Entertainment

BBC Squad Goals

Loved being back on BBC Squad Goals yesterday, helping keep fans up-to-date with the latest scores from the EFL and discussing all the week’s talking points.

A big thanks to the team - presenters Sanny Rudravajhala and Joe Thompson, producers Liam Bradford and Andy Bell, and Queen of socials, Gabriella Jukes - for having me. It was a dream ❤️🙏⚽️🎤

WOTC Magazine: Issue 13

The new issue of Women of the City Magazine, celebrating the winners of this year's 'New Faces Award', is out now!

Congratulations to all of this year's winners:

Business of the Year - Bianca Saunders
Emerging Fashion Brand - Charlotte Emily Sanders
Pre-Loved Brand of the Year - Sabrina Sadiq
Emerging Beauty - Joy Adenuga
Rising Star Award - Joice Etutu
Creative of the Year - Amanda Akokhia
Game Changer Award - Hannah Holland
Community Leader of the Year - Christina Adane
Woman of the Year - Marine Tanguy
Sustainable Brand of the Year - MY WARDROBE HQ
Female Artist of the Year - Sarah Owusu
Beauty Product or Service of the Year - Heather McDowell
New Face of the Year - Yvonne Bajela
Agency of the Year - Jennifer Hodgson
Man of the Year - FlexGodDaps Oladapo "Daps" F.
Icon Award - Tessy Ojo CBE

Happy to have had the opportunity to profile Marine Tanguy and all of the other amazing 'Woman of the Year' nominees:

https://wotcmagazine.com/issue-thirteen-contents-page/woman-of-the-year-winner

https://wotcmagazine.com/issue-thirteen-contents-page/woman-of-the-year-winner

In conversation with Kirstin Sinclair

The fashion photographer tells Kaye Holland about her secret to success, mentoring others and why she’d love to work with La Moss


It’s hard to know where to start with Kirstin Sinclair’s CV. The Cambridge native has photographed the front-row of every international fashion show, written and published a book – A Front Row Seat with a foreword by supermodel Erin O’Connor curated a Catwalk to Cover exhibition at The Fashion and Textile Museum and, in recent years, established herself as one of the foremost street style photographers shooting street style content for Getty Images and well-known brands including Kurt Geiger and, Coach New York.

So how did she get her break? It happened by serendipity. Sinclair started out as a painter – “photography wasn’t big back then” – but, while studying Fine Art photography at Cardiff University, she had to learn three mediums: Sculpture, painting and photography. “One day, my lecturer came over and said ‘Kirsten, your paintings are nice but your photography is exceptional’ and the seed was sown,” revealed Sinclair.

Upon graduation, Sinclair landed a job working for catwalk photographer Anthea Simms – with whom she spent eight years – “and that’s when my journey as a fashion photographer really began,” she recalled down the phone from her east London home, where lives with her three black cats. 

She continued: “It was a fantastic opportunity for me. I got to meet and network with many different people from the fashion industry and build up my technical knowledge and confidence as a photographer shooting some of the world’s most recognised models and celebrities.”

For the last nine years, Sinclair has been working for Getty Images at events including Royal Ascot, London and Paris fashion weeks – as well as award ceremonies and parties for the likes of Cartier and Chloe. 

When she reflects on her bank of star-studded fashion memories in a bid to recall her favourite, her highlight, Sinclair stumbles upon Ralph Lauren’s 50th anniversary fashion show and dinner – which took place on Central Park’s Bethesda Terrace around the iconic Bethesda Fountain back in September 2018.

“The scale of the celebration was unprecedented and the stars were out in force. Oprah, Robert de Niro, Julianne Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Kanye, Steven Spielberg and a slew of  American fashion designers including Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Donna Karan were all there in black tie – but no one had me briefed me re the event or the dress code so I had to urgently borrow a dress,” she laughed.


“I remember, at the end of the evening,  walking along what must surely have been the longest red carpet ever to the exit and calling my Mum to tell her about my ‘pinch yourself’ evening.”

