Working it out on the remix of all things 2024, RUBY General Manager Emily Miller-Sharma and Lucy Blakiston from Shit You Should Care About reflect on the year that’s been, share their biggest takeaways, and set their sights on what’s next...
Em:
Kia Ora Lucy!
Merry Christmas!
It me 10 mins ago - I just picked up my first surfboard:
Lucy:
OMG HI!!
Well, me and my family host a big Christmas party in Blenheim each year, and LOOK what me and my bestie are wearing:
Lucy:
Dream RUBY skirt and my bestie in her dream RUBY top!!!
Em:
Now that’s a duo if I’ve ever seen one.
It’s nearly December 31st, so I'm going to start with some questions to reflect on the year we've had?
Describe 2024 in 3 words:
For moi:
Riding
The
Wave
Lucy:
OMG this is a great question:
brat
medicated
grateful!!!!
Em:
Thank fuck for medication! I used to feel fearful of it, like if I used it then I was somehow taking away my body’s ability to do the work. But now my vibe is that we live in the modern world, so we should take what modern medicine has to offer. It matches somehow.
Lucy:
LITERALLY. I owe my life to citalopram, and I’m never going back, I swear to god (whoever she is).
Em:
I’m a Sertraline gal.
I used to take citalopram, but I switched to Sertraline because the citalopram was reducing my sexual desire.
And Omg yes CHARLI. And the green. It was so cool for me as well because a couple of years ago we ordered this green-colored organic cotton poplin, and then we just haven’t been able to use it for anything. But it was a pretty good Brat green! So we’ve been making all of our samples in it, and we used it in the curtains of our RSR Pop Up. We had a Brat 41 party for my birthday (spoiler: I turned 41), and the team learned the dance to Apple, and it was so fun. I just love it when something in pop culture gives you all these bubbles of fun to muck around in.
Lucy:
Ok, BABE, I also have a brat green story!! Early this year, we decided on our book cover, and the background color is BRAT GREEN!!! Cute coincidence, but I also felt like I had to explain to everyone that we CHOSE IT BEFORE BRAT WAS A THING.
What was The Wave for you, babe? Were things hard, or was this just because you got a surfboard?
Em:
The wave for me… well, for example, I went overseas three times. Thrice, if you will. I didn’t know that I was going to do that at the beginning of the year.
Seattle - my bio dad lives there. He has cancer, and I found out it is terminal.
China - I haven’t been to China since before I had my son, June. He was born in Jan 2020, and then COVID happened, and I just got out of the habit of visiting our suppliers. It’s a deeply obvious thing to say, but China is so SO different from New Zealand, and because I’m out of practice, I really felt it in my bones.
Scotland and London - my husband’s uncle got married, so we did a very cool family mission up there.
Lucy:
God, babe - what a fucking year. I’m so sorry about your dad. I lost my younger brother a few years ago, so grief has strangely been quite a big part of my young life. I think I’m friends with it now, but this life thing isn’t easy!
I feel you on the travel thing!! I’ve had an insane year of travel: I took a campervan trip to Canada and the USA with my dad, spoke at an event with 70k people in attendance in Lisbon, launched a book in London, attended a media conference in Thailand. It’s so nice to be taken seriously in the industry, but omg I’m TIRED.
Em:
Okay, so the Lisbon event. Do you worry about sweat marks?
Also, that’s fucking incredible. Congratulations.
Lucy:
YES, I AM SUCH A SWEATY GIRL, SO I ALWAYS DRESS ACCORDINGLY.
Em:
I remember seeing Michelle Obama give a speech, I think in the lead-up to the Hillary/Trump election, and she was wearing a tight, sleeveless blue dress, and I wondered if there was a magic potion she used to not get sweaty underarms.
I mean, how do you even prepare yourself to speak in front of that many people?
I’m QUITE the Sweaty Betty. I carry a fan.
Lucy:
It’s UNDERBOOB SWEAT FOR ME.
re: your wave, i have a tip on reflecting too! i have a journal that i’ve tried to make as chill as i can (because i suck at following a routine), so the only thing i write in this specific journal is ONE GOOD THING that happened that day. it’s so nice because it makes you reflect on something positive before you go to sleep, AND i can look back on times where the best thing that i could think of was a new episode of Love Island coming out, whereas now I struggle to fit all my good thoughts on there!!!
