Lydia Garnett

Lydia Garnett serves as Joint Stage 1 Leader for the BA Fashion Communication: Image and Promotion program at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. As a non-binary artist-educator, they bridge academic instruction with professional creative practice through photography, film, and zine production centered on queer subcultures.

Their research explores the nuanced intersections of style and identity within underground communities, with particular focus on Butch identity documentation through projects like Close Shave and women's football fandom through Fans Zine. This work employs intimate storytelling rooted in ritual, collectivity, and play to examine how marginalized communities express identity through cultural codes.

Garnett's creative output reveals evolving trends across visual anthropology and LGBTQ+ representation, increasingly emphasizing community archiving and participatory methodologies. Their projects consistently prioritize the 'Butch gaze'—centering internal community perspectives rather than external interpretation.

• 2025 Last Exit On Bethnal (Institute of Contemporary Arts)
• 2023 LensCulture Art Photography Finalist
• 2021 IRIS Prize for LGBTQ+ Community Film
• 2021 UKMVA Best Wardrobe Nomination
• Multiple international film festival selections

As educator and practitioner, Garnett maintains active industry engagement through collaborations with Nike, Adidas, and Rimowa while representing the academic-practitioner nexus. Their work with Somesuch agency demonstrates integration of commercial practice with community-focused projects. Current research examines the erotic architecture of public spaces through Between The Stacks and evolving documentation of women's football fandom.