Not that life as a female fashion photographer is always a bed of roses.  “I worked the front row at fashion shows for eight years and certainly experienced being pushed around by men,” Sinclair grimaced.

She added: “No favours were given. As a result, I developed my own style. I got to know security who would give me the heads up when a celebrity was about to be escorted out. I worked in a certain way – I wasn't part of the paparazzi so I never behaved like paparazzi.”

In part, Sinclair credits a community of photographers – “I’m in a WhatsApp group of around 100 international photographers and we regularly check-in and help and support each other” – for her career longevity and has taken to mentoring University of West London photography students herself.  “I answer their questions and offer work experience wherever possible,” she said. 

“I always tell budding fashion photographers to work hard, believe in yourself, and remember that success rarely comes without trial and error along the way. If something doesn’t work out, sit down and work out why so you can learn from what happened and improve.”


When the fashion industry was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic – stores closed, orders were cancelled, factories shut and fashion shows were called off – Sinclair admitted to bracing herself for a tough year. Thankfully the last 18-months haven’t been all doom and gloom.

The silver-lining of coming out of lockdown? “I’ve learnt that rest and reflection are just as key to a successful career and happy life as hard work and dedication,” shared Sinclair.

Due to Getty Images’ vast library of photographs – Getty Images makes its money by licensing its millions of photos to publishers, advertisers and corporate customers – she was fortunate to be able to earn a passive income. Furthermore, the photographic agency actively encouraged Sinclair to get out and shoot street-style content in between lockdowns.

So what makes Sinclair stop someone to take a picture? “There’s more to it than a nice outfit,” she revealed. “It could be because of the way a person uses colour, texture or print or how they interpret a trend. I am drawn to people who have fun with fashion and who see it as an extension of their personality.”


When asked who she would most love to photograph, she replied without hesitation: “Kate Moss. I’m a huge fan of her personal style as well as the incredible work she’s created throughout her career appealing to women of all ages. She’s been my favourite model ever since my GCSE days.”

In her downtime, Sinclair loves “practicing yoga and meditation” and, pre-pandemic enjoys “travelling whenever possible. I have a big love of the beach, swimming, and sunny climates.“  She is also “looking into taking jewellery design classes in my free time – I love the cultural history and personal meaning jewellery can hold.”

Like everything Sinclair does, one thing is certain: it will be worth the wait.


Read my interview with Kirsten for WOTC magazine here: https://wotcmagazine.com/issue-eleven-contents-page/in-conversation-with-kirsten-sinclair

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Julie Lingard: Queen of the Seams

The founder of womenswear brand AQ/AQ talks to Kaye Holland about rebuilding her label, lockdown, London, and the future of fashion

Julie Lingard might count Kate Beckinsale and woman of the moment – footballer turner presenter Alex Scott – among AQ/AQ’s long list of A-list clients, but the road to success has been paved with speed bumps. 

“Everyone looks at AQ/AQ and thinks we are this amazing, household name but our backstory…,” sighed Lingard, admitting that success hasn’t been straightforward.

AQ/AQ was born in 1999 in the north of England as Aqua by Aqua, with an aim to support and nurture the development of independent designers. 

Aqua and Lingard’s star rocketed and before long the brand had opened a flagship boutique on London’s world-famous Carnaby Street, launched their first in-house collection of clean lines and clever design to critical and commercial acclaim, and began wholesaling their collection to ASOS – where they fast became a best-seller.

“We had revenues of £1.5 million per season,” Lingard recalled with a laugh. ASOS came knocking and “told us to get ourselves over to America. So we did and we signed up with Bloomingdales and were doing really, really well.”

And then it all unravelled. It transpired that Bloomingdales had its own in-house brand, also called Aqua,  who “slapped a half a million-pound litigation suit on us and ASOS, because ASOS had been selling us into the USA. We ended up agreeing to rebrand to AQ/AQ. I love our four-letter name now but it cost us a lot! We had to fork out £250,000 to rebrand in 18 different countries.”

