There are several pathways into styling. You could study the appropriate fashion course at college or university, assist an established stylist, or simply, have excellent personal style. Madrid-based Ana Sotillo fell into the profession after getting noticed for her own wardrobe choices. It all started when Spanish rapper Recycled J asked her to recreate her own aesthetic for him, inviting her to work on one of his music videos. 

Working as a model at the time, Sotillo was always more interested in the stylist’s role on set. With a little encouragement from the rapper, she swapped life in front of the camera for a career behind the scenes. A decade on, her client list now includes some of the world’s biggest sports stars – from footballers such as Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, to motorcyclist Fabio Quartararo. 

“Getting to work with such incredible athletes and having the opportunity to collaborate with them feels really special,” she says. Lamine Yamal is arguably her most loyal client (after Recycled J, who she continues to work with to this day), and he is due to make his World Cup debut for Spain later this month. The pair met through the adidas Spain team and immediately hit it off. “We got along really well from the start – and he has great taste,” says Sotillo. “I really enjoy working with him.”

She describes Yamal’s style as “effortlessly cool – fashion just comes naturally to him.” The footballer is often spotted off-pitch in Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton menswear, usually styled with a pair of chunky Timberlands, some sort of embellished denim and, occasionally, a Marty Supreme jacket. Sotillo is also keen to platform emerging designers through Yamal’s outfits, weaving in younger brands such as streetwear label 424 and Milan-based PDF Channel – “I really admire both Guillermo Andrade and Domenico Formichetti,” she says, the creative directors of each label respectively. 

Before moving to Madrid 12 years ago, the stylist was born and raised in Seville. Growing up, she was obsessed with fashion magazines and would try to recreate her favourite covers – making her own DIY versions of the outfits and copying the models’ poses. “Caring about personal style and feeling genuinely interested in fashion and brands has always come very naturally to me,” she says. “It’s something I’ve felt instinctively from a really young age. My maternal grandmother also played a big part in that and really helped me connect with that world.”

While her mind was occupied with fashion, she never paid much attention to football. Now, her work forces her to keep up with the sport. “I’ve never really been a huge football fan,” she laughs, “but I’m seeing it from a completely different perspective”. For the first time, she’s counting down the days until the World Cup kicks off. “I’m really excited!” she says. “I’m also really looking forward to seeing the different national teams arriving and what they wear. I always enjoy watching those moments and talking about the looks with friends.” 

Beyond sports stars, there’s one person she’d love to style more than anyone else: “I can say with total confidence it would be Justin Bieber. Him and Jaden Smith were two of the first mainstream men I remember seeing when I was younger who dressed differently – taking risks with colour and wearing more unconventional silhouettes. Working with Justin would definitely be a dream for me.”