Josh van Sant has become known for his fashion-forward style (and luscious locks) on social media – particularly on TikTok, where he currently boasts over 117,000 followers.
Crediting his mother’s “impeccable style” as his inspiration, Josh reveals that the turning point in his own journey was when he ventured to university, “where I was surrounded by friends who were studying fashion”.
In partnership with Klarna, GAY TIMES sat down with Josh to discuss his personal style, why it’s important for him to “blend fashion with function” and the app’s incredible new search feature that “does all the hard work for you”.
Hi Josh! You’re known on social media for your sense of style (and your beautiful hair). Have you always been fashion-forward or did it evolve over time?
My mother has impeccable style so I’ve always had an interest in fashion through her. A turning point in my own style journey was university where I was surrounded by friends who were studying fashion. They taught me to be braver with my style choices and to experiment more.
Who are the people you take inspiration from and what do you love the most about them?
I take inspiration from the people I see on the streets when I’m travelling. I love to walk around a new city and observe the locals. You can learn a lot about a place by the way the people dress.
Do your hobbies or interests influence your style?
I’m quite an active person so I try to blend fashion with function – comfort is very important to me. Wearing something in which I feel restricted can put me in a bad mood!
What is your favourite purchase you’ve ever made?
Years ago I bought a pair of fluorescent green Gucci hightops from Fred Segal in Los Angeles for a New Years Eve party in Las Vegas. They were completely out of my budget and impractical but they were my first Gucci purchase and for a brief moment allowed me to live out my Cher Horowitz – Clueless – Cali girl – fantasy. I still have them to this day and have only worn them once.
As we head into Christmas, what products are you loving the most this festive season?
This year it is all about shopping smartly and considerately. I’m setting out a clear budget for gifts and focusing on buying things that bring warmth to the home like scented candles, coffee table books and quirky glassware. I may treat myself to a lavender coloured beanie from Jacquemus’ latest collection…
How would you describe your personal relationship with Klarna?
I first started using Klarna’s Pay in 30 days option for my online shopping. It allowed me to try on things in different sizes without having to fork out the money upfront and wait to be refunded for the items that didn’t fit. In the lead up to the holidays, I’m using the Klarna app much more frequently to search for products and find the best prices.
As a Klarna user, what’s your favourite feature on the app?
I love that I can track all my payments in one place and set a monthly budget. I can see what I’ve paid off, what is still remaining and how it relates to my overall monthly budget.
You’re the head of consumer comms at Klarna – what features are making Klarna a hit with shoppers?
Just ahead of the holidays we have launched a new search feature which helps you find the products you love for the best price by comparing thousands of different retailers. You can also filter your search by colours, features, product availability, shipping options, amongst other things. With other search engines you’re not sure if you’re actually getting the best price but when you search with Klarna, the results are unbiased. It also saves you the hassle of manually sifting through retailer pages yourself so Klarna really does the hard work for you!
And how have you personally seen Klarna progress during your time there?
The most exciting thing I’ve witnessed is Klarna’s growth from a payments provider to a fully integrated smooth shopping tool thanks to the Klarna app. You can use the app for inspiration, and when you’ve found something you like you can search for the best price and use Klarna’s payment options to checkout. You can even track your CO2 emissions to help you make more sustainable shopping choices.
For those who haven’t used Klarna or the app before, what advice would give them about searching for and saving products?
The search feature is so easy to use and is there to help find the best price. There’s also a nifty added element to it – Klarna will look to see if there is a discount code available for that item and automatically apply it when you’re at the checkout. You can also save an item for later in your ‘collections’ in the app and you’ll receive a notification when the price of that item drops.
Shop Josh’s festive picks and the full GAY TIMES x Klarna collection here. With the Klarna app you can search, compare and shop like never before. Compare prices in the blink of an eye, get price drop notifications and coupons automatically applied at checkout to help you search for the best deals around.
Klarna’s Pay in 3/Pay in 30 days are unregulated credit agreements. Borrowing more than you can afford or paying late may negatively impact your financial status and ability to obtain credit. 18+, UK residents only. Subject to status. T&Cs apply.