To make matters worse, just as AQ/AQ was getting back on its feet, the business was hit by another cruel setback. Lingard explained: “We had a massive 10,000 sqft warehouse in Leeds next to the River Aire. The river burst its banks and the next thing we knew, our warehouse was in 1.4m of water – our team had to canoe in. We lost £1.8 million of stock. We lost everything.”

Pretty but clearly gritty, Lingard “dug deep and built the brand up again. We were lucky that we had a community of women – [translation a not-so-humble social media following just north of 200,000]  – who stuck by us.”

And then the pandemic hit. Was she worried that the pandemic would threaten the future of AQ/AQ? “Absolutely since we are about event dressing and red carpet wear, and everyone was forced to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdowns. We did think about pivoting into loungewear but everyone was doing that, so we just had to stay true to our core DNA. We’re architectural, bold, sculptured…”

Lingard and her team thought creatively to meet new consumer and business needs, went back to their roots, and “set up a marketplace selling other peoples’ sustainable brands, putting sustainability centre stage. We wanted to collaborate with fashion labels who had hit hard times [due to the impact of Covid-19]  – every formal and workwear label was suffering.”

Entrepreneurship evidently runs in Lingard’s blood. “My father was an entrepreneur –  he became a self-made millionaire – and I always knew I was going to become an entrepreneur too because that was the environment I had grown up in,” she reflected. 

Aged 19, Lingard owned a host of hair and beauty salons “and worked with L'Oréal” before going on to launch Aqua by Aqua (now known as AQ/AQ). “Fashion was always in my DNA. I’m not qualified but I learnt on the job,” she said from her light-filled north London living room.

Looking ahead to the autumn/winter 2021 fashion season, Lingard enthused about her brand’s use of bold colours. “We’re called Aqua so we have always been about bold colours. Gorgeous berries and rich, vibrant purples and plums… we’ve celebrated autumn/winter in a strong colour palette.”

For the new season, the female-founded and female-run brand has also branched out into more casual fabrics. “We’re still using the same beautiful shapes and silhouettes but in a sustainable jersey material so that you can wear our clothes during the day too,” she explained.

AQ/AQ features heavily in Lingard’s own wardrobe. “I have a walk-in wardrobe on both sides [of my bedroom] and the one on the left is all AQ/AQ,” she shared. “I have every single cut and shape through the years! Certain pieces are timeless. We are not fast-fashion, we make sure our garments fit well. I didn’t get to wear much of our collection in lockdown though – it was a tricky time for me.”

Covid has, however, brought new opportunities. Lingard cherished the time she spent with her two new mini Labradoodles which has led to her launching a sustainable dog brand called The Upper Hand. “Expect dog fashion accessories made from recycled materials that we’ll launch on the AQ/AQ platform next year,” revealed the longtime driver of planet-friendly fashion.

An incessant grafter, full of vivacious energy, Lingard is also bringing out an affordable CBD beauty product range “with a friend who is a pharmacist.” She continued: “We have a CBD tincture that’s amazing for anyone suffering from stress and anxiety, a great facial oil, masque, aloe vera serum, and lip balm that were all developed during lockdown and are available on the AQ/AQ website. I had time in lockdown to evaluate the business and open up other areas.”

The ongoing pandemic has also normalised remote work. Like many businesses, Lingard made the decision to shut down AQ/AQ’s east London office when Covid-19 forced non-key workers to work from home – and her team has taken to flexible working.

