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How is Season two of Londunn an evolution from the first collection? And which is your favourite piece?
I wanted this collection to have the same feel as the first, but to take it up a notch and to make it more luxe, more bold and more fearless. I wanted to include pieces that could be worn from evening to night with a simple change of accessories. My favourite piece is the long purple faux fur coat.
What is the Londunn girl like? Who is she? How do you want a woman to feel when she’s wearing Londunn?
The LonDunn girl is fearless, confident, she knows who she is, she knows where she is going and where she wants to be. I want them to feel comfortable, confident and strong when they are wearing my clothes – it’s how i feel when I put them on.
What makes you proud to be a Londoner (i.e. to be born the U.K)?
Londoners are daring, and we take more chances, but we also don’t take ourselves too seriously.
We love to work hard and play hard, and we always have a laugh. i feel you can take risks in London when designing and creating, and I love that we have so many places to help nurture the creative talent and so many places to look for inspiration. I also love a London accent!
How important was it for you to have additional business ventures outside of modelling?
I feel its important for everyone to have more than just one string to their bow.
There are so many things that I am interested in and i am lucky enough to be in a position where I can create new work projects that are fuelled by my passions and loves, and get to work with some amazing, talented, individuals that I have met in my modelling career.
It’s such an achievement. What do you think the 18-year-old you would think of the 27-year-old you and all she’s accomplished?
The 18-year-old-me would be proud, the 27-year-old me always wants to push harder and do more! But my life has changed dramatically since I was 18, apart from having my son – which changed my life in the best way possible – I have worked with people that i only dreamed of when I was a teen. I have also made some of the best friends from all over the world. I still can’t believe i get to do this job, and work with my friends, everyday. I always had a feeling that I would be doing this, but when you are actually living this life and doing this job, it’s a completely different reality.
Now that you’ve added “creative director” to your resume, how are you juggling being a working mum these days?
I do it the same way that all working mums (and dads) do – we just manage it! I am fortunate that I have my mum to help with my son, and I know that not everyone is that fortunate.
Women can have a career and be a good parent, at the same time!
Your own mum has been a big influence in your life. What is one of the most poignant lessons she’s taught you?
My mum taught me get on with it – when you have lots going on in your life, be it negative or positive, you just have to push on. she taught me not to dwell on the negatives, not to look backwards, to keep my chin up and look forward.
To you, what defines success?
Happiness. I love being happy and just feeling content.
Physically, how do you prepare for a runway show?
I like to do a kobox class with my brother, Antoine. I get all my stress out on my punch bag and listen to amazing music and dance.
You have been an advocate for social equality for quite some time. What is your future hope for women of colour and diversifying the skin colour ratio in the fashion industry and online?
My future hope is that I don’t have to get asked questions about women of colour anymore. I don’t want people to say, “Oh look at that beautiful black women on that magazine cover”, I just want people to say “Look at that beautiful woman”. I just want everyone to be looked at and considered the same, despite their skin colour or ethnicity.
In your opinion, which designers are paving the way to diversity on the runway (through model castings)?
I think Olivier Rousteing and Brandon Maxwell are the most diverse on the catwalk.
Can you describe a moment where you have felt really insecure? And how did you get through it?
I am human, just like everyone else, and we all have lots of those moments. But I know I need to get on with it, and I just remind myself to be thankful for what I have, focus on positivity and know that I need to make my son proud.
Insecurity is just being on your own head too much, you need to look outward instead of overthinking everything inside yourself.
Londunn is all about feeling empowered. When you’re having a “meh” day (feeling a little unmotivated), how do you pick yourself up and keep that fire burning?
[Laughs] I have lots of “meh” moments, I try not to let them take over my whole day. I try and take a moment of stillness and just regroup. I don’t like to talk about my achievements, but when I look at what i was and what I am now, and then i look at (or think about) my son, it pulls me out. everything I do is for him.
You really do trumpet the idea of girls voicing their opinions and having the platform to do so. What is one of the biggest challenges for women today?
Women today have careers and families and they want to be healthy an active, and lead a very full life. There is a lot of talk from society and media that we can have it all and be amazing at everything – and we want that! I think its a challenge to keep everything in balance at all time and not put too much pressure on ourselves to be perfect.
