\ ALÙN DAVIES \

Contributing Editor

2011-11-29T14:05:00.001-08:00

Husk Magazine \ Shorts

2011-10-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Around the same time as shooting 'The City' still life shoot for Husk Magazine Kim Jakobsen, Kim Howells and myself shot a series of images which work as individual editorial stories again for Husk.

Props and accessories were made for each image with my favorite being a pair of Swarovski encrusted WESC headphones worn by model Arthur Olecki and well with little else.

Husk Magazine \ The City

2011-10-23T04:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a still life shoot I created with the brilliant Kim Jackobsen To and Stylist Kim Howells for Husk magazine which launched Friday night in Berlin. Such a fun day of miniature props and models, and the final result was a city scape, somewhat London mixed with New York with an apocalyptic fashion danger zone just bursting out of the ground. Have a look and see what fashion treasures you can find.

Ù

2011-10-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

I made a new mix tape... enjoy!

Ù by Alùn Davies

1. OAR001-A (Orginal Mix) - Oni Ayhun
2.This Must Be It (Rex the Dog Remix) - Royksopp ft Fever Ray
3.Fashion Of His Love (Fernando Garibay Remix) - Lady Gaga
4.Call Your Girlfriend (Azari & III Remix) - Robyn
5.Colourless Colour (The Subs Popup Mix) - La Roux
6.Stay [The Lisa Marie Vocal Experience] - Sash!
7.Destroy Everything You Touch (Sasha Invol2ver Remix) - Ladytron
8.Lady Gaga - Electric Chapel (Alessio Silvestro Remix) - Lady Gaga
9.Garden - Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
10.OAR001-B (Original Mix) - Oni Ayhun

LFW \ Fred Butler SS12 Installation

2011-10-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

After the completion of Fred Butler presentation it was then time to build up the installation space where all the garments and accessories would be shown for the remainder of London Fashion Week. Below are a few images of the installation space.

LFW \ Fred Butler SS12 Film

2011-10-20T15:00:00.001-07:00

Another element of Fred Butlers SS12 presentation was the film which she had made for the collection was launched on Style Bubble as the event opened. A week before fashion week and on the day after traveling back from Bestival with our overnight ferry journey I worked alongside Zaiba Jabbar and Crane TV on Fred's film to create a set which felt like the lining of a world from one of her accessories. I also worked on transparent visuals that we projected which were taken from the painted textures which Fred had made for the garments. Cutaway shots of water tanks and food colorings were filmed and textured panels of her paintings were used as backdrops.

FRED BUTLER SS12 'SONIC SINUATE SUPERTEMPORAL SEQUESTADOR' from Kim Howells on Vimeo.

LFW \ Fred Butler SS12 Presentation

2011-10-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

This London Fashion Week I had the great opportunity to work with Fred Butler and create installation props for her SS12 presentation at Somerset House in the Portico Rooms. This season Fred's collection was all based on Sea slugs and showed her accessories off on a much larger scale, this time encompassing full body suits, slinky style jackets, sunglasses, headbands and some rather amazing shoes. The collection as always was a cosmic mix of colour and textures, with hand painted fabrics by Fred herself and the presentation was styled by Kim Howells.

For the event staged in the Portico rooms 5 flat base mats were created as circles each of which had a photographic print of Fred's painted texture design on. In each corner of the room lay 1 each of the 4 smaller circles, individually colour coded in blue, orange, lime and lilac along with a speaker enclosed in a hood of the same colour designed by Fred. In the center of the room lay a larger circle in a multicolour effect. As the models entered the room they took a base station at their colour corresponding circle. There was a sound track created by Patric Wolf which was broken up into 4 sound channels, as the channels increased in sound the models would take their place moving into the center and when all channels were playing they would finally all meet in the middle.

The event turned out to be very busy yet the atmosphere in the room was extremely serene. People exchanged comments on the extraordinary garments and were all taken away to another cosmic world for a short space in time.

Let Them Eat Cake Shoot \ Bright Light Bright Light

2011-10-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

As part of the physical release of 'Disco Moment' by Bright Light Bright Light it was only fitting that we created some additional artwork to coincide Christa Holka and myself worked on a mini editorial for Let Them Eat Cake and Ashley Mauritzen was running an interesting interview with Rod Thomas. Here are the images from the editorial and you can click here to read the interview.

Photography by Christa Holka
Art Direction and Post production by Alun Davies
Special thanks to Aqua and Ella Dror PR

Image 1
Jacket, Aquascutum; Shirt, artist's own; Trousers, Topman
Image 2
Shirt, Aqua by Aqua; Jeans, Levi
Image 3
Shirt Aqua by Aqua; £50 note tissues available in dalston £stores.

Paper Crows \ When Friends Survive Video

2011-10-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

Here is a new music video for Paper Crows we made last month with the very talented director Zaiba Jabbar. It was particularly busy day as are most music video's where we were creating a range of cut away shots and generally making a lot of colourful powder and mess. The live action shots were hazed with coloured smoke, sprinklers and an unusual urban garden backdrop. We all had a lot of fun despite our tight schedule and the post production edit has created a really brilliant video.

Mari Sarai \ Naked Exhibition

2011-10-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

It was some time ago when I recall a conversation with Anna Trevelyan about a photo shoot where she had posed nude or 'Naked' for the photographer Marai Sarai. A little later on and a video shoot where I was working as Art Director with Mari we stopped for her to take some stills again 'Naked' of the model for a private project. Fast forward a year on and these snapshots that Mari had been taking have fused themselves into a stunning collection of images of the female form, sexuality and with a confidence only to be given by such a photographer as Mari herself. And an extra suprise to me that the image taken on the video shoot we worked on would actually turn out to be the cover of the book.

Just before LFW and on the eve of NYFW's closure we visited Mari's exhibition and UK launch of the book 'Naked' at Blackall Studio's in Shoreditch. A brilliant show and a suprise collection of images. I now need to get my hands on a copy of the book myself.

Photo blog by Miriam Backhaus.

Bestival 2011

2011-10-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

In early September I managed to sneak off just before fashion week for a last glimpse of summer fun, a road trip with Bright Light Bright Light down to the Isle of White for Bestival, where they were also performing on the Saturday night dress up night as the Pet Shop Boys. Two orange boiler suits and some cardboard twirly cones later and there you go.... Pet Shop Boys! Not to mention the drummer dressed as David Bowie, backing singers dressed as Lisa Minelli and Dusty Springfield and a 90's dance off from the Sink The Pink Dancers, brilliant.

After which we managed to catch some also amazing performances from The Cure, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Kelis, Robyn and more. With a grand finale' from non other than Bjork which was totally mindblowingly beautiful, not just because we were right at the front of the crowd but also it was a really spectacular show.. key moments were Bjork setting off some fireworks in her hands and genuinely looking shocked at the scale of them.... genius as was her blue plexi headpiece.

I also loved the new Block 9 area the Swamp Shack, the always brilliant Crew Bar and a very fun Disco in a Tree!

Aqua Man Launch Party

2011-10-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

Back in July we worked with new Menswear label Aqua Man from Aqua by Aqua to create a new clubbing experience as part of their Aqua Man Launch party. This included several large scale Aqua Logo triangles custom made out of Mars Red plexi and illuminated with neon and strobe lighting. These created focal points within the club space and entrances, in this case the club was Concrete which was chosen in conjunction with Aqua and PR and event organizer Ella Dror. The space was fully illuminated with red lighting to achieve a Berghain clubbing intensity, and their logo was repeated throughout as vinyl transfers and floor markings.

The guestlist que ran around the block but downstairs the party turned out to be an extreme experience and fueled with Redbull and Vodka throughout the night. There was even a late night performance from Feral aka McKinky. We think Aqua should start doing regular club nights all around the country, but until then we will have to just wait until the next launch party.

Above image credits
Reuben Esser and myself
Iga Gavronska, Jacqueline Power and myself
Feral aka McKinky
Jacqueline Power with Bright Light Bright Light aka Rod Thomas
Laura Taylor and Ryan Holliday Stevens of Aqua by Aqua with Kimi O'Neill

Volt Editorial

2011-10-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak preview and some behind the scenes images of the set design we created for an editorial for Volt magazine with photographer Sarah Piantadosi and stylist Nova Dando with model Harmony from Models 1. Full credits below.

