Jacqueline McAssey
Liverpool School of Art and Design
Jacqui McAssey explores strategies for styling, aspects of contemporary photography within the wider subjects of fashion, fandom and sport. In January 2022, she co-authored the second edition of Bloomsbury's 'Fashion Styling' with journalist Sophie Benson.
McAssey uses photography and the traditional football fanzine format to give female football supporters visibility and a sense of belonging in football culture through photo-zine, 'GIRLFANS'. Since 2013 she has documented the female fans of the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Scottish Premier League, including Liverpool FC, Manchester City FC, Celtic FC and Bury FC. She has pushed for greater female representation in football through consultation on campaigns with Nike, Converse, Liverpool FC, Expedia and Copa90, and in her writing and photography which has appeared in The Guardian, BBC3, i-D/Vice, Sky Sports, Vogue, Champions League Journal and British GQ.
Alongside the zine, McAssey has developed football apparel and memorabilia where she reclaims and feminizes phrases, chants and songs from the terraces, including 'The 12th Woman' which was used by female supporters of Bury Football Club after their expulsion from the EFL in 2019. Most recently, she was commissioned to make a bespoke 'Lionesses coat' for the The FA's England Women's squad announcement film, ahead of their historic victory in the 2022 EUFA Women's EUROs.
She has presented and exhibited the work at the Design Museum, London; The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester; Walker Art Gallery and Museum of Liverpool; National Football Museum, Manchester; Queen's Gallery, Belfast; OOF Gallery, London and at the inaugural British Textile Biennial, Lancashire, in 2019. The photo-zines are held in the British Library, V&A Art Library, Museums Liverpool, Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections, Huddersfield University and in LJMU's Femorabilia Collection.
McAssey's Twitter feed and GIRLFANS website have been web archived by the British Library as being of cultural importance in the field of sport, soccer and fans. She also plays football for Sefton Park Rangers Women.
W: www.girlfans.co.uk
IG: @girlfanszine
T: @jacquimcassey
Degrees
2007, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom, MA (with Distinction), Fashion and Lifestyle Promotion
1997, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom, BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion, Fashion Promotion
Academic appointments
External Examiner, BA (Hons) Fashion Styling, Instituto Marangoni Paris (MMU), 2017 - 2021
External Examiner, BA (Hons) Fashion Styling, Instituto Marangoni London (MMU), 2017 - 2021
Senior Lecturer, Fashion (Communication), Liverpool John Moores University, 2015 - present
Course Leader, Fashion Promotion with Styling, University of Central Lancashire, 2009 - 2014
Lecturer, Fashion Promotion, University of Central Lancashire, 1998 - 2009
Highlighted publications
McAssey J. 2022. Crowds Football: Designing the Beautiful Game 1 :80-85 Design Museum Publishing. London 9781872005614 Author Url
McAssey J, Benson S, Buckley C. 2022. Fashion Styling Bloomsbury Publishing 9781350074101
McAssey J, Buckley C. 2011. Basics Fashion Design 08: Styling A&C Black 9782940411399
McAssey J. Football: Designing the Beautiful Game Author Url Publisher Url
Other
McAssey J. 2023. Femorabilia Workshop: Sydney with Free Lionesses, on behalf of The Football Supporters' Association Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. 2023. Femorabilia Workshop: Sydney #2 with Free Lionesses, on behalf of The Football Supporters' Association. Author Url
McAssey J. 2023. Femorabilia Workshop: Brisbane with Free Lionesses, on behalf of The Football Supporters' Association Author Url Publisher Url
Books (authored)
McAssey J. 2022. Extra Time
McAssey J, Benson S, Buckley C. 2022. Fashion Styling Bloomsbury Publishing 9781350074101
McAssey J. 2017. Girlfans Manchester City F.C. Edition McAssey J. One :1-64 www.girlfans.co.uk. Manchester Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. 2017. Girlfans Manchester City F.C. Edition McAssey J. One :1-64 www.girlfans.co.uk. Manchester Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. 2017. Fanpages 2017 Garnett B, Joliffe K. One Idea Books. London Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
McAssey J, Buckley C. 2011. Basics Fashion Design 08: Styling A&C Black 9782940411399
McAssey J, Buckley C. 2011. Styling Mode perfekt in Szene setzen Stiebner Verlag GmbH 9783830708773
Chapters
McAssey J. 2022. Crowds Football: Designing the Beautiful Game 1 :80-85 Design Museum Publishing. London 9781872005614 Author Url
