What to Read This Fall

---

The HSF Book List For Fall

---

'Turtles All The Way Down' by John Green

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there's a hundred thousand dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett's son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza's story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

Shop this title on Amazon

---

'The Hot One' by Carolyn Murnick

A gripping memoir of friendship with a tragic twist—two childhood best friends diverge as young adults, one woman is brutally murdered and the other is determined to uncover the truth about her wild and seductive friend.

As girls growing up in rural New Jersey in the late 1980s, Ashley and Carolyn had everything in common: two outsiders who loved spending afternoons exploring the woods. Only when the girls attended different high schools did they begin to grow apart. While Carolyn struggled to fit in, Ashley quickly became a hot girl: popular, extroverted, and sexually precocious.

After high school, Carolyn entered college in New York City and Ashley ended up in Los Angeles, where she quit school to work as a stripper and an escort, dating actors and older men, and experimenting with drugs. The last time Ashley visited New York, Carolyn was shocked by how the two friends had grown apart. One year later, Ashley was stabbed to death at age twenty-two in her Hollywood home.

The man who may have murdered Ashley—an alleged serial killer—now faces trial in Los Angeles. Carolyn Murnick traveled across the country to cover the case and learn more about her magnetic and tragic friend. Part coming-of-age story, part true-crime mystery, The Hot One is a behind-the-scenes look at the drama of a trial and the poignancy of searching for the truth about a friend’s truly horrifying murder.

Shop this title on Amazon

---

'The Letters of Sylvia Plath' as edited by Peter K. Steinberg and Karen V. Kukil

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) was one of the writers that defined the course of twentieth-century poetry. Her vivid, daring and complex poetry continues to captivate new generations of readers and writers. 

In the Letters, we discover the art of Plath's correspondence, most of which has never before been published and is here presented unabridged, without revision, so that she speaks directly in her own words. Refreshingly candid and offering intimate details of her personal life, Plath is playful, too, entertaining a wide range of addressees, including family, friends and professional contacts, with inimitable wit and verve. The letters document Plath's extraordinary literary development: the genesis of many poems, short and long fiction, and journalism. Her endeavour to publish in a variety of genres had mixed receptions, but she was never dissuaded. Through acceptance of her work, and rejection, Plath strove to stay true to her creative vision. Well-read and curious, she offers a fascinating commentary on contemporary culture.

This selection of early correspondence marks the key moments of Plath's adolescence, including childhood hobbies and high school boyfriends; her successful but turbulent undergraduate years at Smith College; the move to England and Cambridge University; and her meeting and marrying Ted Hughes, including a trove of unseen letters post-honeymoon, revealing their extraordinary creative partnership.

Shop this title on Amazon

---

'Uncommon Type, Some Stories' by Tom Hanks

A gentle Eastern European immigrant arrives in New York City after his family and his life have been torn apart by his country's civil war. A man who loves to bowl rolls a perfect game--and then another and then another and then many more in a row until he winds up ESPN's newest celebrity, and he must decide if the combination of perfection and celebrity has ruined the thing he loves. An eccentric billionaire and his faithful executive assistant venture into America looking for acquisitions and discover a down and out motel, romance, and a bit of real life. These are just some of the tales Tom Hanks tells in this first collection of his short stories. They are surprising, intelligent, heartwarming, and, for the millions and millions of Tom Hanks fans, an absolute must-have!

Shop this title on Amazon

---

'The Descent of Man' by Grayson Perry

In this witty and necessary new book, artist Grayson Perry trains his keen eye on the world of men to ask, what sort of man would make the world a better place? What would happen if we rethought the macho, outdated version of manhood, and embraced a different ideal? In the current atmosphere of bullying, intolerance and misogyny, demonstrated in the recent Trump versus Clinton presidential campaign, The Descent of Man is a timely and essential addition to current conversations around gender. 