Photography Sarah Piantadosi

Fashion Nova Dando

Model Harmony Boucher @ Models 1

Makeup Thomas De Kluyver @ D and V

Hair Kota Suizu @ Balcony Jump

Set Design Alun Davies

Photographer’s Assistant Amie Norris

Set Design Assistants Jacqueline Power, Iga Gavronska, Kim Morley
Stylist’s assistant Nadine Artois

Bad Bad Blogger!!!

2011-10-17T09:36:00.001-07:00

O.K My blogging abilities have been terrible of late.... I am sorry. However I shall be blogging all of the events, shoots and films that we have been working on and keeping us so busy that we just didn't find the time to blog. So watch this space over the coming week for for some really great posts.

Late at the V&A LIVE!

2011-09-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Watch live streaming video from alundaviesad at livestream.com

Disco Moment - Bright Light Bright Light - Out Today!

2011-08-07T07:34:00.002-07:00

Today the talented Bright Light Bright Light releases Disco Moment digitally worldwide, this electro pop anthem is a must for every ones music collection.

You can find it worldwide on iTunes [UK link] [US link] and all other digital providers.

A full EP with a new b-side and remixes will be released on 19th September, but for now the track is up, the video is here, and the TShirt is available at the store.

We worked with Bright Light Bright Light to produce and art direct the art work for the single with Photography by Christa Holka and Graphic Design by we art you and Fashion by Lu Flux.

Hot Boy Dancing Spot

2011-08-07T07:34:00.001-07:00

Lot's of fun was had at last nights Hot Boy Dancing Spot with the brilliant Bight Light Bright Light DJ Set and an amazing VJ set from David Wilson filled with 90's T-Shirt removing boys on loops and coconuts cracking and milk splashing FUN! I would have liked to have better documentation however we were having a little bit too much fun! More pictures to follow hopefully.

LOVE BOX

2011-08-07T07:33:00.001-07:00

A little late post from Love Box, mainly because my camera phone decided to not work and so I had no documentation to show, however thanks to Stav B I now have a few snaps that I can show some of the excitement that we got up to. We were back stage helping out Kim Howells whilst she was busy busy busy styling the Dr Noki fashion show on the main stage, which during the run up to the show we were all electrically charged by the thunderous apocalyptic rain showers which seemed to add to an amazingly outrageous fashion show with a packed out main stage crowd and some ludicrous dance manouvers by the wonderful Aaron Frew.

Here are also a few You Tube video's of the acts I managed to see.

FERALISKINKY.COM by FERAL aka MC KINKY

Fred Butler and myself watching Beth Ditto.

Beth Ditto performing some crazy yet brilliant dance moves during her set.

Pictures of the Noki fashion show via the A Shaded View Of Fashion Blog by Konstantinos Menelaou

HOUSE OF ORGANZA - MUSE - FILM

2011-07-07T04:30:00.000-07:00

The brilliant new film by Daniel Sannwald as one of the final installments to the House of Organza 'Muse' project.

House of Organza/Muse from Marlon Rueberg on Vimeo.

Muse : ROY Inc
Curators : Kim Howells & Lyall Hakaraia
Director : Daniel Sannwald
Stylist : Kim Howells
Camera : Daniel Sannwald & Marlon Rueberg
Makeup : Ashley Ward at CLM using M.A.C Cosmetics
Photo Assistant : Colby Jones
Stylist Assistants : Daisy Newman & Saskia Wickins
Makeup Assistant : Lucy Pearson
Set Dressers : Johan Ahlkvist & Jacqui Power
Edit : Marlon Rueberg
All pieces from House of Organza by
Lyall Hakaraia
Piers Atkinson
Fred Butler
Dr Noki
Craig Lawrence
Patternity
Consultant : Alùn Davies
Produced by kimhowells.com
Thanks to Steve Savage at Old Cholmeley Boys Club

HOUSE OF ORGANZA - MUSE

2011-07-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Straight after Glastonbury we were down to the Red Bull Space in London Bridge, working alongside Kim Howells, and designing the 'Muse' exhibition for House of Organza. The environment was coated in a splash of Blue to house the already Blue mannequin bodies that had featured in the Ella Dror Press day and the 'Muse' Look book by Karina Twiss. Rosie Nicholas illustrated a wall mural of tribal blue drawings. We even had the amazing Daniel Sannwald who had created a mesmerizing series of animated GIF's and also a beutiful timeless film which captured all the essence of the fashion pieces by none other than, Piers Atkinson, Lyall Hakarai, Craig Lawrence, Fred Butler and Patternity.

Wall mural by Rosie Nicolas

Fred Butler

Paternity tights

Craig Lawrence

Lyall Hakarai

The House of Organza Blue Studio

Tranny's on set it's Photo time

Danni Daniels with Tron esque body paint and myself in a Blue Vintage patterned shirt

Hey DJ Put a record on!

GLASTONBURY 2011

2011-07-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

Jonbenet Blonde

Jakob in hot pants

The Voodo Girls

Dorian Grey

Muscle boy in hot pants!

The Mask

M'Adam

Lyall Hakaraia

Fred Butler and Ma Butcher

Fred Butler and the basketball field kids

Lyall Hakaraia

Lyall Hakaraia

Brian Lobel

Cathal O'brien

The NYC Downlow

The NYC Downlow

The NYC Downlow

The London Underground

Vogue and the 'Don't you just love being a woman billboard'

Cube Henge

Metronomy

Metronomy

O.K GO!

Dance tent

Bright Light Bright Light

The mirrored installation

David Wilson's visualizations and Lyall Hakaraia

David Wilson's visualizations

David Wilson's visualizations

Danni Daniels

Vogue Fabrics Glastonbury

E

Vogue Fabrics Glastonbury

Vogue Fabrics Glastonbury and Babes and Horny

Glastonbury - Dull Soulless Dance Music!

2011-07-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

Dull Soulless Dance Music 6 - Disco Sausage by Alùn Davies

Disco Moment - Bright Light Bright Light

2011-07-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

We are only just back from Glastonbury where Bright Light Bright Light was DJing at the fashionably cool hot spot Vogue Fabrics as part of Dirt Box last Friday. Now finally after a little wait we can show you the new Bright Light Bright Light Video for new single Disco Moment! We are all so excited that this is now released and it was brilliant news to hear that the Guardian had posted up a review check it out! http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/jun/30/new-music-bright-light-disco-moment

Disco Moment from Bright Light Bright Light on Vimeo.

Director: Jody Wilson
Art Director: Alun Davies
D.O.P: Zach Galler
Stylist: Justine Josephs
1st AC & Digital Operator: Natalie Spitz
Gaffa: Tom Levigne
Hair and Make-up: Michelle Webb
Art Department: Erik Nillson-Gullstrand & Iga Gawronska
Hair & Make-up assistants: Lea James, Erika Wilson & Alex Chalk
Editor - Blake Barrie
Digital Compositor - Renaud Talon (www.ghostmachinevfx.com)
Post House - Infinite Studio
Key Roles: David Frampton, Alison King, Sheens McKenzie & Johan Ahlkvist
Produced by Alun Davies and Jody Wilson

Fashion Credits:
LOOK 1 – Bright Light Bright Light & TV Heads
BLBL: SHIRT- Unconditional, Trousers- Agi and Sam, Blazer - Lu Flux, Shoes - Skive
Johan- Jacket, vest and pants - Mathew Miller
Mark – Shorts and jumper - Mathew Miller, PVC Jacket - David Curtis-Ring
Sheena – Dress- Sara Bro Jorgensen
Alison - Dress, Jacket and gloves- Sara Bro Jorgensen

LOOK 2: Bright Light Bright Light in Colour
BLBL: Jacket and Trousers – Agi and Sam
Johan (Red): Trousers and Shirt- KTZ, Blaser- BEyond Retro, Bespoke Cap- Piers Atkinson
David (Orange): Blaser, trousers and top Agi and Sam and KTZ, Shoulder piece Grace Lepard
Alison (Green): – Leggins and dress - Lu Flux, Green mesh top – Beyond Retro, Jacket - KTZ
Sheena (Blue): - Trousers - KTZ, Jumper – Sara Bro Jorgensen, Blazer- Beyond Retro, Hat- Noel Stewart, Shoulder piece Grace Lepard

GLASTONBURY 2011

2011-06-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

‘”I can’t believe what I saw last night...”

Pitching up at Block 9, Glastonbury’s notorious after-hours field - Vogue Fabrics Dalston is bringing a decadent slice of London’s East End to Somerset this summer.

