Alexa Chung reveals imposter syndrome struggle early in her career
Her personal style has been cherished and copied far and wide, but Alexa Chung hasn't always felt at ease since stepping into the public eye in her early 20s.
The TV presenter and fashion designer, now 37, has opened up about suffering from imposter syndrome early in her career.
Asked about it by The Sunday Times' Style magazine, she replied: "Definitely, at the beginning, for sure."
Imposter syndrome is the internal experience of self-doubt, when someone is convinced that they are not as competent as others believe they are.
However, Chung – who has run her own fashion label, with a team of 23, since 2017 – noted that she had always had an innate fearlessness.
The host of Netflix's recent Next In Fashion said: "I’ve never been afraid to fail. I don’t mind having egg on my face.
"It’s not confidence, more ‘What’s the worst thing that can happen if it cocks up?’"
The star – who found fame on Channel 4's Popworld from 2006 to 2007 - also admitted to the publication that she hadn't always had a voice since stepping into television after being scouted as a model aged 16.
After becoming a muse for fashion houses, Chung "regressed" in what she was allowed to say and then felt her own sense of style becoming limited.
She said that brands would often write in contractual obligations that meant she couldn't wear the clothes of competitors.
Chung said: "It made getting dressed tricky sometimes. The reason they want me is because I’ve got this style that I am recognised for. So they’re borrowing that then gagging me."
However, she has maintained a positive relationship with Mulberry, which famously named a handbag after her in 2010.
Chung, who lives in east London with her boyfriend Orson Fry, has designed two more handbags for the brand during the pandemic.
Watch: Celebrities reveal their mental health struggles