McAssey J. UEFA WOMEN’S EURO 2022 | AROUND THE MATCH Butler C. UEFA WOMEN’S EURO 2022 | AROUND THE MATCH. 1 :4-5 We Are Wilow. Manchester Author Url Publisher Url
Design
McAssey J. 2018. A new wave of documenters are giving female football supporters visibility and a sense of belonging in football culture. Author Url Publisher Url
Editorial/letter to the editor
McAssey J, Pennant F. 2018. Paying Homage to Liverpool FC's Kings. Pennant F. https://www.season-zine.com, n/a Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J, Provins M. 2017. 'Money Diaries' for Season Zine. Pennant F. http://www.season-zine.com/, Publisher Url
Book review
McAssey J, Wright J. 2017. Mundial Magazine. Sandison D. Mundial Magazine, Publisher Url
McAssey J. 2017. Futebol Cafe: Girlfans, the photographic magazine that tells the English: football is also a woman's thing. https://medium.com/futebol-café/girlfans-futebol-coisa-de-mulher-745504035dc5, Publisher Url
Artefact
McAssey J. 2017. Girlfans 3: Manchester City FC Edition Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J, Hurst A. 2016. Girlfans 2: Everton FC Edition Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. 2014. Girlfans 1: Liverpool FC Edition Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Exhibition
McAssey JM. GIRLFANS at The Whitworth Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. GIRFANS UNTOLD Author Url Publisher Url
Hyatt J, McAssey J. TIME TUNNEL: Untold Stories Author Url Publisher Url
Provins M, McAssey J. A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place - LIGHTNIGHT 2020 AT HOME Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. British Textile Biennial: GIRLFANS Burnley Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. GIRLFANS Celtic launch and exhibition Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. Extra Time
Martin M. Zines of the World - GIRLFANS Liverpool Author Url Publisher Url
McAssey J. Football: Designing the Beautiful Game Author Url Publisher Url
Highlighted activities
Conference presentation:
Joint Keynote: Femorabilia, International Women in Sport Symposium, School of Business, Western Sydney University, Oral presentation. 2023
Women’s Football Markets and Supporters, Business and Development of Women’s Football 2023, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, Panel discussion. 2023
Media Coverage:
BBC Bitesize. Women’s World Cup 2023: The women celebrating sustainability in football. 2023. 2023
Mikaela McKinley: The Football Collective - The Bloody Beautiful Game. .
GQ - Jacqui McAssey is ensuring female football fans gain their rightful place in football culture. .
Research Grants Awarded:
Liverpool John Moores University, Wembley Joy in July 2022: the moment that the England women’s football team became cool., Professor Jean Williams, Erica Voget, Grant value (£): 10,000, Duration of research project: TBC. 2022
Award:
VC's Award for Excellence in Research (Faculty Winner), Liverpool John Moores University, https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/news/articles/2022/12/8/rke-awards-2022. 2022
Professional activities
Other Professional Activity:
Host and Moderator: Sustainable Wardrobe book launch and panel discussion with the author, journalist Sophie Benson, plus: Emily Gubbay, natural colourist, fashion and textile designer Kemi Gbadebo, designer and founder of Gbadebo. Bryony Moore, co-director, Stitched Up. Venue: International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester.. 2023
Conference presentation:
Joint Keynote: Femorabilia, International Women in Sport Symposium, School of Business, Western Sydney University, Oral presentation. 2023
Women’s Football Markets and Supporters, Business and Development of Women’s Football 2023, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, Panel discussion. 2023
Transforming Football Culture Through Art and Design, Big Ideas, Liverpool John Moores University, Oral presentation. 2023
Celebration of Women's Football: The FA, St. George's Park, Celebration of Women's Football, The FA, St. George's Park, Oral presentation. 2023
Football Fans and Activism, Home Turf: Fans, Foodbanks and Photography, Open Eye Gallery https://openeye.org.uk/blog/watch-home-turf/, Other. 2021
Girlfans: a visual ethnographic study of female football fans, Upfront & Onside: The Women's Football Conference, National Football Museum, Manchester, Oral presentation. 2018
Media Coverage:
BBC Bitesize. Women’s World Cup 2023: The women celebrating sustainability in football. 2023
Grazia UK: These Are The Football Zines You Need To Follow Ahead Of The Women’s World Cup 2022
El Pais - translated from Spanish:
Director Sánchez Arévalo premieres his first documentary about the Faroe Islands' unusual love of soccer, in which one in ten inhabitants goes to the stadium every week and 6% are supporters of the 'reds'.
