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The 34-year-old professional dancer says she has saved thousands of pounds by only buying quality used clothes, which is known as upcycling.
Her thriftiness when it comes to her wardrobe will stand her in good stead for her new role as judge in CBBC’s sustainable fashion show Style it Out, presented by Emma Willis.
It sees young contestants compete in upcycling challenges, from creating red-carpet outfits through to smaller, more intricate customisation.
The winner gets the chance to show off their work at London Fashion Week.
Katya said: “People may not be aware but I’m a big advocate for sustainable fashion.
“Back in 2019 I took a pledge to not buy anything new for a year, but I actually went on for much longer.
“My shopping habits have changed completely – my whole lifestyle has changed. I am very much a second-hand shopper now.
“I love upcycling. I’ve always been into sewing, making dance costumes, which was the first step towards it.
“So this show was right up my street and what a brilliant way to get the young generation into it, because we are in a critical situation in terms of sustainability.”
The dancer admitted once being hooked on online shopping, but has since saved a lot of money by breaking her habit. She said: “It hooks you in and you don’t even notice. You just click the button and it turns up at your door the next morning.”
Now she says getting dressed in the morning is a different story. “It’s such a liberating feeling. It makes you look into your wardrobe and reuse what you’ve got.
“Since I’ve changed my habits, I realise how much pressure I felt that turning up in the same dress would be unacceptable. It’s an absolute nonsense.”
Revealing she admires the Princess of Wales for recycling her outfits, she explained: “Now every year on It Takes Two (a companion show to Strictly) I go back through my outfits and wear exactly the same things.”
She is also busy on the Strictly tour and says she is proud that the show that made her famous also follows her sustainable fashion principles.
“What you see and think is new on Strictly is probably a salsa dress which was made from a beautiful ballroom gown from two years ago.”
