Each issue, Dazed Club have a dedicated page in Dazed magazine which serves as a space to platform Clubbers’ work. After the success of inviting some friends of Dazed to interpret our logo, we turned to the Club this season to share their interpretations too. Our winner was Natasha Lesiakowska, who reimagined the logo as a set of keyrings.
See her winning entry and the entries from our runners up Joseph Boys-Smith, Alexander Ekholm, Laurie Neil and Kate Nikolson below.
NATASHA LESIAKOWSKA (@llltash)
What’s your practice?
Natasha Lesiakowska: I am a graphic designer who’s passionate about a variety of areas in the creative landscape including editorial, art direction, fashion, photography, film, interior and furniture design. I love pushing the boundaries between different disciplines and approaching my creativity through an interdisciplinary process.
What inspired this work?
Natasha Lesiakowska: For this work, I wanted to show the way Dazed is a diverse and multifaceted representation of fashion, music, art, film, politics, ideas, and youth culture. Each keyring is a nod to each area the magazine covers.
Are you part of a scene?
Natasha Lesiakowska: Although I don’t consider myself to be part of a particular scene, I do spend a lot of time working within the fashion industry. I think that for me, collaborating and being around creatives who work in different areas is my biggest source of inspiration.
JOSEPH BOYS-SMITH (@jxebs_)
What’s your practice?
Joseph Boys-Smith: My creative practice exists within the intersections of queer identity and technology through 3D design and animation, showcased throughout my digital brand @houseofautonomy. House of Autonomy is a platform where online and offline identities can be expressed through virtual fashion, amplifying queer visibility in digital spaces and advocating for a more inclusive cyber-future.
What inspired this work?
Joseph Boys-Smith: This digital image was inspired by the act of protection and fragility. By re-imagining the Dazed logo as a series of pieces we wish to preserve, we can see the act of valuing brand identity and symbolise measures taken to preserve its authenticity in an ever-changing industry.
Are you part of a scene?
Joseph Boys-Smith: I consider myself part of the hybrid queer scene, in both digital and physical spaces. By channelling the vibrant energy I witness within London’s queer nightlife and re-introducing it back into the digital realm, I’m able to capture my personal experiences without physical constraints.
ALEXANDER EKHOLM (@aekhlm)
What’s your practice?
Alexander Ekholm: I am a Swedish filmmaker and art director dedicated to questioning and queering arbitrary societal norms and constructs. Through blending video, AI, and photography with physical crafts such as 3D-printing and textile design, I create work that defies conventions and invites viewers to reassess and reclaim ownership of their attitudes on identity and self-expression.
What inspired this work?
Alexander Ekholm: This work, ‘Asphalt Flower’, was created as a reaction to the continued threats to trans freedom that we face in the UK. I wanted to emphasise the beauty and resilience of the trans community in a world that leaves queer people scared just for existing. The logo is an ode to all those who do not let societal norms or past wounds define acceptable ways of being and loving. To all you asphalt flowers who flourish against the odds, and for all of you trying.
Are you a part of a scene?
Alexander Ekholm: Since moving to London from Sweden a year and a half ago, I fell in love with the queer techno scene. It has been a platform to freely explore self-expression, gender, and sexuality, and it has given me many beautiful friendships that I truly cherish. The kindness and respect that this community offers warm my heart, and dancing with my loved ones to incredible music is nothing short of magic.
LAURIE NEIL (@laurie_neil)
What’s your practice?
Laurie Neil: I’m a multidisciplinary graphic designer with a craft rooted in narrative-based storytelling. I capture expression, legacies, community, relationships... I consider my practice to be something ever-evolving. I hate stagnation!
What inspired this work?
Laurie Neil: My work pays homage to Dazed’s origins as a magazine for cultural provocation and alternative voices. I kept thinking of the first issue’s tagline – how it all started as an antithesis to magazines that would ‘force opinion into the subconscious of stylish young people’. I wanted my work to capture this unapologetic attitude, incorporating this raw and unfiltered expression.
Are you a part of a scene?
Laurie Neil: I’m currently studying at Central Saint Martins so it’s pretty much a given to be part of London’s young creative scene. Yes, it can be ruthless and competitive, but in all the chaos there are pockets of people who love to create for the sake of creating. There are people who don’t measure creation with a metric for success and genuinely love the creative exchange of collaboration, and when you do find them it’s a wonderful thing.
KATE NIKOLSON (@knikolson)
What’s your practice?
Kate Nikolson: I’m a milliner based in London. I moved here in 2019 and since my early days, I’ve been inspired by everything British. With time, my entire attention has shifted to focus on the millinery skill. At this point, I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t wearing a hat – they have become a part of me and my life. So now, some people recognise me by this fashion attribute and also it’s a nice piece to start a conversation.
What inspired this work?
Kate Nikolson: For this project, I was inspired by Chinese mythology, namely dragons. I was discovering the way they looked, some special features, body flexibility and the ability to breathe fire. The most fascinating part was to find out that in some myths they can take on another form, whether that’s a human being or a wild animal. At the same time, I was thinking about the Dazed audience. I asked myself questions ‘Which headpiece would they really enjoy wearing? What is their style? How do they see Dazed?’ So this headpiece symbolises the dragon which is creating the logo ‘Dazed’ and the use of red colour instead of traditional black and green to underline the fire nature of the creature.
Are you a part of a scene?
Kate Nikolson: At this stage of my career, I’m actively extending my network, especially thanks to the Dazed platform. On a regular basis, I’m in contact with stylists and emerging designers who invite me to the photoshoots for collaborations. Also, I’m very open to commissions if I really like a project. In the future, I dream of joining The British Hat Guild and being a part of the millinery society.
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