I’ve changed the colour of @shop_designedbyalice
A breath of blue
For the change in seasons
And a reminder of a change in pace & objectives
Now,
OVER TO YOU!!
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I’ve changed the colour of @shop_designedbyalice
A breath of blue
For the change in seasons
And a reminder of a change in pace & objectives
Now,
OVER TO YOU!!
.
I feel I’ve got to a stage now where a good many of you know and understand the stories & core values of DBA. It’s natural evolution over the last decade along my own creative practice has been pretty sweet!
It is primary joy of mine to create an idea and watch it inspire, grow and develop out in the real world; to become yours.
So,
For the late Summer and Autumn I have an idea: rather than the brand and myself falling off grid / off instagram as I create the necessary space I need evolve some new shoots … I’d love for you to help me out and become the voice of @shop_designedbyalice , whilst also enriching the public image of DBA for us all to enjoy!
Think of this proposition as a little bit of motivation to go do the things you might not always give yourself permission to do: Maybe that’s a slightly bigger outdoors adventure, a photo shoot, a bit of creative writing …
I just want to hear and see how you enjoy be-ing in your DBA!
I hope that can I encourage those of you who feel inspired to be part of this DBA story-project by sharing:
Please post, tag @shop_designedbyalice and share your stories if you have a social media presence - so that I’ll be able to find them!
For each story I share I’ll on my insta-grid send a personal thank you and voucher to spend at www.designedbyalice.co.uk
I am really looking forward to hearing your voices and seeing DBA through your eyes!
x
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Here's a little snippet of something new and aspirational: A feature with Pia Grace, one of the three muses, who animated the first pieces from my new Birch Tree Collection. I asked Pia about * MIDLIFE CONFIDENCE * Which is how she defines her inspiring blend of lifestyle and style blogging.
]]>In conversation with Royal Academy of dance. The full interview is published on their member forum.
Your products are consciously created, what makes this such an important factor for You?
I generally view things holistically. Dancing has always struck me as a very positive action. As a dancer we wear very little when training or studying … but I believe the very little product that we do wear should be reflective of the positively considered action of dance. I believe every element in design is important - if I am going to contribute to a space, I want to really enhance what is already there. This goes beyond an excellent finished product, to also include minimising the environmental and ecological impact of its creation as well as respecting the people that bring it to fruition.
Could you talk a bit about how you progress an idea for a garment or a project, and your process to actualise it?
I often get ideas while dancing actually! Even though I am no longer a pro performer, dance is still a huge part of my life, most often as an ‘idea’s generator’ (there’s science behind that too!) And If the physicality of dance supports the unconscious creation of ideas, I should also probably say that I often incorporate a more conscious observational element. My early collections in particular carried ideas that I wanted to be visually present in the dance studio. E.g. my first collection ‘Somefish” (currently stocked in the RAD shop) was inspired by a fisher person’s story that essentially supports independent thought and challenges the flow. This was an idea that was especially important to me when I was gearing myself up to leave my full-time ballet company job and begin DBA full time.
I’ve always been a maker so after the idea I am pretty hands on in the creation of each design. I usually paint the design on paper and then scan it where I can turn it into the kind of print that I want. The design is then printed onto a material and after getting tested and then made up by me, I send the pattern and materials to the respective makers. I work with freelance costume makers locally in the West End for the skirts, and with an Italian family-run dancewear workshop for the bodysuits (now managed by one of my ballet school/company friends!) It’s all really nice, I’ve been working with everyone for years.
Beyond designing the kind of clothing you sought after during your time as a professional ballerina, are there any other ways your professional dance career influenced the rest of your work?
Undoubtedly the work ethic and discipline, and a desire to connect and entertain … I also think that not having the space to be as expressive in a ballet company was probably the reason I started DBA as it became a healthy balance outlet for my ideas. My dance career also taught me how to balance risk with practical strategy and taught me that perseverance is key. In some ways I think it all made me braver and bolder, for having endured the process.
