Meet our Secretary.
@photosbyshagunjain
Finding out that Anastasia, or Asya (pronounced as-ee-ya), wanted her interview to take place at the Argyle bar in Marchmont was like a shining light for me.
It was a Monday in the middle of February: dreary and dark, and the thought of a sitting inside the warm, homely bar seemed a lot more enticing than freezing in my bedroom.
Late, I ran into the pub to get away from the rain, and Asya followed me shortly after. We both got a drink. In true “girl’s girl” fashion, she offered me a sip of hers and then reapplied her lipstick…
Lily: Oh, is that black honey?
Anastasia: Of course it is! I’m obsessed with it. I will use it for 3 months, leave it in the bottom of my bag and panic that I’ve lost it forever, buy another and then find it later. I probably have about 6 unfinished black honey tubes!
Lily: *Laughing* I should probably have started with … what is your name?
Anastasia: Anastasia Pendlebury.
Lily: Do you go by Anastasia, or Ana…
Anastasia: I go by Asya, but a lot of the time I don’t bother telling people because they’ll get it wrong and I get a bit embarrassed about telling people my name over and over. So, to my friends I go by Asya, but in society things I normally go by Anastasia because it's easier.
Lily: Where did the nickname, Asya, come from?
Anastasia: Well, my mum’s side of my family is Russian and Asya is the shortened version of Anastasia in Russia - it’s like their version of Anna. So, in Eastern Europe, Asya is a really common name. But obviously, it’s not very common here.
Lily: So, you said your family is from Eastern Europe, but where do you live now?
Anastasia: I live in London, Islington. Like North London, kind of near Hackney. It’s very cool.
@photosbyshagunjain
Lily: Very cool! So, where are we now? What does this place mean to you?
Anastasia: So, we’re at the Argyle Bar. Which is very close to my flat. I wouldn’t say that it's my favourite bar in the entirety of Edinburgh but it’s definitely the one I go to most. I’ve had all my best moments with my flatmates here. My flatmates and I will probably come here after this interview and play cards and it's just kind of the perfect place. When I think of Edinburgh, I think of the Argyle Bar.
Lily: It’s very cool, have you been to many things at the Argyle cellar?
Anastasia: I haven’t actually! My first thing was the Valentine’s jazz event we collaborated on with ECFS.
Lily: Lovely! If Argyle isn’t your favourite bar in Edinburgh, what would be?
Anastasia: Well, I have a lot of friends in New Town, so I always get dragged over to that end. I do enjoy Kitty [O’Shea]’s. A Kitty’s night is a really great night out, it’s kind of the same vibe as Argyle but bigger. But, out of convenience, I love Argyle. Like, all my friends have had first dates here.
Lily: I feel like it could be a great first date spot!
Anastasia: Yeah, although I feel like you would see a lot of people you know …
Lily: What are you wearing today? Talk me through your outfit.
Anastasia: This jacket I’m wearing I bought in Brick Lane in London. I got, kind of, coerced into buying it but I don’t mind really. It was, like, a group wardrobe moment. My belt is actually my sisters but she doesn’t know I have it. She’ll probably be annoyed when I show her this! Then, these jeans I got from Vinted and my boots are from Nine West, and they’re also from Vinted, and I love them. My coat, my mum got for me. It’s so “Edinburgh”. My mum actually works in fashion, so I always trust her with everything she gets. And, my scarf I got from a charity shop in hull!
Lily: The skinny, stripy scarf with the fur coat is very “Edinburgh”!
Anastasia: I know! First week of Freshers I got papped by The Tab for “What You’re Wearing Wednesday”. I was this 18 year old, little Fresher, they got my name wrong, and said I was wearing “such a pollock girly core outfit”! I wanted to cry.
Lily: What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
Anastasia: That is really hard. I have a lot of family in France, and where I go to visit them, they have a market every Thursday. It’s this massive jumble market and they sell things from 50 cents to 3 euros. It’s where about 98% of my clothes are from. I love it. These boots have also been with me for so long, and I got them for around 4 pounds. Also, probably this ring. I designed it myself, and then for my 18th birthday my mum went and got it made, it has my birthstone in it.
@photosbyshagunjain
Lily: What experience do you have with fashion, either professionally or personally?
Anastasia: Officially, not much. But I like to think I have a lot of experience in the fact that, and my friends can attest to this, I have a great wardrobe! When I was in halls last year I was the “group wardrobe”. I love it, that’s kind of my love language, I love sharing my clothes. Actual “experience”, not much. Being in the society is probably my first time I’ve delved into doing something about my interest in fashion. I use vinted all the time, and I do a lot of shopping which might not be a good thing, now that I say it! What I’m doing right now, I love. I’ve met really nice people and it’s really fun. I didn’t get a chance to go to the fashion show last year but everyone was talking about it, and I just really wanted a chance to get involved this year. It’s really fun, and I’m really excited for the hype!
Lily: This leads us on nicely, to what is your role on the committee, and what does it entail?
Anastasia: I’m the secretary! What does it entail … Well, I’ve been helping with admin stuff: booking rooms and helping things in the lead up to the fashion show. As that gets closer, I’ve been doing more stuff involved with the fashion show. I helped out with the casting which was really exciting, and there were so many talented people there. It felt very “devil wears prada”!
Lily: How do you think your previous experience, or just any attributes you have, have helped you in your role this year?
Anastasia: Well, I consider myself to be a very organised person. Or, at least, I try to be. As I said, I love fashion, I love clothes. I love the way it can make me feel, or make other people feel. I love dressing up my friends, sending them on dates wearing all my clothes. It’s the best thing ever. Obviously that’s nothing to do with my role, but I do think I just have a passionate interest. And, yeah, I do think I’m an organised person, and that I’m on top of things.
Lily: Finally, what are you most excited about with Fashion Society this year?
Anastasia: Obviously the fashion show! I’ve been to a couple of things with my mum’s work, but I’ve never been so invested in it. I’ve been telling my parents and friends about it. The theme is really cool, I love the fact that the dress code is so exciting, and that it’s going to be so big!
Lily: Yeah, I think it’s going to be even bigger than last year?
Anastasia: Yeah, it is! The venue is so cool, and I’m just really excited for it. So everyone reading this should get their tickets!
Lily: Yes! We have to do some shameless promo!
@photosbyshagunjain
After the interview: me, Anastasia, and Shagun (vp and in-house photographer) sat around and chatted for a little while longer, taking pictures for the blog and finishing our drinks. Just before I left to get the bus back home, we made a pact to come back to the pub more regularly. Hopefully, if we go back to the Argyle Bar and do the pub quiz, like Anastasia did with her flatmates after we left her, we won’t come last!
Thank you to Anastasia for chatting with me, and as Asya says, I hope everyone reading this has got their tickets for our “Ethereal Beings” fashion show taking place on the 10th March at Greyfriar’s Kirk! If you haven’t, and you want to, you can either purchase a ticket through the link below, or following the links on our social media: @uoefashionsoc on Instagram.
If you want to learn more about me or the blog, then feel free to follow me @lilsrob on Instagram, where I will be posting about upcoming blog posts, fashion society events and am happy to answer any questions you might have!