celebforum - Alexa Chung

Alexa Chung (born November 5, 1983) is a British TV presenter and former fashion model. She is the girlfriend of Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner.

Early life

Alexa Chung was raised in Privett, Hampshire by her English mother, a housewife, and her Chinese father, a graphic designer. She is the youngest of four children and has two brothers and one sister. Her elder brother is DJ Dom Chung.

She attended the local comprehensive school, Perins Community College, and later the sixth form Peter Symonds College, Winchester (1999-2001). She had been accepted by King’s College London to read English and by Chelsea College of Art and Design to do an art foundation course, with two 'A' grades (English and Art) and a 'B' (History) at A-level, before being scouted by a modelling agency.

Modelling

Chung was first scouted by an agency, Elite Model Management, while attending The Clothes Show at the age of 14, but nothing came of it. She was approached again, in the comedy tent at Reading Festival, at the age of 16 and was taken on by the London-based Storm Model Management.

She was a cover girl for teen magazines such as Elle Girl and CosmoGIRL! and appeared in adverts for products including Fanta, Sony Ericsson, Sunsilk and Tampax. She also modelled for Urban Outfitters. Chung later said, “I was willing to look like a bit of an idiot. I was never too precious about the faces I pulled. I did loads of teen magazines and rubbish high street campaigns.”

She appeared in music videos for artists including The Streets, Westlife, Delta Goodrem, Reuben and Holly Valance. She also starred as Jake in a scripted reality show called Shoot Me, broadcast on Fashion TV in 2005. Chung herself admitted it was “really bad”.

After four years, Chung quit modelling with the intention of beginning an art foundation or fashion journalism course, having become disillusioned. She had developed a “distorted body image” and “low self-esteem” through modelling. “It made me really unhappy.” She has since said that, “I’ve used up all that neurosis – there’s none left. I’d rather have a bigger brain than smaller bones.”

In January 2008, Chung was announced as the face of Antipodium's Spring Summer 2008 collection, which is on sale at Liberty and Harvey Nichols.

In May 2008, Chung was announced as the face of Oxfam's ethical fashion range, Revamped, sold exclusively at Westbourne Grove, West London.

Filmography

* Gok's Fashion Fix (2008 )
* The Wall (2008 )
* Freshly Squeezed (2007- )
* Vanity Lair (2008 )
* T4 (2008- )
* 4Music Special: Usher (2008 )
* T4 presents the NME Awards 2008 (2008 )
* V Festival '08 Preview (2008 )
* 4Music Special: Goldfrapp (2008 )
* National Treasure T4 Movie Special (2008 )
* T4 Holiday Mornings (2007/2008 )
* Big Brother's Big Mouth (2007)
* 4Music Special: Lostprophets (2007)
* Enchanted T4 Movie Special (2007)
* Ratatouille T4 Movie Special (2007)
* Fashion Rocks is Coming (2007)
* V Festival coverage (2007)
* T in the Park coverage (2007)
* T4 on the Beach coverage (2007)
* It's a Boy Girl Thing T4 Movie Special (2007)
* Get a Grip (2007)
* Popworld (2006-2007)
* 4Music Special: Magic Numbers (2006)
* Déjà Vu T4 Movie Special (2006)
* The Devil Wears Prada T4 Movie Special (2006)
* Rip Curl Festival coverage (2006)
* Shoot Me (2005)