Em:
Isn’t it so amazing to see yourself progress?
Lucy:
Easily the greatest.
Em:
And by doing something so lil, it’s not so daunting to do it on the regular
Lucy it’s cool that there is such a bubbling of good thoughts for you!
When I was waiting for us to start chatting, I looked up SYSCA on Blue Sky but there was just a singular post on there
Are you using it personally?
Lucy:
omg i swear i don’t even remember posting anything, and NO i can’t have another social media feed in my life.
what did i post?
Em:
It was a lol one to have as a singular
Lucy:
HAHAHAHA OK I REMEMBER THAT
Em:
Hahahahahahha
It’s bloody good
Lucy:
Jack Scholssberg is my 2024 crush of the year, who’s yours?
Em:
Oooooooo
I’m going to think about that. Not because I need heaps of time, I just like to think about crushes
Lucy:
the only thing that gets me through life is having a crush
Em:
Crushes are so good eh
So sparkly and anything you want them to be
Ok mine are:
Miranda July
Michael Hobbes
A waiter I had
Lucy:
A WAITER I HAD IS SENDING ME
Em:
There is simply no other way to describe him
Lucy:
what are your 2025 ins and outs?
Em:
As in:
In = Cool
Out = Drool
?
Lucy:
exactly
Em:
Love this question
It reminds me of a time when I spoke on a panel, did the census AND participated in a longitudinal study all within the same month
Lucy:
babe that’s too much data
in for 2025
- phoenixing
- giving people grace on the internet
- buying yourself a nice bathrobe
- filthy martinis
out for 2025:
- ruminating on stupid thoughts
- cancel culture
- using the word ‘twas in instagram captions
- tiktok in the USA potentially
Em:
In:
- romance novels and celebrating sexuality
- Old Country Food Vegan Dumplings
- karaoke at 4pm
Out:
- uncomfortable shoes
- hyperbole
- Treaty Principles Bill
Hahahahahahahahahaha I don’t remember seeing ‘twas in an Instagram caption
Lucy:
it would be like someone going to karaoke at 4 pm and posting, “‘twas a great evening”
idk why ‘twas has always been something that icks me
also people spelling definitely “defiantly”
Em:
Fuck that.
Also: apart (as in: I am so happy to be apart of this troupe)
Guttered instead of gutted
But yes to a filthy martini.
My ratios:
6 pt gin
1 pt dry vermouth
1 pt olive brine (and if you’re out of olives, caper brine is a perfectly acceptable novelty)
Lucy:
OK THIS IS GREAT AS I’VE NEVER MADE ONE SO I AM STEALING THAT RECIPE. RUBY martini glasses????
Em:
🫡
Lucy:
ok so since this has turned quite cynical: what was your highlight of 2024?
Em:
Honestly, the first thing that comes to my head are the times that I have been laughing and laughing holding my sides like maybe my organs are going to bust through my ribs
That feeling of speeding up excitement like when you’re 16 and driving your friends to the beach
These things only really happen when I’m truly vibing with someone / someones. So maybe to name a THING instead of a FEELING, I would say loved ones?
Hbu?
Lucy:
i’m having this RIGHT now as i’m sitting here talking to you in my PJs surrounded by my 6 best girls, and it’s truly an unmatched feeling
Em:
Aaaaaaah SO GOOD!
Lucy:
i’ve had a really #girlboss year, so my highlights are work related, but i also hosted Dolly Aldterton at her two NZ shows this year and it was like meeting a long lost sister / twin flame / my biggest hero all in one
AND I RELEASED A FUCKING BOOK WHICH WAS INSANE
Em:
Congratulations girl
What a fucking achievement
Lucy:
funny how RUBY was a part of both of these things too!! you dressed me for my book launch AND dressed me and Dolly for our Auckland show!! STOP IT!!
