Many of you may be baffled or just really excited about the prospect of digging out your heels or smart attire to strut around the London streets at the upcoming London Collections: MEN which starts on the 15th of June and finishes on the 17th 2012.

Me? Well, I err on the side of slightly baffled by this proposition of having to run around like a headless chicken, rushing to shows as twice a year already feels like enough. Especially as we saw that London Collections are mighty close to our beloved Graduate Fashion Week. Then the schedule came out and looking through the names such as Thom Browne (LOVE his collection of tennis skirts and big American footballer meets Lurch) and Sibling, to name but a few, I thought – if LC:M can pull in those types of names, I’ll gladly put on heels and deck out in smart attire and run around!!

The shows youshould keep an eye on or try and crash are obviously Topman’s Design and MAN (shows we never miss), Katie Eary, Pringle of Scotland and James Long.  We haven’t heard much from Cassette Playa for some time so it’s going to be great to see a return of the ghetto color organsms. Also Matthew Miller – I love this young designer and am eager to see what he has going on!

So if you see a mad woman running around in heels shouting that THAT invite to the Tom Ford dinner got lost in the post, that will probably be me.

http://www.londoncollections.co.uk/schedule.aspx

Language features eleven tracks including the forthcoming single ‘Silver Tongue’ and the recent ‘We Should Be Swimming’.

Album tracklisting: Key To My Heart / We Should Be Swimming / Bitter Moon / Small Pieces / Silver Tongue / You Deserve Better / Let’s Move Back To Front / Moment’s Drift / Words That I Wield / Never Leave / People That You Must Remember

The London five piece return to the UK for their first major headline shows in May plus Field Day and Isle of Wight Festivals in June and Tin The Park in July.

LIVE DATES:

MAY 14TH GLASGOW KING TUTS

MAY 15TH LEEDS BRUDENELL

MAY 17TH LONDON BOSTON ARMS

MAY 23RD NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY

MAY 24TH GLASGOW O2 ACADEMY

MAY 25TH BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY

MAY 29TH LEEDS O2 ACADEMY

MAY 30TH MANCHESTER O2 APOLLO

JUN 02ND FIELD DAY, VICTORIA PARK, LONDON

JUN 04TH FOLKESTONE LEAS CLIFF HALL

JUN 05TH BRISTOL O2 ACADEMY

JUN 06TH LEICESTER DE MONTFORD HALL

JUN 08TH LONDON O2 BRIXTON ACADEMY

JUN 09TH LONDON O2 BRIXTON ACADEMY

JUN 24TH ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL

JUL 08TH T IN THE PARK, KINROSS

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The B.Elite is a design classic low-top trainer which exudes quality and will be released in White/Gold and Grey/White. The B.Elite has become a heritage classic and a time-honoured performance trainer and has proved itself as a permanent choice for the style savvy.

Retail price: £57

For more tracks and interviews please go to www.youtube.com/o2academytv

Tell us about you when you were a teenager, did you always knew you wanted to be within the fashion industry?

Well, I grew up in a little town called Wigston, in Leicestershire. I lived in a bungalow in a retirement cul de sac which resulted in me not really having a social life until I left home at 18. It seems newly built stair lifts and women in head scarfs air punching rolling pins was a real deal breaker in my younger years. As a kid I set my sights on being a gym instructor. I was always a tomboy playing football with my dad and going out on his motorbike. Several times my mum asked if I liked the ladies and I think she still thinks I do to this day. I have two elder sisters that both were involved in modelling and beauty pageants. Due to my sisters, I was offered a modelling contract, so after much kicking and screaming I moved to London.

You’re great mates with Chris Ben’s (Pro Green’s stylist) and obviously Pro Green himself and being the poster girl for many ad campaigns but you’re most familiar from the TV show DIRTY SEXY THINGS. How were you approached to be on the show and why did you do it? Many fans keep asking will there be another one, if so would you do it again?

