The Job Files: Nichhia Wippell, Stylist and Fashion Editor
“Remember when you dreamed about being where you are now.”
I met Nichhia Wippell at a Christmas party in December, where we chatted over champagne and Pavlova. As conversation flowed, Nichhia revealed that, in addition to being a highly sought-after freelance Fashion Stylist, she is also the Fashion Editor of the effortlessly cool biannual publication Side-Note—a fact that she mentioned rather nonchalantly (a true testament to her cool-girl persona). Nichhia is not that much older than me, and I left our chat feeling inspired—she has a sense of determination and ambition that rubs off on you.
In this piece, Nichhia shares her journey from growing up on a cattle farm in central Queensland to making her mark in the world of fashion and celebrity styling…
Introduce yourself…
I’m Nichhia Wippell. I’m a Fashion Stylist based in Sydney.
Describe your current role…
I am the Fashion Editor at Side-Note and a freelance Fashion Stylist for various fashion brands and sometimes celebrities.
How would you describe the nature of your work in three words?
Exciting, Chaotic, Rewarding.
What does your typical 9 to 5 look like?
This is a really tricky question to answer because it really does change from day to day, depending on what I am working on. Right now, I am coming out of a very busy period where I have been balancing producing/shooting Volume 3 of Side-Note, as well as shooting lookbooks/campaigns for multiple brands ahead of the new season, in addition to a job with a celebrity client.
One day, I might be pre-styling for a lookbook shoot, where I spend the day in the client’s office trying on variations of looks that I have put together on a fit model to decide what we will shoot the following day. The next, I might be running around to different showrooms pulling looks for a Side-Note shoot whilst also producing the shoot I am preparing for… There are also many days where I am on set all day. Regardless of what I was doing, each day starts and ends with a lot of emails, updating decks and to-do lists.
What is the best part about your job?
I love collaborating with different creatives. I am lucky in my job in that I get to work with different teams every day; I love that part of the job.
What is the worst part about your job?
It can be hard to feel organised—jobs often confirm, change or cancel at the last minute, so you don’t always know what you have on the following week.
You could say that you were slightly removed from the fashion industry growing up in Queensland; what inspired you to pursue a job in fashion?
I truly don’t know what sparked my initial interest as I grew up on a cattle property in central Queensland, over an hour from the closest town, but I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love fashion. When I was a child, I loved watching movies and music videos (particularly Kylie Minogue, Brittney Spears and Shania Twain), and I had a wall behind my bed where I would pin cut outs from magazines, drawings of outfits I liked from TV, and posters of singers/actors whose style I loved. I remember being fascinated by the idea of living in the city and being a part of that world.
Later on, when I was at boarding school in Toowoomba, I studied textiles through to the end of year 12, and it was in my last year at school (and thanks to my textiles teacher) that I realised I really wanted to pursue a career in fashion. This was a very unusual choice where I was from, and there was no one with any experience that I could seek guidance or support from, so against all advice that I was given, I decided to move to Sydney when I graduated and find out for myself how to get a job at a magazine.
Did you study at University?
I did a short course in London just before I moved to Sydney where I began to study Fashion Design. When I left QLD, I discovered just how many different jobs existed within the fashion industry, and I dropped out when I got an internship at Harper’s Bazaar as I realised I wanted to be a Stylist.
What was your first professional job?
My first professional job was almost the opposite of what I do now—I worked at a Veterinarian clinic as a Vet Nurse assistant from 15-16. I was doing a VET traineeship in Vet Nursing. At this stage in my life I still loved fashion, but wanted to become a Vet.
My first job in the industry was as Nicole Warne’s assistant when she was travelling. It was the best job ever. I was so young, and everything was exciting. I got to see and do so many incredible things with her that I will be forever grateful for. We are still good friends all these years later.
You recently launched the publication Side-Note alongside Co-Founders Karla Clarke and Emma Kalfus; how did the idea for this come about?
