Our Interview with KAREN KOSTER
Karen Koster graduated from Trinity College, Dublin in 2003 with a degree in English Literature and French. Aged 20, she got her first taste of TV when she featured in The Selection Box, the reality series, which followed auditions for the job of presenting the quiz show The Fame Game. Karen then decided that television was the industry she wanted to work in.
From Killiney, Co. Dublin, Karen joined TV3's Ireland AM in February 2004 and cut her teeth presenting the weather. She quickly ascended up the ranks and moved onto covering fashion, beauty and reporting on entertainment stories. Having worked on live television for 3 years, Karen is well adept at handling whatever and whoever is thrown at her at the last minute! Highlights of her time on Ireland AM include interviewing Helena Christensen, Martin Sheen and Bob Geldof.
TV3’s Xposé was launched in April 2007. Karen describes working on Xposé as an incredible opportunity to be part of something fresh and exciting and best of all, no more 5am starts!
Q: Karen, what was it about working in television that really got you hooked after your first stint in The Selection Box?
The buzz of behind the scenes! I was studying for an Arts degree at the time in Trinity and had never been exposed to cameras before. There's something about a camera crew that always draws a crowd. Even now if I'm out and about, and I see another camera crew on the street or wherever, I'm always like "Who are they? What are they shooting?"
I loved watching the whole production team in action. And with TV, you're always working as part of a team, so it creates great comraderie, and I've made brilliant friends from work.
Q: What has been your most memorable moment on Xpose?
Probably anchoring the show from LA. I was the first from the team to shoot in the entertainment capital of the world. And it was a very cool moment when I presented with the Hollywood sign in the hills behind me. Also I got recognised by an Irish family on Hollywood Boulevard and that was very surreal. But lovely!
Q: You always seem so effortlessly stylish and it was of course very fitting that you were announced as the HRI Fashion Ambassador earlier this year, how do you manage to maintain such style and grace when working such a busy schedule?
It's really hard! But you sound so spoilt saying that getting all glammed up is tough, but some days it can be. I tend to get my hair blowdried in work, but alot of the time, you're putting on your face in the car on the way to an interview.
I'm lucky in that a really cool LA label called Voom (see www.zuku.ie for stockists) lend me alot of dresses and tops for the show. So that takes some of the pressure off. I try to pick up pieces along the way whenever I can, I don't have time to mull over whether or not something really suits me...all the time I'm shopping I'm thinking...."sure that'll be lovely on camera, I'll wear it for work".
I can't remember the last time I bought tracksuit bottoms or a t-shirt, everything I buy has to be glam and suitable for Xpose!
Q: Some of the dresses and outfits you wear on the show are just out of this world. Do you and the girls get to keep many of the outfits courtesy of Xpose?
The distributor of Voom, Kate Scully Owens, is very generous, so she lets me keep the pieces that I am particularly fond of. Eva Longoria even noticed when I was wearing a Voom dress as she's a big fan of the label, and since then, I've seen pics of her wearing some of the dresses hanging in my wardrobe!
For evening wear, I've worn Ben de Lisi gowns a couple of times. Karolynn from Aria Boutique has a great eye, and she's picked me some gorgeous dresses from his collections. I was wearing a pink dress of his when I won "Most Stylish on the Night" at this year's VIP Style Awards. But again, the dress went straight back to his showroom after I'd worn it.
Q: How would you describe your personal style?
Fickle! I get sick of things quickly, so I tend to buy cheap, and buy often! Ok maybe not cheap, but always highstreet. I'm not someone who saves, and then invests in "investment pieces". I prefer to buy something at a reasonable price, so that I don't feel guilty sending it to the charity shop 6 months later.
I'm quite trend driven. So even though a month ago you wouldn't have seen me dead in tartan, now that I've seen pics of it on the catwalk, I'm all over it! I just bought a great tartan print woolen dress from Warehouse that I'm dying to wear. I think I might don it for one of the race days coming up.
Q: Is there any particular person in Ireland that you would consider to be a ‘seriously stylish’ person?
My Dad! He's always well turned out, and dresses so cool for a man of mature years! He's a bit flash, but he's got this big Dutch personality, so he can carry it off.
Q: What would be your all time favourite place to shop?
I couldn't choose! I told you, I'm fickle, so I change favourites all the time. But I always rotate between my old reliables, Warehouse, Oasis, Coast and Marks and Spencer.
Q: What item of make up or beauty product would you absolutely not leave the house without?
Mascara! I've quite long eyelashes but they're very fine, so they disappear if I don't have at least two coats on. I'm really into my makeup and although I love scrapping it off at the end of the day, I love trowling it on and trying different looks and products. My favourite mascara at the moment is Lancome's "Fatale". It's got a funny kind of brush, but it works wonders.
Q: If you could buy one thing today – regardless of cost- what would it be?
A fully furnished penthouse apartment! I'm still living at home, and I've been looking all summer, but I still haven't found anything I really like that suits my budget.
Q: What is your favourite thing to do when you are not entertaining us on Xpose?
Watching TV! Isn't that sad? If I'm not working on TV, I love watching it! Other than that, I adore eating out and do it at least once a week.
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