A nightclub, a bar, a parlour, a spa – Vogue Fabrics will offer festival goers the ultimate in carnal entertainment. Featuring nightly cabaret from some of worlds top performers including Danni Daniels (supermodel, art muse and erotic icon), Ophelia Bitz, Bourgeois & Maurice, Ashley Ryder and Lazlo Pearlman – these shows are not to be missed and promise to be the talk of the festival.

Dancing ‘til dawn is provided by our guest club nights – Friday brings us London’s finest collective of boys with attitude DIRTBOX; Saturday will see the legend Princess Julia touch down for her Glastonbury debut with POP and Sunday night sees The Lovely Jonjo and his gorgeous crew take the summer by it’s ankles at HOT BOY DANCING SPOT. All this magnificence alongside Vogue Fabrics summer 2011 exclusive spa treatments – have you ever been Vajazzled? Well now’s your chance.

Benidorm Vs Bedlam installation created by Alun Davies and Anna Bruder

See you there!
www.voguefabricsdalston.com/club

MISS DANNI DANIELS INTERVIEW

2011-05-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

http://dannidaniels.com/

BERLIN

2011-05-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCING: ANTONIO CARDENAS

2011-05-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

My Berlin assistant that has worked on both Run's of the Peaches Does Herself musical, He's hot With a glue gun! And picked up my cardboard construction techniques pretty damn quick. We are looking forward to his development as a sound engineer too as that is his passion, but what better place to start out than being involved in a Peaches Opera!

PEACHES DOES HERSELF - RE-RUN!

2011-04-30T04:38:00.001-07:00

So we are back in Berlin today to work on the Re-Run of the Peaches Does Herself Opera, and so I thought it was a good point to do a blog entry. Here is the poster and an extract from Peaches blog too.

'After an amazing Sold-Out Four-Day run of PEACHES DOES HERSELF starring, written and directed by Peaches featuring Special Guests in October 2010, Peaches has announced the re-run of her autobiographical epic at the Hebbel Theater in Berlin!!!'

The show will run from 4th until the 7th May at HAU 1, Stresemannstr. 29, 10963 Berlin

If you weren’t able to catch it last time round, be sure to get tickets here:

Box office:
open daily 12.00 – 19.00
telephone: +49 (0)30 25900427
fax: +49 (0)30 25900413

Online booking:
www.reservix.de

WE ARE OFF TO BERLIN!

2011-04-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

It's back to Berlin today to start preperation on the Re-run of the
Peaches Opera. So bye London see you soon.

xxx

NEW WORK - METAL MAGAZINE

2011-04-16T07:34:00.001-07:00

Metal Magazine March/April 2011

Photographer: Daniel Sannwald
Set Designer: Alun Davies
Stylist: Raquel Garcia
Hair: Hiroshi Matsushita
Make-up: Jose Bass
Nails: Sharka
Model: Gaby Kravencko at Premier London

NEW WORK - VOGUE ITALIA

2011-04-16T06:01:00.000-07:00

Here is my new editorial I did for Vogue Italia! I love it!

Close-up
Vogue Italia March 2011
Photographer: David Dunan
Styling by: Sara Maino
Set Design: Alun Davies
Make-up: Ayami Nishimura
Hair: Lyndell Mansfield
Production: Ragi Dholakia
Models: Bo Don & Kristy Kaurova

HOUSE OF ORGANZA

2011-04-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

HOUSE OF ORGANZA, now in its third season, is the brainchild of stylist and brand consultant Kim Howells and fashion designer Lyall Hakaraia. Working as curators they pull together an ever changing stable of creatives to produce one-off seasonal collections, blending talent, personality and inspiration. After a successful SS11 season, with the projectʼs finale; the Jourdan Dunn film,screening on SHOWstudio, House of Organza is thrilled to present AW11ʼs ʻMuseʼ. AW11 sees Fred Butler, Piers Atkinson, Dr. Noki, Patternity and Lyall Hakaraia produce a collection of accessories and clothing that comes together for the very first time at the launch preview with powerhouse PRʼs Ella Dror and Ash Smith on April 5th, displayed in a set designed by Italian Vogue favourite; Alun Davies!

Inspiration for ʻMuseʼ sprung from the paintings of Yves Klein who created works of art in his eponymous shade of blue, famously using living 'human brushes' to achieve his ideals. The living canvas for AW11 is global muse and performance artiste, Mr Roy, who provides the body and soul for the work that the House of Organza collective have produced, both modeling the results for the summer photographic and digital media exhibition (date TBC) and providing the preview atmospherics with a recording of his poem recital created especially for the project. Each of the artists have been given a project manifesto, the poetry recital recording and a metre of blank canvas to paint in a blue of their choice and then... complete freedom to interpret the concept in a manner relevant to their specific arena of the fashion design industry. The results are a true celebration of talent, fashion disciplines and individuality.

Contact

www.houseoforganza.com
Press sample enquiries: ella@elladrorpr.com
Kim Howells: kim@kimhowells.com
Lyall Hakaraia: lyallhakaraia@googlemail.com

Flicr

2011-03-23T05:43:00.001-07:00

214 MAGAZINE

2011-03-09T15:36:00.000-08:00

Our cover story for 214 Magazine SS/11 edition came out today with it's launch in the Windows of TopShop Oxford Street. It was a great shoot to work on as we had such a brilliant team, and I got to work with some amazing Pink Plexi Mirror which I absolutely loved!

Photography by Saga Sig, and Styling by Anna Trevelyan, Make-Up by Thomas De Kluyver, Hair by Al Pirzadeh. Model - Jenny @ IMG. Window installation by TopShop. 214 Magazine Art Direction by Useful.

www.topshop.com/sszine

Tall Ships front Label Lab launch at House of Fraser

2011-03-08T15:51:00.000-08:00

An exclusive video featuring the Tall Ships band performing their track Beanie & Dodger as part of the launch campaign for Label Lab menswear - available exclusively at House of Fraser.

Stills photography by Robert Jones

DR BROWN - FIASCO MAGAZINE FILM

2011-03-06T15:57:00.001-08:00

Here is a preview film for a forthcoming editorial shoot we did for Fiasco magazine, styled by Justine Josephs and filmed by Louis Park.

FIASCO PREVIEW | DR. BROWN

Directed by Louis Park
Filmed by Daniel Jon for FIASCO Magazine.
Music by Eno
Styling by Justine Josephs
Hair & Make-Up by Meekyung Kim
Set Design by Alun Davies
Model - Callum Turner @ Next
Production - Ann Kim @ The School House

SATURDAY NIGHT

2011-03-05T15:56:00.001-08:00

BaNsHEebOY came to the studio to tell us of things going on in the real world oooohhh, he talked about boys covered in phlem and glitter, and men ooozing with slime. And the girls are wearing hula hooped shaped hats. Sounds like our kinda world! Whilst some people we know are dancing to Saturday Night, however do they know Whigfield is just a concept????? Who can say!

LAMIA

2011-03-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

Oh Lamia, My knees hurt too!

MUGLER Womenswear Autumn/Winter 2011/12

2011-03-03T16:21:00.000-08:00

PIERS ATKINSON A/W 2011

2011-03-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

Piers Atkinson launched his A/W 2011 collection entitled 'Paris' in London at Fashion Week just past. The collection was based around the themes of the enchantment of cities especially during the darkness of night, and their appeal to characters that embrace this, cabaret entertainers, sailors, lovers undercover, disco queens, dancing girls and more.

This new collection is the first of a new triptych, and fitting with Atkinson's previous theme's a new development to the display and formation of his collection has been created, especially through the medium of print, with his pride and care that has been taken to create his current look book for the collection which essentially is a piece of art in itself. The graphic map style concertina layout displaying all the 'head shots' is encased in a beautiful Navy, and gold foil debossed cover, where two characteristic heads of Atkinson's illustration first greets you. Inside lies a text and story of the collection by Michael Nottingham and then as if almost hidden under the cover of night, the reverse side of the head shots lies a delightful collection of 'Brasai' inspired portraits of characters created and developed through the collaboration of Morgan White (Photographer) Kim Howells (Stylist) and Piers Atkinson himself. These pictures were taken on the cusp or during the darkness of night in and around Dalston London, yet give an eary timelessness to them as if these characters of night could easily have been plucked from 1930's Paris .

Head shot photograph by Morgan White.

