Alexandra Hedley
Portfolio
BA (Hons) Fashion Communication alexandra.hedley@live.co.uk + 44 (0) 7845 554 305
Contents
cOMMUNICATE cREATE EXPERIENCE cv
cOMMUNICATE The imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.
JOURNALISM/EDITORIAL
THE
MANUALAW‘11
In Association with
HOULTTHE
PRESS
Written for ‘The Manual’ magazine, Hoult The Press is a feature on actor Nicholas Hoult. Written to target the young male audience, it is an example of my journalistic skill, and demonstrates how I am able to write for a specific purpose.
fEATURE
“A well-developed sense of the absurd which keeps him from believing his hype” Describes film director Chris Weitz. Alexandra Hedley takes a closer look at adolescent icon Nicholas Hoult. At first glance, Nicholas Hoult comes across as the anonymous and fairly unnoticeable boy next door. The type you wouldn’t necessarily second glance at in the street. Yet when you look closer it is Hoult’s unconventional masculinity that makes him different. His cropped dark hair, defined jaw line and piercing blue eyes contrast against his pale skin. It’s this that gives him that British boyish charm lacking with many polished teen idols. His substance lies in his talent, career and impressive C.V. According to Chris Weitz, co-director of the film About A Boy, Hoult’s transformation from boy next door to star of the big screen are down to more than just fluke: “He turned from the shrimp who came up to my armpit to the hunk who towers above me, and while his looks have matured, they’ve remained inherently interesting and unconventional. On his own, though, he’s shown that the naturalness of his performance as a 12-year-old was not a fluke. He’s willing to do a tremendous amount of work to get a performance right.” He is almost unrecognisable as his geeky character Markus Brewer, the chubby boy with the bowl hair cut he played in the film. Yet it was staring alongside Hugh Grant in this role,
aged only 12 at the time that made Hoult’s face globally known. First spotted by sitting in the audience of a play with his mother, aged just three, Hoult’s varied roles in film and TV have spurred his individuality and growth. His lasting fame has proved Hoult is not one of those teen stars whose fall from stardom seems to happen just as quickly as their rise to it. Since the release of the film ‘About A Boy’, Nicholas hasn’t just matured in the literal sense of the word. “Am I looking forward to being older? Not really. I’m not scared of growing up, but it just happens, doesn’t it?” Born Nicholas Caradoc Hoult, on December 7th 1989 in Berkshire, Hoult was the third of four children, who have followed in the steps of their aunt, Dame Anna Neagle, a film and stage star of the 30’s, and formed their own theatrical dynasty. Still living at his family home in Wokingham with his parents Gwenis, a piano teacher and Roger, a pilot for British Airways, Hoult has been described as ‘beautifully raised’ by fashion designer Tom Ford, who cast Hoult to start as Kenny in his directional film debut ‘A Single Man’, alongside Colin Firth.
“There’s always that fear of not being good enough and becoming one of those washed-up child actors.”
He’s worked with Nicholas Cage, Michael Cane and of course, Hugh Grant to name a few, yet Hoult still appears very grounded and unassuming about it all. “It was very good of Tom Ford to let me be in it … when he had all those great actors involved”. According to Ford “Nick performs in a way that seems effortless, subtle and honest. He has a maturity and depth that are remarkable.” The film which received a ten minute standing ovation at its Venice Film Festival premier in September 2009 saw Nicholas receive a BAFTA rising star nomination for his role. It was after this Ford approached Hoult to appear in his Autumn Winter 2010/11 eye wear campaign. A huge triumph for Hoult within the fashion industry, as the campaign saw him replace model Jon Kortajarena as the face of Ford’s eye wear line. The Hitchcock inspired shoot, which allowed Hoult to add model to his rapidly growing CV, showed him in a completely new light, taking his style evolution to a whole new level. Yet in the eyes of ever humble Hoult ”It was just half a day with me and model Carolyn Murphy wearing sunglasses. Well, I wore sunglasses and Tom Ford clothes and she was pretty much naked. So it wasn’t a bad way to make money.” Hoult’s career path seems to have been mapped out from an early age. After attending Sylvia Young Theatre School, Nicholas’s acting debut was at the age of six in the film Intimate Relations in 1996. Yet it was the success of the film ‘About A Boy’ from which Hoult’s career really took off. “When you’re a kid actor, there’s always that fear of not being good enough and becoming one of those washed-up child actors, but I took the plunge, left school, and decided to go for it. I think the fact that my older brother James was an actor grounded me.” Possibly most recognisable for playing selfcentred, egotistical Tony Stonem in British teen drama series SKIN’s, Hoult became known for being the hedonistic teen, placed in the centre of many of the BAFTA winning TV series controversial plot lines. Aired on E4, the series followed a group of teenagers through college, exploring each of their individual stories. Playing Tony for over two years he became the
