Alexa Chung is an English television presenter, model and contributing editor at British Vogue.
Early life Alexa Chung was born in Privett, Hampshire,
the daughter of Gill and Phil Chung. Her father is of three quarters Chinese descent and her
mother is English. Chung 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 and chose to pursue
modelling instead. Career
Modelling Chung was approached in the comedy tent at
the Reading Festival at age 16 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. 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.
After becoming a TV personality, Chung made a return to occasional modelling. In 2008
she was the face of 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 Model Management, 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. 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. 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. In January 2011, Chung was announced
as the face of Italian sneaker brand Superga, in a campaign to mark their 100th anniversary.
In February 2012, she took part in the London Fashion Week show for designer Stella McCartney,
where she acted as a guest assistant to magician Hans Klok in a number of illusions including
being levitated and sawed in half. TV presenting
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. 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. Following this, Chung signed a year-long "golden handcuffs"
deal with Channel 4 in August 2007, worth £100,000. 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. 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". 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
and BBC Three's The Wall. In mid-2008, Chung began to host more fashion-oriented programming.
She was the "roving reporter" on Channel 4's "Gok's Fashion Fix". 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". Chung also hosted a T4
fashion and music show called Frock Me, with fashion designer Henry Holland. In 2009 she
was awarded the Elle Style Award for "Best TV Presenter" and Glamour’s award for Best
TV Presenter in 2009. Also in 2009, she received Glamour's at the magazine's annual award ceremony.
Chung left Channel 4 and the United Kingdom in April 2009 to pursue a US 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. She returned to UK TV screens in April 2010 with a second series of Frock Me. In
October 2010, she began hosting Gonzo With Alexa Chung, an informal British chat show
previously hosted by Zane Lowe, for MTV Rocks. 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 film stars as well as segments devoted to fashion on
the red carpet. Chung presented the iTunes Festival in July 2011. Chung has since worked
on 24 Hour Catwalk, acting as the host and a judge. In 2012, Chung soon became the founding
co-host for the nightly music show Fuse News. In December 2013, it was announced that Chung
would be leaving Fuse News to focus on other endeavours, leaving new host, Georgie Okell,
in her place. 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 Britain'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. Chung's first book, It, was released
on 5 September 2013. 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 model 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 the "Alexa", a much sought-after bag named after and inspired
by her. In January 2010, she was named in Tatler's top 10 best-dressed list. In February
2010, Chung collaborated with J.Crew's Madewell on a womenswear line which was unveiled during
New York Fashion Week. She collaborated with Madewell for a second collection, released
in September 2011. Vogue's Anna Wintour has described Chung as
"a phenomenon" while the New York Times has declared her "the Kate Moss of the new generation".
Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld has described her as "beautiful and clever...a modern girl".
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. At the British Fashion Awards of 2011, 2012
and 2013, Chung won the British Style Award, for which the public voted.
Personal life Chung lived with fashion photographer David
Titlow, twenty years her senior, for three-and-a-half years until their breakup in 2006. She was
in a four-year relationship with Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner from July 2007 until
July 2011, living in both London and New York together. Following their split, Chung purchased
a flat in the East Village in New York City. Chung has stated that the two remain "best
friend(s)." Tabloids have also linked Chung to actors Josh Hartnett and Adam Brody, musicians
Alex Greenwald and Alex Briand, and model Jamie Dornan, but she has dismissed these
as rumours. Filmography
Fuse News Gossip Girl
Fashion Police 24 Hour Catwalk
Thrift America NBC's 2011 Golden Globe Arrivals Special
Gonzo With Alexa Chung for MTV Rocks Frock Me with TK Max
Channel 4 NME Awards Backstage Autotune the News
It's On with Alexa Chung Freshly Squeezed
T4 Weekends T4 Holiday Mornings
T4 Movie Specials 4Music Specials
T4 on the Beach coverage Gok's Fashion Fix
Frock Me The Wall
Vanity Lair T4 NME Awards coverage
V Festival coverage The Devil Wears Primark
Big Brother's Big Mouth Fashion Rocks is Coming
T in the Park coverage Get a Grip
Popworld Rip Curl Festival coverage
Shoot Me References
External links Alexa Chung at the Internet Movie Database
The Internet Fashion Database