Smile. You’re Nightclubbing by Studio Kinglux
Smile. You’re Nightclubbing Introduction ‘Nightclubbing. We’re nightclubbing. We’re what’s happening’. Ah! Such poignant lyrics by Iggy Pop. Probably more so when you’re high and eighteen years old rather than stone cold sober and just the
event. We saw bodies of all different shapes and sizes expressing themselves in the name of dance and style. We saw clubbers asleep on the side of the dancefloor despite boweltrembling bass frequencies smothering them. These are not the regular pictures of people
it is financial, geographical, meteorological or legal, amongst many other constraints. Rather like a flower that pushes up through a crack in the pavement, these potential limits only serve to stoke the fires of self expression and inventiveness. Most importantly, and most
wrong side of thirty. Nightclubbing – that’s how the Studio Kinglux camera ended up spending weekends for the best part of eighteen months. Eighteen months of sleep deprivation for the sake of documenting the newest musical and streetstyle trends. Was it worth it? Probably. Did we find what we were looking for? The jury is still out on that one. What we found was a curious reality, one step removed from the hazy promises of torn flyers and hastily Photoshopped nightclub art. We unearthed a subterranean microcosm of gaudy lights and statement t-shirts. The latest catwalk trends emulated by the high street or ripped up to create something new. We photographed muddied, bloodied ravers who had survived until dawn in a washed-out
having a prescribed good time. There are plenty of social networks that share those kind of images. Nor is it the tabloid selection of celebrity wannabes stepping out of urbane midnight lounges. This book is really a collection of images of people pursuing escapism in spite of what might seem a contrary set of circumstances. Binbags and limousines, the earnest kiss of a sweaty, loved-up girlfriend. The comradeship found in losing a fight. The do-it-yourself idealism of young people who, without a budget, seek to find a place for themselves and their friends where they can project their ideals and find status through a shared sense of individuality. There is something distinctly British in the desire for enjoyment despite adverse forces - whether
British of all, is that they do so with a resilient smile. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really must get to bed.
Words and photographs Tony Hill for Studio Kinglux www.kinglux.co.uk
Studio Kinglux Trends! We love them!
Clients! They love us!
Contact us!
That’s not to say we trawl obscure websites looking for rare trainers or slavishly follow the lines when cutting our hair.
Here’s an (incomplete) list of some of the people we have done work for:
Maybe we can work together on an idea or a project you have in mind?
Cafe Direct Channel 4 Coca–Cola Converse for Anglomania The Future Laboratory Inspire magazine Miss Selfridge Monotonik records MTV O2 Urban Outfitters Viewpoint Weber Shandwick
Studio Kinglux 39–41 Sydenham Road Birmingham B11 1DG
Rather we are more inspired by the people-science of changing tastes and thoughts. Idea viruses! That’s how we see them. We study them and grow ever more fascinated by what we find and how they spread. Sometimes they make us happy, sometimes we laugh at them. Sometimes they are just downright bizarre and we pretend we never had to notice them. But there is usually some reason for their existence and they often serve some bigger purpose. We know that. We’re not scientists, we’re creative types. So, we use all our knowledge to help our friends and clients express themselves in someway which we hope will be exciting and relevant. From photoshoots to trend reports, magazine articles to in-house consultancy, Studio Kinglux turns our inspiration into your direction.
and our travels have taken us to Berlin, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Rekjavik, Stockholm, London, Bratislava, Prague, New York, Paris and Oslo to comment on local fashion scenes.
+44 (0) 7980 640 418 www.kinglux.co.uk
This book is copyright 2009 Studio Kinglux. All rights reserved.