Model and TV Host Sam Simmons joins Front Row Season 3

TV personality, model, host, these are just a few words to describe one of our amazing Front Row Trio, Sam Simmons. With her first hand experience in the runways as well as expertise and love for presenting live TV, Sam is a good match for Fashion One’s FrontRow.

Let’s see what’s in store this season through the words of Sam.

What can you say about Front Row Season 3?

On the runway the model’s job is to showcase the designer’s vision. When you see the same pieces on celebrities, it really puts it into a context to us, the people at home, who read magazines, who love fashion as much a we do. It really gives a different spin when it comes from the runway to the red carpet.

The fashion world can sometimes be intimidating and people can be afraid to voice their opinions, but everyone is entitled to an opinion. I think we bring that because we have different perspectives. There might be fashionistas watching who will completely disagree on what we say. Then people at home nodding, thinking, “I thought that, but I didn’t know I was allowed to say that.” I think that’s a nice element. It’s bringing everyone in on all levels.

What do you want to impart to your audience after watching the show?

We want to take them on a journey from their homes to the runway and really feel part of the show. We want people to feel that they’re on the front row but at the same time we are on the sofa with them watching and having fun. Front Row is like an exclusive ticket to the shows.

What element does each of your co-hosts bring to the show?

Sam on Kiri: Kiri brings glamour to the show! As fashion editor and journalist Kiri brings her incredible knowledge and love of fashion. She combines her journalist head with an of element of fun and her red carpet reports add an exciting context to what we’ve seen on the runway.

Sam on All: Fashion is a notoriously a bitchy industry and we’re three women, who didn’t know each other, we are all very different, and we get on like sisters and I think that’s going to bring people in to want to be part of it. I love the idea that a kid watching this season might be the blogger everyone is talking about a few years from now. If we can bring them the confidence to think “I have an opinion and my opinion is as important as anybody else’s.”

Which pieces/collection impressed you most?

Raf Simons - Dior. Absolutely. That’s my stand out for S/S 2013. That’s what I would love to be wearing on Front Row! It was sexy, the tailoring was perfect and I loved the use of color, absolutely love it. That show was like when you watch a movie, and wake up the next morning still thinking about it. The Dior show was like that for me. I can still see those models strutting down the catwalk and I would just love to wear so many of those pieces.

It’s so wearable. That’s the other thing. In women’s fashion, we don’t have corsets now but we still wear killer heels! But for real women, we need fashion that is accessible and comfortable. Women do more than ever now, we’re not sitting at home waiting for our husbands. We are businesswomen, we are mums, and we are all over the place. Even if you are a celebrity, you still need clothes that you can live and work in. That’s what we want to bring to the show. We want to see high fashion but we want to see wearability. You need fashion that’s functional and wearable.

Fashion tips

You can do a head to toe monochrome, look completely stylish, and you can still use it next year. It’s also a fresh way to wear black.

Most stylish celebrity

Blake Lively. I love that fact that she came from Gossip Girl to become the girl everyone wants to dress.

A total contrast to that is Kirsten Stewart. I just love her tomboyish look and she’s not obviously ‘pretty’. Off-camera she’s not super confident or super sexy but when she gets onto the red carpet - wow! She’s bringing her acting to the red carpet. I also love her make-up choices and her confidence to take risks with fashion. She’s not afraid to ‘get it wrong’ and as a result rarely does.

Although my “girl crush” is Jennifer Lawrence I didn’t love her dress at the Academy Awards. l would like her taking more risks on the red carpet because she’s such a cool girl. I love her!

I’d like to see people taking more risks.

Who’s got it wrong?

I wasn’t a fan of Anne Hathaway’s outfit at the Academy Awards. We know there was some fashion-politics going on there and it was a last-minute change and that probably explains why the neck of the dress and the jewellery clashed. I didn’t love her hair and make-up either - she looked like she was going to work in an office. Despite all that, it was, and still is one of the most talked about looks of the night.

Most memorable experiences

I know many models say the opposite but for me, the best part of the job of is traveling. It’s exciting. When you are working somewhere, you get do to new things than you wouldn’t do on holidays. I’ve been to exciting places all over Europe, the States, to Cape Town, which has been amazing. I enjoy having a job where you have to really push yourself, where everything’s really different, and meet new people. I love the camaraderie on a shoot because everyone’s working towards the same thing. Sometimes in office jobs people want to get one over each other, while in a team, everyone has the same goal.

Worst – I was modelling outside in an ice storm in the UK. I got so cold that I couldn’t even move my fingers!

Which do you enjoy doing most, being a model or a TV person?

I love both jobs and they work well together. Essentially you are acting in either role and I think the most important thing is to keep pushing yourself and trying new things so you don’t feel daunted or nervous. Television is very disciplined and modeling has more room for creativity and I love that you just wake up and have someone do your hair and make up! Both jobs are about reaching an audience and I think the key to success in both is to really feel that connection as the camera rolls.

About Sam

Sam’s television career started in the news gallery and documentaries at the BBC before stepping in front of the camera and establishing herself as a presenter. Sam has succeeded in becoming a familiar face in the broadcasting industry with a reputation for her impeccable professionalism and love for presenting live TV.

Sam has presented thousands of hours of live television, hosted live on stage at the Glastonbury Festival and co-presented the MOBO awards onstage at the Royal Albert Hall for MTV.

Sam has also enjoyed an extensive modeling career fronting print campaigns and TV commercials in the UK, Europe and the United States and appeared as a regular fashion model on the hit UK makeover show ’10 Years Younger’. Sam currently works as a style and fashion presenter with a regular slot on one of the UK’s leading shopping channels.

About Front Row Season 3

Ever dreamt of sitting in the front row at a fashion show? Wearing big shades and a designer coat? How about standing in some Jimmy Choo’s on a Red Carpet with a horizon of flashing lights taking your picture and calling your name?

Front Row gives you a VIP pass to the most wanted status-update and check in’ hotspot in town: Fashion Week!

International entrepreneur and stylist, Rachel Anthony, reunites with Fashion One for the third season of Front Row. Fashion presenter and model, Sam Simmons, and celebrity correspondent, Kiri Bloore, roll out the red carpet and give you a front row seat to the cutting-edge fashion and celebrity trends of the Spring Summer Collections 2013.

Sam and Rachel talk fashion, where you have global access to the most mouth-watering designers and latest catwalk events. Kiri invites us onto the red carpet spotting which celebrities were wearing what designers and who was sitting in the most royal seat in the city.

Watch Front Row every Thursdays at 10pm (Asia GMT+8 / Europe except UK and Africa GMT+2), exclusively on Fashion One.