STYLE. GROOMING. INSPIRATION. ADVICE.
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THE STYLE EDIT
ASOS CHATS TO OVIE
By Eleanor Dunne, 3 February 2020
It’s been six months since our fave islander graced the villa with his chilled-out vibes, cheeky sense of humour and on-point hat collection, but the world is still not over Ovie. From smashing it on the basketball court with his new team the London Lions (top of the league at the time of writing, BTW), to numerous TV appearances and ad campaigns, the star’s profile is still on the rise – and he continues to serve us non-stop fashion inspo as he goes.
So, for our first style edit of 2020, we asked the one and only Ovie to put together a selection of his fave pieces for the new season. To get the lowdown, we chatted to the basketballer about his second time working with ASOS, the cringe trends he wishes he’d never tried and what good energy means to him. Check out the interview below and shop his style edit now.
So, for our first style edit of 2020, we asked the one and only Ovie to put together a selection of his fave pieces for the new season. To get the lowdown, we chatted to the basketballer about his second time working with ASOS, the cringe trends he wishes he’d never tried and what good energy means to him. Check out the interview below and shop his style edit now.
You worked with ASOS last year on your first style edit and a capsule collection with your dad. What was the reaction like the first time around?
There was an all-round positive reaction to everything, which is nice because when you’re putting something out creatively, you want it to be received well. My first concern is always being true to myself, but then when other people also like it, that’s cool. I got a lot of compliments from the style edit which was nice, and to work with my dad was really special and fun; it just felt organic.
Why did you want to work with ASOS again?
With people sort of having their eyes on me, it’s important that I send the right message in everything I do. I really believe in what ASOS stands for, and how they empower people through clothing, and it doesn’t necessarily have to cost you an arm and a leg. Plus, the people I worked with on the team are all really good, genuine people, which is also key.
Tell us about the style edit this time around
It’s a more casual edit than the last one, it’s more day-to-day and there are not as many suits in this one. The whole edit isn’t too wintery; you can definitely wear it all through spring. I also really like the differences in textures, and there’s a good mix of prints throughout all of the clothes.
What’s your favourite piece from the edit?
There were a couple of co-ords I really enjoyed, I really like the checkered one. And there were a few nice sweaters. There are a few bucket hats, that’s definitely key for when the weather gets warmer – as a cool fashion piece, but also to take the edge off the sun!
How would you describe your style?
My style is really just a mood, first and foremost. Before I get dressed in the morning, I try to control how I’m feeling and get in a good headspace because that helps you control how your whole day goes. So its almost like I’m putting on my positive glasses. And then how I dress usually reflects that mood. It’s all positive energy!
What’s the one piece of clothing you couldn’t live without?
My favourite thing ever is shoes. I own a lot of them, I’ve just given away about fifty pairs. I don’t know the names or the brands or anything, I don’t follow the hype like that. And I think that’s part of being yourself; all of a sudden, there can be a sneaker that’s supposed to be ‘it’, and then it just becomes the shoe to get, regardless of whether you actually like it or not. Everyone thinks, ‘This is what everyone’s wearing this year so it must be hot’ – nah! I see a lot of people following dead trends, but just because it’s a trend that the masses are into, that doesn’t make it lit.
If you had to wear one outfit for ever, what would it be?
That’s a hard question! You’d have to wear something that was good for all types of weather, and with layers... I would say a waterproof co-ord would be ideal, because it will be warm, comfortable; if it rains you’ll stay dry, if it’s warm you can take the top off. And the colour? Invisible! Nah, just kidding. It would have to be black, just classic so it worked for everything.
My style is really just a mood, first and foremost. Before I get dressed in the morning, I try to control how I’m feeling and get in a good headspace because that helps you control how your whole day goes. So its almost like I’m putting on my positive glasses. And then how I dress usually reflects that mood. It’s all positive energy!
What’s the one piece of clothing you couldn’t live without?
My favourite thing ever is shoes. I own a lot of them, I’ve just given away about fifty pairs. I don’t know the names or the brands or anything, I don’t follow the hype like that. And I think that’s part of being yourself; all of a sudden, there can be a sneaker that’s supposed to be ‘it’, and then it just becomes the shoe to get, regardless of whether you actually like it or not. Everyone thinks, ‘This is what everyone’s wearing this year so it must be hot’ – nah! I see a lot of people following dead trends, but just because it’s a trend that the masses are into, that doesn’t make it lit.
