Stylist

Gilly Woo

Stylist, Designer and Dressmaker

Gilly Woo – known to her family as Gill Cockwell – began her sewing career at the tender age of six and was sketching designs and fashioning garments by the time she was ten. Since 2000, she has built a brand synonymous with quality, individuality and style – though most of all, she helps women find and express their most confident, fabulous selves.

Gill concentrates on silhouette and form and her made to measure corsetry-based designs are exquisitely cut to smooth and shape the wearer's natural contours. Her aim is to celebrate and accentuate feminine curves and make the wearer feel sculpted and sexy.

A master craftswoman, she has made over 1000 unique bridal gowns, cocktail dresses and bespoke evening wear creations. From dresses cut to dazzle for brides who use wheelchairs, through to red carpet looks featured in magazines and worn to The National TV Awards, Gill’s portfolio is as diverse as the people she’s worked with. She’s taught over 150 people to sew, stepped back in time on BBC1 as part of Turn Back Time – The High Street, and styled brides for Fashion TV’s Bridal Boudoir alongside the Queen’s hairdresser.

As part of her evolving portfolio, Gill has become an experienced stylist, working regularly with commercial photographers and respected hair salons, on magazine photo shoots and catwalk shows as well as styling individual clients. These days, Gill tends to be spotted less regularly in the studio and more on the road, living the #digitalnomad dream as she pens style advice, creates bespoke looks, works on product design briefs for adaptible clothing and adds a touch sparkle at festivals.

Three things Gill wants you to know as you approach menopause:

Do your research! There is a wealth of information out there on the internet from real women who have been through menopause or who are going through it. Use this resource to prepare yourself for what’s to come and so that you can understand and recognise symptoms if and when they arise. Your GP is not necessarily a menopause expert and will often want any treatment to be lead by you so know your options.
Join a community. Talk to your friends and your female family members. Join a Facebook group or follow an Instagram account or a hashtag. Find a community of women having similar experiences who you feel comfortable asking questions. A problem shared is a problem halved.
Menopause happens to most of us as we age and it can feel like everything sucks, but there is no reason that getting older shouldn’t be a fantastic adventure with the right attitude. Remember aging is a privilege not afforded to everyone. Nurture the young women in your life and embrace your new role as an older, wiser woman. Life will be a little different but it still has all kinds of amazing stuff to offer and lessons to be learnt. Now is a time of transformation so it’s a perfect opportunity to be the most authentic version of yourself you’ve ever been.