Of course we were involved in many ways with Piers Collection this year from Set Design for the Look book shoots through to collection consultancy. However the high light was to collaborate with Piers on creating this unique show piece (See above). We developed Piers Atkinson's sketch into a light weight 3Dimensional framework, welded by my Dad, Winston Davies and myself in Wales during a cold afternoon.

As well as displaying his collection in Headonism at Sommerset House this year, Piers also launched a brilliant presentation at Franny's pop up Gallery on Frith street in Soho. Through a great collaboration with Piers' new PR Ella Dror. His presentation and Launch party on the Saturday at LFW was a complete success, Nova Dando was DJing, Anne Pigalle was singing, The neon hats were alit, and the wine was flowing. There was even a very big controversy where two of the hats from the new collection were actually stolen! Luckily due to the faithful trustees of Piers Atkinson's fan base these Kleptomaniacs were quickly sought out and the hats returned... just in time as I'm sure they will be under high demand for future press!!

Exhibition Photography by Robert Jones

Happy Welshy Day!!

2011-03-01T11:09:00.001-08:00

My Sister bought me these Welsh flag print pants for Christmas, Perfect for sporting on St Davids Day! xxx

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

2011-03-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

Low Fi yet high budget graphics - Check!
Throne - Check!
Aliens - Check!
High Volumes of Fashion - Check!
Mirror effect - Check!
Skull tatoo guy - Yup he's still everywhere!
Gaga does look ever so skinny at the moment I do hope she's eating properly! Especially if she's having babies!

NEW EDITORIAL NOW ONLINE!

2011-02-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

Finally had a big update on my site and here are a few images from new Editorials now online at www.alun-davies.com please go and have a look. xxx

Photographic credits

1. Thomas Cooksey - Vision
2. Thomas Lohr - Under Current
3. Daniel Sannwald - SZ
4. Vincent Peters - GQ
5. Ben Tomms - Another
6. Jonathan Hallam - Dazed Japan
7 & 8. Jonathan Hallam - Sleek
9. Ellen Rodgers - Piers Atkinson Advatorial
10. Jonathan Hallam - Purple

EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY

2011-02-27T16:36:00.001-08:00

Kylie Minogue - Closer & There Must Be an Angel LIVE @ Hartwall Areena, ...

2011-02-25T13:38:00.000-08:00

Kylie Queen of flying Sets......I died again!

Kylie Minogue, APHRODITE LES FOLIES 2011 TOUR, Herning, Denmark, IN...

2011-02-25T13:08:00.000-08:00

Kylie Queen of the Sets!

Water features on stage... I die!

MILAN DARLING.... NO CAPES!!

2011-02-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

LFW - KTZ A/W 2011

2011-02-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

We went to see the KTZ show yesterday as styled by the brilliant Anna Trevelyan of course we were drawn in to the Mondrian graphics and amasses of over sized Plexiglas accessories, fur pom poms and an array of male models wearing Gimpish balaclava's. All in all completely fun, we loved it!

Styled by Anna Trevelyan
Hair by Charlie Le Mindu
Make-up by Thomas de Kluyver

All images via Catwalking.com

FASHION EAST MENSWEAR

2011-02-23T15:19:00.000-08:00

We had an interesting afternoon visiting the menswear stands at fashion week today. With some very fun and colourful work. From Agi & Sam, Andrew Bunney, Astrid Andersen, Baartmans & Seigel, Blaak, Christopher Shannon, Horace, Husam El Odeh, Lee Roach, Louise Gray, Marwood, Matthew Miller, Dr NOKI - NHS, Sebastian Tarek , William Richard Green. Here are a few pictures from the Fashion East rooms.

Agi & Sam

Judy Blame & Dr Noki

BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT IN NME

2011-02-23T03:54:00.000-08:00

I just got sent this great piece of press on Bright Light Bright Light one of our regular artists and friends as featured on this blog previously.

'How To Make A Heart' in the NME Magazine today! Hooray! x

INSTYLE US - ROSAMUND PIKE

2011-02-23T03:29:00.000-08:00

My new Story for Instyle US with Vincent Peters. Some beautiful pictures of the wonderful actress Rosamund Pike.

Vincent Peters	Photographer
Anthony Unwin	Stylist
Mary Greenwell	Makeup Artist
Perrine Rougemont	Hair Stylist
Alun Davies	Set Designer

FAIRTRADE FOUNDATION - LOOKBOOK

2011-02-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

Back in December we created one last photo shoot before closing for the Christmas break, a charity shoot in collaboration with the Fairtrade Foundation. We created several backdrops for their lookbook as styled by Nic Jottkandt.

Fairtrade collective brings you an exclusive range of fabulous scarves. An initiative of the fairtrade foundation, we've teamed up with leading designers who are working with fairtrade cotton. The scarves are available from asos. This limited edition range goes on sale at asos.com from 28 February to celebrate the launch of fairtrade fortnight.

Photography credits
Photographer - Nick Dorey
Stylist - Nic Jottkandt
Models - Tasha and Jonny at elite
Set design - Alun Davies
Hair - Mari Ohashi
Make up - Valeria Ferriera

CHARLIE LE MINDU A/W 2011

2011-02-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

It has been a busy yet very interesting fashion week. Here are selection of Metal bags that I designed for Charlie Le Mindu's Autumn / Winter 2011 Collection shown at ON/OFF yesterday, Styled by Anna Trevelyan. We were asked if we could create bags to accompany the show only a short time before the show as al fashion week deadlines are very tight we threw ourselves into it.

Charlie also had a very interesting range of accessories in the shape of Typographic headpieces and Lace covered Army Hats, Pearls and over sized finger nails, it was of course an experience being at the show with the soundtrack of slaughtered pigs and Charlies butchering of blood and hair... Amazing!

Thanks to my assistants Robert Jones and Erik Nilson-Gullstrand. And Special thanks to Victoria Thay for her advanced metal working knowledge, and the Central St-Martins Jewelery Department.

Photography by Robert Jones

REVIEW OF 2010 : MIRIAM BACKHAUS

2011-02-21T11:37:00.000-08:00

My name is Miriam and I am currently a student of product design in Berlin. I will finish my studies this summer and I am very excited about it. In contrast to my studies, I prefer building sets. I have worked at different theatres as an assistant so far. I am very interested in the mixture of room and light and how it can influence your emotions when you look at it. I would love to get more experiences in working at music videos and photo shoots as well.

I assisted Alún at the project "Peaches Does Herself" in Berlin and it was very exciting for me. I am still impressed how we managed it in this absolutely small apartment. Especially how we created these huge white trees I am still in love with.I don't really want to miss this project!

I am really looking forward to see you soon again, Alún!

This is a first model of a dance theatre project which you can still watch at "Schaubühne" Berlin

NPTC WORKSHOP PRESENTATION

2011-02-16T18:04:00.001-08:00

Here are some of the final designs by the students after their 2.5 hour workshop. A great mix of quickly realized designs.

NPTC WORKSHOP

2011-02-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

Today I was taking a workshop at NPTC in Wales, the class was an eager mix from the Neath and Afan campuses of NPTC students studying on the Year one, Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art and Design. I was surprised by the sheer amount of knowledge these students had. All of them had a very good understanding of materials, brilliant 3D and making skills and they were not afraid to tackle the task of the 3Dimensional illustration project which I had set them. Their tutor Carolyn Gammon was a very pro-active initiator. From a quick Email I sent back in January through to getting me in to take the class yesterday.

There were some students who took lead to ask questions and showed initiative of leading in their groups, but on the whole the class was a level ground of fast thinking problem solvers. This being the first situation where I was teaching a class at a further education level, I was very impressed by how everyone was so open minded towards new way's of working and being creative. Their group dynamics were formed best when they were mixed between students from 2 campuses Neath and Affan and most of these had not met each other before so it really was like working in the real world of creativity.

I was also very pleased with the diversity of the projects that the NPTC students created, some were fashion, headpieces, props, conceptual installations, iconic animal sculptures. I also had the chance to meet some of the other members of staff at NPTC and had a look around the now cutting edge facilities, G5 Mac Suites, photographic dark rooms, also the fine art drawing and painting rooms and the intricate textile rooms amassed with sketchbooks flooded with beautiful imagery. It really was a different world from the college I knew back in 2000.

The students already had a good approach to recycled materials and were very open to working with materials in this way and transforming the old into the new. With any luck we will see a vibrant generation of fast thinking problem solving eco conscious creatives!

