Fashion stylist’s are not the enigmatic creatures they used to be. Social media has created the era of the celebrity stylist, yet there are still some who’s work comes first. Aurelia Donaldson is the Deputy Style Editor at The Telegraph Magazine, a self-confessed tomboy and an insider to look out for. Trinity Ellis photographs Donaldson in Notting Hill where she lives.

Was a career in fashion always on the cards for you?
My father is a photographer, one grandfather an artist and the other an art deco dealer, with the rest of my family also in creative industries so I grew up surrounded by a very creative family and knew from an early age that I didnt want a 9-5 job.

As a stylist, what do you like to use as references?
I use everything as a reference- movies, art, books, things I see everyday and people I am around.

You’ve created fashion films for The Telegraph and NOWNESS in the past, are you working on any at the moment?
I am working on a short film for a British brand at the moment and am in talks to do another series of films for the Telegraph Fashion site. In the past I have co-directed a short for Markus Lupfer, styled films for Louis Vuitton, and have worked on films for NOWNESS with Zebra Katz, Alice Dellal and Lily Donaldson.

How would you describe your personal style? Does this reflect your work?
My personal style is pretty relaxed, I’m a tomboy. My uniform is normally black jeans and cashmere jumpers- I often end up wearing black, navy and grey but shoes is a weak spot. Girly shoes, ugly shoes, sexy shoes. I’m sure my personal style reflects somewhere in my work- I always like a little bit of androgyny.

What photographers and stylists do you like to collaborate with? 
I shot a story in November with Perry Ogden (which is coming out in March) in the west of Ireland. I have always loved his photographs and I had this story in my mind for so long and he just got it straight away. Jeff Hahn is another photographer I like working with, his shoots always leave me excited to see the images. For me if I book a photographer, model, hairstylist, makeup artist etc its because I love their work so I want their opinion and the same for the rest of the team- it has to be a real collaboration to make it work.

Tags: Aurelia Donaldson, Trinity Ellis