Halloween Inspiration at Dolls Kill

One of our favourite online stores has THE best halloween selection for you to purchase now! Dolls Kill, San Francisco based fashion website will really get you in the mood for dressing up for halloween this year. I know the site is based in America however if you are in the UK like ourselves you have a whole month to order in time for your halloween party. Their halloween collection is to die for......

Heres a few of our favourite outfits and accessories you can purchase.

           

Check out the full collection at: WWW.DOLLSKILL.COM

Women to Inspire. Interview with Vicky Jones

We met Vicky in London around a year ago. Vicky works within a PR agency in London but also is an extremely talented singer songwriter who has just performed 3 shows with super group MCbusted at the O2 Arena in London as VIX.  You may have recently seen her as the red haired singer on Tom Jones team on the Voice earlier this year. Vicky is an extremely inspirational lady when it comes to working within the tough fashion and music industry; we caught up with her to let us in on the secret.

JH: Hey Love, any little details we’ve missed out in the introduction before I carry on?
We know you work at a PR agency in London? Can you tell us just a brief description of what you do?

VJ: It mainly consists of work with fashion and lifestyle brands securing press and co-ordinating product placements with celebrities.  I also manage social media accounts for clients and sometimes blogs.  A few times a year I'm involved in organising and hosting press launches and big event too, this is my favourite part!

JH: Did you always want to work in PR or has music always been your passion?

VJ: Music will always be my first love but I always wanted an academic back up so I studied a business degree in Music Management at University and realised that I enjoyed the law and Pr & Marketing modules the best.  I knew I probably wasn't ever going to fit into a legal environment with tattoos and (then) purple hair, so I decided to pursue PR as a more sensible option.  I originally wanted to work in music PR but then was offered an internship with a fashion agency so I thought why not and I've never really looked back since.  

JH: We saw your cover of Katy Perrys ‘Unconditionally’ and as much as we love Katy, we actually preferred your version. Do you find it hard juggling your day job with music?

VJ: I'm not even going to lie, it is hard. To find the energy at the end of a full work day where you've been sat on your laptop promoting brands and dealing with press, the last thing I really want to do is spend more time on my computer doing the same thing except promoting myself.  I will sometimes work till 5pm and then rehearse 10pm - 1am which can be tiring but you just get on and do it you know, I'm driven by my vision of where I want to be and I genuinely love it and the guys in my band are so much fun, we work hard but we mainly we just have a laugh.

JH: How did you become a part of The Voice earlier this year?

VJ: I was actually scouted to be part of the show.  They're quite open about the fact that they do that and the team actively go out to find talent.  I was approached by one of the shows producers. Initially I said no but after a few phone calls they persuaded me to go along to an audition, and I just thought 'What have I got to lose'? I had my first audition the next morning at 9am and I didn't even have a full song prepared.  I wasn't really singing much at the time so I struggled to choose a song and in the end I sang two songs for them.  The second song was just a track by The Civil Wars that I had been listening to a lot at the time, I didn't have any music and I made the words up, but it seemed to do the trick and I got through to call backs.

JH: And of course we have to ask you how amazing was it to play at the O2 Arena?

VJ: This was hands down one of the best times of my life.  Words cannot describe the feeling of looking out to 16,000 people and singing your own songs to them.  I only found out 6 weeks before the 1st show that I was going to be doing it so I swiftly put a band together, cherry picking a few boys I'd worked with before and others that I knew from other bands I had seen in the past.  It was incredibly hard work, we rehearsed every night for almost a month and wrote and recorded 2 original tracks 'Bang Bang" and "Remedy", then we re-worked two cover versions 'Crazy' by Gnarls Berkley and then 'Rather Be' by Clean Bandit.  I still don't know how we managed to pull it off, but we did and it was the single most exhilarating experience of my life, one I will never forget.  People asked me if I was nervous, but I wasn't It just felt so natural to be up there.  I just stood there and thought…..this is what I am meant to do.

JH: We feel that you are an extremely inspirational lady to a lot of young girls out that who want to follow in fashion and music. If you could give them advice on something you felt you were never told when you were younger before following this path?

VJ: I really struggled with feeling judged because I was related to someone famous. I tried to hide it in case people used it against me or tried to attribute my success to it.  I never wanted to use it for my own gain, I wanted to be known on my own merit but actually hiding it made it worse. I am close to my brother, we spend time together, we write together, we party together and it was just silly to feel that I couldn't celebrate that, it became stressful trying to conceal it.  So I would say the best advice anyone ever gave me was to just accept who you are because you can't change whats true,  once you can do that and be comfortable with who you are and where you've come from,  you will strive.

JH: What is possibly your biggest regret in your journey and how have you learnt from it?

