Alma de Ganay’s favorite online and physical locations to get inspired

Alma de Ganay, a creative consultant who has worked with the likes of Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Julian Casablancas, and casting agency Je Suis Casting, is always on the lookout for new ideas and concepts to help her clients succeed.

Her extensive experience, combined with her international and artistic background, enables Alma to find the best places that feed into and amplify her creativity. These are some locations that Alma goes to spark her imagination:

Reference Point Library, London

Located in London’s heart, Reference Point Library is an absolute gold mine for all things art, architecture, design, fashion & culture-related. The library houses a continuously growing collection of rare books and ephemera centred around post-war radical art & design.

What makes this place so great for Alma isn’t just how much she can learn from it – but also being able to work alongside librarians who help curate research materials specifically tailored towards her projects. As a creative consultant this kind of depth is invaluable when fleshing out unique concepts.

Victoria & Albert Museum, London

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London is the definition of an inspirational hotbed (not just any old museum). With over 5,000 years’ worth of creative endeavours under its belt, this place has more visual stimuli than you can shake a stick at.

She doesn’t just come here to take in the iconic exhibitions, though – Alma also loves absorbing herself within rich cultural knowledge provided by V&A’s diverse range of offerings; she sees it as a celebration where every type, form, and expression of creativity happens which helps bring about different perspectives within her own work.

St. Ouen Flea Market, Paris

Being one of the largest flea markets globally, Saint Ouen Flea Market offers anything from antiques through to vintage fashion to furniture and art. To Alma, this place is like striking gold every time she visits it – always finding those unique pieces that set her imagination on fire.

Vintage clothing inspiring new collections? Check. Antique books serving as visual references? Check. Unexpected finds? Double check – no matter what it is she’s looking for, the flea market will provide her with something wonderfully unexpected that only makes everything else better.

Turn Vintage, Paris

Situated in Paris, Turn Vintage opened its doors back in 2022. Here, old meets new in terms of styles. The curators behind this shop (Clara Hofer-Maire and Alix Darcy) pick out various items from different eras to create fresh combos that inspire.

For Alma, it’s all about being able to see quality and elegance within these pieces that have a story behind them; “curate new” instead of “create new” sits well with her own creative philosophy, too – why make something from scratch when there are already so many beautiful things waiting to be re-discovered?

OFR Bookshop, Paris

Fashion photography design and art lovers’ heaven OFR Bookshop can be found in Paris. For Alma, there is always some fresh project idea lurking around one of their rare books, limited edition fanzines or unique art accessories.

Additionally, there is an associated gallery at the back of the store, which hosts exhibitions and events, making OFR Bookshop a dynamic space for inspiration and connection.

Three Star Books Gallery, Paris

The Three Star Books Gallery in Paris is a unique convergence of art and publishing. It is an exceptional gallery that works on publishing books in collaboration with contemporary artists such as Alma.

According to Alma, this setting allows her to question the nature of a book itself as she finds new creative concepts that go beyond traditional modes of expression.

Indie Store, Vienna

The Indie Store in Vienna brings together two families’ histories into one shop. The store was established during the mid-20th century and has since transformed into a fashion and design destination where historicity meets modernity.

To Alma, this place represents inspiration found through juxtapositions between heritage, with pieces that tell stories of the past while remaining relevant to today’s world.

MuseumsQuartier, Vienna

Vienna’s Museumsquartier (MQ) is one of the largest cultural districts worldwide, where historical buildings co-exist alongside cutting-edge artworks. The area boasts many different museums dedicated not only to visual arts but also to fashion photography, among others.

This makes it an epicentre for creative minds like Alma’s, who draws here not only from diverse subcultures but also her own need for self-expression that resonates with our times.

High Valley Books, New York

Hidden away in Greenpoint is High Valley Books – a treasure trove of vintage reading materials for collectors and enthusiasts alike! With over 50,000 titles housed within its walls, there’s no doubt Alma could spend hours getting lost.

For Alma, what truly sets this place apart from all others she has been to are two things: firstly, we see a more personal touch added by the owner of HVBooks – he loves telling you about each individual book, so there’s always something new waiting around every corner. Secondly, though it might seem odd given how many other shops may offer similar items elsewhere, this one still manages to keep things feeling special somehow!

Film Forum, New York

Film Forum is an independent movie house located in New York City. The theater screens a variety of films ranging from new releases to classics and experimental or avant-garde movies.

This cinema is where ideas are churned out for Alma as she works towards expanding her creative limits while creating visual stories.

Sources of Inspiration Online

Alma de Ganay’s digital forays also include a number of carefully selected online platforms. She uses these sites and social media channels to gather a wealth of visual and conceptual stimuli, continually refreshing and expanding her creative horizons. Here are some examples of the web resources that fuel Alma’s creative process:

Ubu Web

For Alma, Ubu Web is a wealth of archived films that never fail to ignite her imaginative faculties. The website stores a wide range of experimental movies, video art pieces and sound works. This helps Alma learn more about narrative storytelling and extends her visual boundaries.

Void ()

Void () is an endless stream of art that Alma employs as her minefield. Scrolling through countless different styles and techniques inspires unexpected creative connections in her.

Jenn Park’s Instagram “@sculpting__in__time”

On Instagram, Jenn Park shares with the handle “@sculpting__in__time” aesthetic mixtures between minimalism and poetry through imagery posting, which causes Alma to cherish eternal beauty represented in understated grace. So much, in fact, that it affects how she goes about creating things herself.

Fonts in Use

When it comes to typography inspiration, Fonts In Use is where Alma looks. This extensive database provides insights into how typefaces can communicate visually while influencing client branding based on real-world applications.

ELEGANTLY PAPERED Vintage Fashion Magazines

ELEGANTLY PAPERED curates vintage fashion magazines, which often serve as points of reference during Alma’s search for ideas. These publications cover various eras, offering nostalgic glimpses into the history of style and assisting in the creation of retro-inspired campaigns or concepts.

GETTY Images

Whenever she needs visual material for projects, GETTY Images becomes an invaluable tool because its vast collection includes stock photos alongside historical ones. These enable quick inspiration finding coupled with concept visualization realization aimed at meeting client needs promptly despite changes in design briefs over time.

Hallointer.net

For website design inspiration, Alma visits Hallointer.net. This platform showcases many innovative and unique web designs that are useful for creating modern, user-friendly digital experiences sought after by her clients during consultation sessions.

DIS.art

At DIS.art, disruptive series, short films, and documentaries challenge established ideas, thus prompting the exploration of alternative creative routes, according to Alma. The content pushes one’s thinking outside the box when coming up with concepts that should stand out due to their originality alone.

The power of inspiration everywhere and always

Alma de Ganay is a force to be reckoned with in the field of creative consulting. Her ability to draw inspiration from all objects, both physical and virtual, has made her an integral part of any client’s creative process.

What sets her apart from other consultants is the fact that she has travelled extensively around the world, been brought up in a multicultural environment full of different traditions, conducted thorough research into various topics, and is able to find beauty in mundane things around us all, even those considered extraordinary only by a few individuals or communities.

To put it simply – For Alma, there can never be too much inspiration! But rather than just being another consultant who claims they “look for ideas” as though such were in some hidden treasure chest guarded jealously behind their office door, she treats these bursts of imagination which come so naturally to her like breathing air itself.