Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophie Gragg.
Sophie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always loved working with other creatives and have often liked the idea of being a curator. Though I’m most passionate about music, I wanted to find a way to bring together a variety of elements and creatives to create one community. I started my company, The Luna Collective, simply as a way to talk to artists I admired and to spotlight those I felt deserved more attention. When I first started Luna, I really don’t know where I expected it to go, but now I’m confident in its path and everything that lays ahead. Luna has become a really versatile entity and it’s already expanded in so many ways, so I’m looking forward to more expansion.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There’s definitely been a fair share of challenges but I’ve learned so much from those challenges. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into and have learned a lot along the way. Despite being in college I never really learned half of what I’m doing now in my career. No one taught me how to use inDesign, how to cold email publicists, how to book venues and everything in between. I’ve figured out everything along the way and am fortunate to have met some individuals who saw something in myself and Luna and wanted to join this journey and help me where they can.
For the longest time, I think I mainly struggled with getting people to take Luna seriously and not view it as some little “zine”. The Luna Collective is not a zine! It’s hard to get people to value what you’re creating when you have very little to show and are only at your beginning, but overtime that’s something that’s definitely gotten easier and I feel a lot better about.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Luna Collective – what should we know?
The Luna Collective is an online creative platform and magazine. We feature film only photography and have the pleasure of featuring a variety of creatives from musicians to visual artists. We create an editorial magazine that features interviews and photoshoots with creatives as well as submission-based seasonal zines that feature the work of our amazing audience. We stick to film only photos in our publications and Instagram – this has been part of Luna at the core and has helped foster a really special and talented community.
I’m most proud of both the community we’ve found and the space we’ve created for people to share their work. Whether it’s people tagging their photos with #LunaCollective on Instagram or sending in submissions for our magazine, it’s really special that people allow us to share their work.
I’m also proud of the original content that we produce, which is something I definitely think sets us apart from others. We’re able to work with amazing film photographers, writers and graphic designers to create some really special projects that showcase the talented individuals we come across. I’m very thankful for everyone I get to work with through these projects.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Dedication. A lot of things are not easy but are worth sticking to. If I gave up anytime I thought something was too difficult, too much work, not worth the time or too confusing, I would not be very far in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thelunacollectivemag.com
- Instagram: @itssophielol
- Twitter: @itssophielol
- Other: The Luna Collective Instagram: @lunacollectivemag
Image Credit:
Header Photo By Nikoli Partiyeli
Magazine Cover Photo by Myai Anthony / Design By Nikoli Partiyeli,
Merch Model Meli Ulkumen,
“Reflections” cover by Nikoli Partiyeli.
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