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What does it mean to have a company that is gender fluid? My reasoning to make NOTO this way is because I have felt that when a universal desire ( for me it's skincare, for FLUIDE it's identity through color ) is advertised towards one type of gender, you're being sold. One thing I love about fellow gender fluid business owner, Isabella Giancarlo of FLUIDE, is that they hold no limits on who or what they will do to express beauty. Their branded imagery focuses on the playfulness that beauty can create rather than it's gender identity. I believe Identity should be playful, and can change just as quickly as one changes their mind. Isabella believes beauty should be fluid. We share the same love of this concept and the openness that it brings, which is I believe we are respected friends.
Who are you?
Isabella ~ I’m the co-founder + creative director of Fluide, a line of bold cosmetics for all genders. I’m a multi-disciplinary visual artist, type-aphile, leo sun / gem rising / pisces moon too ~
Why do you make your work?
With FLUIDE, I wanted to create a space where I could see queer folk being their funky queer selves without watering themselves down. I knew that a younger me was dying to see queer beauty represented by queer people. I feel like the process of coming into myself would have been a lot easier had I had more gender-expansive role models, so fluide is a reflection of what I wish I could have seen as a teen.
What do you believe in?
I can be really hard on myself, so I believe in talking to myself as I would to someone I love--or trying to, at least.
Name one thing you say yes to?
I say yes to shine theory (Ann Friedman + Aminatou Sow).
And one thing you say no to?
I say no to condescension.
What change would you like to see?
Greater public embracing of gender beyond the binary / gender-expansiveness.
Name one thing that makes you happy?
A stocked refrigerator.
How would you describe your personal routine ?
Wake up to Andrew Bird, feed my cats, turn the page on my 24 hour woman calendar, wash my face, make my weird chaga & cordyceps coffee, pick my tarot for the day, and get to work.
What did you want to be as a child?
I always wanted to be making things.
Can you remember one solid piece of advice you've gotten for the growth of your business?
“Get messy.” I’m prone to over-thinking and over-scheduling and this has been a good reminder to make room for the spontaneous--excellent advice for creative work.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
I absolutely adore the work of Micol Talso for Toilet Paper magazine and think we could make some real magic.
Who is one person in culture that you feel is making positive and inspiring change?
Girls like Us is an awesome feminist magazine focused on “international expanding community of women from all genders within arts, culture and activism.” Perfect marriage of design + content.