Spending time with infectiously upbeat Vick Hope is a tonic we could all do with right now. The newest member of the Radio 1 family, Cambridge-educated Vick is a broadcaster, TV presenter, writer and beauty ambassador. She is best known for her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing and lending her presentation skills to the likes of Capital FM, MTV, ITV and Channel 4. Listen to her every Sunday from 4pm-7pm where she co-presents Life Hacks and The Official Chart: First Look
What do you love most about your job?
The gear changes, the surprises, the constant variety. When making programmes which cover diverse subject matter and span different genres, what I find most stimulating and exciting is the opportunity to meet so many new people and learn something new every week... every day! Broadcasting is delving into the worlds of others to help tell their stories: stories about our past, our future, our passions, our fears, our loves, lives and losses, our inspirations and aspirations, and I feel so lucky I get to be a part of that ever single day.
Where's your favourite hangout?
I live in Dalston, Hackney/East London. I'm lucky as many of my good friends live around the same area which is great as we can hangout and don't need to travel (which is pretty handy during a pandemic).
My favourite places to hang out when the sun is shining are London Fields, Victoria Park, Hackney Marshes and Lee Valley. Dalston Square has some really great eateries, in particular I love Cafe Route which is a middle eastern restaurant, they have my favourite go-to dishes.
There are some great cocktail bars which I've just discovered such as Silk Stocking which is a really fun and has delicious cocktails. There are some really great pubs too such as: The Talbot, The Scolt Head, The Hunter S. For rooftops, I think my favourites are: Netil360, NT's and Dalston roof gardens.
What's top of your playlist right now?
At the moment there is a lot of solace to be found in artists such as Arlo Parks. She will be on BBC Radio 1 Life Hacks show this Sunday. As a young artist, she's a voice of a generation, she's out, she's black and talks about mental health so beautifully in her music and poetry. She's such an important and special voice for our generation. She talks so eloquently and there is a lot in her music which helps you feel like you're not alone. If you have anything that's bothering you or if you don't know who to talk or turn to, she addresses that fact. There's a beautiful solace to be found in her words, I think she's amazing and really talented.
What's your most loved piece in your wardrobe?
I don't buy new things often, so my most loved pieces in my wardrobe are vintage pieces from charity shops. Beyond Retro is one of my favourites and they have the most amazing 'vintage garage' sales where they put things in bins... I once found an amazing vintage Chanel beaded dress in one of their sale bins!
My favourite pair of jeans are also from Beyond Retro, they're such an amazing cut which I've never seen anywhere else. The jeans are fitted at the top and become quite baggy, almost like a ballooned hammer pant.
Another favourite from Beyond Retro is my silk brocade blush pink fitted blazer. It's 1920's style but it has shoulder pads inside so I think it could have been made in the 80s.
Finally, I love my £2 vintage silk patterned shirt, it's the perfect way to channel the Fresh Prince of Bel Air !
How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Oh.my.god what a question. So the first thing I did when I moved into my flat is build railings and brackets so I could have a walk-in wardrobe and a whole wall of that is actually dedicated to shoes. We're talking a good 20 pairs of stilettos and then we've got thigh high boots, knee high boots, tonnes of ankle boots. I've got two more shoe stands in the hallway which is solely for trainers and sandals - it's probably too much! The best part is, I end up wearing my one favourite pair all the time!
What do your Rogues say about you?
They're gorgeous: chic but comfy, at once classic & modern, super versatile, I love the shade of blue and they’ll go with everything. What do they say about me? I think that comfort is key, I want to feel ready for anything and adaptable to whatever situation life throws at me!