BEAUTY CONFESSIONS: OLIVIA INGE Model and Beauty Writer

One of my favorite British models, Olivia Inge, started her modeling career at 16. She endured her A-level studies in Somerset knowing that her holidays and half terms were to be spent being fabulous in Paris, strutting her stuff for legendary designers including Givenchy, Dior, Junya Watannabe and Alexander Mcqueen. Upon completion of her exams, she headed for the big lights of all the major fashion cities around the world. Olivia lived on and off in New York for 5 years, spent month long trips in Tokyo, shot with sharks in the Maldives for Japanese Vogue and tackled extreme corsetry with couture shows in Paris. Olivia now resides in London, her favorite city, where she continues to work as a model, writes about beauty products and treatments for Cult Beauty (an online beauty boutique) and has a hands on approach to healing the stressed souls of London through massage.

 

WHAT’S YOUR FASHION ADDICTION?
I love Beatrix Ong and Mechante of London. Their approach to shoe design is stylish, chic and strangely comfortable, probably because those girls have the wisdom of Buddha when it comes to designing shoes. They (the shoes) are beautifully original and won't kill your feet.

WHOSE YOUR STYLE ICON?
Very hard to find anyone in this day and age who has that natural flare...I tend to look to the past. I love Marylin Monroe, Betty Page, Sophia Loren, my Great Aunt Sylvia and Liz Taylor's incredible jewelry and general fabulousness.

YOU FEEL MOST BEAUTIFUL WHEN?
When I have a slight tan, especially after coming back from somewhere hot and beautiful like the 4 Reasons Hotel in Turkey My sister and our friend Jess went there a few months ago for a much needed break. We spent most if it floating in the dreamy Aegean Sea.

BEST BEAUTY TIP YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
What we put on our skin will be absorbed into the blood stream. Steer clear of chemicals that are known to be bad like sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a harsh chemical used as a foaming agent and placed in too many shower products. Do your homework; you'll be soo grateful in the long run as will your health.

WHICH DESIGNERS DO YOU WORSHIP?
There was only one designer I would bother dropping to my knees for and that was Alexander McQueen. Sniff...sniff :'(

I had the privilege of working with Olivia when I was living in London, above is a photo from our shoot. Photographer: Constantinos Tsiliacos