Elle UK: October 2008: Alexa Chung

Subscribers cover; featuring Alexa Chung

This month Alexa Chung talks fashion, style, and what she loves about London with her new T4 co-host, designer Henry Holland, exclusively for ELLE.

'London style is eclectic. I think it has something to do with the weather. It forces people to be creative. When it's grey and dreary, it's fun to dress up and cheer yourself up' declares Alexa, whose unique blend of London street-chic cool and granny's cast-off's has propelled the TV presenter to style icon status, secured her role as TV's go-to girl for every new fashion series and landed her on the front row at Chanel Couture to interview Karl Lagerfeld.

'I think we're firm friends now.' Alexa reveals of her relationship with Mr Lagerfeld. 'I interviewed him, he said. 'Oh all these people stink' and then, 'Not you, I like you, but no-one else.' I thought, 'YES! Karl Lagerfeld likes me!'

This was clearly an honour for the girl from the home counties, who was never tall enough to be a catwalk model, and wanted to be an actress. But she hasn't let her new style icon status, or new found fabulous fashion friends go too much to her head.

On the shoot for her first ELLE cover (pictured), Alexa was gifted a Matthew Williamson dress to wear at Glastonbury. When she later found out how much the dress was worth, she was, she reveals, mortified she had worn it to a muddy festival. 'I saw a breakdown of my outfit in a magazine later: 'Alexa Chung wears dress worth £2000.' I was like, 'What? If I'd have know that I would not have worn that dress in a field!

She does love clothes though and like most girls combines great high street buys, from her favourites, GAP, H&M and Topshop, with designer finds from Browns Focus, and Liberty in London. She loves APC, PPQ and Balenciaga - for their jeans, 'They're the only jeans that fit.' and of course Chanel.

And her favourite outfit? 'Cute 1960s dress, flat ankle boots and a swing coat, because it's dressy enough for evening but the flats make it practical.' She's also go her eye on a Mulberry men's briefcase to top it all off.

The full interview with Alexa is published in this month's ELLE, hitting newsstands tomorrow, click here to subscribe now.