HELLO, AGAIN

June 11, 2023 by Mr Luke Christian

Hello, again.

It’s strange to think that my last blog post was in October 2022 and then the post prior to that was in November 2021. Two blog posts in the space of 2 years when given I used to post twice weekly way back when, it’s not exactly great is it?

For those of you who may not know, I now have my own business - DEAF IDENTITY, which I launched back in September 2019 - fun fact, I actually launched this blog in September 2015 and now I’m wondering why everything seem to happen for me in the month of September?

Anyway, most of my time has been focusing on the business so my blog has been neglected since then and with the pandemic, I just didn’t feel it was appropriate to be reviewing products or to talk about lifestyle issues at that time given everything that was going on.

Fast forward to now, I’ve recently been given ‘signs’ from the universe, don’t worry, I’m not going to go all hippy dippy on you, but I am a strong believer in that nothing happens by accident.

Moving forward, I’m going to resume this blog and get back to posting twice weekly, ideally every Sunday and Wednesday, like in the olden days and I’m going to get back into my skincare reviews and talk a little more about deaf awareness and other lifestyle pieces.

I’m weirdly optimistic about bringing my blog back, especially after such a long time and I feel I’ve learnt a lot in my time off so I can make it feel a little more modern and fresh, (hopefully).

Shall we call this round two?

AESOP - EIDESIS FRAGRANCE REVIEW

October 23, 2022 by Mr Luke Christian

I’ve always preferred a strong, bold, in your face scent when it comes to the cold, Autumn months and this latest offering from Aesop ticks all of those boxes, and more!

Top Notes: Petitgrain, Black Pepper, Frankincense
Middle Notes: Cumin, Cedar, Frankincense
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Cedar, Vetiver

Let me first start this review off by saying how chic and understated the bottle is, it’s sleek and compact with a minimal look allowing the fragrance to do all of the talking.

The opening of Eidesis begins with a spicy kick of the Black Pepper and Cumin notes coming out to play and Eidesis soon dries down into a woody yet floral scent.

My most favourite part about this fragrance is although it comes with a rather hefty price-tag of £140, you certainly get the most out of it due to its longevity! This fragrance lasted between 6-7 hours and can still be smelt on clothing up to 2 days after.

The perfect fragrance for those looking for a woody, spicy and floral scent this Autumn season! What I also love about the Aesop brand in general is that all of their items be it fragrance, hand creams, skincare, haircare etc is all completely gender-neutral with all of their products vegan too!

Purchase here to find out more details.

Have you tried Aesop - Eidesis before? What are your thoughts? One to try out this Autumn? Let me know in the comments below as I would love to hear from you!

OUT MAGAZINE: Out100

November 05, 2021 by Mr Luke Christian

I am beyond grateful and humbled to be featured in this years Out Magazine: Out100 list as one of their LGBTQ+ Policy Makers and Advocates Changing The World.

When I had the email come through it completely stopped me in my tracks because I’m so used to moving at 100mph and always thinking ahead to the next thing, so to reflect and take a step back to see the work I’ve done and why I was selected for this years Out100 list was incredibly humbling and made me realise how far I’ve come from those days of not feeling like I had a place in the world, to now changing that for those in the deaf community who have experienced similar things.

Thank you Out100 for this surreal moment and to be featured on the same list as huge, well known LGBTQIA+ icons is mind blowing!? Read the full article with my piece here - https://www.out.com/print/2021/11/03/out100-2021-18-lgbtq-policy-makers-and-advocates-changing-world#media-gallery-media-4

Also, a huge thank you to Sophia Carey for photographing me for this special shoot, I wanted something that felt quite urban and gritty as a backdrop against me wearing something tailored and ‘cleancut’. I hope you like these images! Let me know below.

PRIDE LOOKBOOK 2021

June 22, 2021 by Mr Luke Christian

As June 2021 marks Pride Month, I’ve been taking the time to educate myself with LGBTQIA+ history and to further explore my own gender identity and who I am.

I’ve been so focused on my career and raising deaf awareness, that I’ve completely neglected other aspects that make me me and so, with this LookBook, I wanted to reference ‘iconic’ queer looks whilst adding my own spin on things!

The ever-talented Sophia Carey took these images with William Bullas as the photography assistant and I’m made up with the results! Let me know your thoughts below on what you think as I’d love to hear from you?

