Over her five years on Strictly Come Dancing, professional Katya Jones has worn some truly dazzling outfits. But in a new photoshoot and interview in HELLO!, she reveals the true treasures are to be found in her own wardrobe.
The 32-year-old dancer, modelling a selection of her favourite vintage, upcycled and borrowed fashions, made a pledge two years ago to "do her bit" to reduce landfill by not buying any new clothes.
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Now, in HELLO! she tells how it has led to "a complete shift in mindset". "I've always loved dressing up and used to use all the fast-fashion brands because it's so easy and convenient – you see something, press a button, it's at your door the next day and if you don't like it, you send it back.
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"But a year on from when the challenge I set myself ended, I can still count on my fingers the number of new items I have bought – and that includes underwear, tights, everything."
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However, that doesn't mean her passion for fashion has diminished, she adds: "It's not about chasing trends; it's about finding your style and what suits you. You can't go wrong if you look for quality and timeless shapes."
The dancer modelled her favourite vintage, upcycled and borrowed fashions
She also reveals: "The Strictly wardrobe team are among the very best and most creative at repurposing and reusing, which is something I don't think a lot of people realise.
"For example, you might see me wear a dress in week one and in the final, the skirt from it will have been transformed and teamed with the top of another dress you've seen on another dancer. The ways they find to repurpose are absolutely unreal. They're brilliant."
Katya says her dream Strictly celebrity partner would be The Rock
Katya made Strictly history last year by partnering with Olympic boxer Nicola Adams to become the show's first same-sex couple, but had to leave the contest early following a positive Covid test. "But we made our mark and Nicola definitely delivered the message she wanted to deliver – and we are always going to be the first."
Her dream partner for 2021 would be US actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: "He seems like a genuinely fantastic guy. And he's just sooo muscly, he'd be great at doing lifts."