Outside of bodywear, you also combine dance with other disciplines. What do you enjoy pursuing these types of multi-disciplinary projects?
I enjoy joining things up in different ways and seeing what happens creatively. I find cross-pollinating ideas motivating and interesting. It’s not primarily a conscious choice, although I’ll justify it after and say I don’t really see things as separate but interconnected. Each contributes to inspire me, combining with my natural curiosity and general interest to learn stuff, develop and make things in different spaces. That’s how fresh thoughts and ideas come about.
Your products have recently been stocked in the RAD Shop, could you tell us a little about the process leading up to this?
I studied all my RAD grades and have stayed aware of RAD development over the years.
Interestingly it was at a research workshop (held at RAD, a good few years back) that I became particularly inspired by the power of dance to enhance lives and make space for a healing kind of space through artistic expression. I was also excited to get a sense that the RAD seemed to be moving to supporting a wider spectrum of dancers’ voices.…fast forward a bit, my brand Designed by Alice was growing, and I was interested in spaces to introduce it to new audiences; immediately I thought of the RAD as I felt they would support my vision of expressive artistic active wear for bodies and so I got in touch.
Beginning the new year is always feels funny mix of reflection and the generation of new ideas: Whether you enjoy goal setting or just generally re-tuning intentions ( personally I am totally for the latter this year ) sometimes you just have to give your brain a bit of a boost to get it excited about the next steps...
]]>Beginning the new year is always feels funny mix of reflection and the generation of new ideas: Whether you enjoy goal setting or just generally re-tuning intentions ( personally I am totally for the latter this year ) sometimes you just have to give your brain a bit of a boost to get it excited about the next steps.
I find it fascinating ( and useful) asking other professional idea makers what makes them spark…
Stina Quagebeur is one such inspiring maker.
Inspiration
Project PSYCHE a concept collection ~ of collaborative art and 120 variant bodysuits ( all pieces of a larger concept painting) that are available for sale www.designedbyalice.co.uk
Psyche, means both soul and butterfly in Ancient Greek and I’d like to think this project has a lot of (he)art & soul (!) as well as a kind of exciting metamorphic chaos that we associate with a butterfly's pre-being.
As a designer/consumer I’ve always been interested in beautiful and unusual pieces that have meaning and as an artist/ performer I am interested in giving something tangible away: a momento that the audience could keep with them to remind them of that moment/ idea.
To me, no one part of my work is given priority; it is a continuous circle of
> appealing product > performance > exploration > meaning > visual art > good design (loops back)
Sometimes running my ‘business’ I am reminded of the exciting and yet hard to pin-point biological gloop of a butterfly pre-metamorphosis. When you know there’s something really tangible in there, but its form is indiscernible. And it's this promise of potential that I’d really like Project PSYCHE to encapsulate.
We all have a lot to give; many forms that we can take; an awe-inspiring capacity to evolve and reform. Our contemporary collective is amid a particularly complex psychological cycle right now. And yet conversely the modern world feels like it’s constantly pressuring the individual to outwardly project a serene linear ‘gliding butterfly state’. unknowns are equally important and valid states to take/be in.
Summary
This leads me on to the product design itself:
I’ve made a bodysuit out of the highest performing material I could find with the lowest environmental footprint. Naturally it’s regenerated from plastic bottles. The regenerated fabric the bodysuits are made from won't limit your movement creativity and they’re genuinely just as suitable for dance and performance as they would be meditating, hiking, swimming, skating, diving, wearing to a festival etc.
The performance aspect of the Project PSYCHE is still an unfurling concept to explore and share digitally: I am delighted that Monique Jonas, an inspiring mover, creative and founder of Jona Dance has joined me as lead performance collaborator on this foray.
Further contributions from principal ballerinas Emma Hawes, Cira Robinson, theatre maker and contemporary dancer Jasmine Chui, designer Larissa Siems and talented newly graduated dancers Holly Moon Griffith and Maidie Widmer. Folde jewellery lent us some of their exquisite pieces too and my studio community Netil House provided the Space.
