Hey There Pretty Birds,
Are you enjoying these last days of Summer? I hope so. Before the Season comes to a close, I want to introduce you to Linda Tol, this week’s Pretty Bird. I first noticed Linda Tol a few seasons ago during the fashion month rounds. We became friends after a conversation that we shared while riding the train to Yoox’s 15th anniversary party in Bologna. She really impressed me with her wisdom and business savvy. Plus, she’s also incredibly sweet. Wanting to get to know her even better, I asked her to sit for this profile. Perched on the arm of her chesterfield sofa in her lovey Milanese apartment that she shares with her boyfriend RJ, here’s what she told me.
Meet Linda Tol
Tamu McPherson: What’s your job title?
Linda Tol: Online Influencer. Contributor to Glamour magazine (IT)
TMP: How old are you?
LT: I’m 31.
TMP: Where are you from, where did you grow up?
LT: I’m from the Netherlands. I grew up in a small town called Volendam. I moved out to Amsterdam at 18 years old, and I moved to Milano 2 years ago.
TMP: Please share five things that you love about Amsterdam.
LT:
1. Amsterdam is wonderful for so many reasons.
2. It is one of the most picturesque capitals in Europe and has more than a hundred kilometers in canals.
3. Amsterdam has world-renowned art museums, vibrant nightlife, important historical monuments and unique architecture.
4. Amsterdam is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.
5. Amsterdam is international, it gives you the opportunity to meet many people from many different cultural backgrounds. It offers a diversity of restaurants.
TMP: What were you doing before you launched your website and social network platforms?
LT: I was working at a PR agency in Amsterdam. I worked there for three years and after, I decided to quit my job and to start my own company lindatol.com.
TMP: How long have you been an influencer?
LT: I’ve been working for five years as a digital influencer.
TMP: What are your impressions about your experience? Is there anything that you would change, anything that you would repeat.
LT: I love what I do. I love how every day here offers these new exciting opportunities for growth. I became the woman I always wanted to be. I created my own job from my love and passion.
TMP: Do you have a mentor in the industry? What’s the best advice that he or she has given you.
LT: My agent Alfonso Liguori, he directs me into the right direction. My boyfriend. He understands my views and goals, and he supports me unconditionally. And my best friend Alessandro Enriquez. He gave me the best advice: No matter how far you go in life never forget where you came from.
TMP: Who are you favorite designers? Why?
LT: Phoebe Philo. Her work at Céline has redefined what women aspire to wear. The collections are clean and sophisticated. Recognizable season after season.
Dries van Noten. His work is characterized by use of prints, colors, original fabrics and layering.
Alessandro Michele and Jonathan Anderson because they pretty much rebranded Gucci and Loewe. Both Gucci and Loewe are the most popular brands at the moment.
TMP: What do you think about the musical chairs game that is going on with fashion creative directors at the moment. Why do you think that the chairs keep turning?
LT: Fashion is changing, the industry evolves. With the advent of digital, the rise in the number of brands, the pre-collections, and the effort to directly target the customer.
TMP: Do you think that there is a lot of competition between influencers today? How?
LT: I think there was more competition before. The job and the roll of the influencer has changed over the last year. The focus is on their talent. If you are unique in what you do, there’s no need to be afraid of competition. All the top influencers are unique in who they are and what they do.
TMP: What do you think is the key to staying relevant as an influencer in this fast-paced digital world?
LT: To stay unique and to keep your work quality high.
This post was originally published in August 2016.
