When talking to fellow creatives, we often wonder: HOW DO THEY DO IT? To prevent Instagram stalking or doom-scrolling to figure out their secret sauces and success stories, we prefer to ask them face-to-face. Today, an unfiltered conversation with TRICJA COTTERRILL, CREATIVE FASHION DIRECTOR and BRAND CONSULTANT. Cover image: Simone Frank for AAIKO.
Everyone knows a person like Tricja Cotterrill when they meet one: endless energy, a positive attitude, and a willingness to embrace life’s possibilities. With Vogue Living, Harper’s Bazaar, JANE by the Grey Attic, Kelly Wearstler, and Bastiaan Woudt, Cotterrill is the textbook example of not needing formal training to complete the work.
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IN CONVERSATION WITH TRICJA COTTERRILL
“I’ve always had an eye for aesthetics and clothes. I trimmed the hair of my Barbie dolls and designed my clothes. Without even realizing it, creating mood boards has been a common theme. At age 21, I had my first apartment in Amsterdam, and the wall in my living room was covered with pictures I’d torn out of magazines. It was the biggest mood board I’ve ever made.”
“AT THE AGE OF 21, I HAD MY FIRST APARTMENT IN AMSTERDAM, AND THE WALL IN MY LIVING ROOM WAS COVERED WITH PICTURES I’D TORN OUT OF MAGAZINES.”
Tricja Cotterrill
Since a young age, Cotterrill could endlessly stare at shopping windows of big fashion houses or shopping malls. When a teacher told her it would be impossible to make a living when working in fashion, she decided to become a hairdresser. However, the fashion industry kept ogling. After two years of working as a professional hairdresser, she opened a fashion boutique in 2007 with her sister. “My sister and I opened this boutique with Scandinavian fashion brands in Amsterdam, selling brands like Gestuz, J. Lindeberg, and Baum und Pferdgarten. Nowadays, people describe my style as Scandinavian, so I guess it influenced me.” When the sisters started working together, it became apparent Cotterrill was best at decorating the space, styling the mannequins, and developing attractive shopping windows.
ON BUSINESS INSTINCT AND DISCIPLINE
It was 2010 when she met two fashion stylists for whom she interned for almost a year. “They taught me how to do the job in general and opened my eyes to the possibilities within the industry. I created many free work projects to expand my portfolio and network within the year. I’ve never studied fashion or styling, but I let my clear vision and eye for aesthetics guide my decisions. Hence, I’ve always had a drive to figure things out by myself.”
Her confidence has helped her figure out her path ever since. “My down-to-earth mindset helps, too. My dad taught me to work hard, while my mother did everything for me.” Her dad owned a riding school, and Cotterrill rode horses every day of the week. “It helped you find the discipline to chase after things you want. I don’t give up easily.”
“I’VE ALWAYS HAD A DRIVE TO FIGURE THINGS OUT BY MYSELF.”
Tricja Cotterrill
Discipline may be one thing, but sticking to her healthy habits helps, too. “I love sleeping; I usually make eight to nine hours a night.” After waking up early, she grabs a coffee and hits the gym. “Having a similar routine every morning is important to me. It makes me energetic throughout the day. I’m sure my habits have a positive impact on it.” With working across the globe – from Los Angeles (Cotterrill shot Kelly Wearstler for Harper’s Bazaar recently) to Northern France and frequent fashion week visits – these rituals are necessary.
On set, Cotterrill would describe herself as passionate, driven, high-paced, and direct in communicating with others. Currently, she combines editorial and commercial work. “Brands mostly hire me as fashion and art director to create campaigns and lookbooks. Besides the commercial work, I develop editorials for magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue Living, and Jane By The Grey Attic and collaborate for shoots with names like Kelly Wearstler and Bastiaan Woudt.”
STRONG AESTHETIC
“I would describe my aesthetic as minimalistic, clean, and feminine with an edge. Less is more! The silhouettes and fits I choose should always evoke a sense of relaxedness, and I prefer to work with rich materials.” Her work spans from concept development to art direction and styling. “My projects always start with a mood board. From there on, I looked for the right team and the perfect location that matched the idea I had in mind. It’s essential to have the right ingredients so that the result is exactly as the mood board showed.”
LEARNED IT THE HARD WAY
As a self-employed creative, she’s learned a lot about herself. “At the beginning of my career, I had a couple of incidents with clients that made me feel very insecure. They weren’t happy with the results of the shoot. Back then, I took those comments quite personally. I found it hard to hear that someone wasn’t happy with my work or their expectations weren’t met. Nowadays, I’ve learned that these things often occur because of miscommunication or when you doubt your capabilities. I now understand that you won’t match well with everyone. That’s perfectly fine as long as you should keep believing in yourself.”
“I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WON’T MATCH WELL WITH EVERYONE. AND THAT’S PERFECTLY FINE.”
Tricja Cotterrill
Her recent trip to Los Angeles to shoot Kelly Wearstler for Harper’s Bazaar felt like a cherry on the cake. “The best part of my work is that my days are never the same, challenging but always fun. I often work with friends on set, which makes my job not even feel like work!” Cotterrill is always alerted to discovering local, hidden gems when traveling for work. “On a work trip to Turkey, our photographer met a local. He took us up into the mountains in the middle of nowhere where an older couple lived, far away from the ‘real world.’ The woman cooked us an amazing lunch with fresh products from their garden.”
Going with the flow is also a red thread throughout her career. “Even though I’ve never been a great student, and my teacher told me I wouldn’t make a living in fashion, I still managed to come this far. You can accomplish anything with a strong work ethic, discipline, and self-belief.”
