In Conversation with Holly Lavelle
Playful, kitsch, and dripping in surrealism - meet Holly, the image maker blurring the lines between fashion, photography, and art direction. From discovering a dusty old Polaroid in her grandad’s basement to crafting zodiac-inspired dreamscapes and directing cinematic shoots dripping in colour, she’s built a world that’s anything but ordinary. Now studying at Central Saint Martins and diving into digital, she’s a self-taught creative making space for chaos, curiosity and creativity - all with a lo-fi jazz soundtrack and a fridge-raided snack in hand. Get to know the mind behind the moodboards.
‘Home and World’
Art Direction & Photography: Holly Lavelle @hollylavelle, Designer: Kelechi Mpamaugo @koat.ny, Stylist: Sonia Ihuoma @soniaamaraih, MUAs: Lucrezia Buffone @cralismakeup & Riina Watanbe @riina0211, Hair Stylist: Sharon Nwokocha @_shaaronn, Casting: Peace Eyabunoh @peaceeyabunoh, Production Assist: Cody Fuller @whereiscody_, Set Design: Pietro Molinaris @pietromolinaris, Models:Amaka @_thatuser @milkmodelmanagement, Casey Amun @caseyamun
Tell us about your photography and creative direction background and how you got started in this field?
So when I was about 15 I found my Grandad’s old polaroid in our basement that miraculously still worked and was really inspired by all his old photos. I began taking it everywhere, and loved dressing up my siblings and making friends pose for me whenever they’d come round. I was too scared of taking it on nights out incase I broke it, so I started buying disposable cameras and that was kind of the start of my love affair with film photography! I studied A-Level Photography at school, but looking back, none of my final pieces were actually traditional photography. It was all installations, multimedia collages, and image manipulation. I was really drawn to surrealism and experimental work that blurred the lines between photography and art, and my work has always returned to that. I went on to do my foundation at Kingston University and specialised in Graphic Design originally. Kingston was extremely conceptual though and put a huge emphasis on the importance of experimentation, which hugely impacted my practice even though I didn’t end up doing graphics. I went to study BA Photography at Manchester School of Art, but hated it. A lot of the work I had been producing was centred around clothes and storytelling, so my tutor suggested I try the Fashion Art Direction course instead. I switched courses and kind of just knew that that’s what I wanted to do ever since.
How have you found getting involved in the creative/fashion industry since graduating?
I’m not going to sugar-coat it, it’s been really fucking hard. So much of working in fashion is who you know, and I didn’t know ANYONE starting out. I’ve sent thousands of emails and applied to hundreds of jobs, and there’s still been lots of unpaid work, lots of stagnant chapters where I haven’t created anything for months, and lots of rejection. I accidentally fell into freelancing as it was the only work I could find, and as someone with ADHD, keeping myself motivated and on top of emails and admin are not my strong points. But that being said, all the negatives have positives to. Being in the position to take on unpaid work in the first place taught me gratitude for what I already have, the stagnant chapters have made me appreciate the flowing ones more, rejection has taught me not to find confidence through external validation, and I have stopped approaching tasks in the neurotypical way that I was taught, instead finding a unique workflow that works for my brain. I don’t mean for this to be discouraging and it obviously isn’t to say it will happen this slowly for everyone (I have many friends that got a job straight out of uni!) - it is more to highlight that there isn’t a formulaic approach or timeline for carving a path in this industry, and you can’t compare yourself to others as your journey is unique. You just need to trust yourself, trust your vision and trust the process!
‘Anemoia’
Creative direction & photography: Holly Lavelle, Styling: Holly Lavelle and Octavia Banks @octaviabankslondon, Models: @hayaat_nk & @discozoe from @immmodels, Garments: Octavia Banks @octaviabankslondon, MUA: Rocio Cuenca @rorocuenca, Wigs: Yumiko Hikage @hikageyumiko, Jewellery: JEWELZ BY MEALZ @jewelzbymealz
Who or what are your biggest influences, both inside and outside the art world?
I love photographers who explore world building and storytelling such as Tim Walker and David La Chapelle, and surrealist artists such as Kansuke Yamamoto, Eugina Loli and Salvador Dali. I tend to have a very cinematic and theatrical approach to shoots, and film has been a big influence on my work; I gravitate towards directors who are known for their very stylised and colourful worlds such as Baz Luhrman, Tim Burton and Wes Anderson. Other things I feel like I reference a lot are retro-futurism, vintage advertisements and dreams. I’m also obsessed with the artists duo Rottingdean Bazaar, their stuff is so cool!
How have you come across most of your freelance opportunities?
