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A person wearing a light blue helmet and a black and pink sports jersey looks directly at the camera. They wear pink armbands, one of which features the number “19”.

Photography: Dave Imms turns his lens on a female London roller derby team

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Date
7 June 2013

Dave Imms has previously proved his impressive ability to document with his lens groups we might usually be quick to stereotype, and he’s done it again with his latest work. While before he brought us face-to-face with a set of Sunday league football referees, this time his subject is a female roller derby team.

The London Roller Girls partake in a sport which has a reputation for uncompromising aggression, but as usual Dave is eager to delve beneath the received wisdom. Not only does he capture something of the team’s personalities, he also evokes the world of seen-better-days leisure centres, the incongruous setting for this brash American sport.

“Failing that we can just look at them and admire the jazzy clothes,” Dave admits cheerfully.

A person stands on a wooden sports court wearing roller skates, a black helmet, and protective pads. They wear a pink sleeveless top and shimmering black leggings.
Above

Dave Imms: Roller Derby

A person stands against a brick wall wearing roller derby gear, including a black helmet and protective pads. Their black outfit features a pink and white Union Jack design, and a race number on their arm reads “14 Lucy”.
Above

Dave Imms: Roller Derby

A person stands on a wooden sports court wearing roller skates and protective gear. They hold a blue helmet in one hand and wear a black top with white linear patterns.
Above

Dave Imms: Roller Derby

A person stands on a wooden sports court wearing roller skates and protective gear. They wear a black T-shirt and leggings, with a helmet held under one arm.
Above

Dave Imms: Roller Derby

A person stands in a sports hall wearing roller skates, a grey helmet, and black protective gear. They wear a black top with a white Union Jack design and colourful, patterned skates.
Above

Dave Imms: Roller Derby

A person stands facing the camera, wearing a light blue helmet and black roller derby gear with pink accents. They wear black elbow and wrist guards, and a pink armband reads “19”.
Above

Dave Imms: Roller Derby

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About the Author

Rob Alderson

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Rob Alderson is a freelance writer, editor and strategist. He was previously editor-in-chief of It’s Nice That and WePresent, and editor of Design Week. He publishes the newsletter Undo, which tries to make sense of how AI is changing design work, the design process and the design industry.

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