Ellie Slee has huge Sophie Dahl eyes, huge style and is resident DJ for Babylove at London’s Dalston Superstore. Read more below…
Ellie wears vintage dress from Bang Bang on Goodge street
Fur coat from vintage shop in Toronto
Fur coat, vintage from Toronto, yellow dress charity shop in Helsinki & Chanel bag
Vintage fur coat from Toronto
Canary yellow dress from charity shop in Helsinki
You got a first in your fashion history degree recently, what are you
doing now? I DJ at motown night Babylove and I’m working for the Tate galleries until I start my MA.
What have you done today? I came back from a visit to Oxford and listened to En
Vogue ‘Don’t Let Go’ on repeat, I can never tire of that song. Then I had cranial sacral therapy from a friend. The therapist lays hands on the patients head and spine.
What are you doing to stay creative during this time? I’ve been writing and reading in the British Library which is the best place in the world. I’ve never been anywhere that encourages concentration so much.
You DJ at Dalston Superstore, what’s your musical style? It circles around the golden era, and veers off to music from Atlantic, Stax and the Motown record labels, mostly soul with a helping of disco. A guy called Paddy hughes started the night with his friend Tors Beedles. When I heard what they were playing I cornered Paddy and said, ‘How are you doing this without me, I LOVE Motown?’.
You’re based in Dalston & Hackney, how do you feel about the recent troubles in London and your area with rioting? It was almost strange it didn’t hit harder here as the various groups are quite disparate and unconnected. It’s the first story in the news that felt really close to home. I’m from near Newcastle and Geordies just wouldn’t have it! I checked in the morning for updates and travel disruption and one morning found the Turkish community had defended the area. Loads of us took our business to the Turkish restaurants the next weekend to say thanks. It was quite emotional.
Who are your style icons? My new one’s Priscilla Presley, which stems from my obsession with Elvis. I want my wedding entrance song to be ‘I can’t help falling in love with you’; Elvis was singing it about Priscilla. Also Vanessa from Eastenders with her big hair. Tyra banks, I don’t like her clothes but I love her attitude, after she was shot looking unflattering on a beach, she came on her show and said, ‘To anyone that needs to say something negative to others because they need to feel good about themselves, KISS MY FAT ASS!’. Can’t forget Mia from Pulp Fiction, Alla Nazimova and Nancy Beaton. For general style Sex In The City season two was great, all bright pink disco pants & calf length fur coats. Tacky done right looks good.
Where do you shop? Clothing exchanges like Bang Bang, and charity shops in
London and Durham. Durham has the best charity shops, they smell of fags &
dead people, my best find was some great salmon pink trousers.
You worked for Pringle during your degree, do you think their recent push to modernise can bring them to the next generation? It’s part of our heritage, and the Argyle print is an iconic image for British style, crossing into sub cultures such as football casuals, (a look popular with football hooligans from the 80’s onwards) and then later the chav look. I met Tilda Swinton, who’s representing Pringle, and she said she remembered her mother and grandmother wearing Pringle twin sets. They were sexy but prim at same time. In an early film noir film Lana Turner wore a twin set, but at the same time the Queen was wearing it.
Photography by Andy Bumpus
Why didn’t I know about this article Ellie? I love you X
You put the lime in the coconut and drink the atircle up.