“Now that restrictions have been lifted, we get together once a month for a couple of days on a shoot, and it’s working well,” smiled Lingard. “Everyone’s happy. Rather than have my team in Haggerston, I have staff all across the country now – by the seaside, in the countryside…”

As for Lingard, she continues to consider herself a Londoner and talks warmly of her north London neighbourhood, Islington. “I don’t think I could do that [leave the capital],” she mused. “I need to be in London. I am always at events, networking, here, there and everywhere… If I left the city, I don’t think AQ/AQ would be the forward-thinking brand it is.”

secure.aqaq.com

Read my interview for WOTC here: https://wotcmagazine.com/issue-eleven-contents-page/julie-lingard-queen-of-the-seams


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Better together: The best partnerships of all time

From Birchbox to Facebook, here’s how these successful women-led businesses were built 

Birchbox
Leading beauty box subscription service, Birchbox, has taken the market by storm since its inception in 2010 dragging ‘everyday’ men and women out of their beauty rut. Products are tailored-to-you, beautifully packaged and delivered directly to your door every month from just £10.

The brainchild of Harvard Business School classmates and self-professed “non-beauty people”, Katia Beauchamp and Hayley Barna, today Birchbox boasts more than four million customers around the world and has built a reputation as a subscription pioneer – paving the way for other subscription businesses including Abel & Cole and Boombox Club.

On increasing competition, Beauchamp had this to say: “Keep your head down and focus on your brand and your service or your product and what makes it unique and special. [...] Nobody can copy your vision.”
www.birchbox.co.uk

Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg launched the social media site as a sophomore on February 4, 2004 with the aim of connecting Harvard students through an online community. Fast forward 17 years and Facebook has become one of the world’s most influential social networks with a first lady – step forward Sheryl Sandberg. 

Facebook’s COO had been working for arch-rival Google when, legend has it, she met  Zuckerberg at a party in 2007. The American media magnate was sufficiently impressed by Sandberg to offer her a role – even though he hadn’t been looking for a COO.
Sandberg was charged with growing Facebook’s revenue and advertising businesses, while keeping its users content. It’s a huge and hugely tricky job, but one well suited to Sandberg who once famously said: “If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, don't ask what seat! Just get on.”
www.facebook.com

O Network
Not content with having her own eponymous TV show, a magazine known as O and a production company, Harpo (Oprah’s name in reverse), the indomitable Miss Winfrey launched a cable channel  –  OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network) – in 2011. The goal was to create a feelgood cable network that would “inspire and entertain people.”
But by spring of 2012, Oprah found herself in an unfamiliar position: She was failing. Oprah ultimately helped steer the ship in the right direction by taking a more active role at the network, landing high profile interviews with the likes of Lance Armstrong and Lindsay Lohan and signing up writer-producer Tyler Perry whose programmes – including If Loving You is Wrong and Love Thy Neighbor – broke records for the network. 

Oprah had heeded her own words: “If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.”
www.oprah.com

Rent the Runway
Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss set up Rent the Runway – a ‘Netflix for dresses’ – after Hyman’s younger sister, Becky, splurged $2,000 that she didn’t have on a designer dress to wear to an upcoming wedding.
The duo couldn't help but wonder “Wouldn’t it be so better if we could rent designer items rather than purchase them?” and so Rent the Runway was born. “We had entered the experience economy. People were getting married later and starting to value experiences like travel over owing things,” Hyman explained.

The company offers three plans – four items a month for $89, eight garments per month for $135 or 16 pieces for $199 per month. Customers make selections via Rent the Runway’s website or mobile app.
www.renttherunway.com

SoulCycle
Co-founders Julie Rice and Elizabeth Cutler started SoulCycle – a chain of luxury indoor cycling gyms – with one studio in 2006 on New York’s Upper West Side.
Fast forward 15 years and the pair are on the ride of their life having motivated people both sides of the pond  – there are 91 SoulCycle studios in North America and two in London  – to pedal their way into shape, as well as inspiring the likes of Psycle, Boom Cycle and 1Rebel.Yet while riders may come for the workout, they stay for the community… and, arguably, the changing rooms that are kitted out with Le Labo body products, Dyson hairdryers and Drunk Elephant skincare.
www.soul-cycle.com

 Read my feature for WOTC here: https://wotcmagazine.com/issue-nine-contents-page/better-together-the-best-partnerships-of-all-time

 

 

Kaye Holland


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