The Art Of Brand Storytelling At Christmas With Stylist Alice Walker
With the need for brands to create striking festive imagery that has impact yet remains true to their brand story, we talk to stylist Alice Walker to get her tips and advice for successful styling at Christmas. From digging through old archives and vintage books from charity shops, Alice shares her process for creating visual storytelling that feels unique to each brand. Her creativity and skill for simple, natural styling shows beautiful and meaningful imagery doesn’t have to require a big budget.
Alice Walker, shot by Helena Dolby for 91 Magazine
Introducing stylist Alice Walker. There’s a good chance you already know Alice, or at least are familiar with her work. Alice is in demand for brands, big and small, looking for images that deliver compelling visual storytelling. Her client list includes Organic Zoo, Orna Candles, Molly Meg as well as M&S, Penguin and H&M. Before becoming a stylist full-time, she worked for media agencies including News International and Saatchi & Saatchi.
Alice has an eclectic eye and a talent for creating beauty from simple, natural and humble materials, she can find the potential in items that others often overlook or discard. The images she creates for her clients are full of distinctive character, rich with emotion and show that brilliant branding doesn’t require a big budget.
Q: We’d love to know how you approach storytelling at Christmas - is there a specific process you go through to tell a story that feels unique to each brand?
A: I try and mix up the process every time mainly down to the fact I have a very creative brain and can’t really follow rules or do the same thing every time. I tend to start things off by creating physical vision boards or pulling together pages of visual references. Once I have seen what I am styling, taken the brief and looked at the colours and tones, then I start exploring what inspires me. My approach is to keep ideas fresh and pair products with the right props and textures. I’m always thinking about how I can move the brand story for a client, to deliver something beautiful and impactful, but without changing the story too much.
Q: What is your biggest challenge when styling festive shoots? And what is your favourite part about working with brands at Christmas?
A: I really look forward to seeing what the brand has designed and made. Sometimes you are the first person to see the items so it’s lovely to see it all ahead of launching. The biggest challenge is getting into the festive mood in the summer months. This tends to be when Christmas campaigns are shot. There is a lot of digging through archives, old books from charity shops and visiting car boot sales. Although there is an importance to look at trends, what will please and inspire people - it’s still very important to sieve through everything, come up with new colourways, textures and fabrics but get to a point where it all sits nicely together. And when it does come together, this is my favourite part.
Q: You have a really distinctive minimal style that still manages to feel beautiful and generous, how do you select and use props in your work to tell a story?
A: That’s very kind. I spend a lot of personal and work time sourcing items. I could pick things up from anywhere. I try and avoid the tip because I really would use anything (even rubble!) I will find things and my brain will just start to tick and deep down I know certain things will be good one day as a prop. Often when I’m both styling and photographing, I start with all the props on a table and build the scenes from there. Removing them, shooting them, re-adding them again to ensure everything works together and captures a moment, feeling or story. I often give my mum a call at the allotment for fresh produce to use. A lot of it really is instinct and being able to experiment and play over the course of a week which is why shoots can sometimes take a little longer than normal to deliver images that are meaningful.
Image: Orna candles, styled & shot by Alice Walker
Q: Natural elements invariably feature in much of your work, how do you use nature and the seasons to inspire ideas? Is the natural world something that has always inspired you?
A: Absolutely. My styling career started out when I used to forage on walks. I would style tables and little nooks with old wildflowers, use pressed leaves and stems for flat lays, find big sticks fallen from big trees back in London and use them to hang things from in my old flat. The natural world gives a lot back to me, I use it for inspiration every day. Whether it’s the sunlight, shadows, to the colours and tones in flowers.
Q: How does working with a brand that has a clear and strong brand story help when it comes to styling? Is the brand story something you often refer to?
A: It really works both ways. It is always lovely to work with a brand that has a clear direction and story, and people who can write you a clear brief. On the other hand, I work with a lot of brands who have a blank canvas, they have no idea what visuals they need for their products, and you can get creative by forming new ideas. It’s really fulfilling to problem solve for anyone needing fresh ideas, often simplifying things and going back to the drawing board. But I really appreciate and admire those brands that stand out, and I love helping them move ideas and their story on, in a consistent way.
Q: Can you share some other brands with storytelling that you particularly love? And is there a brand with a story you'd love to work with?
A: There are so many. From the high street brands like Toast who always create earthy and comforting campaigns, I love Garbo and Friends too. To mid/smaller size companies like Sleepy Doe and of course Organic Zoo. I have loved seeing the launch of Glassette, adding some fun into their curation of products and styling.