Em:
We’re with you girl x
From a work perspective, it was opening our RUBY Says Recycle pop up in the old Smith and Caughey’s space on Broadway. When I was a kid, I remember grandma taking me to Smith and Caughey’s and it was the height of luxury. I would have to wear “something nice”. And what I love about us going into that space is that we’re saying that actually buying second hand pieces IS the height of luxury now
Lucy:
i'm not gonna lie, as someone who loves RUBY clothes and LOVES second hand shopping, i reckon this is one of the coolest things you do as a business. more people should take a leaf out of your book imo!!!
Em:
Yes! Totally agree!
The thing is, from an operational perspective, it is QUITE the upheaval to get the processes working, so it can feel daunting. But we have chatted with a few other local brands about how we make it run, and will share with anyone else who is interested / has a few hours to go deep into computer systems and training manuals and if this then that.
Lucy:
OK: what are we looking most forward to in 2025????
Em:
My son is starting school! I have been with him for a few visits and honestly, I'm jealous of him - I wish I was starting school!
At work we are going to do a Variety Show. Everyone has to do a lil performance
Growing our RSR line
A very cool new Liam product line that I have just started working on
And you?
Lucy:
- world peace hopefully
- a new beyonce SOMETHING (based on her announcement yesterday)
- learning to love my boobs at the ripe age of 27
- less social media, more touching grass (getting outside)
oh my god you're such an adult! your son! a new liam product line! and here i am talking about beyonce
Em:
Yeah but you went for world peace
Okay, so on the teeny tiny topic of world peace, something I wanted to ask you:
How much, really, do you think we can change the direction the world is travelling?
Lucy:
my honest answer? we can't change the direction the world is heading in i don't reckon, but we CAN do better with what's already going on. like, it's a MIGHTY task to think we are gonna change the boomers minds on utting the climate first, not voting for someone like trump, remembering that people other than men deserve rights etc, but all hope is NOT LOST. i'm absolutely obsessed with how much young people care about everything so im just holding on til the day we get to run things. is that too depresso? idk
Em:
I think it's realistic. For some people 100% the mind is fixed. I worry about the pressure on young people, but if I accept them as our best hope then it's my job to support them fully
There is this song by Kae Temptest, People's Faces, that has an excellent line about young people
Lucy:
🥺🥺🥺
Em:
It's amazing eh
Here's another q: The biggest lesson you learnt in 2024?
Lucy:
what a LOADED question. probably that i've always felt like people (me included) have expected me to live some HUGE life in a big city where I'm all dressed up and being a Very Important Person somewhere, but actually what i need is to live a big life from a small town.
i need to be close to my family, my friends, my doctor, my cat, my e-bike, and when i go for too long without those normal things, i am not the best version of me and i don't do my job very well!!!!!
what's the biggest thing you learnt in 2024?
Em:
It's interesting, with media and pop culture evolving as it is, people (eg you) have HUGE reach, but you haven't followed the ye olde trajectory of fame. An important component of your work is you see and respond to the world from where you belong. I can see how you would be like "I'm not doing this right" if you're not walking down, I dunno, 5th avenue with paparazzi following you. But then if you were living that life you would likely find it difficult to produce the work that you want to make
Lucy:
GIVE ME UR BIGGEST LESSON
Em:
My Biggest Lesson of 2024, by Emily Miller-Sharma
BOUNDARIES
Lucy:
OH YES
Em:
Ali, our Head of IRL, has taught me so much about boundaries - how to set them, how they actually give to you and the people around you, rather than take away
Lucy:
oh i love that way of looking at it! the fuller your cup is, the more you have to offer other people!!
Em:
I typically have been someone that wants to stare into something and just go go go forwards, into it, kind of stare it down really. Challenge it
But we have finite time and energy, and by push push pushing further further further, things get precariously close to falling apart
Lucy:
as my cowriter bel once wrote: take breaks, or you'll BREAK
Em:
Tru dat Bel
Lucy:
speaking of boundaries - should you and i get off our phones and start working on world peace and loving our boobs and having more crushes in 2025?
Em:
Abba-solutely bb!
Lucy:
i love you! happy bloody new year!!!
Em:
Thank you for this wonderful chit chat!
I love you too!
Lucy:
it's been therapeutic
Em:
Same honestly
I have one more crush!!!! I can't BELIEVE I just remembered them!!!
In 2025 I will be:
A combination of Chris Fleming and the urRu of Dark Crystal
Stick that in your pipe and smoke, world!
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