Apart from gaining vast new wardrobe options, the real benefit might be that a newly fitted masculinity will allow men to have better relationships—and that’s happiness, right? Grayson Perry admits he’s not immune from the stereotypes himself—yet his thoughts on everything from power to physical appearance, from emotions to a brand new Manifesto for Men, are shot through with honesty, tenderness, and the belief that, for everyone to benefit, updating masculinity has to be something men decide to do themselves. They have nothing to lose but their hang-ups.

Shop this title on Amazon

---

'Elmet' by Fiona Molzey

Daniel is heading north. He is looking for someone. The simplicity of his early life with Daddy and Cathy has turned sour and fearful. They lived apart in the house that Daddy built for them with his bare hands. They foraged and hunted. When they were younger, Daniel and Cathy had gone to school. But they were not like the other children then, and they were even less like them now. Sometimes Daddy disappeared, and would return with a rage in his eyes. But when he was at home he was at peace. He told them that the little copse in Elmet was theirs alone. But that wasn't true. Local men, greedy and watchful, began to circle like vultures. All the while, the terrible violence in Daddy grew.

Elmet is a lyrical commentary on contemporary English society and one family's precarious place in it, as well as an exploration of how deep the bond between father and child can go.

Shop this title on Amazon

---

'Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life' byJenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush

Born into a political dynasty, Jenna and Barbara Bush grew up in the public eye. As small children, they watched their grandfather become president; just twelve years later they stood by their father's side when he took the same oath. They spent their college years watched over by Secret Service agents and became fodder for the tabloids, with teenage mistakes making national headlines. 
But the tabloids didn't tell the whole story. In SISTERS FIRST, Jenna and Barbara take readers on a revealing, thoughtful, and deeply personal tour behind the scenes of their lives, as they share stories about their family, their unexpected adventures, their loves and losses, and the sisterly bond that means everything to them.

Shop this title on Amazon

Richard Malone, The Interview

Having graduated from Central Saint Martins just three years ago, there is something extraordinary about Richard Malone and his impeccably chic yet distinctly powerful impact on the fashion industry thus far. 

The designer, born and raised in Co. Wexford, Ireland, is a true talent and beyond having mastered pattern cutting and a flair for seriously original creations, he possess a refreshingly humble approach to his success thus far, not forgetting the pressures designers face in the ‘real world’ today. Living in a time where the designer is glorified as a celebrity in their own right, his sole aim is admirable as it is discerning and quite simply put, is to design clothes for a generation under pressure; bringing about a sense of authenticity and threading through each collection a feeling of what’s truly important. 

With a mission to change the way we look at fashion - all while remaining far from airbrushed front pages and filtered Instagram feeds - this young designer has an array of accolades under his belt including LVMH’s honourable Grand Prix scholarship, the Deutsche Bank Award for Fashion (previously won by Christopher Kane) alongside being considered one of the Best young Artists under 25 in the UK by the BBC.

His collections have been received with high regard from the influences of international press and have appeared in some of the most respected publications worldwide from LOVE and Dazed, British Vogue and WWD to AnOther and Interview. 

Malone’s collections are stocked at some of the globe’s most prolific stores including Brown Thomas in Dublin, Selfridges in London and Joyce in Hong Kong.

In conjunction with and with sincere gratitude to Kildare Village, I chatted to Richard about his path to date and his recent undertaking as judge at Kildare Village’s Racing Colours Competition. The winner, Kate McGowan has been awarded a year long internship with him at his London studio and with Richard Malone as a mentor we’re sure Kate’s name is one you’ll want to know in the very near future..

---

Richard, you’re currently one of Ireland’s most prolific young designers with many accolades to your credit thus far. Where did your love of design begin?

I feel like it has always been there but perhaps a bit more abstract in the beginning. I was constantly drawing or sculpting - making anything from anything really so it was probably very obvious I would end up doing something creative, even though we haven't any other artists or designers in the family. Working with my Dad on building sites from a very young age and also being forced to wear a school uniform made me very aware of different types of dressing - things like functionality, conformity, how clothes can construct parts of an identity etc. Originally I was doing sculpture and performance before a tutor introduced me to Central Saint Martins and I thought I’d better go there even though I had no fashion experience and art at my school was completely shit. It was only when I did a short course in Waterford when I was 17 that a tutor introduced me to contemporary art, she was absolutely brilliant in pushing you outside your comfort zone and getting you back in line, she really made you take things seriously, her name was Anne O’Regan.

