Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat, and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Georgia May and Lizzy Jagger. The models and sisters have just been named Jo Malone London's global English Pear ambassadors, with a campaign centered around sisterhood. We were desperate to know all their beauty secrets, so keep on scrolling for fragrance recommendations, makeup hacks and the affordable hair product they can't live without...

1. Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?
Lizzy Jagger: Fragrance, for sure.

Georgia May Jagger: I feel like putting on fragrance is the last thing you do when you’re going on a night out, to make you feel like you’ve finished your hair, makeup and dress.

2. If you could steal someone else’s makeup bag, whose would it be?
GMJ: I feel like I would steal Emily Wood’s makeup bag, because I bet she has so many fun glitters and colours. I would just like to have a look at it.

LJ: I quite fancy seeing Val Garland’s [makeup bag]. I think stealing a makeup artist's makeup bag would be the most rewarding!

3. You’ve got a spot. Are you team pop it or team leave it alone?
GMJ: I think we’re both team pop it.

LJ: I’m heavily team pop it. I’ll pop it for anyone!

4. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it? GMJ: Moisturiser or lip balm.

LJ: The May Botanicals Super Balm.

5. What’s the best piece of beauty advice that you have ever taken from one another?
GMJ: I feel like Lizzy is very good at giving herself an amazing facial before a modelling job. She instilled that in me.

LJ: Georgia’s got me further into masks by making her own out of kelp. I feel like a mermaid every time I take one off. You’re just glowing.

6. What's your signature fragrance?
LJ: Jo Malone London English Pear & Sweet Pea is my signature fragrance. I like a light fragrance in the day that I can then layer with something a bit deeper, like rose.

GMJ: Mine is Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia. I love that it’s very fresh and smells like spring.

7. Strong lip or a strong eye?
GMJ: A strong lip. I think we’re both on the strong lip. It’s just easier. We were talking a lot about how we do our makeup in the car, so it’s easier to do it on the go.

8. You’re having your nails done. What’s your go-to colour?
LJ: Either jungle red or emerald green.

GMJ: At the moment, I’ve been going for very sheer glitter nails, sort of early 2000s. I want anything sparkly and iridescent.

9. What's your beauty philosophy in a sentence?
GMJ: I feel like it’s about not taking yourself too seriously on the outside and not trying to compare yourself to others. I feel like we live in a real comparison culture. Try to embrace the individual things that you like about yourself.

LJ: With makeup, especially at night, more is more!

10. What’s your biggest beauty no-no?
LJ: Shimmery bronzer for me. Too much iridescence on the skin.

GMJ: I struggle with eye shadow with no mascara. I know it’s trendy at the moment…

LJ: I agree with that one!

11. Candles, reed diffusers or nothing at all?
Both: Candles, for sure.

GMJ: I love the Jo Malone London Red Roses candle.

LJ: And the English Pear & Freesia candle.

12. Name one beauty product that is always in your handbag
GMJ: In my handbag, the May Botanicals Super Balm, for sure. Just because it’s multipurpose.

LJ: And me too!

GMJ: Also, I usually have a concealer as well. The Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer [Stick].

LJ: I always have a Charlotte Tilbury mascara in my handbag.

13. The greatest drugstore product for under £10?
GMJ: Bleach London Hair Elixir for split ends—it’s the best.

LJ: For both of us! I’m using like a quarter of a bottle a week!

GMJ: The No7 under-eye concealer pen from Boots is really good as well.

14. Describe your brows in one word
GMJ: I was going to say "undecided" because I’m always bleaching them or wanting them dark!

15. Your worst hairstyle (or hair moment) ever…
LJ: A wispy fringe when I was pre-teen. A wispy fringe on someone who has naturally curly hair is really high-maintenance.

GMJ: I like a lot of mine. I’m sure not everyone will agree with me because I’ve had a purple mullet [at one point]!

16. Makeup primer: love it or hate it?
LJ: I just got into it. I’m experimenting more with 40-plus makeup primer, like the line filler, the pore filler…

GMJ: I have never used makeup primer on myself. I am aware it’s a thing, and I’m sure that’s why when people do my makeup, it looks better, but I have got very into setting spray, which I’ve never used before.

17. Confession time: how often do you clean your makeup brushes?
LJ: Once every three months, and I know that’s not enough, but that’s about as [often] as I can remember.

GMJ: I’m quite guilty for not really using brushes and using my hands more, unless it’s eye shadow. In which case, rarely!

18. Which celebrity’s hair would you love to steal?
GMJ: I would say my mum, but I wish I could pull off a Drew Barrymore in the '90s, short bleached crop.

LJ: Oooh, me too! I wish I could do a little Linda Evangelista short hairdo, but I’m happy with my own hair.

19. Which era of beauty inspires you most?
GMJ: I quite like the '90s, where it’s like grunge, goth beauty, but it’s also glam as well.

LJ: I quite liked it in the '90s when it was the bare-skin look that took you an hour and a half. But I’m really inspired by the '20s, '30s and '70s (even though they’re quite inspired by the '20s and the '30s). That ethereal, glowing look that’s not afraid of a bright eye shadow.

20. Best beauty hack?
GMJ: I feel like there are so many. Using a hair dryer to warm your eyelash curlers is a thing I’ve seen.

LJ: And I’ll do that after I put my mascara on!

GMJ: I’ve never been able to do liquid eyeliner as well as our mum, but she does a thing where she puts her whole head on the side, and draws like that, and every time I see it, I’m like, I just don’t understand how you’re doing that, and it works!

LJ: One last hack. Beetroot juice instead of blusher. And rubbing chilli on your lips makes them bigger.

21. What do you do in your downtime to relax and reset?
GMJ: Spending time with my son and walking my dogs.

LJ: We love going to spas and getting massages. And we both really like a nice long bath.

Shop Georgia May and Lizzy Jagger's Favourite Beauty Products:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know the answers to, like their favourite restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, the little loves of their life.

Actress Michelle Keegan may be best known for her roles as often tough and resilient heroines, but we wanted to know the woman behind the character. Fresh off the back of her latest collection with Very, we asked the mother and mogul all about what makes her tick, her fashion inspiration, and who (and what) she holds the closest to her heart.

What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the whole world? And what do you order?

It would be a place called Kloof Street House in Cape Town. When I worked in South Africa, it was my favourite go-to place. They do the best salted caramel cheesecake that I've ever, ever had, and I've tried lots of cheesecake since, but nothing compares. It's unreal. Plus, it's a really cosy setting. It's just really different. But there's a great atmosphere and the setting is beautiful.

What items do you always have in your handbag?

I'm awful for this, but there's always about ten lip products floating around in there! But the real essentials are my purse, phone, and headphones.

Your favourite place to explore?

I love getting out in the countryside, especially when the weather's nice. And there's just something about the crisp spring air that I love, and it sets me up for the day.

It’s a sunny Sunday and you haven’t got any plans. How do you fill your day?

I try and get up a bit earlier so I can have some proper time to myself, then a nice relaxed breakfast with the family. Then maybe a walk to a cosy pub for dinner, or cooking up a proper roast at home.

Do you have a secret girls-night spot?

Me and the girls are obsessed with a good spicy margarita, so we'll always go somewhere that does them properly. That's the main criteria really!

Do you have a favourite cinema?

I love the smaller, independent cinemas in my hometown, so I always try to support them when I can. I love the old-school feel of it.

What are your trailer essentials? Anything that’s a must-have on set?

Snacks are always top of the list, I'm constantly grazing between takes. A good speaker for music is essential to help me unwind, along with plenty of water and a decent coffee to keep me going throughout the day. Comfy clothes are a must, too. You'll find me in a matching loungewear set the second I'm done.

What is your favourite destination for inspiration?

Paris, hands down. There's just something about the fact it has such incredible history, but still feels so current and vibrant. I always come away with ideas for my fashion collections when I'm there, which is actually why I decided to shoot my Very collection in Paris last autumn/winter. .

What do you love to do in your spare time?

I'm a bit of a homebody to be honest. I love cooking when I get the chance, trying out new recipes. Watching films is another favourite, and I'm always catching up on shows I've missed.

Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?

I've got a few bits and pieces from travels over the years that always make me smile when I see them. Also photos, I love having memories around the house. They just make a space feel more like home.

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

My wedding dress—there is no contest there!

You can pick one fashion brand to wear for the rest of your life, which do you choose?

I know I'm probably biased here, but it would have to be my collection with Very! Over the years, I've been able to design exactly what I want, right down to the buttons, the fabrics I love, my favourite colours, all of it. So I've genuinely got pieces for absolutely everything now, going out dresses, relaxed loungewear, the lot. It all just fits into my everyday life so easily.

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

My necklace with my three ‘P’s’ on it. I got it for Mother's Day, and each P is for Palma, and my dogs Phoebe and Pip. I wear it every day for my three girls.

If we were to look in your saved folder on Instagram now, what would we find?

Lots of outfit inspo and design ideas for what I'm working on next! I'm constantly saving things when I'm thinking about upcoming collections, and always looking for new ways to elevate pieces and get the details just right.

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

Mallorca—we've been going for years. It's our special place.

Must-have item to pack when you go on holiday?

A good pair of shorts, that's always the first thing I pack. I love a tailored style, especially. I'm already eyeing up the ones from my new collection for my next trip! Second on the list is co-ords, easy for airport looks plus mix and matching when on the beach, perfect for a day to night holiday look.

What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?

It would have to be a really good facial cleanser.

What are your three favourite movies of all time?

Father of the Bride, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and The Notebook.

What’s your most-played on Spotify?

Anything by Celine Dion, Tina Turner and anything from the 80s!

Share a piece of advice that someone you love gave you that always stuck

The best piece of advice that I've been given is probably from my mum and dad. They instilled good manners into me and said that manners go a long way. So it's something that I've taken with me all my life. .

What’s your favourite scent or perfume?

My favourite scent is either Le Labo LaVande or an old school perfume called Cerruti 1881.

Do you collect anything?

I tend to collect are sunglasses. I mean, I don't know how many pairs I've got, but it's so many its silly. Lip liners too, I'm known to collect lip liners... and serving bowls, which is a bit random, but the amount of serving bowls I have in my kitchen is unbelievable.

What’s your latest obsession?

My new Very collection, honestly! I've been dying to get into all the pieces, and I'm so excited for everyone to finally see it.

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?

Out of coffee, tea, a cocktail and wine, I'd say all four are my poison! It depends on what mood I'm in, but I do like all four.

Who are the people who fill your cup?

Mark, Palma, my family and friends.

Who is your professional hero?

It's tough, but I'd have to say Joanna Lumley.

Who is/ who are the loves of your life?

Palma, Mark, Phoebe and Pip. .

What is the love of your life?

My teddy bear that I've had since birth, and I've still got him now. So, yeah, I guess the love of my life is a little red Teddy called Hector.

Shop Michelle's Edit

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat, and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Sienna Miller. The 44-year-old actress has just been announced as the new global brand ambassador for Schwarzkopf Creme Supreme, and we had lots of beauty questions for her. Below, we ask Sienna all about her celebrity hair muses, her go-to fragrance, the makeup products she can't live without and even the candles she loves to burn at home…

1. Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?
I think hair colour really does change your mood, and having vibrant, fresh colour definitely gives me a boost, so I would say Schwarzkopf Creme Supreme.

2. If you could steal someone else’s makeup bag, whose would it be?
Probably Charlotte Tilbury's!

3. You’ve got a spot. Are you team pop it or team leave it alone?
Oh, I would love to be team leave it alone, but sadly, I never quite made it to that side of the fence! I would pop it.

4. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it? It’s going to have to be lip balm, because could you imagine needing it and not having it? I think the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is iconic and just always works.

5. What’s the best piece of beauty advice that you have ever received?
Genuinely, sleep and water. It’s so boring and annoying, but I now have to drink so much more water than I ever thought I needed, and as you get older, that’s increasingly more important. Hydration is the key.

6. What's your signature fragrance?
I swap between a few. There’s a Chloé fragrance that I love, Le Labo Thé Noir 29 and then there’s a little aromatherapy oil called E11even, which I got sent a while ago. It’s an aromatherapy stick that you roll on, and it’s gorgeous.

7. You’re having your nails done. What’s your go-to colour?
A natural, beige nude [colour]. I’ve tried to experiment with other colours. I think it just suits me better to be a natural, nude girl.

8. What’s your biggest beauty no-no?
I think filler is not a good idea for anyone.

9. Name one beauty product that is always in your handbag
A freckle pen. I love adding [faux] freckles in winter. There's the Charlotte Tilbury Foxy Brown Lip Cheat, a lip liner that I use for freckles, and that’s great.

10. The greatest drugstore product for under £10?
The Dr. PawPaw lip balm is a great one.

11. Describe your brows in one word.
Sad! Extinct! No, I used to have quite big brows, and they’ve just slightly withered away. They are also very unruly; they are fine here and curling on in themselves here, and it’s a battle.

12. Which era of beauty inspires you most?
I love the '60s. I think that everybody looked great. And the '30s were dreamy and romantic. If I had to, I’d say those two.

13. Confession time: how often do you clean your makeup brushes?
I can’t even remember ever doing it! That’s terrible, isn't it? I’ve got one that gets so covered in foundation that it goes really orange, but I’ll just use the soap by the sink. I don’t have a brush cleaner.

14. What beauty rule do you always break?
I would love to be more consistent with SPF. I know you’re supposed to do it in winter, but if it’s grey and cold, I just can't. It doesn’t connect that I would still need an SPF even though 800,000 people have told me to wear it.

15. Which celebrity’s hair would you love to steal?
I'm kind of obsessed with Pamela Anderson in the '90s. That kind of really brassy blonde. That was good hair.

16. Candles, reed diffusers or nothing at all?
Candles. I love the Diptyque Baies candle, and Buly, the French brand. [They are] the most beautiful candles.

17. Best beauty hack?
My entire approach to beauty has been shaped by the fact that I’ve worked with amazing people, and I kind of know where to put things on my face that change it in the right way. Although I feel like this generation knows everything, I don’t think I can teach. My 13-year-old is like, "Mum, please." She knows more than I do; you guys are way ahead of me.

Shop Sienna Miller's Favourite Beauty Products:

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat, and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Daisy Edgar-Jones. The 27-year-old actress has just been announced as Estée Lauder's newest global brand ambassador, and we were lucky enough to catch up with her about the new venture. "It’s truly like a dream come true," she tells us. "I’ve loved Estée Lauder as a brand for a very long time. [It] really [feels] like such a symbol of timeless beauty, so to be a part of that legacy feels very, very special and actually incredibly surreal. It was the makeup and skincare I grew up loving and watched my mum put on, so it feels amazing to be part of the brand."

Below, we ask Daisy all about her go-to makeup products, her best beauty advice and even her signature scent...

1. Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?
I would probably reach for the Estée Lauder Pure Color Melt-On Glosstick, because they [give] a real pop of colour and add a lot of vibrancy to the day. They are instant fun.

2. Could you talk us through your skincare routine?
I’m very religious with my skincare routine; it’s very important to me. [In the morning], I usually wash my face with just water, and then I always use Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum, because it’s really hydrating and moisturising. It [also] smells incredible.

3. You’ve got a spot. Are you team pop it or team leave it alone?
I wish I were team leave it alone! I know [I] should be! But I find it very challenging not to pop. As I’m entering my late 20s, I’m getting a little better at [being] team leave it alone.

4. Which of the characters you’ve played do you think would have the best beauty routine, and why?
I just played a character called Cate in a movie called A Place in Hell, which will be coming out this year, and she [is] a very high-powered lawyer who always has a blowdry and her nails done. She 100% has a very meticulous ritual to her mornings, and I think she would probably have the most impressive beauty routine. She always wears beautiful eye shadow and lashes, and everything is perfectly put together.

5. What are your top tips for keeping your fringe looking so good?
Oh my gosh, it’s a challenge! I would say get really, really good at learning how to blow-dry it. That’s something I’ve trained myself to do. And you need to find the person who’s going to give you the best fringe trim, because it all starts with the cut.

6. What’s the best piece of beauty advice that you have ever received?
If you have oily skin, you should moisturise. I think I always thought that if you have oily skin, you should wash it and strip your skin of oils, but actually, the more moisture you apply, the less [oil] your skin produces to deal with the dryness.

7. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it?
I think it would probably be Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation. I think it’s such a great, reliable product that you know isn't going to budge throughout the day. It has that kind of mattifying effect, but it is very lightweight and easy to apply.

8. Do you have a signature fragrance?
I don’t. I like to mix it up. But I love fragrances that have a real zesty-ness to them, and something that wakes me up and feels very vibrant.

9. You’re having your nails done. What’s your go-to colour?
I quite like a sheer nude. It feels like it goes with everything. Sometimes, if I’m feeling experimental, I’ll go for a nice rich brown or a burgundy, but most of the time it’s a sheer nude.

10. What's your favourite lipstick colour?
I gravitate towards lighter, sheer pinks; there’s an Estée Lauder Pure Color Melt-On Glosstick in Melted Melon. It’s one of my favourites. It’s like a really sheer pink; it can look like your natural lips, but it’s got a little bit of something.

11. What’s your biggest beauty no-no?
Filling in my eyebrows just doesn't suit me. My eyebrows are where most of my acting work comes from. I’ve got very expressive eyebrows!

12. Candles, reed diffusers or nothing at all?
Everything! I love candles, I love diffusers… I was recently given these little ceramic balls that you put in a bowl, and you spray them. That’s amazing, and it really lasts. All things candles and smells! There’s a hotel in Los Angeles called The Edition, and it has a collaboration with Le Labo. They have a signature scent just for this hotel. I stayed there once and fell in love with it. I bought every candle they had.

13. Are you team dewy or matte?
I’m team matte, just because I often leave the house for a very long time and don’t have time to come back and apply [my makeup], and I love that a matte [finish] is something that you know is going to stay. I often find that if I go too dewy, my skin drinks up all the makeup. But I like a matte that feels lightweight and wearable, and still looks like your skin, but a little more elevated.

14. What's the greatest drugstore product for under £10?
I would say cotton buds. Just because I'm often quite messy [with makeup], and I feel like whenever I forget my cotton buds, it's such a key part of my makeup routine.

15. Describe your brows in one word
Expressive!

16. Makeup primer: love it or hate it?
I feel like if you have a good enough skincare routine in the morning, you don’t need it. I don’t use it; I feel like I concentrate more on my skincare routine.

17. Confession time: how often do you clean your makeup brushes?
I’m ashamed to say that for a while, it would be, like, once every six months, but now I’m getting a lot better.

18. Which era of beauty inspires you most?
I’ve always very much gravitated towards '60s makeup and hair. I love how bold they were with colour, but also, for me, one of the products I can’t live without is mascara, and I love the kind of chunky mascara of that time; it was so distinctive.

19. Eyelash curlers: love them or hate them?
Love them.

20. Best beauty hack?
I would say the thing that I’ve found so useful is over-lining my lips. It’s something a lot of makeup artists do, but with very nude colours or "shadow" tones, so it’s more about contouring to give the effect of a slightly fuller lip, but it kind of disappears into your skin.

21. What do you do in your downtime to relax and reset?
I’m a massive fan of journaling. I journal all the time. My favourite thing to do at the start of every year is set up my [new] journal, decide on a theme for the year and set myself little goals and challenges.

Shop Daisy Edgar-Jones' Favourite Beauty Products:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know the answers to, like their favourite restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, the little loves of their life.

Roxanne First founded her eponymous London-based jewellery brand in 2018, and her pieces are crafted to celebrate individuality, creativity and timeless cool. Her bracelets, charms, pendant necklaces, earrings and rings are designed to be mixed, matched, layered and stacked, sparkling with conflict-free, ethically sourced diamonds, precious stones and 14k gold. Thought dopamine dressing was just for clothing? Think again. Roxanne brings that same sentiment to her fine jewellery designs through rainbow-bright colour, cheeky motifs, unexpected combinations and a personalisation offering. Here, she gives us an insight into her world.

Thank you, Roxanne! Follow her here.

What do you always have in your handbag?

No particularly thrilling contents, unfortunately; I actively avoid being a mule (and when I don't need a handbag, I avoid carrying one). Hand sanitiser is a constant, followed by essentials: lip balm, AirPods, wallet, notebook and keys, plus a foldable bag for optimism. I carry a beanie or a cap depending on the forecast, and a makeup bag filled with essentials: antihistamines, paracetamol and Cicaplast. Practical, not glamorous.

Where's you favourite place to walk or explore in London?

I’ve recently moved to Richmond, so I love walking along the river (I know—that's pretty basic of me, but it is gorgeous) and down to Petersham Nurseries. Richmond Park is pretty great too, though it does get quite busy on weekends. Holland Park is also pretty special.

It’s a sunny Sunday, and you haven’t got any plans. How do you fill your day?

My ideal Sunday starts with coffee in bed and the papers, with my boyfriend James and our bulldog Boicey. Then it’s out for a long walk, often followed by something to eat. The rest of the day is unapologetically slow; sofa or garden slouching only, because Sundays, rain or shine, are all about rest and reset.

Do you have a secret date-night spot that you'd recommend?

The Hart in Marylebone.

Which neighbourhood do you consider your own?

North West London. I miss it terribly.

Favourite city for inspiration?

Cape Town. I was born in Johannesburg, and my parents live in South Africa. I visit often, and the moment I land, the sunshine and even the smell of the air hit me. There’s truly nowhere else like it. The city is full of colour. Everywhere you look, the scenery feels cinematic, and the atmosphere is completely magnetic.

What's your favourite gallery?

Hauser & Wirth. I recently visited their space in Menorca, and it’s pretty special, as is its restaurant, Cantina. I love that their galleries are destinations in themselves, whether that’s Somerset or New York. Their ethos really resonates with me, and they represent some truly incredible artists.

Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?

Photos are dotted around the house from when I was growing up in South Africa, summer trips to Venice (my maternal grandparents were both born in Venice) and from family holidays over the years. I’m lucky to have a pretty amazing group of creative friends, and for my 40th birthday, a few of them gifted me beautiful pieces they’d created themselves, [so] those are [particularly] special to me.

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

A 40th birthday gift: a bracelet, given to me by my boyfriend. I plan never to take it off.

You can pick three fashion brands to wear for the rest of your life. What are they, and why?

Róhe, Bode and Miu Miu. Róhe feels effortlessly cool and does superb staples. Bode… I honestly can’t even begin to explain how much I love this brand. And Miu Miu, for great outerwear and knitwear that always feels fun but wearable.

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

I created a bracelet using diamonds I’d been given over the years, all in different shapes—round, heart, emerald and marquise—and brought them together into a single piece set in 18k white gold. It’s incredibly special to me, as is my engagement ring.

If we were to look in your Saved folder on Instagram now, what would we find?

Travel, interiors, art, makeup tutorials (despite the fact I wear very little [makeup] day to day) and vintage jewellery collectors. Nothing groundbreaking, just the good stuff.

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

South Africa. It's magic.

What's your favourite item to pack when you go on holiday?

Bode shirts and Roxanne First beaded jewellery.

What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the world, and what would you order?

In Venice, where my grandparents are from, there’s a restaurant called Vini Da Arturo that serves the best carciofi (artichoke) pasta I’ve ever eaten. When I visited last year, I loved it so much I ordered a second bowl. There are only a handful of tables, and one waiter looks after everyone. It's one of a kind.

What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?

My Klira prescription. Easy.

What are your favourite three movies of all time?

Practical Magic, Good Will Hunting and The Shawshank Redemption.

What’s your most-played artist, playlist or album on Spotify?

I have a fairly eclectic (possibly weird) music taste. My most-played jumps from Bruce Springsteen to Robyn, via Taylor Swift and Mumford & Sons, with a few unexpected detours along the way.

Share a piece of advice someone you love gave you that always stuck.

Every day is a school day. Never stop learning.

What’s your favourite scent?

I always mix a few. On the current rotation are Escentric Molecules 1 and 2, Jo Malone 154 and Queer Magic by Urania.

Do you collect anything? If so, what?

Trinkets from all over the world, and jewellery, for obvious reasons.

What’s your latest obsession? 

At the moment, I’m trying to convince my boyfriend that we need a short-haired chihuahua called Dave. We already have a British Bulldog named Boicey, and I think they’d make the ultimate duo. Watch this space.

Coffee, tea, wine or cocktail—what’s your poison?

A (good) coffee, always.

Who is your professional hero? 

Honestly, I don’t have just one; I listen to a lot of business podcasts and try to take something valuable from most people. Although, I have a pretty big crush on Anya Hindmarch.

Who is your personal hero?

My late granny, Clarice. I didn’t have enough time with her and often wish I’d had more. After a difficult divorce, she returned to work to support her children, becoming the third female stockbroker in Johannesburg. She lived through a pivotal time in South Africa’s history and spent 90 days in prison for aiding Nelson Mandela during apartheid. Her sister-in-law and brother-in-law were Ruth and Joe Slovo. [She was] a wicked tennis player, an amazing mother and one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. We had Friday "fun days"; she’d pick me up from school for doughnuts and trips to my favourite toy shop. This earned her the nickname "granny spender".

Who are the loves of your life?

My boyfriend James, my mum and dad and my best mates. I'd be nowhere without them.

What is the love of your life?

Jewellery.

Shop Roxanne's Edit:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

Next up is Montana Brown. Born in Hertfordshire, England, Montana is a wellness advocate, voice for modern motherhood, red-carpet host and, most recently, a hospitality entrepreneur.

Co-founded with her fiancé, Mark O’Connor, her luxury wellness-led sanctuary, Saltmoore, has already made its name as one of the UK’s most exciting new hotels. Situated on the North Yorkshire coast, the 19th-century estate seamlessly blends modern coastal luxury with holistic spa treatments, fine dining, and immersive outdoor experiences. With a hands-on approach to every element of its creation, from interior design to wellness programming, Saltmoore is a clear reflection of Montana’s personal vision.

Montana is also a mother of two and offers candid insights into postpartum life, body image, as well as balancing her family life with her wide range of professional projects.

What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the whole world? And what would you order?

It’s got to be Koji in Parsons Green it’s my favourite restaurant. Easiest question ever! I'd order crispy rice x 10.

  Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?

I have a box filled with cards from all my loved ones over the years, along with old photos and memorabilia from special places.

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and a Vyrao Mini Perfume.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?

Stilton cheese and salted, thinly sliced tomatoes on a water biscuit.

Who are the people who fill up your cup? 

Nothing quite fills the cup like my female friendships

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

Barbados. I grew up going there on holiday, I met my partner there on New Year's Eve, and we’ve brought our kids there every year since, so it’s really special.

  Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

I have my mum's mum's wedding ring, which is really simple but really special, as I never met her.

 In your spare time, what do you love to do?

I love reading at the moment and, of course, long baths.

 Do you have a secret date-night spot in Yorkshire?

It has to be the Brasserie at Saltmoore, start off with drinks in the Lounge bar, playing a board game with wine, then the yummiest food of all time!



  The one spot you take out-of-towners when you want to impress them?

I always take people to pubs local to us, not necessarily impressive, but I love places that are rustic, modest, and have impressive food. There’s a gorgeous spot called The Trooper in Aldbury that has very good food, and it’s near where we live. 



 Your favourite stores?

MyTheresa, SpaceNK and Healf!

Finish this line… “home is where….”


You’re comfortable enough to wear pyjamas.

It’s a sunny Sunday in Whitby and you haven’t got any plans… How do you fill your day? 

I don’t think you can beat Sandsend beach. There is the best sandwich shop of all time called Mary’s, so I would grab sandwiches, walk on the beach, and take a dip! 



What’s your favourite dish in a restaurant you always go back to?


I have to say, at Saltmoore we have light bites to die for—cod cheek bites and cheese croquettes, which I’m still dreaming about. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Your favourite place to walk in Yorkshire?

Has to be the North York moors, it’s absolutely breathtaking, and so different to any other horizon you’ve ever seen.

Which item of clothing would you never ever part with? And why?

I live in Chelsea Peers pyjamas and Skims tracksuits. I hate being uncomfortable, so you’ll rarely catch me in jeans they’re a form of torture. 



What’s your most-played on Spotify? An artist, playlist or album?

Olivia Dean, Ella Langley and Raye.


If we were to look in your saved folder on IG now, what would we find?

Lots of recipes for my children. I feel like I cook them the loveliest home-cooked meals because I’ve developed into a bit of a crunchy mum… 


Favourite city for inspiration? 

Los Angeles. I always come away from there feeling like anything is possible and meet the most interesting people.

Favourite item to pack when you go on a staycation?

Drowsy eyemask, SOS balm and bath salts from Ilapothecary, and a Slip pillow case! (If you don’t know, you must get to know).

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe (can be accessories, footwear or clothing of course) 

I’m not too attached to clothing; however, my pyjamas, tracksuits, and I have one classic Chanel flap bag, which I love.

What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?

Armani's Luminous Silk foundation. I just don’t think there’s anything better out there! Hourglass' blush and lip liners are also incredible.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Chinese or Japanese food.

 What are your favourite 3 movies of all time?

I’m going to preface this with… I had a habit for a long time of only wanting to watch films that I’d already seen in case I didn’t like them! How to Lose a Guy in 10 days, A Star is Born, Mamma Mia 2.

Share a piece of advice that someone you love gave you that always stuck

My partner always tells me when I’m being a bit overambitious or risky with something, “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”, so that has always stuck with me, although not sure if I do a good job of taking it onboard!

What’s your favourite scent? 

I love the original Chloe scent, but also their Cedrus version is to die for.

Do you collect anything, if so, what?

I have started getting things from countries that we visit, whether it be a beautiful shell from the beach, or something handmade by somebody from that country. I just like the idea of little things from all over the world in our home that remind us of the memories.

What’s your latest obsession?

I am getting quite obsessed with avoiding UPFs and how to optimise my and my family’s health. It’s harder than you’d think, unfortunately.

You can pick 3 fashion brands to wear for the rest of your life, what are they and why

COS from the high street, they’re elevated, but so chic. Wardrobe NYC have the best staples and timeless pieces, and Magda Butrym is just such a talented designer, I’m a huge fan.

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?

I love red wine. Either a Châteauneuf-du-Pape or The Guv'nor.

 Who is your professional hero? 

Michelle Obama, without a doubt, is so incredibly smart, charismatic, funny, but also so disciplined and no-nonsense.

Who is your personal hero? 

My mum, who was a single mum, worked full-time, and I just have no idea how she did it with little to no support. She is very successful and has also given me such an amazing life.

  Who is/who are the love/s of your life?

My family, friends and my Vizsla Zola

What is the love of your life?  

My children, of course, there’s no love quite like it!

Shop Montana's Edit

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

British actor Miriam Petche is returning for the highly anticipated fourth season of HBO/BBC's Industry. Miriam returns to the beloved role of main new graduate, Sweetpea Golightly, a strong, straight-talking Gen Z-er who American Vogue labelled the "breakout star" of the show's third series. Critics called her a "season standout", "captivating" and "scene-stealing", and she is sure to do the same with her even more prominent role this season.

As a child, Miriam began acting on hit kids' show The Worst Witch for the BBC alongside Bella Ramsey. She is currently filming a leading role in ITV's true-crime drama Believe Me. We caught up with Miriam between her hectic work schedule to get the lowdown on the loves of her life.

Thanks for chatting to us, Miriam!

What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the whole world, and what would you order?

I don’t know if I have a number one, but a new restaurant called Patio just opened in Brighton, and I’m currently in love. We’ll see where the relationship goes…

Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?

Everything—I’m a very sentimental person. But I have a specific cat toy from when I was a baby. That cat is going absolutely nowhere.

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

Old packets of gum and probably an unused plaster. Sorry, I know it’s gross.

Who are the people who fill up your cup?

My mum, dad, sister and my friends. A cliché answer, but they truly are the loves of my life.

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

I’ve always wanted to live in New York, so if the offer is there…

It’s a sunny Sunday at home and you have no plans—how do you fill your day?

I’m heading to the beach with my mum and the dogs, and we’ll get a tuna melt sandwich. Then in the evening, I’m going for a roast with my friends. After that, a bath and The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. And then a hot chocolate.

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

I got my sister and me matching chains when she graduated from medical school. That’s very sentimental to me.

What do you love to do in your spare time?

I love a long, long bath—the whole works: salts, candles and foam.

Do you have a secret date-night spot?

I should probably go on more dates to know the answer to that one. But any hidden cocktail bar sounds like a vibe.

Which item of clothing would you never part with? And why?

My black wool coat comes out every winter. It is a part of my personality at this point; it's an extension of me.

What’s your most-played on Spotify?

I’ve been listening to Tame Impala, Rosalía, Lily Allen and Ariana Grande’s most recent albums on repeat.

If we looked in your Saved folder on Instagram right now, what would we find?

So many cocktail and food recipes—I have lots of friends' gatherings coming up, and I need to be prepared. And any Real Housewives content I feel I need to check back in on.

Favourite city for inspiration?

London, of course.

Favourite item to pack when you go on holiday?

My Kindle (it’s actually my mum’s), but I’m living a new life with my Kindle. I didn’t know what life could be with a Kindle but I do now. I love it so much.

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

A pair of black, knee-high, pointed-toe boots that my sister got me for my birthday a few years ago. They’ve seen many nights out and will see many more.

What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?

Does my skincare routine count? Great makeup starts with great skin, and I finally have my routine down.

What are your trailer essentials? Anything that’s a must-have on set?

[I'm] still figuring this out, but I started making small tins of dates and chocolate to bring to set as a midday snack; a treat from morning me.

What’s comfort food to you?

So many things. But dippy eggs have made a huge comeback in my life recently—dippy eggs and Marmite. My sister reintroduced them, and I’ve had them every day for about three months.

What are your three favourite movies of all time?

[It] changes all the time, so don’t hold me to this, but the three I love are: The Shining, Jaws and Parasite.

Share a piece of advice someone you love gave you that always stuck.

That your softness is special and saved for those who value it.

What’s your favourite scent?

My dogs (when they’re clean!), or vanilla pods when you open them for the first time.

Do you collect anything?

No, I wish I did. Should I say memories… is that cringey?

What’s your latest obsession?

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.

Best cinema in your hometown?

Duke of York’s Picturehouse! I love you! You’ll always be famous to me.

You can pick three fashion brands to wear for the rest of your life—what are they?

The Frankie Shop, Damson Madder and & Other Stories.

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?

All four… at the same time. I’m joking. But I have space in my life for all four. Is that bad?

Who is your professional hero?

