Photographer: Sam Reiss @samerei
Muse and creative director: Love Bailey @loveisbailey
Stylist/Designer: Pia Lindsay @Pialindsaystudio
Hairstylist: @benndoinghair
Production: Toby Teitel @toby_teitel
Production: Patrick Duffy @mrpatrickduffy
NEW YORK - Love Bailey is a transgender artist and activist whose work is both awe inspiring and provocative. Her films, music, and photographs explore themes of gender identity, body image, and sexuality. Bailey is also a vocal advocate for transgender rights, and her work has been featured in exhibitions and publications around the world.
In this interview, Bailey discusses her art, her activism, and her collaboration with designer Pia Lindsay Studio. Lindsay is the founder of Pia Lindsay Studio, a fashion and lifestyle brand that celebrates diversity and inclusion. The two women have collaborated in an editorial inspired by the colors of the pride flag.
Bailey and Lindsay are both passionate about using their platforms to create positive change. They believe that art and fashion can be powerful tools for empowerment and education. Through their work, they hope to inspire others to embrace their authentic selves and to fight for equality.
Interview with Love Bailey and Pia Lindsay By IRK Positive Impact Director Patrick Duffy
IRK: You speak openly about celebrating trans gender identity and coming out. What advice would you give to other transgender people who are struggling with their identity?
Love: Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. Once you get to a place where your identity feels right, remember this important thing. You have to be happy with the person you have become in 10/20 years from now, so choose that wisely and never look back.
IRK: You are a successful producer, pop star, performer, activist, and entrepreneur. What are some of the challenges you have faced as a transgender woman in these industries?
Love: Due to my work being “Niche” in the eyes of the industry, i am constantly faced with challenges of finding funding. Even though my work crosses all genre’s and has very universal themes we all can relate to, its still harder for someone like myself who is Trans to find support to keep making my visions come to life.
IRK: Your music is often described as "genre-fluid" and "boundary-pushing." How do you approach your music making, and what do you hope to achieve with your music?
Love: All my music starts with a beat and a message. What do i want to say and how do i want to make people feel. Those are crucial components to consider when making a song.
IRK: You are a muse for many in the fashion industry but where does your inspiration come from?
Love: My inspiration comes from many different areas, from my Showgirl Grandmother Betty Bailey who raised me to the wide array of films, music videos, current political issues, and nature around me. I never stop absorbing information to widen and expand my visual and audio references. One of my favorite things about you is how you define and incorporate “Slather”, into your work, should we all be “Slathering” more? I was working construction for my mother and as I was painting this grey clay like matter to seal air into air vents, she turns to me and says “Don’t be afraid to slather it on thick!” in her butch queen no bullshit voice. From there it was a metaphor for life. We can all slather it up more in our daily lives, from slathering more kindness, love, compassion, creativity, pleasure etc. Slathering becomes a way of life. Pick up that paintbrush and slather it on thick!
IRK: Where did the idea for The Savage Ranch come from? Was it always your dream to build your very own “Queer Disneyland”?
Love: I have always been inspired by collectives of artists making a movement. From Warhol to Heatherette. One day I was in NYC living as a stylist by day and club kid by night working for Susanne Bartsch and I had a sleepover with our mutual friend Domonique Echeverria who was a mother to the lgbtq+ community, she played the documentary “The Source Family” and it all clicked. My mother at the time just bought me a ranch and begged me to come home and so i did. From there I just invited over all my eccentric friends and it just blossomed from there. This land I live on is very magical and becomes a vortex for creativity. I am truly blessed to live here and share it with the ones I love.
IRK: You are a role model for many transgender people. What do you hope to achieve by being a visible transgender woman in the public eye?
Love: If I can prevent one Trans person from taking their life or inspiring someone to achieve their dreams then I have done my job on this chaotic planet.
IRK: You have spoken out about the importance of transgender representation in the media. What do you think needs to be done to improve transgender representation in the media?
Love: Trans people need to be hired on the board of these organizations. It's not about exploiting the Trans agenda anymore, it's about hiring us to tell our own stories.
IRK: You are a vocal advocate for transgender rights. What are some of the most important transgender rights issues that need to be addressed?
Love: Our healthcare and abilities to make a living are being threatened in this country now more than ever. It is important to speak up and be an ally to our community.
IRK: What about Allyship?
Love: It’s a word we hear a lot these days, but many of us still wonder exactly what it really means to be an ally. Can you share your thoughts on why this is important? Being an ally isn’t a badge of honor you way for clout or woke points you tell your friend to seem cooler. Being an ally means doing the work to truly help uplift our community from hiring us, helping us through life threatening surgeries, voting, making sure you have a Trans friend in your friends circle etc. Its a daily commitment.
IRK: You are equally passionate about the environment, what are your key messages to the world about and creating a positive impact for the planet?