Tracking the enormous participation of women there Sánchez Arévalo found the two stories that make up the documentary: that of a 10-year-old girl from Faroe, Elia, who shouts that Liverpool is “the best club in the world” while pointing to her shirt red with ten on his back and who, thanks to Mastercard, was able to step on Anfield's grass; and that of an English photographer, Jacqui (McAssey), who founded a non-profit magazine, GirlFan, who has been publishing portraits of fans who have been attending the stands in the English countryside since the 1990s and who postulates that they now account for a third of the total. 2019
www.youtube.com
elpais.com
Time Tunnel - Art in Liverpool.
Girlfans interview with Carlos Rodriguez of Kicks to the Pitch. Published 7th November 2017.
Free arts festival to mark official launch of Fabric District.
Mikaela McKinley: The Football Collective - The Bloody Beautiful Game.
i-D Vice - Female football fans just as fanatic as the lads.
Girlfans interview with Bruno Rodrigues of Futebol Cafe (Brazil). 26th September 2017.
GQ - Jacqui McAssey is ensuring female football fans gain their rightful place in football culture.
The Football Collective - Art of Football.
The Football Collective - The Bloody Beautiful Game.
The Guardian - Groundbreaking women’s football conference highlights buried storylines.
Prof. Jean Williams, Professor of Sport, Wolverhampton.
Liverpool Chamber - Art of Football Festival.
BBC3 - What it's like being a modern-day female football fan.
British GQ - It’s time female football fans get the recognition they deserve.
Liverpool Echo - Meet the Liverpool photographer capturing the real face of female football fans
Liverpool Echo - The women of Goodison: the story of Everton's unique bond with female fans.
Grazia, UK - Is football finally solving it’s ‘woman problem’.
Stack - Six inventive ways to make a newspaper magazine.
The Anfield Wrap Podcast - The Weekender
The Guardian: The Art of Football review – the cultural impact of our national sport.
Vogue: Why There’s No Better Time To Be A Female Football Fan by Felicia Pennant
Other invited event:
Shaping the Future of Women's Football, The Anfield Wrap Podcast, https://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2023/03/podcast-shaping-the-game-future-of-womens-football-special/. 2023
GIRLFANS: Transforming Football Through Art and Design, Manchester Metropolitan University, Lecture to Fashion Promotion students.. 2023
Breaking Stigmas and Championing Community, Bloom Building, Shado X Convenience Gallery panel discussion. Panellists discussed the role that football has had in all of their live; the importance of grassroots football in fostering community; how the panellists are creating change in their communities and breaking down barriers and stigmas facing women in football.. 2022
LOANHOOD: What is fashion rental? Sustainable fashion panel discussion., Space by Liquid, Liverpool, In collaboration with Space by Liquid and Liverpool John Moores University, LOANHOOD's Fashion Rental Studio will be open on the 15th October showcasing incredible clothes and accessories from emerging designers, stylists, makers and fashion lovers from the Liverpool area. What is fashion rental? panel discussion with Sophie Benson, Jade McSorley, Pomshell the Label and Jacqui McAssey.. 2022
GIRLFANS, Central St Martins University, Lecture to BA Fashion, BA Fashion Communication and BA Fashion Design students to support their project with 3 and Chelsea FC.. 2020
Football, Feminism & Everything In-between - Lost Village Festival, https://lostvillagefestival.com/institute-of-curious-minds/full-schedule/, INSTITUTE OF CURIOUS MINDS LOST VILLAGE FESTIVAL. FASCINATING STORIES, TALKS, DEBATES AND LIVE INTERVIEWS FROM INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS, EXPERTS AND BOUNDARY-PUSHING THINKERS. It’s been an exciting year for women in sport, in this panel we bring together a number of key names, pioneers and ambassadors of the movement. With Trisha Lewis, founder of Romance FC, Jacqui Mcassey, Fashion Comms Lecturer and founder of Girlfans Zine, and Felicia Pennant, Vogue writer and founder of Season Zine.. 2019