In terms of performances that inspired me: Barbara Streisand, Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver. But there are always new films and pieces of theatre that introduce new actors and actresses to me that I will no doubt find amazing.

Who is your personal hero?

My mum. Love you, girl.

Who are the loves of your life?

My mum, dad, sister, my best friend, Abbie and all of my friends!

What is the love of your life?

Would it be funny if I said "myself"?

Shop Miriam's Edit:

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat, and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Willow Smith. The 25-year-old singer and Dior Beauty ambassador stars in the new Dior Addict campaign alongside Anya Taylor-Joy and Jisoo, celebrating three new fragrances and two new finishes of the iconic Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil. We were lucky enough to catch up with her about the new venture. "I’m so honoured to be a part of it," she tells us. "Being alongside Anya and Jisoo was amazing. Both of them are such strong, artistic women. When all three of us get into the room, and we can talk and laugh and enjoy each other’s company. Those are my favourite memories."

Below, we ask Willow all about her go-to makeup products, her best beauty advice and her new signature perfume.

1. What’s the best piece of beauty advice that you've ever received?
I would have to say, treat your body like a temple. My mum has definitely instilled that within me.

2. If you could steal someone else’s makeup bag, whose would it be?
I would probably steal FKA Twigs' makeup bag.

3. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it? A really, really great moisturiser. Honestly, good old shea butter.

4. So many musicians have doubled up as beauty icons over the years. Is there anyone that you take inspiration from?
I would say Grace Jones and FKA Twigs for pure individuality and uniqueness.

5. Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?
I love the Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil. The Black Cherry one is amazing. One of my guilty pleasures is just how soft the applicator is.

6. What’s your biggest beauty no-no?
I must take my makeup off before bed. I rarely forget to take my makeup off. That’s a big one for me.

7. You’re having your nails done. What’s your go-to colour?
Probably a darker shade.

8. What's your signature fragrance?
There’s a raspberry fragrance in this campaign [Dior Addict Purple Glow], which is really amazing.

9. Best makeup hack?
I really wish I were better at doing my own makeup, but I leave that to the professionals. If your friend knows how to do makeup, get them to do yours!

10. Are you team dewy or matte?
Dewy, most definitely.

11. What do you do in your downtime to relax and reset?
I love reading, I love listening to podcasts and spending time with my animals.

12. Are there any books or podcasts you're loving at the moment?
Ologies [with] Alie Ward.

Shop Willow Smith's Favourite Beauty Products:

Step into the universe of the coolest creatives in the fashion industry with Who What Wear US's new series My World, where readers will discover how the top stylists, designers, and tastemakers built their careers; their favourite under-the-radar restaurants and hotels, beloved deep-cut album, and fashion finds; etiquette rules they stand by; and so much more.

The year was 2007. Images of a then fairly unknown Brit appeared in blog posts online and the pages of magazines. She was attending Glastonbury Music Festival clad in a leather motorcycle jacket, striped tee, denim shorts, and tight over-the-knee boots. She appeared seemingly out of nowhere and quickly took hold of the zeitgeist in a way that could only really happen in the mid-2000s. Her name was Alexa Chung and her je ne sais quoi was as difficult to put your finger on as it was influential.

For many of us, the first "style icon" who ever held influence over us was none other than Chung. Long before the social media algorithms or Pinterest boards, there was a little website called Tumblr.com, where you would search for and collect fashion and cultural inspiration, and Chung was its reigning queen supreme.

Flash forward to the present day, and Chung is the multi-hyphenate supreme, floating effortlessy between creative pursuits and deftly defying any single concrete label. On the one hand, she's a published author. Her coffee table book, It, comprised of personal writings, drawings, and photographs, was published in 2014, and she's a regular contributor to the Financial Times. But she's also a model, having walked recent runways for Chloé and Miu Miu, and when she's not modelling, she's seated front row at their shows. And lest we forget she's a designer in her own right, too, having helmed her eponymous ready-to-wear label from 2017 to 2022, and she is currently collaborating with Madewell on her third capsule collection for the brand.

Ahead, Chung shares more about her career journey that led her to the ultimate It-girl title, her perpetually sold-out collaboration Madewell, where she likes to spend her rare downtime while at home in London, and so much more. Step into Chung's world.

You’ve worn so many hats over the years, from your design and business ventures to being a published author. I'm sure it's impossible to choose, but if you had to drop everything to focus on one thing, what would it be?

I'd love to be a creative director because that job encompasses everything. I do enjoy design, but I also love art direction and thinking about how people wear the clothes and the life that they live. Storytelling is quite important to me, so I enjoy all of that. You get to do the copywriting for the website, but you also get to seed out the gifting and think about strategy with influencers. And you're doing design and styling and campaign imagery—you're at the top of the funnel.

You've just launched the third instalment of your collection for Madewell. What were some of the references on your mood board when designing this one?

I wanted it to be a lot more personal and a celebration of my own wardrobe and personal style. I had this amazing image on my mood board of Fran Lebowitz, who's obviously an iconic New York character. There's an amazing image of her on a white sofa or armchair at an Oscars party, and to me, it evoked the exact atmosphere and feeling that I was trying to create in this collection, which is that sort of holiday-season party where you're dressed up. In this particular photo, she's wearing a tuxedo, but our response to it, I made a tuxedo jumpsuit, which I really love because it's casual but also dressed-up.

What is one item on your shopping list at the moment?

I love shoes at the moment that are almond-toe mini heels, like a modern take on an '80s heel. I love that you can wear that with thick socks, and you feel quite put-together, even if you're in denim and a sweatshirt. An unexpected colored sock and then those little '80s shoes would look so cute.

What would you say is the most quintessentially British thing about your wardrobe?

It's that I've got more outerwear and coats than I have anything else. There's actually a real problem in terms of space versus reality. Even though I have a wardrobe, I have a rolling rack of just coats because I don't have enough space. I love outerwear so much, so I think that's the tell that I'm a Brit because I'm really committed to surviving all weather and still going outside. I won't take the cab. I'll walk to the tube regardless.

You’ve worn so many iconic looks over the years. Is there one that you look back on fondly? What’s the story behind how it came to life?

The first one that comes to mind is the Loewe silk dress with the trompe l'oeil trench coat printed onto it. I just want to own that, and [after I borrowed it to wear to the 2023 British Vogue Forces for Change party], the courier came to pick it up at 9 a.m. the next morning, like Cinderella, and I just think about it all the time. I think I'd wear it all the time.

Many consider you a style icon, but who would you say are your own style icons?

I think Fran Lebowitz for sticking to her guns and wearing just one look essentially. Then, there's this brand in Paris called Husbands that does men's tailoring. The designer and owner, Nicolas Gabard, is the chicest man in the world. And then, I love Mrs. Prada. I mean, still keeping us on our toes, like when she came out to take a bow [at the end of the Prada spring/summer 2026 show] and was wearing a silk shawl. And then I do find myself looking at old pictures of Lee Radziwill, especially when she's in her 40s or 50s, [when] she started wearing a lot of one-shoulder gowns.

What is one detail about your home that people would be surprised by?

I love putting pictures in weird places. This is a print by Tracey Emin that I love, and I hung it on my bedroom door. It makes a really annoying clanging noise when you open the door, but I put up with it because I love how it looks.

Where is your favorite local spot that feels like an extension of your home?

I love Dover Street Market in London. I have lunch there at the Rose Bakery on my own all the time.

What is the one travel destination you can't stop dreaming about?

Le Sirenuse. I went in early summer to this stunning hotel in Positano and find myself scrolling back to the pictures to admire their interiors and the chronic vistas.

What is an item you bring to keep yourself grounded when traveling?

Charvet slippers. I ended up getting the silver pair, but now wish I got red! What they lack in friendliness they more than make up for in mega shirts and pyjamas. Haha.

What is Alexa Chung's ultimate party trick?

Me and my friends play a lot of Trivial Pursuit but without the board. You all as a team have to get through one card before you can go to bed, and it usually takes far too long. Sports really trips us up.

Since Manhattan was a huge source of inspiration for your Madewell collection, which are your favorite quintessentially New York films that you revisited?

I think there's something really fun about observing American culture as an outsider and romanticizing it, and what helps me drive that home, in my mind, is all of the movies that I watched or associate with Manhattan. Manhattan, Annie Hall, and then also Taxi Driver even, honestly, Die Hard, and Party Girl, that movie Parker Posey's in.

What band or album are you currently listening to on repeat?

I love Fontaine’s D.C. I caught their gig at Finsbury Park recently.

You’re widely regarded as an It girl, and even the title of your book is a reference. What is your relationship like with that term, and has it changed over the years?

I think that when I first started, that was confusing to people in Britain, because I would write things for a newspaper at the time, and then I would host a TV show, and then I would make clothes. That was 2007, and they'd be like, "Oh, she's an It girl."

Nowadays, it doesn't necessarily resonate with me, but I do find it an interesting term for other people. I don't think the term will ever go away, either, because it is so exciting and powerful when when someone turns up and offers a new energy that feels really modern, and you can't really describe what that factor or that allure or that charisma is that they possess.

Are there any fashion eras your closet has seen that you never want to relive?

Peter Pan collars make me unwell at this point. Like, I just can't. Even a Mary Jane, to a certain extent.

If we were to peek into your camera roll, what would we see a lot of?

I randomly take a lot of pictures of fonts for inspiration for graphic design in the future in case I need them for T-shirts or other projects.

Shop Alexa Chung for Madewell

Most people would baulk at the idea of a whole crew of people rocking up to their home with a camera, mic and multiple lights. Not Angela Scanlon. The Irish broadcaster, author and podcaster, known for hosting shows on the BBC and RTÉ, as well as her weekend breakfast show on Virgin Radio, is charmingly open, friendly and welcoming, not to mention well-versed in photoshoots and being camera-ready. On a hazy October day, we were greeted warmly upon entering her family abode in North London, and met with the familiar smile, character and face we know so well from primetime TV, her Instagram (give her a follow!) and her presence on the front row of fashion shows.

Angela's first foray into the spotlight stemmed from her work as a stylist, which led to the world of TV and broadcasting. Her first major documentary Oi Ginger! aired on RTE in 2014 to critical acclaim. This led to a follow-up series, Angela Scanlon: Full Frontal, which tackled taboo subjects such as extreme makeovers, fitness and nudity. Since beginning her work with the BBC, Angela has hosted The One Show, cult classic Robot Wars, BBC Two’s hit interior design show Your Home Made Perfect, as well as coverage of T in the Park festival and the BAFTAs.

Angela has her own Saturday night chat show on RTÉ One, titled Ask Me Anything, and, in 2023, she took part in the BBC hit show Strictly Come Dancing. In 2022, Angela published her debut book, Joyrider, to rave reviews. Part memoir, part self-help guide, Joyrider sees Angela chart her own journey into the world of self-development. With no desire to slow down, 2025 has seen Angela take up more spots on the radio and TV, as well as launching the very viral (and very funny) podcast Get A Grip, alongside co-host Vicky Pattison.

Angela is well known for her eclectic personal style, as well as her jewellery line FRKL., so we took a snoop around her kaleidoscopic wardrobe, full of IYKYK pieces, luxury handbags, cult high-street buys and vintage gems. During our interview, she modelled some of her most treasured pieces and chatted about her journey into fashion, TV and radio. Read on for our exclusive conversation and Angela's shopping picks.

Thank you for having us, Angela!

You grew up in County Meath, Ireland. How did that influence your personal style?

Yes, I grew up in County Meath, which is just outside of Dublin, but I was very much a country kid. I’m one of four girls, and I think I probably used fashion from a really early age to kind of stand out. I don't know that I did that effectively, but I was definitely interested in what I was wearing and how I would kind of put outfits together to… really, to get attention. But I'd wear things relentlessly. I'd become quite fixated on specific things. I remember a pair of Levi jeans I had when I was 11 or 12 that I cut on the inside leg so they flared out over my trainers, and an Umbro Sports top that I inherited from my older sister that I thought was the coolest thing that had ever existed in my life. So I was definitely into fashion and style from an early age.

What's your earliest fashion memory?

I remember for my Holy Communion when I was about 8, I inherited a dress from my older sister, and I really wanted my own dress, but it was not happening—you literally wear it for one day. We were recycling this dress, and I agreed, as if I had any choice to wear said dress, if I could "style" it in my own way. So I took this dress and I got a hoop underneath it so it sat out like a real puffy kind of skirt, rather than just like a straight skirt.

And I got like a flower crown and I got this beautiful—I wish I still had it—little silk kind of pouch bag with an elasticated handle on it and kind of pearl detailing. And I just remember feeling so cool. And then to top it off, I did like a polka dot white tight with black patent shoes, those old school princess shoes with the little key in it, which was very, very unusual and in my mind, it was my moment to show that I was like, had big ideas about myself. And so, yes, I wore black shoes for my communion.

How would you describe your personal style today, and how has it changed since you were younger?

I think it's probably not wildly dissimilar. I kind of swing between super comfortable, like trackies, a great jumper and a shirt tied around my waist with a jacket. So that's on the kind of day-to-day. I quite like a tomboy, like slightly androgynous, very effortless looking, like stuff that I wear over and over again. I think that has not changed. Or then if I'm out, I'm out. I really quite like getting inappropriately overdressed for things. So it's either full-on off-duty hobo or it's like a serious glam but like with a twist, it's almost like slightly drag. I like for things to be kind of you know, like over the top. I love an over-the-top kind of moment.

If we looked through your wardrobe on any day, what could we expect to find?

I think it’s clear from the pictures, but quite a bit of colour. I would say a lot of denim. Denim is the foundational piece in my wardrobe, so lots of denim. I like a frou-frou skirt for going out, but I also like it with a jumper. So I very much like that high-low kind of mix of super over the top and very underdressed or very ladylike, very girly, you know, saccharine sweet with something much tougher and rougher, kind of boyish stuff.

How does hair and beauty play into how you choose to experiment with your look now?

I don't actually experiment that much. I mean, I’m like a skincare nut but tend to be relatively classic when it comes to makeup. So I would say I play it quite low-fi. I love a big brow. I love great skin and kind of will play with a lip on occasion. Hair, I like to look undone usually. I'm a big fan of a wet look, which looks literally like you've just got out of the shower and ploughed on. That, to me, is, like, so sexy, understated, Parisian, but like super glam. And I think I did have those kinds of icons that I looked up to that just looked like they had made no effort at all, but were so cool. Comfortable, I think. And that's not a sexy word when we talk about fashion often, but like to be comfortable in your own skin and with what you're wearing and in your choices and really feel like yourself, I suppose.

Indulge us: what one fashion faux pas do you regret?

Oh, God. I wore this outfit to the Glamour Awards years and years ago. It was by a gorgeous independent London designer called Solace London and was a great piece, but the colour was not for me! It was a salmon-pink look with flared trousers and a tunic top. But, I mean, I'm kind of salmon-coloured myself, so it really did not work for me. I looked like a condom, frankly.

What are your all-time favourite fashion brands? And do you have some new brands on your radar that you just can’t gatekeep?

I love, love, love Simone Rocha. I like Toteme, I like J.W. Anderson and Stella McCartney.

You have a series on Instagram titled Things I Love That My Husband Hates. What inspired you to kick this off?

Honestly, it started with interiors, and I was like, here are a few random things in my house that my husband really doesn't like, but I'm definitely not throwing away, and then we moved to doing it with fashion, and it just kind of hit a chord. I grew up in the late-'90s, early noughties, when women were absolutely supposed to look a very particular way, very much about dressing for the male gaze. It was low-slung jeans. It was midriffs, it was boobs. It was all of those things. And so I think this is my retaliation against that, and I kind of sense that actually I'm dressing for the girls and for the gays and really, I am dressing for myself ultimately.

And so things that I like, I kind of don't really mind if you like or don't like, you know. In reality, my husband couldn't give a monkey's—he's well used to seeing all of the weird and wonderful things that I wear, but I definitely think it's kind of tapped into something in people who are hopefully going, do you know what? It's given them the impetus to think, fuck it, just wear it.

Who's on your list of all-time style icons? Are there any women, past or present, whose wardrobe you'd like to raid?

I would say, although this feels a bit clichéd, I love an Olsen twin. Mary-Kate, probably most specifically. I just have always kind of loved her individuality, really. And I think she just puts together an outfit like nobody else. And again, to that point, it looks like she just rolled literally out of bed, and whatever was on the floor stuck to her in the most perfect configuration. So yeah, she's the one.

You’re a woman who wears many hats: a brand founder, a broadcaster, an author and a podcaster. How does what you wear change for each of these roles?

I think, again, it comes back to that kind of comfort, and different things will be comfortable for different roles. I guess when I'm doing TV, I can flex that muscle and kind of indulge myself a bit in the slightly more OTT things. And I really do that, like I did a chat show in Ireland, and I really played a lot with my wardrobe in that sense, and I think that's something that I very much enjoy.

For our podcast Get A Grip, it kind of flits. I'm either in a pair of jeans and an old vintage T-shirt (again, I'm comfortable). We're sitting on a couch for a couple of hours, so I don't want to be pulling at clothes that make me think about what I'm wearing rather than what I'm saying. So comfort is absolutely key. And then when I'm working on FRKL, you know, if we're shooting, I'll throw some clothes on, but ordinarily I often work from my bed or the kitchen table following the school run. So I come home and get on with it. So there are definitely different gears. And sometimes I arrive at the school gates on my way to a meeting and, you know, it's a different version for sure.

When did you realise what you wanted to do in your career, and was it an easy decision?

I studied business at university, and then I wanted to set up a boutique and a brand, and then I worked in that space. I worked as a stylist. I worked as a personal shopper, which I absolutely loved, and realised that actually it was the people as much as the clothes that I loved dealing with day to day. And then from that got into tele doing, you know, very much fashion TV. And once I did that, I thought, Oh, this is what I love. I love live television. I love the kind of pressure and excitement that live TV offers.

It makes me feel both terrified and exhilarated at once, and there aren't many things—bar a skydive—that can do that. And that's impractical a few times a week! So once I had kind of started to do TV, I really felt like I had found what I was supposed to be doing. So yes, it was an easy decision in that sense, but I had to continue balancing my work with styling to actually pay my rent and then trying to build up my TV side of things. So it was certainly not quick, but it was an easy decision.

What one outfit can you rely on to know you'll feel the most confident and beautiful in?

We actually shot this piece, but I would say the John Rocha petal organza skirt, which again is a bit OTT, but I sometimes wear it with jeans underneath and a great T-shirt or a jumper and a big pair of boots. So I kind of have worn it for my wedding, but also for a million other things.

What's your proudest "pinch me" moment?

Oh, God. There've been so many, really. I would say maybe getting my own radio show. So I took over from Graham Norton's slot on Virgin Radio, and I do that every Saturday morning, and I absolutely love it. I love the intimacy of radio, and I love, again, that it's live. So yeah, to just kind of sit in that slot and have my own kind of thing felt really, really special.

Who are some of your favourite women in the industry to work with, and what did you learn from them?

Oh my God, so many. Some of them I haven't worked with, but obviously Vicky [Pattison], whom I work alongside in co-hosting our podcast Get A Grip. I absolutely adore her, and I have learned not to be so afraid, I suppose, of showing myself and not always "performing". That has definitely been a lesson, and we have so much craic.

I worked on the radio a bit, and my path would cross with Zoe Ball a lot, and I absolutely love her. I think she's just brilliant. And obviously, when I did Strictly with Claudia and Tess. I’m just really inspired by these women who are managing incredible careers alongside family life and attempting that elusive balance and making it look somewhat effortless, even though it's anything but. So I guess I really admire people, women who are tenacious and determined and who are kind of fearless. That's what I'm drawn to in humans generally.

What does a typical day look like for you? Take me from the top.

There’s honestly no typical day—every day is different!

What beauty brands, products or tools do you swear by for your everyday routine?

I love a good skincare moment, and the one product I swear by is La Roche Posay’s Cicaplast Baume B5+, which I’ll keep on me at all times.

Do you have a favourite perfume that you always reach for, or do you have a perfume wardrobe?

I love The Nue Co. Pheremone fragrance. Again, it’s not too sweet or powdery, but more musky, so it feels quite unisex.

You're spending a weekend away from the cameras, relaxing with your family. What clothing, shoes and accessories are you packing for your off-duty wardrobe?

I'm definitely in jeans and an &Daughter jumper, probably, or a cardigan. They have these little round-neck cardies, which are classic. I've got them in multiple colours: the camel, red and green ones. Or a Hades cardigan—I love their stuff too. And I’m currently loving a kind of boujee coat. I've got a Jil Sander silk bomber jacket that I bought from Bicester that I absolutely love, and it kind of elevates a very off-duty look.

Queens of Archive have the most amazing coat I've recently got that’s like a floor-length leopard coat, so you could literally be in your knickers underneath it and no one would know. That, a pair of Blundstone boots, a pair of trainers or a loafer. I'm quite into a loafer with a tracksuit bottom these days.

If you could wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

It would be jeans and a cashmere jumper. Or maybe it would be jeans and a white shirt, actually. No, it would be a cashmere jumper. Could I have both? Maybe jeans, the shirt and the cashmere jumper and then I can kind of swap, and I could create multiple different looks or vibes out of those three pieces that I wouldn't tire of.

Are there any pieces in your wardrobe that are particularly sentimental to you, and why?

Loads! I have lots of pieces which are sentimental, but it would have to be my John Rocha skirt, which I wore on my wedding day and lots of times since.

What are the next investment pieces you're coveting?

I really want a new handbag—something kind of luxe-y, and I don't know what that is, honestly, so if you have any suggestions, let me know!

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?

Keep going, keep going. Also, nobody's going to come. Nobody's going to come for you. They're not going to come and offer you the job or tell you how great you'd be at a certain thing, or what you should do. You have got to steer your own ship and find your own way. So I would just say that you've got this, and also not to be afraid of failure. I think perfectionism is a real issue, and it's basically just masking fear. So go out, fall flat on your face, make mistakes, fuck it up and go again. That is the only way to go.

What mottos, life advice or sentiments are you keen to instil in your two young daughters?

I just want them to feel fearless, actually, which is quite a big ask. Fearlessness, I think, can sometimes be seen as naivety and ignorance, but I actually think, you know, having a kind of sense of an appetite to do things, to try things, to explore things, to create things without the fear of how they might be perceived or whether they might fail is a real gift for a human.

What can we expect next from you?

I’m loving the things I’m doing right now, but there’s still so much more I want to do and explore, so watch this space!

Shop Angela's Edit:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

Next up, we pick up the phone to Lucy Aylen, founder and CEO of womenswear brand, Never Fully Dressed. Born in 1984 to market traders in East London, Lucy began her fashion journey in 2009 when her granddad bought her a sewing machine. She started customising clothing in her parents' attic, selling them at markets such as Portobello and Spitalfields, where the brand’s signature designs were born. Over the years, Never Fully Dressed grew rapidly, with notable milestones including Topshop launches, celebrity endorsements (Beyoncé, Kendall Jenner, Emma Roberts are all fans), and pop-ups worldwide. Never Fully Dressed now has flagship stores in East London and New York, has collaborated with influencers and charities, and won several awards, including the Draper's ‘Womenswear Brand of the Year’ in 2024. The brand is proudly size inclusive, offering multi-wear styles in sizes UK 6-28.

Thank you, Lucy! Follow her journey here.

What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the whole world? And what would you order?

Campania Columbia road, fish stew, red wine and a tiramisu.

Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?

A vase that my daughter and I have been making together out of shells we have collected from our family travels.

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

Never Fully Dressed scent (the bag sample size), children’s pencils and LEGO pieces.

Who is the person/who are the people who fill up your cup?

My children and group of girlfriends.

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

Greece. I love Lindos.

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

I have a gold and tortoiseshell statement necklace that belonged to my mum and it’s almost 45 years old. I also have some of her clip-on earrings I love, but do not wear as much as the necklace. It reminds me of us when I was young and I have photos of her wearing it in the 80s.

In your spare time, what do you love to do?

Hanging out with my husband and the kids, playing games and crafts at home. We also love eating oysters at Columbia Road, taking them to the park. I do love walking our dog, too.

Do you have a secret date-night spot?

The perfect date night for me would be dinner at Campania and then a drink at The Palm Tree, which is the pub where we got married and originally met. It has live music and a chilled vibe, and I love ending the night with a dance which is rare to find in London.

Which item of clothing would you never ever part with? And why?

I have a cream cheesecloth dress I bought in a New York vintage market, the same market I used to sell NFD at when we first started. It has mirrors on it, it so could be worn for a wedding. I wore it for one of the children’s christenings so it holds lots of memories for me.

What’s your most-played on Spotify? An artist, playlist or album?

Either the Despicable me soundtrack (thanks, kids!) or San Germán and Lauren Hill. All I am playing right now is Olivia Dean so she will be up there in my 2025 round-up!

If we were to look in your saved folder on Instagram now, what would we find?

I normally save mural art, colour palettes and travel inspo, which I need to file to be able to find easier.

Favourite city for inspiration?

Lisbon, Portugal.

What is your favourite item to pack when you go on holiday?

A sarong for multiple uses. It could be a dress, skirt, beach towel or bag.

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

I have a pair of Loewe platform heels with beading detail. I got them in Barcelona when I was pregnant with my second child. I definitely couldn’t afford them at the time, but they are like having maracas on your feet. My husband kept saying how much they made me smile, so I had to get them.

What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?

A pot of natural oil I use for my skin, hair and body

What’s comfort food to you? / What’s your go-to comfort food?

Toast and a cup of tea, especially when you return from holiday.

What are your 3 favourite movies of all time?

Romeo and Juliet, Sister Act 2, Naked.

Share a piece of advice that someone you love gave you that always stuck.

My mum always says that nothing is a problem. This always grounds me and makes problem solving more practical.

What’s your favourite scent?

NFD 002.

SHOP NFD SCENTS:

Do you collect anything, if so, what?

Crucifixes, and any religious memorabilia.

What’s your latest obsession?

I have started to teach myself the harmonica, which is becoming a real love.

You can pick 3 fashion brands to wear for the rest of your life, what are they and why?

Marni, I love their use of colour and fun on a mature fabric base. Never Fully Dressed, as it's clothing that makes you smile when wearing. And, lastly, Missoni. I love their traditional knits and craftmanship.

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?

Red wine.

Who is your professional hero?

Someone like Beyoncé, someone who has achieved in their professional and personal life.

Who is your personal hero?

My mum. She has always worked hard whilst bringing up 5 children, and yet, she is still so full of life and has such a positive outlook.

Who is/who are the love/s of your life?

My 3 children. I am so excited to see them live their lives and know how loved they are.

What is the love of your life?

Marmite on toast.

SHOP LUCY'S EDIT:

Shop the entire Never Fully Dressed range here.

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

Actor Alexandra Roach is best known for her standout roles in Utopia, Nightsleeper, No Offence, The Iron Lady, Killing Eve, Black Mirror, Hunderby and The Light in the Hall, and she is fast becoming one of the most quietly powerful actors on-screen. Her next project is the high-octane thriller series Lazarus, in which she plays the leading role of Jenna Lazarus. Lazarus is released today exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. We caught up with her ahead of the release and asked her all of our burning questions.

What's your number one restaurant to visit in the whole world? What would you order?

I live in Bristol, but I'm away a lot for work, so when I get back, one of the very first things I do is gather a group of my friends, book a table at Pazzo, and order their carbonara. It's absolutely delicious! The restaurant has such a lovely family feel, and we end up staying for cocktails and catching up on everything I've missed while I've been away.

Is there anything in your home that you're particularly sentimental about?

I'm quite a sentimental person and have kept all sorts of things over the years. I have boxes filled with old journals and diaries from my teenage years, which I love rereading whenever I stumble across them. My grandfather, who had been a miner since he was a teenager, took up watercolour painting in his 80s, and I have one of his paintings. I love that it reminds me it's never too late to try something new!

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

I always pop a lipstick in my bag—even if I'm not wearing much makeup, I find a pop of colour can give me that little pick-me-up. It also doubles as a great blush if you end up staying out. I love Chanel Rouge Coco Flash 176 Escapade.

Who are the people who fill up your cup?

I've met some of the best people in my life on different dance floors over the years. There's something so freeing about dancing, and sharing that passion has really helped me find my people. My friends in Bristol are exactly that—being on a dance floor with these excellent people is truly my happy place.

What is your ideal holiday? Something by the beach, pool, city break or intrepid?

I went on a food retreat to Athens with my best friend. We knew we needed some quality catch-up time, and three days of eating and drinking our way across the city, discovering spots only the locals know, was the perfect way to do it. Hidden tavernas, buzzy wine bars and cool coffee shops—pure magic!

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

I have some jewellery from both of my grandmothers that I truly cherish. Wearing it feels like a connection to them, which makes it feel really special.

What are the top five necessities for your trailer on set?

I like lighting a Boy Smells candle when I arrive in the morning—it grounds me and has become a little ritual of mine. I always need a speaker nearby so I can play some music while I get ready. The hours can be pretty full-on, so I make sure to take my vitamins, especially if I'm shooting in winter. Chocolate is a must if I'm craving a little sugar and an eye mask for lunchtime naps—I love the silk ones from Drowsy.

In your spare time, what do you love to do?

I'm happiest in nature—walking in the woods with music in my ears. Curling up with a book and a glass of wine by the fire in winter. Dancing with friends.

Best cinema in your hometown? 

Bristol has some really cool cinemas. The Watershed screens art house films with a view over the harbour, while a smaller, progressive space in the city centre, the Cube, shows a real treat of excellently curated events.

Do you have a secret date-night spot?

I love doing an activity on a date night rather than the usual sit-down meal—maybe life drawing followed by a cocktail afterward.

Which item of clothing would you never ever part with? Why?

I have a Roksanda dress that was tailored to me for my first-ever premiere of The Iron Lady. It's wrapped up in the memories of that time, and I hope to give it to my daughter when she's older.

What's your most played artist, playlist or album on Spotify?

At the moment, it's Jade's new [song] "Unconditional"—I can't get enough! Seeing her at Glasto was my set of the weekend. She's incredibly talented, and her show was next-level. Absolutely love her!

Favourite city or country for inspiration?

I always feel inspired when travelling through Wales—I guess I'd say that! I've grown more appreciative of the landscape and the beauty of Wales now, and the people always seem to have a story or two to share over a pint.

What's the most treasured item in your wardrobe? 

I have a vintage pair of Chanel tuxedo trousers that I bought in a vintage shop in L.A. I need to wear them more, actually. They are timeless!

What's the beauty product you can't live without?

The brand Medik8 has completely changed my beauty routine. I particularly love their Total Moisture Facial Cream, which I use day and night, especially when I'm filming.

What's your go-to comfort food?

I love Mexican food—nothing beats nachos, fajitas, and margaritas. Even better when someone else is cooking them for you!

What are your three favourite movies of all time?

Ah, just three! Thats so hard. Okay… Bridesmaids, The Worst Person in the World and Blue Valentine.

You want to go out dancing—where do you go?

We're really spoilt for choice in Bristol with so many cool venues and creatives putting on parties. The Underground throw these incredible parties in a car park underneath the city centre, so [I] will definitely be checking that out this winter. And Strange Brew, another Bristol institution, throw an amazing party called Off-Kilter that never fails!

Share a piece of advice that always stuck.

I read this online, but it's always stuck with me. From Maya Angelou: "When people show you who they are, believe them." It's such a good reminder!

What's your favourite scent?

I'm a big Le Labo fan. I rinsed Santal 33, so I'm now slowly exploring some of their other scents. I'm loving Thé Matcha 26 at the moment.

Do you collect anything—if so, what?

I like to collect fridge magnets from every place I visit—a little memento from each trip!

What is your latest obsession?

Rewatching all of Diane Keaton's films. She was such a true artist and individual. I was really saddened to hear about her passing.

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what's your ultimate poison?

Depends on the time and occasion, doesn't it? I like all of those things. You really can't beat a good cocktail to kick off an evening. A spicy marg always hits the spot.

You can pick three fashion brands to wear for the rest of your life. What are they, and why?

Don't make me pick three!

ACNE Studios—effortlessly chic.

Stine Goya—playful and bold.

Miista—can't get enough.

Jean Paul Gaultier—iconic, daring, sculptural.

Jacquemus—chic with a playful twist.

Roksanda—feminine with strong structure.

Who is your professional hero?

Maxine Peake. I was lucky enough to be assigned Maxine as a "buddy" at RADA, having been such a fan of hers, and now, I'm even luckier to call her a friend. Her work is always full of heart, bravery and honesty. She's a true artist.

Who is your personal hero?

Recently, I was on a plane coming back from Ireland and ended up sitting next to a woman named Toni. We really hit it off and became friends. When I returned to Ireland, we had dinner a few times, and I couldn't help feeling that I was meant to meet her at that moment. She's a wonderful artist, and I love her outlook on life. It's funny how you meet people at just the right time!

Who is/who are the love/s of your life?

Dancing with my family in the kitchen and seeing my daughter's outlook on life always reaffirms to me how beautiful this life can be.

What is the love of your life?

My imagination.

SHOP ALEXANDRA ROACH'S EDIT

Tucked away in an unassuming office block in the heart of Hampstead, you will find the serene working space of Rochelle Humes, once a pop star, now a broadcaster, author and entrepreneur. On a cloudy Wednesday morning, the Who What Wear UK team was welcomed with open arms, with the scent of a Cire Trudon diffuser in the air and a tray of fresh pastries laid out ahead of our cover shoot with the multi-hyphenate. Her showroom, meeting space and podcast studio are outfitted with soft plaster-pink walls, boucle sofas, velvet armchairs and many a luxury scented candle, along with pared-back homeware items that create a cosy yet uncluttered feel. We got to interrupt her day for a few precious hours before she had an afternoon packed with business meetings, and of course, the school run.

Humes found fame with pop groups S Club Juniors as a teen, and later, The Saturdays. Fast forward to 2025, and she balances primetime-TV presenting roles, brand ambassador and modelling gigs, authoring best-selling children's books, running weekly podcast, Ladies Who Launch, partnering with high-street brand NEXT on a seasonal clothing collection, and heading up her award-winning children’s hair and skincare line, My Little Coco. And this is just the tip of the iceberg! Her boutique talent management and branding agency, The RH Group, has recently partnered with industry titan WME in a move that's set to elevate her brands, broadcasting and business pursuits (alongside her husband, Marvin Humes) to the next level.

