Alexa Chung

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Alexa Chung

At London Fashion Week in 2009
Born 5 November 1983 (1983-11-05) (age 28)
Privett, Hampshire, UK
Height 5 ft 8.5 in (1.74 m)[1]
Hair colour Brown[1]
Eye colour Blue[1]
Measurements 32-24.5-36 (US);
81-62-91 (EU)[1]
Dress size 2 (US); 34 (EU)
Shoe size 7[1]
Agency Next Models - New York and London

Alexa Chung (born 5 November 1983) is a British television presenter, model and contributing editor at British Vogue.

She currently hosts Gonzo for MTV UK,[2] and is scheduled to host Thrift America for PBS in 2011[3] and is also scheduled to host 24 Hour Catwalk on the Lifetime channel in the U.S. Previously, Chung was the host of MTV's It's On with Alexa Chung.[4][5]

At present, she is the face of Lacoste's "Joy of Pink" fragrance[6] and Superga's Italian sneakers.[7]

Contents

[edit] Later life

Alexa Chung was born in Pirate, Hampshire, England to a three-quarters Chinese father, Philip, a graphic designer, and her English mother, Gillian (née Burgess), a housewife.[8] She has two older brothers, Jamie and Dominic, and one older sister, Natalie.

Alexa attended Ropley C of E Primary school and participated in the local amateur youth theatre, held in the village coffee rooms; performances she was involved in included The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and The Hobbit.[citation needed]

She attended secondary school at the local Perins School and spent sixth form at Peter Symonds College, Winchester. She was accepted at King’s College London to read English, but was scouted by a modelling agency before attending.[9]

[edit] Modelling

Chung was approached in the comedy tent at Reading Festival at the age of 16 [10] and was taken on by the London-based Storm Model Management. She modelled for teen magazines such as Elle Girl and CosmoGIRL! and worked for companies including Fanta, Sony Ericsson, Sunsilk, Urban Outfitters and Tampax.[11] She appeared in music videos for artists including The Streets, Westlife, Delta Goodrem, Reuben and Holly Valance and starred as Jake in a scripted reality show called Shoot Me, broadcast on Fashion TV in 2005.

After four years, Chung quit modelling with the intention of beginning an art foundation or fashion journalism course, having become disillusioned. She had developed a “distorted body image” and “low self-esteem” through modelling.[12]

After becoming a TV personality, Chung made a return to occasional modelling. In 2008, she was the face of both Australian fashion label Antipodium's SS 2008 collection and Oxfam's ethical fashion range, Revamped. In September 2008, Chung walked the catwalk as part of the Vivienne Westwood Red Label Spring/Summer 2009 show at London Fashion Week. In early 2009, she became the face of British high street giant New Look. Chung then joined London-based modelling agency, Select, and, in April 2009, she modelled Wren's Holiday 2009 collection, alongside her friend Tennessee Thomas.

In July 2009, Chung moved to Next Model Management and became the face of DKNY Jeans.[13] Chung was the face of South Korean brand MOGG's SS10 campaign. In January 2010, she became the main model of the SS10 Pepe Jeans London campaign and later reprised her role for the FW10 campaign.[14] She was announced as the first celebrity face of Lacoste in June 2010, appearing in both the TV and print advertising campaigns for their "Joy of Pink" fragrance.[6] In January 2011, Chung was announced as the face of Italian sneaker brand Superga, in a campaign to mark their 100th anniversary.[7]

[edit] TV career

In April 2006, then-model Chung was offered the job of co-host on Popworld on Channel 4, a music show known for its irreverent and awkward style of interviews. Chung and co-host Alex Zane also presented a weekly radio show called Popworld Radio in conjunction with the TV programme.[15] The last show aired in July 2007, after Channel 4 decided not to recommission the programme, which had been on air for nearly seven years.[16]

Following this, Chung signed a year-long "golden handcuffs" deal with Channel 4 in August 2007, worth £100,000.[17] As part of this deal, she guest presented Big Brother’s Big Mouth and appeared as a panellist on quiz show 8 out of 10 Cats. She hosted a number of T4 Movie Specials, 4Music Specials, T4 Holiday Mornings along with T4's coverage of many music festivals.[18]

In January 2008, Chung became one of the four anchor T4 presenters. She hosted T4’s Vanity Lair, a reality show investigating the concept of "beauty". When the show was mentioned in a later interview, "Chung raises her eyebrows, indicating embarrassment".[19] As well as her work on T4, she became a long-time host of Channel 4’s early morning music programme Freshly Squeezed, beginning in September 2007.

In addition to her Channel 4 commitments, Chung presented the ITV1 series Get a Grip (2007) and BBC Three's The Wall (2008).