This workshop was made possible by Carolyn Gammon, Lesley Blower and the Reaching wider initiative.

For more information on Neath Portalbot College please visit the link below.

http://www.nptc.ac.uk

CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGERS BEDROOM

2011-02-15T15:31:00.000-08:00

EUROMIX

2011-02-09T13:59:00.001-08:00

GQ NAOMI CAMPBELL

2011-02-05T02:48:00.000-08:00

GQ's Fashion Special Spring / Summer 2011 issue is now out with our Naomi Capmbell shoot on the cover. Photography by Vincent Peters.

THE NEW HATTERS IN THE STUDIO!

2011-02-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

WADDLER AT BUBBLE LONDON

2011-02-01T13:09:00.000-08:00

This weekend we were at Bubble London setting up a little installation for Waddler, a new Children's wear brand that I have been working with since August 2010. We created with Photographer Sophia Spring a series of editorial and catalogue images for their first collection as a brand. So far the photographs have had great reviews and we plan to work with Waddler again in 2011 on some new brand images.

Installation Photography by Robert Jones.

Since Waddler Launched back in Winter of 2010 they have receieved some rave reviews and press, bellow are a few examples. A feature from last weeks Telegraph magazine and also the front cover of CWB magazine.

COLLABORATORS REVIEW OF 2010 : ANNA TREVELYAN

2011-01-30T04:37:00.000-08:00

A picture of you or some image to represent you.

Short biography
Fashion stylist innit!

Memory or thoughts from a project we worked on in 2010, could be interesting funny etc
hmmm the most memorable was surely making a pussy grow out of the ground when we turned Machine-A basement into a slutty graveyard!!

A little about what your up to next
Everything! i love it! watchthisspace and you will see!

Some example of your work could be a picture, video etc

Link to your site / blog etc.
www.annatrevelyan.com
www.annatrevelyan.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/annatrevelyan

REVIEW OF 2010 : EMILIA ZIEBA

2011-01-22T04:26:00.000-08:00

Hi guys I'm Emily and I would like to tell u a bit how I became Alun's assistant. One day I accidentally came to an Art Direction page surfing in the internet. What I've saw there interested me so much that I decided take a risk and write an email with my portfolio to mysterious Mr Alun Davies. That's how I started my adventure with London and this local, international artistic world. After few hours of traveling and got lost few times I landed in really strange place full of ruined, deserted buildings. I felt horror breeze and thought how come anyone can be here for more that 5 minutes and create such a wonderful things like Alun's, impossible. Especially that no one was there the time I came. After a while when I get myself together I called the number which I found on the internet page. Few signals and nice, male voice welcomed me warmly and invited for a cup of coffee. I felt suprised so much especially with my permanent fear from talking on the phone with lisping English people, I could totally misunderstood and catch something like not 'pop in for a coffee but for example "put in fold in coffin haha ;P Short massage from Alun with direction assured me that I should take my bump and go to his place what I've obviously did. There met me another surprise because the door was opened by a young, handsome man not old and bald with a moustache and big belly, like I supposed. :P We've had nice, quite long conversation about work he already did and my experience as well.

The following day I've been invited to hist studio. Except basic intern duties like to give, to fetch, to sweep Alun was asking me to sort out his stuff and make simple props and accessories for the shoots, films and music clips among set for Glass Magazine, the feathers accessories for SHOW studio, Boudoir set for OFFICE Magazine, Painted backdrops for ANOTHER Magazine and Costumes for Samuel Chase. Cutting, gluing and painting, mostly how to do fab things reallysimply and shortly and get amazing final effect and make zajebisty (I couldn't use other than polish expression ;) climate in photos, movie or music clip to effect what I had in mind. Fantastic experience indeed! To be in the center of artistic world, among many different professions. To watch a team of make up artists, stylists, models, photographs and by building a set to become an author of a background for beautiful costumes, events, shoots and young debut stars music clips. Hours of hunting feathers in neighboring parks and cemetery ... How many my emotions and filings accursed in those places, how many steps in miles walked through, sat in the tube during journey to the studio or shoot places, on the way to meet new adventures, to build new fantastic world full of magic, artists performance, later admired for people which bought the freshly printed glossy magazines. The difference is that I took a part in this whole history which was given to me. From a big mess of many different things thrown away on the floor to ready made sets to rebuild later on, and placing props back in boxes, cases, packages. That is how I'll feel after I come back to my polish reality.. like an empty studio waiting for the new set will keep waiting for the new challenge this time with totally different people in absolutely different place in the world.

Above are images of two models made as an answer for "human against civilization" sentence inspired by Jean-Paul Chrles Aymard Sartre philosophy.

I graduated Poznan Academy of Fine Arts in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Stage and Costume design. I am on my second part of the studies at the moment. I have already been working as an assistant and trainee in several theatres in Poland during my studies.

Despite the fact that my education and work experience has prepared me for the position of stage and costume designer, I am also interested in interior, exhibition and set design. Last term of my studies I spent abroad and courses which I chose during my studies at Lithuanian Dajles Academija was completely connected with interior and exhibition design. After that I started to think about work in this field seriously.

COLLABORATORS REVIEW OF 2010 : TOM LEVINGE

2011-01-22T04:14:00.000-08:00

I'm a music video director but I've also had a crack at documentaries, sketches, shorts, dog walking and am currently writing and gambling a dangerous amount.

2010 was a terrible year. Political unrest, appalling sports performances, general sinister goings on BUT I did have the good fortune to collaborate with Alun, who has been nominated Wales' suavest man three years in a row. He keeps the certificates hidden away in a secret drawer, but if you ask he'll show you them, they're very fancy.

Alun, Rod (Bright Light Bright Light) and I (along with a super talented team too long to mention here) created the Love Part II video, with very few resources, but a generally agreed upon idea that it should look beautiful and present BLBL as a powerful new pop sensation. Alun's vision and good humour really brought the project to life and we had a great time shooting it. His suggestions and use of reference materials were totally inspiring and I can't wait for our next project.

I'm just about to shoot my first ever 3D video and have some really, really stupid stuff in development. 2011 is the year that we all hit the big time.

www.vimeo.com/tomlevinge

COLLABORATORS REVIEW OF 2010 : CHRISTA HOLKA

2011-01-21T16:23:00.000-08:00

I’m Christa Holka and I am a photographer. I came to London in to do an MA in Fine Art at Central St. Martins, which I finished in 2008. I met Alun very soon after my arrival in London and we became fast friends. I then began working with him in the summer of 2008 doing Art Department/Set Design on a feature film. Since then, I regularly work with him on set design projects for fashion, but have also worked with him as a photographer.

My personal work is mostly documentary photography and deals issues of documenting and archiving the communities in which I exist. One of my biggest ongoing projects is “I WAS THERE”, a series of photographs of friends and acquaintances in parties I frequent in London. Intersecting with my personal work, are photos I share with my friends’ blog The Most Cake.

Outside of my own work, I work predominantly as a freelance photographer documenting live art/artists and art events as well as in editorial photography. I am also a stills photographer for film and television and occasionally work as a photographer’s assistant for fashion editorials and with Alun in set design and art direction for fashion and film.

Working with Alun, I’m always impressed by his incredible creative vision, passion, professionalism, attention to detail and ability to make the most gorgeous sets and objects with any budget no matter how small. Working with Alun has and continues to influence me and my work on a number of levels, and I am lucky to work with him. Plus, it’s just fun to work with your friends!

So, some highlights for the year included:

The saga of Lady Gaga. I was part of a very intimate team working with Alun assembling costumes for Lady Gaga’s European Tour. I don’t know if I have ever worked so hard and so long in my entire life. This project also marks the moment where I hit my exhaustion limit and broke. After two long weeks of work, and the final 2 days of 15 hour days, plus the final all-nighter, I lost it! My usually calm and relaxed demeanor even in the toughest, most stressful situations just went out the window and I do believe I was asleep in the studio, refusing to get up to finish the job. After an hour nap, I did get up and I did deliver those costumes to Anna Trevelyan. Oh yes I did.

Rihanna for i-D Magazine. I must admit, I was starstruck. Rihanna is one of my favourite pop stars of late and that I got to be in a room with her for a whole day whether or not I even spoke to her, was terrifically exciting! This was a full day shoot where we brought everything. Lots of furniture that I think I helped source, fabrics, etc. and in the end, it was all about a wooden stool. I never could have imagined that a wooden stool would be so important or so precious. I am since always on the look-out for the perfect wooden stool which I plan to buy and give to Alun as a surprise some day.

