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"facebook dialogPinterest\n\n Which is why, like my mother, I am determined to give British singing sensation VV Brown the full Valentine's Day experience. Listening to her rollicking debut album, Travelling Like the Light (dropping in the U.S. on January 26), I became enamored by her retro yet edgy sound and style. So it's only fitting to spoil the London import Manhattan-style with a fun-filled day of rich sweets and decadent fashion.\n\n I meet VV, statuesque and festively clad in a shiny red leather Chris Benz frock. We set out, navigating the cobblestoned streets of Soho to Lulu Frost's sun-drenched jewelry showroom for a little private perusing with the company's designer and founder, my friend Lisa Salzer. \"This is all so me,\" the chanteuse says, gazing at the endless rows of one-of-a-kind bling. \"I love that each piece is unique and has old and new elements. I'm spontaneous and like mixing vintage with modern.\"\n\n Like a kid in a candy store, VV proudly chooses a pair of vintage emerald green earrings. Next, we are on our way to--where else?--an actual candy store. But first, what true performer doesn't love a good costume change? (In her \"Game Over\" video, she sports roughly eighteen different ensembles.) So, in honor of such flamboyant outfit-changing singers as Diana Ross and Grace Jones (VV's personal style icon), I whisk VV westward to the Philosophy Di Alberta Ferretti store, whose lovable spring collection is full of quirky, fun lip-print frocks that are more than appropriate for our special date.\n\n Proudly donning her playful new garb, VV and I saunter arm in arm to Mariebelle for a cup of English tea, hand-painted truffles, giant meringues, and, most important, a little t&amp;amp;#xC3;&amp;amp;#xAA;te-&amp;amp;#xC3; -t&amp;amp;#xC3;&amp;amp;#xAA;te. I learn that she got her nickname as a kid doing freestyle hip-hop on the playground, sang backup for Madonna, and is currently obsessed with the Swedish band Little Dragon and the U.K. designer Ashish Gupta.\n\n Back on the streets, I inquire about the singer's very personal new album. \"Not to say that sunny days like today aren't inspiring, but it's so much easier to write about falling out of love, because you are more vulnerable and aware of your circumstances,\" she explains. \"So your lyrics and melodies translate in a more honest way.\"\n\n After working up more of an appetite from window shopping, we spot the beloved Van Leeuwen Artisan ice cream truck and can't resist. \"Where were you when I was little? I never even got any valentines, let alone sweet treats,\" she says, strawberry cone in hand. \"I would make tons of cards for myself and open them, acting surprised.\" Something tells me that her mailbox will be full of everything but self-made cards this year."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.teenvogue.com/story/vv-brown>