With summer right around the corner, now is the type to be bold, daring and honestly not giving a you-know-what.
As we move from our old winter clothes and into more colorful spring and summer attire. Instead of wearing long, dreary and dull overcoats, stuffy scarfs and restrictive rain gear, individuals can now bust out their spring and summer wear such as beach trousers, sandals, bikinis, thongs and sunglasses.
Like all things fashion, fashion models are always at the forefront of what’s edgy, trending and what to look for. If you want any more example of a style muse, look no further than Britain and their long line of fashion icons.
From Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell to Cara Delavingne, there is just SOMETHING about British models and their impeccable knack of style, class and edginess. One such example of a Brit fashion model with some edge and style is Sheffield-based fashion model, Steph Powell.
Powell, a 29-year-old Lincolnshire native, has modeled for latex fashion brand Cathouse Clothing, has modeled in a wide variety of genres. An avid fanatic of MMA and boxing, Powell is an unabashed fan of fellow Brit in Irish MMA fighter Conor McGregor, the 5’6 brown-haired petite beauty is a huge boxing aficionado, most notably Manny Pacquiao.
Below is my Q and A with Steph as we talk fashion, latex and leather, some MMA and boxing and how to be confident in rocking whatever fashion you wish.
Name: Steph Powell
Age: 29
Height: 5’6
Birthplace: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
Measurements: Waist: 26-28, I’m a 6 on top and an 8 on bottom! Bust: 32b (don’t know my hips ), Dress Size: 6/8
Social Media Links: Instagram: @stormygirl182 | Facebook: Stormy Girl
Robert D. Cobb: What kind of model do you consider yourself?
Steph Powell: “Whatever I want to be! Being versatile as a model is so important, if you’re one dimensional you soon get boring!
You need to be able to adapt and mix it up! I like to try most things once! I love my fashion and hair work, but love pulling on some tight latex with a riding crop in my hand!”
Robert D. Cobb: What brands have you modeled for? Which one do you enjoy modeling for the most?
Steph Powell: “I have just recently modeled for Cathouse Clothing, one of the world’s biggest latex fashion designers, their stuff has been in magazines and movies! It’s definitely my favorite so far! It’s hilarious trying to squeeze yourself into super tight latex, the squeaking has me giggling my head off in the dressing room!”
Robert D. Cobb: Where has been your favorite place to shoot?
Steph Powell: “I have done shoots all over, from the bedroom to the shower! But I love a studio with a variety of sets, there’s so much you can do and play with plus having all them lights on you makes you feel like a rock star! I think the wildest place I have done a shoot is in a genuine fetish dungeon!”
Robert D. Cobb: What is the most exciting aspect of modeling?
Steph Powell: “You get to be whoever you want to be, and try new things on every single shoot! You constantly learn new techniques and along with it comes the opportunity to learn new skills too!
For example, I have a trampoline shoot coming up for a sports magazine! I’ve never done it before so I am having to learn how to do it from scratch to a level where I kind of look like I know what I’m doing!
But with every shoot comes new opportunities to meet amazingly talented and exciting individuals and artists, fashion designers, music producers, photographers, stylists, it’s a world filled with talented individuals and it’s so exciting every shoot I go to not knowing who I will meet next!”
Robert D. Cobb: What fashion and style tips and trends do you have for looking good when the temperature drops?
Steph Powell: “My wardrobe is filled with leather at the moment along with a collection of over the knee boots! I love my long floating leather skirts and crop jumpers, they go so well together with a gorgeous pair of warm boots!
But then again I don’t really let the temperature dictate what I wear! You will see me out in pencil skirts, crop tops, blouses with leather look leggings and high heels! But it definitely has to be leather that wins! As spring is now here, my tummy and legs start to slowly creep out! Just prepare yourself for the brilliantly white British skin!”
Robert D. Cobb: With spring here and summer around the corner? What fashion tips and trends do you see becoming big?
Steph Powell: “I have always been unique in my dress sense and rarely follow any kind of trend! If I see someone wearing what I am I probably won’t wear it again! I just like to be different and stand out! I like unique fashion, so if I see a girl wearing something I like I will say “you look really nice where did you get that jumpsuit?”
And I will then go and find something similar to it but not the same! I like boutiques and vintage shops because they’re filled with little gems that you can’t get hold of anywhere else!
Although I do see a lot of the high street fashion stuff emerging that’s really cool like the whole wearing sexy fence-nets/fishnets with ripped summer jeans and the shoe wear is becoming really creative with the addition of 3d flowers and bows! Cute stuff!
But I do like to go that bit further and love my tight fitted, risqué’ type stuff so sometimes the high street doesn’t quite cut it for me!”
Robert D. Cobb: As a model, what swimwear trends do you see becoming big this summer?
Over the past couple of years there have been some beautifully big advances in the bright bold bloc colors and UV is looking really cool; my favorite is more the shiny/spandex wet look type of swim wear, if it’s shiny, it’s sexy!
The introduction of the bandage/harness style has seen some really cool and sexy outfits, swim wear and lingerie being produced by some really creative designers!
I really love the harness style bikinis but it has to be the spandex/wet look swim suits for me!
Robert D. Cobb: What exudes confidence in rocking a bikini on the beach
Steph Powell: “I think it’s a mixture of several things, it’s down to the person’s own body confidence and self esteem, it takes stones for most girls to get their flesh out in front of others and it takes a special sort of person for it to not enter their head at all “what might people think” “what if people stare at me” and of course most girls have parts of their body they are a little nervous about getting out!
