Joe Fearon

Shaped by their upbringing in a rural village on the city’s outskirts, Joe’s work reclaims British folklore through a queer lens — where heritage is deconstructed, twisted and adorned.

Their graduate collection, Nowt So Queer as Folk, explores a procession of figures drawn from rural rituals and British Folk Horror — straw dolls, standing stones, fools and sacrificial brides. Exploring the tensions between queerness and rural northern identity, the collection evokes a darkly joyful folk tale draped in raffia, wool, lace and latex. Textile and print become acts of storytelling. Materials are torn, stitched, tangled, crocheted and collaged together to evoke raw, feral beauty.  Joe’s work playfully marries the theatrical with the grotesque. Embracing sculptural silhouettes, built from card and wire, pinned and draped gesturally onto the body. Their approach to design carries a sense of humour and a celebration of imperfection—everything is slightly warped and skewed with intent.