Kate Moss for British Vogue. This was a two-day shoot, one of which was on location in a gorgeous location house. This was again a situation where we brought the world in terms of props: gorgeous furniture that we sourced from all over London. I also remember Alun sending me out to source an old mattress, not just a mattress but an “exquisite” old mattress. I never found the thing but I tried did I ever try.

Rosamund Pike for InStyle Magazine. For this shoot, we built a gorgeous old film set. Aside from the Adidas Campaign I worked on with Alun a few years ago, this was the first time I got to see the almost all of the big props Alun sourced go to work. The result was an impressive, convincing film set. I also got the opportunity to do some “behind the scenes” photos on this shoot that are included in the final story.

Naomi Campbell for British GQ. This was another moment where I felt truly starstruck. The chance to be on set with one of fashions most notorious models was quite exciting, not to mention the very ambitious set that included a special effects swimming pool AND us building a separate free-standing room. Also, as it goes with celebrity rumours, Naomi was not a nightmare, but rather she was well behaved, quite unremarkable in those terms. On top of being on set with Naomi, my job for about half of the day was splashing Naomi while she was photographed (!!!).

Beyond fashion shoots, I also collaborated with Alun by doing the photography for Bright Light Bright Light’s 2010 Limited Edition Tour EP as well as some publicity photography for 2009 and 2010.

And I think that about covers it! I look forward to many more of these memories with Alun to come! Hey 2011!

www.christaholka.com
www.xtawasthere.tumblr.com

COLLABORATORS REVIEW OF 2010 : BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT

2011-01-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

I'm Rod Thomas and make music as Bright Light Bright Light.
I live and work from my studio in London, but grew up very near Alun back home in the Welsh valleys.
I make my own music - a type of electronic synth-based pop that draws influence from the late 80s / early 90s - and remix other artists, collaborate and DJ regularly in London.

2010 was an important year for me establishing my music and coming up with the visual identity to accompany Bright Light Bright Light. Because we'd always swapped ideas on a friend basis, I approached Alun about being involved with the project on a creative direction basis, and it seemed to be a perfect fit. We clubbed together as the 90s turned into the 00s, and he's been part of my life in London throughout, so he knows my reference points inside out.

We had our first photo shoot back in 2009 where Alun made a fantastic set to reflect the sound I was creating. At the time the tracks I'd done were 'A New Word To Say' and 'Disco Moment', and the fragmented set he made perfectly mirrored the mood of the songs. We then spent months planning how we thought things should be presented - both me and the world around me - and then worked together (with Tom Levinge) to make the 'Love Part II' video in his studio. We made a small room feel like a different world and had so much smoke it was like being in Laserquest, and ended up making something we were both extremely proud of that fit the song, and cemented a great working relationship. We learn a lot from each other - me about fashion and set design, and him about live music and making music.

This year I'm finishing off the debut album 'Make Me Believe In Hope' as well as doing lots of writing with other people, remixes, festivals and some live shows. I have set up a 90s clubnight with another fellow Neath export David Oh, which we're running in London called 'Another Night' playing club classics and some rarer treats from 1990-1999 .

Together, Alun and I are working on more video ideas, further exploring the visual side of the project, and continuing to have a total blast while working hard, which is the best way I can think to spend 2011!

Bright Light Bright Light live at Koko London

There are free downloads of my work and remixes at www.brightlightx2.com
A DJ mixtape is up at http://dj-set-november-2010
and 'Another Night' has a home at http://anothernightclub.blogspot.com

REVIEW OF 2010 : GEMMA SMITH

2011-01-21T02:41:00.000-08:00

Paper and card played a large part in the creativity whilst working with Alun, It was wonderful to see how these materialised into such contrary forms, creating unique environments and atmospheres, full of colour and attitude.

I assisted Alun back in February 2010, since then I have assisted other set designers and prop stylists such as: Shona Heath, Dawn Weller, Emma Roach, Anna Burns and James Hatt. I have recently worked independently on advertising shoots.

I have work on fashion shoots: Vanity Fair, Net-A-Porter, Italian Vogue, Turkish Vogue, British Vogue and advertising campaigns: Swarovski, Moet, John Lewis, Kelloggs, MTV, Aviva, Thomas Pink and many more. Whist continuing to assist designers and now work on my own projects, and am very much looking forward to seeing what this year brings.

REVIEW OF 2010 : Erik Nilsson-Gullstrand

2011-01-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

My name is Erik "Tonrie" Nilsson-Gullstrand and graduated secondary school from a swedish gymnasium with a text communication profile last summer. At the moment I'm back in Sweden doing some personal projects however I have big plans returning to the UK and London quite soon.

My creative work isn't much but I enjoy working in a kind of scandinavian way, I do love my scandinavia. The woods, the mystique, the cold.

I worked with Alùn on a few projects in 2010, I came to London to assist Alùn on the SZ Magazin shoot with Daniel Sannwald. But when I was suppose to go home, my flight was cancelled so I stayed for another week and assisted on the Vincent Peters shoot for British GQ and helped out with Alùn's fantastic accessorising for the exibition at Machine-A. So you can easily say I had a great end of 2010. The Daniel Sannwald shoot I thought was great, the team who worked on the shoot, the atmosphere was great - listening to Fever Ray nonstop for two days, running around London looking for ivy and emptying that pool which took for ever, but no complains, I enjoyed my time there and I feel like this is not the end. 2011 is going to be a good and productive year.

This is one of the most recently projects I've been working on were I provided with the artistic parts and also created the west-dress. Photography by Amina Rose.

http://tonrie.tumblr.com/

REVIEW OF 2010 : ROBERT JONES

2011-01-11T01:34:00.000-08:00

My name is Robert Jones and I am currently in my second year at London College of Fashion studying Fashion Illustration. I am interested in the mixture of fashion and music and what it brings season to season.

My illustration style is mixed media stencil graffiti. I also enjoy short film production and photography. I have gained experience in different aspects of the fashion industry such as styling, advertising and graphic design.

After working with Alun on a few projects during 2010, one of the projects that I enjoyed was for a Fashion Film Director Jez Tozer. An exhibition incorporating a party which Jez was putting on to cellebrate the launch of his new film collection 'The Alchemy Series' the theme was based on black and hanging sculptures and garments created an ambience in the room and was a great way to finish the year off and to see the new year in, with the Christmas spirit high and the Guinness flowing together with the smell of burnt wood in the air.

Ipad case and bag designer HbyHarris

REVIEW OF 2010 : DAVID CURTIS-RING

2011-01-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

David Curtis-Ring, Peacock portrait photography by Christa Holka

I worked with ADAD on the music video Love Part II where we had some great fun with smoke, confetti and sugarglass! In the video there is a moment when a sheet of glass appears to break over Bright Light Bright Light and so while filming this part Alun and I were hovering above Rod with a sheet of sugarglass, poised, waiting for the go-ahead to let it fall! Eek! This felt quite dramatic at the time, to be dropping what seemed to like a piece of glass! We only had two chances to get it right but it worked out really well in the end. The sumptuous collage of textures, lights and varying colours that you can see in the finished piece are among my favourite things about the video!

I'm a London based artist working in set design, costume and props. My practice references mythology, elements of fantasy and mysticism and often features the animal as symbol. I'm interested in creating a striking visual language through an exploration of archetypes and a tactile, colourful and handmade aesthetic. I've just recently finished work on a music video for pop duo Muchuu where I art directed and designed the set and am now beginning a project with fantastic DOP Michel Dierickx.

www.davidcurtis-ring.blogspot.com

Video still from Love Part II by Bright Light Bright Light

Muchuu Set design photography by Fanny Jansen

REVIEW OF 2010

2011-01-04T17:48:00.000-08:00

Hello,

2010 was an extremely busy year at AD AD, it was the first year to see so much of our set design work on the stage as well as in print, online and as live installations. Working across fashion and music, we have collaborated with some of my early inspirations (Peaches, Vincent Peters, Willy Vanderperre ) as well as some brilliant up and coming talent (Daniel Sannwald, Charlie Le Mindu, Bright Light Bright Light). It also seemed the perfect time to develop our costume props and accessories taking them to a new level, some touring the world (Lady Gaga) and gaining a whole new audience for our designs.

