In my years attending and hosting runway shows, supporting young and established designers, sharing my platform as a muse, mentor, columnist and multi disciplinary and award-winning artist, I have never experienced such a disturbing altercation in fashion until today.
I was “personally” (see video) invited to the Regent’s University Graduate Fashion Show, and as a university guest lecturer (BA, MA and MSc students) at UAL, CSM, LCF, Marangoni and many more institutions, and after meeting a Regent’s student, I decided to attend in support. I am appalled by the treatment, unprofessionalism and violence that took place at the show, where I was forcibly removed by security for no valid reason other than “personal preference” (read: prejudice).
This was all instigated on what appears to have been some sort of power trip / vendetta by a white male perpetrator, who is also the Head Of Programmes Fashion and Design at Regent’s University , Mark Eley. Another perpetrator who also physically started to slap my arms as I was filming their antagonistic behaviour on site (as you can see in the video) is University Lecturer, Julia Robson.
This duo of trolls had apparently three reasons (none valid) for ejecting me – the first was Mark Eley’s “personal choice” based on my “attitude” when I responded with my various jobs when he asked who I was. This is classic white male behaviour where they seek to suppress and oppress anyone who appears more sentient and/or successful than them. When this didn’t fly, they tried to claim publicly that I wasn’t invited. Wild, as you will see three times in the video, I clearly was – and by Mark “personally” himself. The final and third reason they used was my tiny little dog, 10, who was sat quietly on my lap, who has attended countless fashion shows and will continue to in the future. 10’s presence had been approved, and it was clear he was attending as I had been in the space for an hour already. This is when security was called – all because Mark Eley knew that he had no valid professional grounds, he used his borrowed capitalist brute force. Tragic.
Julia Robson’s request that I act ‘graceful” in the video is farcical considering this duo’s current behaviour, and as pointed out by TED Talk giving artist and Cambridge MPhil student, NIYI on Twitter, her micro aggressive comments are deep rooted in, yes, racism. As a yogi that meditates daily, I couldn’t have been anymore calm – this is also very clear in the video. NIYI states, “Nik could have curtsied & scattered rose petals as he left and Julia Robson still would have said “Please be graceful”. When violence (in this case physical) is used against brown bodies, mark my words, they still always be saying “Please be graceful” to us.”
It is high time that this authoritarian, racist and prejudiced behaviour from a growingly irrelevant generation stops immediately. There are physical bruises on my arms and back from three security guards, and the unethical actions of Julia Robson and Mark Eley and this is unacceptable.
Am I surprised in this systemically oppressive society that two old white people would act in such a barmy way and execute their power to cause violence to an advocate for peace and the arts who is a successful queer person of colour? Not really. Regent’s University, the onus is on you now to take the correct action.
Peace, Nik / NEO 10Y