Outside of business, Humes is a true fashion fanatic with elite taste. We sat down to talk about her personal style and how it intersects with her working-week needs. Chatting me through her curated wardrobe rail, it's clear that she favours a classic and polished sense of style—think plenty of black and chocolate-brown tones, minimal shapes with a modern twist, hard-working separates that nod to suiting, and investment bags and shoes she knows she'll get good mileage from. We discussed her style evolution, her current favourite fashion brands and beauty must-haves and her daily routine and inspirations.

Scroll on for our exclusive interview and her current wish list, which you can shop, too.

Thank you for having us, Rochelle!

You grew up on the outskirts of London. How did this influence your style?

I think everyone there was a real mix. I was born in East London, which was very "street style", and then we moved to Essex, where everything was super glamorous. I’ve always sort of sat in the middle, and I suppose that’s where my style influence comes from.

What's your earliest fashion memory?

Raiding my aunt’s wardrobe! She’s always had the best clothing collection, I used to watch her get ready and put outfits together. I learned a lot about classic dressing from her.

Rochelle wears a Miu Miu cardigan, The Frankie Shop skirt, Prada glasses and Victoria Beckham heels.

How would you describe your personal style today, and how has it changed since you were younger?

I’d say it’s definitely classic. It’s elevated now, but it’s not worlds away from what I liked when I was younger. I like to feel feminine and strong. These days, I’m more into a capsule wardrobe—something nice and refined.

If we looked through your wardrobe, what could we expect to find?

Lots of black and neutral colours.

Rochelle wears a Magda Butrym coat, Khaite boots and a The Row bag.

How does hair and beauty play into how you choose to experiment with your look?

I decide what I’m wearing first, then I think about the beauty look. Hair is always relatively chill, and for skin, I always want it to look like skin.

Indulge us: what's a fashion faux pas you regret?

Oh gosh, I’m sure there’s more than one! But I’d say wearing lots of colour or bright patterns. In the girl group, each of us would be a different colour—[it was] that whole "more is more" era. It was fun, like dress-up, but sometimes that filtered into my own wardrobe a bit too much.

Rochelle wears an Almada Label jumper and trousers, Saint Laurent belt and Miu Miu heels. Also pictured, her rail of clothing and Khaite boots.

What are your all-time favourite luxury fashion brands, and are there any new labels on your radar that you just can’t gatekeep?

I love Miu Miu, The Row and Saint Laurent. I just went to the Magda Butrym spring/summer 2026 show—I love her. And I’ve been wearing a lot of a brand called Kulakovsky. It’s Ukrainian, and it’s incredible.

You were recently at Paris Fashion Week. What inspires you the most about the city?

Everyone there is just so chic, even when they’re just popping out for a coffee. It’s that simplicity—the undone hair and minimal makeup, lots of trench coats. Even the local Parisian girl-on-the-go looks like [something from a] mood board.

Rochelle wears a Miu Miu cardigan, The Frankie Shop skirt, Prada glasses and Victoria Beckham heels.

Who is on your list of all-time style icons, and are there any women, past or present, whose wardrobe you'd like to raid?

So many! Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's wardrobe is so classic and pulled-together—I’d happily take it all. I also love Kendall Jenner’s style; it’s the same sort of vibe. Hailey Bieber is a bit more fun. Lori Harvey, too. She always looks amazing.

You’re a woman who wears many hats: model, founder, CEO, broadcaster, author and podcaster. How does what you wear change for each of these roles to take you from the boardroom to photoshoots, TV sets and then home with your family?

Luckily, my podcast (Ladies Who Launch) is recorded in my office, so the outfits can work for both. It’s usually a relaxed but polished look. After this, for example, I’m going straight to the school run, so I’ll swap heels for trainers with my suit trousers. I just dial things up or down, but the silhouette usually stays the same.

Scenes from Rochelle's podcast studio.

When did you realise what you wanted to do in your career, and was it an easy decision?

I’ve changed my mind a million times. I feel like I’ve finally found the things I love doing, but I’ve never been able to put them all into one box. I think we’re taught that we should, but I’ve loved trying lots of different lanes to figure out what fits.

What one outfit can you rely on and know you'll feel the most confident and beautiful in?

A good suit—always.

Rochelle wears an Almada Label jumper and trousers, Saint Laurent belt and Miu Miu heels.

What's your proudest "pinch me" moment?

Launching my own business. I definitely had a bit of imposter syndrome at the start, wondering if I could really do it. But not just launching it—sustaining it—that makes me feel really proud.

Who are some of your favourite women you've worked with, and what did you learn from them?

I’ve been lucky to meet incredible women through my podcast. Having Jo Malone on was a standout. We really clicked, and she’s someone I now have a great open dialogue with. She’s amazing to ask for advice.

Rochelle's working wardrobe and shoes.

What does a typical day look like for you? Take it from the top.

There’s no such thing as typical, but I’m up with the kids early. I try to have a moment to myself; I’ll have a cup of tea or do a quick workout. Then it’s the school run and off to one of my offices, either in Hertfordshire or London. My day could be packed with meetings, recording, product design or interviews. I try to finish by 4.30 or 5 pm so I can get home, make dinner and wind down before bed.

What beauty brands, items or tools do you swear by for your everyday glam routine?

I’ve become obsessed with the Medicube device with the different lights [Age-R Booster Pro Ex]. It’s my little in-bed treat after my skincare. I feel like it really helps those active ingredients absorb. I’m also going to try the LYMA Laser soon.

Do you have a favourite scent or perfume you always reach for? Or do you have a perfume wardrobe?

I definitely have a perfume wardrobe. I like anything that smells like I’m on holiday. Right now, I’m loving Sun-Kissed Goddess by Kilian.

Rochelle wears a Miu Miu cardigan, The Frankie Shop skirt, Prada glasses and Victoria Beckham heels.

You're spending a weekend away from work, relaxing with your family. What clothing, shoes and accessories are you packing for your off-duty wardrobe?

A pair of loose-fitting boyfriend jeans, an easy knit and a pair of trainers, like Sambas, or maybe a loafer. For accessories, a really good handbag, because with the kids, I’ve got to be able to fit everything in.

If you could wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Something cosy, like a nice cashmere jumper and a great pair of trousers. I just feel good in that.

Are there any pieces in your wardrobe that are particularly sentimental to you, and why?

Okay, hear me out on this. Yes, and it’s a lilac satin trench coat from Burberry. It has these amazing, ruched shoulder pads. Marvin bought it for me when we first started dating, and I’ll never get rid of it.

Scenes from Rochelle's office.

What investment pieces are you coveting right now? What's next on your winter wish list?

I just got the tall Khaite [Davis Leather Knee] boots. I had the ankle ones already [the Arizona Leather Ankle Boots], and they proved hardworking, so the tall ones were my winter investment piece.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?

To fail fast. If something feels like a mistake, just keep moving, and you’ll look back and realise it was actually a lesson.

What can we expect next from you?

Next year is a really big year for My Little Coco. We’re opening up the brand a lot and have loads of new product development. That’s where all my focus is for now.

Rochelle wears a De Savary leather jacket, Almada Label trousers and Saint Laurent belt.

SHOP ROCHELLE'S EDIT:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

Frida Giannini is an internationally acclaimed Italian designer best known for her decade-long tenure as Creative Director at Gucci (2005 - 2015). Beginning her career at Fendi in 1997, she rose quickly through the ranks before joining Gucci in 2002. Giannini is recognized for her influential work in fashion and her deep commitment to craftsmanship, heritage, and cultural preservation. She has collaborated with institutions such as UNICEF, LACMA, and the Martin Scorsese Foundation, supporting global education, film restoration, and the arts. In 2013, she co-founded Chime for Change alongside Beyoncé and Salma Hayek.

Her recent projects span fashion, interior design, and publishing, continuing to reflect her passion for timeless luxury and artistic innovation. Next on her list of accolades is a capsule collection with iconic London department store, Liberty, marking their 150th year. Titled HYPERNOVA 150, Frida's collection is a celebration of contrasts—elegance and edge, heritage and rebellion, British tradition and modern glamour.

Tell me about your experience with working with the Liberty design team and your inspirations behind that collection.

I was very honored to be considered for this project because not many companies can celebrate 150 years. Liberty has always been a very iconic part of British culture in London. I knew a lot about Liberty; when I lived in London, it was always a destination, so I looked into reference books, the history of all the artists collaborating with Liberty, and the art and crafts that surround it. In London and within British culture, I see a constant contrast between tradition, like the royal family, and a punkish attitude. That, to me, makes it one of the most energetic places I've ever lived. I lived in London for a couple of years, so I am immersed in the spirit of the city, and I still love the energy you can find there.

Do you have any hidden gems or favourite spots in London?

I love Hampstead Heath; I love Whitechapel. A special place to me is Leighton House, which has stood since the Victorian age. It's a museum with all the Victorian, original furniture—a photographer brought me down once, and it's so beautiful.

Say you have 72 hours in London—what is your most favourite hotel and why?

I'm an advocate of Claridge's—I always go to Claridge's. They have known me for many years, and they know my favorite room. They have a tea room, where you can have breakfast, and I love the atmosphere and everything about the interiors.

When you do come to London, what are you buying or indulging in?

If I have time to do shopping, I will always bring a trunk home from London, because I always find something interesting to buy. I love stationery. I love buying vinyl records around Carnaby Street. And I love the area between King's Road and Chelsea, which is full of famous brands and more niche labels, which I am always interested in discovering.

What are your go-to handbag essentials?

The first thing I put in my bag is headphones, because I listen to a lot of music. I even sleep with the music—the music is my sleeping pill! Then, of course, earplugs, a book always, and a good candle. The first thing I buy at the airport or when I touch down in London is a good candle.

Who is your favourite musical artist of all time?

Bowie, of course, because I think he was pioneering in every single thing. He was pioneering as a performer. He was pioneering with electronic music. He was a pioneer with his own personal style. It was a pioneer in collaborating with the fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto. He was a pioneer in makeup, with his androgyny and fluidity.

What are some of your all-time favourite movies?

I love Blow Up (1966), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Black Swan (2010), and American Gigolo (1980), the latter being an homage to Mr Giorgio Armani, who was a very good friend of mine.

What is your favourite scent?

BDK Parfums Rouge Smoking Extrait.

Are you a collector of anything in particular?

I collect photographs from Richard Avedon. I collect vintage furniture from the 70s, 50s, 60s. I collect everything regarding David Bowie, such as photos, vinyls, original covers, pictures, books.

I'd love to hear a piece of advice that maybe someone that you love gave you, that has always stuck with you.

I think that, in general, the best advice I have for me, myself, and to give to someone in their moments of struggle (because everyone sooner or later in life has a struggle moment) is to look and move forward. Stand up and find the energy, look at the scope of the life and look forward. This is the best advice I can give to everyone—to find the enthusiasm, to find the energy, to find a reason to wake up in the morning and to go to the bed at night with gratitude.

Who is the love of your life?

My daughter, of course, is my daughter. My life, I live for her. I love how she's growing up—she has a wonderful character, and I try to spend as much time with her as I can.

What is the love of your life?

Water. When I am at the seaside and when I am on my boat, I am in another dimension—I feel completely relaxed. I love swimming, diving, and doing everything I can in the water. It makes me feel serene. When l see the water and the sea, it is hypnotizing to me.

The HYPERNOVA 150 collection launches exclusively at Liberty London, which is available to shop online now.

Shop HYPERNOVA 150 Collection:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind the career, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know: their favourite restaurants and date-night spots, the music they're currently obsessed with, the piece of clothing they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the little loves of their life.

Nicole Melillo Shaw is the managing director of Volvo Car UK. She joined the company in March 2020, bringing 18 years of experience in senior marketing roles with world-renowned brands. Throughout her well-established and long-standing career, Nicole has gained experience working in a number of blue-chip companies across health and personal care in both global and local roles.

Volvo Car UK is one of the most recognisable car brands in the world, with a presence in around 100 business markets. The company focuses on innovation, sustainability, safety, technology and pursuing an all-electric future.

Your career journey is as impressive as they come, spanning a variety of industries; it shows a real ability to step out from your comfort zone and into different territories. How did you navigate this?

I would say probably from a position of always wanting to do something different and wanting to be able to have a balance of offering something new, whilst also being able to learn. So a lot of my transitions have meant that I've brought some expertise with me, whether the industries have changed or the culture.

For example, in my early-stage career when I moved [to] E45, I'd come from working with dermatologists and healthcare professionals. For me, it's always been about the ability to have the balance of offering something in a valuable space, whilst also going on a steep learning curve because I like to keep myself interested and challenge myself.

What drives you professionally?

It's one of those things that I reflect on more and more; I think you always reflect on it when you've just done something really quite different. At Volvo here in the UK, we've recently launched a completely new business model, which has really been quite standout in the industry. And so from doing that, one of the things that I can see that I really value and consider is being able to demonstrate the difference that you make.

I'm quite different, not just being female in [the] automotive [industry], in the managing director position, but also with the background that I have. That's quite a unique set-up. So being able to demonstrate that your unique point of view makes a difference is really important to me because obviously, when you put someone in a role who is different, it's kind of going to go one of two ways. Being able to really show that this can work, and actually, there are more synergies than you think. So being able to demonstrate a difference is hugely important.

I always think that the aim of anybody, particularly in leadership, is to leave a brand better [after taking] it over, because that's the whole point of evolving it. I also think making sure that people in the team feel like they have a voice. You know, it's not just the decision maker, it's the people who come along the journey that are closer to the activity that can really recommend, really give you the true picture of what's going on. So I can take those important decisions. Quite often, I think decisions that are wrong or misinformed come from not hearing enough from people, so I'd rather do that in abundance to then make it what is always a grey area decision. So that's very important to me.

Also, I think making sure you do something that you absolutely love is extremely important. Now, it doesn't mean that, a bit like parenting, you have to love it every minute of every day. You don't have to wake up and be, you know, excited. That's not reality. But knowing why you're doing something and knowing what motivates you and finding that that anchors you. For me, the automotive industry is fantastic, but the anchoring points of my why are all about being able to motivate and drive change. So I'm so clear on that. It really helps the difficult times, the challenging times, because I'm very clear on why I'm doing it. I think being able to identify with those passion points is really critical, because otherwise, you get burnt out quite quickly.

Why did you want to join Volvo?

I think it's a question that gets asked a lot because it's not a natural move to go from healthcare to automotive, although it is more so when you get down to the actual deployment of it; we need to sell a product to a consumer, and so, the appeal to work with Volvo was that. Volvo consumers tend to be more family-oriented, and the brand has a huge heritage. So if you think about the fact that we always champion where we've come from as well as where we're going (side note: we always show our more modern electric products), but we very much recognise the journey we've been on and celebrate the evolution rather than trying to depart from it.

You can find synergies between the role that I came into initially here at Volvo, which was consumer director, and my time at E45. To answer your question, the big thing there, I suppose, is the idea of being able to make a difference. Most people in automotive have been in the industry for a long, long time. I feel like I represent the underdog in the sense that I don't come into the industry as a passionate car buyer. I came into the industry because I drive a car and I like a nice car, but that means I'm almost the litmus test for the consumer journey because I'm representing the layperson. And also , I've been through that purchase journey in a very real way. So coming in as a consumer director, I just thought, well, literally, I can sit in meetings and provide a new, real voice.

And what I would say is great about Volvo is that they sought out that voice. So when the recruitment was happening, it was very much that they wanted someone outside of the automobile industry, somebody who's had that professional growth in other strong companies and arenas. So, it was almost like a perfect meeting when I came into the interview, and we could both see what we had to offer.

How do you show up as an effective leader for your team?

Historically, I've worked in cultures where it's been very much top-down, duty-bound. I've also worked in cultures where it's been very process-led. So, actually, you might have an opinion, but the process then slows all of that down. Through all of those opportunities and different managers, what I have learned is that, vitally, people need to be heard. There's nothing more demotivating than working in a company where you feel like just another person. It's really important that we recognise everyone as a person and what they can bring, and that there is an opportunity to challenge or change things.

Again, if you don't think that you can stop something in its tracks or shape something, then you're probably not going to be motivated to contribute. Being heard is absolutely fundamental. Also, I think everyone has to go on their journey of identifying what holds them back. Because, you know, we've all got whatever we've arrived at. There's always been a journey that we've all been on that makes us more vocal or less vocal. And I want people to come into Volvo and leave feeling like they have evolved in some way. So, however long they're here for, I want them to possess a positive experience, and they can say that was a highlight of their career, and that they learned how to speak up and how to challenge respectfully. What my role is about is that I'm a decision maker and an "unblocker", essentially. But to get to that, as I said, I need to hear from people in the organisation.

So that's kind of the main point, but I think the other thing is being inspirational. I think the one thing that you have to recognise when you're in a leadership position is that people are looking at you. People want to see what you have to say. They really listen to you, to take a temperature check of the organisation, what you might be doing next, how you're feeling about things, announcements and all of that kind of thing. So I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure that I can inspire and motivate and bring people along with me, and that's really important.

And having some fun along the way is really important too. You can't have fun with people if everybody's terrified of speaking up. You can't have fun with people if you don't know who they are. So, I think all of that together just makes it an enjoyable place. And we all know that if you enjoy something, you're likely to stay longer and feel more fulfilled.

You recently held a press event titled Power & Pause. What do those words mean to you?

"Power" is an interesting word. For me, it's about recognising those who are in a position of power who really get the opportunity to shape the culture, the organisation, and, lastly, lead by example. Even with the day-to-day tasks of, say, dropping the children off on their first day of school. Those kinds of things are really important because there are quite a lot of people who would say, well, "this isn't the company for me", if they couldn't support their family in that way. So I think demonstrating that they can is key.

The 'pause' element is really about making sure that we recharge at those moments so that you can be your best, because there is no way that you can operate at one million miles per hour constantly. We are in an industry where there are two very clear peaks in the year, so we have March and September registration periods, and we're in the thick of it now. The February and August leading up to it are intense as well.

That's not to say the rest of the months we relax—we certainly don't, but we need everybody operating at 100% in those months, so therefore, if there's some flexibility needed in the other months, that has to happen, otherwise we won't be ready for that demand. You know, in March we did nearly 11,800 deliveries, which is record-breaking in every sense of the word. You can't do that every day. So we need to make sure that we fuel people with enough energy, like you would if you did a marathon.

The whole thing was around looking after yourself and making sure that, together, we create a culture that allows us to achieve our goals. Because if you do the two, which is hopefully what I'm demonstrating, then you can not only achieve the same goals, but people will be more fulfilled, more rested, and more able to deal with the ups and downs in what is an incredibly chaotic industry at the moment.

Outside of work, what are your main passion points?

So I would say, definitely spending time with family. We always make time to have proper family holidays, which is really, really important to me, my partner, and our two young girls. It's always the balance, isn't it, of family time, time alone, and time with your partner, and that's not even including seeing friends. So, we try to make sure we've got all of those things covered, although it is quite challenging.

I would say that my friends bring a different dynamic to my life, aside from my family and my husband, which is really important. We live in a very small village and I have two particular friends with whom I spend a lot of time. They are also in very high-powered positions but in totally different industries, which enables us to not only be on the same page but also understand the dynamics of our work. Ultimately, we can just laugh at some of the things that were maybe quite intense during the week, and we can recharge and decompress together. Time with my husband, time with family, time with friends is all really, really critical.

What are your aspirations and hopes for the future, both professionally and personally?

Professionally, the direct model that we have launched and that we are in the thick of, there's a real opportunity now to take it to the next level. So that's my passion and my motivation for what we're doing right now, as there's an opportunity now to really get closer to the consumer, which is basically my background coming to the fore, and my specialty in connecting with consumers. Now, we can really dial into that, which is really exciting, and get ready for the renewals that come through next June.

Personally, I mean, my husband and I are in a new chapter now because our youngest daughter started school last week. So it feels like there's been a bit of a shift, as we now have two little girls rather than a toddler and an older one, so I feel like there's a feeling of just growth within the family now, which allows us to do things differently.

So, are you a podcast, radio or playlist kind of driver?

Well, I'm usually speaking on the phone. If I'm not, it would definitely be the radio, and typically a station that's got a bit of nostalgia to it, that takes me back to my university days, that kind of thing.

Tell me about your in-car essentials. What do you need in your car day-to-day?

Well, in tandem with my job, I get new cars quite often, so they start quite empty. But I always, always end up with a pack of baby wipes for obvious reasons, having two young girls. We have charging facilities in the car, but I always have a backup charger because I've got multiple phones, and finally, a water bottle always—I've got to stay hydrated.

What do you love to do in your spare time?

Definitely, definitely heading to the gym. I also have a Saturday dance class that I absolutely love, with highly choreographed dance routines, which really energises me. I adore spending time with my best friend, too. I love doing that, having a one-to-one. She's a very deep thinker and very different from me in her job, so she comes at things in different ways. So, when I have that spare time and it isn't with the family, I would then do those things.

What does R&R look like to you? How do you decompress?

My favourite thing is a massage. I love a good massage! I always forget to book them in. And then, of course, if you've got a free moment that day, there's never any opportunity. But when I do remember, it is my favourite thing by far. I don't have anything that's going to make me squirm, just a gentle full-body, light massage. It's much appreciated!

Let's say you're escaping home for the weekend. Where are you and your family heading?

My husband and I love going to the Cotswolds, so that's where we tend to head. I mean, we don't really go away very often, but we make the time as our anniversary and our birthdays are very close together. We like to combine all three things and go away for a night or two; we just love that feeling of calm.

What is your favourite destination for inspiration? You can pick anywhere in the world.

Gosh, this makes me feel like I'm very undertravelled! I think, for inspiration, one place that comes to mind is Sorrento. We went to Sorrento for our honeymoon, and my dad is from Naples, so there's a connection there as well. I have been brought up in a very authentic Italian family, and there's that feeling of connection. Because of our honeymoon, it holds that special memory.

What's your favourite restaurant in the whole world, and what's your typical order?

I only really go to restaurants for special occasions with my husband. Because we only dine out a handful of times a year, we always go for the tasting menu. The restaurant that we have loved and gone back to, I think, four years in a row now, is in Marbella. It's an Andalusian haute cuisine restaurant called Skina, and it does the most amazing taster menu with wine pairing, which we do every time we go there. It's really special.

Do you collect anything?

My husband would say clothes, but I do not collect anything. I don't. I don't! But I do. I do buy clothes a lot, so maybe that's the answer to that. But no, I don't collect anything per se.

What are your favourite fashion brands?

So, the first one would be River Island. I quite like a lot of its pieces for the office, as their workwear is contemporary but not too controversial for business. Also, I was recently introduced to Nadine Merabi's brand, which I wore to attend the BAFTAs after-party. I bought an amazing dress from that label, which is now definitely a go-to for special occasions. The quality is on another level.

What's your latest obsession?

It's funny thinking about anything else that I have time to be obsessed with! I think, now that the girls are a bit older, my goal is to find that time in the evening where I sit down with my husband and try and watch something that we like. The last thing we watched was Mobland, which was 10 episodes. Every single one was gripping, and so we both enjoyed it because it had a bit of something for him or more something for me. So, that's probably the closest I can say where I was really obsessed with something, and we're just trying to find that equivalent now. I am open to recommendations!

What is the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

It has got to be my wedding dress, not for the kind of obvious reasons. Obviously, it's my wedding dress. My granddad was incredibly influential to me growing up and a huge part of my journey, and was my hero whom I looked up to, and taught me a lot of life lessons. Sadly, he passed away when I was about 20 weeks pregnant, so he didn't get to meet our eldest, but he knew I was very happy with my husband, and we had a house and all the things that he would want me to have. And so in the skirt of the wedding dress, I have his RAF emblem that he gave to me, and I got it stitched in there so nobody really knew it was there, but me. And it was a really special moment for me knowing that on the wedding day.

What's a beauty product you can't live without?

I feel like I'm on a journey with makeup because I've always been very basic. Now, having had a few opportunities to have makeup done recently, I've kind of got into a bit more. I like a dewy look, and some of the Charlotte Tilbury products work well for this. There are a couple of Beauty Pie things, such as a lovely coral lipstick. I feel like I've now got my essentials kit and I can actually achieve a few different looks when I get a minute.

And do you have a favourite scent or perfume?

My favourite perfume is the one I selected for our wedding, which I've since stuck to: L'Interdit by Givenchy. It's really lovely. It's not too heavy, but it has a hint of vanilla. I smelled it and instantly felt that it was perfect, and so I've had it ever since.

I'd love to hear a piece of advice that someone you love gave you that always stuck with you.

There's a big gap between me and my siblings. So I, being the older one by far, really felt like I learned to trust myself and my decisions a lot. And one of the things that really resonated is something that my granddad once told me. He said, "If you're undecided what to do, flip a coin, and it's not at the point that it lands that you'll know what you want—it's at the point where it's falling", because you'll know which way you want it to land. It links back to trusting your gut feel because it means you knew anyway. You just perhaps weren't quite ready to make the decision. So, the worst decisions in my life have always been when I've ignored my gut feeling. So I always try to trust it because there is something physically telling you which way to go.

We kind of touched upon this before, but what are the three key things that empower and drive you today?

Being better, always being better. The other thing, I suppose, is not striving for perfection, because it's unrealistic. You know, women always get asked about balance, don't they? And can you balance this, balance that, but the only thing you can do is do your best with that right decision in that moment. You just have to go make that decision and then course correct where you see fit.

And a third one, I suppose, would be to inspire. I like I think about my legacy— I'd love people to think about something I'd contributed that made them think differently. For me, it's about being able to offer something that really resonates with somebody and makes a difference. I think that would make me feel better that, as a leader, as a mum, as a wife, that I'd made a really positive, influential impact.

Who fills up your cup?

I'll start with my husband, my number one, mainly because he manages me day-to-day, whether it's the ups and downs of what's going on at work, or all the other life things. He has a point, which is, "Don't beat yourself up; I'm not going to let you question yourself." And so, whatever we talk through, that's his kind of strong position. He definitely fills my cup in that way.

Secondly, my mum. We don't live very close, but we're on the phone frequently, and she always has a different perspective. And then my children, in the sense that I have a lot of opportunities to really remind myself why I'm doing the job I do. Being able to sit with them at the end of the hard days and spending quality time with them really enables me to fill up my cup.

Who is your professional hero?

Emma Grede— I am a big fan of hers. She started with humble beginnings, as did I. She proves that you have to trust your gut feeling to navigate through turbulent times. She is one of the most successful businesswomen on paper, certainly in the UK. I love her attitude. She talks a lot about not beating yourself up. She talks about other mums potentially questioning where you were, and you being very honest with the fact that you're at work, and not apologizing for that. And although I might approach it slightly differently, she's so strong in her reasoning and what she's done. I've listened to a few of her podcasts, and it really resonates with me.

Who is your personal hero?

Oh, that's a difficult one. I would say if I had to pick one, it would have to be my granddad. The reason I hesitate is that my mum has been fundamental to everything in my life. It's largely been her and me for the first ten years of my life. However, from a parenting point of view, my granddad was always there, in terms of dropping off and collecting me from school, then looking after me day-to-day.

The nurturing that I got from him and the introduction to the role of a male figure were so positive, and that's all down to him. I've got such fond memories of going on holiday together, and he always made that happen. He always pushed me to do more and taught me basic financial acumen. He would say, "Look after the pennies because the pounds look after themselves!"

And what is the love of your life?

Ironically, the first thing I thought was my ability to go to my dance class and, really, you know, unwind after a busy week. Interestingly, there's a song that we always do at the end, which talks about being a workaholic, that then connects into the other part of it, which is definitely "work". I absolutely love the role I'm in and the responsibility and position I have. Like we previously spoke about, it's a mixture of the "power" and the "pause". It's the work element, and the ability to then decompress with this amazing dance class that I have.

SHOP NICOLE'S EDIT:

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Nico Parker. The 20-year-old actress became a global ambassador for luxury French beauty brand, Lancôme, at the end of 2024, and we were lucky enough to catch up with the star earlier this year, to ask her all about her go-to makeup products, her best beauty advice, and even her most-worn perfume…

1. Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?
A good fragrance is key to boosting [my] mood. At the moment, I’m really loving Ô Zenith from the Lancôme Les Ô collection, because it’s always a quick way [to make] me feel more confident.

2. If you could steal someone else’s makeup bag, whose would it be?
It’s a tricky one because, in terms of makeup, I’m constantly finding new people whom I’m inspired by. In this moment, I’d have to give it to Celia Burton, who did my makeup a lot for press recently. She’d always whip out these random new products that I became obsessed with.

3. You’ve got a spot. Are you team pop it or team leave it alone?
I’m technically team leave it alone, but I’m a terrible player for the team.

4. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life. What is it? Lancôme’s Lip Idôle Squalane-12 Butterglow. I will talk about this magical product until the end of time. Any shade. Any time. It has the loveliest sheen and finish. I’m yet to meet someone who hasn’t immediately fallen in love with [this product].

5. It’s a bad hair day. What do you do?
I’d like to give some productive advice, but the real answer is to cry out of frustration.

6. Strong lip or a strong eye?
Strong both. But not at the same time. Or maybe at the same time, if you feel confident with that. I personally think I start to look quite Gollum-y quite quickly if I don’t pull it back.

7. You’re having your nails done. What’s your go-to colour?
Nude. Boring but consistent. Or red. The choice is very impacted by the season.

8. What's your favourite lipstick colour?
I think it really depends on what other makeup you have going on. I tend to go for a mauve brownish tone, but I also love a pinker nude to play into the natural shade of my lips.

9. What’s your biggest beauty no-no?
You don’t need to drown yourself in black eyeliner the second you become a teenager. This isn’t a no-go for everyone; some people absolutely rock it. This is targeted to my younger self specifically. From my recollection of things, as soon as I turned 13, the eyeliner pencil was out, and I looked very similar to a raccoon. You don’t need it! Give yourself time to see what works for you; don’t immediately start trying to hide behind something. It took me a while to get out of that one.

10. Candles, reed diffusers or nothing at all?
I’m a very big candle person. I love smells and scents, and I also really love the [warmth] candles leave in a room. I think candlelight is one of my favourite kinds of light.

11. If you could share one piece of beauty advice, what would it be?
Less really is more.

12. What beauty product do you recommend to everyone?
I recommend Lancôme mascara to everyone, to the point where it’s probably quite annoying. Not one mascara in particular, I think it can be dependent on your lash type and what style you think looks best on you. My current favourite is the Lash Idôle Flutter Extension Mascara, but I was married to the Hypnôse Mascara for a while. I feel like a bit of a cheater.

13. Name one beauty product that is always in your handbag.
Lip balm. Never without lip balm. Lip liner is a pretty close second

14. Describe your brows in one word.
Trying their best. Not one word, but I think that sums them up quite well.

15. The greatest drugstore product for under £10?
I think tweezers are essential. Not just in regards to beauty, they’re honestly more of a tool than anything else.

16. Are you team dewy or matte?
I’m team dewy! But that’s partially because my skin type is more so on the oily side, so I don’t know if I’m dewy by nature or nurture, but I’m here nonetheless.

17. Makeup primer: love it or hate it?
I think if you have a good moisturiser or skin prep routine, then it’s essentially the same thing. Is that a controversial opinion?

18. Confession time–how often do you clean your makeup brushes?
I actually pride myself on the fact that I clean my makeup brushes somewhat regularly. Nowhere near as often as I should, but cleaning is cleaning. Maybe once, twice a month? Now that I say that, I feel like that’s actually not a lot at all.

19. What beauty rule do you always break?
Not picking spots. Those small ultra-close mirrors in hotels have become my enemy.

20. Would you rather have ultra-skinny brows or bleached brows?
Bleached? I’m not too sure either of them would suit me very much.

21. Which era of beauty inspires you most?
The classic old Hollywood look always winds up on my mood boards somehow. [There's just] something so gorgeous and enticing about that time.

22. Eyelash curlers: love them or hate them?
I can’t use them! When I was younger, I was on FaceTime with my friend, and her sister came in arguing about a stolen top, and my friend, while curling her lashes, whipped her head around to yell at her sister. In the aggression of the moment, she pulled too hard on the curler and all her eyelashes came out. I’ve been scarred ever since, so curling eyelashes is a no-go for me.

Shop Nico Parker's Favourite Beauty Products:

Picturehouse Central, a storied cinema in London's Piccadilly Circus, is no stranger to premieres. But on Tuesday evening, it was completely transformed into the image of a honky-tonk distillery for the official UK screening of House of Guinness, Netflix's highly anticipated historical drama set to be released on September 25, 2025.

It chronicles the four heirs to the Guinness brewery following the death of the family’s patriarch in a bid to secure the future of the country’s most famous drop of stout. Backdropping this battle of succession is a rebellion against the status quo that’s bubbling up from the streets, with working-class rebels fighting for Ireland’s republican status amidst a state of political turmoil. The latest from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, the eight-part series takes place in the late 1800s and is set in the Irish capital, so it’s fitting that the premiere venue's usually plush red interiors and neon-lit candy bar were disguised with fake oak barrels and industrial chains.

Taking Who What Wear UK along for the event was breakout star Niamh McCormack. The 24-year-old Irish actress portrays a "determined" insurgent named Ellen Cochrane, though it could be said that the release party was almost as action-packed as the real-life incidents that inspired the show.

Where House of Guinness sees McCormack swaddled in mud-stained coarse-fabric petticoats, her looks for the show’s press couldn’t be further from the costumes donned. McCormack has opted for a form of "method dressing", a stylish decision in which an actor decides to pay homage to their character through their clothing choices during the press run.

She has previously worn a Victorian era-esque set from the Shanghai-based brand Shushu/Tong, but McCormack’s press tour culminated with a stunning gathered Loewe minidress. An admirable nod to the creative prowess and talent of Northern Irish fashion designer Jonathan Anderson, the dress was completed with a ruffled Flamenco hemline and topped off with stunning Cartier jewellery.

"It is important to acknowledge new and emerging designers as well as the established fashion houses," explains McCormack. "It is a dialogue between past and future." Personally, I can’t think of a better fashion tether to a series that recounts the fate, tragedies and fortunes of one of the most successful dynasties in Europe. But before House of Guinness hits the small screen, we caught up with McCormack pre-premiere to discuss everything from her glam rituals and the best place in town to get a pint of the black stuff, as the beer’s adherents colloquially call it. (Hint: It’s not The Devonshire in Soho, where the cast kicked on afterwards for a Guinness-pouring contest.)

Scroll on to read our conversation in full.

Congratulations on the show! How excited are you for the London premiere of House of Guinness tonight?

