Lucky & Blessed: Issue 04 and Sanxtuary Studio Launch

Written by: Lucy Dover (@lucy_dover_)

More than one hundred guests filtered into Red Velvet Studio at Proposition Studios on 26 November for the launch of The Sanxtuary Issue 04, Lucky and Blessed, and the debut of Sanxtuary Studio. With cover stars Tayce and Nxdia leading the issue, copies disappeared almost instantly. People barely made it past the door before turning pages, pointing at favourite shots and comparing styling notes. The night eased in with slow arrivals, drinks and casual browsing, then shifted into a packed room by nine. Music rolled, conversations overlapped and the networking took care of itself.

Space and set design

Jordan Ricketts, the incredible set designer behind our Tayce cover, turned the studio into a soft, layered environment with loose fabrics, floral touches and purple lighting that made everything feel cinematic. Tables were stacked with magazines, sequinned cloths and half-finished drinks. Guests moved between flipping through spreads, catching up with friends and taking photos against the SANXTUARY sign.

The panel

A relaxed panel took place mid-evening, hosted by Nael Ameen, featuring the Sanxtuary’s very own Creative Director Natalie Vest Jones, Fashion Designer House of Alvin, MUA Patrick Willis Jr, Stylist Aimee Smith and photographer Latoya (Fits) Okuneye. Every guest on the panel is BIPOC and queer, an incredibly important detail due to our Magazine’s ethos. The conversation stayed grounded in lived experience, from navigating gatekeeping to building structure when formal industry pathways do not exist. The group spoke about working where you are valued, understanding collaboration as a long game and knowing when a space is not for you. Guests listened from the floor with drinks in hand, nodding at the parts that hit close to home. The conversation sounded like the kind of industry conversation that usually happens privately, only this time it happened in public, in a room that understood it. Natalie also spoke about the evolution of The Sanxtuary and the launch of Sanxtuary Studio, our creative agency extension, and how both platforms centre collaboration, access and storytelling across fashion, culture and design. The agency will offer creative direction, production, strategy, consulting, communication and branding for brands that want intentional, culturally fluent work.

Music and atmosphere

We had three incredible DJs perform. Kemi eased in the first wave of guests, followed by Dom who warmed up the room for the panel. V4ND4N4 closed with a set that blended so many genres, and got people dancing. You could dance or wander or sit and go through the issue without feeling out of step. The atmosphere stayed loose and unplanned, which suited the mix of people who came with cameras, notebooks, headphones, outfits and tote bags. Sanxtuary tote bags, purchased with the latest issue appeared everywhere and felt like they had been there forever.

Photography by @abdullahstills

People, print and conversation

Contributors introduced their pages to friends, then drifted into conversations with stylists, DJs, designers and curious readers. Some people stayed in one spot talking for an hour. Others circled the room, finding new groups, swapping references and comparing notes on shoots or interviews. There was a casual confidence to it. Nothing rushed and nothing forced. Behind the scenes, our events manager Alice Johnson Bah held the event together quietly. From the sound, guest arriving, the lighting she handled it, which meant nobody felt pulled out of the night.

Photography by @abdullahstills and @millarafaella_

Cupcakes

Treats by Liah served cupcakes with lavender icing, our signature colour and Sanxtuary toppers that tasted as good as they looked. Guests passed them around the room, photographed them, and paused mid-conversation just to take a bite.

Photography by @abdullahstills

Lucky and Blessed

By the end of the night, the team were feeling extremely emotional. Months of emotional labour, putting our all into a magazine had finally paid off. It was a fitting ending for a night built around print, people, music and a room that made sense for it. We left feeling Lucky and Blessed. Sometimes it really is that simple.