Want to discover more brilliant brands? The stories continue on Instagram @simplemattersmedia and sign up for our monthly newsletter ‘StoryWorks’
Five Brilliant Brands Using Storytelling To Sell At Christmas
With the festive season crucial for many small businesses, we share five brilliant brands using storytelling to sell and market their products and services. Get inspiration for your own marketing content and strategy with these examples, from magical content full of wonder to crafting irresistible product descriptions and celebrating the personal moments and connections that make Christmas special. Discover ideas and inspiration to help your business thrive into the New Year and beyond.
Image with permission from Scribble & Daub. Photographer Kim Lightbody
Celebrating Christmas with brand stories full of magic and wonder.
1. ‘Untangle the fairy lights, cue up Mariah, crunch on a candy cane and pour the sherry - Christmas celebrations can officially begin!’
Stationery - Scribble & Daub
‘Scribble & Daub exists to celebrate the joy of giving every day.’
Created by talented illustrator Caroline Kent, Scribble & Daub nurtures meaningful connections, encouraging us to take a moment to write a card and let someone know they matter. The designs inspired by the natural world, are simple, playful and elegant, with wonderfully rich hand-painted colours.
If you’re a Simple Matters Media client, there’s a good chance you’ll have had one of Caroline’s cards. The Christmas collection, which includes paper decorations, is especially brilliant, the lobster makes me smile so much that it now has a permanent place hanging in my kitchen.
‘From Lobsters & Cherubs to Pears and Toadstools. Adorn your Christmas tree in sustainable style with our first collection of beautiful paper decorations…hand-painted with gloriously coloured inks, and strung with pistachio satin ribbon, these heirloom quality ornaments are designed to last a lifetime.’
Follow Caroline's Instagram and visit her website to buy her cards, decorations, prints and commissions. Every home should have a festive Christmas shrimp!
2. ‘Filled with Christmas wonder’
Homewares & Lifestyle - A G Hendy. A shop, a kitchen, house & a school.
‘Lit by candlelight and with log fire crackling, filled with the smells of spiced wine and wood-smoke and decorated with traditional Christmas decorations of blue fir and home-baked gingerbread.’
A fairytale Christmas full of delight and simplicity. A G Hendy is inspired by Christmas past, a time of parcels wrapped in brown paper, tied up with string and decorations made from natural materials. Rooted in tradition and heritage, the shop offers a modern, more sustainable way to celebrate with an honest appreciation of simplicity, form and function.
The Christmas Book is on my wishlist this year…
‘Like entering the pages of a Grimm’s brothers tale…it’s as if the elves have just skipped out, a few crumbs left upon the floor…’
3. ‘A Land where anything is possible.’
Children - Polar Post
‘Children see magic everywhere they look because they are themselves magic.’
Polar Post is a team of elves helping Father Christmas deliver thousands of beautifully handwritten and illustrated letters to children with a little magic.
There’s the nostalgia, delight and wonder of a traditional Christmas brought to life through whimsical and imaginative storytelling.
A world where every child is celebrated and magic is cherished.
4. ‘It's late, the games are out, the after-eight wrappers are discarded on the table, and the raucous fun has begun…’
Homewares - Caro
An old story but one that’s brilliantly told. From Christmas past of ‘21 and the wonderful shop Caro in Bruton, Somerset. The shop is now closed as owner Natalie Jones is focusing on other creative projects (her podcast also called Caro, is a wonderful and insightful listen) but it’s still a favourite example of mine of creating a simple Christmas story to share across a series of Instagram posts that’s memorable, evocative and sells.
The collection of posts celebrates little moments of the Christmas spirit told through the ebb and flow of the day from first waking…
‘We love the thought of a still, warm, country-style kitchen that slowly sees family members creep downstairs to enjoy a hearty breakfast before the unwrapping of presents and celebratory clinking of glasses begins.’
to Christmas lunch…
‘The feast has been eaten and it’s time to take a break. Some are napping, others are around the table chatting over a cognac, nibbling at a gingerbread house...’
and on into the night…
‘We've all had a few too many bubbles so the negroni's are flowing whilst those who are awake jovially argue over whether the dice rolled a six or a four. At Caro we have all the things you need for a fun and playful Christmas.’
The storytelling is so evocative and perfectly captures so many of the universal moments of a family Christmas. The content is still available on the Caro Instagram account. You’ll find the posts starting here.
5. ‘When the humans left…for the festive seasons, the animals came out of the woodland and wondered: “What makes a Christmas?’
Hotel - The Newt in Somerset
A delightful Christmas film weaving a story of enchantment that feels like stepping into Narnia.
‘A tree? Decorations? Presents? Something to eat? They wondered and they wandered…something’s missing…’.
With stunning costumes and videography it’s marketing on a bigger scale and budget but still with a story at it’s heart.
‘They came to realise being together is what makes a Christmas after all.’
Watch the film here.
Want to discover more brilliant brands? The stories continue on Instagram @simplemattersmedia and sign up for our monthly newsletter ‘StoryWorks’