5 min read

House of Mystic Magic presented by Ashley James Pearce

Welcome to the House of Mystic Magic! Here, a unique fusion of art and fashion awaits you, where you can explore your deepest desires and encounter a wide range of creatures from both heaven and hell. Come and see what lies in between!

House of Mystic Magic by designer Ashley James Pearce

This exquisite short film boasts an avant-garde style that delicately alludes to fantasy and fairytales. The rustic Latin backdrop sets the perfect stage for a truly mesmerizing experience. The outfits featured in Mystic Magic are fully designed and handmade by Ashley James Pearce. They feature a diverse range of materials and textures, including twigs, flowers, metal, and even cotton candy.

Director's Bio

Meet Alexander Miguel, a talented director of Spanish and Norwegian descent. With his extensive experience in fashion, short film, and music video production, he has earned a reputation for his visually rich and extravagant style. Alexander holds a BA in Film Production from the SAE Institute in Sydney and an MA in Directing from Met Film School in London. His portfolio includes the captivating short film "Entanglement," featuring West End star Jenny Gayner, the music video "Court Jester" by pop artist Chess Countess, and the fashion films "Narcissus" and "The Brides Of Dracula."

Director's Statement

In the House of Mystic Magic, you will find all sorts of creatures from Heaven to Hell and anything in between. It all started with the costumes for me. The designer gave me free rein to dive into his entire catalogue of work from past to present. I chose all my favourite outfits, and each one inspired a character. Some were based on iconic pop culture figures such as Jesus, the Devil, and The Virgin Queen, and some we made up entirely, such as the Peacock and the Candy-floss fairy. There is a nod to Alice in Wonderland in the battle between the white and red queen in the form of a ballet sequence, as well as several hidden easter egg metaphors and fairytale references for the keen observer. The set-out was to create a live-action video clip inspired by the works of fashion photographers such as Annie Leibowitz, Mark Seliger, and Tim Walker. The brand Mystic Magic was born from the designer's love for nature, animals, romance, and fairytales which is evident in all his work. As a director, it was important to me to keep this at the heart of the piece. With a rustic Latin backdrop and the vibrant colours of the outfits, I took the mystical and magical aspects of the assignment very literally. The key theme running throughout the video was to root everything in the costumes and the materials they are made from. The rose petals and frost in the ballerina costumes fly off the outfits and are integrated into the environment. The star above the altar is a reference to the Mystic Magic logo.

Designer Ashley Pearce and I had been trying to do a fashion film together for a very long time, but obstacles kept appearing over the years due to conflicting schedules, lack of funds, and of course, Covid. The project was put on hold and postponed several times. Some of the models were re-cast up to three times before we initially managed to pull it off. During lockdown, I kept working on the project and longed for the day when it would finally happen. I assisted Mystic Magic in moulding over 760 resin crystals in various shades of blue to be used on a very labour-heavy corset worn by the ice queen. I had been keen to delve more into the world of couture. To be able to showcase such eye-widening creations in the form of a fashion film has been a dream of mine for a long time. The designer and I bonded through our shared enthusiasm for fantasy and fairytales.

Designer's Bio

Fashion Designer of Mystic Magic Ashley James

Ashley James, an exceptional 29-year-old fashion designer, has garnered widespread recognition for his visionary contributions to the UK fashion industry. Ashley is an expert in crafting custom masks, headwear, and couture outfits. Clients in the fashion, entertainment, and media industries worldwide have sought his exceptional designs. He has worked with renowned music artists, celebrity stylists, designers, and even prime-time TV shows to create some of the most distinctive and original looks. Ashley's honed his creative ambitions from a very early age, starting by touring craft fairs with his parents. Ashley salvaged his young innate eye for "creating magical carriages from pumpkins," cast-off jewellery, and clothing, transforming them into everything from puppets and masks to intricately designed hats and costumes.

Ashley's unique style and ambitious aspirations, influenced by designer Alexander McQueen, were not a regular part of the High School curriculum. Ashley decided to focus on designing masks and later headwear to avoid being bullied in school for being different and not fitting in. In this way, he welcomed the idea of being a square peg in a round hole. After finishing school, he established his clothing brand, Mystic Magic, which he previously had used as a child during craft fairs.

Ashley was determined to promote his brand and took the initiative to create his own website and social media accounts from scratch. As a result, he was able to launch an online shop and magazine, and gained media exposure. This led to sales and commissions not only from the UK, but also from other countries such as the USA, Australia, Europe, and even Hawai'i.

Ashley's designs quickly gained popularity and caught the attention of fashion professionals including stylists, photographers, and editors from Vogue, Tatler, and Hunger Magazine. His designs were also featured on BBC TV's shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and The Voice UK, as well as at prestigious fashion events like The Clothes Show Live and Zurich's Energy Fashion Night. He considers himself fortunate to have been recognized as a finalist for the BBC "Designer of the Year" awards for his work.

Ashley's designs have been featured in a fashion shoot by photographer Rankin and he has launched his first formal millinery headwear collection. He has also created headwear worn by actress Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret in The Crown and designed masks for Elizabeth Hurley in The Royals. Ashley's latest project is designing twelve creative mask pieces for Floria Sigismondi's upcoming movie, The Silence of Mercy. As always, his designs are extravagant, edgy, and include the signature Mystic Magic twist!

Designer's Statement

Where art meets fashion in an infusion of enchanted delights, the Mystic Magic label draws upon the elements of nature and fairytales to ignite its inspiration for each creation. From full looks to Couture accessories, the outfits featured in our latest Playhouse project were brought together to showcase Mystic Magic's diversity through style. Each outfit was delicately handcrafted using a wide variety of materials and textures to awaken the senses while alluring you into a darkened abyss of sexual desire. Fantasy art has always harboured a place within me, and for this project, I wanted to incorporate animalistic details from using feathers to horns and even undertone hints of leather in some of the added accessories. To expand my showcase of skills, I also wanted to make sure I used as many different materials as possible, candy-floss, crystals, chains, rose petals, and even barbed wire!