Xavier Davies - Art Director at Reef

When and where did you first start surfing?
I grew up about thirty minutes from Lorne, in Victoria, on the edge of the Otways and was more into football, basketball and cricket as a young grom – I spent more than the odd day at the beach, to get a taste for it, but really didn't get into surfing until I moved to Warrnambool to go to University (Deakin).

What is it that you love about surfing?
Wow, May be easier to list the things I don't love – mental crowds – wet wetsuits – on shores - ice cream headache duck dives – miss-timed rock jumps.

Do you have a session that stands out as your most memorable?
It's hard to beat a few local sessions when the conditions are just right - I've had some sneaky trips to Indo, Samoa and Hawaii – too hard to nail just one down as the most memorable, there are many memorable moments.

What kind of education do you have?
Bachelor of Visual Arts (Graphics/Art History - Double Major). With study units covering – Graphic Design / Photography / Drawing / Illustration / Sculpture / Art History

When did you first become interested in art and design?
I was raised by rainbows and grew a pencil on one hand in the womb… I've still got most of the books my parents read me as a child, and now read them to mine, I remember the artwork blew my mind.. maybe that was it.

Did you always want to use your skills for work in the Surf Industry?
Yeah I think so, at school I was one of those kids that drew waves on all their school books, It took a lot of work to get here but i think it was inevitable.

Can you tell us about what your role at Reef involves on a day to day basis?
Day to day tasks vary dramatically in here, ranging from: photoshoots for catalogues – apparel and graphic design – working with garment suppliers – social media - marketing - even unpacking containers and everything in between.

What about your role at Modom, what does that involve?
Again my job encapsulates a number of different roles as we are a young brand with a relatively small team: web design – event management - apparel and graphic design – photographing product and team – industrial design and more. I guess I'm kind of a 'jack of all trades'.

How did you get to the position you are in today?
My passion for surfing really lead to spending a lot of time focussing my original folio in the surf direction, some work experience in the right places and a few freelance jobs led me to a role at Rip Curl where hard work with a handful of great mentors and connecting with some awesome buddies in the industry has really led me here.

What is it that you love about the work you do?
I guess I love the variety of interesting and challenging work – being encouraged to surf in my lunch break – and getting inspired to be creative.

Where can we find you online? 

Posted by: Troy Roennfeldt, on May 2, 2014
Categories: Interviews

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