Some of the highlights I have listed below but the stand-out event for me was the amazing opportunity to travel and work with Peaches in Berlin. I spent almost 2 months working with avant garde recording artist as the production and stage designer for her shocking and brilliant musical opera 'Peaches Does Herself' at the prestigious Hebbel Am Uffer, creating dynamic sets such as a vaginal lipped bed giving birth to the contemporary dancers dressed in fetus style outfits, to oversized set pieces such as an operating table, the Peaches trademark 'Shocker' hand and dancing cardboard trees. The show was a back to back musical of Peaches songs and the imagery followed with props including a specially commisioned exploding dildo by 'Babes-n-Horny', hair arm costume props and many more. The show was sold out for the whole weeks run in Berlin, and was such a success it shall return again in May 2011.

COSTUME PROPS

Another on-stage sucess were the scintillating and mirror ball encrusted dancers costumes for the Lady Gaga Monsterball World Tour, commissioned by Anna Trevelyan for super stylist Nicola Formichetti. Gaga wears dress by Armarni Prive.

EDITORIAL \ CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL STORIES

In print and online AD AD created editorial art direction, prop design and costume props with stylists and photographers such as Kim Howells for Contributing Editor, Raquel Garcia for Metal Magazine, Yasuhiro Takehisa for Dazed and Confused Korea and Vision Magazine. Markn for Harpers Bazarre, Vincent Peters for Vanity Fair, GQ and InStyle, Daniel Sannwald for Suddeutsche Zeitung Magazin and Thomas Lohr for Under Current Magazine.

COMMERCIAL

Commercial shoots and campaigns included Net a Porter, Office, House of Fraser, Lu Flux (Esthetica at LFW) and Waddler Clothing with photographers, Holly Falconer, Jonathan Hallam, Markn and Sophia Spring .

LFW AND BEYOND

Staying in the wonderful realms of fashion we collaborated with milliner Piers Atkinson for his London fashion week installations, creating body contorted mannequins in gloss black, speared with neon tubing for his A/W 2010/11 stand at Somerset House, and golden lacquered bodies with glitter pink Hollywood Hills for his S/S 2011 installation. More recently creating futuristic erotica inspired costume props for his Christmas window display at it-boutique Machine-A, where we had incidentally previously brought to life a themed ‘graveyard for vaginal worship’; a live performance Installation for Machine-A and Charlie Le Mindu, a cardboard graveyard and astro turf lawns graced the Machine-A basement, a body and fountain of hair was suspended as performers writhered in worship on the floor.

MUSIC & MOVING IMAGE

Ongoing artistic direction for Grazia.com’s LFW soundtrack recording artist Bright Light Bright Light, with brilliant projects that included his first music video for single 'Love Part 2', an abstract space was created where two anonymous dancers play guardian to BLBL as cascading shards of glitter and glass attempt to invade his environment. Aswell as lighting and stage design for live performances at Koko London, styling consultant for their show at The Hammersmith Apollo and all current press photography.

Continuing In the world of pop, the music video for La Roux's 'Bulletproof ' began a global debut in 2010 and made it into the top ten around many countries in the world including top 5 in US, after brilliant success in the UK in 2009. The video has now been played over 15 million times on YouTube alone! A 'Tron' inspired geometric set design was created by AD AD with post production by Mathematic Studios Paris.

FILM & INSTALLATION

The end of year rounded off very chicly with a subtle installation for photographer and video director Jez Tozer for his 'Alchemy Series' launch event. Freshly charcoaled wood was suspended in a lattice across the entrance creating an aromatic, ambient, live trailer to the film screening later to be shown online at SHOWstudio.com, (themes of fire, smoke and fashion), with designer fashion garments by Craig Lawrence and Noki hung in the show space.

2011 is already looking busy with discussions with LA film studios, the release of the feature film 'Wreckers' in early spring and a continuing presence at LFW. I will endeavor to keep you posted!

Happy New Year !!

Alun

Special thanks to all my assistant and collaborators over the past year, Lloyd Rossborough, Kim Morley, Kirri Barker, Erik Nilsson-Gullstrand, Emilia Zieba, Rosie Knowles, Christa Holka, Lynne Morris and everyone else who has been involved with ADAD projects.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

2011-01-01T16:14:00.001-08:00

2011 !!!!! YES

X Mas Gifts!

2010-12-28T17:13:00.001-08:00

Crazy X Mas - Mixtape!

2010-12-27T08:51:00.001-08:00

Crazy Xmasmp3 by Lewis Cloke

I made this mix tape to help me get through this Christmas, with a little help and inspiration from some of the amazing artists I have been working with over this year. It is a little bit of an eclectic mix of experience from all the countries and cities I have lived in over the last year, Wales, London, Paris, Berlin. Enjoy the fun.

Peaches - I Feel Cream
Jenny Wilson - Crazy Summer / Let my shoes lead me forward
The Knife - We share our mothers health
Aqua - Barbie Girl
Adam Rikkit - Breath again
OM Gina G - I Belong to you
Crystal Castles (Feat Robert Smith) - Not in Love
Gala - Freed from desire
Katy Perry - California Girls
Rihanna - The only girl in the world
Lady GaGa - Disco Stick
Ace of Base - Don't Turn Around
Daft Punk - Derezzed
La Roux - Bulletproof
Fever Ray - Triangle walks
No Bra - Munchausen
Kylie - All the lovers
Cher - All or nothing
Madonna - Vogue

OH SANTA! Maria Carey

2010-12-26T05:47:00.000-08:00

Maria may have lost her speed to some of the other female pop stars these days but there is one thing she manages to do best.... Christmas pop songs. We are now 16 years on since 'All I want for Christmas was first released' I did actually buy it on cassette tape at the time. And even then 'AIWFC' was only the 2nd track from an entire Christmas studio album entitled 'Merry Christmas'. This years release 'Oh Santa'follows well in the footsteps even if it it some years on. The album art work was photographed by none other than David La Chapelle and so it goes without saying a little photoshop can do wonders! But we all love a bit of HO..HO....HO!!

Bright Light Bright Light road trip

2010-12-23T03:57:00.001-08:00

Can we fit a Piers Atkinson into a Fiesta.

Off to Wales, going to blog en route!

2010-12-23T03:09:00.000-08:00

Selina's Transformation Part 2 (Batman Returns)

2010-12-10T18:14:00.000-08:00

I love this Scene from Batman Returns, maybe because it resembles a little like my working process: Scream, spray paint something, smash something up, grab fabric ruthlessly, sew everything together........... "I don't know about you miss Kitty but I feel so much yummier"

I remember this scene so vividly from my early childhood, yet I cannot remember hardly anything else from Batman returns, was this a signal that I always would enjoy a career in costume and set? Oh and by the way the I cannot love more the pink tone of all the walls and Neon light fixture in Selina's apartment. And to top it all off there is lot's of Pussy! Brilliant.

Piers Atkinson x MACHINE-A AW11 Pre-Collection Film

2010-12-09T15:33:00.000-08:00

Last night we were lucky enough to view the premier of Piers Atkinsons fashion film for Machine-A, Directed by James Barnett & Poppy French and featuring model Aaron Frew.

Also to coincide with the excitment Machine-A launched their super brilliant new online Video store at www.machine-ashop.com

MACHINE-A presents Piers Atkinson from Ashley Smith on Vimeo.

Piers Atkinson at Machine-A

2010-12-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

Today Piers Atkinson Launched his X Mas window display at Machine-A, I was able to attend and view some of my handy craft working on the manequin's fashion accessories I had made under some very brilliant fashion direction from the wonderful Miss Kim Howells. The Party was a brilliant success and Pier's fashion film went down very well with a few Vodka Shots to add to our Winter chill thrill! Bullet Nipples indeed.

The windows were created under the artistic direction of Piers Atkinson and realized by Planarama.

You can win one of Piers headbands as featured in this window display at Vogue.com

Piers inside his brilliant sexual window of futuristic excitement touching up his mannequin.

Erik Tonrie my dashing Sweedish assistant, Bright Light Bright Light and Miss Christa Holka attending the event with myself.

Art Direction - Piers Atkinson
Design & Installation - PLANarama
Neon Headpieces - I Catchers Neon for Piers Atkinson
Neon Art - i Catchers Neon
Laser Niples by PINS London
Stylist - Kim Howells
Make-up - Martina Luisetti
Assistants - Reuben Esser and Daisy Newman
Models - Kate & Neil @ PLANarama

MACHINE-A and Piers Atkinson / AW 10

2010-12-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

I shall be attending this tomorrow evening!

