Originally appeared in the Wise Up Issue. Look right.
Text: Dean Kissick
Photography: Sean Thomas
Film: MrWize
Isamaya Ffrench, 22, make-up artist and performer with the Theo Adams Company, from Cambridge (Left) What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? ‘The sooner you accept the size of your feet, the sooner you can enjoy the walk.’ Gwendoline Christie. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? ‘The sooner you accept the size of your feet…’ I haven’t accepted I have big feet, so I still manage to wear fabulous sample size shoes. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give to your younger self? To take up that place on MasterChef. What rules do you live by? I don’t have any rules, just be nice. We’re all in this together. Tweet @Isamayaffrench
Claire Barrow, 22, fashion designer from Stockton-on-Tees (Centre) Describe yourself… Romantic, wayward, naughty, Northern, sleepy. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? ‘You should never go to them, let them come to you’ – Morrissey. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? Hair extensions are a good idea. They looked like shit and are also worryingly unethical. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? I wouldn’t, whatever, I am still young. What rules do you live by? No rules, just do what you do and don’t be a dick. Tweet @MisClaireBarrow
Ryan Lo, fashion designer from Hong Kong Describe yourself… Emotional! Selfish! Lonely! Love! Angry! What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Don’t have sex with men! (Right before I watched Brokeback Mountain.) If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? I wouldn’t change a thing; always learn from your first-time mistakes. Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met? Miranda Hobbes and Ally McBeal cos they were both smart strong single women with careers. Tweet @RyanLOStudio
Berry Patten, 26, artist from Essex Describe yourself… (Nina says for Berry…) Fun, babe, sunshine, cuddles and sparkles. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? McD’s curry sauce ☺ What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? Thankfully, I can’t remember. I talk myself into terrible decisions all the time. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? Don’t be so shy. What rules do you live by? Be kind. Karma is real. Tweet @crumberlina
Nina Cristante, 24, curator of Eva by Heart club nights, from Rome Describe yourself… (Berry says for Nina…) You’re my butterfly, sugar, baby. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? YOLO. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? If you laugh you laugh with everyone, if you cry you cry alone… If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? Chill Nino. Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met? Ben Vickers, as he is the change he wants to see. Tweet @ninacristante
Raine Allen-Miller, 22, shoot producer and project manager from London What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? My friend George Grace told me that if you damage wood you should rub a walnut on it. I thought that was pretty good advice and it actually works. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? Two years ago I advised myself to buy a Golf Mark 1 convertible before I passed my driving test. I still haven’t passed my test, it’s just sitting in the garage. Selling it would break my heart, so it’s just a pointless object that’s taking up space. If you could rewind time what advice would you give your younger self? Don’t get those tattoos; you will hate them in less than a year. Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met? If I had to pick one it would be my dad, he’s a very wise and wonderful man. What rules do you live by? Try not to take yourself too seriously. Tweet @raineam
Isabelle Sayer, 22, stylist from London.What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Always say yes to opportunities you’re given… doesn’t matter how small, from experience I’ve found they often lead to other things. If you could rewind time what advice would you give to your younger self? To lock my rabbit cage properly. What rules do you live by? Don’t take anything for granted, make the most of the time you have and be nice! Tumblr @izzysayer
Oscar Hazell, 24, artist, curator and editor of WARD magazine, from Hampstead Heath Describe yourself… Unhygienic, nonchalant, tall, pragmatic, hungry. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Whatever it was I didn’t take it on board. Maybe it was about sitting up straight or something. What’s the worst advice you’ve been given? 4am in a tower block flat I was told by Michelin-starred sous chef that the best way to dice an onion is – once you’ve made the vertical slices and two horizontal cuts – to turn the onion 22.5 degrees as opposed to 45. What happened as a result of it? I got an inconsistent dice. What rules do you live by? Have one large meal around 3pm. Find free booze. Make shit happen. Tweet @wardmagazine
Christina Smith, 25, photographer from Surrey Describe yourself… Obsessive, opinionated, worries, laid-back, kind. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? ‘Press on’ – my Dad. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? ‘Stop being so obsessed with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.’ I continued my obsession. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? It’s all about now. Who’s the wisest person you’ve ever met? Pepper. He would always wag his tail.