© Photography: Sophia Carey

S T U D I O 5 4

BERET - VINTAGE STORE IN LEEDS
SHEER FISHNET METALLIC TOP - SHEIN
FLARED TROUSERS - ASOS / SOLD OUT
CUBAN HEEL BOOTS - JEFFERY WEST / CUSTOM IN STORE

L E A T H E R

BIKER JACKET - ASOS / NO LONGER STOCKED (4 YEARS OLD)
BABY ANGELS TEE - HEAVEN BY MARC JACOBS
PETITE FAUX LEATHER PAPERBAG SHORTS - RIVER ISLAND
WESTERN KNEE BOOTS IN CROC EMBOSSED BLACK LEATHER - ASRA KHLOE

P R I N T

ALL OVER YOU MESH LONG SLEEVE TOP - PATRICK CHURCH
SPEEDY SUNGLASSES - LONDON MOLE
FLARED TROUSERS - ASOS / SOLD OUT
CUBAN HEEL BOOTS - JEFFERY WEST / CUSTOM IN STORE

D E N I M

CUSTOM VEST / T-SHIRT - DEAF IDENTITY ‘XXXXXXX’ IN RAINBOW BSL FINGERSPELLING
SPRAY ON DENIM SHORTS - ASOS
MONKI VEGAN LEATHER WESTERN BOOTS - OUT OF STOCK

BYREDO - MIXED EMOTIONS FRAGRANCE

March 30, 2021 by Mr Luke Christian

“We’re bottling up emotions. I hope that people identify with that sentiment and then find something deeper to relate to.” - Ben Gorham, Founder

As a fan of the Byredo brand with many different fragrances in my collection such as Cuir Obscur, Bibliothéque and Baudelaire, I was pleasantly surprised when a sample of the newest drop; Mixed Emotions arrived at my door given that the scent seemed to ‘drop’ unexpectedly!

BYREDO - MIXED EMOTIONS

Top Notes: Maté, Blackcurrant
Middle Notes: Ceylon Black Tea, Violet Leaves
Base Notes: Birch Wood, Papyrus

The opening of Mixed Emotions immediately hits you with the blackcurrant note that feels fruity, but that of a dense feel rather than a sweet one, which takes me back to my youth where I drunk gallons of it and as the dry-down begins to take place, it becomes a lot heavier, almost slightly leathery with a hint of musk throughout. For me, the performance is linear and stays close to my skin and lasted between 5-6 hours with a sillage of light to medium.

This feels rather different for Byredo in the sense that it feels quite smokey and spicy in comparison to some of the launches previously where the fragrances have felt quite light and floral such as Sundazed, Lil Fleur and Slow Dance so if you’re wanting something that’s a little fruity with a smokey undertone, then check out Mixed Emotions for more details.

To also check out more reviews with my experience of the Byredo brand, click here!

Have you smelt Mixed Emotions yet? If so, what are your thoughts? Do you have any favourites from Byredo? If so, which ones? I would love to hear from you so drop me a comment below to continue the conversation.

YOUTUBE; TOM FORD SOLEIL BLANC REVIEW | Mr Luke Christian

March 21, 2021 by Mr Luke Christian

TOM FORD SOLEIL BLANC REVIEW | Mr Luke Christian

KMA STUDIO X SAVE THE CHILDREN

March 19, 2021 by Mr Luke Christian

Following on from my recent YouTube video where I reviewed the hotly anticipated first drop from KMA Studio (Kate Moss Agency), it felt only natural to do a mini-review of the latest launch from the Butterfly Series in collaboration with Save The Children.

Within this collection, they have taken inspiration from ‘The Butterfly Effect - where small changes can make a large impact’ and enlisted wildlife photographer and conservationist, Finlay Pitt for the butterfly wing print on each garment.

There are just two items available this time around;

and when I initially saw the print it immediately gave me those fresh, Spring vibes! Bold, bright and colourful, I decided to opt for the t-shirt as I felt I would get more wear out of this throughout the upcoming warmer months. I ordered the t-shirt within minutes of the launch dropping (can you tell I’m keen?) and about a week or so later the item arrived in its compostable packaging.

The print and colours of the t-shirt themselves were a lot brighter than I had anticipated however, it wasn’t so bright that it felt garish or off-putting. The fabric itself is made from 100% organic cotton which has been responsibly produced in India and feels so soft! As I tried the t-shirt on, I loved how ‘oversized’ it appeared as I like my t-shirts to be quite loose and relaxed.

£5 from each sale of both garments will be donated to Save The Children where the charity aims to help young people reach their full potential and build a better future. To see the Butterfly Series, click here!

What do you think about the Butterfly Series by KMA Studio? Are you a fan of the print? Let me know your thoughts below or carry on this conversation over on my Instagram and Twitter!