BLAKE WOMAN - KELLY EASTWOOD

Introducing our next Blake Woman, Kelly Eastwood.

Kelly is a London based fashion and lifestyle blogger, and regular monthly columnist at Hello! Fashion Monthly.

We met with her at home in Ladbroke Grove to talk about her idyllic sounding childhood in Kenya, starting out acting and her big passion for conservation.

You are originally from Kenya, can you describe your childhood and what made you move to the UK?

My childhood was pretty magical; Growing up in the sunshine, in such close proximity to animals, beautiful beaches, wild landscapes and amidst an amazing mix of cultures. My childhood friends are still amongst my favourite people to this day, and going home always provides the balance I need to my work and life in London. I stayed on in the UK after university to act. There were ups, there were downs, but there was always a lot of fun in between, and I also began my blog during this time as a much needed consistent creative outlet.

After attending Edinburgh University and training at LAMDA, how did you get into the fashion industry? Was it a conscious move or quite organic?

If you saw how I dressed back then, you would realise just how unconscious a decision it was. I began working at a popular Notting Hill boutique in between acting jobs, and started not only loving learning about the brands, but also the process of branding, marketing and selling. Regular customers would start coming to me to style them, and I soon was personal shopping, shoot styling, and getting various stints of work experience at magazines such as Bliss and Grazia. With so many people asking me where to get various bits and bobs, my sister, who lived in NYC where blogs were already being written and increasingly enjoyed, suggested I start my own. The London Chatter was born.

You have a monthly column with Hello! Fashion Monthly, tell us a bit about this and what you champion on the page.

I have had my page, ‘Kelly’s Style Chatter’ in Hello! Fashion Monthly for four years now, each month sharing the things that have caught my eye, and any exciting trips I’ve been on. I’ve always written in a very conversational and approachable style, and I try and mix it up each month, so there’s something for everyone. The entire Hello! group’s team are some of the most kind and supportive people in the industry - it’s in the brand’s DNA, and I love playing a small role.

You have collaborated with a number of small British brands to produce several sell-out, limited edition designs, donating a unique 100% profits to wildlife projects back in Kenya. Can you tell us more about this and why you decided to do this?

From an early age, given my upbringing, I was always aware of ‘the bigger picture,’ and amongst other areas of fundraising, I’ve always been an avid campaigner for animal rights, primarily, the illegal wildlife trade. The minute I had my own platform, it came as naturally to me to discuss London Fashion Week as it did to discuss the protests I would attend outside the Japanese Embassy against the dolphin culls in Taiji which I would attend in between shows. I am in a unique position to not only help drive sales in a more positive direction (my #BuyToGive collaborations being one of them), but also to raise awareness for some of the most important causes, and it’s a position, and influence, that I take very seriously.

What are your wardrobe staples?

Blue jeans (Citizens of Humanity), white boyfriend jeans (Agolde), cosy cashmere (Blake LDN, Chinti and Parker), comfy sneaks (Veja), floral silk slips (Bernadette Antwerp, Yolke), an array of going out-out pajamas (sequined - In The Mood For Love, feathered - Daily Sleeper, and Silk - Asceno) and vintage Chanel and Louis Vuitton bags found in my attic (thanks Mum!) and Vestiare (I love finding pre-loved gems). Oh, and anything leopard...

Your based in Ladbroke Grove, tell us you favourite top spots in the area.

I’ve never been happier anywhere I’ve lived around London. It has a brilliant neighborhood feel and community - it’s a little grubby, super eclectic and is filled with the most brilliant and diverse of characters. My favourite area is the Golborne and Portobello cross; Pizza East (date night pizza and Prosecco), the Golborne Deli (they know my order before I’ve even reached the counter; oat milk cappuccino, one brown sugar, to go - in my keep cup), Swanky’s (mani, pedi, too many LOL’s - I use the Kure vegan polish), Found and Vision (vintage haven), Rainbow News (for every magazine under the sun), Real Ale (for red wine and truffle crisps) Taylor Taylor London (colour - ask for Hannah, cut and curls - ask for Sarah), Trove (to browse the most amazing interiors), Lisboa Patisserie (for the most delicious Portuguese pastries), Laylow (to misbehave).

What pieces from the Blake LDN collection do you love and why?

The Lion Turtleneck is such a hard working part of my wardrobe, as it goes with pretty much everything - and I love the double neck design, which is so unusual. I do however, now have my eye on the Domino sweater in cedar...

Kelly was shot at home and on Golborne Rd, wearing the new collection. In order, Vale Aran sweater, Ardmore Lilac, Domino in cedar, Vale Aran.

Photography by Ollie Ali