VJ: Not taking more risks and not believing in myself enough.   They come hand in hand.  If i had believed in myself more i would have taken more risks to pursue music.  Having said that I believe in trusting the timing of your life, everything in its own space and time, and that time is now. 

JH: What has been your most proudest moment?

VJ: Without a doubt playing the O2 arena.  I have seen some of my biggest idols play that stage, and suddenly there I was. Magical.

JH: Do you feel that being a woman has ever effected your position within your work?

 VJ: Nah, not at all, fashion is a womans world…but if you're talking about music then yes I would say so. 

JH: These industries can be tough, what keeps your head held up high everyday and keeps you following your dreams?

 VJ: Quite simply a desire for something more.  I am OBSESSED with music, it's what I love and if i could wake up every day knowing that that is what that day had in store for me then I would have achieved happiness.

JH:Last question, what have we got to look forward to come from yourself over the next coming months?

VJ: Well at the moment I am planning a mini UK tour in November and am also writing and recording for a debut EP.  There are also some really exciting opportunities popping up for 2015 but I can't say just yet.

Check out Vicky on Facebook: www.facebook.com/officiallyvix

Instagram: @vix_official

Women to Inspire. Interview with Cheyenne Davide

Cheyenne Davide, this girl really has it all. Cheyenne works as a style blogger as well as a DJ/presenter on Reprezent Radio , been seen interviewing the likes of Professor Green and now is a presenter on Vevo’s first weekly music show. We spoke to Cheyenne last year about promoting our brand out in London, which she managed to feature us in her first episode of VVV on Vevo. This girl is a serious hard worker and has such a brilliant original creative side that can’t go unnoticed...

JH:Hey Love, firstly is there any vital information we missed off your introduction you’d like people to know?

CD: haha - not really, you've kind of got it all in a nutshell - however at the moment I am one of the faces for the new Dr Martens global stand for something campaign! :)

JH: We know you work within music, what was your first break into the industry?

CD: Probably around 2 years ago when I got the job at MTV and started presenting for The wrap up.

JH: Has music also been your passion or did you ever feel like following a different route?

CD: I've always been interested in music due to the fact my family are massive fans of music (isn't everyone) but I've always wanted to combine music and fashion together because they work so well as a whole.

JH: How did working with Vevo come about? Were you noticed from other work you’d previously done before?

CD: The production company I work with 'Lemonade money' approached me and asked me to be involved with the new VEVO show's, they had seen some of my work that I did for an online youtube channel called REPVDO. I love Lemonade Money's work, they are a great bunch of guys, working with lemonade and VEVO has been hilarious and it's so much fun!

JH: Do you feel that working within music and being a style blogger work hand in hand?

CD: yes definitely as I was saying before fashion and music really do combine, being a presenter a lot of it can be about your image and personal style so it's great as it goes hand in hand.

JH: I absolutely love your Instagram and style posts, can you describe your style to us and let us in on some of your favourite brands?

CD: thanks so much! My style's random to say the least, one day I can be completely popping with colours the next I'm all blacked out haha. If there's one thing for sure it's that I'm always wearing a hat or some sort of cat ears or something along those lines on my head haha. My favourite brands at the moment would be Adidas, Missguided, Monki and of course Jennifer Hope Clothing ;)

JH: You are such an inspiration to women, who is your inspiration?

CD: aww that's so kind! My mum and my nanny Vi are my inspirations, everything I do, I do for them, they really worked hard in their careers/life so I've been heavily inspired to work my butt of because of the motivation and inspiration I got from them.

JH: What has been your most proudest moment?

CD: poo there have been a few, I would say so far it's been securing the job at vevo. It's VEVO's first ever presenter led show, so I'm soooooo excited to be apart of that and to also be one of the first presenters that will have been involved alongside my amazing co host's Vikcy Hope and Ste Hinde. 

JH: Do you feel that being a woman has ever effected your position within your work?

CD: Nope not at all. I'm very independent and hard working, so I think if you're dedicated to succeed... you will.

JH: We know the music industry can be tough, what keeps your head held up high everyday and keeps you following your dreams?

CD: There are days where I sit in my room having a moment of fear thinking 'omg what am I gunna do next' haha, because the thing with this industry is that you never know when your next job is going to be so that can be pretty daunting, but my love for it certainly outweighs the negatives and that's something I always have to remember. I'm very lucky to be doing what I'm doing, and as said before I do this not only for myself but to make my mum and my family proud. That's why I will always keep pushing myself and never give up.

JH: Last question, what have we got to look forward to come from yourself over the next coming months?

I've got a few more campaigns out that I've modelled which will be launching soon, very excited about that, and also I'm going to be working with a lot more brands in conjunction with my blog. As well as this, I'll be continuing with Vevo and I've got quite a few DJ gigs coming up as well :)

Check out more from Cheyenne by following her Instagram page @cheyennedavide

Or follow her on twitter at @CheyenneDavide

Women to inspire. Interview with Karistocat.

