Best Wardrobes in Britain: Natasha Ndlovu

Welcome to the second instalment ofBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK's Best Wardrobes in Britain. It's where we do exactly what that title says on the tin: delve into the most fantastical, awe-inspiring and downright influential wardrobes in this fair country of ours. We're zeroing in on the girls who cause the street style photographers to press their shutters as well as the women you don't know yet—the ones who fly under the radar with secretly incredible clothing collections.

Last month, we were privy to the impressive Céline-stacked shelves of Roberta Benteler's wardrobe, but for January 2017, we're turning our attentions to Natasha Ndlovu, aka Bisous Natasha. The ultra-glossy Zimbabwe-born, London-based model, blogger and burgeoning YouTube star is often the girl we turn to when looking for the best pieces on the high street or when seeking out a new label discovery (FYI, it's Stylenanda).

Want to see and know more? Then keep reading to jump inside Natasha's wardrobe, and glean some excellent outfit tips along the way.

On Natasha: Topshop T-shirt and jeans.

WHO WHAT WEAR UK: What was your first big purchase?

NATASHA NDLOVU: My Chanel bag. It was around 2009 or 2010, and that's symbolic because the prices went up and everyone was talking about it. It was a birthday present to myself; one of those classic items I knew I was going to use for a long time, and in my mind, I was like, I can give this to my kids in the future. It just made every outfit look chic—I could wear something high street, and then with a Chanel bag, it looked 10 times more expensive.

I can remember waiting for my modelling pay cheque to come in at the time. Looking back it was a bit risky to spend my entire pay but I knew I wanted it. I made sure I went to Chanel on Bond Street early, when it wouldn't be too busy—I was just super excited to go there and have it wrapped and everything!

On Natasha: Bershka top; Missguided skirt; J.W.Anderson Pierce Cross Body Leather Bag (£1095).

WWW UK: What's your go-to outfit in a hurry?

NN: It's definitely seasonal: In the summertime, what I love to do is pop on a slip dress, throw on a pair of slippers or heels, grab my bag and go. In the winter, my go-to [outfit] is leggings, a nice pair of black boots and then whatever fantastic jacket I can get! You’ve seen the whole variety of jackets I have in my closet…

Leggings at one point became this insane thing, but now it’s just how you style it—H&M does really good thick leggings for, like, £7.99. I'm not too precious about them, but I need enough so I have one pair for each day of the week. 

Natasha's epic collection of jackets span from vintage finds to Topshop bombers.

WWW UK: What's your shopping method, and do you go shopping with anyone?

NN: I definitely shop by myself. I have my earphones on 24/7. I love doing that whole going from left to right—I'm so weird about circling a store in a particular way. I know what I want, and I don't try on many things.

WWW UK: What was the last thing you bought? [As we ask this question, a delivery from Other Stories arrives.]

NN:  Other Stories! Although I can't remember what I've got in there… But the other most recent thing I got, randomly, are some clear plastic over-the-knee boots—you know those ones Kim [Kardashian West] wore? I'm going to use them for something creative… Someone might be inspired to buy them for a party, even if they're not the most practical!

On Natasha: Topshop T-shirt and jeans; Gucci Princetown Studded Slippers (£795); Fendi bag bug.

WWW UK: What are you most obsessed with right now?

NN: I'm obsessed with the whole sleeve trend: peplum, bell, flare, off-the-shoulder, volume… Right now, it can be a bit tricky because it's winter for us, and they're difficult to wear under jackets and coats, but you can experiment with if you go somewhere warmer, or in the summer… I'm a summer person!

WWW UK: Is there anything you'd never wear?

NN: Clothes-wise, there's nothing that I would say I wouldn't wear; I'm always about experimenting. I wasn't into prints, but then the week I did [modelling at] the showroom at Duro Oluwu, I got really sucked into the world of prints! 

Working in an industry where people are doing similar things to you, or you are seen as one in however many models, you want to stand out, so that's why I love getting things that are a little bit different. I used to (and I still do) sell and customise vintage items so I don't have the exact piece everyone else has.

On Natasha: Vintage coat; Topshop dress and shoes; 711 bag.

WWW UK: Do you ever step out of the house and regret what you're wearing?

NN: I regret maybe not dressing up a bit more. I've been letting the weather dictate how I dress a little too much. When you work on your own and you're running errands, you want to be comfortable, and then a meeting or some last-minute thing happens, and you think, Oh, I should have worn this other thing. Otherwise, I like what I wear, but sometimes I wish I could amp it up a bit more in certain circumstances.

On Natasha: Bershka top; Missguided skirt; Office shoes.

WWW UK: How do you usually choose an outfit every morning?

NN: If I am running errands, I'll wear my chic sneakers. By chic, I mean Adidas Stan Smiths or the Nike Cortez! I'll try and work around my shoes and make sure I still look good enough if I bump into someone. You have to balance between being stylish and being practical. [For example], I need to take this jacket because it has pockets; I need my phone immediately next to me and not in my bag.

On Natasha: Customised vintage jacket; Zara top; H&M leggings; Ash boots; Glasses from Amazon.

WWW UK: Do you have any style icons?

NN: Several girls: Miroslava Duma—she's petite but then wears things so well. I think she must get pieces tailored. Off-duty models that just the idea of making black look so elegant and chic, like Magdalena Frackowiak; I just stumbled across Bella Hadid's Instagram lately, and I like the simple outfits she puts together, and I really like the Olsens—their mixture of masculine and feminine pieces together.

WWW UK: What is your most treasured item of all?

NN: My Balmain jacket… maybe? I feel like a lot of these purchases happen around my birthday! I just really like how the brand does its blazers, and this one was just the right structure. I didn't want it in black (and it always sells out), so I thought if I was going to spend a bit of money, I may as well go for something that is really unique. It stands out on its own and I love the '80s power-suit vibe. 

Head to Bisous Natasha to see more of Natasha's fashion and beauty action—and don't forget to ogle our list of the most important fashion influencers on the planet.