Jumper For Goalposts Festival - The Commentary Box, Print works London - https://jumpersforgoalpostsfestival.com/line-up, With social media, streaming services, fan zones, and Friday Night Football, the way we enjoy the football has changed hugely? What does this mean for fans who attend games, who are growing up with modern football, or who love football but don't feel they belong? Is the romance of the 3pm kick-off dead? Join author Daniel Gray, This Fan Girl's community lead Harry Killen, Girlfans' Jacqui McAssey and broadcaster Anne-Marie Batson as we explore the changing matchday experience.. 2019
Pecha Kucha Manchester - Community, Leaf, Portland Street, Manchester., PechaKucha Night Manchester Vol. 27 - 'Liverpool' For this PechaKucha, we're exploring the theme of ‘community’. We’ll hear from an eclectic mix of speakers from the worlds of service and graphic design, architecture, printmaking, zines, creative education and economic reform. Line-up Patrick Hurley - CEO, Inclusive Economy Liverpool and Co-founder, Ethos Magazine Robyn Dooley - Director and Learning designer, OH Jacqui McAssey - Senior Lecturer in Fashion Communication and Founder, GIRLFANS Zine Paul Kelly - Graphic Designer, Bear Four Gracie Bisset - Junior Graphic Designer, Liquid Agency and Host, Ladies Wine & Design Liverpool Joe Bramall - Service Designer, Futuregov Ashley Taylor - Architect Karen Edwards - Artist and Printmaker, Red Button Press Ben Holroyd - Designer, Creative Director and Founder, Thoughtfully https://www.pechakucha.com/cities/manchester/events/5c82262524d40967a01d1336. 2019
Radio City Talk - More Than Just A Game, Botanic Garden, Liverpool., More Than Just A Game with Mick Coyle celebrating football fans and the work they do in their community: Jacqui McAssey, Anfield Wrap, Alison McGovern MP, Formby Community FC, Fans for Foodbanks, Spirit of Shankly.. 2019
The Power of Personal Projects, Colony, Manchester, A monthly conversation series for women to discuss creativity, business and life. ‘The Power of Personal Projects’ with speakers Jacqui McAssey of GIRLFANS and Emma Reynolds of @kidlit4climate. https://ladieswinedesign.com/manchester/. 2019
Soccerama Symposium: FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX: Football’s relationship with difference and its power for social change., Central Library, Liverpool, Friday 13th July, ‘From outside the box’ hosted by Stephanie Power from BBC Radio 4, focuses on football’s difficult relationship with difference and its power to drive social change. Exploring this breadth of issues around race, sexuality, gender and more will be Neville Southall MBE (Everton and Wales), Melissa Reddy (Senior Football Correspondent at joe.co.uk), Jacqui McAssey (GIRLFANS), Shaun Duggan (Screenwriter), Emy Onuora (Author, Pitch Black), Dave Kelly (Fans Supporting Foodbanks) and Paul Manning (City Of Liverpool FC). https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/liverpool2018/art-of-football-presents-soccerama-symposia/. 2018
Season Zine: The Female Fan Experience, Ace Hotel, London, "Since launching SEASON last year, we’ve met brilliant female football fans also striving to improve the perception of women in the game. Four of our favourites sit on this panel alongside our Editor-in-Chief to discuss their experiences, their work and the impact it’s making.". 2017
Research Grants Awarded:
Liverpool John Moores University, Wembley Joy in July 2022: the moment that the England women’s football team became cool., Professor Jean Williams, Erica Voget, Grant value (£): 10,000, Duration of research project: TBC. 2022
Award:
VC's Award for Excellence in Research (Faculty Winner), Liverpool John Moores University, https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/news/articles/2022/12/8/rke-awards-2022. 2022
Images of Research Photography 2017: Highly Commended Award, LJMU Research & Innovation Services. 2017
External collaboration:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nike-x-sevenstore-air-max-day-event-tickets-300773590907, UCL (Bhavna Malkani), Sevenstore x Bhavna Malkani. 2022
https://youtu.be/-GLVbNSYTug, University College London and Barclays Eagle Lab, Bhavna Malkani for UCL's Institute of Making, MA Global Prosperity students, LJMU BA Fashion students, Barclays Eagle Lab, and Sevenstore - on a Challenge-Oriented Innovation (COIN) project in circular fashion.. 2022
Membership of professional bodies:
Member, The Football Collective, https://footballcollective.org.uk/. 2016