Strike a pose…Vogue

Spoken Word London began at Vogue Fabrics due to owner Lyall Hakaraia taking a chance on a new venture. From ten people clustered in the corner at our first night, it’s grown into a thriving twice-monthly community that’s now been running for a year and a half. As famous poet John Cage once said: ‘Find a place you trust, and then, try trusting it for a while.’

Vogue might have changed aesthetically over that time period – the bar is now grand and wooden, a sapphire-lit LED wall has replaced the old black drapes – but at its spirit still lies that will for experimentation. In addition to Spoken Word, we’ve run a theatrical showcase named Dark Fabrics Cabaret there, and Naked Boys Reading has its roots at venue.

Now ‘Tranny Dad’ Lyall is aiming to expand their arts programme to include more weekday evenings in 2015. And they’re currently on the lookout for exciting promoters and artists, which should prick up the ears of all with a creative bent…

‘There is a need for a queer art space in Dalston,’ he says. ‘We are wanting people to not only come and start new nights during the week but also those with ambition to develop and show new work here. All creative ideas welcome.

‘To this end, we are making Vogue more art-friendly, with a new frame around the bar to act as a lighting and projection rig. We are buying new benches for more fully seated events and we now have new curators of Vogue’s street window for the aptly named ‘window project’.’

In addition to these progressive plans, Lyall also fills us in about the live web streaming they’ll be introducing.

‘In the New Year we will start live streaming for special events that we think need to be shared with a worldwide audience. The idea is that we also have guest directors for the feeds out, as well as having live input from international artists, as well.’

And of course, Vogue’s reputation as one of the best basement gay clubs in all of London isn’t going to suffer on its Friday and Saturday nights. Beginning with its New Year’s Missfit’s Eve Glitter Bash!

‘It’s an open to all Queer Night as you would expect from Vogue,’ enthuses Lyall. ‘We love that the girls will be in control!’