Creativity/life doesn’t have a fixed state.
There are many ways of being,
of beginning and ending and beginning again.
I hope you enjoy Project PSYCHE and its concept collection
A
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You can now find a curated selection of Designed by Alice pieces in Royal Academy of Dance beautiful new Battersea headquarters*!!!
If you pop by, do go visit the shop!! ->>it’s a great opportunity to try on the pieces and get a feel for the flattering fit and quality fabrics...
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You can now find a curated selection of Designed by Alice pieces in Royal Academy of Dance beautiful new Battersea headquarters*!!!
If you pop by, do go visit the shop!! ->>it’s a great opportunity to try on the pieces and get a feel for the flattering fit and quality fabrics :)
Here I am posing with a mannequin (mostly for my younger self who would have been especially thrilled!)
What a nice life-loop 🙃 whoop!
A x
* The RAD is the only official reseller outlet in the UK (beside my own London studio)
'a life cycle is a perennially morphing state
that inhabits the spaces of and between
the question and the knowing
the being and the unfurling...'
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Thrilled to share the **THE FABULIST** artwork that I’ve created for Ana Silvera‘s new album.
Ana is wearing a bespoke dress/ painting that I illustrated in response to listening to ‘The fabulist’… the ever shifting tones and narratives of her evocative music seemed to defy any fixed state … instead I layered drawings over drawings, stories over stories and then wrapped Ana up in all the colour of her music. (In the form of a dress made from the painting )
Ana also bravely and rather magically danced for many of the photos and film clips… not a dancer by training … we had great fun working and developing her moment vocabulary … to create these expressive vignettes.
You can now pre-order the album: there’s a sweet 6 panel silk finish softpack (the most eco of CD packing.) It included’s a 12 pannel fold out lyric poster illustrated by yours truly with graphic design by Alan Foulkes. If you sign up to Ana’s ‘inner circle’ aka her mailing list you’ll receive a few other cute OG surprises.
The official release date is 22nd of April.
----> See Ana’s website for more details and to book tickets for her tour!
]]>GHOST TOWN is an exhilarating piece about the end.
Life’s repeating patterns become untethered as the end approaches, but can we escape by breaking out of the loop? Or should we follow the road to its natural conclusion?
Taking the audience on a journey from a broken-down car in the middle of the desert to an unexpected climax, Ghost Town combines circus, dance, media art and live foley, with world renown collaborators.
GHOST TOWN is an exhilarating piece about the end.
Life’s repeating patterns become untethered as the end approaches, but can we escape by breaking out of the loop? Or should we follow the road to its natural conclusion?
Taking the audience on a journey from a broken-down car in the middle of the desert to an unexpected climax, Ghost Town combines circus, dance, media art and live foley, with world renown collaborators.
Collaborative, supportive, experimental and intriguing ~ Ghost town seems to defy the traditional constructs of a theatre show and sit partway between, theatre, performance art and a meditative experience.
The team have been incredible: from exceptional dancing, juggling, sound and media design (all interacting on stage) to beautiful lighting and supportive and thoughtful direction:
Thanks to ever inspiring Emma Lister for bringing me onto the team (for this experimental; creative journey) from chats and museum visits to puppetry, costume design and styling + … you’ve opened up my eyes to a whole new way of making theatre collaboratively!
Ghost Town is divided into three sections and offers a four hour journey with an inter-disciplinary performance at its centre.
Ghost Town, co-produced by Agit-Cirk (FIN) and Makeshift Company (UK), it premiere in Cirko-New Circus Centre in March 2022.
Tukijat/Supporters: Cirko, Tampereen Työväen Teatteri, Louhitalo, Kone Foundation, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, Pohjois-Karjalan Kulttuurirahasto
PC: Alice Williamson
]]>Dancing by the light of the moon(bow) ~ A film by Manoela Gonçalves
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----> WATCH <----
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I was a bit nervous needless to say, but I do admit that I’ve secretly (or perhaps not quite that secretly) always wanted to dance ballet!
