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Now the face of GUESS for its new Allegra campaign, Higgins has also managed to pull off what no other Love Island graduate has done before: she’s broken the US.
After three years hosting Love Island USA: Aftersun, her recent meme-making stint on The Traitors US (in which she came runner-up) and upcoming appearance on Dancing With The Stars, she’s become a mainstay of US TV. And this year she has also turned her attention to the fashion world. Attending New York Fashion Week and making her Cannes Film Festival debut in May, Higgins’ theatrical, risk-taking looks are the work of stylist Kris Fe, best known for creating custom ensembles that incorporate archival pieces.
Higgins’ partnership with GUESS is a natural fit, then, with its brand identity built on bold, sexy statement pieces. ‘I wear what I want, I say what I think and I don’t apologise for it,’ Higgins says. But she wasn’t always this self-assured – like many of us, she’s had to work at it.
‘Confidence isn’t something you magically wake up with every day,’ she explains. ‘I still get nervous. But I trust the people around me to help me feel my best and once I’m on set or in front of a camera. I have fun with it, and I think that’s when the best moments happen. Dancing With The Stars is definitely a different kind of pressure because you’re learning something completely new every week, and have to perform live to an audience of millions watching, but that’s also what makes it exciting. Growth only happens when you push yourself a bit.’
The GUESS Allegra collection comes in three shades: cognac, espresso and olive. Which shade is Higgins hankering for? ‘Cognac is my colour of the year right now,’ she says. ‘It’s timeless, sophisticated and works with absolutely everything. It’s one of those colours that instantly makes an outfit feel expensive without trying too hard.’
Last month, Higgins also landed on the coveted Time 100 Creators List, something she calls ‘surreal’. ‘I have hoped for and manifested so many things that have come true this year alone – the Time 100 List being one of them. I’m just so grateful and it feels nice to know all the hard work is paying off. To be recognised like that is incredibly special and it makes me even more motivated for what’s next.’
So, what is next? Higgins says DWTS will be her last reality turn as a contestant. ‘Presenting and hosting is the space I plan to solidify myself in – I loved my time hosting Aftersun USA and I’d like to do more presenting – helping guide new sets of contestants through their time on similar shows to the ones I’ve been on.’
There’s talk she could be the face of the Disney+ Blind Date revival. ‘I’d love to end the year by lifting the Dancing With The Stars mirror-ball trophy to celebrate all that this year has brought… and then it’s time to update the vision board and go again!