You’re incredibly open about your upbringing in Ireland with your current collection paying tribute to the work uniforms your Mum and other family members wore on a daily basis. Can you tell us a little about the process of each collection, from idea to customer.

I never try to focus on other references, looking at other designers or time periods etc - its such an easy formula. Originality is something I believe to be incredibly important, especially at a time when it is so lacking and so many seem so happy to conform, also we have a real problem with people from backgrounds like mine not having access to education. I really believe that your upbringing and surroundings are crucial to your identity as a designer, I’ve never tried to ignore where I’m from and luckily at Saint Martins it was really encouraged. My point of view is totally different as a result, and especially in an industry that is full of the upper class and extremely privileged. Theres something to be said for having to fight for your place, and I’m happy creating and working in the way I always have; essentially making something from nothing - its very creative and quite erratic, often creating forms away from the body and constant trials and errors. Its also super private and my working process/drawings and video works are never something I’ve allowed to be published although I’ve been lucky enough to have them collected by some amazing museums around the world. I’ve taught myself some quite extreme pattern cutting skills so I’m really proud that every piece that comes from the studio is pattern cut by me, as it's a skill that designers are losing all the time. People forget that creating garments is a skill, theres so much rubbish now thats made for Instagram, this front on image of a white teenage model that no woman can really relate to. Its really important to me that there is diversity in my casting for the shows, and that we aren't having negative conversations about womens bodies in the studio, or projecting negative ideals out there. I also hate that fashion is consumed as a front on image now, as opposed to being experienced. I alway design totally 3d, sometimes focusing silhouettes to the back or details all on the back of a garment, I really like when things don't register properly in those photos, as that's not their purpose for me.

Upon graduating from Central Saint Martins was it difficult to navigate the working world as a designer? In essence, to bridge that gap between the uninhibited world of creativity and the reality of making a living..

I was incredibly lucky on leaving Saint Martins. I’d already spent a year in the design team for Louis Vuitton in Paris and then came back for my final year, where I won the LVMH scholarship. It was my first time in uni that I didnt have to work 2 part time jobs to pay for it so I was just ploughing through all this work I would have never had the time to do before between jobs, and we’re always in 7.30am-10pm at CSM.. I think because I’d already been at Vuitton, which is fashions biggest company so I knew the inner workings of a corporate beast and I knew I couldn't really be part of that machine for any longer, its just a system that at its very core I despise, even though I absolutely loved the people I worked with it was just too much ‘stuff’. The day after I graduated CSM I was lucky enough to have two amazing job offers from huge houses in Paris who’s creative directors were changing hands, I met with both teams but said no to each one, even though everyone thought I was insane. I knew after final year and that accomplishment that I should just do my own thing and always stick to my guns. Creativity is now at the core of everything I do, I get to work on a tonne of projects and commissions that you would miss out on if you worked at a huge company, and working with private clients and working on your own terms is so much more rewarding. Everything is a risk but every accomplishment feels magnified because you did it entirely off your own back.

Working at a large fashion house can be restricted I would imagine, it’s not the designers who direct but rather the businessmen who need to see the return. Time at Louis Vuitton was clearly a hug3e learning curve but what was the greatest lesson you learned at such a huge house?