If you had to wear one outfit for ever, what would it be?
That’s a hard question! You’d have to wear something that was good for all types of weather, and with layers... I would say a waterproof co-ord would be ideal, because it will be warm, comfortable; if it rains you’ll stay dry, if it’s warm you can take the top off. And the colour? Invisible! Nah, just kidding. It would have to be black, just classic so it worked for everything.
Pictures: Elliot James Kennedy
Growing up, did you always take a creative approach to how you dressed?
Growing up, my sense of fashion was mostly dead. At times I was able to copy my brother, which drove me to certain trends and brought me through certain eras, but it took me a while to go in my own direction and figure it out. And it generally does take a while, because when you’re young, the first thing you care about is being accepted, everyone wants to fit in with their friends. It takes a while to snap out of that – some people never do!
Are there any trends you tried that you now regret?!
I definitely wore a do-rag under a hat before, like the 50 Cent kind of thing when I was at uni, that was pretty terrible. Then I wore boot cuts, but I think everyone was wearing them at one point. I also went through a phase where I wore a lot of fake earrings – when I moved to America, I used to buy them from the stalls set up in the middle part of the mall. I used to get them to match my shirt, and the shoes would match too. I remember I had a yellow polo top, yellow Famous shoes and yellow earrings. I’d never want to see any pictures come back from that era, that was so dead.
Do you have any preferences for what you wear training for basketball?
When it comes to activewear, for me it’s all about comfort. Like those materials that you can sweat in and it won’t stay wet for long. I go with simple stuff, and I don’t think too much about how it looks. Some people prefer to make sure they look good before they go to the gym, and I say if making sure your gym gear is all matching makes you feel psychologically more comfortable, then go for it!
You’re always posting motivational videos on Instagram about good energy – what is good energy to you?
Good energy is power – I like to stay in control of everything in my life. By having good energy, it doesn’t mean everything in life is good, it just means you can control how you react to it; your outlook will always be positive and you’ll have solution-based thinking. So now, in effect, you become indestructible – because regardless of what happens, you will see what’s going well in your life and the positives. In general, good things happen to people who are more positive and solution-based. It’s about being just grateful for all the little stuff – and the more little things you point out, the more you see the good in everything.
Growing up, my sense of fashion was mostly dead. At times I was able to copy my brother, which drove me to certain trends and brought me through certain eras, but it took me a while to go in my own direction and figure it out. And it generally does take a while, because when you’re young, the first thing you care about is being accepted, everyone wants to fit in with their friends. It takes a while to snap out of that – some people never do!
Are there any trends you tried that you now regret?!
I definitely wore a do-rag under a hat before, like the 50 Cent kind of thing when I was at uni, that was pretty terrible. Then I wore boot cuts, but I think everyone was wearing them at one point. I also went through a phase where I wore a lot of fake earrings – when I moved to America, I used to buy them from the stalls set up in the middle part of the mall. I used to get them to match my shirt, and the shoes would match too. I remember I had a yellow polo top, yellow Famous shoes and yellow earrings. I’d never want to see any pictures come back from that era, that was so dead.
Do you have any preferences for what you wear training for basketball?
When it comes to activewear, for me it’s all about comfort. Like those materials that you can sweat in and it won’t stay wet for long. I go with simple stuff, and I don’t think too much about how it looks. Some people prefer to make sure they look good before they go to the gym, and I say if making sure your gym gear is all matching makes you feel psychologically more comfortable, then go for it!
You’re always posting motivational videos on Instagram about good energy – what is good energy to you?
Good energy is power – I like to stay in control of everything in my life. By having good energy, it doesn’t mean everything in life is good, it just means you can control how you react to it; your outlook will always be positive and you’ll have solution-based thinking. So now, in effect, you become indestructible – because regardless of what happens, you will see what’s going well in your life and the positives. In general, good things happen to people who are more positive and solution-based. It’s about being just grateful for all the little stuff – and the more little things you point out, the more you see the good in everything.