THE EXPECTATIONS & REALITIES OF BEGINNING BALLET (AT 60)
(In M's own words)
Was I too old to start?
No- I feel I make progress each week as my teacher starts from getting us to think about our standard daily movements and balances and then develop them into more controlled ballet moves.
Would I feel exposed dressed in ‘ballet gear’?
No, not with the flattering bodysuit from DBA which is so supportive that I don’t need to wear a bra and the cut of the skirt fits neatly and covers the tops of my legs. The designs are beautiful and help me feel like a dancer too!
Would I be able to fit it in my home-office?
Yes easily, as you begin with the Barre and building up the strength of your centre so it doesn’t take much space (my harlequin mat is 1m square and the barre only takes about 10 seconds to construct).
Would it be interesting enough doing it on my own at home just using Zoom?
Absolutely- it is completely absorbing learning the sequences and to then fit them to music is a completely calming escape from the stresses of running my own business.
Would I feel fitter?
Yes. I feel my body gets a good workout and it is tremendously satisfying feeling more in control of my movements already. It’s a great way to improve my strength and posture, since I spend so much time sitting at my desk.
Written by Dancer Vanessa Vince-Pang
As artists and creators we have never been singular creatives, but versatile, necessary and powerfully influential. Alice Williamson (founder of Design by Alice) is undoubtedly one of these multidimensional creatures that swims fearlessly forward towards her own compass, the core reasons to why reconnecting with Alice felt kindred, inspired and unquestionable.
We first connected 14 years ago as hopeful young dancers in training. Since then we have both successfully gone onto creating and performing works across the globe, working with some of the most renowned choreographers of our time. Over a decade later, I found myself in a mask, on a train and sat opposite Alice once more. We had much to share and were deep in conversations on route to a location to shoot Design By Alice’s launch of the ‘Somefish’ bodysuit.
The shoot ran with fluidity, as we collaborated with generosity, honesty and without egoic preciousness. I quietly observed Alice continuously morph from director, to designer and photographer with ease. When reflecting on the success of the day, the moment reminded us of how crucial collaboration was to the continuing expansion and innovative thinking of artists. How this essential part gives life to sustaining the arts and cultural sector. Alongside this, the thought that had landed the most was just how similar our fundamental visions and missions were as artists. We shared principles that had roots in our passion for our home - Earth, its inhabitants - creatives and creation - art. We were both certified scuba divers with a conscious drive for the importance of conservation.
8 million tons of plastic are thrown into the world's ocean every year and scientists estimate that there are more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans worldwide. The World Economic Forum projects that there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050. The DBA bodysuit is carefully crafted for the studio and sea, from fabric made from 78% recycled bottles, bottles recovered from our frighteningly polluted oceans. Alongside this, the watercolour, hand-painted, wearable art is digitally printed allowing for minimal waste to be achieved, and finally DBA is a UK based company, meaning short transport journeys and ethical fabric production.
We as artists, creators and innovators, are ever evolving thinkers that have the power to influence perspectives. With a wider understanding into the urgency of conscious consumerism, let’s allow ourselves to reflectively question what we are buying into and who we are supporting practically, artistically and ethically. Everytime we choose to wear something as unique as the DBA’s bodysuit we are creators in the process of creation. We are wearing art, supporting artists, contributing to positive environmental change and the sustainable future of all of them.
With a single bodysuit DBA has created sustainability for art, artists and the Earth. It is a joy to be sat here writing to you and sharing my memories of the the launch of the ‘somefish’ bodysuit, supporting sustainable environmental and ecological change.
// On location with Alice in Kent //
You can follow Vanessa on Instagram here
And her website here!
Painted under April's sky, with my head in the clouds; feet on the ground.
My latest illustrated collection comprises of ballet skirts, bodysuits and silk scarves - Useful and versatile pieces for the dance studio, the ocean and everywhere in-between. Pieces created for escapism, inspired by the wonders of the natural world and created in an environmentally considerate manner.