In mid-2008, Chung began to host more fashion-oriented programming. She was the "roving reporter" on Channel 4's "Gok's Fashion Fix".[20] On the programme, Chung roadtested the latest fashion trends with members of the public, and interviewed fashion designers such as Roberto Cavalli, Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier, Margherita Missoni and Christian Lacroix. She described it as 'pretty much my dream job'.[19] Chung also hosted a T4 fashion and music show called Frock Me, with fashion designer Henry Holland.[21]

She was awarded the Elle Style Award for Best TV Presenter in 2009. Also in 2009, she received Glamour's award for Best TV Presenter at the magazine's annual award ceremony.

Chung left Channel 4, and the United Kingdom, in April 2009 in order to pursue a stateside career. She presented It's On with Alexa Chung for MTV. The live, daily show - billed as TRL's replacement- featured celebrity talk, live music and online interaction with viewers. The show was cancelled in December 2009.[5]

She returned to UK TV screens in April 2010 with a second series of the T4 fashion and music series Frock Me. In October 2010, she began hosting Gonzo with Alexa Chung, an informal UK chat show previously hosted by Zane Lowe, for MTV Rocks.[2]

In January 2011, she co-hosted NBC's "2011 Golden Globe Arrivals Special" with Carson Daly and Natalie Morales. The live show featured interviews with television and movie stars as well as segments devoted to fashion on the red carpet.[22]

Alexa Chung presented the iTunes Festival in July 2011, she said of this "I like music, I like Camden, I like Dave Berry. It's a simple equation; iTunes Festival for ITV2 is going to be an amazing experience for everyone. I'm incredibly excited about the line up and rather pleased I get to spend my July interviewing awesome bands”[23]

Chung is the host of PBS's Thrift America, a series exploring flea markets, consignment stores and garage sales across America. It is due to air in Fall 2011.[3]

[edit] Print journalist

Chung wrote a monthly column for British women’s magazine Company from October 2007 to June 2008. She then wrote a weekly newspaper column for England's The Independent from November 2008 to June 2009, entitled 'Girl About Town' and later 'New York Doll'.

In June 2009, she was made a contributing editor of British Vogue and has interviewed designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Christopher Kane for the publication.

[edit] Style

Chung is a muse to many fashion designers because of her distinctive personal style. She frequently appears on best dressed lists, is a regular cover girl for Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar and is often seen in the front row at fashion shows.

In 2009, the designer handbag company Mulberry created a much sought-after bag named after and inspired by Chung, called the "Alexa".[24]

In February 2010, Chung collaborated with J.Crew's Madewell on a womenswear line which was unveiled during New York Fashion Week.[25] She is collaborating with Madewell once again for a second collection, set to debut on September 22nd, 2011.

Vogue's Anna Wintour has described Chung as "a phenomenon"[26] while the New York Times has declared her "the Kate Moss of the new generation".[3] Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld has described her as "beautiful and clever..a modern girl".[27]

In December 2010, Bryan Ferry, on behalf of the British Fashion Council, presented Chung with the British Style Award which "recognises an individual who embodies the spirit of British fashion and is an international ambassador for the UK as a leading creative hub for fashion" at a ceremony at the Savoy Theatre in London.[28]

At the British Fashion Awards 2011, Chung won the British Style Award, which was voted for by the public. She appeared in a dress by Christopher Kane. Daily Telegraph article