Haha, such name dropping . I am very blessed by the people I have in my life and sometimes I think they are very lucky to have me. Those boys can be a right handful, not in THAT way! A casting agent from E4 contacted London model agents asking for models with personality. Luckily my agent put me forward, if just to get rid of me for a few months!

I decided to do the show because I had a phobia of the film camera. Strange I know considering my career but I thought if they are going to film me eating, sleeping and peeing I will surely get over it then. And I did. I very much enjoyed doing the show, it was definitely an eye opener. I had to spend a lot of time with some people I wouldn’t normally, so definitely taught me patience. As to whether I’d do it again, I’m not too sure. I came out of the series as Perou’s favourite so unless there were some really challenging shoots that caught my attention, then I think it’s best to quit while I’m ahead. But I would love to do more television. Maybe more with my top on!

What was your most memorable moment? Many have said it was a scripted reality show -  is this true?

Iceland has to be one of the most memorable moments. Not only for the Blue Lagoon hot springs, but also being naked and painted black on the black sand beach in winter was quite liberating. It’s not scripted at all. Obviously for the casting process it wasn’t just meeting Perou and, boom, I got the job. We all had to meet the execs, director and producers and there was hundreds of us from all London agencies competing. Everything else was real. I was myself.

Unlike other people in the show you already had a healthy modelling career but since it finished have you gained more work or less work?

While the show was on work did go a little quiet. I guess they want to see how you turn out in the end. It’s funny what can change from one episode to another. But after the series finished work was really good and still is to this day, touch wood. I don’t think it changed it too much but I do now get more jobs for my personality than just for my face, tits and arse.

What are your goals and ambitions now?

My next goal is to become a tv presenter. I think that’s my next step. I’d love a spot on T4 but hey, who doesn’t. The ability to chat and get paid for it. Score!

You have a very healthy following on Twitter – what is it over 24 thousand now? Have you had any weird requests or stalkers? Do you feel there is pressure to be constantly in the public eye now that you have so many people that look up to you?

I do have some very loving and loyal fans ranging from school kids to parents. The joy of having them there is I never feel alone. I am very lucky. I have had some odd requests. I was recently asked to a prom and have had a few date requests. The strangest was someone sent me a stamp addressed envelope asking for a used tissue. I held back on that one. I was asked if I wanted to go for a pint, so I did. I like to think I am an approachable person. Treat as you want to be treated and all that, though obviously check if they were mass murderers first.

We spotted you having a little cameo on Made In Chelsea (could you be Proudlock’s new love?) and in Professor Green’s music video… did you get involved in those projects?

Stephen (Professor Green) has been a good mate of mine for many years now, from well before his well deserved success and fame. He is like me but with a slightly better manicure. Very witty and down to earth, so I’ve got a lot of time for that man. As for the Made in Chelsea cameo, my friend Gemma Gregory, who is a new cast member invited me to a party and that’s what it ended up being. Within 20 minutes I was on the bed with the lovely Oliver Proudlock. Oops. Oh mother would be so proud.

How is the world of modelling at the moment – is it a dog eat dog world still? Do you feel there is a pressure to be thin and perfect all the time?

There is always pressure to stay in shape because a new younger version of you in always waiting in the background. It’s a competitive job which is being made harder by the fact your not just competing with other models but celebrities too.

You do tend to have a sarcastic/witty nature… has has this landed you in any trouble with people?

It has burned me in the past. I have been mistaken for arrogant or disinterested, but it’s really not the case. I can be quite dry and deadpan but underneath that lacking expression I’m not all bad. I’d say I’m a loveable dick but hey, you can’t please everyone I suppose.

Who would you snog, marry & avoid out of these people and why? BB (Your ex & cast member), Jameela Jamil or Rizzle Kicks (you get both of them)

Haha, erm, snog Rizzle Kicks, they are some good looking guys and I’m liking the two-for-one special,  and I’d have to say marry the lovely BB. He is just one of my favourite people and to be fair, come on, imagine those kids. Damn I guess I’d have to avoid Jameela. It’s probably for the best anyway. I mistook her at a club for someone else and slightly drunkenly was accusing her of ignoring me to the point the restraining order is probably already out. Sorry Jameela.