The power of saying no. Designers are expected to jump up and down for these companies but you have to give yourself some worth. I’ve been lucky to have that experience with Vuitton for over a year and I've consulted for some big brands since - there are times that are brilliant and obvious perks but it all depends on your mindset and your personality. At the end of the day I’ve never had money, I didnt grow up with money or excess so making decisions based on how much money I’ll get from it has never appealed to me, the cash reward doesnt interest me one bit, and some of these companies will throw money at designers but they just don't know the value in having creative freedom. I actually find it so weird when I go into a Vuitton store and you see things you've designed selling to thousands, well more like hundreds of thousands of people, it doesn't feel very personal or special, it's just product after product after product and nothing like I’d design for myself. These luxury brands have really killed what those namesakes originally stood for, I bet they'd turn in there graves seeing how these beautiful artisinal pieces have been reduced to something similar to a pound shop find but with a massive mark up. I mean Vuitton was never a fashion brand until the 90s, its bizarre that they do eight shows a year now really. It taught me much being there. If you figure out what you actually want to be doing decisions become extremely easy. At the end of the day creatives are the bread and butter of all of these companies, the business men know strategy and market but have zero taste or initiative. It's the same as all of these ‘business’ fashion brands like The Row and Victoria Beckham, they are not designers but brands, and there is a real difference between a designer and a brand - anyone with money can start a brand and hire the right people but you know something personal and raw and real when you see it, it doesn't need an explanation. The best lesson is to have balls and work harder. 

Now that you’re well established with your own design house, how do you find or create that much-needed assurance between creativity and consumerism?

I’m very lucky to work with some incredible private clients who respond to the most creative pieces, and they've been selling really well since my graduate collection. I think when you are doing something creative and have an identity you’ll always have a customer. When you start doing bullshit cap sleeved shift dresses then you're up against every other brand with bullshit cap sleeve shift dresses. The reason I started my own brand was so I could avoid the easy selling crap, I also never work in black which scares some stores, but I just don't - I also don't own anything black, I have a complete aversion to it.

What does a day in the life of Richard Malone look like?

Hectic. It peaks sometimes around showtimes or when I have particularly hectic deadlines. Like at the minute I’m working on a project in the states so in the last 2 weeks alone I’ve been to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Mexico, New York, Ireland for a day, back to London and now I’m in India looking at some sustainable production and development techniques. But everyday is totally different so there is never really a typical day as such, if I had a routine I’d get bored too easily. Except on Fridays and Saturdays you can pretty much guarantee I’ll be watching RuPauls Drag Race somewhere. I’m also obsessed with dogs so anytime I can be around dogs I’m pretty much there.

Where do you find yourself most inspired? And by whom?

Anywhere, although I do love Wexford when I’m home as its so relaxing and so far from everything else. My family and my grandmother are always very inspiring because they don't give a shit and know how to have laugh, everything is a joke and its always great to be around that. 

It’s an admirable trait in a designer to leave behind the trappings of the fantastical and bring about a foundation of the everyday in their designs. Your humility and lack of vanity in your work is beautiful and very much reflects that value. Is that a conscious direction you’re taking? 

Not necessarily, I mean some clothes I design to be extremely functional, some are more like limited and one off pieces or ‘museum’ pieces, there has to be a balance - if I did 10 extreme sculptural pieces I’d be equally as bored as doing 10 pairs of flares.

Taking into account the world of social media and the pressures on designers these days to share their every move in the attaining of celebrity status themselves, how do you deal with such pressures and where do your values stand on the world as it is today?

I ignore it completely. Social media can be a good thing in terms of transparency or rallying for elections, but its so fake and forced the majority of the time. If it's proven anything to me its how bored most of the world is and also how there is such a lack of individual identity now - I mean what is with this bizarre contouring make up? And everyone trying to look like a Kardashian? Or Gucci making collection after collection that looks like any charity shop find with a logo on it, it's actually mortifying. Its really shown me that most people are sheep and we have to fight against that, having an individual taste is dying so quickly, I mean how many posts can there be about a minging Chanel bag thats been around for 60 years or how clever someone is for rolling up there fake worn in jeans to show off some Stan Smiths, it's sometimes plain stupid. I just hate the idea of making money out of someones insecurities, because at the root of it thats what it really fosters and its a bit of an epidemic. A place where people can boast about shit and make a fake personality they spend all day hiding in their real lives. We have to remember how to have conversations and stop using it as a distraction - get out and talk to people. I’m the same as my Mam in a way, if you even take to your phone at dinner with me I lose my mind, although my Mam would probably throw something at you. 

