My Canadian Living Feature: Beauty, Food, Working Out + MORE

Audrey Kitching may not be a household name, but for those of us who came of age in the era of the internet she was—and still is—an interesting person to keep tabs on. It’s not just her trademark pink hair or her larger-than-life take on style that keep people engaged. Her popularity has more to do with her many roles and her entrepreneurial spirit that always looks for new projects, collaborations and ways to reach her audience. Right now Audrey is a model, designer, blogger, fashion editor and stylist—all while keeping an active and interesting social media presence (over 300,000 followers on Instagram, for one).

Recently I chatted with Audrey about her current projects, her commitment to DIY and her experiences growing up online.

photos: Ally Lindsay

On striking a balance with fashion

Audrey’s interest in sustainable and organic living shines through in the products she launches. Her first clothing line, Luna, is 100% organic, fair trade and made in America, and the shoe collection she just designed for Kerol D. is entirely vegan. Though Audrey champions a more natural approach to design, her pieces eshew hemp and handwoven neutrals and instead offer colour and texture in a way that is thoroughly modern. Think oil slick fabrics with block wood heels. “I want to mix a natural, vegan, holistic lifestyle with fashion. You can still go back to basics and be fashionable and trendy.”

On cultivating her personal style

Audrey was discovered as a model at 14 and spent many of her teenage years in the public eye. Although she began her career as a more vanilla model for newspaper ads, she soon distanced herself from the mass market through her “rebel model phase.” Her photography student friends were eager to have an interesting looking model who loved makeup and had pink hair. Audrey’s rebellious teenage phase isn’t too different from that of most teenagers—though she has to live with Google search image results more than the rest of us. Now, Audrey has simmered down a little on the makeup and streamlined her look (though she maintains her fairy pink locks). For the summer, she loves including a statement piece—like a great necklace—but pairs it with chunky boots or T-shirt dresses.

On inspiration

“I work online, so Pinterest and Tumblr are huge sources of inspiration to me,” Audrey says. “I also love cinema and going to the movies. The shoe collection was inspired by Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and The Runaways (the Joan Jett Story).” Audrey also grew up in a home that was big on repurposing and DIY, which is something she carries over into adulthood. “When I was younger, we’d paint on the back of my jacket and repurpose, so now when I look at my closet instead of getting rid of something I try to dye it or change it up a little.” Though Audrey’s DIY and repurposing aesthetic is a big part of her style, she does admit that she’s currently coveting a pair of Prada sunglasses.

As someone who has thoroughly embraced the internet and social media as a way to connect, Audrey is committed to artistic collaboration. It’s great that she does so while also spreading awareness about consumerism and attempting to put a sustainable and ethical spin on the things she helps to create. Having a cup of coffee (she actually had a vegetable smoothie, while I loaded up on caffeine) with Audrey was like two friends chatting about style and sharing our influences. Being down-to-earth is definitely one of Audrey’s greatest traits—even with her pink hair.

via canadian living