30.5.2006
Vauxhall introduces five new members to the VX Collective

For the first time since its conception in 2003, the Vauxhall VX Collective - a unique mix of some of the UK’s hottest creative talent - has opened its doors and invited five new members to join.

The worlds of film, design, skateboarding and music are all represented by the VX Collective and now fashion, food, graffiti, jewellery, interior design and journalism are added to the mix.

The new members are:

Interior Design team Precious McBane, a.k.a. Meriel Scott and Sophia Wimpenny
Fashion Designer Christopher Kane
Cook and food writer Thomasina Miers
Graffiti Artist and Jewellery Designer, Daisuke Sakaguchi
Writer and Web Entrepeneur Stephen Toal

They join the existing members of the VX Collective, product designer Sam Buxton, artist and filmmaker Lucia Helenka, DJ Ross Allen and professional skateboarder Pete King.

Brought together by the car company to produce a range of collaborative and stand alone projects focused on style, design and driving excitement, the VX Collective provides a platform for up and coming talent to share their experience and enthusiasm for creative projects and helps them on the road to becoming established names in their line of work.

With a host of great work already achieved - from the collaborative film The Journey, an action packed, dramatic 30” ad focusing on a lone skater drifting down through a metallic city landscape, and the unique skate installation VX Skate City to individual projects such as Giles Deacon’s fashion shows, Sam Buxton’s car coat hanger and Ross and Lucia’s collaboration with Roll Deep - new members will bring fresh ideas and new approaches to the table for future individual and collaborative projects.

Collette Dunkley, of Vauxhall Motors explains: "The VX Collective is a long term commitment by Vauxhall to support up and coming British talent across a range of creative disciplines enabling them to work on projects they couldn’t otherwise do with people they wouldn’t otherwise meet.

We will support them while they, in turn, will help us by providing advice and input from their fields of interest to aid Vauxhall’s thinking in targeting younger generations and ensuring we remain at the forefront of automotive design, innovation and driving excitement.”

For more information about the VX Collective, its members and examples of the work they have done, please visit www.vxcollective.co.uk.

To showcase the members and their work and to celebrate the past, present and future of the VX Collective, Vauxhall are holding an event at the Vinyl Factory on Thursday 25th May from 6.30pm onwards. In the collaborative spirit of the VX Collective, various new and existing members have come together on all elements of the event including the invitation, catering, music and décor. Please contact Charlotte Ruddlesdin on 020 7861 2491 for more information.

The Members of the VX Collective are:

DJ Ross Allen is the musical brains behind Cargo-backed Casual Records and A&R consultant for Island Records and Ninja Tunes. He also wrote a seminal column in Jockey Slut and still finds time to host radio shows for 6 music, cover for Gilles Peterson on Radio One and get nifty behind the decks on a regular basis. He has residencies at Cargo, Meldown at Ministry and The End and Fat City in Manchester. He also DJs at happening parties all over the globe where he drops his mixed soulful bag of reggae, house, techno, R&B, hip hop and drum n' bass. Ross has released self-compiled/mix albums including Abstract Funk Theory in 2000 and Meltdown in 2001. He has signed and worked with a vast range of other rising stars including Lady Sovereign, Peshay, Boxsaga, Tom Middleton, Mark Pritchard, Mercury Music Prize winner Talvin Singh, The Stereo MCs, Spacek and chart toppers the Sugababes.

Product Designer Sam Buxton. Sam’s work is dominated by his experiments with advanced materials and technologies crossing the boundaries between art, science and design. His passion is for making new objects, searching for new ideas that respond to this absolutely modern moment, and reinterpreting objects to make them new and engaging. Sam is most well known for his MIKRO series of fold-up sculptures, that began as his business card, and his Surface Intelligent Electroluminesent tables and clocks. He was one of the four designers shortlisted for the Design Museum's Designer of the Year award in 2004.

Lucia Helenka is an artist and filmmaker whose photographic and film works are exhibited on the international contemporary art circuit as well as in film festivals and on television. She seeks to “make films that entertain and resonate deep within, films that catch you off-guard and exposed.”.

Fashion Designer Christopher Kane who at the tender age of 24, has already completed his MA in Womenswear from Central St Martins, won the Lancome Fashion Award two years running and the Harrods Design Award. He was recently also the winning new designer at the Scottish design Awards. Christopher can also boast that he consults for Versace amongst others and his designs have been worn by Kylie Minogue.

Professional Skateboarder Pete King who competes in national and international skate events all over the world. He’s a keen ambassador of the skate scene raising its profile in the UK and working with the next generation of British skaters to ensure the sport continues to thrive. Pete has taken Ben Raemers, an up and coming young skateboarder, under his wing touring skate parks across the country and travelling overseas later this year.

Interior Designers Precious McBane, a.k.a. Meriel Scott and Sophia Wimpenny who head the Precious McBane design studio. The practice specialises in imaginative design for interiors and has a passion for exciting product and furniture design. Precious McBane's clients have included Habitat UK, Moro, Nike, Virgin Radio, The Zetter Restaurant and Rooms and Alison Goldfrapp.

Cook and food writer Thomasina Miers, the winner of BBC 2's MasterChef 2005. With experience in most aspects of the food indu-stry, Thomasina’s work has taken her around the world, from cheese-making in Ireland to opening a large restaurant and cocktail bar in Mexico City. She is a champion of eating seasonal, uncomplicated food and believes in buying local food wherever possible. She also believes in British markets and thinks there should be fresh food markets in every town in Britain, a challenge she wishes to address.

Graffiti Artist and Jewellery Designer Daisuke Sakaguchi, whose innovative pieces of jewellery reflect his background as a graffiti artist and his belief that the streets are public catwalks inviting you to express yourself through displays of your work and your style. Kelis is a fan and Erin O’Connor, Alek Wek, Jade Parfitt and Linda Evangelista have all worn items from his range over the last few years.

Writer and Web Entrepeneur Stephen Toal, who will be launching his e-magazine and creative consultancy, Your Fridge Door, along with his co-founder Sam Gallagher. Originally conceived because Stephen would turn up to the opening of a fridge door, the contents of yourfridgedoor.com will prescribe a fresh weekly dose of unmissable urban gems, including, restaurant openings, art exhibitions, bar launches, product releases and secret events. Contributions to the site will come from a range of writers, artists, designers, musicians and photographers who want to challenge the mainstream and promote and celebrate the creative, urban life of the North West.