00s bimbo babes Opia run riot on the streets of Milan

Earlier this year, we first met Opia, self-described “stupid fashion bimbos” that have become mainstays on London’s queer rave scene – throwing themed bashes from Eurotrash 3000 to Emo Mami Emo. “Our bimbo look came alongside a wider vibe shift that’s happening on London’s rave scene,” they share. “Things were getting a bit too serious. We’re all in a dark, sweaty room at 4am wearing fake designer bags with nothing but an Amazon wig and a dream. We wanted to create a space that we all owned, where we could clown around and have a shared sense of belonging and understanding of one another.” 

When they’re not throwing parties for London’s queer girlies, our multihyphenate bimbos can be found sticking their fingers in all the creative pies – curating art exhibitions, organising runways, and scaring civilians in on-the-street interviews on a Warholian mission to make Opia a household name. “When you hear the sound of a can opening, you think: Coca-Cola. When you smell the stench of an unwashed blonde wig, you think: Opia,” they joke on their aspirations. 

Continuing to expand their cultural cache, our bimbos caught a flight to Italy for a shoot titled The Simple Life – an homage to their 00s aesthetic and the holy grail of the era. “We see ourselves in Paris and Nicole and we wanted to play off the vibes of two bimbos in a new place and how we choose to inhabit that space,” they share. “The streets of Porta Venezia became our playground. A 12-hour shoot day taking place on one street, we ate pasta, vaped, talked, wandered, gazed off into the distance – it was exhilarating!”

A potent cocktail of pasta, cigarettes, and motorbikes, the shoot was photographed by Milan-based photographer Arianna Angelini. “Italy has always been a place full of art and masterpieces, but is lately experiencing a strong period of renaissance in the creative field,” she says. An ode to Italian creativity and style – blending together the past and present – local designers like Aaalphacentauri and DearMama are mixed in with Poster Girl, Prada, and Saint Laurent while X-rated latex via FBLD no doubt cause any nearby nonnas to keel over. “We wanted to demonstrate how these can strengthen each other and coexist in the same fashion scene instead of living in two separate worlds as it is often perceived in Milan,” says stylist Nicole Giorgi. “This is something very core to Opia’s whole manifesto.” 

“It’s always so fun working with new creatives from different cities that offer a different perspective to our world. We love to see how others interpret Opia through their own lens,” the creative duo share on the collaboration. “And shooting in the warmth was so good. Being unclothed on the streets of London, let’s just say it was nice that our nips weren’t rock-hard for once!” 

So, what’s next for the barely dressed bimbo duo? Whatever it is, you can bet on it being silly. “That’s what keeps it entertaining and stops us from ever losing the Opia POV. Somewhere along the way, the lines have started to blur and it feels like we’ve faked it to the point where we might actually make it. That’s what is most exciting and unexpected for us right now.”