In the digital sphere where sensationalism exercises tyranny, Jeremy Hellven has established himself as a local web icon with an experimental but casual approach to style. Amicable and introspective, Jeremy is a tertiary student who blogs actively and engages in numerous creative projects.
This month, Lee Cooper decks Jeremy up in its latest autumn/winter collection that gathers inspiration from industrial artisans. The British label continues its on-going support of talented and emerging makers by making clothes for these creatives to live in, work in, play in, dance in, drink in. The AW14 collection also nods towards Lee Cooper’s workwear legacy with a base colour of inky workforce blue, punctuated with natural pops of colour for a modern spin.
We chatted with Jeremy to find out more about him, his personal style and how Lee Cooper complements his style.
Nookmag (N): Hi Jeremy! Tell us more about yourself.
Jeremy Hellven (J): I’m Jeremy Hellven and I’m a blogger under Gushcloud. I’m involved in a lot of different campaigns and I mainly blog about lifestyle, gadget and food. Other than blogging, I’m currently pursuing acting. I was in a local film for Jack Neo – The Lion Men. I’m one of the new faces. It’s a fun exposure and hopefully I’ll be in the industry longer. Personality-wise, I’m partly extrovert and partly introvert. If needed to, I’ll be able to socialise but personally, I’ll prefer to keep to myself as I like some alone time. But I also like interacting with people, which is kind of contradicting (laughs).
N: How did you get into blogging?
J: I started blogging when I was 16 or 17. I liked to write about what happened daily, what I like and share my music with people. Subsequently, I was contacted by Gushcloud and I’ve been with them for two years.
N: What is the common misconception that people have of you as a blogger?
J: Many people would think that blogging is an easy thing to do. On the surface, it seems like all you need to do is to type out a blog entry and you’ll get sponsors and money. But there is actually a lot of behind-the-scenes work like doing research, taking photos and deciding which ones we want to use. The content is really important. You have to be write about facts but still bring out your own personality at the same time. It’s something that people overlook.
N: What kind of hobbies do you engage in when you spend time alone?
J: I will first have my iPod Classic on, my music playlist, with a book and just enjoy the music and not think about anything.
N: What kind of music are you into?
J: Recently, I don’t have a specific genre that I like. As long as it is good music, from rock to pop and even Bollywood songs, Japanese and K-pop. I don’t judge music. I’m quite open to all genres. Generally, I like to listen to more pop, rock and Korean wave.
N: Do you play any instruments?
J: Sadly, no. I’m very bad at musical instruments. The most I can play is the recorder.
N: If you could play an instrument, what would it be?
J: I always think that playing an electric guitar is the coolest thing. And violin – I tried playing but I gave up. It’s intense yet soothing at the same time.
N: What’s your personal style?
J: Previously, I like to dress in street style. I like to mix different styles together. Personally, I like the Korean and Japanese styles. So I try to infuse both together. And it depends on my mood for the day. Generally, it’s more casual. If I’m going to an event, I’ll try to stand out in my dressing but I’m not going to be too flamboyant too.
N: You picked out two outfits from Lee Cooper. What was the thought process behind each styling?
J: The first is more casual and fun – shirt with a pair of jeans. I know that Lee Cooper is quite well-known for its denim and work-style wear. So for the second outfit, I decided to go for a denim top and rugged jeans – both pieces provide some contrast against each other.
N: How do you think Lee Cooper complements your style?
J: I look smart but not overly dressed – simple yet chic in a way.
N: What’s your favourite … kind of outfit to wear on a daily basis?
J: Something more street. Usually I try to layer my clothes as I’m quite thin. I like high cut shoes. I have tons of boots at home.
N: … hair colour?
J: Black, brown or blond.
N: … accessory?
J: Necklace. If I really like a necklace, I would buy two or three pieces in case one breaks.
N: … three essential items that you carry everywhere?
J: My iPod Classic, mobile phone and wallet.
N: Why would you prefer to listen to music on your iPod Classic?
J: I have a huge collection of music – around 11,000 songs. Most of the mobile phones would not have enough space to hold all these music. That’s why I need a good MP3 player that can store them.
N: Who has a significant influence in your life?
J: My mum. She has taught us life lessons that I could never extract out from textbooks. She taught us to be nice to people. If you’re willing to be nice, the world will be a nicer place and you’re actually contributing to it.
N: What about a style influence?
J: G-Dragon. I love how he doesn’t care about how people think about his look. The things he put together may be mismatched sometimes but he can really pull it off.
N: How do you get creatively engaged?
J: I watch a lot of films, and read a lot of magazines and books too. Lean and adapt. See something interesting and express it out in my own way. I speak a lot to people when I’m travelling . When you hold a conversation with someone, you get to learn things from them that you can’t learn from anywhere.
N: Would you say that having an open mind helps?
J: Yes, definitely. If you have a very fixed mindset, you would not able to accept interesting ideas and cultures that you come across.
Conversation seeks out inspiring individuals who possess a creative spirit and brim with passion. It offers an insight into the lives of these individuals and the things that drives them. This edition is proudly sponsored by Lee Cooper.