Christmas Lights switch on at 6pm
with Special Guest!

Piers Atkinson AW11 pre-collection preview
exclusively for Machine-A

SNOW WAY!!!

2010-12-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

LASERS...Around the world!

2010-12-01T15:52:00.000-08:00

It would seem this week is all about Lasers! For Photoshoots, The LIVE or simply trying to give yourself some home made eye sight corrective surgery.

But more to the point Peaches is doing her Laser show again, which I unfortunately missed back in September in Berlin. This time it is at Art Bassel Miami Beach, one of the most important art shows in the United States. 'A cultural and social highlight for the Americas. As the sister event of Switzerland's Art Basel, the most prestigious art show worldwide for the past 41 years,
Art Basel Miami Beach combines an international selection of top galleries with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events featuring music, film, architecture and design.'

Peaches Laser show is not one to be missed as you can see from this brilliant film. And featurning Peaches band Sweet Machine and the fabulous Danni Daniels, rumours are that Danni has been putting together a rather elaborate costume for this. If only I was stateside I would visit! Peaches needs to bring it to London soon.

But if you are in Miami I suggest you should go and see the show if there are tickets available December 2nd Art Bassel Miami Beach.

CLUB NME: BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT AT KOKO

2010-11-29T15:18:00.000-08:00

I had a very exciting meeting today with Bright Light Bright Light about some upcoming projects, more to be released about all that soon. And also very excitingly he will be playing a very special live gig at Koko in Camden this coming Friday the 3rd of December. What a brilliant way to set of your festive spirits with a set from one of the brightest new stars! Watch out 2011 we are predicting big things for this one.

http://www.koko.uk.com/listings/bright-light-bright-light-03-12-2010

Skunk Anansie Live at Brixton Academy

2010-11-28T02:20:00.001-08:00

It seems that for the past few weeks Friday night has become band night! I have managed to catch quite a few concerts in last week Bright Light Bright Light at Hammersmith Apollo, and then this week was Skunk Anansie at The Brixton Academy. The brilliant Kim Howells who styles Skunk Anansie had put together a great team of people to work on costume pieces for the show and was able to get us all tickets to see the closing show at Brixton more blog posts to come with all styling details. It was an energetic performance of crowd surfing, stage diving and pure vocal delight!

Skin has an energy to put most people to shame and you can see that they are at home performing on stage, none less than 26 songs were sung their longest set list to date. Their music brought back nostalgic memories of my teenage years and it would seem that their new album has brought them a whole new younger audience. We are eagerly looking forward to their European tour next year!

Crystal Castles - Not In Love ft. Robert Smith (The Cure)

2010-11-27T02:27:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this as it is my favourite song of the moment, it is somewhat epic. A fantastic combination of Crystal Castles and the delight of vocals from the alway's unfaltering Robert Smith.

Peaches Does Herself

2010-10-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

Some pictures from the dress rehearsal, the Show had it's premier last night with great sucess!

Peaches Does Herself

2010-10-23T17:24:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the lack of blog posts over the last month but I have been busy working on a very big project 'Peaches Does Herself' a musical featuring and Directed by Peaches. It will be live in less than a week!

http://www.peachesrocks.com/
http://www.hebbel-am-ufer.de/

Studio Romance

2010-09-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

I am, eye am, I am!

2010-09-01T04:55:00.000-07:00

Fashion film for Glass magazine!
A surrealist journey into the autumn wardrobe
A film by Mari Sarai and Emma Macfarlane

Untitled from GlassmatesTV on Vimeo.

Make up - James O'Riley @ Premier
Hair - Roku Roppongi
Set Design - Alun Davies
Model - Lyndsay Byard @ Next Models
Music - Adem Illhan

PERFORMANCE & COCKTAILS

2010-08-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

duckie presents a bourgeois speakeasy lounge

miss amy lamé introduces 9 short pieces

starring
neil bartlett, wendy houstoun, harold offeh
dominic johnson, h. plewis, rajni shah
roy kerr, helena hunter, mitch & parry

special guests stars george chakravarthi (25th),
marisa carnesky(26th) & kira o’reilly (27th)

NEW HOUSE!!

2010-08-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

Brie Larson in Lu Flux at Scott Pilgrim VS. The World European Premiere

2010-08-19T05:54:00.001-07:00

NEWSWIRE # 5

2010-08-15T11:36:00.001-07:00

http://ymlp.com/zIceKV

SNIPE

2010-08-09T16:50:00.000-07:00

LOVE PART || - VIDEO - BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT

2010-08-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

I am really pleased to announce the music video online release of Love Part 2 by Bright Light Bright Light. Everyone involved worked really hard on this and an extra special thanks to all the PR companies who released al the looks for this. As this is the first in a series of music video's to be released from Bright Light Bright Light it would be great to have your feedback so please leave a comment below or drop us an email at info@alun-davies.com

Credits

Director - Tom Levinge
DOP - Laurens Scott
1st AC/Focus Puller - Joel
Gaffer - Matt Woof
Art Director - Alun Davies
Art Department - David Curtis-Ring
Art Department - Kiri Barker
Art Department - Tim Knights
Stylist - Adam Winder
Grooming - Mitsu Enokida
Dancers - George Johnson & Jon Bingham
Pre Production by Tom Levigne & Alun Davies
Special thanks to Lu Flux.

Stylists credits

Look 1 (First Verse)
Jacket by Katerina Levina
T-Shirt by Acne at MyWardrobe.com

Look 2 (First Chorus)
Jacket by Paul Smith
Jacket worn underneath by Topman Design
T-Shirt by Silent

Look 3 (Second Verse)
Jacket by Paul Smith
T-Shirt by William Richard Green
Trousers by James Small

Look 4 (Second Chorus)
Jacket by Bee-Kay
T-Shirt by Two Weeks

Look 5 (Silhouette throughout)
Coat by Asger Juel Larsen at Machine-A

Look 6 (Final Chrous)
Shirt by Christopher Shannon

Look 7 (Lying down shot)
Jacket by Bee Kay
T-Shirt by WIlliam Richard Green
Gloves by James Small

Dancers:
Shirt by Comme des Garcons at MyWardrobe.com
Shirt by Martyn Bal
Gloves by James Small

Special thanks to MyWardrobe, Bloody Gray, Machine-A, Nicomede Talavera, Bruckle and Say More PR.

BURLESQUE

2010-08-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

Cher and Christina Aguilera - Burlesque trailer say no more!

IF YOU WERE A WOMAN AND I WERE A MAN BONNIE TYLER

2010-08-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

If you have been following my Facebook tweets you would have noticed I have mentioned this music video by the almighty Bonnie Tyler before. However I decided today that this simply needed to be blogged about as part of my Valley's blog period. The video is nothing short of epic as were all of Bonnie's video's this was Directed by non other than Jim Steinman a writer and Producer who had worked on previous Bonnie Tyler tracks also. It was nominated for seven Billboard Video Awards. And yes it does sound like Bon Jovi's 'You gave Love A Bad Name' as it has the same writer but was actually realeased before Jon Bon's version. The production design is amazing and obviously had never reached it's true audience, perhaps it was ahead of it's time hahahahahahaha.

Bonnie Tyler - If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man)

TWINS

2010-08-04T15:06:00.001-07:00

EY! MAGATEEN 6. Dancing with the Guerra Twins! from Luis Venegas on Vimeo.EY! MAGATEEN ♥ Haydem Guerra Liranza & Raul Guerra Liranza! The HOTTEST TEENAGERS in Spain!

LOVE PART || - BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT

2010-08-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

Excitingly if you haven't already heard Bright Light Bright Light has signed a little deal with a fantastic new label called Popjustice Hifi Sounds as though he is very excited about the whole deal.

'Love Part II' is coming out as a single on Monday 13th September (12th on iTunes) as a deluxe CD also featuring 'Cry At Films' on which Rod's friend Del Marquis from Scissor Sisters does backing vocals and guitar, AND a remix by Pepptalk.

The Single will look something like this, which the Lovely Christa Holka did the Photography for and we are quite excited that the Music Video to the single should also shortly be gracing your screens which has been Art Directed by myself and we are all very excited about. Watch this space for further details.

Oh and please buy the track and support new artists!!