In a natural evolution, designers tend to find their own signature inclinations as each collection accumulates over time. How do you ensure your collections remain fresh and never become stale to your customers?

Keep honest, work hard, only listen to the few people you trust.

Do you have a mentor and what has been the greatest learnings up to this point that you hold on to?

I have a small group of people who's opinion I really, truly value, my boyfriend is one of them. We actually met before applying for Saint Martins and we both applied and got accepted, the odds of that happening were crazy and the odds of us both coming out the other side unharmed and not psychologically damaged are almost unheard of. He’s a genuinely brilliant artist and is always by my side and vice versa. His work is so intelligent and sophisticated its inspires an awful lot of people. Also my family, my grandmother is brilliantly honest and incredibly creative - she's constantly busy painting or making photo books or getting back to her countless friends, she's 83 and slaying life basically. I've never come across someone that age with such a modern take on life. I’ve also a couple of close friends who are also artists and some of my incredible tutors from Saint Martins who have since retired. Other than that I rely on myself for most things. 

Do you have a life motto that you live by?

Not really, although I’d never base a decision on money, it's the most useless thing.

Your pieces have been worn by some incredibly famous people and shot in the world’s most influential magazines. What does it mean to you to have that recognition and ultimately, who is your ideal customer?

I think its nice but I don’t place much real value on that side of things. Press has never really interested me and although my works been in all of these incredible magazines I dont really read fashion magazines at all. The recognition is lovely and much appreciated but I think learning to critique your own work and value it differently and individually is more important, away from current trends that don’t relate to it. Being nominated for designer of the year at the Design Museum this year was really incredible and so unexpected - it was really surreal seeing it in the exhibition, I also have a really exciting museum project coming up in New York that I feel so honoured to be a part of. Seeing your clothes worn and lived in by women who inspire you is the most rewarding thing - from Bjork and Roisin Murphy to some incredible artists, collectors and gallerists, you get to learn from them and have brilliant conversations about anything and everything, that's really my favourite thing. It's also really funny when I think that I made my first collection in the top of my Dad's shed in a tiny room and now the label is stocked all around the world, from 8 locations in America and Canada through to stores in South Korea, Hong Kong, Shanghai and of course Europe. It's a bit mental.

You recently sat on the judging panel of The Racing Colours competition in association with Kildare Village. What was the like to reach a point where your opinion and level of excellence hold so much influence?

It's great and its nice to have really open conversations with other people in the industry. I think you learn that every opinion is important, and also that opinions are just opinions at the end of the day and they should never deter you from doing anything. You also realise there is so much support there if you look for it. I’ve tutored several times at Central Saint Martins since and its really quite a weird experience - I’m not even out of it three years yet, same as the judging, I just think that it's best to be totally and brutally honest and give the best feedback you can, that's the only way any of us learn. We all have to support each other at the end of the day and if there's a way I can help someone I certainly will. I also think what Kildare Village are doing in sponsoring students education, showing their work etc is really incredible and so so smart, that is really what is needed. Even through these internship programmes it's such a great way of getting these students and graduates into the industry, as obviously there is no fashion industry here that can create jobs and sustain lots of progress for designers. It breaks down that homogenised thing where only rich students can do internships, now it goes to the person with the most talent. You have these stores here who do pop up events for graduates and students but its completely self serving - it's a way of them making more money for themselves and promoting themselves in the right light whereas Kildare Village are willing to actually put the money on the table and get these students into education and show their work in real exhibitions, we need more of this - actual tangible support that will help these students succeed. I mean stores are only good if they have your customer and the customer base here is tiny. I’ve seen work here that I would never have really seen otherwise, and I can help people out as we’re all very closely connected in the fashion industry, I mean its tiny. If theres an opportunity for someone that I think suits whether its in Paris with one of the houses or with another young designer that I think they’d love I’ll definitely put them forward for it. 