catalyst in story lines tackling issues involving sexuality, drug abuse and death. It was down to this role that Hoult gained a place within a new teen cult. Since then Hoult’s career has rocketed. He’s made his mark on Hollywood by not only securing himself a string of big budget film roles, including playing Hank McCoy/The Beast in X MEN:First Class, but also by being named as one of the ‘Breakout Stars to Watch for 2011’ by MTV. Although not one to believe his own hype, Hoult still worries about his career “I still worry that I’m never going to get another job. Whenever a new film comes out, I always worry that it’s going to be the one people look at and go, ‘Don’t every hire him again.’” Yet it’s obvious Hoult really has nothing to worry about. The ‘cool young Englishman’ seems to have the industry eating out of the palm of his hand. Yet the model turned superhero hasnt always been so cool. Self-described as ‘gangly’ 6 foot 3 inches Hoult apparently having McFlys back catalogue on his iPod, forming a band with his friends, who covered Arctic Monkeys tracks and declaring Nando’s as his favourite restaurant. Yet as Tom Ford’s newest protégé, Hoult is making his own mark on the fashion industry. After securing third place in GQ’s 2011 Best Dressed Male List Nicholas himself is becoming a bona fide style icon in the making. Back in his SKIN’s days Hoult’s style was far different to what it is today. His wardrobe was made up of graphic tees, hoodies and trainers, all very reflective of his on screen character Tony. Now aged 22, he has undergone a style transformation. Without looking like he has tried too hard, Hoult pulls off his sharp and refined look by keeping it youthful. He keeps his suits slim fitting and mixes up his formal looks by adding his own quirky touches, and it’s here he has found his style niche. Currently filming ‘Warm Bodies’ a zombie romance, Hoult looks set to be a regular on the big screen for 2012. Expect to see him starring alongside Ewan McGregor as Jack in Jack the Giant Killer, a remake of the children’s fable, released on June 15th 2012, with ‘Warm Bodies’ hitting cinemas soon after in August 2012.
MARTIN PERCIVAL
Staying close to his Northern roots, one of Martin’s main reasons for choosing to study Fashion at Northumbria was the School of Design and the facilities it offers. “I chose to study fashion because being from the Lake District; I've always been into outerwear and outdoor sports. So it went from wearing the clothes, to wanting to know how the functionality of outerwear worked, to designing it (or trying to).”
Interview
“I’m greatly inspired by history and archive clothes. Clothing with its own history, makes it almost like the pieces have a story to tell. Garments such as donkey jackets and trench coats are just iconic never changing pieces due their own heritage! That’s why I’ve based my final collection around the 1911 Captain Robert Scott expedition to the South Antarctic.”
WHO? The product of a concept developed by Alexandra Hedley, PLATFORMS has been created as a secondary document to the current Northumbria University prospectus. This gives PLATFORMS the freedom to be creative, current and innovative in its approach to content and promotion Aimed at a target audience aged between 16 and 21 the brand has been created to encompass all promotional channels relevant to this age group. This has been achieved through the creation of a blog and video, bringing another dimension to the brand. Created to give an inside look at what’s happening at Northumbria university, the brand and all that it encompasses will be promoted by the university through channels such as open days and careers events, as well as being sent out to any students who show an interest in studying one of the fashion family courses at Northumbria University.
pLATFORMS FASHION AT NORTHUMBRIA
Public relations: MEDIA KIT
when? FOR immediate RELEASE
For further information please contact Alexandra Hedley. alexandra.hedley@northumbria.ac.uk
IT'S HERE ... Five months in the making PLATFORMS is finally here. Set to be the brand which encompasses ‘Fashion at Northumbria’, PLATFORMS is an innovative new promotional strategy for Northumbria University which comes in the form of a brochure, blog and video. A true reflection of what is possible as a Northumbria student PLATFORMS seeks to excite and inspire the next generation of students looking to study at Northumbria University. To mark the launch of PLATFORMS an exclusive launch event will be held at Northumbria University on Thursday 7th June 2012. The launch event will see the unveiling of PLATFORMS: The Brochure, with the release of 100 special edition copies given out to guests attending the launch. The exclusive first look at PLATFORMS: The Video will also take place during the evening before its official online release. This event will mark the end of ‘Fashion at Northumbria’ as we know it ... PLATFORMS IS HERE!
pLATFORMS FASHION AT NORTHUMBRIA
bALTIC
promotional
Whatever it is your looking for you'll find it in here ... With a diverse student population, Newcastle upon Tyne is alive with culture, history and of course, night life. Whether it's the quayside, the beach, the countryside or the city, you'll find it all in and around Newcastle. From hidden vintage shops to contemporary art galleries there's always somewhere new to explore.
CREATE Bring something into existence.
Editorial: Original concept
‘The Manual’ The Manual is a men's magazine created to target young males aged between 16-24. I adopted the roles of editor, stylist, journalist and photographer to create the magazine. In association with TOPMAN, the magazine offers lifestyle, fashion and trend advice for young males, giving them the guidance and direction not currently available for them within the magazine market.