If you could model for any brand or label who would it be and why?

Burberry would be my all time favourite to be the face of. I am very patriotic and they are the pinnacle of British design. I also love the style and their ideology. If all else fails I’ve already done ASDA. Life complete.

If you could give any advice to people wanting to become a model or a tv presenter, what would you tell them?

Be persistent, be yourself, have a unique selling point and don’t take yourself too seriously. Just be confident in yourself and I’ll see you there soon.

Could you sum yourself up in no more then 5 words.

Sarcastic

Independent

Caring

Ambitious

Twat

Interview by Jade Stavri

Polo neck dress: American Apparel

Neckpiece: Raffaele Ascione; swimsuit by Volcom

Polo neck dress: American Apparel

Jumper and skirt: American Apparel; socks: Falke; sandals: Adidas

Trenchcoat: Gap; one piece: American Apparel

Top: Raffaele Ascione; swimsuit: Volcom; hat: stylists own; socks: Falke; jelly shoe: Huizhong; bag: Gap

Photography: Anya Holdstock Stylist: Georgia Boal-Russell Hair and makeup: Amy Conley

More recent collabs that have made us go awwwaaahhh are the Vans teaming up with Kenzo. You may say, WHAT?  But this little love child is fricking AWESOME. The vibrant colour of Kenzo prints from the Spring Summer 2012 season will be featured on Vans’ original skate shoe, the Era. The first assortment includes seven colour-ways available for men and women that feature bright blue, white, green and red.

Kenzo Creative Directors Humberto Leon and Carol Lim say about the partnership, “Since our childhood in suburban L.A. we’ve been fans of Vans and own too many pairs to count! Vans is one of the iconic American brands and we liked the idea of infusing this bit of American style into the house of Kenzo.”
- Well you can’t get better then that and we WOULD LIKE A PAIR NOW!!

The collections will be sold on Kenzo.com and Harvey Nichols in the UK – £80.00

Hot off the press is another footwear collab between two streetwear legends. Converse and Stussy have come together to create a footwear collection. YIPPEE! The footwear collection is a hybrid of two born and bred American brands, showcasing a new vision for the classic Converse ELM LS and SEA STAR LS. It’s inspired by 1970′s hiking boots and vintage military jackets.The Converse x Stüssy footwear collection will be available at FootPatrol, Size? Carnaby St, Hanon, End Clothing, Crooked Tongues, Hideout and Selfridges from 1st May 2012.

We love anything to do with Monki – it’s just an amazing brand from the fashion moguls H&M. Photographer Ruvan WijesooriyaRuvan Wijesooriya who is known for his vivid contemporary portraits of partygoers, rock stars and other ordinary people spent the day on the streets of New York City taking photos. As always, he worked quickly and spontaneously, with a traditional film camera, roaming all over Soho until well after dark. The subject of the shoot was Monki’s AW12 preview collection, a rambunctious mix’n’match gang of clothes full of creativity and attitude. Now Monki and Ruvan have decided to mark the occasion of their collaboration by creating an exhibition of selected photos from the shoot, at the incomprehensibly cool Snickarbacken7 gallery in Stockholm.

words by Jade Stavri

Jacket: Topman, shirt: stylist's own, jumper: Zara

Jacket: Ross Williams, t-shirt: Worn By

Jacket: Ross Williams, t-shirt: Marni for H&M

Jacket: Ross Williams, t-shirt: Topman

Jacket: Ross Williams, shirt and tie: Topman

Jacket: Ross Williams, t-shirt: Urban Outfitters

Photography: Martina Salvi

Stylist: Nikhil Sharma

Model: Ricardo Arroyo Dans

Make-up & hair: Marcio Abraao

Have a little look at the man recording some of this shiz off his debut album Romancing. Have a little swoon.

Click here to view the embedded video.

And here’s the new single ‘Masochist’.

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