A little bit of Libby

Life isn't always plain sailing. I love the London College of Fashion but it is not all sugar coated. However lucky I feel to be here, and however interesting I am finding my course, every now and then I stumble upon a test that makes me wonder for a minute if this is what I really want. Over the last few weeks I have had my eyes harshly opened on several occasions to the somewhat unattractive sides to the industry I love so much. Today we had a lecture called 'The Power of the Image'. It started off by charting the history of photojournalism. After an hour of truly harrowing images and heated discussions into the role of a photojournalist and their moral position we moved on to fashion images. I could hear a sigh fill the room as we moved from harsh reality to glossy fashion shoots. I found the contrast extremely uncomfortable.

I'm not saying that I have suddenly decided to abandon fashion and become a photojournalist in war zones. I know myself well enough to realise I just don't have what it takes to do something like that. There are many different ways of offering something to the world.

Last week we had to write down our career objectives; mine was of course to become the editor of Vogue. But more than that; we had to write what we each wanted to achieve as a person.

I said three things really. After years of being pushed down an academic route by my school I want to prove that there isn't just one credible route in life. I want to dispell the fashion = airhead myth and prove that I can achieve just as much and be just as smart working in fashion as I could have been studying English or French at university. Secondly, I want to prove wrong the theory that you have to be a bitch to succeed in fashion. There's being driven and then there's being plain mean. I want to stick to the first option, period. And thirdly, despite the commercial, superficial industry I am entering in to, I want to keep a moral integrity. I would never pretend that it was anything nobel like becoming a doctor or a teacher, but I do believe that in an influential role within the fashion industry I would have the powers to really make a difference and change things. Even small things like supporting young designers and small businesses, aiming to promote a healthy body image and being as environmentally aware as possible - they may only be small in the grand scheme of things but I really believe they are important. I am just afraid of being sucked into the glamorous whirlwind that is fashion and losing sight of the things that are important, and who I am.

I was listening to my ipod earlier and a Jason Mraz song came up. The lyrics eerily matched how I was feeling: "Hold your own, know your name, go your own way, everything will be fine."

However tough it might be at times I have to remember why I am here. There is a reason I so wanted to come to LCF, and a reason why I have worked so hard to get here. It's who I am.

So this is me not forgetting who Libby Page is...

When I was younger I wanted to be: a writer or a Blue Peter Presenter

I like: Sundays spent at Columbia Road, smiles, believing in people, homous.

I don't like: hot drinks, windy nights, closed mindedness, cigarettes.

I can't whistle. I wear socks to bed even in the summer.

Favourite country: England

Favourite flowers: pink roses, foxgloves, gerbera and sunflowers

Favourite models:

Jessica Stam

Natalia Vodianova

Abbey Lee Kershaw

A few of my favourite things

Favourite designer: Erdem

Spring 2011

Spring 2011

Spring 2011

Spring 2011

Spring 2011

Fall 2010

Fall 2010

Spring 2010

Spring 2010

I love toe cleavage.

Favourite books:

The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

This is for you - Rob Ryan

My life's motto.

I love cake.

Favourite photographer: Tim Walker

I love dresses and don't have any trousers in my wardrobe.

Favourite shop: Anthropologie

Favourite film: Moulin Rouge

This is Clive my pink flamingo.

Favourite songs:

Sunny afternoon - The Kinks

Dancing Queen - Abba

All I want is you - Barry Louis Polisar (from the Juno soundtrack)

All you need is love - The Beatles

Dog days are over - Florence and the Machine

Little known fact: I always carry an apple in my handbag.

Favourite perfume: Miss Dior Cherie

Favourite Magazine: Vogue (of course)

And one day I really do want to be the editor of Vogue.

Oh and finally: Favourite colour: need I really say?

Libby