Karla and Emma founded Side-Note online in 2017, and when they decided to start printing, my involvement happened quite organically as we had always worked together a lot. I had assisted them both for a long time when I was younger, so when they asked me to be the Fashion Editor it was a really exciting and proud moment for me.
Although the digital aspect was and still is incredibly important, it became clear that people craved something more lasting and print felt like a bigger and more genuine commitment to our industry. We wanted Side-Note to be relevant not only to “the moment” but also to contain content that the reader valued enough to hold onto each issue and look back on in the future.
What was the progression from your first job at Harper’s Bazaar to where you are now?
I was an intern at Bazaar for almost a year, and during that time, I started working as a freelance fashion assistant on the side as I gained more experience. I then got a job at ELLE as a Fashion Assistant and later started working across both Harper’s Bazaar and Elle. During COVID, our team was made redundant, so I began working as the assistant to a fantastic stylist who was usually based in London. I started to book more of my own jobs—for a little while, I was balancing being an assistant and also doing my own thing, but ultimately quit assisting to be a Stylist full time.
Since launching print last year, you have already featured two major cover stars in Troye Sivan and Sophie Wilde. When planning the bi-annual print issues, do you have a clear-cut idea of the talent you want to work with, or does it come about more organically?
A little bit of both—we have an ever-growing list of talent that we would love to work with, but with each issue, there are also people who naturally come up in conversation when planning. In addition to the cover story, we have a magazine section dedicated to talent called “The Conversation”, where we platform interesting people from different creative fields, all in different career stages. We really pride ourselves on heroing talent.
What has been your biggest career highlight or “pinch me” moment?
What I am most proud of is the cover of Volume 1 of Side-Note with Troye Sivan, which I styled. That one is very special to me for many reasons! Seeing it on the shelves in my favourite stores around Europe last year was definitely a pinch-me moment.
“Remember when you dreamed about being where you are now.”
Do you have any career regrets?
I don’t think so… Whatever regrets I may feel at times, there are so many more positive things to outweigh them. It is very easy to compare your work and achievements to those of others, but I try my best not to do that, to keep working hard, to be proud of my work, and to be content with where I am.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone trying to get into your field, what would it be?
Interning at a magazine is an incredible way to learn the basics. Ask questions, take notes, take everything in—everything is valuable information. I still use everything I learnt in my time as an intern on a daily basis. Then, assist Freelance Stylists as much as you can. It can be hard work and long days at times, but everything you learn and do as an assistant prepares you to become a Stylist one day. Being organised and showing initiative are simple yet invaluable skills to have!
Is there a quote you live by?
“Remember when you dreamed about being where you are now.” It is corny, I know, but it helps me be proud and reflect on what I have already done, as I often find myself focusing on the future and what I have yet to do.
What do you do to feel inspired?
Spending time in different countries and observing the fashion (both in stores and street style), architecture, and galleries inspires me. I also love people-watching in different cities—there is nothing more exciting than being surrounded by individuality and unique personal style.
In an ideal world, what do the next five years look like for you?
I would love to live and work in Europe for a while; this is something I have always wanted to do, but the timing has never quite worked out. I am also really excited to see, and be a part of, the growth and evolution of Side-Note. Maybe I can combine the two!
Quick Fire Questions
Your five dream dinner party guests…
Miuccia Prada, John Galliano, Chappell Roan, Ayo Edebiri, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Perhaps a random group—but they are 5 people I am obsessed with for different reasons so why not.
Favourite piece of clothing in your wardrobe…
A brown leather Miu Miu coat.
A beauty product you can’t live without…
My Rationale routine, I can’t pick one product!
The best compliment you have ever received…
When Karla said that I was perhaps her greatest achievement. Over the past 10 years she has been my first boss, my mentor, my colleague and most importantly my friend, so that obviously meant a great deal to me in many ways.
The top of your bucket list…
I am superstitious about goals, I do have something but I don’t want to jinx it. I will let you know if it gets ticked off or not!
What a great quote from Nicchia 💕 words to live by!