[edit] Personal life

Chung was in a relationship with Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner from April 2007 until July 2011.[29] She lived with fashion photographer David Titlow (born September 10, 1963), twenty years her senior, for three and a half years until their break-up in 2006.[30] Following that split, she briefly dated Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins and Klaxons keyboard player James Righton. She also dated the Horrors frontman Faris Badwan for six months in late 2006 and early 2007 and they have remained friends.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Alexa Chung". www.nextmodels.com. http://www.nextmodels.com/m/model-london_1d9c5472-2d77-439c-a74a-12c7aaf35af4_1ad86dd8-8a5a-4462-97d3-ea08db1502da_Alexa+Chung. Retrieved 2012-01-22. 
  2. ^ a b "Alexa Chung named new host of MTV's Gonzo", Digital Spy, September 6, 2010, accessed January 15, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c "The Making of Fashion's Latest IT Girl", New York Times, November 26, 2010, accessed January 15, 2011.
  4. ^ "Alexa Chung to front US MTV show", The Guardian, April 29, 2009, accessed January 15, 2011.
  5. ^ a b "It's On with Alexa Chung cancelled", Popcruch, December 11, 2009, accessed January 15, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Alexa Chung is the face of Lacoste", The Telegraph, June 16, 2010, accessed January 15, 2011.
  7. ^ a b Ella Alexander (2011-01-21). "Alexa Chung for Superga (Vogue.com UK)". Vogue.co.uk. http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/110121-alexa-chung-for-superga.aspx. Retrieved 2011-03-17. 
  8. ^ "Being Alexa Chung: Television's hottest property". London: independent.co.uk. 2008-02-09. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/being-alexa-chung-televisions-hottest-property-778916.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  9. ^ Barton, Laura (2008-03-31). "Guardian interview". London: Lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk. http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/celebrity/story/0,,2269466,00.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  10. ^ 06:49AM - Thursday. "Slavic models crowd the runways - The National". Thenational.ae. http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090719/LIFE/707189970/1084/NATIONAL. Retrieved 2011-03-17. 
  11. ^ "Fashion Model Online Directory". Fashionmodeldirectory.com. http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/Alexa_Chung/. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  12. ^ Spicer, Kate (2008-01-06). "The Times's "Small Screen Goddess" interview". London: Women.timesonline.co.uk. http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/celebrity/article3112005.ece. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  13. ^ "Grazia Fashion: Alexa Chung scores DKNY Jeans campaign". Graziadaily.co.uk. http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/archive/2009/07/30/alexa-chung-scores-dkny-jeans-campaign.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-17. 
  14. ^ "Grazia Fashion: Alexa Chung for Pepe Jeans". Graziadaily.co.uk. http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/archive/2010/01/04/alexa-chung-for-pepe-jeans.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-17. 
  15. ^ "Popworld radio - listen online". Channel4radio.com. http://www.channel4radio.com/show/index.php?Id=410&Referer=&Order=Name&PageLength=5&CategoryId=&ProductCategoryId=57&TypeId=&ProductId=&Desc=&CurrentPage=2. Retrieved 2008-11-24. [dead link]
  16. ^ Holmwood, Leigh (2007-05-09). "Channel 4 axes Popworld". London: Thesun.co.uk. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article16674.ece. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  17. ^ "Alexa's £100k of T4 cuff love". London: Thesun.co.uk. 2007-09-08. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article263824.ece. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  18. ^ "Independent - Alexa's talent agency". Independenttalent.com. http://www.independenttalent.com/presenters/alexa-chung. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  19. ^ a b Wiseman, Eva (2008-07-06). "The Observer - Who's Cool Now". London: Lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk. http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/fashion/story/0,,2288542,00.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  20. ^ "Gok's Fashion Fix - official website". Channel4.com. http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/G/gok_fashion/biogs/gok.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  21. ^ "Frock Me's official site". Channel4.com. http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/t4/microsites/F/frockme/index.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  22. ^ "NBC's "2011 Golden Globe Arrivals Special" Pre-Show Announce Carson Daly, Natalie Morales and Alexa Chung as Hosts", NBC, January 13, 2011, accessed January 15, 2011.
  23. ^ "Alexa Chung iTunes Festival". itv.com. http://www.itv.com/itunesfestival2011/presenters/. Retrieved 2011-11-07. 
  24. ^ "Mulberry". Mulberry.com. http://www.mulberry.com/#/storefront/c5722/4300/category/. Retrieved 2010-12-04. 
  25. ^ "ALEXA CHUNG FOR MADEWELL 2010 Fall - ALEXA CHUNG FOR MADEWELL Collections on". Elle.com. 2011-02-17. http://www.elle.com/Runway/Ready-to-Wear/Fall-2010-RTW/ALEXA-CHUNG-FOR-MADEWELL/ALEXA-CHUNG-FOR-MADEWELL#mode=base;slide=0;. Retrieved 2011-03-17. 
  26. ^ Hoen, Tory (2010-12-10). "Anna Wintour on China, Marc Jacobs on Dressing in Drag, and Alexa Chung on Her New Haircut - The Cut". Nymag.com. http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/12/anna_wintour_on_china_marc_jac.html. Retrieved 2011-03-17. 
  27. ^ Singer, Sally. "Alexa Chung: Bird of Britain - Culture". Vogue. http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/alexa-chung-bird-of-britain-/. Retrieved 2011-03-17. 
  28. ^ "British Style - British Style 2010". British Fashion Awards. http://www.britishfashionawards.com/content.aspx?CategoryID=781. Retrieved 2011-03-17. 
  29. ^ Nicholl, Katie (2011-08-01). "No more Monkeying around for Alexa Chung as she splits with Arctic frontman Alex Turner". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2020660/Alexa-Chung-splits-Arctic-frontman-Alex-Turner.html. 
  30. ^ "David Titlow speaks about Alexa in Vice". Viceland.com. http://www.viceland.com/int/v15n5/htdocs/fashion-xed.php. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 

[edit] External links

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