"I am beyond excited for tonight! It feels like the show isn’t our little secret anymore. We’ve done our work on our characters and performances, so now it’s up to the audience to enjoy!"

You’ve already screened the show in Ireland. What was the reception like there, and how do you think the audience will react tonight?

"We had such a great reaction from the Dublin premiere, and I can’t wait to hear what people think tonight! I am sure people will be surprised at how quickly you can be immersed in the world and care about the characters Steven Knight has created. It feels very special, especially being from Dublin myself."

What is your vision for what you’re wearing tonight? Was there a specific look or aesthetic you were inspired by?

"The vision we’ve gone for is divine femininity. Think The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, which is one of my favourite paintings. I’m such a Loewe fan, too, and I feel so grateful to be wearing this beautiful dress tonight."

What do you love most about look?

"I mostly love how elegant [the look] made me feel. It felt like Old Hollywood glamour, mixed with ethereal elements."

You’re a long way from the gritty streets of 19th-century Dublin. How are you paying homage to your character, Ellen Cochrane, through your outfit?

"I was paying homage to Ellen with the theme of birth and transformation referenced [in the painting]. Ellen goes through a lot of transformations and birthing of ideas as [the series] progresses, as well as being an independent and divinely feminine woman who is in charge of her own destiny."

What do you think Ellen would have to say about what you’re wearing?

"I think Ellen would love this look, but she would never be able to wear this [as is]. She’d need a pair of boots and a rifle! Ellen would also have the dress dirty in the first five minutes of wearing it."

How does your approach to red-carpet dressing differ from your day-to-day off-duty style?

"I approach red carpets as an excuse to get dressed up. It’s not every day you get the privilege to wear such beautiful clothes, and I love to pay homage to the role or the project through that as a means of expression."

Tell me about your GRWM rituals. Do you have any superstitions or customs that you swear by to get you through the process?

"My [getting]-ready rituals include icing my face—this helps me so much!—a little Gua Sha action, a nice body lotion and a sheet mask! I just really pamper myself and lean into the fun of it all!"

What kind of music do you listen to whilst getting glammed up?

"I listen to all kinds of music when I’m getting ready. If it’s just me on my own, maybe [I’ll put on] some nice soft piano or classical music to calm the nerves. For all the Guinness press, I’ve been listening to a lot of '90s dance anthems to get the energy flowing, especially early in the morning. Everyone has been loving it; it really sets the tone for the day ahead. 'Inner Smile' by Texas has really gotten me going for tonight!"

How do you decompress after a big premiere like this?

"I have this ritual, which I do wherever I go, called 'bed picnic'. I set up a towel on my [duvet cover] and lay out my takeaway of choice or whatever snacks I’ve selected like a proper picnic, and watch something on my laptop. It’s the little things!"

Where are the best places in London to grab a pint of Guinness?

"The Auld Shillelagh pub does a great pint of Guinness in London, but you’ll never get a better pint than in Dublin’s fair city."

House of Guinness is released on Netflix on 25 September.

Photographer: @pip.director
Photography assistant: @andreazubovic_
Stylist: @oisínboyd and @ellie.may.brown
Make Up Artist: @zoetaylormakeup
Hair: @leongorman

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

Next up, we chat with Scottish actress and filmmaker Karen Gillan, who stars in 'The Life of Chuck', a 2025 American fantasy drama film written and directed by Mike Flanagan, which is based on the 2020 novella by Stephen King. Karen is well accustomed to fantasy and sci-fi, with lead roles in BBC's TV show 'Doctor Who', Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy' series, and the 'Jumanji' sequels firmly under her belt. We discuss all the things that make her tick and bring joy to her busy life in the world of film.

What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the whole world?

_{The Mustard Seed in Inverness, Scotland. what would you order? Any beef dish.}

Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?

_{A wedding book that all my closest girlfriends made for me filled with our memories.}

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

_{One single earring that’s lost its partner and earplugs.}

Who is the person/who are the people who fill up your cup?

_{My daughter, husband, and dog.}

What is your ideal holiday? Something by the beach, pool, city-break or intrepid?

_{I love a city. I like the hustle and bustle, however, lately I’ve been appreciating how good being near water is for the soul.}

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

_{My grandmother gave me a cross necklace to remember her by. I somehow lost it and was devastated so my husband had it recreated.}

What are the top 5 necessities for your trailer on set?

_{Water in a glass bottle, nuts, a set of weights, a couch to nap on, and something that smells nice.}

In your spare time, what do you love to do?

_{I love to sing at my daughter. Poor girl.}

Best cinema in London / your hometown?

_{I saw 2001 on film in the Prince Charles cinema in London. Interval and everything—so cool. In my hometown, there was a cinema called La Scala, which no longer exists. It was my first cinema experience, and it was all red velvet and old-fashioned.}

Do you have a secret date-night spot?

_{Mini golf.}

Which item of clothing would you never ever part with? And why?

_{A yellow suit jacket dress thing. It just works for me and I can’t go wrong in it. I love blazers and mini skirts and it is both of those things.}

What’s your most-played on Spotify? An artist, playlist, or album?

_{Right now, it’s The Kinks.}

Favourite city or country for inspiration?

_{New York City. The greatest city on earth. So much stimulation when you step outside. Closely followed by Edinburgh in Scotland. I love all the gothic architecture.}

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

_{A Louis Vuitton dress I wore to an awards ceremony and they let me keep it. It’s sparkly, structured, and so fun.}

What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?

_{Eyeliner. I love pulling my eyes outward. I find it very flattering.}

What’s your go-to comfort food?

_{Burgers. And two orders of fries.}

What are your 3 favourite movies of all time?

_{'The Shining', 'American Beauty', 'Trainspotting'.}

You want to go out dancing, where do you go?

_{Beauty Bar in New York City.}

Share a piece of advice that someone you love gave you that always stuck.

_{My husband always calls me out when I am self-harassing and it’s truly a wonderful thing to realise what it is as it’s happening.}

What’s your favourite scent?

_{Dolce And Gabanna, The One.}

Do you collect anything? If so, what?

_{I’m the opposite of a collector. I constantly throw things away. I don’t have much stuff at all to be honest.}

What’s your latest obsession?

_{The Valley on Bravo.}

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?

_{COFFEE. It’s my favourite thing to consume. I love it. I didn’t have it during my whole pregnancy, and it was the hardest thing to give up.}

You can pick 3 fashion brands to wear for the rest of your life, what are they and why?

_{Monse (the coolest), Dolce And Gabbana (I feel good about myself in their clothes) and Rag and Bone (can’t go wrong and more affordable than the others).}

Who is your professional hero?

_{Stanley Kubrick.}

Who is your personal hero?

_{My dad.}

Who is/who are the love/s of your life?

_{My daughter, Clementine, and my dog, Turtle. Honorary mention for my husband.}

What is the love of your life?

_Filmmaking.

Shop Karen's Edit

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Jenna Ortega. The 22-year-old actress and Dior Makeup ambassador is the face of the new Rouge Dior On Stage collection, and we were lucky enough to catch up with the star about the new venture. "It’s so exciting," she tells us. "I never thought that I would get the chance to do something like this. The way that it came up was very organic and natural to my relationship with Dior, so it’s pretty cool."

Below, we asked Jenna all about her go-to makeup products and her best beauty advice, and she even shared her secret mascara trick…

1. Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?
I think a lip [product] is pretty insane, because your mouth is where people’s attention is drawn to first, [so] the shade of your lip is very important.

2. Do you have a favourite lip product?
Right now, I really like the Rouge Dior On Stage Ultra Longwear Lipstick in Redwood Star.

3. If you could steal someone else’s makeup bag, whose would it be?
Oh my god… would it be really basic to say Kate Moss? How does she do it? I don’t know.

4. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it? That’s, like… brutal. Again, I feel like I have to say [a lip product], as you can cheat and use it for blush as well.

5. What’s the best piece of beauty advice you've ever received?
I don’t know if I received this; it was more a natural progression of taking in [makeup] looks that I liked, or even [looking at] people that I admired, but it's letting the skin shine through. I don’t like anything too heavy, and I was made to feel really embarrassed about my freckles growing up. I think that too much makeup looks really insane on me; I just don’t have a face that suits that, so I think enhancing certain features or emboldening the stronger parts of my face is instrumental to me feeling like myself when I go out.

6. What's your signature fragrance?
I actually just changed it, which is very scary. I don’t know how it’s going so far, but for a really long time, it was Santal 33 by Le Labo.

7. What’s your biggest beauty no-no?
I don’t think I have a no-no; I have more of a "that should have been a no-no." But I will never admit it in the moment.

8. You’re having your nails done. What’s your go-to colour?
Honestly, if I'm going to do something, I really like a nude. Just a nude pink is really nice. But, if I do feel like I want something, I like a deep, dark wine colour. And then of course, black. But I would never put black [nail polish] on the toes."

9. How do you use beauty to help get into the character you're playing?
Beauty is the way that you’re choosing to represent yourself. It’s a pretty important piece of the puzzle. Often with characters, it’s one of my favourite parts of the job, speaking with the hair and makeup artist and establishing what the look is going to be, because it’s the character getting herself ready every day. It’s very interesting and insightful to know what is important to them and what they want to be seen as, so often, when I get ready for these characters, I play around with the makeup myself, and then we go from there, just so I have the experience of putting it on and figuring out what’s natural to me.

But it also kind of naturally lends itself, sometimes, if you don’t know who the character is fully, and you try something on, they’ll tell you what they want or they don’t want. For example, [when playing] Wednesday Addams, it was very clear when something wasn’t pale enough or dark enough or grey enough; it’s very intuitive. When the makeup is wrong, it’s hard to do a scene because you feel silly.

10. Which of the characters you’ve played do you think would have the best beauty routine, and why?
It depends on who you’re into. I played this character, Cairo Sweet, who was a touch pretentious but also had really beautiful taste, because she was super wealthy and lived in this mansion, and I just know she would have an assortment of things. But then, if you’re super clean and want to take really good care of yourself, I just did this film called The Gallerist, and [I played] this character who had a perfect blowout and matching eyeliner to her hair [colour], and everything was very curated. I feel like she would have a really nice collection as well, or at least [beauty] tips.

11. It’s a bad hair day. What do you do?
I think you hide. A bad hair day really messes you up. Maybe wash your hair again, or I guess, if I have to go out, I’m wearing a hat. I don’t like the way my hair looks slicked back. I need messy bits and pieces, and if it’s not going to listen, then you will not hear from me.

12. Which celebrity’s hair would you love to steal?
I worked with Amy Adams on a job a year or two ago, and [she had] the most beautiful head of hair I’ve ever seen in my whole life. I could not believe it. I thought, well, of course you played a princess. Her hair is so thick and healthy and [has this] beautiful texture and natural highlights. What a woman.

13. Are you team dewy or matte?
I feel like maybe matte, but only because it feels a little bit safer for my skin. I have combination skin, so naturally my T-zone gets a bit more oily, and whilst I think that's a nice, healthy look, I just don’t think it would work well with my skin in the long run.

14. Which era of beauty inspires you most?
I would say I like the more timeless bits, so I feel like the sixties. If you’re not [reading] too much into [the] crazy eyeliner, a lot of the style was very minimalistic and clean. The nineties were like a slight regurgitation of that, but maybe with a bit more depth or grunge, so I really like those two periods. When I [do] my own makeup, I often look to those characters and people as a reference.

15. Best beauty hack?
I don't know if this really counts… I will say two things just in case the one I want to say doesn’t count. I don’t wear foundation, but when I’m doing my concealer or cream contour, I like to do it when my skin is still wet from the [skincare] product before, because it blends a bit better and it feels a bit less caked on; it’s less obvious. But also, when I do mascara, spoolies are scary, so I empty the spoolie, I scrape it off, and I feel like it reduces clumps. As soon as I get a clump, it’s ruined. I like messy mascara, but you can’t fight a clump; they just keep reappearing!

Shop Jenna Ortega's Favourite Beauty Products:

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Cindy Bruna. The 30-year-old French supermodel has been a global ambassador for L'Oréal Paris since 2020, and we recently caught up with the star during the Cannes Film Festival to ask her all about her go-to makeup products, her best beauty advice and even her secret eyebrow pencil hack…

1. How does your beauty routine support your self-worth?
I feel like having a beauty routine in the first place is a self-care moment. Taking time for yourself, choosing yourself for a moment, [is] very connected to your confidence and how you actually go out into the world.

2. Which makeup product gives you the biggest mood boost?
The L'Oréal Paris Panorama Mascara is amazing. Sometimes, I go out with nothing on apart from that mascara. For me, it’s everything. Maybe some lip balm and that’s it.

3. If you could steal someone else’s makeup bag, whose would it be?
To be honest, mine is pretty good.

4. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it?
Oooh, that’s a hard one. I think I would choose hydration for my lips. That’s [the product that] I carry in my bag all the time. A little gloss, or the Plump Ambition Hyaluron Lip Oil from L'Oréal Paris, is very good. It’s very hydrating and at the same time, you have that glow, that little something that you need on your lips. It’s a good way to have both.

5. What’s the best piece of beauty advice that you have ever received?
I think it would be to double cleanse at nighttime. Doing it twice is very important. And, pretty recently, I switched my pillowcase for a silk one for my hair and my face, and it's magical.

6. What's your beauty philosophy in a sentence?
I feel like confidence is the most beautiful makeup you can wear. When you’re walking down the street and you see a woman walking with confidence, she just has an aura that you can’t even explain. You don’t even pay attention to whatever she’s wearing, whatever makeup she has; it's the feeling from within that she brings out to the world, it's everything she needs.

7. What’s your biggest beauty no-no?
Wearing your makeup to bed is the worst. That would be a no-no for sure.

8. Name one beauty product that is always in your handbag
A lip balm. I said it earlier, but yeah. A lip balm or lip gloss.

9. The greatest drugstore product for under £10?
Oh, the Burt's Bees lip balm is very good! The one with honey and peppermint. Don’t go for the others, it’s very specific!

10. What is your best beauty hack?
I use my eyebrow pencil on my lips to contour them. That’s something I do a lot. I love a little brown contour, a little darker than my skin tone, just to plump my lips. I would use the exact same colour on my eyebrows, too.

11. Do you have a favourite eyebrow pencil to use for this trick?
Not really, no. I would use powder, but I have a scar on my eyebrow, and this trick can only work with a pen.

Shop Cindy Bruna's Favourite Beauty Products:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

Chef, creator and supper club host Xanthe Ross grew up in Scotland, then spent time in Wales and is now based in London. She brings the knowledge and inspiration of the countryside to the city in her work. Xanthe works with broad range of fashion and lifestyls brands, including Uniqlo, JCrew, San Pellegrino and Mutti Pomodoro, and has also cooked at several events for the likes of Sézane, Liberty and GANNI. With a deep passion for travel, fashion, and food, Xanthe seamlessly blends these influences to produce unique and captivating content.

What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the whole world? And what would you order?

Chez Panisse in California which is really one of the most impactful restaurants for sustainability in food over the last fifty years.

What dish do you make when you want to impress?

I like making homemade pizza because I love playing with dough, and I feel like it always impresses people.

What’s your go-to dish for a last-minute dinner?

Probably a tomato pasta, again it’s so simple but I think you can really elevate the flavour in it by cooking it slowly and carefully and it ends up being impressive.

What’s your takeaway of choice?

Ramen, always. I love Kanada-Ya.

What are three things you always have in your fridge/freezer/store cupboard?

Fridge: parmesan, freezer: peas, store cupboard: a jar of beans

What’s your desert island menu?

It always changes, but right now it’s this—pasta alla Norma to start, which is a Sicilian pasta dish made with tomato and aubergine. Then, steak, chips and salad. For pudding, chocolate mousse or a good tiramisu.

Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?

So much stuff! I’m a very sentimental person. I’ve kept all the menus for every supper club I’ve done, which is really lovely to look at, as it reminds how far I’ve come since the first.

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

Lip balm and hand cream, always.

Who is the person/who are the people who fill up your proverbial cup?

I am lucky to have incredible friends, family and a husband who all fill my cup in different ways.

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

The French countryside!

If someone said “that’s such a Xanthe” item/trend/look—what do you think they’d be referencing?

Great question. I guess I’m always drawn to playing with pastel colours so probably would include some of those, and then dungarees and a slick back bun.

Which piece of art makes you feel all the feels? And can you remember the first time you saw it?

The first piece of art that I bought for myself was a photograph of a horse from my friend’s incredible website, Wondering People.

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

My engagement ring, not only because it’s pretty, but my husband took so much care in picking it and getting it made.

In your spare time, what do you love to do?

I love reading every day as much as I can, and also love walking my dog first thing, and doing yoga when I can.

Do you have a secret date-night spot?

Eat Tokyo is great for a casual date night and one we always go back to.

Which item of clothing would you never ever part with? And why?

I try to collect tourist t-shirts from everywhere I go, so I’d never part with those because they’re sentimental.

What’s your most-played on Spotify?

Billie Eilish!

Fave IG account to follow?

Lannan Bakery.

Fave TT account to follow?

Ballerina Farm.

If we were to look in your saved folder on IG now, what would we find?

Mainly lots of beautiful cakes.

Favourite city for inspiration?

Copenhagen, for the food, people, style and design.

Favourite city for fun?

Rome!

Favourite item to pack when you go on holiday?

I get excited by which books I’ll pack.

You’re making a playlist of your life, which 3 artists will feature most?

Dido, Beyonce, Billie Eilish!

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

I recently bought the Asics x Storymfg trainers which I’m currently treasuring.

What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?

Hand cream, I love the L’Occitane one.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

My comfort food is definitely pasta, as you may have guessed already!

What are your favourite 3 movies of all time?

Mamma Mia; Music & Lyrics; Anora.

All-time favourite lipstick or lip-gloss?

Either Summer Fridays, or Homoplasmine which you can get in French pharmacies.

When you were a teenager, what, if anything, was on your wall?

Avril Lavigne, I believe!

Share a piece of advice that someone you love gave you that always stuck.

For every problem, there’s a solution.

What’s your favourite scent?

Ffern perfumes do amazing seasonal scents. I also love the dark Byredo perfumes which I believe are oil based.

Do you collect anything, if so, what?

I collect t-shirts as I said earlier, from the countries that I’m lucky enough to visit and tourist magnets.

What’s your latest obsession?

I’m really into smells in my home at the moment, whether that’s burning incense first thing, good candles everywhere, or an oil diffuser at night.

What brand do you love the most?

Hard question—because there are so many incredibly brands doing so many incredible things! I think Flamingo Estate is one of the coolest brands at the moment in many ways, doing incredible things and inspiring many others.

What’re your 3 favourite brands / You can only wear 3 brands for the rest of your life, what are they?

Skall Studio, Cordera, DÔEN.

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?

Coffee and wine, always.

Tell us one thing you love to do that’s bad for you.

Probably drinking coffee and wine!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?

Sitting in the bath for as long as I can.

Who is your professional hero?

Alice Walters, chef and owner of Chez Panisse.

Who is your personal hero?

For sure my mum, she’s incredible. Never stops and never complains.

Who is/who are the love/s of your life?

Hugo my husband, my best friends Jimmy and Tily, and my family.

What is the love of your life?

Cooking!

Shop Xanthe's Edit:

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves, and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Gracie Abrams. The 25-year-old Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter was recently announced as Hourglass Cosmetics' global brand partner, and we were lucky enough to sit down with the star and ask her all about her go-to makeup products, her best beauty advice and even her signature fragrance…

1. Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?
I would say the Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint. That's the last step of my skincare routine and makes me feel a little bit more even as an acne-prone girl.

2. You've got a spot. Are you team pop it or team leave it alone?
I pick at my face, which is one of the reasons I'm so grateful to work with a brand that makes the greatest complexion products. I know in my heart I shouldn't touch my face. I'm trying to grow up!

3. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life. What is it?
For me, it's blusher. It makes me feel awake. Whether I'm onstage or offstage, it has that same effect.

4. What's the best piece of beauty advice you have ever received?
Less is more. I think that's just generally true for me. I like to feel as in my skin as possible. [Also] remembering that everybody's face is shaped differently. There's not a one-size-fits-all in terms of how you go about applying [makeup]. With the ridiculous amount of content that exists out there, it's important to remember to listen to your body.

5. Are you team dewy or matte?
Dewy. I don't mind looking sweaty sometimes. That doesn't bother me, so I would say dewy.

6. You're having your nails done. What's your go-to colour?
These days, silver. I had silver on my nails recently, and I liked that, but I rarely ever have anything because of the guitar. That's my boring answer!

7. What's your beauty philosophy in a sentence?
Just do what makes you feel like yourself. I've had experiences where there's been [lots of] glam, and I'm like, "Who is that person?" I always appreciate when things feel as bare as possible.

8. What's your favourite lipstick colour?
The Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm. I love this product because lipstick in general can feel chalky, and I'm a big texture freak. This is just so hydrating and amazing. The shade Impulse is like a brick red and makes me feel like I'm awake and alive.

9. What's your biggest beauty no-no?
I'm not a huge powder person. I don't like being so matte, so I would say that. I'm kind of like, "Do whatever makes you feel good." That's the whole point of leaning into products—getting you feeling closer to yourself.

10. Name one beauty product that is always in your handbag.
The mini Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer. It's like a third of the size of the big one. If I pick up a coat and put my hand in the pocket, I will find two of them in there and in my bag or backpack. That and a good brow gel are my two staples.

11. What's your signature fragrance?
Another 13 by Le Labo.

12. What's the greatest drugstore product for under £10?
Aquaphor. It's my favourite. I have used it since before I can remember.

13. Describe your brows in one word.
Quite straight these days. I've never had anyone touch them, and I wish I had because sometimes it's like you black out when you touch your eyebrows, and then you come to, and I'm like, "Where did the tails go?" But I'm just going to let it rock for now.

14. Your worst hairstyle (or hair moment) ever…
Ugh, there was a time in high school when I cut my hair really awful, and I also recently saw pictures of when I had really long hair, but I wasn't taking care of it, and the ends were so gnarly. [My bob] feels good to me now; anything other than this at the moment doesn't feel right.

15. Makeup primer: Love it or hate it?
I love it for the stage. I think it's super useful. I know in the back of my mind that I've gone the extra step to try to keep [my makeup] from sliding off. However, I think the way that I like to apply my makeup is quite sparse, so I don't lean in for a primer all the time.

16. Confession time—how often do you clean your makeup brushes?
I don't clean them as much as I should. I use my fingers for so much, and I wash my hands all the time, especially being on tour. I am hand-sanitising every five seconds! I use the same big [makeup brush] for everything, so I don't think I'm a great example of what to do in that department.

17. Which celebrity's hair would you love to steal?
I was so jealous watching Charli XCX [at Glastonbury] because she's just got the best hair. It's so hot and wild and fierce, and it's so black, and there's just something so attractive about that. It makes me miss having something to whip around.

18. Which era of beauty inspires you most?
Oh my god, sometimes it would be a time that predates any product at all. I love bare faces so much. I think I appreciate what's happening right now. There's access to so much. We're all so inspired by the beauty that we are lucky enough to absorb, but also, [there are] people who opt out entirely, and I think that's equally exciting and gorgeous.

19. Best beauty hack?
This is a Katie Jane Hughes classic: priming your blush with your complexion products so that you're not applying so much directly on your skin. It makes you feel like you are using 80% less product, which is great for getting as much out of your product and using it for as long as you can but also not having it be so cakey.

20. What do you do in your downtime to relax and reset?
I try to spend as much time outdoors as possible, which I think is a direct result of being in a bus or a dark venue most of the time. I miss the sun. Long walks, long days in the park and trying to get in the sea whenever possible.

Shop Gracie Abrams's Favourite Beauty Products

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

Next up is actress Callie Cooke, who stars in summer's biggest theatrical release, F1 The Movie, opposite Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Damson Idris and Kerry Condon. This highly anticipated Apple Original Films production is out now in cinemas.

What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the whole world? And what would you order?

The Four Horsemen in Brooklyn, their roast chicken is even better than my mums!

Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?

I still have my diary from when I was 12, it’s mainly just talking about how much I love Charlie from Busted but it’s very sweet.

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

My film camera!

Who is the person/who are the people who fill up your cup?

My best friends are the greatest people in the world.

What is your ideal holiday? Something by the beach, pool, city-break or intrepid?

The Italian countryside.

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

I recently had my late grandma’s ring reworked into a new piece—she would have loved it!

What are the top 5 necessities for your trailer on set?

A good book, a phone charger for when I spend too much time on TikTok, endless chocolate, diet coke and my dog.

In your spare time, what do you love to do?

Hang out with my dog and watch The Sopranos.

Best cinema in London / your home town?

The Castle in Hackney.

Do you have a secret date-night spot?

Bruno’s wine bar (also Hackney soz).

Which item of clothing would you never ever part with? And why?

I have my dads OG Sex Pistols tour t-shirt—it’s so punk, I love it!

What’s your most-played on Spotify? An artist, playlist or album?

Currently trying to learn every Charli xcx song in prep for Glastonbury.

Favourite city or country for inspiration?

Copenhagen.

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

After my first ever job, I went mad and treated myself to a Miu Miu two-piece. It's my prized possession.

What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?

Eyebrow gel.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

My boyfriends Spanish Omelette—it’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten!

What are your 3 favourite movies of all time?

Little Miss Sunshine, Frances Ha and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.

What’s your latest obsession?

I’m late to the party, but Love On The Spectrum.

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?

Combining them all with an Espresso Martini.

You can pick 3 fashion brands to wear for the rest of your life, what are they and why?

Miu Miu (I'm obsessed, can't you tell!), Carhartt (because dungarees are life) and I can’t tell you the third one because then you’ll all buy it and I won’t be cool anymore!

Who is your professional hero?

I’ve never met her but I’d go into battle for Greta Gerwig.

Who is your personal hero?

My sisters. They’re both nurses and do a way harder job than me.

Who is/who are the love/s of your life?

My dog Ralph and my boyfriend, but mainly my dog.

What is the love of your life?

Does Ralph count?

SHOP CALLIE'S EDIT HERE:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life.

Next up is actress Bessie Carter, best known for her role as Prudence Featherington on the Netflix series, Bridgerton. She is next due to play Nancy Mitford in the upcoming television show, Outrageous, is available on BritBox in the U.S. and Canada and on U and U&DRAMA in the UK.

What's your #1 restaurant to visit in the world, and what do you order?

Temaki in Brixton Village. They make the rolls in front of you and then hand them to you. I would order the miso aubergine temaki.

Is there anything in your home that you're particularly sentimental about?

My coffee table. I love my coffee table.

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

A pen.

Who are the people who fill up your cup?

My close circle of women.

What is your ideal holiday? Something by the beach, pool, city-break or intrepid?

Beach. Always. Maybe a jungle nearby.

Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?

A thick silver ring that belonged to my family friend Clare Wise (“Aunty Bobs”). I wear it everyday.

What are the top 5 necessities for your trailer on set?

Snacks, toothbrush, toothpaste, reusable water bottle, music speakers.

In your spare time, what do you love to do?

Sauna and ice plunge, full moon rituals, dance.

Best cinema in London or your home town?

The Ritzy in Brixton.

Do you have a secret date-night spot?

It changes...

What’s your most-played on Spotify? An artist, playlist or album?

Bonobo. Always Bonobo.

Which item of clothing would you never ever part with? And why?

My classic grey hoodie.

Favourite city or country for inspiration?

New York.

What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?

My chunky DMs.

What’s the beauty product you can't live without?

Jojoba oil.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Peanut butter.

What are your 3 favourite movies of all time?

The Worst Person in the World. The Square. La Vie En Rose.

You want to go out dancing—where do you go?

Berlin.

Share a piece of advice that someone you love gave you that always stuck.

You will never know what people are really thinking so why waste your time trying to guess.

What’s your favourite scent?

Lavender.

Do you collect anything, if so, what?

Emergence Magazine.

What’s your latest obsession?

Married At First Sight Australia.

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?

Well, in my opinion, they are all actually poison so I don’t drink any of them. Cacao til I die.

You can pick 3 fashion brands to wear for the rest of your life, what are they and why?

16Arlington, Damson Madder... and then any charity shop.

Who is your professional hero?

Margot Robbie.

Who is your personal hero?

My dad.

Who is/who are the love/s of your life? What is the love of your life?

My parents. Trying to live openly and kindly.

Outrageous will premiere June 18 on BritBox in the U.S. and Canada and June 19 on U and U&DRAMA in the UK

SHOP BESSIE'S EDIT HERE:

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables, exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Elsa Hosk. The 36-year-old Swedish supermodel and fashion brand founder boasts a cool 8.6 million followers on Instagram and has just been announced as the ambassador for TheSolveMD's debut line of SPF formulations. Fusing sun protection and skincare to target a range of concerns, Hosk tells us how meaningful it is to partner with a brand that's all about innovative, high-quality skincare. We were keen to ask her more about her go-to SPF products alongside her skincare and makeup tips and tricks.

Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?
A tinted lip balm! It instantly makes me feel more put-together. Plus, I can’t stand how my lips look without a little hint of colour.

Could you talk us through your skincare routine?
In the morning, I cleanse, apply a serum, moisturise and finish with Sunsolve ZnO+ Mineral Care SPF 50. At the moment, I’m using the Correct + Fade formula to help with pigmentation. At night, I always remove my makeup, cleanse, apply serum and lock it in with a rich moisturiser or night cream.

You’ve got a spot. Are you team pop it or team leave it alone?
Team leave it alone, for sure.

You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it?
Can I pick two?! Sunscreen and lip balm!

What’s the best piece of beauty advice that you've ever received?
Don’t compare yourself to others!

It’s a bad hair day. What do you do?
Throw it into a sleek bun and call it a day!

What’s your signature fragrance?
Whatever [my partner] Tom uses! I love a men’s fragrance.

Strong lip or a strong eye?
Strong lip.

You’re having your nails done. What’s your go-to colour?
A soft pink or nude [nail polish]—something timeless and natural.

What’s your beauty philosophy in a sentence?
Take care of your skin and let your natural beauty shine through.

What’s your favourite lipstick colour?
I love a darker liner with a [lip] gloss—perfect for day or night. The Make Up For Ever [Artist Color Pencil in] Anywhere Caffeine with a Rhode lip tint is my go-to.

What’s your biggest beauty no-no?
Sleeping in makeup.

Candles, reed diffusers or nothing at all?
Candles—they instantly make any space feel cosy.

If you could share one piece of beauty advice, what would it be?
Listen to your skin, [because] what works for someone else might not work for you. And less is more!

What beauty product do you recommend to everyone?
A good sunscreen; it’s the foundation of healthy, glowing skin. [All] of the Mineral Care SPFs from the SunsolveMD range look good on their own or under makeup.

Name one beauty product that's always in your handbag.
Tinted lip balm, always!

If you could steal someone else’s makeup bag, whose would it be?
Probably Hailey Bieber’s—she’s mastered that effortless, glowy look I love.

Are you team dewy or matte?
Team dewy all the way.

Describe your brows in one word:
Natural.

Your worst hairstyle (or hair moment) ever?
I tried the wet look… it's not for me. I looked like a drenched cat.

You have to wear your hair crimped or blue eye shadow for the rest of your life. Which do you choose?
Crimped.

Makeup primer: love it or hate it?
I use my skincare as a primer.

Confession time: how often do you clean your makeup brushes?
Not as often as I should… [I'm] working on it!

What beauty rule do you always break?
I rarely wear mascara.

Would you rather have ultra-skinny brows or bleached brows?
Honestly, I like both.

Which celebrity’s hair would you love to steal?
Claudia Schiffer.

Which era of beauty inspires you most?
The '90s—that natural, minimal look with a touch of glam.

Eyelash curlers: love them or hate them?
I like them if I’m doing a red carpet, but for day to day, I don’t bother.

Best beauty hack?
Using a tinted sunscreen as both SPF and a light base. It saves so much time in the morning.

What do you do in your downtime to relax and reset?
Cuddle with my daughter, go running in nature or unwind with a good show.

Shop Elsa Hosk's Favourite Beauty Products:

Ever wanted to take a look around the homes of Britain's most stylish residents? In Personal Space, we take a deep dive into design, looking at the moodboards of industry insiders to find out how they curate their space. From luxury finds in designer boutiques to secondhand shopping secrets, we ask the experts for the interior design tips that made their house a home. Next up, model and muse Luna Bijl shares how travelling the world has influenced her interior design style, and where she shops for her country-meets-boho aesthetic.

How would you describe your interior design style?

It's hard to choose one style! Since I grew up in the countryside, I love to add country influences to my house. But during my time living in New York and Paris and traveling all over the world, I get inspiration from everywhere and like to mix it all up. I would say "modern country design".

If we were to walk into your house on any given day, what would we be likely to see? 

I’m a total home body. For my work as a model, I’m always on the go and sleeping in different hotels, so whenever I'm at home, I love to cook in my lovely kitchen for friends or spend most of my time in my living room just relaxing on the couch.

What aesthetic style, era, or vibe speaks to you the most?

I love the mix between countryside and boho. Whenever I walk into my home, I want it to feel like a home where someone lives and not a hotel room, if that makes sense. I framed a lot of black and white pictures from different photoshoots throughout my career. My favorite photo that I framed in my living room is where I walk on Venice beach dressed in a white outfit with heels carrying a surfboard, it was shot by Glen Luchford. You can't even see it's me but I just love the vibe.

What made you fall in love with the house you live in now?

When I bought it one and half years ago, I saw a lot of potential because of the view it had. It has very big windows which bring in a lot of light and you can look towards the water and the skyline of Rotterdam. What I love about it now, is that I chose and designed everything myself with the help of Nyves (@studionyves), from the floor to the kitchen, my bathroom, walk in closet, everything. On my social media you can see how I transformed every room into what it is now; I loved capturing the before and after.

What are some of your favourite rooms in your house and why?

My living room is my favourite room of the house because of the big windows that give a lot of natural light during the day and views of the glittering skyline at night. I have an open kitchen which is attached to the living room—it’s a very cosy area with a lot of wood elements. My Dad gifted me a record player with the first LP's ever of U2 and The Cure that are the focal point of the room. Growing up, my Dad and I always listened to 90's music together, so it reminds me of my childhood.

What are some of the best buys you have invested in for your house?

I chose to buy (almost) everything in my house from local stores and people in the village/area that I grew up in, to support small businesses. This was something that was very important to me. One of my favourite purchases (and best investment in the house) is my custom-made walk-in closet. It’s made by Oerhout Furniture in Strijen, Netherlands.

