To call Paris Lees multi-faceted is an understatement. Throughout her career she has campaigned for the rights of sex workers, the working classes and the LGBTQ+ community, engaged in several televised political debates and used her journalistic platform to passionately spotlight media discrimination. She’s an inspiration – not only because she fought to become an advocate in an industry largely dominated by identikit voices – but because she actively (and fearlessly) uses her position as Britain’s provocateur-in-chief to invoke real change.

These are all attributes promoted, encouraged and actively celebrated by Diesel, a brand whose ‘For Successful Living’ campaign has recently been revived in a series of images shot by Terry Richardson in honour of its 30th birthday. 50 individual slogans accompany the images which advise us all to live ‘successfully’ – Diesel passionately believes in promoting diversity, standing up for core values and honing our own individuality to make the world a better place. Naturally, the rule which resonates most with Lees is ‘make your voice heard’ – we spoke to the vital activist about sticking to her principles, the ongoing problem of class division and the crucial importance of a tanning applicator mitt.

Why is it so important that influential brands like Diesel are showcasing diversity?

Paris Lees: Because we are more and more diverse now, as a society, aren’t we? I think this is the first US election to really set the tone – I was completely obsessed, it was like the best reality TV show ever until you remember that it’s actually happening and we’re actually living with the reality of a Trump presidency. Although white heterosexual is the biggest demographic, they are no longer the majority – if you look at this coalition of minorities, we do have a majority of minorities now.

So, whether you’re gay, trans, Jewish, mixed heritage, whatever, companies need to reflect the reality of the world and our society, not just because it’s the right thing to do but because diversity is great. The world would be so fucking boring if we were all the same! And we don’t have time to be arguing about gay people or immigrants: humanity has much bigger issues to work on, and the solution involves us all coming together and fighting for the greater good.

What would be your advice for successful living?

Paris Lees: My key for successful living is to first define what that means to you. For me, the answer is, when I die, I want to know I made the world a better place for people. Not worse. If you’re trying to be rich or do things that make you happy, that ultimately isn’t going to make you happy, whereas if you’re working towards something bigger than yourself and you’re kind, then you’re on the right track.

You can be the richest, most beautiful person in the world, but if you treat people disrespectfully, cheat and lie then you’re not going to be happy. Get over yourself. Practise gratitude. Do something nice for someone. Kindness, creativity, individuality and close connections with other people: these are things that everyone has the potential to achieve and say they’ve had a successful life. Not everyone can be President, not everyone can be Beyoncé, but we can all live in a meaningful, kind and compassionate way.

Do you think society still equates success with financial security?

Paris Lees: I think millennials are moving away from that actually; I do think there’s a shift away from thinking you have to have a car, a house, a blender and all the rest of it. On the one hand I think we’d all like to live the dream and be rich because money is a nice thing. Being rich is not the be all and end all of life, but on the other hand you can’t live solely off prestige.

I’ve done some amazing things this year – I spoke to Prince William about LGBT bullying, I got an honorary doctorate from the University of Brighton which I dedicated to sex workers, I spoke at a government enquiry and told them sex work should be made legal. These are all wonderful opportunities, but I don’t get paid for them – I can’t walk in to Waitrose and pay for kale with them! You do actually need money to live off, but I think a lot of people on social media have forgotten that and are living for validation and attention.

Is financial security specifically more difficult within creative industries?

Paris Lees: Absolutely, and it’s a real bugbear of mine. I know so many people from towns, from my town, from Leicester and cities like that who are insanely talented, but they just can’t catch a break and end up working other jobs. You come into contact with a lot of people who clearly come from a middle-class family that could afford a decent website, and they get booked for the really big jobs despite the fact they might not actually be that good. If you’re middle-class and live with your family in North London then you can afford to do the unpaid jobs and the projects that look great on your CV. There are loads of things like that that come up for me, but if you’re not paying me, sorry but I can’t afford to do it. It’s all about getting paid!

“I believe there are things more important than money, power and fame. Those things can be nice, but when you know who are and what you stand for, nobody can take that away from you.” – Paris Lees

What does the idea of ‘standing for something’ mean to you?

Paris Lees: I believe there are things more important than money, power and fame. Those things can be nice, but when you know who are and what you stand for, nobody can take that away from you. If you stand for something and you can live your life in accordance to your own values then you’re a very powerful person because, ultimately, you can’t control what other people do. For example, you can’t control if your partner cheats on you but you can control yourself and how you behave.

I never used to understand why people died for their principles, but I get it now. I believe in equality, justice, love and protecting vulnerable people, those values are really important to me so I stand by them and promote them in every way I can. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I stand for something.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Paris Lees: I guess that you can’t control people, places or things but you are in complete control of yourself. I think I spent a lot of my life trying to influence others around me when, actually, I could have just focused on my own actions. If I could go back to my 16-year-old self and give myself some advice? I know you’re supposed to say “Believe in yourself” or “You’re prefect just as you are”, but honestly, I’d just tell myself to get an applicator mitt for when I tan. I don’t regret any of my mistakes but I regret a patchy tan. Honestly, those mitts have changed my fucking life. So yeah, get a mitt and save yourself years of heartache. And yes, believe in yourself. And make mistakes. And don’t you ever let anyone silence you. Speak up for yourself. Ask for what you want. Make yourself heard!