In Conversation with Gok Wan
UK fashion expert Gok Wan appeared at the University of Roehampton on Friday for the Lifestyle Emotions and Celebrity Culture event.
The talk was part of the University’s New Reflections on Fashioning Identities with Dr Theodora Thomadaki, an Associate Lecturer at the University of Roehampton.
Theodora Thomadaki, an expert in reality TV, lifestyle media, post-feminism, and psychoanalytic theory led the discussion with Wan. Her PhD, ‘Gok Wan ‘on the couch,’ was an extensive look into Gok Wan’s How To Look Good Naked series on Channel 4.
The hour-long discussion was an open event for the public, situated in the new Elm Grove Conference Centre.
The event’s discussions included debating existing conversations on makeover narratives, fashion, aging, gay cultures, everyday lifestyle practices, and how the public reflect on their body, sexuality, and identity. “All the reasons I hated myself growing up, are all the reasons I’m successful now,” Wan said.
The one-day symposium was supported by the Centre for Research in Film and Audiovisual Cultures (CRFAC), in association with the Fashion Costume and Visual Cultures (FCVC) Network.
When asked if his sexuality played a major role in his success as a TV Presenter, he said: “I’ve used my sexuality all my life; I couldn’t do my job if I wasn’t gay.” Wan continued: “I have a human responsibility to help those people who took part in the show.” It was more than creating a programme; it was about helping and supporting individuals emotionally.