What do you look for in young designers wishing to make their own mark?

Honesty and integrity, you also need to work fucking hard, like more-than-you-can-imagine hard. Designers are the most critiqued people in the whole industry, there's thousands of fashion graduates every year and hardly any jobs, like close to zero with the big houses. There are tonnes of rich privileged kids ready to intern for free so you better be doing something right to get your foot in the door. Have a point of view also, I’ve come across so many students who want to work at Celine or Dior, so they make a collection that looks like Celine or Dior and thats completely the wrong way to go about it, they already have teams of people to create that, what they need is a new voice and a new perspective.

I understand the winner of the competition, Kate McGowan will enjoy a stint of work experience with you in your studio in London, how did internships add to your own personal growth as a designer and what do you wish to give back to those who will in turn learn from you?

Yes they did, I helped out a lot of young labels and friends at CSM too. Internships are super important in understanding how this bizarre industry works and also finding your place within it, not everyone is a designer - in fact it's a very rare trait. I hope that they have fun in my studio, enjoy it enough to work hard at it and are committed to seeing it through - there is nothing worse than someone not wanting to be there, you usually end up doing them a favour and asking them to leave. It is important also to surround yourself with people who are passionate and excited about what there doing.

If you weren’t a world-famous designer, what do you think would fill your days?

Sculpting or painting, and walking and entertaining several dogs. I also read like crazy, so I would probably read even more.

---

This publishing of this interview is with great thanks to Kildare Village.

Louise Roe Interview

I am super-duper excited to start my brand new interview series here on Haute So Fabulous. I've forever been inspired by the study of prolific people and fascinated by how people make it in life. I find that no matter ones circumstances, career choices, family situation, location, success or anything else we 'judge' each other by, people are people and I love getting an insight into their thoughts and inspirations, what makes them tick and in essence what their take on the world around them is. It takes away the illusion of hierarchy. We can only live our own lives but it's so motivating and encouraging to gain another perspective and as we move forward on this Haute So Fabulous journey together I'm insanely excited to share with you some incredible people and their tales of successes through all the ups and down and the true living of and facing up to their challenges and triumphs!

First up is the incredible Louise Roe whom I had the privilege of interviewing recently. We were at Kildare Village in celebration of their SS17 collections which are so heartbreakingly stunning. You might have seen on my Snapchat and Instagram the lust worthy Versace white tailored suit and the beautiful pieces from Louise Kennedy that I adore, one such jacket is the beautiful cape Louise wears in these images. Things are being pared back this season and I'm so glad emphasis is being put back on investment pieces again. I'll be back in Kildare Village again soon so keep an eye out.. 

Getting to meet Louise was such a privilege, Louise is a world-famous blogger, author, presenter, woman's rights ambassador and behind all her successes and incredible victories to date, is one of the sweetest and most sincere people I've met to date. In a world where notions fly freely Louise is devoid of any airs or graces, her presence in person is sincerely endearing and she is exactly the cool, intelligent, fun and interesting person I imagined her to be.. 

I understand you studied English Literature in Durham as an undergrad at university, how did you then come to decide to work in fashion and how did that process occur?

Well I always loved fashion but I loved writing the most. My Dad is a travel journalist and his advise was always to get an academic degree, do history, do geography, do english, something and so as I always loved english it was a no-brainer for me. It wasn't like I suddenly finished college and found a brand new love with fashion, it was always part of the plan. I just wanted to get a degree in English Literature because I always loved english. Then I went to Elle Magazine and started writing in the features department and I got really bedazzled by all these beautiful shoes walking into the office everyday and wondered if I could combine writing with my obsession with fashion. And well, it turns out you can..

Yes it would appear so, and from your work Louise, very well.. Ok so, having worked in both print and online, where do you see the industry heading? In terms of so many brands turning more and more to digital the industry is changing dramatically and at such a fast pace, what are your thoughts?

