Chelsea Leyland

Early life

Leyland was born in London, England and attended the Bedales Boarding School. She moved to New York City, New York after graduating high school to pursue an acting career. She studied method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute prior to becoming a DJ and became interested in deejaying after recommending a DJ friend for various fashion events.

Deejay

Leyland’s deejay debut was at Valentino’s 2010 Fashion Night Out Celebrity Poker Tournament. She has earned the moniker “fashion’s DJ” from her work in the fashion industry. Leyland has also been showcased in MTV and Unilever’s Dove brand’s women DJ campaign. She has been recognized for her eclectic DJ style, with her selections including hip-hop, rock, reggae, electro, house, metal and other genres including music from the 1950s and 60s.

Musical collaborations

Leyland opened for Duran Duran at Paper magazine’s 2011 Beautiful People event. She also opened for Diplo and Santigold during her work for fashion designer Cole Haan. She has worked with Nicki Minaj and deejayed alongside Harry Styles of One Direction during London Fashion Week in 2013.

Fashion events

Leyland deejayed at the Stylecaster NYFW Celebration and for the opening of a new Burberry store at Bloomingdales in New York City, New York in 2011. She has also deejayed for Cole Haan in New York City, New York. She deejayed at Valentino’s Fashion Night Out and his Benefit for the Lincoln Center Institute for the Arts.

Leyland deejayed for Armani during Aramani’s 2013 Travel Style showcase and Milan Fashion Week 2013. She also deejayed for designer Naeem Khan on three separate occasions. Other notable designers she deejayed for include Fendi, Missoni, Chanel, Vogue, Christian Louboutin, Prabal Gurung and Diane von Furstenberg.

Future projects

In 2011, Leyland told Style.com that she was working on a documentary with MTV that would highlight three female DJs -- DJ Diamond Kuts, DJ Jessica Who, and herself. The documentary would focus on the different styles the three DJs representing. Leyland also told Style.com that she hopes to start a lingerie line in the future, something that she has been passionate about since she was young.

Other notable events

Leyland deejayed for Ben Watt’s annual Shark Attack Sounds Fourth of July party in 2011 and 2013. She also deejayed for the 2011 Brazil Foundation Gala at the New York Public Library and for eBay and Jonathan Alder during the 2011 opening of The Inspiration Shop.

Leyland has deejayed for artists including Damien Hirst’s gallery opening at the Soho House in Berlin, Germany and for Kehinde Wiley’s Art Basel show in Miami, Florida. She has also deejayed at the Whitney and Guggenheim museums and for curator Vito Schnabel.

International events

Leyland deejayed in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2013 for the opening of an exhibit at the Holon Design Museum. She also deejayed at the 2013 amfAR Gala in Sao Paulo, Brazil and in Marrakech, Morocco for social networking site ASmallWorld. She has deejayed in Milan, Italy and Berlin, Germany twice.

Fashion and style

Leyland has been profiled and interviewed by numerous publications on fashion and style:

Recognition

Modeling

Leyland was the face of Cole Haan’s 2012 fall promotional campaign. She is professionally represented in the United States by IMG and Premier Models in the United Kingdom.

Leyland has also appeared in the independent films Charmed and The Best Man. She starred in a fashion short film by StyleCaster entitled Snow Blind .

She is a contributor to AHotelLife.com, a travel and hotel review site.

Philanthropy

Leyland participated in the 2012 Charity Meets Fashion charity fashion show. She was an honorary chair for the 2012 Charity Ball Benefiting Charity: Water and has worked with ACRIA, a HIV/AIDS charity. Leyland deejayed for the Free Arts NYC charity art auction on multiple occasions. She also deejayed for The Museum of Art and Design’s Young Patrons Gala.

Personal life

Leyland’s father owned London-based restaurant Foxtrot Oscar prior to its sale to chef Gordon Ramsay and managed the London Playboy Club during the 1970s. Her sister is epileptic and autistic.