Welcome to The Stylish Stuff, my personal editorial space. I’ve created this website as a home to my portfolio – a body of work that spans my many years in the magazine industry and also as a showcase for editorial content that I love and feel is important or noteworthy to likeminded souls. I’m not a blogger nor an influencer, I’m simply a seasoned fashion & style director with over 30 years of knowledge and experience in the world of fashion and magazines. I’ve recently left the post of fashion director for the Mail on Sunday’s YOU magazine and previously I spent 15 years as the fashion & style director at Cosmopolitan UK.  I’ve also headed up departments at Company magazine (sadly no more, but once the younger sister to Cosmo), Marie Claire Health & Beauty, Clothes Show Magazine and my first stint at YOU magazine in the mid 90’s. I’m now freelance art directing and concentrating on creating a cleaner, greener and kinder space here on The Stylish Stuff inspired by my @thegreenerooms space over on Instagram.

I’ve worked with many of the major players on the high street, art directing and styling look books, window and advertising images; collaborated with Miss Selfridge to create a 25-piece collection for the festival season: ‘Inspired by Shelly Vella’ and designed a capsule collection of bohemian vegan bags for British brand Labanté.

I’ve travelled the world, worked with supermodels (yep, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell included) and joined forces with some amazingly talented people. The Stylish Stuff is the perfect way to check out just how I’ve honed my visual skills and of course, for an update on what’s floating my fashion, beauty and interior boats. With an ethical bias and cruelty free commitment, posts will be flagged up via social media – you can click through here to my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook feeds for snacky updates and views into my world. Warning, there will be horses and other animals…

Thanks for getting on board,

Shelly Vella

Proud winner of the PETA Influencer Award 2015

Testimonials:

Sam Baker, CEO / Editor-in-Chief, The Pool

“It’s no small achievement to blend artistry with commerciality, but Shelly Vella has made that balancing act her trademark over decades as fashion director on supplements, glossies and for brands. Whether shooting high end or high street, no matter how tight the budget, she never fails to create looks that inspire the reader to shop without making them feel out of reach.”

Natalie Amosu, Group PR and Brand Communications Director, Arcadia LTD.

“Respect is a wonderful thing, Shelly commands this tenfold, her passion, insight, support of the industry and amazing eye for talent and attention to detail  ensures she shines out from the crowd , quite simply her experience makes her best in class, and her vision keeps her energy fizzing her world and those around her into the future. 

With new media emerging and evolving daily, it can easily become a challenge to stand out, you need to know whats now, but also what is involved to get there. Shelly can literally take a trend and translate it relevant to the audience she is talking to. Attention to detail is where Shelly excels, its second nature to her. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Shelly on several scalable projects, frequently the end result has been used on a far broader remit than initially planned due to the results being just….wow.

Shelly is a team player, talent nurturer and an utterly brilliant brand ambassador for the fashion industry. Today’s stars of tomorrow could do a lot worse than take note. In fact as I write this I am making note, must work with her more!”

Louise Court, Director of Editorial Strategy and Content – Hearst UK

Shelly thinks lives, breathes, and talks in visuals. Her driving force is to create beautiful imagery and to tell stories through them. She is passionate, hard working and totally committed. She has a unique sense of style that works across editorial and commercial work and understands how to execute a vision on all budgets, locations and across different brands.

Holly Corbett, Director of Photography & Style, BA Reps NYC

“When British Cosmopolitan made Shelly Vella their Fashion & Style Director they knew they were getting great taste, but what they got was a whole lot more. She did what no fashion editor before her could do: she took the best of the British High Street and mixed it with the timeless luxury of designer brands. She turned the magazine into a fashion magazine that everyone wanted to work for.  Her eye is unparalleled and comes with a creative mind that inspires those around her, encouraging growth, shepherding artistry, and leaving a unique stamp wherever she goes. I’m proud to call her a client.”