The word “free” has a way of popping up in conversation with Amanda Lee Shirreffs. It might not be a favourite adjective so much as an unconscious prayer or a succinct incantation she’s sending out into the universe about what she values most: a boundless sense of self. As a shy child, fashion became her first outlet to experience this freedom. One of her earliest memories is being with her mom at a Madonna concert and catching a glimpse of that iconic Jean Paul Gaultier gold-cone bra. “It was Truth or Dare,” she recalls, “My mom was covering my eyes, but I was peeking through her fingers. And I was like ‘whatever is happening right now – I want to be a part of this.’ It blew me away.” The power, drama and potency of that moment made a lasting impression on Amanda. Even though she was young, she knew it was a tool for transformation.
Amanda’s early years were devoted to ballet. She danced competitively for 14 plus years and was ultimately accepted into the National Ballet of Canada – which she turned down.
“At that stage of my life I just felt bored and like I didn’t belong,” she explains, “I wanted to travel but I didn’t have money. Maybe it was the desire to go away. I just started researching international universities.”
After some encouragement from her family, she applied and gained acceptance to a merchandising and buying program at the University of Arts London. It was during a work placement at Dolce & Gabbana during which she was asked to dress their models for buyer meetings that Amanda stumbled upon styling.
“There would be a buyer from Hong Kong and then one from Scotland and you would have to dress them accordingly to what their customer would want. They were having record sales days! And I realized I loved it.”
After graduation Amanda did a brief stint at Flare magazine before returning to London to try her hand at styling full time. She formed a fortuitous partnership with an up-and-coming artist at Universal and navigated big shoots, styling for the cover of Q Magazine and the BBC. Returning to Canada after a whirlwind two years in the UK, Amanda had to build a network and a name from the ground up. She looked to an emerging new channel to showcase her work: Instagram.
Amanda’s theatrical personal looks – a touch 1960s groupie, 1970s front woman and 1980s glamazon, have been a catalyst for her career growth. A lover of sartorial excess, no statement piece is too bold to be combined with another statement piece. Her innate understanding of movement’s impact on fabric is an unsung hero, showcasing outfits to their full potential. You want to watch whatever movie she is starring in. It did not take long before publications like New York magazine were sliding into her DMs. But the drama begins and ends within the frame. IRL Amanda has a lightness and an ease that extends to her work philosophy.
“I like to be playful and go to that place when you were a kid and just having fun. We take ourselves too seriously. Fashion should be a freeing experience.”