SHOP ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

SoKo’s sound is like a flickering light at the end of a cold, dark tunnel. Since her emergence as one of indie pop’s foremost voices and LGBTQ+ advocates with her breakthrough album, I Thought I Was An Alien, in 2012, the Bordeaux-born singer-songwriter, musician and actor has released dreamy, melancholy tracks that pull you in. They leave you feeling like you’ve fallen in love for the first time, caught somewhere between the cobbled, dimly-lit streets of Paris. Or, like you’re cruising down a West Coast desert with the roof down, sun beaming, to badass one-liners like ‘I don’t welcome strangers anymore’.

Hopping between film sets and the recording studio, SoKo, real name Stéphanie Sokolinski, has since released two further albums, and earned a Best Actress nomination at the César and Lumières Awards for her role in 2016’s historical drama, The Dancer. Playing radical American dancer Loïe Fuller, she balanced elegance with bite and reinterpreted the famed Serpentine Dance. Two years later, SoKo gave birth to her child, Indigo Blue Honey Sokolinski – a moment that significantly changed her outlook on life. ‘It was one of the most defining moments,’ the 36-year-old says. ‘It really made me feel empowered, like, if I can do this, I can do anything. My favourite thing in the world is to spend time with them.’

These days, SoKo can be found in sunny Los Angeles, hosting games nights with her friends and cooking up feasts to ease her mind after the working week. Flying in and out of Paris, New York and London regularly for work, she’s been immersing herself in design, working on capsule collections for various brands, or herself. Since 2020, SoKo’s evolving relationship with Alexander McQueen has gone from strength to strength. The British label is bold, transgressive and fearless – and so is she. ‘I love the edge and punk side of it,’ SoKo says. ‘Every piece says, “I exist. This is what makes me feel good, and this is how I want to present myself to the world.” I like having freedom with McQueen to twist it in a way that they don’t expect.’

Six months ago, SoKo was sitting front row at the SS22 show and, more recently, performing four tracks at the MATCHESFASHION x Alexander McQueen party at Frieze LA 2022. ‘I hadn’t played in five years and my friends were in the front row filming and cheering me on,’ SoKo recalls. ‘I got to play three new songs from my last record [2020’s Feel Feelings] that I never got to perform live: Looking For Love because it was Valentine’s Day, Blasphèmie and Oh, To Be A Rainbow! Then I played We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow, and so many people were crying! It was really cute.’

How do you approach fashion?

‘I choose my outfits very purposefully, depending on what I’m trying to get out of my day. What makes me feel better is wearing bright colours – red makes me happy. I love volume and an antique feel, but I also love bringing a grunge edge, whether it’s just doing my hair or make-up differently or making things that are a little girly more boyish or gender fluid.’

What is inspiring you at the moment?

‘[Australian alt-indie band] Parcels have been really inspiring. I’ve been listening to their last record [Day/Night] non-stop, and I feel terrible because their manager is staying in my back house. He hears me blasting their music all day long and having mini dance parties with my kid! Indigo will also tell me that, “The Parcels guys, Jules and Patrick, told me that they have a rocket ship like David Bowie!” Indigo is obsessed with David Bowie so we talk about how we’re going to fly on the spaceship to meet Bowie on his spaceship from Space Oddity.’

Do you enjoy being creative?

‘More and more. With making music or acting, it feels like I have to carry an entire body of work by myself and keep my balance through all of it. With films, when it’s a really involved character, you have to put your life on hold to be fully present. It’s super weird and then I mourn my character and go back to my life. With designing, it’s almost like a school project, getting together with other like-minded creative people and being like, “Let’s do this!” Then it comes to life and it’s so fun. I always have a million ideas per minute.’

You’ve immersed yourself in music, film and art. Does your favourite medium change often?

‘I love writing, designing, acting, feeling creative on set, and playing music, obviously. Everything really feeds my soul in different ways.’

It’s been a strange two years. How have you kept yourself upbeat?

‘Running and yoga. Community and creating time for playing as adults is very important for me. Not going out and getting drunk but peeing your pants laughing because we’re being idiots and cheating at Uno. I’m very intentional about everything I do – I write my intentions down; I do therapy once a week and a lot of full moon [candle] burning.’

PHOTOGRAPHER OLIVIA MALONE AT HOME AGENCY. STYLIST BRITT MCCAMEY AT THE WALL GROUP. HAIR LISA-MARIE POWELL AT ART DEPT. MAKE-UP HOLLY SILIUS AT R3 MGMT. NAILS STEPHANIE STONE AT FORWARD ARTISTS. FASHION ASSISTANT BIANA HOUNDONOUGBO. PHOTOGRAPHER ASSISTANTS ALEXANDRE JARAS AND MICHAEL KINSEY. CREATIVE PRODUCTIONS MANAGER ELLA CUTTER. CREATIVE PRODUCTIONS DIRECTOR TOMASINA LEBUS. PRODUCTION FOX & LEOPARD.