CREATIVE DIRECTION Amy Spalding & Rupert McMinn
PHOTOGRAPHY Dannii-Jo Jones
STYLING Gareth Valentino
AMY’S MUA Emily Carey
NAILS Nails By Maylene
HAIR Dan Adams
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT Emily Jane
FEATURING Amy Spalding, Cat Burns, Lozeak & Tayce
Quickly named the ‘people’s princess’ of the queer community after her public appearance on the UK’s first-ever lesbian dating show, I Kissed a Girl, Amy Spalding is gaining traction as the face and brains behind her jewellery brand SLT Studios. Famous for their viral ‘DYKE’ ring, SLT Studios mirrors everything loud, provocative, and fun about Spalding’s persona that the girls, gays, and theys have come to know and love.
Alongside her advocation for LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media, the TV star has also spoken openly about her neurodivergence online to cultivate a digital network centred around queer visibility and inclusivity.
Following the limited release of her now-iconic Charli XCX-themed ‘BRAT’ ring, SLT Studios has announced the expansion of its brand one step further with the launch of their latest collection. The new ‘CUNT’, ‘SLUT’, and ‘DIVA’ engraved rings mirror the brand’s beloved theme of reclamation, operating as a “proud statement of identity characteristics historically shamed” they are made for “people to decorate themselves with these former slurs as a reminder to be unashamedly themselves, always.”
Following the announcement of her new collection, Spalding chats to BRICKS about her creative inspirations, London’s queer hotspots, and the trials and tribulations of independently running a business.
You have four rings featured in this shoot, the original ‘DYKE’ ring as well as the rings ‘CUNT’, ‘SLUT’, and ‘DIVA’. Why have you chosen these words, and why do you think these words will resonate with your audience?
I think all of them reflect the cultural zeitgeist of the moment, and I think they purposely and perfectly encapsulate what the ‘DYKE’ ring does originally, which is start a conversation. They’re so loud, and I want to push the cultural envelope a little bit and push some buttons, which is working. I mean – my mum hates them, so I know I’m in the right place!
We love the talent you’ve collaborated with on this shoot! We’re curious to know, how did you all come together to work on this project? Did you all know each other before?
I met Lozeak on a shoot I did recently – the Brat-themed editorial shoot for Nasty Magazine which was actually with the same photographer that we had for this shoot as well.
Our social circles have overlapped a bit recently and I just love, love, love, her energy. When I messaged her about the shoot, before I even said which ring I wanted to wear she was like, please, please, can I wear the ‘SLUT’ one, please?
And then with Cat, you know, the lesbian web escapes no one! We’ve also been crossing paths recently, and she’s actually such an angel. We were both at the Drag Race UK premiere, and that’s where I mentioned she would be a perfect model for the ‘DYKE’ ring. Tayce, I had only met once or twice before but I’m so glad she jumped on board because she has fully completed the collection – she is the personification of cunt.
They’re so loud, and I want to push the cultural envelope a little bit and push some buttons, which is working. I mean – my mum hates them, so I know I’m in the right place!
What were some of your inspirations or aesthetic influences for this shoot?
We wanted to give off 80s vibes, for example, in the office technology alongside our ‘DYKE’ character. She’s that classic forex trader dyke, you know, she’s got the briefcase – it dates back to the days when you actually had to go into the office to work. We did the same with the ‘office siren’ vibe, which is obviously a very new concept, but we tried to take it back in time with the classic scanner and the phone and everything.
And then we mostly wanted to draw from what the characters themselves embody, making it campy-meets-cunt. It’s very much what the brand of SLT has tried to become, because that’s me! Although we wanted it to be very ‘fashion’, I also wanted it to be silly. That way, it’s great for the talent as well because you want them to feel comfortable, and you can really see it translate into the photos. Especially with Tayce, she’s so fun, she really got into character!
I also noticed that Gareth Valentino, a fan favourite of the BBC’s original series I Kissed a Boy was the stylist for this shoot! It’s lovely to see queer collaborations like this blooming as a result of the show. Have you found that your creative network has changed a lot since filming I Kissed a Girl?
It’s completely changed… my horizons have fully opened. It is bittersweet, because it’s very much opened my eyes into the whole world of – it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. That’s where a lot of underground artists aren’t getting noticed because they don’t have those connections, there’s so many people who should be shining brighter than others yet they aren’t just because they just don’t have that network.
A lot of underground artists aren’t getting noticed because they don’t have those connections, there’s so many people who should be shining brighter than others yet they aren’t just because they just don’t have that network.
Having said that, I’m very grateful. Everyone I’ve connected with… it’s been very organic, and it’s been off the back of a friendship. Like Gareth, he’s a friend that I made from the show. He didn’t take any fee for doing this, it was just him being a friend, you know? He is an amazing stylist, and literally one of my best friends!
Being the femme 4 femme people’s princess that you are, you’ve been a very vocal advocate for not only queer but also neurodivergent representation both on and off the show. How have you found that your neurodivergence intersects with your creative process when making jewellery?
It’s interesting because I think it’s bittersweet again, especially when being neurodivergent and so ADHD affects me so negatively in terms of running a business. There’s aspects where I’ve got deadlines to meet and that I really struggle with. However, it’s also my greatest superhero strength because it makes me think outside of the box. It makes me think so creatively and I have a million ideas, like, a million ideas, which is great! But on the flip side, it can be debilitating when I have to whittle that down. The burnout can be real, but it’s so rewarding.
What’s your ADHD survival guide to running a small business? Have you been listening to any podcasts or albums recently whilst you work?
Honestly anything hyper-pop really just gets me in the zone – your Kim Petras, your Lozeak, just anything with that energy. We have to do all the mundane packaging and other bits like that ourselves, so that’s when we’re monotonously podcasting and listening to audiobooks.
Recently, me and Rupert have been sitting in my living room and we’ve had Miriam Margolyes’ audiobook on whilst packing up the ‘DYKE’ rings. It ties in with her being an iconic dyke herself! She’s so outrageous, so loved, and such a character. I feel like with a brand that is loud and maybe slightly controversial, it’s reassuring to me that she can make a career out of being so outrageous on screen, talking all about her sex antics and being such an iconic lesbian. So, who says I can’t?
In the spirit of the lesbian renaissance, can you recommend 3 hotspots for the queer girlies in London this winter?
We’ve got the obvious: La Camionera, of course! Secondly, I’d say Bonanza Boogaloo, which is a queer and lesbian cowboy night that runs either the first or last Thursday of the month in Highgate. It’s the only North London lesbian night, and it’s so fun! And then, also Doña in Stoke Newington – it’s a pussy pink palace, very queer, and they do amazing Mezcal cocktails. It’s also so community based, they run loads of different events – comedy nights, they do burlesque, they do open mic nights, and host loads of different DJs.
And for those looking to purchase a ring in time for Christmas, what’s the process?
Just go to the SLT website. We’ve got a drop coming, we’re dropping the rings all in one go because we can only do a limited amount. We are a very small team, so we’re pre-making them all now so that we can drop them on the 2nd of December, and then they’ll go out the next day in time for Christmas.
As we approach the end of the year, what are you looking forward to?
You know what? Just being with family. This last year has been the biggest roller coaster of my life which has been incredible, but I’m excited to spend some time with my loved ones. We lost my granddad this year, so it will be nice to be at home for Christmas with friends and family, turn my phone off, touch grass – that vibe!
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