Gary Card

Gary Card is a multidisciplinary artist and set designer from Bournemouth. He studied BA Theatre Design at Central Saint Martins from 1999 to 2002. He began working with Nicola Formichetti in the "mid-noughties". From there, he was introduced to Lady Gaga in the summer of 2009.

Custom

Crystals Shaped Keytar

Along with Matthew Williams, Gary created her first custom keytar. A behind the scene photograph is included in the Book of Gaga (2009) with the caption: "Keytar designed by Haus HEN[derson McCue] & Gary Card + Dada". They added triangles to create crystal shapes and spray painted black a AX-Synth by Roland.

It debuted on The Fame Ball summer dates with a live band on June 26 until the end of the tour on September 29, 2009. The keytar was also used during the performance of "Paparazzi" on Saturday Night Live on October 3, 2009. On December 31, 2009, Gaga used this keytar during "Just Dance" for her special 4 songs set at New Year's Eve 2010 with a costume by Olima.

"Book of Gaga" (June 25, 2009)

Gary Card (June 25, 2009)

The Fame Ball (June 26-Sep 29, 2009)

Take That Presents: The Circus Live (July 4-5, 2009)

Saturday Night Live (Oct 3, 2009)

New Year's Eve 2010 (Dec 31, 2009)

Ecto-skeleton Series

These bone things were for a shoot with Nicola Formichetti and Steven Klein for Vogue Hommes Japan (Autumn/Winter 2009). Lady Gaga got obsessed with them and asked me to make hundreds of the bloody things for her last Monster [Ball] tour, so I made about 30 of them. She wore one in a Nick Knight shoot, too. Weirdly, all of the latex has started to melt off them now, so they're all gross and sticky.

—Gary to Vice Fashion Studio (July 3, 2012)

For the Tattoo Film (2009) by Nick Knight, Gaga wore a similar headpiece and bracelet set from the Vogue Hommes Japan Bondage Warriors editorial. The film was shown at the very end of The Monster Ball 1.0. It came back as a much shorter sequence in "Puke Film" on July 6, 2010 until the end of The Monster Ball 2.0 on May 6, 2011.

Gary Card made headpieces and arm pieces for the 10 dancers which was first used at the American Music Awards (AMA) on November 22, 2009 and later at The Monster Ball 1.0 during "LoveGame" and "Alejandro". For The Monster Ball 2.0, only the headpieces were worn by the female dancers during "LoveGame".

To match with the dancers pieces, Gary made an elongated headpiece, top and shoes cover for Gaga. The headpiece and top were made in collaboration with Tom Talmon Studio that added lights inside the bones. It also debuted at the AMA and returned for The Monster Ball 1.0. However, only the headpiece with tulle added was kept and she also added a similar bracelet to her dancers. It was worn from November 27 to December 31, 2009 and returned on January 10 to 12 and with black tulle, from January 20 to 26, 2010. The headpiece was shown during a backstage tour with Gaga on The Oprah Winfrey Show which aired on January 15, 2010.

"Tattoo" Interlude film (2009-2010)

American Music Awards
(Nov 22, 2009)

The Monster Ball (Nov 27-Dec 19, 2009)

The Monster Ball 1.0 (Dec 21-31, 2009, Jan 10-12, 2010)

The Oprah Winfrey Show (January 15, 2010)

The Monster Ball 1.0 (Jan 20-26, 2010)

The Monster Ball (2010-2011)

Others

[1] (Feb 27, 2010)

[2] The Monster Ball (2010-2011)

iTunes Festival
(Sept 1, 2013)

ARTPOP NYC Pop-Up
(Nov 11-13, 2013)

1. Yellow sculptural hand and bones cuff, gifted by Gary to Gaga at The O2 (London).
2. Skeleton Gloves, worn on May 7, 2010 to May 6, 2011 during "LoveGame".

Gary also made a headpiece for the "Judas" music video in 2011 that was not used.

References

• Nicola Formichetti's Blog: Lady Gaga uses keytar designed by Gary Card
• Nicola Formichetti's Blog: Lady Gaga's Dancers wear outfits by Gary Card for 2009 American Music Awards
• Nicola Formichetti's Blog: Lady Gaga wears Yellow Hand by Gary Card for fifth day of the 2010 London Fashion Week
• Nicola Formichetti's Blog: Dancers wear masks by Gary Card for the Arena Version of the Monster Ball