It's an interesting question because like you, I love to open a magazine, it's such a different experience than clicking on a phone - or even an iPad - it's just a way of taking in information and I think editorial shoots are much more beautiful on paper. There are some magazines I hope will never go away like Vogue, W, I.D. As you know though Instyle print version closed at the end of last year and I was quite shocked actually. I don't think it'll be the last though and it's interesting to see the industry constantly change but I think you've just got to constantly choose to move with it and enjoy it and always be open to new things. It's about not being a stickler and embracing the changes.

Your Dad is a travel journalist, did you get to travel with him as a kid and what are your fondest memories of those time?

Yeah gosh cool question. I was so lucky as a kid and I had no understanding of it at the time. I remember we went to Jamaica during a school half-term and one of my girlfriends at the time was like "I don't believe you, don't be ridiculous you're definitely not going to Jamaica tomorrow.." and I was like yeah I really am. Seriously though I was so blessed and some of my favourites trips which I still love with my family today are when we go skiing together, not just because being in the mountains is so breathtaking but it's such a bonding time with your family. My Dad taught me to ski during those first times, my Mum was there too and those kinds of memories are forever precious. 

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement to date, career wise?

Writing a book. It was always an ambition and to hold that very first copy in my hands was a really cool moment. It took a lot of time, energy  and work, not to mention late nights. In America when I get interviewed about it, people ask me a lot whether I had a ghost writer and I'm like noooo, God of course not, I wrote every word. I’d never want someone else putting words to my mind.

On the topic of writing a book. It is in fact one of my own greatest dreams and ambitions. Do you have any tips for taking on such large projects?

Yes I have actually. Just start it. It's a very overwhelming thing to take on. You think “oh my GOD I’m about to write my book”.. but you’re not, you’ve got to break it down and make notes, starting with your proposal to your publisher. This has to be quite lengthy to get all the structure done and by the time you actually start it you’ve done all the leg work. And I used to keep this drawer, I still do for my next book in fact, full of ripped out bits from magazines and books full of thoughts, inspirations and all sorts of stuff so I have something too start with. From there you have great ideas to springboard off. 

What has been your greatest challenge to date and how have you dealt with it?

Well I find LA is great but living away from my family and friends - of course my husband is with me in LA - is perhaps the biggest thing I face. I am very very close to my family so I feel real torn and so do a lot of my friends who live in LA too. It's such a long distance to get home, it’s an eleven-hour plane ride so that’s a big challenge. I deal with it by trying to get home as often as I can and work trips even like this one I stay with my sister. You’ve just got to make the most of it and put the effort in to keeping touch with people. Modern technology makes that super easy though really. 

Is there any one in the industry that in your opinion we should have our eyes on as someone up-and-coming?

Great question. I’d say Jen Atkin for hair. She’s incredible and in fact she’s not even up-and-coming, she’s already doing really well but she’s someone I met even before I moved to LA and she took me under her wing and has not changed a bit, she’s so down-to-earth, so kind and caring. In terms of a style icon, I’d say Ruth Negga. She did so well at awards season this year and she’s just got it. You can tell when someone is being styled or has an eye themselves. She’s definitely got it. 

Do you have a mentor and if so what have been the top three pieces of advice they’ve given you in life?

Lots of people have definitely been mentors to me. One person who sticks in my memory and we’re still close, is Tasmina Perry - she’s actually a really famous novelist now but when I first met her she was deputy-editor of Instil Magazine. She gave me my first paid job and she’s just always pushing me and questioning me in all the right ways, getting my creative juices flowing and makes me feel like I can do more. Specific advice? Tasmina encouraged me to write my first book and she wants me to write a novel one day. She’s always encouraged me to network and taught me of the importance in always following up when you meet someone and getting their information. You don’t leave loose ends untied; you never know where those people could lead you to..

With all it’s pros and cons, social media these days can at times be a real pressure, the weight of having to constantly depict the picture-perfect life. Do you feel these pressures and how do you deal with them?