I’m a lingerie model with a pretty popular tush, but I still hide my bum when running around in the buff on set! You have to be confident mentally and physically to truly rock your bikini, adopt a “I don’t give a sh!t” attitude, it’s YOUR body and YOUR holiday, not theirs, so be happy in your skin and do what you want! Again it also comes down to the fashion! It helps if you feel sexy and hot in your bikini so a big part of it is down to your choice of design!
So pick wisely and be comfortable in what you’re wearing!”
Robert D. Cobb: Any plans for spring break/holiday?
Steph Powell: “Work, work and more work…Pretty much my life at the moment and don’t see that changing any time soon, but hopefully the hard work will pay off and there will be plenty of holidays!
It’s been about 8 years since I last left the country, so it’s well over due now however I do have some really cool location shoots coming up working on the beach and in the sea! Which even in June, will be an icy challenge as it’s always freezing in the UK!
I’m also planning an Amy Winehouse tribute shoot (I get told I look like her a lot!) and a charity concert to commemorate her passing this summer so big plans with that!”
Robert D. Cobb: Within the industry, who is your inspiration?
Steph Powell: “I love Danni Divine, she’s so unique and beautiful and rocks her modeling in her own way, but I don’t really have a direct inspiration, I think any girl who takes off her clothes for a camera, and can make it look beautiful and elegant, especially those that still rock it in their 30’s are a huge inspiration!
Plus size models, changing the way the world views models, size and beauty! I could go on all day! The amazingly talented photographers that capture spectacular images working their magic, the fashion icons and magazine publication titans that give models work! It’s all inspiring!”
Robert D. Cobb: What is your secret to staying in shape?
Steph Powell: “I used to exercise religiously as a teen at school, I used to be a sprinter! My Dad is British weightlifting champion for his age category (he is now 80 years old and still competes!) so I naturally have good genes and am really lucky to have an athletic body!
I stopped competing when I hit 19 but since then I have always worked in really physical jobs, I was a deputy manager for a large retail store in the UK and would pretty much power walk about 12 miles on average a day just in my day job! I have no explanation why I have a six pack though because I couldn’t do a sit up to save my life!
When it comes to dieting I don’t really diet! I just try to eat right more for my general health, hair and skin really! But You’ll often see me stuffing my face with Galaxy chocolate or sweets…I take them to every shoot…I’m a bad example…”
Robert D. Cobb: Outside of modeling, what are your hobbies?
Steph Powell: “Modeling literally takes up pretty much every spare minute of my life! I live and breathe it! Because so much is involved in modeling, such as looking after yourself, doing your hair, make up, trying new products, the investment of time into your social media and arranging shoots, networking with new photographers, magazines etc.
Even clothes shopping is technically a part of it! That’s my excuse anyways…my hobbie probably has to be clothes though…I have quite a serious addiction to shopping and clothes really, I have an entire double bedroom which is literally a walk in wardrobe and I think I need three bed house now just for my forever expanding collection of clothes and shoes…I need help…”
Sports question: Who are your favorite teams and clubs
Steph Powell: “I’m really into my fighting sports! I love MMA/UFC and Boxing! I was a die hard fan of Randy Couture and Chuck Lidell, but my guilty pleasure has to be McGregor!
Egotistical, inflated and cocky but he is such an inspiration in how dedicated he is to his sport and training! It irritates the hell out of me! My favorite boxer was probably Ricky Hatton, he was a pure legend for me until the disgrace of a “fight” with Floyd Mayweather! Then it rapidly went downhill for the poor bloke!
Another, Manny Pacquiao, huge inspiration fighting and winning purely for his family! I could talk day about fighting sports!”
Robert D. Cobb: What are your favorite cities to travel to?
Steph Powell: “Surprisingly, I have done very little traveling! I was very secluded to Lincolnshire until I was 25!
And then I dared step outside into the rest of the UK! I love the city I live in now though, Sheffield, it has one of Europe’s biggest shopping malls (Meadowhall) so naturally I’m drawn instantly! I plan on travelling a lot more now my career has developed and taken off so rapidly!
I have had several offers to come over to you guys in the States for a ton of shoots, including Boston, New York and Las Vegas! Next year will be Americas turn to get a taste of me though! Roll on 2018 America!”
Robert D. Cobb: What advice would you give to women aspiring to get into modeling?
Steph Powell: “Choose your shoots carefully. There are too many “man with cam” folk out there that claim to be photographers but they really aren’t.
Make sure you dedicate your precious time to the right photographer, the right shoot and for the right project; someone once said to me a good picture is only good for a short period of time until it’s been seen and becomes old…however a bad picture lasts forever and once it’s online there’s’ no going back!
Don’t let the excitement of modeling cloud your judgement and don’t shoot with just anyone! Get it right, get an amazing portfolio to show off, then let the amazing artists and photographers come to you when they have seen how good you are!
The main tip is BE SAFE! Don’t agree to meet a photographer on your own, ever, they should respect the fact that you’re a young woman meeting effectively a total stranger possibly to do very intimate shoots depending on the theme, dressing down into your underwear, and if they don’t respect that then they aren’t worth shooting with.
I have always taken a friend to a shoot with me and all of my photographers have been very respectful and welcoming! If they can’t see how intimidating and scary it can be for a young woman to undress in front a camera, especially in the early days, then they have a lot to learn.”
Special thanks to Mrs. Steph Powell for her time and cooperation during the Q and A interview process. Images used are the proprty of their respective owners and with permission.