Whose interiors might we find screenshotted in your saved folder as inspo?

I spend many hours on Pinterest creating mood boards with any styles that catch my eye or inspire me.

How do you refresh your interiors for each season?

I like to keep my interiors fresh by easily adding and/or removing accessories like cosy blankets, candles and flowers.

As a model you have travelled all over the world and stayed in spaces of all shapes, sizes and styles. Where are some of your favourite places to stay internationally and what did you love about their approach to design?

One of my favourite places to visit and stay are countries like Morocco and Mexico because of their authentic style of mixing colours and using different textures of stones, carpets and shapes. I love it. Whenever I'm staying in hotels for work, I try to stay at the same place that I already like so that it starts to feel familiar. and so , whenever I get to travel for a vacation, I like to try outnew spaces.

As one of the late Karl Lagerfeld's "Choupettes" you worked closely with one of the great fashion designers of our time. Did he ever give you any advice that has stayed with you?

What I loved about working with Karl was that he always stuck to his own vision and ideas. I took that with me into my own career. Always trust in your own vision and don’t follow the crowd too much.

Where are your favourite places to shop for the below:

Vintage/antiques: Pamono has a huge variety, but it comes with a big price!

Affordable pieces: Zara Home and H&M home.

Luxury investment pieces: I invested in my dining chars from Detjer and absolutely love them.

Textiles, accessories, and decorative finishing touches: Loods5.

What advice would you give anyone wanting to redecorate their space?

- Don’t get lost in trends but stick to your own taste and style.

- Make a mood board and take inspiration from other styles on Pinterest.

- Make your home personal by framing photos or handwritten notes from your family and friends!

- Don't be afraid of working with colours and different textures.

SHOP LUNA'S STYLE:

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life. Next up is Outlander actress Sophie Skelton.

What's your #1 restaurant to visit in the world, and what do you order?

Ah man, that’s a good question. I come from the North of England where the pub food and countryside setting is hard to beat, so seeing as we’re coming into winter, a cosy pub in the middle of nowhere with an open fire and (ideally) snow outside is pretty perfect but otherwise—a “favourite” really depends on my mood and what the occasion is. There’s something I really enjoy (and it's very barbarous of me,) about eating fish by the ocean. I love a marinated miso cod so perhaps Nobu Malibu for the view and the fresh fish. (Insert your judgement here).

Is there anything in your wardrobe that you're particularly sentimental about?

I’m not usually a big cap wearer but I have one that I bought with my best mate on a trip; they had just moved country and were having a hard time so I flew out to visit them. I love pieces that remind me of smiling and laughing in the face of hardship, and it gives me a little injection of life and joy whenever I wear it, so sometimes I’ll throw it on to capture that feeling and to feel close to someone/ the people I love who are far away.

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

Random sets of keys! I have keys from flats I’ve stayed in for jobs, and for friend’s houses around the world in case I ever want to stay or visit, and I don’t know which belong where or to whom they belong, soooo it’s a rock-up and lucky-dip kind of situation at the bottom of my handbag. I’m like Mr Treeger from Friends. (I definitely have an old NYC one in there too, so dancing on a New York rooftop is an option.)

I also have a load of friendship bracelets in there that fans have given me on trips. I have one handbag that I take everywhere, so it's full of have random bracelets from fans all over the world that now come with me. I always remember the individual interaction and who gave me what, so I like to think they can feel my thoughts and strength with them back.

What's your signature scent?

That is actually one of my best kept secrets (and I pride myself on my secret keeping). But I do have a signature blend I created and used to wear all the time. Unfortunately they discontinued one so I’m still looking for an alternative to recreate the mix, but it’s Tom Ford White Suede, then Vanille Fatale, and then Venetian Bergamot on top to lift it. I'm not a fan of anything too floral, and I’ve always been a tomboy so I edge towards more “masculine” scents. I also like to change my perfume at work sometimes to ensure I don’t feel rooted back to myself so it’s great to have a small handful on hand to mix and match.

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

This is going to sound extremely textbook, but I’m a sucker for white sand and sea. I’m also a sunshine junkie and I’m the kind of person who struggles without Vitamin D and natural daylight. Plus, I’m always cold so, take me to wherever that may be! I’ve never been to the Caribbean or Hawaii so maybe that’ll be the spot. Sand, sea and sunshine. Watching a quiet sunset on the beach with a warm breeze is my happy place.

Lahania beach in Hawaii.

We've caught you on a rare day off. What are you doing with your spare time?

I am terrible at “days off”. I look forward to them so much but when they arrive I feel guilty for being idle. I'm usually trying to clear life admin so I can have a day with really nothing to do. I do love a Sunday morning with a coffee, monthly Vogue and my dog roaming around though. And if I can find somewhere green for him to run and me to flight-mode my phone and switch off my mind then that’s a pretty good day off for me. I love being with my friends but everyone lives so far away most of the time and spread around the globe, so I fall into my factory hibernation mode which I am wary of succumbing to too much. I like to add in a pub Sunday roast if I’m in the UK and that’s a perfect day off for me. Laughter and Yorkshire puddings. Sold.

What's your secret date-night spot?

I recently discovered a great Mezcal bar near me. I love a speakeasy and somewhere private and not too bright or noisy. The best spots are somewhere you can chat, not have to shout, but also not be overheard. I also love a late night wander through a city too and feel the buzz of everyone enjoying their evenings around. I'm a big admirer of just walking and seeing where we end up. Bridges, rivers and city night lights.

What's one item of clothing you would never part with, and why?

I have a pair of Chloé wellies that I think I will wear in and wear down ‘til the day I die. Dramatic but true. Well worn-in wellies are the one.

Richard Rankin, Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Sophie Skelton, Executive Producer Maril Davis and John Bell attend "Outlander" 10th Anniversary Celebration during PaleyFest 2024.

What's your current most-played on Spotify?

My music taste is so eclectic. Most played will range from Etta James to Taylor Swift and maybe some Rock sprinkled in with Country. Currently my most played song is “Letting Go” by Angie McMahon from the Shrinking soundtrack, and “Bright” from the Stereophonic musical, but they’re a little more sad than my usual taste. I must be having a moment.

What's your favourite IG account to follow, and why?

Social media and I don’t have a very consistent relationship and I’m not a big scroller, but some of my friends are really flipping funny on there. I’d say my friends who are mums are probably my favourites to follow and see pop up on the old feed. Their posts are so authentic and have such a comedic and sarcastic way of showing their parenthood struggles and strifes that lift other women up and show familiar experiences in a way that you can feel seen and still have a giggle on top. Makes me happy to see that sisterhood and teamwork in what can be such a lonely/= and comparative online place.

If we looked through your Saved folder on IG, what would we find?

Currently a lot of motivational posts. It’s an exciting and uprooting time for me so I seem to be liking a lot of posts that are grounding and foreword facing. That and quotes from actors. Handy tips and what not.

Where is your favourite place for inspiration and your favourite place for fun?

My favourite place for inspiration is Haworth—Brontë falls, moody moors and getting lost. For fun, it's probably at the piano seeing what creation pours out. And actually, being at work for both. I love being on set and not knowing what’s going to come out in a take. It’s a great way of processing life for me and discovering new things about people and myself.

What's one beauty or self-care item you can't live without?

"Can’t live without" is extreme, but I do have this little face roller that I got from an airport Boots called “Botanics Twin Facial Massager” and that’s become my daily go -to, I’ll often use it on way to work. I have endometriosis and PCOS, so I tend to get sluggish lymphatic system and water retention, especially when travelling a lot for work. I also tense when I’m stressed, so it’s been an easy but super effective game changer. And not time consuming which is a win-win for me.

What are your top three favourite movies of all time?

Green Book, Good Will Hunting and Roman Holiday.

Richard Rankin (“Roger MacKenzie”) and Sophie Skelton (“Brianna Fraser MacKenzie”) in series 7 of Outlander on Starz.

What's one piece of advice that someone you love gave to you that has always stuck?

Put your blinkers on and run your own race.

Who are your professional and personal heroes?

Professional? Easily Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Matt Damon, Elizabeth Olsen, Zendaya, Tom Hanks... Man, I could go on. Personal— there are so many people around me who are making a difference in the world and have missions so much bigger than themselves that I really admire, and I see people I love being stronger and wiser each day which is heroic in itself.

Who is/are the love(s) of your life?

Being in the cinema is and has always been my one love. So immersed and totally switched off from everything else. It’s magical to me. I get a similar feeling being on stage.

What is the love of your life?

Typical “dog mum” of me but, Loka, my 70kg Great Dane. Accidentally named him that and later found out it means “world” so pretty appropriate.

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Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves, and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Lucien Laviscount. The British actor has become a household name since starring in hit Netflix series Emily in Paris. It was recently announced that he would be the very first spokesperson for luxury fragrance brand Kilian and the face of its new scent, Old Fashioned. We sat down with Laviscount to talk about how it feels to be the face of the fragrance, his most memorable moments filming the latest season of Emily in Paris and how he keeps himself grounded whilst his career continues to skyrocket.

1. How does it feel to be the first ever spokesperson for Kilian?
"Am I the first ever one? That's epic. It honestly came about in such an organic way, and working with Kilian and the team is incredible. They are so loving and giving and work so hard. It's a match made in heaven."

2. If you had to describe the new Kilian fragrance in three words, what would they be?
"Elevated, opulent and seductive."

3. The fragrance is inspired by a classic cocktail. What's your go-to?
"I'm not mad on cocktails, but it used to be anything with dark rum and ginger."

4. Do you remember what your first ever fragrance was?
"My first ever fragrance wasn't my fragrance, it was my dad's. It was a long time ago now [so] I can't remember what it was. But do you know, I smelt it recently and it took me back to being a kid trying to steal a little bit for school."

5. Emily in Paris is a very stylish show. How do you use fashion and grooming to express yourself?
"It depends on how I want to feel that day or what I've got to do. I'm [either] hooded tracksuit or all bells and whistles. [The show] definitely opened up a few more avenues, just being able to be around all these great designers and to work with Marylin [Fitoussi, Emily in Paris' costume designer]—she definitely has the inside scoop on what's what."

6. What is your most memorable moment from filming this season of Emily in Paris?
"I think it was probably the last scene I shot. Ashley Park who plays Mindy is wearing this almost highlighter outfit, and it was just coming into springtime and all these flies were just attracted to her outfit, so she was swatting flies away most of the time. That was a moment that I don't think I will forget in a hurry."

7. Is it hard balancing being in the public eye whilst trying to maintain a sense of privacy in your own life?
"Nah, you know what, my life is pretty simple. I've got a really good group of friends and family and I keep it as simple as possible, so I don't really see it like that."

8. Did you pick up any great grooming secrets on the set of Emily in Paris?
"Well, they'd be secrets! No, I'm joking. When it comes down to it, it's just about hydration and whatever makes you feel good. I've started attributing fragrances to characters to separate them in a sensory way."

9. What are your skincare staples?
"Soap and moisturiser! I don't think you can go wrong with that. And sunglasses—sunglasses should be a staple for any beauty routine."

10. You can only take one grooming product when you travel—what is it?
"A toothbrush! Does that count?"

11. You’ve got 10 minutes to get ready—what do you do?
"That's a long time! Shower, music, moisturiser, music, little dance party, call a few friends, panic, run out the door."

12. What is your signature fragrance?
"My signature fragrance right now has to be Old Fashioned by Kilian."

13. If you were to launch your own fragrance, what would you call it?
"People close to me call me Lulu, so it might have to be that. I guess you've got Lululemon though, haven't you? Maybe 'Eludare'—I think it means 'elusive' in Latin."

14. How would you describe your style in three words?
"Three words to describe my style… I'd say practical, comfortable and interesting."

15. If you could steal another celebrity's wardrobe, whose would it be?
"Gosh, I think I'd go with Lenny Kravitz. I have to go all out on that."

16. Is there anything you do to help ground yourself when you’re working away on set?
"I FaceTime family and friends, and what's nice is that I've got friends in different countries, so if I'm working late there's always someone awake somewhere, and I'll just blow up their phone throughout the night. I think staying connected is important, especially because I spend a lot of time by myself, which I do love, but there are times when it does get a bit lonely."

17. When you’re not working, what do you do to unwind?
"I love to watch movies. Listening to music, going out to watch live music, watching people perform live, going to the theatre,—that's my kinda thing, my little escape from things. I'm the lonely cinema-goer who's going at 2 p.m. on a sunny day to go and watch movies."

18. Who are the actors you admire and look up to?
"There are so many actors I admire. But one of my favourites is Stephen Graham. He's incredible in so many different ways. I've grown up watching him. I've never had the chance to meet him, but his upbringing and how he carries himself in interviews… I've heard great stories from crew members and other actors I've worked with, and it would be a dream to work with him one day."

19. Acting is an industry filled with rejection—do you have any advice on handling it?
"I kind of thrive on it. It's an industry built on rejection, so once you lean into it and appreciate it and take every knock… well, it's not really a knock, it's a learning curve. It's an industry where you have to be resilient and know that your happiness shouldn't be judged on someone's opinion that day. I think understanding how to stay in my lane and do my thing and just work on me instead of looking to other people and how their trajectory is going and comparing myself. I think [comparing] is a recipe for trouble. Staying in your lane, staying true to yourself and working hard. That's it."

20. Are there any specific genres or types of characters you’d like to explore that you haven’t had a chance to yet?
"I'd love to play someone from history. Arthur Ashe would be phenomenal and Harry Belafonte would be incredible. I think just to be able to step into someone else's shoes who overcame so much in their life and to really breathe and live in their shoes would be a great challenge and so freeing."

21. What's the best piece of career advice that you've ever received?
"When one door closes, another door opens. It's tough at the time to take what seems like rejection, [but] just know that if you stay the course, it's meant for a reason. And honestly, find something else that makes you happy. I guess that's the other thing as well—there is no end goal to this. You've really got to enjoy the journey as much as possible. The end goal, that finish line—it doesn't exist. Even if you do get to that imaginary finish line, there's no happiness there. It's [about] enjoying the process and being present."

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The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life. Next up is actor, writer and director Susan Wokoma.

What's your #1 restaurant to visit in the world, and what do you order?

"In the world? That is big. I know my London one, it's easy. Andrew Edmunds in Soho. I'm a bit of a Soho creature and I'm still fighting for Central London—although I know everyone's going east. It's a beautiful, modern European restaurant in an 18th-century townhouse—candle-lit, everything. I was introduced to it by writer and playwright Polly Stenham in maybe 2013. She's a real Soho child. We went for dinner there and the service was amazing and the menus are all handwritten and change regularly. It's the place I go for a big steak or a pork chop, or for the red wine selection. If I really like you, I take you there."

Is there anything in your wardrobe that you're particularly sentimental about?

"Do you know what? I'm really bad with losing things. I'm the kind of person who will wake up on a random Tuesday and be like, where's that top? So one of my 2024 resolutions has been to declutter my life, but one thing I'm very, very sentimental about is what I bought with my first big paycheck for a job I did called Crazyhead in 2016. I didn't know what to spend it on and my friend Emma Dennis Edwards was like, 'You need to get your first Chanel.'

I wanted the classic black flap bag, and she was so sweet and called the New Bond Street store ahead of time so that when we got there they made such a fuss of me, giving us champagne. They let us stay in the store all day. Ultimately, it was a real lesson about buying quality because whenever I use it it's still in pristine condition, and it was a really sentimental moment with a friend."

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your handbag?

"The one thing I never go anywhere without is my Beauty Blender Blotterazzi sponge. It's shaped like a tear, and you open it and it's got a little mirror. It's really good for shine control. I get shiny no matter what—it can be the coldest day and I'm shiny, so it's always in my bag. That, some gum and my AirPods. Oh, and I always have some Le Labo miniatures. I just throw a whole load into my bag and like to pull them out halfway through the day and layer my fragrances."

What's your signature scent?

"Because I layer, I like to mix and match and change my mind all the time. I would say I am basic in that Le Labo is always in there. Lys 41 is normally a base, and then, of course, we have Santal 33 that everyone wears. It just smells so fresh. There's an Italian actress, Rossy de Palma, who has a perfume [named after her] called Etat Libre D'Orange. I tend to like vanilla, musky and woody scents—I do not want to smell like fruit—but this is an 'eau de protection' rather than an eau de parfum, and I will add a hint of that sharp orange to my other layers for a unique smell. If anyone asks me what I'm wearing, it's going to be about 3000 different things."

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

"I would say Costa Rica. I went a couple of years ago for my birthday, and I didn't want to do any of what I call 'Instagrammy' holidays, so I went to the middle of the forest to lay in a hammock and read a book, and it was so unbelievably peaceful. I'm usually a city break kind of girl, and I had to force myself to adjust to the pace of life—just beaches, books and incredible food. [It] was beautiful. The slogan for Costa Rica is 'pura vida', which means pure life, and although everything in Costa Rica runs five minutes late (which is a nightmare for my Capricorn brain), it turned out to be just what I needed. You can walk up into the mountains, see the volcanoes and explore the kind of location where you can switch off and be healed."

We've caught you on a rare day off. What are you doing with your spare time?

"Okay, I've mentioned [this] before and it's come back to haunt me, but I had this whole panic a few years ago where I thought, I was born in London but I don't really know London, in terms of it's history. So I started going on these London walks which you can book, exploring different areas of London with a tour guide. There are always more people than you think so it's never just you, and I've loved going along and seeing the hidden history of the South Bank, and one night I did a dark tour of London. We ended up in Smithfield and there's a little square where William Wallace was burned—I didn't know that growing up in London! I learnt so much from those tours that I walk around now and recognise those landmarks.

"I've also started tailoring my own clothes. I'm of Nigerian heritage and we rarely buy anything off the rack; we'll often go to a tailor who also happens to be an auntie. My whole body is about four different sizes, and why waste time trying to fit into what is already out there when I can make it work for me? So, I'll either be doing that, or learning BSL. Our associate director Lilac [on The Real Thing] is deaf, and she gave me my sign name, which can either be spelt out or a gesture that sort of represents you. Mine means open-hearted. Even though Lilac prefers communication by lip reading, because we have somebody in the room who is deaf, it makes sense to learn like any other language. I think there's something quite humbling about learning something as you get older and [being] a student again."

What's your secret date-night spot?

"So maybe rather than a restaurant, a different kind of date-night spot that only a very special group are invited to is my home, but the other one is the Experimental Cocktail Club in Chinatown. I love it because it has no sign and normally some conspicuous bouncer. The cocktails are incredible and it's so dark it's almost too dark, so everyone looks amazing. So take a date and have a few cocktails. Back at mine, I've recently discovered a little roof bit off my bedroom window, and as the sun goes down the light is so beautiful. So now I've put out some chairs and a little table, and you can climb out of the window and perch there for a drink. We might not get gardens because we live in London, but we do have a nice rooftop situation."

What's one item of clothing you would never part with, and why?

"My Buffalo trainers or my Fila Disruptors because I'm a '90s girl and I like a chunky shoe. With the exception of a heel, which can be quite delicate and dainty, I like a trainer and feeling that I'm stomping around a little bit. If I'm dressing down and I've got to wear a regular trainer, it feels so odd! You walk differently in a chunky shoe as it adds a bit of height, and whenever I'm in rehearsals and take my shoes off, people go, "Oh!" I do give tall-girl energy, but that's because, in platform trainers, I'm 5'6"."

What's your current most-played on Spotify?

"Like everybody else, it's Chappell Roan. I knew she was good for the Gen Zs, but then I saw the Coachella performance and I was like, yeah, I absolutely love her. Pop girlies are doing bits right now, and I've got to say, watching Charli XCX have this victory is amazing because this girl has been around and DJing forever, and seeing her rise has been so satisfying. I also love Rachel Chinouriri—as a black indie girl, she has my heart.

"VINCINT! VINCINT makes really gorgeous romantic pop anthems, and when I go for a run, I sing their songs out loud, which is a great way to keep people away from you. If you're not familiar with their work, start with 'Take Me Home'. But honestly, I would say my biggest guilty pleasure is probably my Spotify, because if you saw some of the other shit I've got on there... Let's just say Rebecca Black has more hits than just 'Friday'. If someone took my phone to put me on the spot, I would run across the room and set my phone on fire."

What's your favourite IG account to follow, and why?

"It has to be the Indie Sleaze account. The amount of people I like I've recognised on it! I find it so nostalgic, and some of the songs are bangers. It feels like the last flush of hedonism that my generation had before we got slapped around the face with the recession. It was such a time to be alive."

If we looked through your Saved folder on IG, what would we find?

"There's a Saved folder? I screenshot a lot of things on Instagram, which I guess is sort of doing the same thing—quotes, quotes, quotes and motivational posts that I share with my friends. Therapy-gram. The last thing I screenshotted was a woman talking about discipline and how to replace the word 'discipline' with 'devotion'—how are you showing devotion to this thing, or showing devotion to yourself? Honestly, it did something to my brain."

Where is your favourite place for inspiration and your favourite place for fun?

"I go to Rome quite a bit, and the key to a good time in Rome is to find the artists. It opens up a whole other world. They will often do residencies for like, a year or two, and take over villages or different galleries and museums, so there are people from all over the world congregating whose sole focus is making art and enriching culture, and it adds respect and value to the experience. The last time I went, I got invited to this musician's birthday that was being held in a bar that only opened on the last Thursday of every month, and it was the weirdest shit I've ever seen. It was great, everyone was spilling out in the streets, smoking and talking about their art. This year, I was invited to do my very first performance-art piece as a result of the people I met whilst partying in Rome, so I suppose it was quite inspirational too."

What's one beauty or self-care item you can't live without?

"Out of the blue, I developed cystic acne in 2019. My skin wasn't great before, but it was just fine, and then all of a sudden, breakout. So I went to Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme at Adonia Clinic to see a specialist dermatologist who knows Black skin, and she saved my skin. I basically went from 'moisturise and leave the house' to 8000 creams, but I've worked on that diligently for over a year.

"When I was younger, my thinking was, if I'm oily, don't add any oil, don't use too much moisturiser because it will make it worse. But actually, if you don't use moisturiser, you're gonna make it even worse. I've found the best thing is a rose water and glycerine spray, which I use for my face, my hair and my body. I love an all-in-one. Ever since I started using it on my skin, it's just glowy. I haven't started doing anything surgical yet but I'll let you know."

What are your top three favourite movies of all time?

"Oh my god, well, definitely on my list is All About Eve. I think it's one of the best films on earth—just Bette Davis being high-drama, raggedy and the most OTT actress. Anyone who hasn't watched it will see that it's in black and white and think, Oh, I don't wanna watch something that's made in the '50s, but it's just incredible. You also get to see a very young Marilyn Monroe in one of her first movie roles. I also love Mary Poppins. 'Feed the Birds' always makes me cry, without fail. And actually, Bridesmaids cannot be matched. All three are up there as the films I constantly revisit."

What's one piece of advice that someone you love gave to you that has always stuck?

"My friend Maria taught me drama from the age of 13 and we're really close, she's like a mum. She said, 'Don't let other people live in your head rent-free.' If someone is going to take up your energy, they better be putting dollars into the slot! I'm a real worrier, and I can worry about others and be very hypersensitive, but to what end? The older I get, the less concerned I am about what other people do. I'm only really responsible for my feelings and how I communicate them, and I have to trust that other people are going to be responsible for their views and tell me what they need and what they don't too, I think."

Who are your professional and personal heroes?

"Professional is tough because I don't really have one. The kind of path that I've created for myself is a bit strange, in terms of the things that I add to my bow and the kind of work that I do. I think when most people think of heroes they look at someone's body of work and think, I want to do that, whereas I have so many different people that if I could mesh them all together, that would be the closest I could get. If you could squash Marianne Jean Baptiste together with Olivia Coleman and a little bit of Kristen Wiig and Simon Pegg, that would be my hero.

"But personally, my friend Steph, who has had to battle quite a few chronic illnesses over a time when, you know, we're all sort of discovering who we are and being a bit pessimistic. Her health really started to turn against her, and watching somebody navigate that has been really difficult, but I'm just completely in awe of how she approaches life and strives to make the best choices for herself. She's definitely a hero."

Who is/are the love(s) of your life?

"I don't think I can say out loud.… I do have a crush at the moment, and I never have a crush, okay? You know when you're just like… you're wearing your hair a little bit different, you're putting in a little earring and you've just got a bit more of a spring in your step? That's lovely."

What is the love of your life?

"I think I'm meant to say acting, but also, I know that if this didn't work out, I would be fine. But regardless of whether I'm involved in it or not, I'm always really delighted when I hear that people are creating things, or when actors that I really like or really respect are booking these great jobs. The fact it's happening is beautiful and that people haven't given up on it, because things are really cynical at the moment, [and it] shows the importance of art, whatever you consider that to be, and that it isn't just a luxury. I'm always really impressed because artists can have nothing and still be the people trying to create something that helps."

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Catch Susan in The Real Thing at The Old Vic Theatre until 26 October, and in series two of Cheaters, coming to the BBC in November.

Mabel recently played a gig in Paris that she describes as a "hot mess”. Just a day earlier, the 28-year-old R&B and pop singer-songwriter decided she wanted to accompany herself on piano. “It's the first time I'm ever doing this,” she’d told fans at the intimate soirée. “But I'm really glad that you're here.” Today, as we chat in the sun-drenched kitchen of her stylish London home—all extravagant skylights and monochrome tiling—she laughs wryly. “Turns out you definitely need to practice to do that!”

Relaxed, chatty and informal—she answered the door barefoot and immediately offered me a Diet Coke —Mabel is more comfortable with herself than she’s felt in a long time, that much is clear. What’s harder to work out is the journey she’s taken to get there. In 2017, the Swedish-English musician made a splash with her debut single “Finders Keepers”, a seductive afro-bashment banger that delivered her first UK Singles Chart Top Ten ranking. Then came the certified platinum debut album High Expectations, featuring the world-conquering earworm “Don’t Call Me Up”. A year later, she won Best Female Artist at the prestigious BRIT Awards. Her second record, 2022’s clubland-inspired About Last Night…, was her highest-charting album yet. In the music video for its lead single, “Let Them Know”, Mabel appears every inch the bona fide pop star, strutting around in a Big Bird yellow fur coat and outrageous heels.

The reality behind the scenes of the video was quite different. “I hadn't told anyone that I was really struggling still,” Mabel recalls, her naturally chirpy voice slowing during our chat. “It was my first time post a really heavy depression being back on set.” She slipped up repeatedly during a choreographed dance routine and something snapped. “I grabbed my water bottle and threw it and it smashed into a thousand pieces.” She takes a deep breath. “It was a really painful moment.”

In many ways, Mabel was quite literally born to be a pop star. She’s the daughter of Neneh Cherry, the trailblazing Swedish rapper and singer behind the ‘80s kiss-off anthem “Buffalo Stance”, and producer Cameron McVey, who worked with legendary British acts Massive Attack and Portishead. Mabel’s earliest material was created by “me and my brother”—(the songwriter slash producer Marlon Roudette, with whom she co-wrote “Finders Keepers”). “People are like, ‘Oh, nepo baby warning!’” Mabel tells me. “If my parents were doctors and I decided I was going to be a surgeon, nobody would really bat an eyelid.” She grew up surrounded by music; her first steps as a toddler took place on a tour bus.

Cherry and McVey, however, were not thrilled when Mabel landed her first record deal at the age of 19. “My parents were like, ‘Whoa, just wait a minute. Let's help you really figure out who you are and what you want to do…’ I was like, ‘I don't want to work shitty jobs, I want to live off my music… Fuck you!" she laughs ruefully. “You could never tell me when I was little, ‘Don't touch the fire!’ I had to touch the candle and get burnt.” She gets their caution now, she says. “As a parent, all you want to do is protect your kid, right?”

Life accelerated to an almost unbearable speed. At her first BRITs performance, Mabel found herself performing alongside dozens of dancers for the first time—one of many deep ends she was hurled into as a young artist. She embarked on a whirlwind tour across the UK, Europe and North America, dealing with the white-hot glare of public scrutiny whilst trying to knock out new music at a workaholic pace. “I hardly saw my family,” she recalls. “It was quite lonely.” Her inner people-pleasing perfectionist kicked in even as she grew increasingly depressed. “You get in this mindset of: ‘I have to deliver something in the next 12 weeks,” she sighs. “I just don't know where the pressure cooker came from.” The industry, she explains, teaches musicians that they’re only good if they rack up the views or win awards, “but I've had those things and I don't think I was particularly happy,” she tells me.

Lockdown, in some ways, provided a perfect emergency exit. Mabel moved back in with her parents and tried to cultivate a life outside of music “that just means that I'm not the job, I'm not the character,” she says. She got pets—her two Italian greyhounds, Imani and Tahini, are currently padding around us in the kitchen—and started riding horses. Monetising her love of music was partly what got her into this mess, she explains. “When your hobby becomes your job, you need more hobbies, because it just changes the relationship to your creativity. I stopped playing and writing [music] just for fun.”

About Last Night… was envisioned as a post-lockdown love letter to clubs and big nights out. In interviews at the time, she situated her anxiety and depression very much in the rearview mirror—the message was that she was making her triumphant return to chart-busting stadium pop. “I thought, ‘I'm better. I'm totally healed.’” Her voice wobbles. “But then I got into this thing of… still trying to people please. Trying to be like, ‘I’m gonna do what I want to do’ but still thinking I wanted Top 20s and Top 10s.” Whilst the record did well, none of its singles cracked the charts in the same way as its predecessors. “I was so upset with myself because if I'd actually just been 100% true to myself then it wouldn't have mattered.”

Then came the bottle-smashing incident. In the grand scheme of diva antics, it barely registers—but it was seismic for Mabel. “This is the first time I ever broke down like that in front of people,” she says. “It still took me months to realise that actually what happened was because I wasn't communicating well and I wasn't able to be honest with myself. It wasn't me being a horrible person. I just wasn't well.”

According to the Musicians Union, artists suffer more mental ill health than the general population, but the demands placed on them are enormous, particularly for young women. Face-game on point, body snatched—these are the kind of YouTube comments people expect to see on every female pop star’s page. It seems so punishing for the industry to expect creative people to create great art but put them on a schedule that you wouldn’t inflict on an investment banker, I say.

“Decisions that I made for myself,” Mabel adds. “I wanted to dance in the video. But where did those things come from? It comes from a larger pressure on women in the industry to be a triple threat.” After the release of About Last Night…, Mabel was, she says, “at the total edge”. What she once considered the most pleasurable activity in her life—making music—had become a source of despair. She considered quitting completely.

What helped? “Therapy!” she shouts, breaking out into belly laughs. She began unpacking her identity in the counselling room. “I have insomnia, I have GAD [generalised anxiety disorder], I have chronic depression, seasonal depression,” she says, ticking off the list with good-natured humour. “All these things I actually just accept now.” She drew her family closer and began writing songs with her brother again, trying to get back to that younger version of herself who made music for the instinctive pleasure of it. “I placed so much of my value in my physical appearance and what people were saying about my weight and whether I looked pretty,” she explains. “Actually, how I look is the least interesting thing about me. It really is. I write songs. I read loads, I ride horses. I think I'm a good friend.”

And rather than being embarrassed, she realised that she should embrace her musical lineage. “My mum is such an icon,” Mabel emphasises. “She was always just like, ‘Middle finger up, I'm just going to do whatever the fuck I want.’” Mother and daughter recently visited the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation in Paris, where the fabric from Cherry’s Alaïa wedding dress is now protected by law as an artifact of historical importance. Mabel found herself bursting with pride.

These days, the singer tries to be kinder to herself. “The reason I love music so much is because it's something that can't be controlled. It's like the closest thing to magic that I know. Some days it happens and sometimes it doesn't.” Her latest tracks—including the sultry Toni Braxton-esque “Female Intuition” and Shygirl collab “Look at My Body Pt. II”, with its sexy R&B stomp and pro-woman message—all tease a newer and more intriguing direction for someone who was once hailed as the inheritor of Dua Lipa’s straightforwardly pop throne.

On the Goldfinger-inspired shoot for “Female Intuition”, Mabel co-directed herself for the first time. She asked to be painted all gold, and, in the black-and-white music video, she positively gleams. She hasn’t even bothered to look at the number of views on her new videos. “If 10 people listen to them, I'm gassed, that's great,” she says. Another North American tour beckons, and she’s releasing a song with ​​Ty Dolla $ign this autumn. Mabel is taking all of this on her own terms, getting a feel for the joy of it again, and if she makes mistakes—piano-related or otherwise—she’ll learn from them. “I'm proud of what I'm doing,” she smiles. “I don't need to disassociate and I don't need to wear a mask. Creatively, it's been really fun to experience for the first time—looking at myself on camera and being like, ‘Oh, that's the person I am at home. That's the woman my boyfriend knows and the girl my parents know.’”

Photographer: Jeff Hahn
Hair Stylist: Shamara Roper
Makeup Artist: Hila Karmand
Manicurist: Lotte Clark
Stylist: Remy Farrell
Styling Assistant: Brittany Davy
Photography Assistant: Torgeir Rorvik, Rami Hassen
Digital Technician: Lucas Bullens
Art Director: Natalia Szytk
Editor in Chief: Hannah Almassi
Editor: Zing Tsjeng
Video: Jonathan Middleton
Executive Director, Entertainment: Jessica Baker
Copy Editor: Georgia Seago

Ever wanted to take a look around the homes of Britain's most stylish residents? In Personal Space, we take a deep dive into design, looking at the moodboards of industry insiders to find out how they curate their space. From luxury finds in designer boutiques to secondhand shopping secrets, we ask the experts for the interior design tips that made their house a home. Next is Zoe Zimmer, model, photographer and founder of luxury beachwear brand The 87, taking us through her style icons, favourite hotspots, and modern approach to monochrome maximalism.

How would you describe your interior design style?

I always refer to the aesthetic of my flat as “70s Deco”. It’s a bit classic, a bit fun, a bit nostalgic.

If we were to walk into your house on any given day, what would we be likely to see?

I’m actually a very tidy maximalist. I don’t like clutter but I have too much stuff to ever try being a minimalist. I wanted my flat to feel put together and chic but still low maintenance, comfortable and homey, for it to have a lot of personality, and to be the setting for a lot of good times. I’m pretty much always listening to music, and when I’m at home in the evenings I’m often cooking for friends, reading or watching movies. I’m also an absolute maniac about lighting, and I keep things very dimly lit at night. You won’t find any LED lightbulbs around here.

