Madeline Argy – Trial & Error

It’s been a whirlwind few years for Madeline. She’s continued to gain attention for her storytelling on TikTok, become a regular front-row attendee at fashion weeks and somehow – between the chaos of fittings and catching flights – managed to pick up her life and move to Los Angeles. “It was fully furnished,” she says of her new flat. “I walked in and was like, ‘Hello, home?’” It’s a stark contrast to her previous place in London, where she never quite got around to furnishing – because, for a girl in her 20s, choosing furniture can feel like the start of an identity crisis. “I’m definitely enjoying the weather,” she says of her move to LA. We get into the classic debate of ‘Who’s funnier – the Brits or the Americans?’ “Maybe I’m biased, but I feel like it’s unanimously agreed upon that British people are quite funny.” However, for Madeline, it’s the Scottish who take the grand prize for humour. “They are hilarious. To be fair, it’s the accent. They don’t even need to say anything funny and I’m already giggling,” she admits. The move feels aligned with Madeline’s career. Her podcast, Pretty Lonesome – under podcast connoisseur Alex Cooper’s The Unwell Network – is based in LA. When asked why she chose LA, she puts it simply: everyone whose career she admires seems to have ended up there. Beyond career opportunities, the city offers her new perspectives and, more importantly, a vast network where she can seek advice from ambitious peers – something she always longed for growing up but never quite felt she had. Networking, she admits, was something she envied once she realised it existed. In the UK, and in most places, it was reserved for the wealthy, privately schooled and those with connected parents.

Simone Rocha cardigan, The Frankie Shop bodysuit, Scholl shoes

Being surrounded by like-minded creatives has shifted her mindset in ways she never expected. For a young entrepreneur, guidance is a critical component and for Madeline, LA has given her just that. “The fact that all these people flock to LA is so valuable to me,” she says. “I just can’t believe this realm exists – where everyone collaborates, knows each other and teaches each other. It’s so crazy to me.” Madeline’s online presence has become a source of comfort for a generation of girls online, myself included. It’s the transparent way she speaks to the camera, making direct eye contact as if we’re on FaceTime. It came naturally to her: we all know the lore of the worm that was stuck in her sister’s leg. But long before social media blossomed, before the clock app even existed, she was already doing this – and she has three hard drives locked in a safe to prove it. “I don’t really know how, but I have videos on my old little flip cam from when I was 12, doing the exact same thing,” she tells me. In these archived clips, she’s speaking as if someone is going to see them one day. When I suggest she should release them, she doesn’t hesitate. “I’ve been looking for a way to use the footage and pay it the love that I want to because it’s so crazy to have it.” Although Madeline has an audience of 9.6 million people rooting for her every move, there are undoubtedly downsides to the exposure. I ask whether she ever sits down and considers how much of her life she wants to share with the internet versus what she prefers to keep private. She pauses for a moment, takes a breath, and says, “It’s been a process of trial and error.” Social media can be difficult to navigate, especially when your brand is yourself. For Madeline, instinct takes the lead over logic. “I try not to think too much about it and just go with my gut,” she says, before adding, “And my gut’s pretty good at telling me when I’m scared, so I go with that.”

Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello jacket, blazer, shirt & tie

Represent Woman jacket & shorts

Represent Woman top, skirt & shoes

Burberry jacket

Fear and your 20s go hand in hand. Sharing so much of her life with the internet means that even the most mundane – or deeply personal – moments become part of the narrative. Much of Madeline’s 20s have played out online – whether it’s her beloved car breaking down or heartbreak unfolding in real time. The Vauxhall Astra has been a central fixture in her videos, especially in the early days of her career. We’ve watched as she’s experimented with a plethora of DIY fixes to patch up the roof (pizza boxes, duct tape, anything within reach). It was an entertaining, borderline chaotic journey, equal parts resourceful and nerve-racking. I’m happy to report that she’s finally taken the car to the shop and the interior has been professionally redone. Growth. Although she recognises the anxiety of turning 25 in a few months, Madeline has found the tools to keep her grounded and protect her peace. “My friends tell me it gets less scary,” and goes on to say, “When they all turned 25, they were like, ‘You really realise that you’re young.’ Like, 24 is the oldest of the young, you know?” Beyond having a solid group of friends, she’s also a big advocate for journalling. “I have two different ones. I have my morning one, which is a brain dump and a stream of consciousness, and I do three pages of that,” she explains. I ask if she’s referring to ‘Morning Pages’, the practice taught in The Artist’s Way. Her eyes light up at the mention of the book. “I feel like there’s a secret club whenever you say ‘Morning Pages’ and someone actually knows what you’re talking about,” she says with a grin. Writing every day has helped Madeline stay mindful. She finds it fascinating how certain thoughts rise to the surface without her expecting them. “I didn’t know those things were going to be top of mind for me in the morning if that makes sense,” she says. But beyond self-reflection, journalling has also kept her accountable. “Sometimes I write the same thing over and over again,” she admits. “And then I’m like, ‘I’ll just fix this’, or I’ll just do whatever it is I need to do.” For Madeline, her 20s are a mix of chaos, growth, and instinct, navigated with the same candid energy that made millions gravitate toward her in the first place. There’s no perfectly mapped-out plan – just trial and error, gut feelings and a willingness to embrace whatever comes next. And if the past few years have proven anything, it’s that trusting her intuition has always landed her exactly where she needs to be.

Hermès dress & shorts, Represent Woman bodysuit & shoes, Gucci gloves

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