My Digital Life: Lucy Flay

From London College of Fashion to HELLO! magazine, Lucy Flay is making a name for herself in the world of digital thanks to her dynamic campaigns and passionate approach. Here, the Project Coordinator talks to us about Insta-worthy style and her favourite influencers and brands to follow.

© Lucy Flay

DF: Let's kick things off with a brief career history: how did you come to be doing what you do now?

LF: I studied Fashion PR at London College of Fashion. I moved to London at 18 from a small town, which was so exciting! I interned at Ralph Lauren and a few PR agencies whilst at university, but had always wanted to work for a magazine (I basically wanted to be the OG IT girl – Lauren Conrad).

A few months after graduating university I secured my job at HELLO! magazine where I now work as a Project Coordinator, managing commercial campaigns across the print magazine and online at hellomagazine.com. I also work across our sister magazine – HELLO! Fashion. I love that I have the opportunity to work with fashion brands that I genuinely adore, as well as beauty, lifestyle and travel brands. So no campaign (or day) is ever the same!

DF: Did you always know you would work in digital?

LF: At university I was really unsure about what I wanted to do – although I studied PR I wasn’t sure it was where I wanted my career to go. Like I said, I had an inkling that I would like to work for a magazine, but I definitely prefer working on campaigns which are digital-led. I find there are so many more possibilities and ways to be creative in digital-led campaigns, and there is always something new to explore and learn.

DF: What is your earliest social media memory?

LF: The days of Bebo when the order of your top 16 friends was the biggest worry in the world – those were the days!

DF: What is your favourite social media platform?

LF: It has to be Instagram! I get most of my ideas from there. From fashion and make-up inspiration to workouts and post-HIIT snacks. It’s the app I spend the most time on for sure. I also spend my days tagging my (poor) boyfriend in cute/funny videos of dogs...

DF: What are your best social photography or editing tips?

LF: KNOW. YOUR. ANGLES. Life-changing! I challenge you to find a picture of me taken from my ‘bad side’. Also, good lighting is so important. For me, this combo can be the difference between a grid-worthy selfie or looking like a (glamorous) potato.

DF: Are there any podcasts that you’re loving right now?

LF: I absolutely love Jay Shetty’s podcast, called On Purpose - his life is so interesting! He spent a few years as a monk and in his podcast he talks about the positive and inspirational ways to navigate through life. Love it!

DF: Which are your favourite influencers to follow?

LF: My all-time favourite influencer is Lydia Millen – her style is so chic yet simple. I’ve followed her since her early days as a blogger. She’s also so authentic, you know that brands she works with, she genuinely loves and uses. I also love Natalya Wright, Bethan Sowerby, and Anna Maria. I find myself replicating a lot of Danielle Fogarty’s looks, too!

DF: Which apps are on the first page of your phone?

LF: I’m a little bit OCD, so all of the apps on my phone are organised into neat folders on the front page. I can’t stand my apps spilling over onto the second page! Is that weird?

DF: Have you discovered any brands via social media? If so, which?

LF: I’ve found so many brands via social media! I love French Fashion House – it's one of my favourite accessories brands. They do lots of work with Influencers and reality stars, and the pieces they create are so beautiful.

DF: How do you make time for being offline?

LF: I’m quite bad at this, to be honest. I find myself mindlessly scrolling Instagram and Twitter way too often. But when I’m trying to make a conscious effort to switch off I love to turn off my laptop and mute my phone, and put on a moisturising sheet mask.

Fitness also keeps me sane. When I’m doing a HIIT class or a legs, bums & tums workout I completely forget everything and am in the zone. It helps if there’s some old school Britney blasting in the background, too.

Follow Lucy on Instagram here.

Interview by Dan Flay