'I didn't think that I would actually be able to make a career out of it' Self-made model Chloe Lloyd on success, style and her new Podcast
Model Chloe Lloyd is exactly as expected; beautiful, creative, and she clearly possesses a strategic business mind.
Yet, what truly stands out, as we converse before her Hello! Fashion cover shoot, is her sharp wit, a characteristic undoubtedly appreciated by her nearly half a million Instagram followers.
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Displaying her carefully-curated “classic and elevated” looks, which usually tilt towards a monochrome and neutral colour palette, and, of course, her love of all things make-up and beauty, the model-turned-influencer is often joined by her equally photographic husband Josh Cuthbert, of the now disbanded English boy group Union J, who himself has 440k followers on Instagram.
“When Josh finished with his band [in 2018] I persuaded him to start an Instagram account to post men’s fashion and lifestyle content. It made sense, because there are still not that many men doing it. "And we get to work together on projects too which is always fun. We feel very lucky."
"We were babies, only 22, and now I’m like, that’s crazy."
Chloe met Josh in 2014 at a London Fashion Week event and they were engaged a year later. Josh proposed during a romantic holiday in Venice: “On a gondola, classic!” she laughs. "We were babies, only 22, and now I’m like, that’s crazy."
The couple wed in 2018 at a lavish ceremony at the Aynhoe Park, a beautiful 17th-century house in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Chloe wore a bespoke Galia Lahav dress with floral lace detailing, which she designed with the help of designer Sharon Sever Faibish. "I literally drew it out on a piece of paper and said, ‘I want this’."
Chloe, who was born and raised in Cheshire, was scouted twice at the age of 14: once while shopping with her mother and a second time during a school trip to The Clothes Show Live. Although the prospect of becoming a model was appealing, she didn’t pursue that path at the time, deciding to finish school and go to university instead. "I didn’t think that I would actually be able to make a career out of it, so didn’t back myself enough. Clearly. I thought, that’s not a real job, that won’t actually happen. I’m from a normal northern town and that sort of job is very much far from anything you could ever imagine."
"Storm were a little more ahead of the game and gave me a shot."
However, after completing her A-levels she decided to give modelling a go during the summer break before university… and the rest is history, “I’m still on my gap year now,” she laughs.
Upon moving to London, Chloe signed with Storm Model Management. She believed they were the best agency for her, given that they represented models like Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne, who were both closer to her slightly shorter height. "With the other agencies, at the time, you had to tick every box, whereas Storm were a little more ahead of the game and gave me a shot."
Becoming an influencer was a natural progression from modelling for Chloe and it allowed her the opportunity to express her own personal style, without constraints. "I definitely used that to my advantage. I loved that I could finally decide what pictures I could put out there. And then it becomes your brand. It allowed me to be more strategic about what future I want to walk towards."
One way she does this is to think about her dream brands, and what they would like to see. Currently, some of her favourites are Dior and Chanel. “It does change all the time, but I love the vibe of those brands, I work with beauty quite a lot. Recently I went to the Cannes Film Festival with L’Oréal Paris and absolutely loved it. Walking the red carpet was magical. I’ve always loved its products and ethos.”
Now, of course, social media and modelling seamlessly blend into one. To be taken seriously as a model you need a following; and Instagram feeds revolve around fashion looks. “You can’t do one without the other these days.”
"As much as I adore fashion and beauty, I’ve always wanted to create a space that covers not only that, but delving deeper into women’s issues"
With the success comes the trolls, but Chloe mentions that she doesn’t encounter them very often. “I’ve got my own bubble of nice girls that follow me, so I’m actually quite lucky."
“But if I ever encounter negativity, I just ignore it. I’m very aware that anyone who says anything mean about someone usually has their own issues.They’re projecting. I know that I’m a nice person and that’s all that matters."
Not only does she have a good relationship with her followers, but also other influencers. When we spoke, she’d just walked through the door after attending an event. “We were actually discussing today how amazing it is to see women running their own businesses and being their own boss,” she says.
Chloe’s next venture is a podcast. “I am launching a podcast soon, which I’m really excited about. As much as I adore fashion and beauty, I’ve always wanted to create a space that covers not only that, but delving deeper into women’s issues in a light-hearted manner.
"Expect fun celebrity guests and knowledge on women-based topics such as fertility, investing and fun advice. I’m so excited to try something new and start a new adventure."
The full interview with Chloe Lloyd appears in the April/May issue of Hello! Fashion, out now…
Photographer: @davidreissphotography
Stylist: @harrietnicolsonstylist
Hair: @theofficiallewispallett
Makeup: @mariacomparettomua
Dog: @obi.theschnauzer
Words: @becklesd
Art Director: @marion_reilly
Production: @clarepenners
Videographer: @valiraza