I can’t stress enough how important networking is - that word used to feel really daunting to me, but it can be as easy as asking for peoples instagrams after a shoot and dropping people a message after saying you loved working with them, or leaving a positive comment on someones work. So many opportunities aren’t posted on job websites and people are hired through word of mouth. So many things I’ve been involved in have been through replying to people who have posted last minute job opportunities on their stories! I was also subscribed to The Bricks learner platform for a while and found their weekly round up emails so helpful!
You’ve worked on some incredible projects over the years (a particular fav being your collab with @octaviabankslondon). What’s your favourite project you’ve worked on and why?
Thank you! I’m glad you mentioned that as that’s actually one of my favourites too! But I think my baby is ‘Little Animals’, an ongoing project of mine exploring the 12 signs of the zodiac. The fun (yet most challenging) part is that I wanted every single creative involved - the model, Make Up Artist, Stylist, Assistants ect - to be the same star sign as the one I’m exploring. I love the meta aspect of how this has shaped the energy on set and influenced the tone of each shoot! It is taking me a lot longer than I initially planned to get through them all as I haven’t really had the funding for it, but I can’t wait to eventually host an exhibition of the completed series and invite everyone who was involved!
How have you found balancing freelance and part-time work?
It can definitely be hard to find balance sometimes, especially as my part time work has been mainly hospitality jobs which can be really physically draining - the last thing I want to do when I get home from a shift is send out a bunch of emails! I also have found that as I haven’t had much free time or spare money, I fell into the habit of being less experimental in my personal projects as I got into the mindset that I couldn’t afford for it not to work out. But I learnt the hard way that it is those projects that get you the work in the long run, so nurturing them and investing your time and money is a massive investment in yourself!
How has travelling impacted your work and view on creating?
I think traveling has taught me how to slow down and that it’s okay to not always have a goal, objective, or project in the works, as nothing is a waste of time. It’s important to listen to your body when you need rest because those moments of stillness are what give you the energy to create. So much sinks into your subconscious while you’re not actively thinking about work and presents itself as inspiration at a later date. But if you’re consistently burnout and overstimulated, you’re less able to absorb and process new experiences, so forming ideas becomes much harder.
Which book or film was a game changer in your way of thinking?
I adore the book ‘The Creative Act: A Way of Being’ by Rick Rubin. It almost has too many helpful theories and ideas though, so it isn’t something that you read in one go. I have it on my bedside table and kind of dip in and out of it when I need it - it’s like a spiritual approach to creativity. Sometimes I won’t be ready to receive a chapter, but when I re-read it at a later date it resonates with me so much! Would highly recommend.
Looking back on your journey, what would you tell your younger self about pursuing a creative career?
That it’s going to be hard, but comparing your journey to other people’s makes it so much harder. Keep your blinkers on, and stay consistent.
What’s your go-to music genre while working?
I actually find it so hard to concentrate when there’s music with words in as I get distracted super easily (Neurodivergent queen x), so I can only listen to stuff like lo-fi and instrumental jazz! Or if I’m writing a pitch, then literally has to be a complete silence/ soundproof headphones situation lol.
The Elegant Bull, from the zodiac series
Creative direction & photography: Holly Lavelle, Models: Beth Swinton @bethswinton, Styling: Elizabete Pakule @_lizabete, Styling assistant: @__ec_____, HMUA: @kostruk, Garments: Mariusz Malon @malonfashion @nationaltheatrecostumehire, @nevertrustnadira
Favourite snack to munch on while creating?
Whatever is not off in the fridge.
My alter-ego profession would be…
If there was a parallel universe where I was somehow able to grow back all the braincells I lost at uni, it would have to be a detective!
What’s next on the cards for you?
So I’ve just started at Central Saint Martins on MA Fashion Image course (Fashion Communication Pathway) which has been super exciting! I want to use this opportunity to continue developing and refining my craft in a space where I am encouraged to make mistakes and experiment. I am also hoping to get more technical this year, as I am self taught photographer and am finding it increasingly harder to find jobs that want to pay for film! So I plan to start experimenting with digital a lot more, and am currently doing an online lighting course alongside my studies.
‘The Ram’, from the zodiac series
Direction & photography: Holly Lavelle, Model: Natalia Zhang @natalia_zmz, Stylist: Elise Shauna @eliseshauna, HMUA: Julia Leshanich @loca_mocca_makeup_, Retoucher: Ines Hachou @ines_hachou
‘Hidden in Plain Sight’
Art Direction, Photography & Set Design by Holly Lavelle
Designer @ellena_collett
Models @allisgro @lilaamae (repped by @nevsmodels )
HMUA @sophia_araya_mua
Photography Assistant @ph.simeon