Other than the Seventies, what style or vibe speaks to you the most?

I love classic design from the '20s and '30s, alongside interiors from the 1970s, and there’s actually quite a lot of aesthetic crossover in those eras, like Marcel Breuer’s Cesca chairs that were designed in the '20s but were reproduced in the '60s and '70s. I like things that are elegant and timeless, but that also have a lot of character to them.

What made you fall in love with the house you live in now?

The minute I walked into my flat it felt like home. I grew up in Notting Hill and where I live now is literally around the corner from my childhood home. The high ceilings, period features, open plan living space and communal garden felt so similar that when I saw it I basically burst into tears, turned to the estate agent and said “I’ll take it!”, which probably wasn’t the best tactic when it comes to buying property!

What are some of your favourite rooms in your house?

My bathroom is probably my favourite room. I love nothing more than a really long bath, so it was important that I got the vibe of the room right, and it’s a small space but I wanted to make it as interesting as I could. The idea of the cream tiles with black grout came from exterior tiling I saw when I was in Tokyo, which I loved, and I think works really well with the rest of the flat. My builder told me I was crazy to do it, but he came around in the end!

What are some of the best buys you have invested in for your house?

My leopard rug by Diane Von Furstenberg for The Rug Company. I love it because its bright green whereas a lot of the colours in my flat are quite monochrome and muted. I also love my leather Mart Stam chair that I use at my desk, which is another era crossover piece.

Whose interiors might we find screenshotted in your saved folder as inspo?

I love looking at photos of the homes of people whose style I really admire, like Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge’s Paris apartment, or Halston’s home and office in New York. I follow a lot of accounts that share amazing vintage interiors too, like @the_london_list, @beau_traps, @80smodern, @this_is_relevant, and @domicile.file.

How do you refresh your interiors for each season? (If at all)

I purposefully designed my flat for it to work all year round, because changing it seasonally seems like a lot of effort! It’s light in the summer and cosy in the winter, which keeps things easy, but I love getting to use my garden in the summer, its like suddenly getting a whole extra room.

As more of us are working from home than ever before, how important is curating a workspace in the home, and what is the inspiration behind yours?

I know a lot of people need calm, serene spaces when they work, but when I’m working I need to have a lot of visual stimulation around me. I have a whole wall next to my workspace thats a pin board with various ideas, photos and memories on it. Hilariously, I also bought myself a lava lamp a while ago, which is something I used to have on my desk when I was a teenager and now I always have it on when I’m working.

As the founder of responsibly made label The 87, how does your focus on ethical and sustainable fashion design play into your approach to interior curation?

I think with anything you consume you should be looking to move away from things that are quick to be replaced or feel disposable. The concept of The 87 was to create something that was timeless and not based around fleeting trends, and therefore something you’ll hopefully keep rather than replace when the next trend rolls in. I think the same thing goes for interior design, if you buy things that are well made and classic then you won’t have to buy them again.

As The 87 is designed with beaches in mind, where are your favourite places in the world and how have they influenced your style?

My family and I have been going to Capri for years and I love the nostalgic feel it still has there, like you could be in a Slim Aarons photograph. But to be honest, I love nothing more than swimming in the sea, and I’m not fussy, warm, cold, sandy, or shingle—any beach will do for me.

What are some of your standout, favourite pieces in your home collection?

One of my favourite pieces in my flat is the black lacquered floral folding screen that I bolted to the wall behind my dining table, it was the first thing I found when I was decorating. I love the deco shape of it, but it was actually made in Palm Beach in the '60s, and I took the black and green in it as inspiration for the rest of my flat.

Do you have any tips on how best to shop antique, vintage and secondhand?

As much as I’d love all my furniture to be vintage, it can sometimes be overkill and end up looking dated, so you want to mix older classic pieces in with contemporary items to keep it looking current. You also want to make sure that vintage furniture is still in working condition for day to day life—I once had some vintage dining chairs that I absolutely loved, but were so fragile you couldn’t actually sit on them!

Where are your favourite places to shop for...

Vintage/antiques: Portobello Market, Lots Road Auctions, Pamono, Vinterior, The Old Cinema in Chiswick... ideally anywhere I can haggle a deal.

Affordable pieces: Zara Home, H&M Home, and I know I’m late to the party but I’ve only recently discovered Facebook Market Place, which is literally people giving away things for free, and you can’t get more affordable than that!

Luxury investment pieces: Most of the investment pieces I have are vintage and come from 1st Dibs; I could easily bankrupt myself on that website.

Textiles, accessories, and decorative finishing touches: I really like a lot of the textiles and accessories that Soho Home are doing, but most of the decorative things in my home are pieces I’ve collected over the years from places I’ve travelled, gifts from friends, things from when I lived in LA. I’m very sentimental and I like the things around me to remind me of people I know and places I’ve been.

What advice would you give anyone wanting to redecorate their space?

Firstly, find what you actually like, rather than what Instagram or Pintrest is telling you you should like. I feel like there are so many interiors that look exactly the same these days based on whatever is trending, and its so boring. There was a moment where I thought if I saw one more Millennial Pink sofa I was going to scream.

Secondly, think about how you’re actually going to use the space—do you entertain a lot? Do you have kids? Work from home? It’s great to put together a beautiful room but if its not actually going to work for your life then its pointless.

Also, when you begin, find references for the overall feel you’re going for, rather than actual pieces of furniture. Once you know how you want your home to feel, the rest is easy.

Shop Zoë's Style:

Daisy Edgar-Jones is sitting across from me in the garden of the hip rooftop hotel she's staying at in downtown Los Angeles. She looks effortlessly chic, but she is trying to convince me otherwise. "When I pack for L.A., I try to pack my coolest outfits. It's a lot of pressure! I wish I was this cool regularly," the British actress admits when I compliment the white Anine Bing shirt she's wearing with black high-rise, wide-leg jeans and Wales Bonner x Adidas sneakers.

Today's ensemble—perfected by a sprinkling of gold jewelry and her signature Gucci handbag (she is a brand ambassador)—is the result of her playing around on Pinterest. "It's changed my life. I find an outfit on there and go, 'What do I have in my wardrobe that could maybe re-create this?!'" she says. While she could have simply rolled out of her hotel room in her sweatpants and no makeup for our mid-morning interview, there is something endearing about Edgar-Jones, 26, going through the effort of putting an outfit together and admitting to it. It makes me warm to her immediately.

But maybe she has good reason. Edgar-Jones was practically unknown when the TV series Normal People—the absorbing, universally acclaimed adaptation of Irish author Sally Rooney's 2018 novel—was released and subsequently viewed 62 million times in 2020. "The next day, I was on the front of a newspaper, papped for the first time," she recalls of her overnight fame. "I remember going, 'What?! That's me! I wish I'd worn a better outfit.'" This was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so her and co-star Paul Mescal's press appearances were all conducted over Zoom. "I was like, 'Yeah, I'll just wear this old, mangy shirt I've had for five years,'" she cringes, taking a sip of her espresso cacao smoothie. "If I'd known it was going to live on the internet forever… I just had no concept!"

Edgar-Jones has enjoyed more success in the last four years than some actors do in their entire careers. Her heartbreakingly vulnerable performance as Marianne to Mescal's Connell earned her a Golden Globe nomination and paved the way for starring roles in a flurry of high-profile projects, including horror thriller Fresh (produced by Adam McKay), the Hello Sunshine–produced adaptation of Delia Owens's best seller Where the Crawdads Sing, and Dustin Lance Black's Under the Banner of Heaven, which earned her a second Golden Globe nomination.

Such a meteoric rise has made Edgar-Jones a rare phenomenon. She's a household name who means something to people but who doesn't know it herself. When I tell friends I'm interviewing her, her name elicits the sort of response usually reserved for someone who's been around for as long as, say, Beyoncé—"OMG, she's so cool. Bangs icon!" (More on those bangs later.) Edgar-Jones is somebody who can carry an entire blockbuster—as she does with her latest release Twisters, the big-budget storm-chasing action movie of the summer—and is still pinching themselves over the fact that they got the part.

It's a couple of days before her Who What Wear photo shoot when we meet, and if Edgar-Jones is excited about promoting the much-anticipated standalone sequel to the 1996 cult classic Twister, she is equally buzzed about her befitting "Daisy goes West!" cover story. "Sometimes in photo shoots, I can feel a little shy," she admits. "I'm not a model, and I never was someone who took photos of themselves—I hated getting my school photo taken!—but I'm starting to enjoy it more." This is especially true when it's a character or theme she can get behind. "My granddad was a huge country music fan," she enthuses. "I watched a lot of Westerns and listened to a lot of country music as a kid, so this whole world is very fun for me."

That and the "idea of being in a massive classic disaster movie" were obvious incentives for Edgar-Jones wanting to be a part of Twisters, but the real clincher was being directed by Lee Isaac Chung, who had long been on her wish list of directors she hoped to work with one day. "His films [including the 2020 semi-autobiographical Golden Globe–winning Minari] are very quiet and character driven but have a respect and love of the natural world," she explains. "The idea of him tackling this felt really exciting and interesting."

In January 2023, while on the set of On Swift Horses (a forthcoming historical drama in which she stars opposite Jacob Elordi), Edgar-Jones wrote Chung a letter telling him as much. The feeling was mutual. There was no audition required to win her the part of Kate Carter, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado as a college student. All it took was a meeting of minds. "I think it was on the second or third time we met. Isaac was talking, and in his lovely, gentle way, [he] just went, 'I'd love for you to do it,'" recalls Edgar-Jones. "I went home and called my agent, and I was like, 'I think he just offered it to me?!'"

Stepping out of their respective comfort zones to enter the high-stakes world of a Hollywood blockbuster franchise, it's no wonder the pair quickly bonded. "[He wants] to do everything, and I was very inspired by that," she says. "I tend to prefer things that are character driven and quite insular, but I also want to feel like I can play in every sandbox and look back at a career and go, 'Look at all the random, cool stuff I've done!'"

Edgar-Jones can add running lessons to the list of cool stuff she's done. Her personal trainer Matt Bevan, who worked with Lily James on Pam & Tommy and Daisy Ridley on Star Wars, hired a professional running teacher to prepare her for running away from tornados. "I have a bit of a weird run," she confesses. "It's something I was teased about at school. My PE teacher said I was born to hurdle because my legs flick out quite a bit." I tell her I'm picturing that scene in Friends when Rachel goes running with Phoebe and discovers she has a run "that's a cross between Kermit the Frog and the Six Million Dollar Man." "That's me!" she laughs. "I'll never be able to play Lara Croft; it's not in my gambit. There is a lot of running in this, so I was like, 'I need to look cool.'"

By May 2023—the height of tornado season, no less—Edgar-Jones was in Oklahoma filming with a stellar ensemble cast, including Kiernan Shipka, Hamilton star Anthony Ramos, and man of the moment Glen Powell. "We'd be re-creating wind and rain, and then actual wind and rain and lightning would come in, and we'd have to shut down filming," she reveals. I ask her if there were any particularly gnarly moments, and she leans over to show me a video on her iPhone. "We were in the middle of filming this scene where me and Glen are sitting on top of a truck eating sandwiches and looking up at the sky," she explains. "We must have looked like really bad storm chasers because there was this massive mesocyclone cloud forming behind us!" Filming was shut down that day, as the cloud became a tornado. But Powell and Edgar-Jones were undeterred. In fact, as recently as last month, the pair went storm chasing for real with some of the other cast members and one of the consultants on the film. "It was like in the movie. The consultant was like [adopts Midwestern accent], 'There's a crazy storm coming in. Come check it out!'" she says.

At the heart of Twisters is a fun, "opposites attract" dynamic between Kate and Tyler (Powell), a reckless social media–famous storm chaser. "Tyler's gregarious, childlike way of experiencing the chase is something Kate used to have in spades," explains Edgar-Jones. "I love that he's able to find that in her again." What about Edgar-Jones's own dynamic with Powell? "He's so great," she nods. "He is genuinely such a nice person and has a great sense of humor."

When it comes to male co-stars, Edgar-Jones has had her pick of Hollywood's most sought-after men, from Elordi (On Swift Horses) to Sebastian Stan (Fresh). But no pairing has inspired the level of interest as her and Mescal thanks to the popularity of Normal People. Recently, the former co-stars—whose tender portrayal of young lovers who just can't seem to make it work resonated around the world during the pandemic—managed to break the internet with a selfie and the caption, "We've got some news to share!! Watch this space." We're all eagerly awaiting a second season, aren't we? But the only news Edgar-Jones and Mescal had to share was that they were, well, reuniting for a charity screening of Normal People in London...

"Oops!" Edgar-Jones responds when I bring it up. "It really set off a storm. Pardon the pun." She finds it remarkable that a selfie of the two of them would cause such excitement from fans, who are still heavily invested in their characters' love story four years after the show was released. "I think I'm still processing it, really," she says softly. "It changed my life."

Sudden fame can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate. Mescal became "the internet's boyfriend," while Edgar-Jones inspired copycat haircuts. This was baffling for the actress, as the bangs weren't even her signature style. "I got my bangs as the result of not getting a part in Poldark! It was like a break-up haircut," she quips. "I really do think it got me [the part of] Marianne because I looked a bit like Sally Rooney." Edgar-Jones and "completely down-to-earth" Mescal have stuck together throughout. "It's nice to have someone who really gets it," she says. "It's hilarious because people are always sending me articles of 'Will they reunite?' I'm like, 'How many times can we reunite?!' We actually just hang out all the time. He's one of my best friends." A couple of months ago, they did, in fact, reunite at the Gucci cruise 2025 show in London. A clip of them exchanging glances back and forth on the front row went viral because of its rom-com vibes and because Solange Knowles is sitting between them, blissfully unaware. "That was hilarious. Poor Solange," recalls Edgar-Jones. "She is one of my favorite artists ever, so I don't know why he was staring at me. I'm like, 'Hi, mate!' And everyone is like, 'What?!' It's so funny."

After Normal People, Edgar-Jones—who grew up in North London and attended the National Youth Theatre before winning her first substantial role at 17 in popular British comedy drama Cold Feet—found herself in serious demand. In 2021, she filmed Fresh in Vancouver, Where the Crawdads Sing in New Orleans, and Under the Banner of Heaven in Calgary back-to-back. For the most seasoned actor, that would be a bit much, and Edgar-Jones spent just 10 days at home in London that entire year. Despite or perhaps because of this, she promptly bought her own apartment 10 minutes from her parents' house in Muswell Hill, where she grew up an only child. "I was on my own a lot [that year], and I realized that the thing I missed the most was my family and friends," she explains. "I really wanted to have solid roots."

For Edgar-Jones, "friends are like family." She has a tight friendship group from Normal People that, in addition to Mescal, includes Fionn O'Shea and India Mullen. She counts her Cold Feet co-stars Ella Hunt and Sylvie Briggs as best friends. "They really help me stay grounded," she explains. "They're such kind friends, so seeing them is the best thing for me." She is also close to Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor. "She's a really good friend of mine," she says. "I'm seeing her tonight actually." Sometimes, they work out together, and Edgar-Jones is currently reading a book (Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn) Dynevor gave her. "She was like, 'I think you'd really like this.' I'm such a romantic, so anything that explores love, I'm like, 'Yes,' and I gobble it up," she adds.

Edgar-Jones, who is currently dating photographer Pip (Ben Seed), continues to make new friends wherever she goes. It's simply in her nature. "Every job I've done, I've collected a gem of a friend," she says. "I try to be the person who is like, 'I'm going to connect us all.' Hosting is my favorite thing. I like curating the night. I love arranging different groups of friends to hang out and go to the pub." She also enjoys music festivals and gigs. She recently went to see The Japanese House at iconic Camden venue The Roundhouse. "I'm a big live-music fan. I'm going to Glastonbury soon, so I'm so excited," she says. She adds, as she is wont to do, "Are you gonna come?"

You don't have to be a psychologist to make the link between being an only child and longing to connect with other people. "In some ways, it's an amazing skill you have to learn. I had long stretches of childhood playing on my own in my own imaginary world," she recalls. "You have to become very adept at making new connections quickly. Otherwise, you'll just be playing on your own." Hers was an idyllic-sounding childhood spent between London; Northern Ireland, where her mother, a former drama film editor, is from; and Scotland, where her father, the current head of entertainment for Sky, was born. "My dad is such a source of inspiration," she says of her father, who was an executive producer on the British version of groundbreaking reality show Big Brother in the early 2000s. "If I ever meet anyone he's ever worked with, they always say, 'Your dad is the nicest man in telly.' He's such a generous leader. You get the best out of people that way."

It's made her think about her own sense of responsibility now that she's, more often than not, number one on the call sheet. "Now, I've had the luck of being able to play the lead. I think you do set the example with your behavior and how you navigate set," she ponders. "It's a nice goal to create an environment where people feel encouraged, and it's a joyful rather than stressful experience."

I'm curious how the last four years and the level of success she has achieved have impacted Edgar-Jones's future ambitions. She thinks carefully. "I'm really hungry to keep expanding and learning and getting better, but I'm also in a position, which I never dreamt I could be, where I have some semblance of choice," she explains. "I'm becoming a lot more aligned with what I truly want to do and what fills my cup."

Theater is something she is keen to explore alongside developing her own projects and continuing to seek out the filmmakers, like Chung, who most interest her. As Edgar-Jones has tackled an impressive number of complicated, isolated characters on some pretty dark journeys (Kate being no exception), I wonder if she is keen to try something completely different. "I'd love to play someone really cheerful for my nervous system," she laughs. "I need to be in a light comedy. I'd love to do that. One of the joys of filmmaking is your ability to display an inner life on-screen. As an actor, I'm quite detailed. Maybe that's why those characters tend to come my way, but I definitely want to expand on what I can do."

Perhaps the biggest luxury success has afforded Edgar-Jones is the ability to turn down parts. "At the moment, I'm saying no to quite a lot of stuff, which is great, but also, you go, 'Argh!'" she says. "I know how much you give to working on something, so I think I'm just really holding out for the thing that makes me go, 'That's it.'"

On the horizon is reuniting with Under the Banner of Heaven co-star Andrew Garfield for Voyagers, a space-age love story about the astronomer Carl Sagan. The film is still in development, but Edgar-Jones is attached to play Garfield's love interest. "He's so lovely," she tells me. "We were on set in Calgary, and we rode electric scooters all over, and I remember him scooting around and people going, 'Is that Spiderman?!' He just lived his life. He's so normal." Edgar-Jones didn't know it at the time, but it would be one of those moments that would stick in her mind—one of the more valuable lessons, like the gems of friends, she has carried with her from job to job. "You realize that, in part, it's an attitude," she muses. "For certain people, it's harder, and they have less choice, but certainly for me, I do think the more you're just normal, the more other people are too."

After 90 minutes, we part ways with a warm hug. She has a fitting with her stylist Dani Michelle, who also works with Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner, to get to next—hence her thoughtfully curated outfit of the day. "I always try to dress as fashionably as possible for meeting Dani," she admits. So far, so normal. Daisy Edgar-Jones, please don't ever change.

Photographer: Amber Asaly

Stylist: Lauren Eggertsen

Hairstylist: Cervando Maldonado

Makeup Artist: Jo Baker at Forward Artists

Manicurist: Queenie Nguyen

Creative Director: Alexa Wiley

Executive Director of Entertainment: Jessica Baker

Director of Video: Samuel Schultz

DP: Samuel Miron

AC: Marques Mallare

Film Operator: Brook Lee Karner

Producer: Kellie Scott

Copy Editor: Jaree Campbell

The last four years have been a whirlwind journey for sustainability and comms consultant Emma Slade Edmondson and journalist and content creator Nicole Ocran. While the rest of the world tried to navigate the post-pandemic world, the duo met, started a successful podcast, and have written and released a book exploring the unique perspective of the mixed-race experience. We caught up with Edmondson and Ocran ahead of the launch of The Half of It—the duo's first publication—to find out how growing up on other sides of the pond but with a shared love of fashion led to the perfect pairing.

Nicole Ocran: I was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, which is essentially a suburb outside of D.C. Growing up, I went to Catholic school and had to wear a uniform every day, and I hated it. I kept trying to find small ways to make my uniform more individual and more meaningful to me. I'd play around with socks and badges, ribbons, things like that, but at home, my dad is from Ghana and my mom's from the Philippines, and growing up, I wasn't into wearing traditional clothes or making any real reference to my heritage. My mom and my aunts would always give me gold, pearls, and jade, and I was like, "No, I'm into silver." I think I just knew that was gonna be a thing that made me stand out amongst my friends. But by the time I was a teenager, my style turned into this kind of punk and emo-kid vibe, and when I moved to London, I really felt like I found and honed my personal style, playing with colour and shape a lot more. I started to seek out textures, prints, and more cultural, heritage pieces and wanted to be able to highlight the importance of those influences in my life.

Emma Slade Edmondson: I was born in Edgware, grew up in Harrow and then moved to Bushey when I was about 9. My mum was a huge influence on my fashion sense. She was always really into fashion, so much so that when she was younger, she used to go to new designer markets in Camden and find such cool stuff. We had a lot of hand-me-downs when I was growing up, and I used to have all my mum's old stuff. The pieces that she wore in her 20s, I was wearing when I was, like, 14—it was bonding. So I've always had a love of secondhand fashion and that kind of emotional connection to clothes and the stories behind them from quite early on. I remember a herringbone dress with a corset and a slit up the side, very form-fitted, but beautiful material. I wore it to sing for the first time on stage at school. I also used to wear my granddad's stuff, like his old jumpers and that kind of thing. There are a lot of moments that I remember that are really associated with some of the things that my family gave to me.

I've always been quite rebellious with my style because even when I was wearing hand-me-downs, none of my peers were wearing anything like it. Everyone was in baggy jumpers and tracksuit bottoms, but I got a job so I could buy my own clothes and to look a bit different. That otherness is something that Nicole and I both experienced. Growing up in majority white environments and schools, you kind of have to embrace the difference because otherwise what else is there?

NO: I didn't like looking the same as everybody else, even though that was a requirement. Trying to individualise my uniform and the way I dressed from an early age was part of that. In my punk and emo era, I collected so many different band T-shirts over the years (and I still actually have quite a lot of them today even though they don't fit me anymore). But that was my way of standing out against the people who were into polo shirts and jeans or ra-ra skirts. I remember watching Anna Stern [from The O.C.] and thinking, "Oh, my God, she's so cool," because she was introduced as the alt character who wore hats and layered her shirts. The same with Angela Moore from Boy Meets World. She would layer up all these amazing earth tones, and I was so into it because it was also one of the rare times I saw Black girls looking cool on TV.

My mom was an executive assistant my whole life, so she was very into blazers, skirts, and suits. I think it reminded me of the uniform and that very particular corporate way of dressing. We had a very Catholic household, so I'm used to dressing up for occasion, and although I didn't enjoy the mass element, I loved the act of us getting dressed up and watching her putting makeup on. She's big on accessories and definitely a bag person, and I love that a lot about her style. Even now, I'll go through her jewellery and borrow things, and I see the similarities that we share now.

ESE: I remember once going to a party with another little girl, I must have been really young, and she had this incredible, poofy, ridiculous party dress. I went on at my mum about it for ages because I didn't have anything like that, and she ended up buying me one. It was ridiculous, huge shoulders, and purples, yellows, pinks in watercolours, but that princess dress is such a formative memory for me. I was just obsessed with it. I didn't want to wear anything else.

NO: When I think of Emma's style, vintage is obviously the first thing that comes to mind, but I think when people hear the word vintage, they have a very specific idea in mind, and that's not her to me. She's elevated, she's cool, she's chic, with that vintage twist to it, because there are so many things that she wears that I would see on a rack and never think would work, but she makes it look like it belongs in this era.

ESE: I would say Nicole's style, for me, is, colourful, eclectic, but also really similar to the way that she is on the internet. She always knows what's hot and what's not and what's up and coming. She's always on trend but always so joyful. I love to think that someone would describe my style as elevated, especially because of my tenure in fashion, and for me, what I put together should be art. As time goes on, my style is always evolving, and I'm always building on what my style even is—I'm really enjoying being bit of a chameleon. I like to think, "What is the occasion? What am I dressing for?" and work to that. You can still be stylish without needing to buy new things to create that. Now I'm married to a Nigerian man, have a Nigerian family, and am an honorary Nigerian. I've taken a lot of style influences from them and making trad, and I love getting deep into that design process.

NO: Fashion is supposed to be a creative process where you pair things and have fun with it. I don't love the capsule wardrobes and the matchy-matchy. I love to mix things you don't expect to go together. I don't need to know that black and beige and greys are going to go with white— that isn't interesting to me.

ESE: She is definitely not a monochrome girly.

NO: Fashion was something that I always wanted to do but I never thought was an accessible thing for me. Growing up in Virginia, no one I knew had ever worked in fashion. It was a "city" thing or a New York thing. I grew up reading and collecting magazines and knowing it was my dream to work for a fashion magazine one day, but I knew that my parents would never want to send me to fashion school. At that point in time, I thought there was a very clear path to access that world, and I was so far off it that I didn't even bother thinking I could do it. I worked at Target and then H&M and would spend a lot of my time at the mall amongst clothes, and at home I would collect and read magazines before cutting out all of the different outfits and looks that I loved and collaging them together. That was my fashion outlet at the time.

I wanted to move to New York, and my way of getting there was going to be journalism school and going to Columbia, but my dad said, "You'll end up in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt. Pick another place." And so I chose London, went to City University to study journalism, and after getting a job and working in a corporate environment for such a long time, I wanted to get back into writing and feeling creative, which is how I then started my blog. I never thought anything of it. I just knew that I loved reading other people's blogs and watching people's YouTube channels, and I had no big goals in terms of wanting to be in fashion or even fashion adjacent. I just knew that I wanted to have fun with things again after feeling uninspired.

ESE: I wanted to be an author, but as creatives, we can do a lot of different things, and I've definitely had a lot of careers at this point. I'm very happy to have experienced so many different elements of that creative world, from working in PR to being an advertising professional, being a stylist—I'm now a consultant in sustainability and ethics. And I think I never really said "fashion is my career," because I didn't know what that looked like when I was young other than working in retail, but I knew that wasn't going to be for me forever.

After I came up with Charity Fashion Live, I'd worked for quite a lot of charity fashion retailers to essentially redo the charity retail space. I was looking for my next project and started doing this little show [Come Secondhand Shopping With Me], with the idea of getting major influencers interested in secondhand and vintage shopping. After Charlotte Jacklin and Liv Purvis asked me to do a live episode of their podcast The Fringe of It, I was introduced to the content creator world, and I reached out to Nicole because I thought she would be wonderful for my show. We met up for a drink and within about five minutes were talking about being mixed, and we haven't stopped since. We met in the afternoon, and by the evening, we'd talked about doing the podcast, and by the following week, I'd bought a mic.

NO: I know we keep saying every episode that we record is our favourite episode, but it's so hard not to. Speaking for myself, when we interviewed Mel B, that was, like, the most iconic moment. When we first decided we were gonna do the podcast, she was the person that we desperately wanted to interview. One of my other favourite moments was interviewing Jordan Stephens—I think he was one of the first men that we spoke to. People didn't really know who we were then and what we were trying to achieve, but he was so super generous with his time and what he wanted to say. Everyone has been amazing—Melissa Hemsley, Anna Sulan Masing. Not all of the stories are traumatic or sad. We've also done episodes on food, for example, that turn out to be so heartwarming.

ESE: We've been lucky to interview a lot of celebrities, but I would say that a lot of the most fascinating interviews for me were not necessarily famous people. We spoke to one woman who wanted to investigate her past after finding out she was adopted and ended up tracking down her dad and realising she was half sisters with her best friend. We also had on a friend of mine who is Ukrainian Liberian at beginning of the Ukraine-Russo war. It was such an interesting take that no news outlet had done, and we got to speak to her about how she felt about seeing Black people being turned away from trains out of Ukraine. What if she had still been there with her children? Would she be separated from her kids because she's darker skinned than them? We get so much out of every conversation.

NO: We've been able to cultivate this space over the years where we're very open with our guests, and we tell them up front, if there's anything that they don't want to discuss, we're happy to not go down that road. But also the fact that we do share our stories too, celebrities in particular are like oh, no one's ever asked us these questions about being mixed before! We definitely got the feeling that people were looking for that opportunity speak freely.

I feel like there was a real shift in priority to be outwardly diverse after 2020 that maybe lasted for about a year and a half, and since then we've kind of seen the pendulum swing in the other direction. It's clear that that wasn't something that was sustainable for a lot of brands, and the real priority wasn't about just how they look, but their attitude in general towards the concept of diversity in a multicultural and global world. Fashion is an incredible connector and has always been a way to speak to people, and so I find it strange when people use fashion as a tool to shut people out.

ESE: I think things have really deteriorated in regard to representation in the social media space. If we're talking about content creators and brands and how they want to be seen, there was a moment, and then it was like everyone was dropped. When I came up with Charity Fashion Live as a concept, I wanted it to be the antithesis of fashion week. I wanted everyone to be able to access it, so it could be online, and you can see it happening. You can walk into the charity shop if you want to see the catwalks up close. Everyone is invited because style and fashion belongs to us all. It doesn't belong to people that just sit in the front row. That's bullshit. And how can young people be inspired if they're not part of the conversation?

It would be nice to see more mixed designers too because I would love to rep them. Like Priya Ahluwalia or Simone Rocha, I'm moved to wear them because it's a mixed designer who displays her heritage in all of her work. Regardless of whether Priya is talking about culture from the perspective of the surface-level things people see and understand or whether she's talking about waste culture and what that means for the places that she calls home, that's all in there. That, for me, is the holy grail.

NO: Now that the book has been such a long time in the works, I feel quite far removed from the writing process. We were approached to do the book back in 2020, and we were deep into the first season of the podcast at that point. Now to be at the point of launch is totally surreal, and when we think about the generosity of people sharing their stories with us on the podcast and again with the book, it was really important for us to challenge this really specific idea about what it means to be mixed. There are a lot of stereotypes and often the expectation is you're talking about a mixed Black and white person, which isn't my personal experience. And so we knew right away that we wanted to highlight real life and not this trendy thing that people think of, like mixed families in a car commercial. These people have always been here and are generations and generations old, and it's such a global story.

We do think about how it will be received, especially when we first started doing events and speaking publicly about it. From the first day we started recording the podcast, we were like, "Not everyone's gonna like this," but be fair—people have been really kind overall. There hasn't been that much pushback. Having appeared in person in front of people who listen to the podcast or people who come from mixed families and are buying this book has made me realise once again how much this is not something that people had before. Emma and I were in Brighton doing our first book event, and there was a white grandmother there who has mixed children and grandchildren, and she immediately wanted to ask questions that raised points of difference that I'd noticed in myself but didn't have the words to vocalise them.

It was heartwarming that this grandmother was bringing this to us and wanting to learn, and now we speak to parents all the time. But it's not just a parent-and-child issue. We hope that the book is something that everyone will feel connected to because it's something that we should all be interested in. We should all be wanting to speak more freely about race and identity in this way whether you're mixed or not, whether you have mixed children or not, whether you're in an interracial relationship or marriage or any of those things. There's something in there for everyone to connect to.

ESE: There is a lot of history in the book, and it's important to remember that it's not just our histories as mixed people—it's all of our history. During the writing process, we were so focused on trying to do everyone's stories justice and get the overall picture right. There was just so much to do with this book that it was really hard, one of the hardest pieces of work I've ever done.

NO: I think we'd really like for it to be food for thought for people. There are so many different conversations around mixed people online being told that they're not Black because they're mixed or they can't weigh in on conversations, even public figures like Meghan Markle or Naomi Osaka. These things might be in jest, but again, it's another way of shutting people out or making them feel like they don't matter. Why is the criteria Fenty [Beauty] shade 300 or lighter? Why not 400? Why not two? As a mixed person, I'm always like, what is the marker? And when am I ever going to meet that level that makes me feel like somebody doesn't have something they can take away from me? Hopefully it allows for people to think about those things and their own families and their own friendships in a different way.

ESE: There is a huge spectrum in being mixed. We are not a monolith. There are unifying things that we can understand, but I think it's really important that people get to grips with there being so many different voices and experiences.

It depends who you are as to what you'll get from the book. If you are mixed, I'd probably like you to get to the end of this book and start to think about whether you have to give a shit so much and having to justify yourself all the time. Whether you can forgo responding to some of those indirect (and sometimes direct) questions all the time and also having a grasp on your history, on world history, and having the same aha moments we had. There's a reason there is so much adoption in mixed-raced stories, there is a reason that people often feel displaced, there is a reason there are so many tropes surrounding mixed-race women, in particular, and why they are based in the most racist stereotypes.

NO: Publishing a book about race as Black women and as mixed-race women, we kind of know where people are going to want to place this kind of book and this kind of content. People have assumptions about whether or not it's for them. And I think that was something, especially in 2020, that was a huge issue. Everyone was trying to scramble and educate themselves, but this stuff has been, and should be, there for everyone to read and learn. What's next for us? Firstly, I want to lie on beach for a while! But then back to writing. It's always been a dream of mine that I never thought would happen, so being able to continue down this path is the ultimate goal.

ESE: I have a children's book coming out in 2025 called Mixed. Yes, it's the same, sorry! But I'd love to do some fiction. It turns out it's quite hard to do fiction before non-fiction, so I'm psyched for that challenge. I'm also really looking forward to getting back into it with my sustainability consultancy clients because I've had to scale back whilst writing the book because it's been such an intense process, but I can't wait to get back into it.

The Half of It (HarperCollins) by Emma Slade Edmonson and Nicole Ocran is available to buy in hardback now.

The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know—the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life. Next up is the multifaceted model, poet and actress Greta Bellamacina.

What's your number one restaurant to visit in the world, and what do you order?

"For sentimental reasons, it would be Feng Shang Princess, the floating restaurant in Primrose Hill on the canal. We spontaneously went there after we got married at Camden Town Hall. People on boats all waved to us as they went by. It was an extremely hot day. My friend Chloe made a cake decorated with flowers from her garden, and we shared it with the restaurant."

Is there anything in your wardrobe that you're particularly sentimental about?

"The vintage items I have collected along my travels over the years that remind me of the trips we've been on. I have a long, black velvet opera-style coat that I bought in Baltimore when we were there to launch my poetry book Tomorrow's Woman with the U.S. publisher Andrews McMeel. I also have a pair of white vintage Chloé boots that I found on a trip to New Orleans when we toured around Texas and Louisiana and the Deep South. They bring back those memories every time I pick them up. Boots and short shorts are pretty good for the climate in the Deep South."