Creative direction & Styling
Images styled & shot by myself for the manual magazine
Creative direction & styling
Images styled, shot and edited by myself for the manual magazine
Creative direction & styling
Final major project
platforms
FASHION AT NORTHUMBRIA Produced to promote the 'Fashion Family' courses at Northumbria University, PLATFORMS is an innovative and creative new promotional concept. The concept encompasses a marketing strategy involving the creation of a brochure, blog and video which effectively work together to promote fashion at the institution in a unique and innovative way.
the brochure with a 'behind the scene's' feel the brochure looks to excite and inspire prospective students about studying fashion at Northumbria university. The brochure contains interviews with current students, along with course information and strong imagery, all compiled to
"Showing you what's really going on at Northumbria university, PLATFORMS IS HERE TO INSPIRE AND EXCITE YOU! Through an exclusive inside look at what Northumbria Students are doing, we're allowing you to really get a feel for what fashion at Northumbria is all about ...."
the blog Social media played a key part in the platforms strategy. Q.R. (QUICK RESPONSE) CODES WHERE USED TO LINK TOGETHER PLATFORMS: THE BROCHURE WITH THE PLATFORMS BLOG (PLATFORMSNU. TUMBLR.COM). WHEN SCANNED WITH A SMART PHONE THE Q.R. CODE TAKES THE USER DIRECTLY TO THE PLATFORMS BLOG. THIS ALLOWED FOR INTERACTION WITH THE BRAND, GIVING USERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO POST OPINIONS AND START CONVERSATION.
the video
Created as a promotional video, the short film clip 3D visualisation TO A 2D CONCEPT.
PROMOTION
Launched in 5 stages, the promotional strategy for platforms was designed specifically to keep a sustained interest in the BRAND through out the release of each of its components. The 5 stages include the release of the blog, the launch event, the video launch, planned open days and finally the undergraduate launch. The stages have been planned to allow the unveiling of the brochure, blog and video, internally to the university staff and student’s before being launched to the next cohort of students applying to Northumbria university. This has been done to gauge opinion on platforms, as well as creating an exclusive feel to the launch which can then be reflected
PLATFORMS lunch event invite
Experience The knowledge or skill acquired by such means over a period of time.
Entrepreneurship Company: Quack Apparel Position Held: Managing Director Time period: Sept 2011 - May 2012
“Quack Apparel is devoted to the young, quirky eccentric male or female. Providing 90’s inspired nostalgic jewellery and clothing.”
Strategy: Build a strong and lasting relationship with potential customers, by achieving exposure for the company and promoting it in an effective and current way.
business creation & planning
Social Media: Facebook & Twitter
Marketing & public relations
Other methods of promotion used: Guerilla Marketing Word of Mouth Viral/Teaser video Brand association
Brand association: St Oswalds childrens hospice.
cv Professional Experience Role: Admin Assistant Company: Kurt Geiger Date: March 2013 - Present In my role as admin assistant I am responsible for the day to day running of back of house, ensuring all tasks are preformed to meet ‘model store/ stockroom’ requirements. My role involves tasks such as processing incoming and outgoing stock on the internal stock management system, manual handling of stock, completing attendance sheets and answering e-mail’s. As a new role to the business the position has allowed me to use my creative thinking and problem solving skills to overcome issues and challenges which have arisen. Role: Stylist/key holder Company: Kurt Geiger Date: October 2011 – March 2013 As part of a small team I am responsible for representing a brand and upholding the high end reputation Kurt Geiger has created. Delivering a high level of customer service it is important for me to be an excellent communicator, engaging customers and ensuring their needs are met. As a trained key holder for the branch I have added supervisory and operational responsibility within my role. Working in a high end retail environment has strengthened my knowledge of the retail sector, giving me a broader understanding of how individual elements fit and how brands are portrayed to the customer. Role: Managing Director Company: Quack Apparel Date: September 2011 - May 2012 As part of a Young Enterprise team, I set up and ran a clothing and accessory business during the academic year. As managing director I was responsible for overseeing the running of the business as well as being highly involved in the marketing and promotion of the company and its
products. The experience allowed me to gain and understanding of what is expected when running a business, considering all of the vital elements such as building relationships, which come together to make it successful. Role: Merit Sales Assistant Company: Next Date: December 2005 - October 2011 Working for Next Retail allowed me to gain knowledge of how the retail sector worked in a large retail environment. It gave me a strong grounding in aspects of retail including visual merchandising and customer service. Promotion to merit sales assistant gave me added responsibility in my job role by assisting managers and senior staff to run the floor, leading a team, visual merchandising stock within the store along with other tasks such as preparing rota’s, stock taking and training new members of staff. Being promoted within my role gave me added confidence, improving my leadership and communication skills.
Education Institution: Northumbria University Date: September 2009 – May 2012 Qualification: BA (Hons) Fashion Communication Institution: Newcastle College Date: September 2008 – May 2009 Qualification: HEFC Diploma: English Language (Distinction), Marketing (Distinction), Photography (Credit). Institution: High Tunstall College of Science Date: September 1999 – June 2004 Qualification: GCSE’s including English: B, English Literature: A, Math: B, Science: BB
i.t. Microsoft office: Word, power point & excel. Adobe: Photoshop & InDesign