Five Favourite Things with Freelance Creative Lily Gee

In this series on the Sigrid Maria Journal, creatives from various fields are asked to choose and describe five of their favourite things. These are items that could have inspired their work or given meaning to their life in some way; objects that represent a moment in time, or that forms part of journey leading to where they are now. I think it’s wonderful to, especially in these times, be able to dip into what certain things mean to people. The objects we cherish often carry energy such as love, joy and hope, and can evoke memories as well as those emotions when we think of them. The idea is to tell short stories through objects, and that with just five items you can get an insight in someone’s life, take part in their journey and get to know them a little.

This week I chat to freelance creative chameleon Lily Gee. Lily was born in London to parents in the music and fashion industry, and is currently living in Highgate, North London, along with her close-knit family. For the past year and half she has been freelance in event planning and production, working for clients such as Bobbi Brown, Dove, Bumble and Spotify. Her first job was running the digital team for an events company during London Fashion Week and since then she has been firmly placed in the creative industry. Her passion is in events and styling, but lockdown changed everything over the course of a few days. Therefore she has now combined her love for styling and her new found hobby; pottery, to create a side hustle project together with her older sister until the events industry is back in action: Gee Studio Store.

Lily has had quite a different upbringing than most from the age of 11, when her parents took her and her three sisters out of school to travel all over Europe in a caravan and decided to homeschool their children. Eventually they ended up in rural West Wales converting old barns, where Lily lived the countryside dream alongside dogs and ponies. Her father had a severe accident when she was a teenager, which lead to Lily moving back to London to secure a job to help support her family when her father could no longer work. Lily has an amazing eye and I love her style and how she can create inspirational spaces with just a few items! Here are her five favourite things.

Follow her at @lilybethgee @gee.studio @gee.studio.store

Vintage Leather Boots

One of my great talents is accumulating gorgeous vintage leather boots in bargain basements for a ridiculously cheap price. Most I never have the occasion to wear so they just stay on a shelf looking fancy.
But I have been collecting them since I was 18 and I love my random selection. Partly why I find them is that they rarely fit anyone else because I have teeny tiny feet…

Morse Code Family Ring

This ring was gifted to me by my mum, and is something I always wear on my middle finger; its the lower ring.
The inscription says ohana in morse code around the outside, and ohana on the inside.
Ohana is a Hawaiian term for family; "Ohana means family and family means no one gets lost behind or forgotten". This has special meaning to me as family has always been the absolute most important thing in my life. Especially since my dad sustained brain damage after a fall and all of our lives changed so suddenly. We were forced to confront the change in his personality and assist in his rehabilitation, but this has only pushed us all closer together. My family is my world 🖤

Vintage Ghost Dress

I absolutely love this vintage Ghost dress with butterfly and dragonfly embroidery.
My package arrived with a free Ghost dress inside as a bonus, and I actually prefer it to the one I originally found and purchased on eBay. It’s super versatile and can be worn three different ways - I love an item you can style in various ways. Ghost is a brand that is so close to my heart - I grew up watching my mum wearing beautiful Ghost dresses and always envied her.

Calvin Klein Mini Bag

I love this bag so much - it’s my favourite - so much so that I have even sourced the same one for two of my friends!
This is perfect mini black bag for any occasion, the chunky chain makes it a little more modern minimalist and it fits everything important without being clunky.
Vintage CK is my one true love, it's just not the same anymore. I’d say everyone needs a 00's mini handbag!

Upcycled Vanity from Free Things London

I found this amazing vanity on the Free Things London Facebook Page.
It was in horrible aged blue, but I decided to scrub it up, sand it down and then paint it in an off-white.
I totally fell in love with it, it is the perfect addition to my bedroom.
I am so obsessed with vintage furniture, I love unusual items and this curve is everything.
This was a lock down project and I am super pleased with the result!