AN INTERVIEW
WITH
LEE TRIGG
J So, who are you and where are you from?
L I’m Lee Trigg and I’m from Nanaimo
J You’re from Nanaimo?
L Yeah on Vancouver Island, it’s really funny most people don’t even know there are islands in Canada
J Okay cool, so you started out at Garage and Tank ?
L Yeah, so first I started at Tank, in an internship position and then I moved to assisting the fashion editor with her freelance work. After that I started assisting at Garage Magazine, doing call ins and pulls, sorting returns, that kind of stuff. Those were the only two publications I ever officially worked at, but I learned so much
J So how did you get into that and what was it like?
L When I moved to London I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know a single person. I was actually a hair stylist before any of this, so when I got to London I decided to apply at a hair salon. Turns out a few of the people who worked there were session stylists for fashion and eventually one of them hooked me up with the fashion editor at Tank, it all kind of kicked off from there.
J What do you believe makes a good stylist?
L You’ve got to have good taste and a lot of energy. Also a very strong work ethic. I didn’t have any money when I got to London and still don’t really haha. I’ve been styling for almost 10 years and I’m still grinding but I love it.
J What are your favorite designers or go to designers you want to pull from?
L Well in London it's amazing because there’s just so many talented designers to choose from, young and established but it really depends on the project, one brand or designer won’t always work for every shoot
J How about your personally your favorite designers, either certain ones you appreciate or that you like wearing?
L Almost everything I wear is from a thrift store. Obviously I use a lot of runway looks in my work, but I think what makes editorial work fun is mixing in new designers. Like I love designers like Maxine Beiny and a lot of the graduate collections from 1 Granary. I also really appreciate designers who are committing to sustainability like Bethany Williams or Patrick McDowell.
​
J Do you ever do personal projects for yourself?
L Yes! Yes. Some of my favorite shoots were personal projects
J How do you go about selecting a team for that?
Usually it’s with a photographer I really get on with and appreciate their work. And also if someone I find really interesting as a model is available and I’ll plan a team around them. After that, I integrate the clothes I have on hand at the time, or get in touch with designers that may want to loan/get involved
​
And you never know what will happen with them after, a few of my projects have wound up on really big platforms, like a shoot i did in my studio with Coucou Chloe for fun ended up on Vogue, that was fab.
J That’s crazy!
L Yeah that was a nice surprise.
J Do certain magazines have accompanying connotations in their editorials?
L Totally. I think that’s why a lot of people are focusing on personal projects now and just getting their vision out there through something like instagram or just for their portfolio instead of being tied to a certain publication and any restrictions that come with that.
J Who are some of your favourite creatives to work with in London?
L I love music and have been working with musicians for quite a few years now, it’s something I really enjoy. This year I’ve worked with some more independent artists like Coucou Chloe and Shygirl, where we are able to be really free and experiment a lot more than with commercial artists
J Cool. What do you find is the most challenging part of your job?
L Umm omg highs and lows. I've experienced the craziest wave in the last couple years of so many incredible highs to where I’m like blissfully crying of happiness like yes life I love you to currently where I’m at my mom’s house with no money like shit what am I going to do next?
And that’s been the way since I’ve lived in London I just keep going and going, not knowing what’s ahead of me. That’s something I will always be trying to get used to because it’s never comfortable, I've never felt really secure but it’s ok
J I feel like that’s with any creative job who knows what’s going to happen. It’s very alarming but kind of fun that way.
L Yeah definitely. I kind of realized, this trip home especially, that I prefer to be in the unknown than clearly seeing what my future is going to be like (work wise at least). That always seemed like a comforting thought when I'm struggling but now i know i prefer to be in London, being open and available for opportunities that can surprise me
K Could you tell us about one of your most recent highs? Or the most memorable one?
L I I uhh, let me think. Well I was in London for about 4 years struggling, working at night and having to be on set assisting at 8am, go back to my night job until 3am and then do it all over again. I remember feeling – I got to this point where I just couldn't do it anymore. So i put it out there like if something doesn’t happen in the next month then I’m out.
​
And that was my decision you know, I can’t go on like this I just need something to happen. Couple of weeks later I got approached to style this big band. It happened so quickly - literally 2 weeks after i put this thought out and i got a job that took me around the world, made me financially secure and I was free.
​
I remember getting back to London on break from tour and I was on the top level of this bus bawling my eyes out because i was so happy. I called my mom wailing because I didn’t know what to do with myself, never cried of happiness before. i'll never forget that feeling. That was definitely the most memorable and I think that is what I’m always aiming for now
Another high was shortly after the band I moved onto a female artist, she and I had the strongest connection. We were on the exact same level energy wise, vision wise, it was so gratifying. With every high point that I have, it’s a different feeling that I never thought i’d get to experience. it's exciting
All that being said i don’t think i would appreciate these moments so much if i didn't go through all my lows. I think everyone needs to be more honest about going through low points. So many people especially with Instagram look so successful but could be struggling in a real way. I've had people say to me 'you're doing so well' when really i'm technically homeless and eating pasta with butter everyday. I'll work at night, I'll still assist, I'll do anything really as long as I can sustain what I enjoy doing and I don't think there's any shame in that.
J How do you stay grounded through all this?
L Coming home to the island, it’s the only place where I can completely shut off. If I can’t be home then it’s just my mom. She’s everything to me, we whatsapp everyday.
J So where does your personal style come from?
L Comfort.
J Being in thrift stores?
L Yeah maybe haha. I just like having something that nobody else has. I like finding pieces that I know nobody else is going to be wearing especially for $2 from a thrift shop
J What are your favourite Instagram accounts. Of course, none of them have to be fashion related but like what Instagram’s should everyone follow?
L @moremodelsofcolor @diet_prada @peoplefile @marksrosie @celebface
J Any last thoughts, or advice?
L For anyone reading this to just stay positive and confident. Really be as authentic as possible and no worrying about what anyone else is up to and just doing your thing. That’s what I’m trying to do
Follow Lee Trigg on Instagram
Edited By: Aaron Gray
Interview: Jenny Choi & Kai De Torres - Hironobu
Styling: Lee Trigg
Photographer: Kai De Torres - Hironobu
Recommended For You
