What Lies Beneath.... Anna Trevelyan

If fashion is a language, Anna Trevelyan is one of its boldest, most fearless poets. Known for her  vibrant kaleidoscopic vision, hyper-styled fantasy worlds, and an unapologetic embrace of maximalism, Anna doesn’t just style clothes. She styles feelings, identities, and cultural moments. From shaping looks for icons like Rihanna and Lady Gaga to championing emerging designers at MACHINE-A, she moves effortlessly between high concept editorial and the deeply personal.

But behind  it is a woman whose creative instincts are driven by a core unknown and in this conversation, we go beneath the surface to explore the experiences, and internal dialogues that have shaped Anna’s vision.

This is What Lies Beneath with Anna Trevelyan.

TSB - Congratulations on your huge achievement of being promoted to Senior fashion Editor at V magazine.How have you managed being a relatively new mum alongside your busy work career.

Anna -  ⁠In a logistics way it’s very natural as my life/job is so chaotic anyway so motherhood is an added chaotic element to what is already chaos. I am used to not sleeping and nothing being guaranteed and everything being in flux so it’s kind of usual for me. Baby has definitely come to set quite a few times now! However emotional motherhood is such a HUGE responsibility and also joy! So it’s definitely been a challenge figuring everything out and balancing everything. I’d say I definitely took my time, didn’t rush myself to do things too much, and also I definitely was not ready to be back at work a few weeks later like I feel the US system expects you to be. So I am very grateful to be freelance and make my own decisions about this and get to spend as much time as possible with my boy whilst also choosing the work I love and enjoy. 

TSB - You’ve often described your style as maximalist and unapologetically bold. How did your early life influence this creative identity?

Anna -  ⁠I have no idea honestly. I don’t know where it came from. I wasn’t around fashion at all as a kid. I knew nothing about its existence.  On a personal level I think it’s just natural intuition that’s how I feel comfortable. It's more an expression of my personality rather than an approach to style I guess. On a creative level I’m just inspired by unusual looks. I love the more extreme visuals expressions of style and design it piques my interest more

TSB - As someone who dresses others, what have been some defining moments in your own life where fashion helped you reclaim or redefine your identity?

Anna - I think once I was so lucky to get the opportunity to wear this pink Valentino gown, with pink tights and pink platforms to match my pink hair and I truly felt like a princess. I felt so special in that moment, in that dress embracing my style and what I love that it brought me so much joy and I’ll never forget.  ⁠I also feel that motherhood has definitely shifted my identity and my style is undoubtedly shifting with that. I am in the process of figuring out that new identity and style and what that looks like. It’s definitely a process but style can really help you find your voice and feel confident

TSB - You’ve styled some of the most iconic women in pop culture. How do you approach helping someone feel powerful, beautiful, and themselves through clothes?

Anna -  I feel honoured to be part of the creative journey of some of the most inspiring women in pop culture. I just approach it by finding what they love, how they feel good, what they want to express and bring an extra level of fantasy to it. It’s really about finding the story they want to tell. 

TSB - When do you feel most yourself? Behind the scenes creating, in front of the camera expressing, or somewhere in between?

Anna -  ⁠Definitely behind the scenes creating. When you can really just lock in and let it flow, that's my favourite space to be in. It doesn’t happen as often as you would imagine but when I get into fittings and creating looks I feel so happy and love making ideas with my amazing collaborators and team mates.

TSB - Your hair is a huge part of your identity and colour has played the biggest part in this. When did the love of changing your hair colour come into play and do your colours represent a mood or feeling at that time?

Anna -  ⁠Yes since I was about 16 I have been changing my hair colour constantly. I tried it first in the y2k time with those hair mascaras haha. But since then I’ve been every single colour except anything natural :).. I think it represents a mood , red when I want to feel strong and confident, rainbow when I’m feeling creative and free, and pink is where I’ve settled. I think I’m just going to stay pink now. I don’t have time for all the switching back and forth haha. I feel myself in pink, I’m happy here now. 

TSB - In your opinion, what does “beauty” mean today and how has your personal definition of it changed over the years?

Anna - Beauty is hard to define what it means as it’s different for everyone and across so many spaces. I don’t think my personal definition of beauty has changed, beauty to me is everywhere you want it to be. 

TSB - Moving from London must have been a huge change, how did you find the transition, and do you call the US home now?

Anna - Yes I’ve been here 10 years but London will always be my home. That’s where I feel most at home. There’s nowhere in the world like London. London nurtures creativity and new ideas. The transition was easy really. New York is not so different. It’s just the small things like different words, or I miss UK things like Nando’s and Tesco haha, I miss the music, the culture and the humour, but the US has things I love too. I feel like a global citizen and very grateful for it!