It's definitely a funny one. People always joke, “oh you’re not going to put the moment you’re really hungover or feeling awful up” and that is true but you might put it on InstaStory cause that’s a nice outlet for people to see the real you and when you’re messing around, it enables people to see your fun side too and see that you’re not just sitting pretty all day. But do I want to create beautiful images? well yes absolutely I do and with it I aim to give back in the best way possible with tutorials and tips - there is always a takeaway for people who read my blog, something they can put to action themselves and not just a pretty picture to look at. There is definitely a pressure but I am so lucky that I love what I do and that this is actually my job now. 

If you were to go and tell your younger self what not to do, what would that be and on that topic, do you have any advice for young girls coming through their teenager years and into their 20's? 

I feel like 80% of my career is giving advice to those young girls. When I hosted Plain Jane I didn’t realise the huge impact of it (actually fingers crossed we’re going to bring it actually which would be amazing). Women are all very different but the message on confidence is the same really and spending a week with each girl was one of the most powerful things I’ve done in terms of helping young women. It’s far deeper than just saying ’oh be more confident and believe in yourself’, everyone gets to that solid point in themselves in their own way. 

If I could go back though ummm.. well I mean I’m still a worrier and always worry about everything so I think I’d say to chill out and stop worrying, it’s never going to be as bad as you think at the time. I got bullied in High School pretty badly and only when I did Plain Jane did I realise there is a silver lining to times like that cause I could really help those girls from genuine experience - obviously it wasn’t a nice time for me but if I didn’t go through that I wouldn’t be able to give the advice in the same way. 

How do you balance work with personal life? Especially with social media being so demanding and instant..

I definitely don’t have it down fully and because Mackenzie and I work together a lot which is so great but it also means you don’t stop talking about it all or completely switch off so sometimes we just say ‘ok enough is enough’. I take personal time and do things for myself that I find relaxing, like a massage or a facial - things that are good for mind and body; I definitely love working out too, that’s one that is definitely about mind and not just body. A nice glass of wine is also always a good way to forget about work.. (giggles).

In building your own brand do you have a moral code that you you adhere to in terms of brands you will and will not work with?

I love that - moral code. That’s exactly what it is. Yes I do and it’s definitely not just with brands but also the things I say and the way I shoot. Each to their own of course and no judgement but you do get shocked by how sexual young girls are getting on Instagram and other social media platforms.. they’re like 16 and it’s dangerous. I’m very very conscious of the young women that follow me and to be called a role model is the biggest honour and responsibility so I’ll always be myself but I want to feel proud of the message I’m putting out there. It definitely relates to brands too - it has to work with my aesthetics and always has to feel right. Otherwise it’s forced and not authentic. 

I am in LA later this month, what are your favourite LA experiences?

Oh exciting. You should definitely go to dinner at a place called Eveleigh - it’s got a great atmosphere, amazing bar, a really interesting menu if you’re a foodie and great views if you’re outside. I’d go get a drink at the Sunset Tower Hotel cause it’s just so legendary and so many Hollywood stars have been there. It's super corny but I’d even go on the Hollywood bus tour, they are so hideous but so amazing and they’re ALL wrong but you see amazing back routes and secret house that look like castles - you’ve got to do that. You should definitely do the hike to the Hollywood sign too, that’s an absolute must! And of course Melrose Place, you’ve got to do Melrose Place - it’s very LA.

..And some quickies if you will..

Your favourite everyday outfit?

At the moment I’m loving high-waisted cropped jeans with a vintage t-shirt and a loafer or a slide.

Do you have a morning routine?

No and I love that, I really don’t have any routine because everyday is so different. I could be on plane or at an early shoot. One thing that happens everyday though no matter where I am is my English Tea, I must have that.

Your go-to nail colour?

‘Big Apple Red’ by OPI - I love a good red.

Your favourite food?

I love Mexican.. with a good margarita. 

Thanks so Louise for taking the time to share her thoughts on life with us and to Kildare Village for creating this wonderful opportunity..net

Love R x