If you sit on the Gen Z-millennial cusp, chances are you’ve seen Rosie Viva’s face while endlessly scrolling ASOS in the 2010s – her golden features and kitschy cute tattoos impossible to miss. But the model has long since graduated from E-comm girlie to one of Britain’s most compelling multi-hyphenates.
Scouted in her teens and signed to Select, Rosie has walked for Gucci, fronted campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, and carved out a space that transcends the fashion industry entirely.
Diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a widely publicised 2018 episode, she’s since turned personal turbulence into advocacy. Her Channel 4 film Modelling, Mania and Me offered a raw glimpse into the realities of mental illness in fashion, while her debut memoir Completely Normal and Totally Fine, already praised by close friend Dua Lipa, charts the emotional terrain of her diagnosis and recovery.
Beyond the catwalk and the page, she’s the founder of mental wellness platform Viva Fever and sustainable jewellery label Covert. Whether hosting a charity book club in East London, speaking as an ambassador for Bipolar UK or jetting off for a European adventure with former H! Fashion cover star Sarah Lysander, Rosie continues to marry the polish of a cool-girl muse with the unfiltered honesty of a modern mental health trailblazer.
Discover how Rosie embraces colour and comfort in her everyday below.
The Fashion Insider Diary with Rosie Viva
Date Night:
A typical date night for me is always one of my long dresses and Converse or Adidas trainers. I love to dress up and feel girly but when it comes to shoe choice, bringing it back to one of my day-to-days makes me feel myself and comfortable. I love the feeling of a long dress, especially in summer, and have collected these over the years from a variety of places. This one in particular is from a Dutch brand called Love Stories. I got it in their sample sale a few years ago and it has been my festival go-to every year as well as date night. This photo was from last year at Glastonbury.
© @rosieviva
© @rosievivaHoliday Style:
My holiday style is always a simple, smart dress in the evening with minimal patterns and a red lip with sun-kissed skin. I try to buy pieces which I fall in love with again every year. I really don’t mind the same outfit on repeat when I feel comfortable in it! This particular dress is Reformation, a brand I have worked with for years now. Everything they sell feels timeless, and the quality keeps it on rotation year in, year out. This photo was taken in New York for my birthday. I wore it with a leather jacket and black boots.
A Day of Work:
Running around in London, my go-to is my black trousers by Cos, my SCRT jacket and a cap. I’ve had very androgynous street style for as long as I can remember, so I keep it very simple and sometimes buy menswear trousers so everything looks oversized. For caps – I’m very specific about the colours matching whatever shoes I’m wearing to tie the outfit together. So they tend to be very random. I don’t mind about the brand so much as the shade of it.
© @rosieviva
© @rosievivaA Chic Sunday Stroll:
A chic Sunday stroll this summer has been my Paloma Wool trousers and a tank top with a long trench coat and trainers. I love everything being tight underneath but the feeling of a long jacket on top with sunglasses pulls it all together and makes me feel sophisticated. This photo was a few weeks ago going to see Paloma Wool’s team in East London at their pop up store.
An Outfit That Sparks Confidence:
I’d be lying if I didn’t say I feel most confident in my Adidas football shorts and an oversized T-shirt from my dry cleaners in Haggerston (The Steam Room). While dressing up and feeling smart helps my confidence, all my friends know how happy I have always been in shorts and a large T-shirt at any time of year. This outfit looks summery but with a big hoodie it’s exactly the same in January! This photo is just a day cleaning my flat and working from home.
© @rosievivaCan you describe your personal style in a few words?
Timeless, simple and sometimes androgynous.
What’s your go-to outfit for a busy day of work/events? How do you balance comfort and style?
I always wear a suit trouser with a simple white tank top, trainers, hoodie and large bag over one shoulder. I keep my outfit stylist but the comfort definitely comes from having everything I need on me in a Mary Poppins style weekend bag. I am always amazed by women who have a smaller one as I take my laptop with me to work everyday but also always have gym/running stuff as I try to fit this in daily to my routine to stay sane. Then I end up bringing books, extra jumpers and packed lunches! It’s definitely not something I have mastered yet.
© @dualipaWhat are your go-to brands?
COS, Calvin Klein, Reformation, Paloma Wool.
What outfit will always lift your spirits?
When I’m feeling sad I always wear clothes from the brand MAD Happy. I guess because I speak very openly about living with Bipolar Disorder, I originally found the slogans quite appropriate, but everything they sell is also very colourful and comfortable. I have a MAD x GAP Collab hoodie as well as some white tracksuit bottoms, on a day I’m not feeling great I will sometimes wear both together and, although I feel a bit ridiculous, it is like leaving the house in pyjamas.
Do you have any fashion icons or inspirations that influence your style choices? How do they inspire you?
When I was modelling, I had a year working for Phoebe Philo at Celine. I think I was inspired both by the fashion shows, as well as her day to day relaxed outfits around the atelier. An oversized white T-shirt with suit trousers and trainers is definitely a day to day outfit born out of my time working alongside her.
© @rosievivaWhat are your must-have accessories and how do you use them to elevate your look?
In lockdown, I started a jewellery brand called Covert Jewellery. I made handmade space themed signet rings, which I still wear everyday. I started this as I wanted fun jewellery to wear which didn’t look cheap. I now don’t take them off and they all feel a part of who I am, even after the business has stopped.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest fashion trends and do you incorporate them into your wardrobe?
Fashion has been a part of my life since the age of fifteen when I started modelling. I find inspiration in so many different places, but mainly on the Instagrams of brands rather than on the runway. I feel as though you get a sense of the trends better from photographers rather than on the catwalk, when you see them placed in actual environments or on models who embody the aesthetic. There is so much online but I only really follow the brands I am obsessed with rather than hundreds.
© @rosievivaCan you share some of your styling tips for mixing and matching pieces?
Because I wear boyfriend Calvin Klein jeans and white tanks all year around, I always think it’s nice to invest in different hair accessories and sweat bands to keep your look feeling fresh. & Other Stories is great for this – the clips for example can lift a look and help you go from day to night with the right makeup.
What’s your strategy for creating memorable looks for evening parties?
A memorable look for me is always doing my hair and makeup differently rather than buying a new outfit. I love to use hair gel to slick my hair back and a different shade of lipstick. Feeling dressed up doesn’t have to come from spending a lot of money, but rather the process of getting ready and excited to party with your friends.
Rosie Viva’s new book ‘Completely Normal and Totally Fine: My Life with Bipolar Disorder’ is available to buy here.