Bradley Zero Phillip, 20, Rhythm Section and Boiler Room host, from Leeds. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? Do it. (Something.) What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? Don’t do it. (Nothing.) If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? Spend your student loan wisely. You’re unlikely to ever have as much time with as little responsibility, until it’s too late. Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met? My art teacher at A-level, John Standeven. We always had the kind of conversations where I felt like I had revealed mystical truths about life, then as soon as I tried to recall out conversation, the revelations had evaporated into the ether. John is a spiritual leader, a free-er mind and a true Northern sage. What rules do you live by? He who hesitates is lost. Be nice. Not many people are bad deep down… give everyone a chance… Tweet @rhythmsectionhq
Sophia Webster, 27, shoe and bag designer from Durban, South Africa Describe yourself… Feisty, blonde, ambitious, small and loud. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Don’t eat yellow snow. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? Don’t buy vodka from Lidl. What rules do you live by? Dream big. Do your best. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Instagram @Sophia_webster
Molly Goddard, 23, fashion designer from West London. Describe yourself… Enjoy it while it lasts. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Go commando. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? To dress up as a chicken and put a rubber glove over my head. It was too tight so I vomited and fainted. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? To have stopped my parents from throwing away all their old clothes, like a pair of pink PVC dungarees. What rules do you live by? Keep in touch with everybody you like. Enjoy your work. Make lots of babies. Tweet @MollyMGoddard
Alice Goddard, 20, stylist and editor of Hot & Cool magazine, from West London Describe yourself… Really, really ridiculously good looking. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? My mum once told me to always wear a jumper to the supermarket because the fridges make it cold in there. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self?Don’t throw away your pink suede cowboy boots. Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met? I met David Attenborough; he talked to me about fossils. Tweet @AliceGoddard
Sunless 97, band from London Describe yourself… Inquisitive, all-embracing, spirited-fluid-groove. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Be awake. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? Go to sleep. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? Don’t grow up. Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met? Jonas Mekas – ‘All wise men have gone mad.’ And the family dog, RIP Sammy. What rules do you live by? Be open, unthreatened and accepting. Tweet @sunless97
Samuel Membery, 27, menswear designer from London Describe yourself… Impatient, optimism, rhythm, modern, 3am. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Advice about the RCA from my BA tutor and friend, the late Fred Spurr. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? You should watch The Wire. I did nothing else for months. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? There is more to life than 2-step records and tagging walls, but I would never have listened. What rules do you live by? Have a soundtrack. Read books they are good for your mind. Movement is good, static is bad.
Antonia Campbell-Hughes, 30, actress from Ireland Describe yourself… I’m going through a change… I could tell you in a few months. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Treat every job like it’s your first. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? ‘Don’t think just do.’ I became an actor. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? Stop getting on airplanes so often. What rules do you live by? Be nice to people. Listen to fast punk or metal on the tube. Listen to soft rock before bed. Tweet @acampbellhughes
Phoebe English, 26, designer from Stratford-upon-Avon Describe yourself… Undomesticated, faux-albino, semi-blind, ethereal, pessimist. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Simplify… It’s never finished… To sing how you sing. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? That a neon-orange satin puffer jacket was a great look. It now plagues every photo of me from the 90s. If you could rewind time what advice would you give your younger self? Not to ever touch Sun-In hair dye. Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met? Louise Wilson, she has infinite encyclopaedic wisdom and is exceptionally astute. What rules do you live by? To make your own earthly heaven. To love the people you are surrounded by. To never part in combat, always say goodbye fondly. Tweet @PhoebeEnglish
Francesca Dunn, 22, senior staff writer at RWD and occasional maker of music, from Lincoln and Paris Describe yourself… Inappropriate joke-making cat lover. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Enjoy life and be happy. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? That going running in Converse would be ok. It wasn’t. Fucked knees. If you could rewind time, what advice would you give your younger self? To stop being such a moody little madam. Who is the wisest person you’ve ever met? My friend Fred. He’s a nuclear engineer and knows absolutely everything. What rules do you live by? Put things in perspective. Love hard. Go for it. Tweet @francesca_dunn