From Lupton to LA: Ellie Witt’s Fashion Journey
When Ellie Witt (Lupton, 2003–2008) arrived at Sedbergh School as part of the first cohorts of girls, she could hardly have imagined that she would one day style Hollywood stars, work with international brands and travel the world with six suitcases in tow, building a freelance fashion career along the way. Yet she believes the foundations of her life – confidence, close friendships and a willingness to embrace opportunity – were laid during those early years at School.
“It just felt normal”: Being in the first cohort of girls
Ellie was among the first girls to join Sedbergh following its move to co-education in 2001. Looking back, she remembers a close-knit group who integrated quickly.
“I never really felt like it was a boys’ school and we were just girls in it. It felt pretty equal in that respect, like a normal mixed school. We just were a bit outnumbered!”
If anything, being in the minority strengthened the bonds between the girls. “You’re all the same age, going through exactly the same things, going to exactly the same classes and sports matches, and you just make sisters. They’re like family.”
Those friendships have endured well beyond their schooldays. Today, Ellie and her Sedbergh friends are one another’s bridesmaids and godparents, supporting each other through life’s twists and turns.
“You may be different when you get older and travel your different paths, but there’s a deep bond there. They know you from when you were a child, and it’s really special.”
The confidence to do anything
For Ellie, Sedbergh was a nurturing environment that valued people as individuals, giving them the freedom to be themselves.
“You were free to be who you wanted to be. There wasn’t really any conformity. You were just who you were, and that was it. No judgement, which was pretty rare, I think.”
That freedom helped Ellie develop a confidence she would carry into her working life. “I feel pretty comfortable meeting new people and being myself. It doesn’t faze me going into a situation where I don’t know anyone. If I turn up to work and I’m on set with people I’ve never met before, it doesn’t bother me. I would definitely attribute that to my school experience.”
Ellie left School without a clear idea of what she wanted to do for a living, but with the confidence to believe she could do anything.
“I had the confidence that anything was possible. I really think that came from school. We never felt restricted or inhibited by anything, and I think that’s a real gift.”
That belief would prove valuable as she navigated an unconventional route into fashion, learning on the job and gradually building a career in a notoriously competitive industry.
From Liverpool lecture halls to a fashion epiphany
After leaving Sedbergh, Ellie travelled for a summer before heading to the University of Liverpool, where she studied a combined honours degree in philosophy, psychology and media studies, choosing subjects that interested her rather than following a fixed career plan.
Initially, she thought journalism was the answer, but internships at fashion magazines led to long days on features desks, writing about subjects that didn’t quite ignite her imagination.
Then, during a temporary position with The Telegraph’s magazine team, Ellie found herself helping with photo shoots and attending Fashion Week. One shoot changed everything.
“I went to a shoot one day with one of the editors and was her assistant on set. We were doing a photo shoot for their next issue with, I think it was Luke Evans, an actor, and I just fell in love with it.”
“I’ve never had any other moments like that in my life before, where I just thought: this is it. I love this, and this is what I want to do.”
Drawn to styling, Ellie landed a three-month internship at HUNGER Magazine, opening the door to a new world. Founded by British photographer Rankin in 2011, the quarterly fashion, culture and arts magazine is known for its bold visual style and celebration of emerging talent. For Ellie, it was an opportunity to learn in a creative environment at the heart of the fashion industry.
“That was really the pivotal moment in my whole career. Rankin took a real chance on me. I worked for the magazine on a freelance basis for 10 years, and I still contribute today. It was an amazing experience, and I learned so much. That was how I got into fashion and became a stylist.”
That short internship became a defining chapter in Ellie’s career. Looking back, she sees a connection with Sedbergh: the confidence to explore, try something new and see where it leads.
“I took every opportunity I could, and that internship, I never really thought anything would come of it. But I was there for three months, and after that, that was my way into the industry, and it changed my life. So you just never know what opportunity is going to do that, and I think that’s why I’ve always just said yes to every opportunity, because you just never know.”
The substance of styling
“Being a stylist is essentially dressing people,” Ellie explains. Her work spans advertising campaigns, brand shoots, celebrity portraits, red carpets, parties and award ceremonies.
