Aether Magazine's Valentine’s Ball: A Tenth Birthday Party Aether-Extravaganza
Written by Francis Lawrence
Photography by Ellen Owens
Celebrating a decade of highlighting marginalised groups in creative spaces, Aether Magazine hosted a legendary tenth birthday party. Held at the Bottle Factory in Southwark, the venue was transformed into a Valentine’s spectacle, adorning industrial cement pillars with intricate floral arrangements and bold, heavily saturated lights that reflected the night’s illustrious theme: Star-Crossed Lovers.
Aether Magazine’s message is clear: celebrating underrepresented talent and hosting unique, one-of-a-kind pop-ups. This was their largest event yet, held at The Bottle Factory on February 15th. With its exposed brick walls and low-hanging arches, it provided the perfect backdrop for this milestone celebration. As guests arrived, they were greeted by a display of bodies in movement, flooded by bold pink lights and florals. The entrance was marked with a table displaying editions Venus and fan-fav Aether Issue 12 (iykyk). In their ten years, Aether Magazine has published 16 print issues.
Past the bar, behind the dance floor and through the arch, attendees were invited to explore a highly curated creative marketplace and art fair. Uniquely, we met sellers of all ages. Bringing together craftspeople spanning various generations added to the community feeling—like we were transported for the evening to a vibrant pink village. They included tooth gems, henna, and nail art. We had the chance to speak to a few friendly sellers who offered us their personal history and tales of their craft. Mollie Jean, designer of bespoke bow bags from MollyJean Studios, told us how, by using deadstock leather, each handmade bag she makes is an original. By using the remaining leather to make mini matching bag charms, she reclaims all of the material.
As the lights dimmed, resident Aether DJ V4ND4N4’s set swelled, and the dance floor began creating space for a runway. The guests were all on theme: handcrafted angel wings of opulent white feathers swooshing and diving through the air, fading pink in the light. Lining the walk were outfits so on-theme they felt participatory. The runway, designed in a U-shape with enough corners to exaggerate all movement, set the stage for a parade of exquisite garments, paying homage to Baz Luhrmann’s iconic Star-Crossed Lovers, and later a more maximalist exploration of February 14th: Valentoy’s.
The show featured work from emerging talents—from bony corsets and ethereal frocks to sleek, minimalist ensembles, the runway was a testament to the magazine's influence in championing diversity and creativity in fashion. Honourable mention for Delta of Phoenix’s upcoming Venus collection. Jaw-dropping.
Adding to the glamour, models were dripping in energy. Incredible walks from Matthew J Senior and Venus! set the tone for the evening. The runway was enchanting, like a life-sized, moving edition of the magazine. Soft and tender, sharp and explosive, footsteps rising and falling like glossy pages.
The night featured an explosive, high-energy performance from Peckham rapper CARTERTHEBANDIT, who brought the beats, the moves, and the vibe, and had everyone in attendance grinning, one hand up in the air. Sets from Darkowa, FIA, Mayowa, NJ, Shaishyste, Raimustdie, V4ND4N4, and resident Aether DJ KUNTI weaved in between sets, creating a living and infinite dance floor beside the market. An incredible Aether Extravaganza concept executed with brilliance by the Aether team.