Which item of clothing would you never ever part with, and why?

"It would have to be the long white Vampire's Wife dress that I wore to my premiere in Rome for the film Commedia. It has two white trailing bows on the front. I felt like a white swan in a black-and-white film in it. I will always hold on to that dress as a kind of wedding dress to my life."

What would we always find lurking in the bottom of your bag?

"Train tickets, receipts, aspirins, headphones, bags of half-eaten nuts and a Chanel lipstick. Mademoiselle is my favourite—it's the most natural and classic lip colour."

If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

"Naples, it's where my Italian family descend from. I love the wild spirit of the place and the beaches where the locals go. Naples has spots where you can walk down hidden staircases, go under the roads, and you come out onto the most cinematic beaches with little restaurants and children playing naked in the sea. There is an optimism to the chaos of life. Family and children are part of everything in Naples. I love that way of living."

What do you love to do in your spare time?

"I've become a bit of an amateur gardener. I love the circularity of it all—the care, the lack of knowing and the blind hope. We're currently harvesting our garlic crop that we planted in winter. I'm planning on hanging them all up along the kitchen window to dry out. Hopefully, we will have enough for the kitchen for the year ahead."

Do you have a secret date-night spot?

"We have secret little rooftop balcony from our bedroom where we sometimes hide and drink wine if there are lots of people in the house and we need to escape. It's also south facing, so it's the perfect sun-trap."

What's your most played on Spotify?

"At the moment, it's The Waterboys, but it shifts between Morrissey, Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave and newer artists I have just discovered, like the incredible Mereki Beach, who just released an album called Death of a Cloud which I absolutely love."

If we were to look in your Saved folder, what would we find?

"I have a continuous PDF that I often work out of—phrases, words and ideas that I am always moving around on the page. My poetry collections tend to come out of these PDFs. Some of the poems haunt around in my consciousness for a long time. Some just live inside the doc. I like the evolving way it moves, like the wind. The train is my favourite place to edit and write into them. I like to be moving."

What's your favourite city for inspiration?

"Rome. I spent a lot of time in Rome over the last few years, making the films Commedia and Things and Other Things with [Italian director] Riccardo Vannuccini. He showed me an undiscovered side to the city, a more melancholic, avant-garde look onto the streets. We also did an anti-war theatre performance together at the Ara Pacis, the ancient monument dedicated to the god of peace. Rome is a city of grand hope."

What about your favourite city for fun?

"Paris is always fun. I think it's the way it's set up for socialising and daydreaming. Every corner has a little chair set up for the possibility of thinking. Deborah Levy explains it well in her book August Blue. Paris is like a lost romantic who is always waiting."

What do you always pack when you go on holiday?

"Before I go on holiday, I often take a trip to Mr Cad in Victoria and buy lots of film for my camera. It's one of my favourite shops in London. You can buy any missing part for a camera in there. They have it all."

Think fast. What are your three favourite movies of all time?

"This is very hard, but I think often about Badlands by Terrence Malick [and] Opening Night by [John] Cassavetes, and I just discovered Mia Hansen-Løve's films and really enjoyed Bergman Island and One Fine Morning. I love the poetry of her films."

Share a piece of advice from someone you love that always stuck.

"It's important to stay to true to your soul. I think life and art has to come from you first. The audience will follow. I think it's often a mistake to think about the audience first. Only you know the answer."

What's your favourite scent?

"Sycomore by Chanel."

Do you collect anything?

"Lots of things—poetry books, shells, paintings, photographs, children's drawings… I also have a lot of tights, mainly white or cream. I have a whole drawer dedicated to them."

Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what's your ultimate poison?

"I love a strong black coffee first thing. I've been told many times you need to start the day with water, but coffee feels like the right ceremonial way to begin the day. I've been lucky enough to make two films in Italy. Both film sets and our days centred around the thickest and darkest coffee breaks, which I loved."

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?

"Turning my phone off. I often purposely leave my phone at the top of the house. That way, I am forced to be in the moment. I hate feeling like I am always on call, that I'm a part of the empty space. I'm having to relearn the way I use technology [and] detach myself from its alarm."

Who is your professional hero?

"Anyone who has led with their hearts and taken the shaky road."

Who is your personal hero?

"Sofia Coppola. I think there is a grace and subtle female language to all of her films. Also Paula Rego for her blank realism."

Who are the loves of your life?

"My family, the boys, my husband Robert Montgomery."

What is the love of your life?

"The morning and its eternal unravel."

Shop Bellamacina's Style

Whether you know her as the effervescent presenter of ITV's Take Me Out: The Gossip, the supper club co-host and cookery book author behind Jackson & Levine: Round to Ours, or the chic curator behind homeware marketplace Glassette, you will likely feel like you already know Laura Jackson. Only an expert host could make strangers feel immediately welcome, and on the grey day that we shoot Laura in her East London home, we gather in her bright and busy kitchen to chat about her weekend. Pouring cups of tea with one hand and pulling outfits together with the other, I ask if she has a lot on. "I've got a lot going on every day, but I like it that way!" she says, straight from hosting a trip to Scotland to celebrate her latest Barbour campaign and stopping at the Chelsea Flower Show on her way back.

As quickly as Laura shifts between her roles; balancing babies, brand campaigns and broadcasting—her style adapts, too. Looking through her wardrobe, there is a mix of new, vintage (Natacha Ramsay Levi-era Chloé and Tom Ford-era Gucci), cute knits and everyday basics, but there are also some killer handbags. "I guess it turns out that I'm quite into bags," she says, pulling out a collection that boasts Chanel, Mulberry and Shrimps. (But before we get carried away, she says she won't waste money on anything impractical, and all bags must pass the laptop test to be considered).

Keen to find out how her eye for vintage shopping translates across interiors and fashion and how perfecting her daily routine led to her signature look ("I'm so lazy when it comes to getting ready, I can't be bothered to wear a load of makeup so it's always just a red lip"), we spent the day in Laura Jackson's wardrobe to find out what makes it one of the best in Britain.

You were born and bred in West Yorkshire and now live in London. Did growing up in the North influence your style? And how has it changed since moving?

It did, subconsciously. There was a big music scene in Manchester when I was growing up in the late '80s, and I had uncles who loved the Stone Roses and that Britrock style, so I was drawn to Oasis' tracksuits but with the added influence of Northern glamour. We didn't go out without fake tan, and I used to straighten my hair to within an inch of its life. I still remember draping my hair across the ironing board to get it poker straight, but even though I had train-track braces and wore pink fur gilets, I loved my style and I'm proud of that girl.

Moving to London made me realise I could get away with being more casual. I realised there was less expectation on how you should dress or look, and that felt like a release. I remember taking my first paycheck to Oxford Circus and buying a short-sleeved, slash-neck knitted jumper from Topshop, and I felt so good. I've definitely taken the younger me and evolved her a little bit with an amalgamation of styles and eras.

What is your earliest fashion memory?

Dressing like my sister, definitely. My mum was a single parent for a time, so she would make everything we wore from scratch and it was always matching outfits. I specifically remember this floral dress with a bow at the back, and at the time, my sister and I would be like, "Another matching outfit," but I look back at the pictures now, and it's just so cute.

If we looked through your wardrobe on any day, what could we expect to find?

My vibe is super eclectic, and I tend to bounce around styles. I usually dress for my environment, whether that's the weather or the event or occasion, so I do have lots of different types of pieces. I've got "smartwear" and cosy knits, I've got jeans and I've got lots of dresses. It's such a mix, but the one thing you'll always find are jumpers because I love knits. But come to think of it, I do have rather a lot of shoes. I'm always a little bit surprised by having such a good shoe collection.

What clothing brands best represent your style, and how has that changed since you were younger?

It's tough to say which brands best represent my style because it changes all the time and depending on how I'm feeling. I pretty much dress to my mood, so if it's cold outside I can't do a dress that's going to be chilly—I'm a sensible dresser. But I'd say that the one thing that's changed since I was younger is that I used to buy a lot of fast fashion. I used to go to Miss Selfridge, C&A; all of those. [I'd] buy an outfit and once I'd worn it, I didn't think of it as a forever item. Now I really like spending a bit more on pieces that will stand the test of time and I'm careful and considered about where I choose to shop.

Indulge us: What is one fashion faux pas you regret?

I have made a lot of fashion mistakes! If I'm honest, I can look back at what I wore last week and think, "What were you thinking?!" But "mistakes" are so subjective, and I think that if it felt good at the time, there's no point regretting it!

As a lover of all things vintage, what part does sustainability play in how you curate your wardrobe?

I try to shop as much vintage as possible for that reason. Even if I see something new I like, I will go on Vinted, Vestiaire Collective, eBay or Reluxe to try to find it. I've gotten really good at taking pictures of things I like and then Googling them to see if I can get them secondhand. I love shopping secondhand and vintage because you can [then] actually afford a Prada skirt or a beautiful one-off item, [and sometimes it's] an absolute steal. I once got a really great Chloé shirt from Vestiaire, and everyone always asks where it's from. It was £50 and I absolutely adore it.

If I'm going somewhere for a special occasion, I'll often rent or ask a friend if I can borrow something. It is hard not to rely on the high street because there are some amazing things, but investments will always make sense. I just got a white Barbour dress that I know will last for a lifetime, so I do include new pieces as well—just [if I know] that I'm going to wear them again and again.

Who are your style icons?

Oh, I have so many style icons, but I think the people I look to most are the general public and people I spot in restaurants or cafés. I love sitting in a London café and looking at how clothes move on people, the same in Paris. I have a saved outfit folder on my phone because I get such inspiration by seeing how real people wear real clothes, and how they put pieces together. I don't know if I've necessarily got great "personal style", but I look at other people and think, "Wow, that is so well put together, I wouldn't have thought to add that hat or try that shoe." So it's less a celebrity thing and more of the public for me. I know they've put their own outfits together and it's less [about] having icons that I put on a pedestal.

You’re a mum, a broadcaster, an entrepreneur an author and a seasoned host. How does what you wear change for each of these roles?

I feel like I have the luxury of growing older. I'm not sure how that's affected my style quite yet, but I do know that when I'm running around with the children, for example, I always prioritise comfort. You'll never see me in a painful shoe or carrying a bag so small I can't fit anything in it—I'm not that person. Day to day—even when I'm hosting—it has to look good, feel good and allow me to move. When I'm in the office I can dress for that moment, and I love a suit or a jacket. It's quite nice to dress for the specific role I need to play that day.

When did you realise what you wanted to do in your career, and was it an easy decision?

Retrospectively, I've always known what I wanted to do. I come from a big family and I've always liked the busyness of that and bringing people together. I love building things (not in the literal sense), but I never wanted a traditional 9-to-5. Being dyslexic, I decided to go down the creative route at university studying events management, or four years of organising parties (as my Dad said). I absolutely loved it, it felt like me—events, people and community. After that, I moved to London to do an events management placement and ended up staying because London was amazing with so much going on, and after that, I got a job on the door at Shoreditch House. Everything I've ever done has worked around food and beverages and events that bring people together and help them feel something so that naturally led to TV and broadcasting, which I love.

Storytelling and narrating build relationships, and that led seamlessly to hosting and building Glassette. We started the supper club with the idea of bringing people together, and whilst the vessels might look slightly different, everything I've chosen to do has that foundation—empowering people, making them feel good and supporting the community. It's powerful and means a lot to me.

What one outfit can you rely on and know you'll feel the most confident and beautiful in?

This is cheesy, but my wedding dress, which Rejina Pyo made for me. I didn't really know what I wanted to wear or whether I wanted colour, but my mum and I went to see Rejina and she made it so quickly (in a matter of weeks) because I didn't really have a plan and [hadn't] sorted myself out. I sent her a few images and she made this dress and I fell in love with it. [It was] so easy to wear but looked beautiful. It has cap sleeves and is in a polka-dot tulle fabric, and I felt so good in it that day.

What is your proudest "pinch me" moment?

I have pinch-me moments all the time! I am so lucky to have this job and meet the most amazing people every day.

When you set about starting a new project, whether that be a TV show, putting together an event, sourcing for Glasette or hosting a podcast, where does the initial inspiration come from?

Inspiration comes from everywhere. I try to have moments set [aside for] researching, but it usually comes to me quite organically. I think I have the same thing a lot of creative people have—the art of "noticing". Be it a ribbon, the way a door closes or the way the light hits something, all the way down to how a potato is presented in a restaurant—all of these things make my mind go crazy and so I always have a notebook with me. I tend to scribble things down all the time and that's where a lot of projects come from, but I really like a mood board and a visual reference is important for me. I try to create and convey a feeling, whether that's a deck for a TV show or an event. The whole purpose is selling an idea and making people feel part of it.

Who have been some of your favourite people to interview and work with, and what did you learn from them?

I really get a kick out of interviewing people and finding out what makes them tick, what they enjoy, what they eat when no one's watching, what their views on life are. For that reason, I couldn't pinpoint one particular person because anybody who meets me knows I want to immediately know where they're from and where they shop. I'm generally a nosy person and I think that's why I like to present and work in broadcasting. But I learn a lot from my friends and peers because they're the people I can be truly honest with. I read an amazing article from Léa Seydoux the other day that said "Living is a struggle, everything is a struggle", and it can be really hard for people in the public eye to say that when there is so much negativity going on in the world, but sometimes, being honest that we are struggling and having anxieties and worries can make us feel less alone. That really struck a chord with me.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I love the fact that I don't have a typical day, but now I've got children, the bookends of my days are always very similar. The kids are up at 7 a.m. and at 7 p.m. they're back to bed, so the in-between depends on what I'm doing. I'll get them up, dressed and fed, and sometimes [I'll do] the school run if I can (I feel guilty about not doing it if I can't). I'll either have meetings, recording, filming or I'm in the Glassette office. And then it's 6 p.m. till 7 p.m. bath time and books before bed, and at 7 p.m. I'll make myself dinner and finish the day working, or maybe I'll be at an event. I spend one evening every week doing something nice with my husband that [doesn't include] phones or work.

If you could wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Honestly, I feel most comfortable in a simple T-shirt, a pair of maroon Adidas tracksuit bottoms and Crocs. I know it sounds ridiculous, but that is pretty much my at-home uniform for doing the school run and relaxing—just a crisp T-shirt tucked in and the slight wedge of the Crocs.

Are there any pieces in your wardrobe that are particularly sentimental to you, and why?

There are definitely a few pieces in my wardrobe that are sentimental to me. I found my Gucci suit in a Parisian secondhand shop and it was an incredible price. I love that Tom Ford made it for Gucci and I get to wear it, but I have emotional connections to everything I own. Sometimes I'll say to Jon [Jackson's husband], "Where is that T-shirt?!", and he won't know what I mean because we haven't seen it for years, but I haven't forgotten it.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?

There are two pieces. A friend of mine who is no longer with us said to me, "It's content for the book." Whenever anything good or bad happened, she'd write it off as something you can write down and learn from later in life. Now, I always think of things as chapters in the book. Another friend also told me that we should think about life as if it were the sea. If it were calm all the time, it wouldn't be enjoyable. You have to learn to ride the waves and the stillness, and no tide or wave will ever be the same. That's such a great piece of life advice that you can apply to your career and business because everything is always evolving.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to pass down to your children?

Know that not everyone will think the same way as you, and that's okay. Try to be as confident in yourself as possible and don't worry about what anyone else is doing or saying. It's a lesson I've had to learn over and over again, and I've often felt hurt or let down because someone hasn't necessarily done something how I would do it, but that's a reductive way to think, and I'd like my children to know that.

What can we expect next from Laura?

As you know, I like to keep myself busy, and there's a lot going on with Glassette and some interesting TV things in the pipeline. But for the foreseeable future, I'm going to be here to spread joy, connect people and build communities—all of the things I love the most!

Thank you for having us, Laura!

Shop Laura's Style:

Ncuti Gatwa is my new best friend, though I suspect anyone who has sat down with the actor has come away thinking the same thing. When we chat, we're in different time zones: Gatwa is starting out his day in New York City, whilst I’ve just indulged in my usual 3 p.m. caffeine hit. Gatwa is running a little late for our meeting, and when he dials in, I can tell his morning has been a rush. "I’m so sorry I kept you waiting," he says as he takes a sip of water and settles himself. He’s wearing a white T-shirt with the sleeves turned up just so, gold chain necklaces and equally chunky rings.

He’s inherently cool to the point where it could almost be intimidating, but after a few moments, and upon the realisation that he’s talking to fellow Scot, he flashes a smile, and I know we’re in for a fun conversation. "Are those the Bottega Veneta earrings?" he asks me as he peers closer into his laptop screen. "They’re not real Bottega," I confide, "but they're giving". There it is again, that movie-star smile coupled with a laugh so infectious that it takes us a minute to get back on track.

Gatwa doesn't just look like a movie star, he is a movie star, having recently graced the screen with his depiction of Ken in Barbie and featuring in the big-screen adaptation of the beloved Jojo Moyes novel, The Last Letter From Your Lover. I don’t need a time machine to see that many more film roles await in Gatwa’s future; it’s as good as guaranteed. If his turn as Eric Effiong in Netflix’s acclaimed series Sex Education wasn’t enough to set him firmly on the path of fame and stardom, his latest role will undoubtedly seal the deal.

As I begin writing this, it's two years to the day since it was announced that Gatwa would succeed Jodie Whittaker as the lead in Doctor Who. A coincidence? After speaking with Gatwa, I’d be more inclined to call it fate. For anyone who hasn’t switched on the BBC in the last 60 years, Doctor Who is nothing short of a television institution: a sci-fi series that chronicles the adventures, escapades and witty back-and-forth of its central character, the Doctor. The show continues to reinvent itself each time a new Doctor is ushered in: Gatwa serves as the 14th and, notably, will be the first Black actor to play the iconic part. When I ask Gatwa how the role came about and what the process was like landing it, like the setting of much of the show itself, it seems to have been written in the stars.

"You know, the interesting thing is it wasn't arduous at all," recalls Gatwa. "I had one audition, but really, it happened over the course of about a month and a half. It started with me texting my agent to say I would love to play Willy Wonka or Doctor Who, and then her responding saying she would speak to the casting director [about me]. There was a call with the casting director, and then a week later, going in for the audition. Then, the next week, I got the role. It happened so smoothly it caught me: I was like, 'Surely it shouldn't have been this smooth?'. I mean, I text her [Gatwa’s agent] last month saying, 'Can I be Doctor Who?' and then I was. It was wild! It all felt a little too good to be true. It still does, actually."

Confident as Gatwa is—he practically radiates charisma—there's an endearing humility about him, too. For the Rwanda-born, Scotland-raised actor, I imagine that the past few years have felt just that: Almost too good to be true. A natural performer, Gatwa's penchant for drama and dance was apparent from a young age. And yet, he always planned on attending university. However, with some assurance from a teacher, Gatwa decided to pursue something more creative. Instead, he attended the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland followed by a stint at the Dundee Repertory Theatre, after which he found himself playing Mercutio in a production of Romeo & Juliet at Manchester's Home Theatre. The stage might have been where Gatwa cut his teeth, but it was the aforementioned role of Eric in Sex Education that catapulted him into the spotlight, earning him millions of followers on social media in the process. Now, stepping into the shoes of one of the most iconic characters in British film and television history, I can't help but wonder how the pressures of taking on a role loaded with heritage differ from one with a clean slate upon which you can fill in the blanks.

"Oh, I felt the pressure," he laughs. "Pressure and expectations and engaging with 60 years of legacy. It felt huge; it was a very macro concept to get my head around. Getting cast in Doctor Who isn't like getting cast as a character you get to create or one that doesn't have that depth of heritage that Doctor Who has. It's a show that people love and love to watch with others. People have watched it with their family members and have had it passed down onto them from their grandparents. So it felt like a new layer of responsibility than what I was previously used to. It's something I felt like I was being tasked with looking after."

He's right; Doctor Who is a show that brings so many people together—families, friends, generations. "It's definitely a cultural thing," continues Gatwa. "You're effectively being handed over a piece of the cultural zeitgeist. In Doctor Who you know that you're passing that [role] on to someone else and that it will be passed on to you from someone else. And so you've got to go, "Yeah, I need to make sure I don't drop that baton."

Gatwa is proud to be in this position, to be the new custodian of the Doctor, but his passion runs deeper. I get the impression this is a big deal not only to him but to his family, too. "Were they Whovians before you got the role? What was it like when you told them?" I ask. There's that laugh again and then some internal reflection. He goes quiet for a second. "Their reaction was the best experience of telling my family that I had gotten a role in something—like they were waxing lyrical. And my brother, he couldn't fucking believe it! He said, 'Oh my god, you're the next Doctor Who!'. They were over, so over, the moon. Because it's everything we've discussed, everything we dreamed of. It's a cultural institution. Because of that, I had been sworn to secrecy, but I couldn't help it; I had to tell my family. I was straight on the phone. Mum!"

The way he talks about his family, it's clear that they're very close. We joke about how his achievements are his family's achievements by proxy. He laughs, "Oh, yes, I know that my dad—my parents—are taking this as their own [achievement]. No one can ground you like your parents. But seriously, they're very supportive, and I think it means the world to them that I get to play this role. I'm just really grateful."

As we continue our chat, I begin to wonder if there's anything Gatwa isn't ready for, and that there's less luck involved than he might have me believe. It's clear he works hard, and that's definitely put to the test with what I've seen of him in the first few episodes of the brand-new season of Doctor Who. When I ask him if he learned anything about himself in the process of becoming the Doctor, he chortles. "Yes! I don't like mornings!" Then, a pause. He's more serious now. Clearly Gatwa is a thinker.

"That's a great question but also a difficult one. This is a show in which you are narratively in a completely new place—you will be on different planets, time periods, and solar systems each week. And so, each week, you're being presented with a very different set of challenges, whether in the form of stunts, hanging from wires or being in a zero gravity chamber and filming upside down. Every day was a new challenge, and I had to keep telling myself I could rise to the occasion. I wouldn't consider myself a singer at all, but I had to sing. That was a scene where I was like, 'Right, Millie [Millie Gibson, who plays the Doctor's companion, Ruby Sunday, in the new series], let's do this!'. I'm constantly learning about myself on this job, learning that I can do more than I thought I could. And it's been the biggest joy to have that opportunity. Millie and I joke that this show has given us a CV for any job we could want to do, ever. If you want to go to Star Wars, you can do that. Drama, you can do that. We've got the most perfect showreel either of us could ask for."

I don't think Gatwa needs to worry about future castings, especially when you consider the countless past colleagues who have attested to his solid work ethic, energy, charm and adaptability, with the latter proving especially useful in the wardrobe department. Speaking with Radio Times, Sex Education's costume designer, Daniella Pearman, proclaimed Gatwa "the best person to dress". And the people behind Doctor Who are certainly making the most of having him on set. A few minutes into the first episode, we see Gatwa as the Doctor in a nightclub wearing a canary yellow vest top, tartan kilt and combat boots, thus setting the tone for a very different Doctor Who aesthetic.

Each Doctor has had a look they've become synonymous with—from Tom Baker's striped scarf to Matt Smith's bow tie, with David Tennent's blue tailored suit thrown in along the way. Gatwa's Doctor, however, has much more swag. And it's intentional.

"I remember when I initially went in for the honing of the scripts; it was the first time seeing the producers after getting cast, and I knew that I was going to be asked for my ideas on the look and what his look should be, and I'd been scouring and scouring for weeks. I had come across and loved Ralph Lauren's capsule for Morehouse College and other HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities], and I thought, 'God, that's perfect for my Doctor'. It combines heritage, really sick, clean-cut tailoring and that whole world of Ralph Lauren, but also this whole unmistakable aesthetic of Blackness. They [the producers] loved it but for one thing. They said, 'Why limit yourself? The Doctor has travelled all of space and time and should have a really epic wardrobe'. They were really open with me playing with different textures, fabrics, gender: They wanted me to be free to be in skirts one week and something different the next. They said, 'We can't have you in this show and not play around with fashion'."

To hear anything otherwise would have been a red flag. You need only Google the words "Ncuti Gatwa" before thousands of photographs of him in downright incredible outfits bubble to the surface. Since his breakout in 2019, the actor has been blazing his own fashion trail, cementing himself as a fully-fledged style icon in the process. Whether he's supercharging the red carpet, attending a press junket, or simply spotted out and about, his looks are wholly individual and intrinsic to who Ncuti Gatwa is. He isn't just the most fun thing about menswear right now—he's one of the most fun things about fashion.

When I ask him about his relationship with clothes and how they help him express himself, his eyes light up. In the 20 minutes we've spent together, I know Gatwa values three things: his relationships, his work and fashion. "I love fashion! Love, love, love fashion. It's my other deep love. When I was growing up, I didn't have access to any big brands or designers or anything like that, but it was always love. I would steal all my brothers' and sisters' outfits and try to make something for myself." He laughs at the memory. "Oh man, I was such an experimental little teen. I definitely had a phase of wearing neon shoelaces up and down my arms. Loved. It. Growing up, [fashion] was like an armour to me. There were times I would use it to assimilate myself, and then there were times I'd use it to stand out and create such a loud version of myself so that people would stay away—I used it as an armour for lots of things. And it's a different way of expressing yourself. Now, I have the means to dip into luxury fashion, but I still don't think fashion or style equates to how much you spend or your bank balance. I think if you have good style, you have good style—there are people out there who can make a bin bag look good. It's about trying to push out what's inside to the outside. Now, it means something slightly different to me to what it did in my teens, but it's still a form of self-expression that I love."

If Gatwa could travel back in time and tell his younger, shoelace-wearing self anything, knowing what he knows now, on the precipice of what will likely be a career-defining role, I ask what would that be. "Just keep going, babes, just keep going," he says without a whisper of hesitation. "Everything is fine in the end. Whatever you think is the end of your life, you know, exams or whatever, there will be a life without exams. The things you're worried about will not always be there; there's light at the end of the tunnel. Just keep going. Take the pressure off yourself, babes. Everyone everyone is a mess. Everyone is an absolute mess. And it's so beautiful."

Doctor Who is available to stream now on Disney+ and BBC iPlayer.

No one has more energy at 10 a.m. on a grey Thursday morning than Julie Adenuga. Fresh from filming, editing and promoting her new show Work In Progress, Adenuga is camera-ready and raring to go, and all before coffee. As you would expect from the second youngest sibling in one of Britain's most prolific musical families and a DJ in her own right, the soundtrack to her Best Wardrobes in Britain shoot is a heady mix of party-starting R&B and Afrobeats, although she changes songs with each outfit to curate the right kind of mood.

Once we're in the spirit of things and switching effortlessly between Raey tailoring and Corteiz tracksuits, we're eager to ask about the rest of her wardrobe—is she a handbag collector? A jewellery obsessive? Well, one thing you won't find are any jeans (her house is a denim-free zone), but if you're a shoe fan, you'll be entertained. "Bags and accessories aren't really my thing; I prefer to spend my money on shoes. It already takes me long enough to get ready without having to choose between five or six different bags," she muses as she sifts through a wardrobe of carefully archived red carpet gowns. The shoes in question range from box-fresh Nikes to killer stilettos, and should you be wondering, they have their own immaculately organised wardrobe separate from the rest of her collection.

Whether you know Adenuga from her beginnings at Rinse FM, her stint hosting shows for MTV and Comedy Central, her live tours and karaoke nights or her celebrity interviews, once you've seen her you'll remember her. She may be small in stature but her presence is mighty, and she comes alive on camera with an ease that reiterates why she's such a sought-after talent. Although she may be used to asking all of the questions, this time around, she's comfortable being the subject, and we took the opportunity to ask her all about how she gets ready in the morning. From embarrassing fashion faux pas to being a front-row mainstay, keep scrolling to read about the intriguing style evolution of Julie Adenuga.

You’re a born and bred Londoner. How did growing up in the capital influence your style?

A lot of the things that I thought were cool to wear happened because I grew up around boys. Growing up in North London, specifically surrounded by grime and music, everything that was cool to me was tracksuits, Nikes [and] Reebok classics. The look of a "roadman" was my favourite style. I didn't have any female fashion icons going up at all, and I loved baggy men's clothes, baggy clothes—actually [like] Eminem used to wear; I don't know why. But the dungarees and hoodies? That was my thing. You wouldn't see me in crop tops, low-cut, cleavage, all that stuff. I was just drawn to warm, comfy trackies and T-shirts. Any hand-me-downs were from my bros, so it might be an old Moschino something from Junior.

So, designer hand-me-downs and tracksuits aside, what is your earliest fashion memory?

Oh, it was a red dress that my mum made me wear, and it was almost like lederhosen, you know with the straps at the top? Yeah. The skirt was huge, like a big Princess-style skirt, and then there was a floral pattern on the chest. If I look back at pictures of myself as a kid, that's what my mum and dad were dressing me in, and I don't know why. I don't know if one of the aunties had also bought their daughters one and they wanted me to look like that. It's so depressing. But that's my earliest fashion memory of when it wasn't my own choice. When it was, I would wear Spice Girls merch. That white T-shirt that had their faces in the "S.P.I.C.E." That and terrible, terrible BHS trousers. As a teenager, I'd shop in Jane Norman, but I never really had an idea of what I was doing—I wasn't looking for clothes that made me look good; I just wore clothes because I had to.

As I got older I never used to wear trad [traditional Nigerian dress] unless I was going to a party or something. We'd have stuff made, but I hardly ever wore it. By the time I started learning to sew, I was probably around 16 and I got a sewing machine from Argos and I would make my own clothes. It couldn't make anything big, and if you tried to sew any fabric like denim, it'd be a wrap, but I'd go to the fabric shop in Edmonton Green and come up with my own thing. I used to love taking things apart. I would take the handle off the door in my house just to put it back together. And I think I had a moment where maybe I was just looking at clothes, and I thought, "So with that shape, you get this." It was literally just me experimenting. When my brother and his wife got me a proper Singer sewing machine, I was gassed. I was so happy I didn't have to learn how to thread a bobbin properly and all that stuff. I'd do little mini photoshoots in my bedroom in the outfits that I'd made and then rope my friends in. I've probably got rid of them now. I do miss them.

What if a brand approached you now—would you want to collab on something and try designing again?

I'm a huge Haute Le Mode fan and when Luke does his reviews of fashion shows and things I think, "Oh, this just doesn't come naturally to me, I don't have that natural skill." But what I do like and what I think I am good at is being a consumer of things. My forte is being able to tell you what makes sense and what doesn't in terms of what you're trying to achieve, but I don't think I could design from scratch; it's something you really have to work on and study. I'll put on a pair of jeans and identify why the silhouette is wrong or why the bottom should be open and wide-leg rather than elasticated, but the product has to be made first. I'd be a great brand consultant.

If we looked through your wardrobe on any given day, what could we expect to find?

Now? Crop tops, easily. Bras that are not bras, bras that are not for under-wearing. Cargos all day long. Jogging bottoms all day long. What else would you see? Oh, unitards! Long-sleeved, short-sleeved, square-neck, high-neck, low-back, full-back, spaghetti-strap, flared-bottom, split-in-the-hem, short, mid-knee, mid-thigh—but always in black. Just an array of those for comfort and practicality. When I can't be bothered to put on a whole outfit, I know that if I just have a nice skirt that I can wear over my unitard, or shorts if I'm not bloated, I can get away with a tight bodysuit and a nice pair of trainers and it still has a look to it. Put a bomber jacket on top of it, and we're laughing. It feels like the foundation of any outfit when I'm trying to do a quick get-out-the-house.

In an interview with Style and City Diaries podcast you talk about working closely with stylist Rhea Francois. What clothing brands best represent your style evolution, and how has that changed?

A.W.A.K.E Mode never lets me down. I wore an A.W.A.K.E dress to the Brits the other day—they get me. Burberry is another one—I always imagine that Burberry is my mature self when I'm not wearing a tracksuit and some trainers. If I want to put on a nice outfit and get dressed up, Burberry is a go-to. Daily Paper is another big one—I don't know how they do it but across the board, I can find dressed-to-the-nines outfits and lounging-around-the-house-quickly-pop-to-Sainsbury's outfits as well as everything in between. It's so different from when I was younger and I didn't wear any brands other than Nike. Nike trainers still just do it for me, no pun intended.

If I think about what's on my mood board now, it's the "It girl mum." It's like, "I'm not dressing the same as I was when I was 17 but I still look super swag." It's Tracee Ellis Ross, it's Kelly Rowland, it's Hannah Waddingham. They look fly, and they're not trying to dress how an "older" person "should". It's very polished. Before I started working with Rhea, COS was that to me—those clean, sharp, Scandinavian silhouettes that are super minimalist. Whereas I think those three have an extra element of like… sexiness and aren't afraid to show breaks of skin in there. So it's not as low-key as COS, for example, but it's still something you can drop your kids off to school in and then go to dinner later in the same 'fit.

Those who have followed you for a while will have known you with a shaved head, braids, an afro—how does beauty play into how you choose to experiment with your look now?

Well, wearing my natural hair as often as possible started out as a challenge. Because I had a shaved head for 10 years and my hair started growing back, it would have been easy for me to just start wigging my way through life. But my immediate thought was, "Why? Why not wear your natural hair?" It was just a challenge for me to see what would happen, and I'm not gonna lie—it's fucking long. I went from being able to get ready in 20 minutes to taking two hours. But over time, I'm learning how to take care of my natural hair, to see a trichologist, to figure out what products I should be using for healthy hair, you know.

I'm pushing myself past my comfort zone and getting to a point where I don't get annoyed with my hair because I want it to do things that it doesn't do. And all of those things over the last four years have been amazing and I actually feel great. I feel better. I like how much time I put into my hair now, and when I come home, I'm not running around still trying to do emails or anything like that. I think, "No. I'm gonna go and spend an hour putting my hair in little twists or whatever for the week." It's an act of self-care. I was a confident person before but I think this is really, really taking my confidence level to a different place.

What was your favourite red carpet or event outfit that made you feel like you could walk into a room and own it?

There have been a few. There's the Damian Campbell outfit I wore to Junior's Mains fashion show. The jacket was stunning—a white blazer with black feathers that go all the way around the back. Such a beautiful shape and a fucking beautiful jacket. I wore it with a plain black miniskirt but it's actually part of a full suit. The other was actually an accident. We were walking through a shop and I saw this CFCL dress, and it's so plain and simple because there's nothing to it, but I just love the wrists and that neck design and it was actually too big for me but when I put it on I was like, "No, this is a vibe." It was the last one in stock. Those two looks stand out for me.

