Founder & CEO, The A List Styling

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Gallello Atelier is delighted to introduce Aimée Parfitt, Founder & CEO of The A List Styling, on the occasion of announcing that she is expecting twin baby girls.

Taking its name from Bellini’s invocation to the moon goddess in Norma, the Casta Diva: Portraits in Taste and Temperament draws upon an image of femininity at once serene, restrained and quietly commanding. For the Atelier, it is a study of the woman — where softness, ambition and strength exist not in opposition, but in harmony.

As a mother and CEO, Aimée embodies that idea beautifully. Her portrait captures an extraordinary chapter of motherhood and leadership, while remaining entirely true to the woman at its centre — assured, accomplished and deeply feminine.

On Motherhood & Leadership

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The Atelier chose Aimée because she embodies the woman at the heart of Casta Diva — feminine, discerning and assured, with a life shaped by both ambition and motherhood.

As Founder & CEO of The A List Styling, Aimée has built a world defined by taste, instinct and a strong point of view. At the same time, she moves through motherhood with the same clarity and intention. For the Atelier, that balance felt deeply resonant: not a negotiation between competing identities, but a fuller expression of the woman herself.

Her portrait captures precisely what Casta Diva seeks to explore — a femininity that is soft without being fragile, ambitious without becoming hardened, and quietly commanding in its own right.

01 - Femininity & Strength

Casta Diva explores the idea that femininity and strength are not opposing qualities. How has that balance shown up in your own life as a mother, founder and CEO?

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I don't believe femininity and strength have ever been opposing qualities. If anything, motherhood has shown me just how beautifully they coexist.

Becoming a mother to John was the moment that truly stopped me in my tracks. He opened my eyes wider, made my heart bigger and, perhaps most importantly, taught me the value of boundaries.

Before him, I was building a business and constantly pushing forward. Motherhood forced me to recognise that strength isn't simply about how much you can take on. It's also about knowing what deserves your energy, what you need to protect and when to say no.

I think women are extraordinarily powerful beings. We have this incredible capacity to nurture, create, lead and love, often all at once.

For me, femininity is not something I have to put aside to be a strong leader. It's very much part of my strength.

02 - The Meaning of Femininity

You work in a world built around image and personal style. What does femininity mean to you now, and has that definition changed as your life and career have evolved?

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Working in fashion, I've always been fascinated by the relationship between how we present ourselves and how we feel within ourselves.

Style can be an incredibly powerful form of expression, but I believe true femininity goes far beyond what we wear.

It's individuality. It's confidence. It's allowing yourself to be soft, ambitious, vulnerable, powerful or all of those things at once, without feeling the need to fit into someone else's definition.

As I've grown, both personally and professionally, I've become much more aware of the people and experiences that shape us. The ones who challenge us, teach us, love us and sometimes force us to see things differently.

I'm a huge believer in manifestation, but equally, I believe you have to grab hold of life and go for it. Take everything in, even the difficult moments, find something to learn from them and keep moving forward.

Today, for me, femininity means having the freedom and confidence to be entirely yourself. And I think there's something incredibly beautiful about that.

03 — Ambition, Motherhood & Her Daughters

This portrait captures you at a very particular moment, expecting twin daughters while continuing to lead your business. What do you hope your daughters one day understand about ambition, motherhood and being entirely themselves?

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First and foremost, I hope my daughters grow up knowing just how extraordinarily capable they are.

I want them to understand that ambition and motherhood don't have to exist in conflict, but equally, that they never need to prove their worth through how much they achieve.

There is no single definition of success, and I hope they have the confidence to discover what it means to them.

John has already taught me so much about the importance of boundaries and making space for the things you truly love. It's something I wish I'd understood sooner, and something I hope to pass on to all three of my children.

I want my daughters to embrace every experience life brings them. To be curious, to take chances, to learn from the difficult moments and never allow negativity to define them.

And above all, I want them to know that they don't have to become anyone other than themselves. If they grow up feeling loved, believing in their own capabilities and having the courage to go after whatever sets their hearts on fire, that would mean everything to me.

Aimée is wearing a custom suit from the Atelier in Virgin Wool Pinstripe styled with the Fanfare Symphony Collection from Garrard.

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Gallello Atelier is a private-client couture tailoring house, with pieces created exclusively by appointment and commission. Each garment is individually cut and hand-tailored to the client’s measurements using noble fabrics sourced from Italy and France.