There is a certain “It Factor” expected from television hosts. They should capture your attention immediately, sometimes from just a short introduction. Lucy Norris has this quality in spades.
Currently a Lifestyle Expert and Contributor to multiple platforms including the FNL Network and WhatTheDoost, Norris has broken into the New York media industry without representation, connections or American television credits.
“I’ve never had a manager, and I’ve never had an exclusive agent,” Norris says. “I’ve had people tell me, ‘you don’t have a large enough following,’ or ‘you’re too British.’ That’s important for me to share because you can do this.”
Lucy Norris by photographer Raven Adams. Hair by Adi Nujeidat. Top by independent designer A.Lynn Designs, bag vintage from @Housingwork
Norris began her television career in London as a
host for a late night pop culture show. Every night from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m., she would produce segments that had been brought in by the audience. “It was the hardest entry level job I could have imagined,” recalls Norris.
From there, she was ready to jump into an acting career. She received a scholarship for Film and Television from the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and moved to New York City to start her training. Her focus on becoming an on-camera host spurred from her inability to master the American accent, she jokes.
“I thought – I’ll just be myself on camera,” explains Norris. “I’ve focused and dedicated my career to being a host and a correspondent.”
Norris readily acknowledges that the media industry is over saturated with talent. Her success, she says, comes from her specific self-branding and ability to identify what she’s creating and who she’s creating it for.
“When I moved to America, I realized to stand out I had to be very specific with what I was offering,” says Norris. “When I stepped away from acting, I knew I had to redefine who I was as a TV host.”
It wasn’t long until Norris was being asked to appear as an expert in fashion and lifestyle on-air. Before focusing on consumer trends, she shared her love of clothes and passion for styling on a budget with audiences on different networks and series.
Her interest in fashion and thrifting bloomed from necessity. As the child of a single mother, Norris grew up scouring second hand stores for clothes, something she was extremely self-conscious about growing up.
The only way I could do that was through my clothes. I became very savvy.”
As a host, Norris believes that it is imperative for people to understand the value of what they want. Whether it’s fashion or décor, it’s about expressing yourself and discovering the story. She also clarifies what it means to be an expert in the hosting world.
As a Consumer Trend Expert, Norris dives into macro trends through financial or social impact angles. Photographed by Raven Adams. Hair by Adi Nujeidat.
“The term expert, especially over the last three years, is sometimes overused,” she explains. “When I was starting out in the hosting industry, there was a trend where people didn’t want a host selling them something. They wanted someone who was an expert in their field and able to share, critique and review. I was only really able to become an expert when I started creating my own content that focused specifically on that. I went from an expert to consumer trends.”
Her interests in consumer trends inspired her to expand her research and production efforts to projects involving social impact and sustainability. Norris recently wrapped production for the pilot of a Docu-series on the Conscious Fashion Campaign featuring Kerry Bannigan. The series intends to follow how detrimental fashion, specifically fast fashion, is to the environment.
“Rather than just wanting to talk about the trends and what was happening on the runway, there was something inside me that wanted to speak to the consumer,” she explains. “Why this? I want to dive into the story behind the labels.”
WRITTEN BY
Isabelle Hahn