Influential Voices: Stylist Gemma Hayward
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Time to read 4 min
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From imagining Oscar gowns using her mum’s dressing gown to fashion editor roles at The Independent and Grazia, Gemma Hayward has built a career bringing clothes and stories to life. Having worked with us on our autumn/winter campaign, we sat down with the stylist and art director to talk about her journey, the inspiration behind our shoot and what ease means in her own wardrobe. Along the way, she shares memorable fashion moments, her love of Madonna and the Albaray pieces on her wish list.
You were fashioning Oscar gowns out of your mum's dressing gown as a young child. Was there a specific moment you remember thinking; I want to work in fashion?
At senior school I adored textiles. I thrived in the environment, making and designing and then being part of the fashion show! When it came to choosing further education, my mum encouraged me to choose a pathway in something I enjoyed, so I diverted from a business marketing course to a fashion and textile one. My local college was fantastic, and I met a truly inspirational lecturer there who helped me decide to go into the promotional side of fashion. I think with his encouragement, I started to believe that I could make the dream a reality.
Can you tell us about your career journey and any standout moments?
I started doing work experience at the Sunday Mirror, on the magazine. I got thrown in at the deep end and had to learn very quickly how shoots and the production of a mag worked. I then went to the Independent newspaper and loved it instantly, and after a few months, I was offered the Fashion Assistant role. I should note that amongst all this work experience I was working as a domestic at a hospital, serving dinners, making endless teas and cleaning. It was unglamourous and extremely hard work, but very grounding.
I ended up staying at the Independent for 13 years and by then I had worked my way up the ranks to Fashion Editor. It was a truly special place to be part of and a standout moment for me there was when Elton John (I LOVE ELTON!) was editing the newspaper for charity, and he was sitting just a few desks away. I also got to travel the world for shoots and attend the fashion capitals to review catwalk shows. I’ve been lucky enough to see some iconic shows by Alexander McQueen and Chanel and Dior, to name a few.
Gemma Hayward
After the Independent I moved onto Grazia as their Senior Fashion Editor. There were many great moments there, but I think one of the biggest fashion moments was art directing a fashion special cover straight after a Givenchy show with a host of super models – Karen Elson, Joan Smalls, Guinevere, Maricarla and even a young Kendall, it was MAJOR!
What's currently catching your eye? Is there anything cultural right now (even outside of fashion), that's inspiring your style?
The world is a funny old place now, isn’t it? I have struggled to find joy and inspiration at times of late when World news all feels so bleak. But I recently visited the Baz Luhrmann exhibition at the Design Museum, and it was a reminder to for me to take more time out from in front of the screen and to be more present. It’s so easy to scroll and be bombarded with information that everything, and everyone, starts to look the same.
I get inspired most by walking, be that through the city, down by the beach or by a fishing lake. it’s when I do my thinking. I often see a beautiful spot and imagine the kind of shoot I would like to create there.
When you're working out the styling or art direction for a shoot, what shapes your process, and what did that look like for ours?
Firstly, I trawled through the A/W shows and highlighted trends and styling ideas which translated into the Albaray collection and that I felt could complement and elevate whilst staying true to the brand. Working closely with the founder Karen, I created mood boards for shoot ideas, which we scaled down to our favourite. We then we had meetings to decide our locations and models along with a couple of fun days of putting outfits together and trying out the styling ideas.
"Ease" means something different to everyone. After a career spent making other people look effortless, what does ease look like when you're the one getting dressed?
I find it so much easier dressing other people than myself! I want to feel comfortable, and I like to be myself rather than following trends and fads, so my wardrobe is now a small (ok, large), capsule collection. I have tried and tested favourite looks for meetings, prep days and shoot days and they all work on repeat.
You worked on the our AW campaign, tell us your thoughts on the collection.
I love it! It was a pleasure to put together because the pieces complimented each other so well. I was so impressed with the black tailoring and separates, like the spliced skirt and the silk tee’s which all have an air of The Row about them. The knitwear is particularly strong this season, with the V necks, long sleeve polo’s and fair isle patterns all on my wish list.
AW26 Collection
Blue Cosy Fair Isle Jumper
What is your favorite piece from the collection? and how would you personally style it?
There are too many to choose from! But if I have too… then it MUST be the wool blend zip jacket. It looks and feels so premium and it’s such a versatile piece. I would pop on over a grey merino jumper, barrel jeans and ballet pump to run an errand or over the top of a silk evening dress for an event. It’s extremely chic.
Wool Blend Zip Jacket
Do you have any style icons? People who inspire your approach to styling?
I think I first recognised ‘style’ in Madonna when I was a very young girl. The True-Blue era got me yearning to wear lace in my hair and as edging on the bottom of my leggings. I was obsessed with how she transformed her style . I think I still am.
Madonna True Blue Era