But the work begins long before anyone steps in front of a camera. Stylists liaise with clients, creative teams and press representatives, develop mood boards, research ideas and agree on the look they want to create. They organise fittings, check sizes and manage last-minute changes before a shoot even begins.
For Ellie, one of the most rewarding aspects of the job is that it is as much about people as clothes. What someone wears can be deeply personal, and even those who appear confident may feel vulnerable when it comes to their image. Building trust is essential.
“People are very conscious about their clothing… It’s a real privilege to be able to dress people and to have them trust you to put them in something they may not have chosen themselves… you get to instil them with confidence.”
“You start to understand how people work and what their vibe is, and judging their energy.”
For Ellie, understanding people is central to the job. She has learnt not to make assumptions. Even someone who appears entirely comfortable in themselves can feel exposed when another person is making decisions about their appearance.
“It’s a very personal job. I go to people’s homes, meet their families, meet their teams who they work with. And, equally, with advertising clients, you work so closely with them for a long time. You establish relationships.”
Ellie is quick to dispel any suggestion that styling is all glamour.
“Most of our time is spent with suitcases – unpacking them, packing them, carrying them up and down flights of stairs, steaming non-stop, going to all the different stores to do returns, going to the post office with a car full of boxes.”
“It’s not an easy job, and physically it’s quite hard. You’re on your feet all day… lugging clothes and suitcases all over the place. But it’s worth it.”
“Seeing a front cover of a magazine that’s your image that you’ve styled… those moments are really special. I’ll walk past sometimes magazine shops, and there’ll be a front cover that I did, and it’ll be a real pinch-me moment.”
Ultimately, the reward lies in helping someone look and feel like the best version of themselves.
A career without borders
Over the years, Ellie’s work has taken her well beyond London. She has worked with brands including Nike, Adidas, Diet Coke, Four Seasons, Hilton, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Cartier and De Beers, alongside haircare and skincare brands.
International shoots have taken her to Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro, Costa Rica, Hawaii and Mexico. Ellie relished the adventure.
“I was flying around the world to dress people, and I just couldn’t believe that this was my life. Travelling with six suitcases across the world on your own definitely makes you very comfortable with international travel.”
There have been extraordinary moments along the way. One highlight was working with actress and cultural icon Pamela Anderson on a lingerie campaign.
“I was very excited to meet her, and she didn’t disappoint. She was just as fabulous as you can imagine… that was a big moment for me.”
Today, Ellie lives in Los Angeles, where she works as a freelance stylist represented by an agency. The move, prompted partly by the sunshine and the fact that her partner was already living there, also brought a shift in her work towards red carpets and celebrity styling.
“In London I was primarily doing campaigns and editorials. In LA it feels very much focused on celebrity… award season is huge… it’s been an adjustment.”
Freelancing has given Ellie the freedom to choose her projects and travel. It has also meant accepting uncertainty and taking responsibility for her own future. She is proud to have built a career independently, without the security of a conventional salaried role.
“I’m really proud that I did that from the very beginning and was able to make a career in something that is notoriously difficult.”
The shift away from print and towards digital media and social platforms has changed the fashion industry. Yet Ellie also recognises that social media has opened up new routes into fashion.
“You can be a fashion influencer, you can be a stylist, you can be a model, you can be all three… and you can literally start from your bedroom.”
25 Years of Girls at Sedbergh: ‘It takes a lot to faze us’
For Ellie, succeeding in fashion takes resilience and a willingness to put yourself out there.
“In an industry like fashion, you have to have a thick skin… you have to fail and you have to have noes. I was pretty headstrong and just kept going.”
Her advice to anyone starting out is to be resourceful and create opportunities for yourself.
“Be inventive and think outside the box. You know, message people, be brave, send them emails, send them DMs on Instagram.”
Looking back, Ellie identifies her friendships and the confidence to pursue her ambitions as the biggest gifts of her school years.
“The biggest takeaways for me were my friendships and just the belief in myself that I could do anything. I never once questioned whether or not I was able to do that. I just was like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to do it.’ And I think that real self-belief and confidence came from being at Sedbergh.”
She also sees a shared spirit among Sedbergh women: a sense of humour, a lack of pretension and the resilience to keep going.
“We don’t really take ourselves too seriously. We aren’t precious. We kind of just roll with it and get on with it. It takes a lot to faze us.”