HJ INSPIRATION

BEHIND THE LENS Killer

Adam Reed shares the story behind his 2020 collection, Killer

HAIR: ADAM REED, ADAM REED HAIR

MAKE-UP DIRECTION: LAN NGUYEN GREALIS

STYLING: GABRIEL COOPER USING ADAM REED ARCHIVE

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEX BARRON-HOUGH

What do you love about this collection?

This was shot in the middle of the pandemic. What I love is that we got to be creative at a time when that felt almost impossible. We had an unusual amount of time to think through the concept and prepare. I worked closely with my assistant at the time, Ryan Stedman, alongside Sarah Black, and we had an incredible team in the studio. Alex Barron-Hough shot the collection, and it was one of those rare days where creativity genuinely led the way. The memories from that shoot were really special, and that’s why I still love the images so much.

What was the inspiration for the hair?

The inspiration was universal, ‘genderful’ rather than gendered. We wanted strong shapes, lots of movement, and a way to showcase the skill and discipline I’d learned over the years. The references came from the late 80s/90s icons like Mark Lebon, Nick Kamen and Neneh Cherry and that bold, killer energy associated with The Face magazine. There was a strong sense of identity: beautiful clothing and jewellery mixed with pieces we’d sourced from thrift shops. We were styling everything ourselves, so the collection felt modern and authentic, with a real connection to that “Killer” movement.

How did you set up the shoot?

We shot at Motel Studios in East London. Strict distancing and safety rules were in place, which we had to work around. We worked with models I’d known for years, combining street casting with agency models. After a long period without creative work, the energy on the day was palpable. It felt like a melting pot of ideas, with everyone eager to get their hands back in hair. Lan Nguyen-Grealis was on make-up, but she had to guide the models to apply it themselves. We wore face coverings throughout, and adapted as needed. Some of the behind-the-scenes images are just as interesting as the final shots. It was one of those rare days that ran exactly how you hope it will.

Did anything go wrong on the day?

Nothing went wrong, mainly because we had so much time to plan. The only challenge was having the models do their own makeup. I’m quite anti-retouching, so we wanted it to be simple but impactful. From a timing perspective, that was the trickiest part. Overall, the day ran exceptionally smoothly, and the energy carried everything.

Do you have a significant memory?

People rotated in and out throughout the day. It was very different from a traditionally planned shoot. We also worked with a brilliant young stylist who used pieces from our archive wardrobe collection to build the looks. We had a huge amount to achieve in one day, and it was exhausting but in the best way. That mix of intense creativity and shared effort made it really memorable.