Dazed Club Spotlight is our monthly series showcasing up-and-coming talent from the Dazed creative community. If you’d like to be featured, download the app HERE and join our community. You just have to post your best project(s) and the Dazed team will take a look – we select one person from the community to spotlight per week, which then end up in our monthly spotlight roundup.

MARYSA CIACH

“I started Germ to create fashion that breaks the mould, fusing found fabrics and objects into clothes with attitude and edge. It all began when I started reworking my own clothes that didn’t fit me or that I got bored of. Instead of getting rid of them, I’d make them up or use the fabric to create something new. From there, I began experimenting with textures, shapes, and unexpected details – especially anything silver or round – that caught my eye and inspired me. I hunt down vintage and charity shop pieces, then transform them using different techniques, from embroidery to jewellery making, to create something raw and original.

“Finding my scene has been a journey, but I’ve connected with people who appreciate my style in both London and Warsaw, where I’m from. My work is about more than clothing – it’s performative. I love wearing my pieces out, turning everyday moments into mini-shows, even if no one is watching. Right now, I’m preparing a new collection that will be shown at different pop-ups this winter, alongside spontaneous performances where my designs come to life.”

@germ.feed

ASHLEY HILBERS

“Life of the Party focuses on style experimentation with texture and colour, and the creation of a sense of youthful exuberance with a darker, nearly post-apocalyptic undertone. This project was inspired by the overdone and stale, yet jarringly viral, ‘downtown girl’ fad. We see the world silently crumbling around her, but she continues to consume and she continues to put on a show. The images were created with a combination of photography, generative AI, and mixed media techniques. In post-production, I seek to further emphasise my classic other-wordly aesthetic; the message is ironic as I undoubtedly rely on technology in my practice.

“My work tends to explore stereotypes and criticise trends, creating surrealistic images that reflect my understanding of the modern world. I am drawn to portrayals of femininity and often ask myself how I can either emphasise or contradict traditional views of gender and beauty. All featured garments are pulled from local up-and-coming designers based in Vancouver, Canada.”

@ashleyhilbers

VINISHA D'SOUZA

“As a stylist and creative director, I’m captivated by imagery that leans into the absurd, the weird, and the grotesque. At the moment unconventional imagery styles motivate my work. As an image-maker, I am always keen on learning new things and exploring new processes – photography is also something that I see myself delving into in the near future. For this shoot in particular, I experimented with various media to enhance the visual impact of the images, utilising tools like Photoshop and AI software such as Midjourney. More recently I’m delving into different kinds of image-making and exploring new possibilities with modern tools.

“As a young creative, my inspiration often stems from personal experiences, places, moments, and occasionally the works of some remarkable contemporary artists. I love spending time at photobook cafes, where I can sit for hours browsing through images. It’s a place that inspires me and sparks the creative side of my mind. I have an upcoming shoot that’s a collaboration with some incredible artists, the vibe of the shoot is eerie and bizarre. I’ve been deeply intrigued by grotesque art and other unconventional creative works, which have inspired this project.”

@vinisha_de_souza

MICHELLE CHU

“I’m a digital creative designer and art director from Hong Kong, now based in London. My project Echoes of Y2K is a project that seeks to critically assess the role of Y2K in today’s cultural landscape, particularly as a form of escapism for Gen Z in response to the growing instability, turbulence, and anxiety of the modern world. Featured here is a chapter within the overall project titled ‘the Romanticism of Y2K’. What does it mean to live in a world perpetually yearning for the past? How does this longing hinder our engagement with the present and our ability to move forward?”

@michelle.chuuu

ASHLEIGH SANDFORD

“For as long as I can remember, I have combined unconventional materials. I think there’s something quite magical about turning something old into something new. With this series, I turn deadstock, discarded, and everyday objects into forward-thinking, provocative, and unapologetically bold designs. Every stitch, every embellishment, challenges how we consume, conform, and discard. By designing forward-thinking couture out of past materials, I envision a future where waste meets luxury.

“When I was young, my gran would always leave a biscuit tin out for me, overflowing with scrap materials to experiment with. It taught me how to create with what I had on hand. From jam jars that once stored grandad’s favourite marmalade to ribbons that once wrapped special gifts, she is my OG eco-warrior that passed down all her preloved treasures. She lines wellies with carpet to keep her warm, and hangs bread bags on the washing line – ready for her next sandwich. My creative scene is the North Laines in Brighton. It’s full of independents, vintage shops, and flea markets. 

“My designs are going on show in London and Japan for pop up exhibitions. I also have some exciting projects in the pipeline with stylists Wilfree Vasquez Torres, Anica Buckson, Censi Lucena Moyano, and Alice Secchi.”

@ashsandford_art