Who is on your list of all-time style icons?

Maya Jama without fail. I think it's easy to say she looks good because she's beautiful, but at the same time, finding things that compliment your style is a skill. Sometimes she'll just be wearing like, a black leather miniskirt, jacket, black boots and a cap, and she just looks like her. I guess that's what it is—her style. That's why she's a style icon for me, because she has her look and it speaks to her personality perfectly. Also, Tracee Ellis Ross, as I mentioned earlier. She was the first person I followed on Instagram and I used her page as an actual mood board. I like the way she carries herself and the style choices that she makes. You can tell she loves fashion she doesn't have to wear the baitest brands—there's a level of respect for fashion there. Some people wear stuff because it's "in", and I think she's found a style that works for her and it's a really nice marriage.

You started your career in radio, transitioned into TV presenting and now you have worked with some of Britain's best artists and personalities. When did you realise what you wanted to do with your life, and was it an easy decision?

I'm very good at knowing how I want to spend my time versus how I definitely do not want to spend my time. I know who I want to speak to, where I want to be sitting, what I want to be wearing, where I want to go, what job I'm gonna be working. I'm very, very good at knowing that even if it's challenging or difficult if I want to do it, it gets all of my focus. Equally, saying "I don't want to do this anymore"—that's just the way that I operate. Is it enjoyable? Am I having fun? Am I learning something? Do I feel like I can get something new, like a new skill, earn my stripes and make me a better version of myself? I want to look back with pride at the badges I've collected on this journey of life, and if it's not serving me, it's detracting from my energy.

I dropped out of uni in year one—it was dry. So I had to make a judgement call and think, "Okay, I want to earn some money." I worked in retail until I could close my eyes and still serve 15 people in my sleep. People would come to my queue because I was quick and I'd learned the shortcuts on the keyboard. I knew how to talk to customers, and once I'd mastered the art of being on the tills? Okay, I've stopped now. The next thing was thinking it was my dream to do radio and get on a drive-time show, so that steered me to Rinse FM. I was on the radio Monday to Friday, three hours a day, and oh my gosh, it was so mad. But over time, eventually, I'm like, "Oh, I can do this. I can do it really well. People are enjoying it." And eventually, I know the playlist inside out, when each song is gonna end, and I'll jump in and say something, then play the next tune, but what else though? I want every decision, every choice I make to be exciting to my brain, and if it doesn't do that in any capacity, it's not really worth it.

Who have been your favourite people to interview and what did you learn from them?

KSI is up there. I was so nervous about interviewing him because I really wanted it to be good. He's someone that everybody has an opinion on so it was so important for me to be able to give people a new perspective than what they've seen already. It can be so hard to interview someone like that when there's so much information about them out there, so we spent weeks researching him and it was a bottomless pit of information. You can watch videos, listen to podcasts, read interviews, watch documentaries and read his tweets; you can search his name and go for all the news articles ever written him or scroll through his Instagram. So I tried to think and settle on a new angle. I talked to my brother Jamie because he's got a great relationship with him, and you don't get a guy like KSI in and say, "Okay let's talk about trauma." So it put the pressure on and I was so nervous. But then he came in, sat down and we were just laughing and being very, very honest, and It didn't feel fake. He ended up just reminding me of my little brother. So yeah, that was easily one of my favourite interviews.

Another one was Erykah Badu, I just couldn't believe I was talking to her—I'll never forget sitting in L.A. and hearing her voice on the other end of the phone. Normally with a phone interview, because I'm not in front of you, even if I'm shaking or doing stuff, it's fine because you can't see, but with her, I could hear it in my voice. When she finished talking I was so tuned into what she was saying that I wasn't even asking her the next question because I was still processing her answer. But her presence made me relax and feel at ease. She's fucking amazing.

Other than interviewing Erykah, what's your proudest "pinch me" moment?

My proudest pinch-me moment is always going to be interviewing Jay-Z. That is until I get to interview Beyonce. Or Rihanna. There were moments when I was tripping over my own words, but I just had to remember in my head that he's him and he's done his thing, but you're you, and you've done your thing too. We're just two people having a conversation. It was the same with Alicia Keys. I remember buying her album and putting it into my CD player and reading the lyrics from the Diary of Alicia Keys album, and I didn't think there would be a world where she would be sitting next to me in the Roundhouse in Camden. It's like it wasn't even real to me.

So I've had plenty of those moments, for sure. But Jay-Z stands out because it was at his film premiere [for The Harder They Fall], so it wasn't his usual wheelhouse. I got to interview him as an executive producer and didn't have to ask the same questions about what it was like making an album; it was a new chapter for him and a new chapter for me. I was so excited to be talking to him in this evolved state of who he was as a person. That was super cool to me.

When you set about starting a new project, whether that be a TV show, putting together an event or curating a panel, where does the inspiration come from?

It's boring, but lots of thinking. Just endless thinking and talking things over with my friends. Sitting down, thinking, driving, thinking, going to sleep, close my eyes, get up, write notes in a book, go back to sleep. Think again. But also, watching stuff. David Letterman, Philip DeFranco, Hollywood Reporter roundtable. All of those references live in my brain until there is a moment where it's like, oh, that could be an interview series where you do research and interview people. I think my natural state is to be inquisitive. That comes back to what I was saying before about taking things apart and breaking down why they are, analysing things and hearing someone else's perspective on stuff. Call it nerdy, but for me, there are very intricate thoughts that I don't think anyone else really thinks about because I'm just a bit weird.

I'm reading Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon at the moment, and it talks about having a swag folder of stuff that you just think is really cool. Keep things, take a picture of buildings you like—for me it was my brother's invitation to his fashion show. Or he did a karaoke night ages ago called KaiKai, and they lay the entire venue with a furry carpet so when people arrived they took off their shoes and he gave them KaiKai branded socks. If I ever do an event I want to think about things on that level of detail; they live in my brain until they all merge into an idea. Getting things off the ground comes from having, I believe, a good reputation with people, so that when I call them and say, "I want to do something," they say "Okay" rather than "Why?" It's like stubbornness and a belief that I'm just going to do it.

You set up creative house Don't Trust the Internet and produce and host your show Work in Progress on Youtube. How important was it for you as a creative, as a woman and as a woman of colour to be able to create a show that allows you to set the agenda and tone of voice?

It wasn't that it was important, it was that it was my only option. I didn't think of a show and then go and sit in front of a commissioner and try to explain to them why it's a good idea. I don't have any desire to do that ever. I didn't imagine I would have to go and find a financier who would help me put the money up to do the thing. My only option was to make it exactly how I imagined it would be. And I was open to asking for assistance and help once. No, my only option was to do it the way I wanted to, as a black woman, as a creative. I do not waste any time waiting for people to get on board or for me to be the hot topic of the diversity and inclusion meeting. I don't have any patience or need to even think about that. I want to say, "How am I going to do it? Let's go and do it." The end.

What does a typical day look like for Julie now?

Well, I just moved into a new office, so a typical day for me now is actually being a grown-up! My bag is packed for the office; no more carrying a laptop around and mashing up my back and having to get massages all the time. All my stuff for the next day is ready, so now I'll go to the kitchen and actually eat breakfast, take my lunch in a nice little bag with an ice pack in there to keep it all refrigerated. Then the train. I've got a book instead of being on my phone, and I can have a nice little moment with whatever book I'm reading and a blueberry muffin. Then in the office, I sit down and take a look at my to-do list but always make sure I make room for an hour's lunch. I haven't taken an hour-long lunch break in years, but now I spend that time going for a walk or renting a bike—just being a person and enjoying actually having a break. Go and do some reformer Pilates, whatever. Not coming home, overworking, sitting there stressed out and my sciatica starts kicking in. None of that stuff anymore. Just actually going to work and loving it again.

In the spirit of streamlining your day, if you had to wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Ooh, it would be my Pangaia tracksuit bottoms; they're A*, the best tracksuit bottoms you'll ever find. Then any kind of crop [top], both black with a cropped bomber jacket. That is me. Oh, and then some Air Max 90's, all black.

Are there any pieces in your wardrobe that are particularly sentimental to you?

There is, and it looks like okra stew with red pepper in it. It's a green African print top and a matching skirt. I don't actually know where the skirt is now, but my mum came back from a trip to Nigeria and bought it for me, and when I tried on the top my niece started crying. I said, "Rose! What's wrong?" And she said, "I want that." I told her that anything I ever have in my life, if she wants it, she can have it. And so then she wore the top and I wore the skirt and we took a picture together in it and she would not stop smiling for the rest of the day. For her birthday in May, I'm going to get it made properly for her so that it fits. It means a lot to me because I know how much she loves that we'll have matching outfits. She's just so cool.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given? And what can we expect next from Julie?

The best piece of career advice I've ever been given is from restauranteur and broadcaster Akwasi Brenya-Mensa: "What got you here won't get you there." Which I really loved. We were talking about the projects I'm working on at the moment like Work In Progress and a business that I'm launching later in the year and all the things I've done to get up to this point. And he said to me, "Don't be scared to pick up new things, and go out and ask more questions," because all the things I've got used to here are not necessarily going to push [me] to the next stage. So, "What got you here won't get you there" reminds you that you can't rest on your laurels. That's a really brilliant piece of advice, bro. And if I had a T-shirt-making factory, I would print that on a T-shirt.

What's next? Well, there are two new episodes of Work In Progress coming out and I'm super happy. We've got the KSI episode coming out soon, which I'm very excited for everybody to see, and then an episode with Big Zuu coming after that. I'm excited to see the reception to that episode too, purely because we uncovered a lot of stuff in our research that helped me understand the things that he does and why. Lots of people don't really know him in depth—there's the guy that does the cooking show and he's loud and fun. But we were also able to break down who Zuu is and what he means to our generation.

Thanks for having us, Julie!

SHOP JULIE ADENUGA'S STYLE:

Before Madeline Argy became the beloved TikTok creator who went viral in 2022 for sharing the horrifying story of how a worm ended up in her sister's leg and went on to amass millions of followers (over seven million at last counting) for her candid, confessional-style videos, she was just your normal college student. "I always saw myself as a professor or some kind of forensics specialist, which is very rogue and completely not what I'm doing now," Argy tells me from her New York City hotel room. At the time, the West Sussex native was studying linguistics as an undergrad at University of Kent and had big plans to get her master's degree and, if all went well, eventually her PhD too. But TikTok has a funny way of changing the course of people's lives, Argy's included. 

While accepting her near-overnight rise to fame hasn't been as easy for Argy as, say, divulging her innermost thoughts on the internet, the 23-year-old has found a way of putting it all into perspective. Her rule of thumb is this: The first time she experiences something that is out of the realm of possibilities of her previous life (e.g., sitting front row at fashion week), it has to be a random fluke. The second time she does it, however, is proof it's real and that it's just another part of her life now. "I guess you start to identify with these rogue experiences a little more," she says. In the year and a half since her first viral video, Argy's new normal has consisted of jetting around the globe for events like the Super Bowl, attending glamorous fashion parties, landing major brand deals, and partaking in editorial shoots like this one. 

At the end of the day, Argy's bread and butter is rooted in simply keeping it real with her fans. Whether it's sharing how she's navigating relationships in her 20s, her ADHD diagnosis, or a hot take on the rotten girl vs. clean girl aesthetic, Argy is authentically herself whenever she picks up her phone and records. It's why so many tune in each and every day to hear what's on her mind or see what she's up to next. Argy's brand of honest, unapologetic, and wholly relatable content has captured the attention of millions on their FYPs, including Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper, who invited Argy to be a part of her newly launched Unwell Network. The production shingle was created by Cooper as a way to cater to Gen Z audiences, and Argy and fellow TikTok star Alix Earle were its first talent signings. "I guess it's how all modern romances start. We just connected over Instagram DMs," Argy tells me of how she met the popular podcaster and entrepreneur. Under Cooper's guidance, Argy launched her podcast Pretty Lonesome in October. Each week, she invites listeners to be alone… together. New episodes drop Mondays, and at 30 to 50 minutes in length, they are like extended versions of Argy's signature mile-a-minute TikTok confessionals, ranging in topics from her ins and outs for 2024 to her recent trip to Los Angeles.

The podcast follows Argy wherever she is—her London flat, hotel rooms, or, most often, inside her car. Formerly "the green machine" and now a Mercedes SUV, which she received as a gift last year, Argy's car has long been a safe space for the creator. In her early TikTok days, she was a lodger, renting a spare bedroom in a family home to save money while at university. The busy home made it difficult to film anything. "I didn't want them to overhear me speaking to myself in my room and for them to think I'm crazy," she laughs. "They had a young daughter, so I really didn't want her to think I was crazy. I would go out to my car if I ever needed to film a video or do anything." The car was the only space that was completely Argy's at the time, and she spent a lot of time in it, adding, "At one point, there was a joke that I was secretly homeless and wouldn't tell anyone because they'd never seen me in a house, which was funny and not so far from the truth."

Now 20 episodes in, Pretty Lonesome has hit its stride. They've worked out some kinks, like Argy's tendency to jump quickly from one topic to the next and slowing down how fast she speaks ("I realized it's a bit hard on the ears when you are listening for more than 30 seconds," she laughs), and have a pretty good idea of what's resonating with listeners and what's not. While Cooper is more hands-off these days, she continues to be a sounding board for Argy and her team. "I just think she's got this amazing, very clear vision for things, which is helpful," Argy says. Naturally, Argy's already starting to think about what the next chapter of Pretty Lonesome could look like. "I think the next thing that I would love to explore is guests and conversations because I think there is only so much that you can actually say when you're by yourself, and it does get a little bit benign," she tells me. Whether those guests will be well-known figures, her close friends, or a mix of both, only time will tell.

At this point, fans are tuning in for more than just Argy's daily goings-on. They also want to know things like the brand of sweatshirt she's wearing (it's usually vintage from her neighborhood British Heart Foundation store or one she picked up at Urban Outfitters), her go-to coffee order, and the beauty products she loves. Whether she likes it or not, she has influence. When we put her up to the task of sharing the contents of her makeup bag, she pulls out Kosas's new BB Tinted Gel Cream, for which she is the new face. Kosas has been on rotation in Argy's routine in some form or another since she was a teen, so the partnership felt like a no-brainer for the TikToker. "It's exciting when you see that name in your inbox, and you're like, 'Oh wow, 18-year-old me would be so excited to see this,'" she says. Argy loves the hydrating tinted moisturizer for its lightweight feel and natural coverage because it doesn't hide her freckles or dark circles. The fact that it contains active skincare ingredients is another big plus. "It's so easy, and it's so quick, and it's so good for your skin that I feel it checks every possible box," she says. 

Argy wouldn't call herself a beauty guru ("Do people still say that?" she asks), but she does enjoy watching makeup tutorials like the rest of us. Amanda Steele was one of her favorite creators, and she used to love watching high school getting-ready routines on YouTube. As a homeschool student, she lived vicariously through the people. That's where she also first discovered Emma Chamberlain, who Argy admits played a big factor in her decision to get braces. "I remember there was a clip of her taking [her retainer] out in the morning, and it really, for some reason, made me want one," she chuckles. "I'm glad that I went and got one because my teeth were really bad."

Much like Chamberlain, Argy has become quite the fashion darling, too, with brands like Tory Burch, Prada, Versace, and Saint Laurent inviting her to sit front row at their shows. Though she's still partial to loungewear, she compares runway shows to creating Pinterest boards in real life, making mental notes of her favorite looks. One such outfit was an emerald-green bubble dress and structured jacket she saw at the Tory Burch S/S 24 show, which happened to be pulled for our shoot. "I was so excited when I saw it because I've been thinking about that dress every single day since I saw it on the runway, so I was excited to get to wear it. I might have to go get myself one," she says.

As our conversation starts to wind down, I ask Argy one last question: With all these life changes and career highs, have you had your "pinch me" moment yet? Her eyes light up, and she starts recalling her experience attending the Saint Laurent S/S 24 show that took place in front of a glowing Eiffel Tower. The last time she had properly seen the Eiffel Tower was with her mom when she was about 7 or 8. After a long, not-so-great day of being lost in the city, they finally came across the landmark, but by then, the excitement had worn off. Being back at that spot so many years later for an open-air fashion show, with all of the beautiful people and clothes, Argy had to stop and take it all in. "That was a very surreal moment," she tells me. "I took a picture for my mom to show her what it really looks like." 

This is no fluke—it's just Argy's life now. 

Photographer: Jeremy Choh

Editorial Director and Stylist: Lauren Eggertsen

Hairstylist: Christopher Farmer

Makeup Artist: Olivia Madorma

Manicurist: Emi Kudo

Art Director: Amy Armani

This story was originally published on Who What Wear US.

Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they can't live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves, and the genius tips they've picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with Adut Akech. The 24-year-old supermodel has walked for some of the biggest designers in the world, from Saint Laurent to Valentino, and starred in campaigns for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Victoria's Secret and H&M. Most recently, she was announced as the face of Valentino Beauty. Ahead, the star fills us in on all of her beauty tips and tricks, her go-to products and how it feels to be an ambassador for one of the most luxe beauty brands on the market.

1. Which makeup product gives you the biggest mood-boost?

"I would say blush. Definitely blush."

2. If you could steal someone else’s makeup bag, whose would it be?

"Oooh… if I could steal someone's makeup bag, it would be Pat McGrath's."

3. You’ve got a spot. Are you team pop it, or team leave it alone?

"Now, I'm team leave it alone. I still get tempted but I know now the consequences, so I don't do it."

4. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it?

"Mmm… I could live without foundation. I feel like it would have to be blush again. I was never a big blush girl, but all of a sudden I'm a big fan. I feel like it makes everything 10 times better."

5. What’s the best piece of beauty advice that you have ever received?

"Less is more."

6. It’s a bad hair day. What do you do?

"Umm… for me, if I don't have braids, I'm brushing my hair out into an afro."

7. What is your signature fragrance?

"Born in Roma by Valentino. It depends on what mood I'm in, but either the coral or the original pink."

8. Strong lip or a strong eye?

"It's hard. I feel like you could do either, but if I had to choose, I would probably say a strong lip."

9. What excites you the most about being a Valentino Beauty ambassador?

"The most exciting part is [that] this has always been a dream of mine, and to finally be living this dream is such an incredible 'pinch me' moment. It still doesn't feel real from time to time, but I love that I get to be in this position to not only represent but be the face that I never got to see growing up on makeup ads.

"This is such an incredible opportunity and this is my family for life. It started with a fragrance and now we're here with the makeup. It's amazing [that] I get to be here for the start and hopefully this grows more and more and I'm here for a very long time because I don't plan on going anywhere!"

10. What is your beauty philosophy in a sentence?

"Can I repeat something else I've said? Honestly, I would say less is more. Also, I was telling someone before that if your skin is not giving you any problems, do not cause it any problems. Leave it alone. If you don't have a spot, leave it alone."

11. What is your favourite lipstick colour?

"My favourite lipstick colour… I would probably say, again, it's one of those things, it depends. Depends on mood, depends on outfit. But I would opt for a nice dark cherry red or a yummy chocolate brown with some gloss on top."

12. Candles, reed diffusers or nothing at all?

"Hmmm… I think lately I've become less of a fan of candles, so I would say diffusers."

13. What beauty product do you recommend to everyone?

"Gosh, I don't want to give my beauty secrets away! Something that I swear by and have been using religiously is a Korean skincare product, a serum from Dr Jart."

14. Are you team dewy or matte?

"Again, depends. I would say dewy. I like my skin plump, hydrated and juicy."

15. The greatest drugstore product for under £10?

"I do have a few drugstore favourites. I'm trying to think of what's in my makeup bag. Do you know what I do love, and it's a UK brand: Pixi. There is a toner that they have that I really, really like."

16. Describe your brows:

"I would say, a beautiful mess. But obviously, brows are not twins, they are sisters, and so they will never be identical!"

17. You have to wear your hair crimped or blue eyeshadow for the rest of your life. Which do you choose?

"Both sound really fun actually. I don't know. Maybe the hair. But the blue eyeshadow sounds really fun."

18. Makeup primer: love it or hate it?

"I don't use it religiously. But on some days, if I remember, I'll use it. If I don't remember, I don't use it. It's not a make-or-break for me."

19. Confession time—how often do you clean your makeup brushes?

"Fun fact: I don't own too many makeup brushes. I'm a Beauty Blender girl, and I use my hands. I do have one set of brushes, and I try to clean them whenever I use them."

20. What beauty rule do you always break?

"Who doesn't go to bed every once in a while with makeup on their face? I do it once in a blue moon but I try my absolute best not to. But I do break that rule."

21. Which celebrity’s hair would you love to steal?

"I am always obsessed with whatever hairstyle Rihanna has."

22. Which era of beauty inspires you most?

"I mean, who doesn't love '90s makeup? It will forever be my favourite era of makeup, but my generation and the makeup we are doing, it's incredible. I love how artistic and creative everyone is getting, but '90s will forever be the best."

23. Eyelash curlers: love them or hate them?

"I don't use them often. I like them when somebody else does it but I can't use them properly."

24. Best beauty hack?

"I don't know if they are really secrets, but I do love to do my own DIY face mask from time to time. I started using some facial tools too, like red light therapy. I use this skincare tool that's Korean; it vibrates and is supposed to help penetrate the products deeper into your skin, so I use those two. I make my own hair mask from time to time too."

25. Do you have a favourite beauty product to use backstage?

"A skincare product that I always put on my skin backstage is the Dr Jart cream. And then makeup; even if the look doesn't include blush, I always beg the makeup artist to put on my favourite one. It's Rare Beauty."

26. We are loving your new bob. What made you decide to go for a shorter hairstyle?

"I wanted to cut my hair because I needed a nice big, healthy chop. I've been seeing everybody getting bobs and so I got inspired, and then also, summer's coming. I'm from Australia and our summer is now, so I was like, 'yeah, why not?' Something easy, it's going to be out of my face, so yeah, that's what inspired me. But I wanted to cut my hair for a nice healthy restart, and short hair just makes life easier, honestly.'

27. You’re having your nails done. What’s your go-to colour?

"Oooh, Put it in Neutral by OPI. It's the best nude for everyone."

Shop Adut Akech's Favourite Beauty Products:

Opening Image: @adutakech

Next Up: The Glowdown: Scarlett Johansson Shares the Beauty Secrets We All Want to Know

The day before Sabrina Carpenter’s "Feather” music video breaks the internet, the 24-year-old enters our Zoom call flush with apologies. She’s forgotten to redownload the app after deleting it to save on data (IYKYK), making her a few minutes late. "My phone has been out of storage for like all of eternity,” she declares. After settling into a spot on the floor between her coffee table and sofa—which is currently decorated with an Ariana Grande pillow, a keepsake from her stint as the artist’s opening act on the Dangerous Woman Tour back in 2017—she props her phone up, and we dive into a 90-minute conversation.

During this time, she’s refreshingly open about everything from the proven difficulties that come with growing up in the spotlight and what happens when the internet turns on you to how it feels to experience all of the emotional roller coasters that come with teenhood years later than your friends because you were simply too busy at 15 to join them. Her lyrics often live in the grey zone, leaving her fans to search for breadcrumbs alluding to their meaning or who they’re about, but her ultimate conclusions to my questions are surprisingly black-and-white. "This was the trajectory of my path,” she says. "I can’t change it now.”

Letting past regrets or grudges eat away at her doesn’t exactly fit into Carpenter’s busy schedule, which hasn’t eased up in more than a decade. When I ask the singer-songwriter and actress if she’s had a day off in 14 years, she laughs, saying, "You know, it sounds dramatic if I say no, but definitely not like a super day off.” For Carpenter, keeping her sights firmly set on her next move is precisely what’s gotten her to where she is today. "My brain works in ways where I’m like, ‘Oh, I want to do this. … It’s gonna take a long time … so I [have] to start now,’” she explains. "Even in those moments of free time, I feel like I’m always just visualising something in the future.” It’s this mindset that’s produced five studio albums, two Billboard Hot 100 hits, and three Platinum singles. "It’s a blessing and a curse,” she says. "I would love to be on a boat somewhere, though.”

Even with the heavy workload, nothing can take away the fact that Carpenter is living out her lifelong dreams. "There was never really a question. Music was always the thing as a child that made me feel like I understood more about life,” she says. As for convincing everyone to take her seriously, she attributes that to her conviction. "Not to be the person that brings up their astrology, but I’m a Taurus, and I think that might have something to do with the fact that I’ve always just been very driven. Some people like to call it stubborn. I like to say driven,” she explains.

Unlike other kids who woke up one morning wanting to be a pop star and a doctor or fashion designer or astronaut the next, Carpenter’s interests never varied. "I wouldn’t start things and not finish them. That wasn’t really my MO,” she says. "I ate, slept, [and] breathed singing and would be at the piano all day, or I’d be practicing or doing my warm-ups. Even if I had nothing to do with singing in the coming weeks or months, I would try doing it every day just to practice and get better.” All these years later, I get the impression that Carpenter is still this way—never quite satisfied. "The only way I’ll make it through this is if I never actually fully feel established because I’ll always just keep working,” she adds.

Carpenter was 12 when she first signed with Hollywood Records, a label under Disney Music Group. In addition to granting her the ability to record her own songs and perform them, it meant she’d be sent into boardrooms with men many times her senior telling her about her future. "That was probably the weirder thing that I had to experience from a really young age,” she says. 

Then there was social media, which nobody, Carpenter included, could have predicted would be such a requirement of the job when she started in 2009. Today, she sees it from two sides. "It’s heartwarming if you think about it in the way that it provides togetherness,” she says. "It’s scary if you think about it in the way that you’re like, ‘Oh, people think they know me from videos on the internet.’” For Carpenter, there are ups, and there are "down, down, down, downs” when it comes to social media and the role it plays in her career and personal life. That’s when she reminds herself just how fortunate she is. "I literally get to sing into a microphone. That’s my job,” she says. "It’s everything that I’ve always wanted. I’m really lucky that my childhood thing… I stuck with it, and, you know, we’re hand in hand through this.”

Writing her own songs also contributes to her calm and collected nature and her ability to move past any road bumps that have and will continue to arise as she navigates her life as Sabrina Carpenter: pop star. "I really feel like I disconnect and fall off the face of the Earth [when I’m making music],” she says. It’s through this process that she found her voice and fearless disposition. (She does admit to being "a sarcastic little snippy ass” since, well, forever, which is presumably why she’s never really been walked all over.)

It’s through music that Carpenter is able to turn off from the online world, where everyone has an opinion and heaps of time to share it. "Sometimes, I bang my head against a wall repeatedly,” she says of hate comments online. But at the same time, she can’t harp on them. She adds, "If someone says, ‘Oh, she’s ugly,’ what am I going to do with that? Okay, well, bummer. I have to just move on with my day, regardless of whether you think I’m ugly or not.” Sitting at her piano, no matter what the situation on hand may be, escape and resolution are only a few keys away. "It is so satisfying when you can take a negative situation in your life and turn it into a positive memory with a song,” she says.

As she’s gotten older, her music has evolved—getting more vulnerable and emotion driven. In 2021, the "Nonsense” singer left her longtime label to join Island Records, an organization that she says trusted her vision as an artist first and foremost. "I didn’t sit down with them and go, ‘This is the album that I’m making. It’s called EmaiIs I Can’t Send. It’s very blunt and very forward,’” she explains. "They didn’t know just as much as I was still figuring it out. But they had a lot of faith in what I was creating and let me experiment and create something really special.” 

Because of this freedom, Carpenter was able to speak her truths on the album without all the outside noise. "When you’re worried about [music] appealing to people and making sure that everyone likes it, I don’t know if you make anything that feels authentic,” she says. Putting out the album left Carpenter exposed. "[It is] borderline too personal,” she admits. But not once since its release in 2022, and subsequent deluxe edition that came out earlier this year, has she felt an ounce of regret. Being on the Emails I Can’t Send Tour and hearing the voices of her longtime fans singing along only reassured Carpenter that she’d made the right decision. 

Now, she’s performing those same songs in front of an even larger fan base: Swifties.

In June, Taylor Swift announced the first round of international shows for her record-breaking Eras Tour, revealing Carpenter as her opening act for the Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil dates. Carpenter will also return for Swift’s seven Australia and six Singapore shows. "I’m not gonna say I peed my pants because that sounds really graphic and maybe not sanitary, but I think it really just caught me off guard,” she says of hearing the news. "It was very much a childhood dream come true.” For her tour debut in Mexico City, Carpenter opened her performance with her first-ever YouTube upload, a video of her nine-year-old self singing Swift’s "Picture to Burn,” exhibiting just how long she’s looked up to the 12-time Grammy winner. "I still probably have not processed it if I’m being completely honest with you,” she says. 

The duo first met backstage at a show when Carpenter was 17 years old. "She had her cats with her,” she recalls. (Carpenter herself has two white British shorthairs at home, so their shared love of felines bonded them for life.) "I have older sisters, so if anything, it felt like that type of a relationship.” According to Carpenter, Swift’s support of her music has been significant, but perhaps more impactful has been the "All Too Well” singer’s championing of Carpenter as a human being. "To work with someone [who] cares about you as a person as well as an artist … that’s been the biggest gift for sure,” she says. Carpenter recently released a pared-down version of Swift’s 2012 track "I Knew You Were Trouble” on Spotify, with many on TikTok sharing how the cover made them completely reinterpret the song, a pop hit with deep lyrics. Carpenter chose to cover the track because of how similar the perspective is to "Feather,” the song Carpenter rereleased alongside "I Knew You Were Trouble.” Like her cover, "Feather” got the chilled-out treatment, making them a perfect match. Swift’s reaction to the cover was direct and to the point: "She nailed it.”

Despite her experience performing on the road, touring with Swift is a whole new ball game for Carpenter. "When you’re doing your own shows, you have this assurance [that the audience] is there for you,” she says. "They know the songs, they came to see you, and I feel very lucky in that sense that I’m like, ‘Whoa, I have this crowd of people that dedicated their Friday night to come sing these songs with me.’” On the Eras Tour, however, there’s a little more pressure for Carpenter to work the room. "I go into it with a little bit more excitement, being playful and just really singing and interacting with the crowd as much as I possibly can,” she says. "There’s so many of them—I can’t see them all.”

Her costumes, likewise, contribute to her energy onstage. "I want to feel as confident as humanly possible so I can be up there and not worry about what I’m doing,” she says. "It helps me perform better.” She ended up donning custom Swarovski-crystal minidresses by the Ukrainian brand Frolov, a favorite of Beyoncé for her own shows. She paired the dresses with her signature white go-go boots. "The go-go boots have been there for me in hard times,” she says. 

Fashion played a pivotal role in Emails I Can’t Send, more so than it did in any of her previous albums. "[The record], to me at least, feels like the first album cycle where I really felt like there was a style connection to the music,” she explains. "I haven’t always felt that way in the past because I was young and didn’t know who I was.” By getting to know herself better and finally gaining firsthand experience of the themes she’d long been singing about, everything just clicked. "This theme of hearts [is] sprinkled throughout the music and different visuals,” she says. "It made so much sense to me because [the album] was so deeply surrounded by this infatuation with love and the lack of love and [how it helped to shape] me into the person that I am right now.” Scrolling through her Instagram feed, the symbol is ubiquitous in her looks. "There have been a lot of little heart cutouts,” she says. "I’ve pretty much done it everywhere.”

Her style outside of the album has also seen a shift as she’s learned more about who she is. "The things I feel really confident in now, maybe five years ago I probably would have never worn [them], but that’s the beautiful thing about evolving with fashion,” she says. Though she’s most known for her hyper-romantic aesthetic laced with soft pastel shades, micro hemlines, and ethereal fabrics, Carpenter’s found herself experimenting outside of that look. (Don’t worry—it’s not going away entirely anytime soon.) "I’m constantly exploring and figuring [things] out,” she says. One look at her recent ensembles from Paris Fashion Week—where she wore a runway look from Schiaparelli’s F/W 23 collection to the French couturier’s S/S 24 show and a completely sheer black slip dress to Givenchy—is proof enough of that. 

Her stylist Jason Bolden—whose client list also includes Yara Shahidi, Storm Reid, and Vanessa Hudgens—has contributed significantly to that exploration. The duo first teamed up when Carpenter was just 17 around the same time that her breakout Disney show Girl Meets World wrapped. "The first thing he put me in was a red Loewe dress,” she recalls. "That was so out of left field for me because I don’t think anyone else would have done that at that time in my life.” Just then, she knew he was perfect for the job. "We started with taking some of these more daring fashion risks that I probably would have never seen on the rack and been like, ‘That’s the one for me,’” she says. "He was really good at pushing me in those ways.” They’ve been together ever since through each of her different musical and style eras, collaborating seamlessly to communicate her ever-changing story via clothes. "It sounds so silly to say that so much of my life is the little outfits I wear, but it kind of is,” she says.

Carpenter’s style is but one of many aspects of her life that revolve around music. She launched a second perfume a few months ago—Sweet Tooth: Caramel Dream—which she describes simply as an emotional extension of her music. She’s preparing to head back out on tour with Swift this month, followed by multiple shows on the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour. She is releasing a new holiday EP titled fruitcake on November 17. And yes, she has plans for a sixth album. "There’s definitely more coming,” she says with an air of mystery. Everything she does remains firmly planted in her singular childhood dream. "I sometimes look at that as such a phenomenal thing to think about,” she says. "Why, for some reason, you just have something, this idea in your head when you’re put on this Earth and how it happens, you have no idea, but you have this blind faith and just wake up every day and make it happen.” Perhaps that explains the black-and-white manner in which she deals with those areas of her life that fall outside of her control. When she’s needed it most, music has come through for her, stepping in and helping her overcome every obstacle life’s thrown her way. Why question its powers now? 

Photographer: Dennis Leupold

Stylist and Editorial Director: Lauren Eggertsen

Hairstylist: Scott King at The Only Agency

Makeup Artist: Allan Avendaño at A-Frame Agency

Manicurist: Zola Ganzorigt at The Wall Group

Set Designer: Ali Gallagher at 11th House Agency

Producer: Luciana De La Fe

Video Director: Stephanie Romero

Cinematographer: Amusement Productions

Video Editor: Collin Hughart

Sound Mixer: Jason Flaster

Executive Director of Entertainment: Jessica Baker