Camilla Nickerson: The Visionary Stylist Who Redefined Fashion
Camilla Nickerson has challenged and shaped the traditional modes of editorial styling, leaving an indelible mark on the fashion industry.
I met Camilla in 1998 while working at Italian Vogue. We had many conversations, and she was incredibly generous with her knowledge and so supportive. I wanted to feature her because I often think of the creatives who inspire with their vision, and she is exactly that.
A Career Built on Vision and Collaboration
Camilla's eye and skill have been invaluable to advertising campaigns and runway shows for brands including Alexander McQueen, Céline, Chloé, Marni, and Proenza Schouler, among others. Her impact was so profound that former Calvin Klein creative director Francisco Costa declared her his muse.
Throughout her career, she has collaborated with industry legends including Steven Meisel, Juergen Teller, Mario Sorrenti, and Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. Alongside new-wave photographers such as Tyler Mitchell, Jamie Hawkesworth, and Zoe Ghertner, Camilla continues to push boundaries and redefine what editorial styling can be.
Born in 1965 in England, Camilla's start in fashion was as serendipitous as it was precocious. "I was 14 or 15 and smoking a cigarette outside school when I was scouted by Edie Campbell's mother," she recalls of her chance meeting with Sophie Hicks, then a fashion editor at British Vogue. Days later, she was on a shoot dressed in the daring clothes of an unknown Japanese designer named Rei Kawakubo.
Modeling those groundbreaking Comme des Garçons outfits, Camilla discovered someone whose job it was to pull together the clothes, hair, makeup, and photography into one coherent story. "The fashion editor wasn't even credited in those days, but I knew immediately that it was what I wanted to do," she says.
Rising Through the Ranks
Camilla's career began in London at Tatler in 1982, where she took her first steps assisting stylist-turned-architect Sophie Hicks and esteemed fashion and art director Michael Roberts. She moved to British Vogue at 17 as a full-time fashion assistant, then to Harpers & Queen as junior fashion editor, assisting Hamish Bowles.
After freelancing as a stylist starting in 1988, she moved to New York in 1992 when Anna Wintour hired her as a fashion editor for American Vogue. She rose to senior fashion editor and now serves as contributing editor, a position she's held for over 20 years, with a stint at W magazine in between. It was in the more experimental context of i-D and The Face during the late 80s and early '90s that Camilla's signature style truly flourished.
Beyond the Page
Camilla's talents extend far beyond the printed page. She served as stylist on the music video for George Michael's "Freedom! '90" directed by David Fincher. In 1993, she appeared on the February cover of Vogue Italia in a photograph shot by Steven Meisel. She also co-edited a groundbreaking book titled Fashion: Photography of the Nineties with her then-husband, Neville Wakefield, tracing fashion's evolution from the glamorous '80s to the jarring, anti-fashion imagery of the '90s. Her personal style is as eclectic as her work—celebrated for seamlessly blending high fashion with streetwear and vintage pieces. Camilla doesn't follow trends; she sets them.
A Lasting Legacy
In the words of Anna Wintour, "If Camilla is seeing the sea, we're all likely to be taking in the ocean view before long."
Camilla Nickerson isn't just a stylist, she's a visionary who reshapes the fashion landscape. Her work challenges the status quo and defines new directions. In her world, fashion is a canvas for boundless creativity, a vessel for profound meaning, and a journey that never ceases to redefine the limits of style. Her influence doesn't just lie in the clothes—it's in the art of presentation, challenging traditional norms at every turn.
Cover photo Mario Sorrenti
