Delivering a unique style that balances the fine art photography of Ryan McGinley with prevalent ‘street style’ work of Yvan Rodic, Manhattan born Valerie Phillips is a rising star with attitude, raw style and a healthy portfolio stacked with work for the likes of Nylon, Elle and Vice. Her new book, Amber Is For Caution, centres on her fascination with Amber, a former model….. “I met Amber when she was 15. She came to my studio for a casting. She was quiet and feisty at the same time, and kind of bratty and fascinating. I loved her slow-paced, drawn out Kentucky sentences, so perfectly out of place in East London. And I really liked how she didn’t seem to give a shit. She was just Amber and that was good enough……” Vacant, fucked up, and elegantly wasted, Amber is captivating throughout, and with an accompanying exhibition – showing at Lazarides, Greek Street from 8th April and Paul Smith in Tokyo from May 2010 – Phillips’ challenging work looks set to receive many more, well deserved, plaudits for some time to come…..