Our last linenfluencer of 2019 is Troy Williams of Simply Troy. He is an award-winning designer with over 14 years of experience working on premieres and special events for Warner Bros. Pictures. BBJ Linen selected Troy because of our shared philosophy that every event should be personable and memorable. Troy is all about the details. He has designed hundreds of events around the world for celebrities, charity events, and more. With each event, he assesses every detail to ensure he is bringing his client’s vision to life. Simply Troy, his lifestyle and events business, is all about personalizing an event so people will remember it for a lifetime.
Instagram: @simplytroy
Q: What does Simply Troy do best?
A: “Timeless, tasteful, and thoughtful design. We believe in luxury with heart, and making sure that every person feels like a VIP.”
Q: What kind of event designs are you creating?
A: “I love layers. My big thing is always giving people texture and layers. Whether it’s mixing metals or metallics or natural woods elements, I like to break the rules a lot. For example, I designed with velvet in July at Julianne Hough’s wedding, and people went nuts for it. Whether high-end or not, it is always the tiniest details or the most thoughtful idea that people always remember. That is why it is always my main focus. I love mixing and matching the linens from BBJ. I love being able to take the geometric linens and play around with the grays, and oranges, or the deep chocolate brown ones because it’s traditional with a modern twist. I like creating anything that makes people take a second look.”
Simply Troy Lifestyle + Events, Floral: Le Fleur, Linen: BBJ Linen, Photography: Graceland Event Photography | Linen: Russet Bauhaus, Chargers: Alabaster Milk + Celtic Copper, Placemats: Bronze Deco Metal
Q: How did you get started in the industry?
A: “My big break was when I became the second assistant to the President of Domestic Marketing at Warner Bros. Pictures. For 14 years I was the Senior Publicist doing premieres and events for the feature films in North America. By the time I finished, it had totaled 450 premieres, Oscars, Academy Award and Golden Globe parties, and film festivals. A big highlight was getting to work on all the Harry Potter premieres for a decade.”
Q: What do you like most about working with BBJ?
A: “You know what I love: BBJ offers quick, kind service anywhere I need it to be. They have a lot of different selections to choose from, and it’s really easy to work with BBJ Linen. Just pick what you want. I also really love your chargers—especially the Alabaster collection.”
Simply Troy Lifestyle + Events, Floral: Le Fleur, Linen: BBJ Linen, Photography: Graceland Event Photography | Linen: Sunset Seaside + Russet Bauhaus
Q: Who do you appreciate most in the industry?
A: “I have always respected Bryan Rafanelli and David Stark. Bryan has always had very thoughtful designs, and David Stark is just a creative pioneer in our industry. I also like Ken Fulk. He bounces between interior design, entertaining, event planning—the diversity of services I like to offer with my Simply Troy Lifestyle + Events.”
Q: What is the most recent memorable design you’ve created?
A: “You know, the most recent memorable design wasn’t a physical design, but instead I designed a moment, and that was a little different. It’s what can happen when you’re working with vendors who are team players and know how to collaborate. This moment was with Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon, from ABC “Bachelor in Paradise”, for their beautiful wedding in Rhode Island in August. I asked our phenomenal videographers, Le Rêve late on Friday night after the Welcome Sunset Cruise if they could pull a same-day edit to surprise the bride and groom during the reception on Sunday early evening. During the reception, we showed footage of the whole weekend and then it moved into the bride and groom getting ready just a few hours before, then the ceremony which had just happened, and then a drone shot of the Rolls Royce going into the Rosecliff Mansion just an hour before!!! When Ashley and Jared and all their loved ones saw the Rosecliff Mansion and a sweeping shot through the ballroom that everyone was currently sitting in, it brought the house down—blew their minds away and it was unreal. Le Rêve delivered beyond words!! I knew I had to ask them to have it orchestrated because without a doubt that kind of impactful moment is something that will last a lifetime.”
Simply Troy Lifestyle + Events, Floral: Le Fleur, Linen: BBJ Linen, Photography: Graceland Event Photography | Linen: Sunset Seaside + Russet Bauhaus
Q: What is your favorite celebrity event?
A: “They have all had their own unique moments that make them very special. I love Julianne Hough and Brook Laich’s wedding because from the start it was about being “surrounded by love”, and I will get asked about that wedding until the day I die. People just loved it because they can feel the love every step of the way when they look at the photos. A once in a lifetime event for me was having the honor of creating the 50th Anniversary of “The Carol Burnett Show” for Ms. Burnett. You’ll never get to work with an icon like that, a comedy legend who is a female trailblazer. To be able to create something so incredibly personal and high-end, in partnership with a brand—Walmart—that is not usually known for producing those types of events, was an amazing challenge. It was meaningful and fun and the details all night long were beyond impactful.”
Simply Troy Lifestyle + Events, Floral: Le Fleur, Linen: BBJ Linen, Photography: Graceland Event Photography | Linen: Russet Bauhaus, Charger: Celtic Copper and Alabaster Milk, Placemat: Bronze Deco
Q: What design tips and tricks would you like to share?
A: “Don’t fight the space you’re in. Try and find the elements in the space that you can incorporate into your linen choice. This will enhance the ambiance in the room as opposed to contrasting and conflicting with it and making it stand out like a sore thumb. Sometimes people try to fight it so much. Instead, think about how you can bring it in together and actually make it better and elevate a room by being thoughtful about your linen choices.”
Troy creates incredibly personalized and perfectly designed events for celebrity, corporate, social and charity clients. BBJ Linen proudly partners with Simply Troy to help make the grandest events memorable for a lifetime. See more of Troy’s work on Instagram and be sure to follow @BBJLinen and @simplytroy for more design inspiration.
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