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Painted under April's sky, with my head in the clouds; feet on the ground.
My latest illustrated collection comprises of ballet skirts, bodysuits and silk scarves - Useful and versatile pieces for the dance studio, the ocean and everywhere in-between. Pieces created for escapism, inspired by the wonders of the natural world and created in an environmentally considerate manner.
(I've always loved clouds, who doesn't love clouds!) In the words of E.E. Cummings:
always
it's
Spring)and everyone's
in love and flowers pick themselves
Thanks to Patricia Zhou for dancing in the collection.
The ancient Romans valued individuals who were ‘worth their salt’ they considered a sweat allowance a salary of an individual's hard efforts.
‘Perspire’ highlights the beautiful crystalline structures of the personal sweat allowance of ballerina Cira. The organic facets of encrusted crystal are fused within the fabrics that they have grown from. Evidence of dance, of excursion and power, of lost water but lasting salt.
]]>You may notice that I have introduced another size for the bodysuits! This is an exciting continuation of development for the bodysuit line.
Consciously keeping collections small and simple and growth at a strong and sustainable pace allows me to focus on the individuality and longevity of each design and ensures that I never over-produce or create something unwanted; an industry problem that's having dire effects on the environment in terms of waste.
]]>To celebrate the launch of the new bodysuits, sizes, skirts and bows I’ve collaborated with the über talent (and my newly discovered neighbour) Emma Hawes on this special shoot!
💎
Emma is pictured wearing the new green bodysuit and skirt … she is dancing in front an impressionistic underwater painting I created to reflect my hand painted & digitally printed collection of designs.
I was honoured to be interviewed by Emma Lister for her podcast ‘Movers Shakers Makers’.
In my episode we discuss everything from double bins; homemade shoes, to choreographing with robots, tech, ‘thoughtful’ dance-wear and accessing creativity within a large ballet company...
]]>In each episode Emma Lister dives in to a different creative mind and asks what makes them tick!
In my episode we discuss everything from double bins; homemade shoes, to choreographing with robots, tech, ‘thoughtful’ dance-wear and accessing creativity within a large ballet company. As well as doodling, living and hustling as a multi hyphenated creative with a variety of ‘labels’ and my toy design range for a large company that been placed within more prominent spaces than probably any of my other work every will ... 🤣
Thanks @emmamlister / @makeshiftcompany for the thought provoking questions.
My interview can be found amongst many others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from! Do check it out!
To coincide with the launch of the bodysuits. I collaborated with brilliant photographer and dear friend Karolina Kuras. Karolina imagined the dancers as Carp within an ornamental lily pond. She made giant paper lilies for the dancers to move between and I posted her the giant fish kite I'd made in london! You can find lots more of the images on instagram and follow Karolina herself here.
]]>I spent January and February of this year on an exciting research project at Harvard University’s new ArtLab - Where myself and my collaborator my collaborator, physicist and dancer, Dr Merritt Moore had been invited to be artists-in-residence. We were investigating ' Creating a duet between a human dancer and industrial robot that will be choreographed by A.I.’
]]>I spent January and February of this year on an exciting research project at Harvard University’s new ArtLab - Where myself and my collaborator my collaborator, physicist and dancer, Dr Merritt Moore had been invited to be artists-in-residence. We were investigating ' Creating a duet between a human dancer and industrial robot that will be choreographed by A.I.’
...This was the third stage of our on going project that had began in London and Oslo last year. We are thrilled that it has been well received by the university and wider community (from both the artistic and scientific angle) and the team of interested collaborators continues to grow. Converse to expectations this has began an incredibly pro-human project that perhaps now has even more value within our current global state of lockdown. Merritt and myself are now working out ways to keep the momentum going during the COVID-19 crisis... any ideas and support is always welcome. We hope to have something really beautiful ( + useful) to present to you all in the near future!
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