are closing andâŚbarely a whimper. Do we deserve better from Amy LamĂŠ?
Donât forget to document everything. Cheerio đ
All artwork by Lucy Woolfenden. Need a logo or some fantastic design bits? Get in touch with her at lucycwoolf@gmail.com.