Love: We have to collectively come together and advocate for change. Fossil Fuels, Plastics, Fracking, pollution, nuclear waste, we are at a time right now when corporations have taken over the world with greed and irreverence towards the effects on the planet. We have to take the power back in the hands of the people by any means necessary.
IRK: What is your biggest dream for the future?
Love: Universal Healthcare, Basic Human Rights, separation of Church and state and a cleaner renewable energy plan with less waste and destruction towards our planet and resources.
IRK: What is one thing that people might not know about you?
Love: Im half Persian, my dad was an immigrant who fled Iran and married my mother to stay in the States. My parents are both gay and had sex one night on acid under a full moon. Go figure.
IRK: What is on the horizon for Love Bailey and how can we get involved?
Love: We just launched our next fundraising campaign to help build more infrastructure on our grassroots nonprofit known as the savage ranch. Please click this link below and get involved, we need your help to thrive! Any donation is greatly appreciated and goes a long way. Thank you!
IRK: You envisioned this very special project that shines a light on the LGBTQ community, what do you want people to take away from the collaboration?
Pia: For a long time i've been waiting to do a collaboration for pride because i'm really all about inclusivity and self expression. I want people to take away from this collaboration that beauty comes in all shapes and forms. Pia Lindsay studio is about inclusivity and having a strong sense of self. I want everyone who wears my pieces to feel beautiful and confident. It is such an important time right now to make a stand in fashion and equality especially in the LBGTQIA+ community.
IRK: What does Pride mean to you?
When I think about Pride I think of love and togetherness. My goal is to always show up as a vessel of love and support for the LGBTQIA+ community during these times of hate and difficulty. I think it's so important to help normalize pride because it's what's shaping our culture for the better.
Being a woman of color representation is very important to me. So supporting a community that has been historically underrepresented and discriminated against is something I will always support! IRK: You and Love Bailey created magic on set, what inspired to work with her in this project?
Pia: Love Bailey was beyond amazing to work with! I couldn't have asked for a better person to have a pride collaboration with! Love Bailey exudes beauty and seduction while being extremely smart and creative. In the beginning of the shoot we got together and discussed each look. It was important to us to have this fun, crazy, beautiful shoot while keeping an elegance to it. The whole team in its entirety understood the assignment and made magic! Love bailey went above and beyond and i can't thank her enough to be open to a collaboration with an emerging designer for Pride.
IRK: Creating beauty, elegance and grace is something you are an expert at, how does that tie in yo your work to create gorgeous gowns and positive actions for people and planet?
Pia: You know, it's very interesting! Being known as a conscious fashion designer wasn't really something I intended to strive for in the beginning. When I started Pia Lindsay Studio I had already been working in the fashion industry for over a decade and I have witnessed and experienced so much injustice from the fashion industry.
When I made the decision to start my own brand it was really because of all the companies that went out of business during Covid that fueled me to create a collection. I used everything that was given to me from these companies! They gave me deadstock fabrics, thousands of buttons, beads, threads and dress forms etc. I remember I would go all over Manhattan with a little cart and just stock up on all of the materials that were unfortunately being thrown out from these companies. It then became really clear to me what I wanted my brand to stand for. I really stay away from over consumption and fast fashion. I design with a purpose and I want people to see that when they look at my work. I really focused on creating beauty with the very few resources that are given to me. There are so many amazing things that you can create! And you don't need to destroy the planet to do so.
IRK: Where do you draw most of your inspiration from?
Pia: My inspiration always starts with color. I love color! So much energy and emotion comes from color. It's really how I start creating each collection. I love playing with the different shades and how it can sit well with colors that you never thought would look great together. I never really go in the direction of what's trending. I design with keeping myself in mind. If i wouldn't wear it why am i producing work that i don't strongly believe in. I think people want connection and authenticity.
Being a supportive transgender ally is about more than just using the right pronouns. It's about creating a world where transgender people can live their lives freely and without fear of discrimination. Here are some top ways to be a supportive ally:
• Educate yourself about transgender issues. Learn about the basics of transgender identity, terminology, and experiences. There are many great resources available online and in libraries.
• Use the correct pronouns. Ask transgender people what pronouns they use and use them consistently. This is one of the most important things you can do to show your support.
• Speak up against transphobia. If you hear someone making transphobic remarks, speak up. Let them know that their words are harmful and unacceptable.
• Support transgender-inclusive policies. This could include supporting laws that protect transgender people from discrimination, or donating to organizations that are working to advance transgender rights.
• Be an ally to transgender youth. Transgender youth are especially vulnerable to discrimination and violence. Be a role model and advocate for them.
Being a supportive transgender ally is an ongoing process. There will be times when you make mistakes. But the important thing is to keep learning and growing. By being an ally, you can help create a more just and equitable world for transgender people.
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
• Trans Equality: https://transequality.org/
• GLAAD: https://glaad.org/
• The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
• PFLAG: https://pflag.org/
Explore and support Love Bailey's Savage Ranch HERE
