Following Nectarine Girl with Rebecca Zephyr Thomas
Interview by Esta Maffrett | 05.09.24
Tonight, Rebecca Zephyr Thomas launches her new zine Nectarine. A collaboration with Iris aka Nectarine Girl that compiles four years of photographs documenting her life, loves and most importantly, looks.
Citing Y2K icons such as Snooki and Paris Hilton as inspiration, the zine captures a resurgence of noughties nostalgia updated and thoughtfully thrifted for a new generation. Still, between the curated looks and heavy styling, are the everyday motions of a young girl navigating the world. Friendship is one of many driving forces captured in the zine, including that of Iris and Rebeccas, moon boot stomping over the city through city farms and builders' cafes. As the reality stars of the 2000s would recognise, showing the tender motions of everyday life requires confidence, often easier to face dressed in velour and fake diamonds.
How did you both meet?
Iris
I was at a launch party for a book my parent released, I think it was the gallery at Claridges Hotel. I was wearing blue sparkly boots with diamonds all over, fake obviously, Rebecca asked to take a photo of them and I said ‘of course’. You took the photo and we didn’t really talk that night but somehow the powers of Instagram and the online world led us back to each other. I found the photo and messaged you saying these are my feet and then you came around and took photos of me like the week after.
Rebecca
After we met I saw pictures of Iris’ bedroom on her Instagram and kew I had to get in there because it’s this symphony of pink. I felt bad that I’d only photographed the boots.
Iris
It’s fine, you skipped that look but got loads of others. I remember the week you came around the friends I was living with were so confused by this woman coming around to take photos of me in my room, they kept asking when that Kiwi woman would be back, they didn’t get it for a while.
Rebecca
At the time I had just started shooting on film again after stopping for 10 years. I had a stern photography coach who told me I had to start shooting on film again and as soon as I met Iris I took these photos in her room of her nails on film and she thought they were incredible. This coach said I needed to ask the girl if I could follow her around constantly and take pictures of her, if she said yes then I had to go for it because not everyone would say yes, so shooting Iris became this perfect project that went with me rediscovering my love of film.
A lot fell into place at the right time and then the project went on to span two years.
Iris
I feel like so much has happened in those two years that it feels longer for me. I see so much that’s changed in those two years, I’ve moved out, got a boyfriend and now I'm not with the boyfriend anymore, I’ve got different friends and I do different things.
Rebecca
You look a bit different as well. You’ve still got a similar style but as cheesy as it is for me to say you’ve gone from a girl to a woman. When we started you were 23 and now you’re 25 almost 26. It’s an important time in your life for changing and growing up and it’s been documented visually.
It’s an important couple of years and it’s interesting because you can see your core style has stayed the same but these little nuances of clothing and styling have changed over time. Are you consciously experimenting with your style?
Iris
I think growing and going through life changes is the driving force. When I met Rebecca I’d been in my job for six years, I wasn’t totally happy there, now I’m exploring different things and since meeting Rebecca we’ve had amazing opportunities like working with Juicy Couture UK which was a dream to do. So I feel like naturally over two years I’ve grown.
But you’re still very grounded in your aesthetic.
Iris
I am who I am. Rebecca has shot three of my bedrooms now and they all have so much in common with each other. All my bedrooms have looked the same since I was about 5. I’ve looked the same since I was about 5.
Rebecca
That makes me think about one of the last shoots we did where you were wearing a top you’ve had since you were 11.
Iris
Yes, the one that says ‘sexy’. It’s awful. It’s amazing how many of those memories are captured by camera now in these beautiful photos. It’s really important for me.
The photos feel natural, like you’re going about places you’re familiar to, how did you go about deciding where you would shoot each time?
Iris
I guess if you don’t know me you might think it was staged. Like the Paris Hilton photo, but genuinely that was an amazon thing where Rebecca was shooting it anyway and I got a ticket for £20, it was an amazing life moment that Rebecca was there to capture. At first it just began as asking you asking ‘Where do you want to go Iris? Where would you go with your friends? Where do you like to eat?’ and then naturally we just began hanging out because we’re friends now.
Rebecca
I don’t know if Iris agrees but I feel like I’ve become your mad cat lady aunt now.
Being invited into every bedroom a person has stayed in over two years is a very intimate thing and the photos portray that intimacy. It’s a view of someone's life from someone who is in it rather than just observing.
Rebecca
I don’t know about other photographers but I don’t think you could do a long term project photographing someone if you didn’t genuinely like them as well.
Iris never doesn’t look like Iris. She always makes an effort, she always looks like the character that she is, it’s completely real. I would love to go on every holiday and photograph everything. Iris’ talent is bringing a lot of joy into everyday mundane things. Going to Greg’s for a vegan sausage roll and black coffee isn’t exciting but Iris will be leaping in the air and bringing joy and happiness into that everyday situation. People react to that, strangers on the street, Iris’ outfits make them smile and want to talk to her. She’s a very down to earth, sweet, funny person who’s interesting to shoot.
It’s a very everyday life kind of vibe. It’s not showing London in a super unattainable light. It’s about going out on the street, not somewhere super expensive or fancy. The most we’ve spent was the £20 for the Paris Hilton signing.
Yeah it matches the vibe of that Y2K style where fast fashion was creating this new aspirational but affordable way of dressing that was in pursuit of beauty and happiness but made for everyone. And the London you’re capturing is lived in which reflects that.
Iris
It’s really nice to have so many of my friends included in it. It shows real friendships and what a real life is like. It’s really cute.
It’s a real document of the time. Who are some of your biggest Y2K influences?
Iris
Paris Hilton. I’m a big big fan of Snooki, I think the way she dresses is bloody cool, maybe that’s why I have like six pairs of moon boots and mini denim skirts to match. I love her. Also, the early style of the Real Housewives, like the really early ones from 2004, I love the massive hair. I grew up watching shows like that but also even a little bit of Disney Channel, Hannah Montana’s style, skinny scarves Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay!
Rebecca
Since meeting Iris I now own two Juicy Couture tracksuits. I’ve been revisiting my Y2K cultural heroes that I liked the first time around and I am obsessed with Daisy De La Hoya. She was on season two of Brett Michales dating show Rock of Love and got her own spinoff show called Daisy of Love where all these rock boys compete to go out with her. She’s my Y2K icon.
Where did the name Nectarine come from?
Iris
nectarinegirl is my instagram name. I got it very early, maybe when I was 12, I asked my mum what my name should be and she said when she was pregnant with me she craved nectarines so why not be nectarinegirl? My sister gets called peas because that’s what my mum craved with her.
Nectarines are a very chic pregnancy craving. What does the future hold? Will you continue to shoot together?
Rebecca
We definitely have plans to do more stuff. We’re going to Los Angeles! I don’t know what we’re going to do with the photos but it doesn’t matter. There will be so many great photo opportunities; we’re taking it back to the source.
Iris
I’m going to get over my breakup and try and be famous!
You can follow Rebecca here and Iris here.