BKc + Lauren Yates
of Pony Tail Journal

I went to art school and studied to be a photographer in Australia. When I was 14, I was scouted to be a model, working full-time. Fortunately my agent never let me miss school and she forced me to go to university. I used to hate her but now I thank her. I did modelling for a long time and then I started shooting as well and became a commercial fashion photographer. I got involved in many different areas within the industry but then got sick of the advertising world. I didn’t know how much I could keep doing it so I started my blog as a way to keep my brain sane. Writing is really cathartic. I started two years ago. And then magazines started hitting me up and asking me to write for them. It happened more and more so now I write for several magazines, some regularly and some on a freelance basis. It takes me wherever and now I can choose whom to work for.

My journal is about finding and sharing good things. It’s about the new luxury – artisanal products handmade with best quality material, and small sustainable production. Fun is also a key drive of my brand. I write about something if I really believe in it, for free. That’s what the journal is all about. As a blogger, I realized that the more selective you are the better it is for you. Some people just accept any kind of income from anywhere and then their blog becomes a confusing patchwork where they are pushing so many different things that their authenticity becomes questionable. Coming from art school I feel I already had this stubborn sense of elitism, the need to keep my integrity to be a real person. When you are really selective and what you run is really well curated, your value goes up and people respect you for that.