Karis Beckingham, also known as Karistocat, the fierce beautiful blonde and extremely talented DJ you’ll see residenting at Topshop to Shorebitch London. We met Karis around a couple of years ago when she promoted our brand out in London. We recently got to travel up to Leeds with Karis for Leeds Festival where we watched her play to 7000 ravers at the Piccadilly Party! Karis really does know how to get a crowd going she even mixes in a bit of Slipknot! We absolutely adore Karis for her talent but also her passion and just being an amazing human being.

(photo: Hayley Ku'unani Photography)

JH: Before we start, is there anything you feel we might have missed out in your introduction?

KB: Not that I can see! Wow, very flattered, thank you...!

JH: We mentioned Leeds Festival, how was that weekend for you? We know we had the best time!

KB: Oh my god, where do I start?! The Reading leg of Reading and Leeds was my first ever festival at 16, so to be DJing an event that's a right of passage as a teenager was too exciting. The whole weekend I was surrounded by friends, family and good people, there were no bad-vibes or people trying to be 'scene' in the guest bar either. It was just a good vibe everywhere and The North know how to party! Just loads of young people all up for a laugh and good time whatever the weather. When I DJ'ed the Piccadilly Party stage, I don't think I had been that nervous in a long time to DJ a show before and it was a riot!  I couldn't help but drop a bit of Slipknot amongst the bass heavy set for the old skool grunger in me. I hope there was at least one kid in that crowd experiencing their first rave, if there was one, I would be very happy.

JH: Tell us a bit about your weekly schedule?

KB: My schedule is normally taken up with DJing residencies I have across London or club nights such as Shorebitch. I normally work Thursday, Friday and Saturday and the rest of the week I have to do what I please, unless I'm DJing in-store at Topshop on Oxford Street or other stores across the UK.

JH: Did you always know you wanted to work within music? And if so was it always a DJ you wanted to become?

KB: I've always been obsessed with music, as I've always been engrossed in it with having both a father and step father as successful musicians back in the 80s and 90s. I remember seeing my first female DJ was in the year above me at school, and I thought she was coolest girl ever. Also I have recently found a diary from when I was 13, I had written my future profession as a DJ, I had no idea I even wanted t do it back then! But somehow, because I have an eclectic music taste and working as a music supervisor (syncing music to TV, adverts and film) I kind of fell into it. I had a blog, my mate liked the music I posted, which, at the time, was normally shoegaze stuff and punk, and he asked me along to help him DJ and here I am 4 years later....! 

JH: We believe you are such an inspiration to a lot of females out there, who inspires you in your work?

KB: Wow... my first big inspiration would be Annie Mac! I think for any aspiring female DJ she is THE name at the moment and encourages females to take to the decks. Spinderella of Salt n Pepa is also another influence, and my own personal inspirations would be Gwen Stefani, Debbie Harry and of course, the Queen AKA Madonna.

JH: If you could play at any festival, venue, event, what would it be?

KB: Woah... Coachella and Lovebox would be THE festivals. Venue wise, Wet Republic in Las Vegas and Ibiza Rocks! I would love to play New York at some point too. The event would be Victorias Secrets party!

JH : What has been your most proudest moment?

KB: Having an apparent Kiss FM DJ come up to me after a set at Shorebitch and say they loved it and had 'never seen a girl go so hard like that' and of course LEEDS FESTIVAL!

JH: Do you feel that being a woman has ever effected your position within your work?

KB: Yes definitely, because suddenly there is a demand for female DJs in venues, but its also hard to be taken seriously if you're female by male counterparts because of that. Some venues book 'DJs' because they want someone to look good rather than book genuine talent. It doesn't matter what someone looks like or what their sex is, if you can DJ and you have talent, then that is what it should boil down to. At the end of the day, I'm a DJ and my sex is secondary to that. I feel torn by wanting to embrace my sex and also not wanting it to separate me from my male peers as a result. Attitudes are changing since Annie Mac has become popular, and their are more female DJs now than ever before and I think its wonderful.

JH: We know the music industry can be tough, what keeps your head held up high everyday and keeps you following your dreams?

KB: Knowing I get to DJ for a living keeps me happy and having good solid friendships and family that support what I do. Its rare to be in a job you actually enjoy!

JH: Last question, what have we got to look forward to come from yourself over the next coming months?

KB: I have London Fashion Week with Topshop and further sets across London and in the UK. Hopefully I can get myself back out to Europe again before the end of the year too.

Keep up to date with what Karis is up to via her: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/karistocat

Instagram: @karistocat

WWW.KARISTOCAT.COM