Styling

In Art/ Business/ Styling

Styling 101: How to Develop Your Creativity

Creativity is intelligence having fun – Albert Einstein

Creative people are often described as imaginative and open minded. This stands to reason as creativity often comes when we allow for new ideas and concepts to develop. When working as a stylist, being open minded and allowing your imagination to develop is crucial. In order to always have inspiration, you need to seek out new experiences; new experiences to learn, to see different styles, to gain exposure to different mediums and concepts, and to how others work. Observe and speak with as many creative people as you can. When you start to do this, you will naturally develop and expand your creativity beyond what you thought could be possible. This is a continuous process and every creative person, or anyone seeking to be more creative, must make this part of their everyday life.

Explore

Travel is great for inspiration. Learning about and being exposed to new cultures and traditions, can spark many ideas or teach you about age old principles that you were not previously aware of. The outdoors, nature and wildlife, are some of the greatest sources of inspiration particularly for the fashion industry. Many patterns, designs and aesthetic principles are derived from nature and therefore, creative people should make it their mission to explore as much of this earth as is possible!

Practice

Practice, practice, and then practice some more. To develop your craft, get as much experience as you possibly can and repeat each of these steps until you have your own efficient workflow, and have confidence in your creative ability. Allow your passion for it to drive you. Pursue new experiences and opportunities to learn. Make contacts and volunteer for work that will push you to think of new ideas. Ask questions when you find yourself with people who are more experienced and when you meet people you admire. Observe what others in your field do, and try to emulate the steps they took to succeed. If you get stuck, try to think what they would have done to find a solution, and then if you feel you are not ready for the next step yet then practice some more!

Develop your Creative Formula

Storyboarding and conceptualising are very important. In order to be able to tell a story with your styling, you first need to develop your creativity to find the means to tell that story. Start with the basics; research, look at photos and magazines, take what you need from them for inspiration, and then hunt for more. Create a mood board with all the ideas, then from there see what themes and concepts arise. Think about how you want to further develop those themes, or use them to hone your own creative vision. Put your design strategy on paper. Then start to build on your strategy step by step. Give this process sufficient time and do not be afraid to hone it, edit it, let it take a new direction, and even start from scratch again if required. If an idea comes, allow it to develop until you see an end vision, and even if it doesn’t work now, save it for later. It might be just what you need for another job and even if not, researching always provides more knowledge and developing your creativity is never a waste of time!

Find your niche and then step outside it

Styling it is about expression and creativity, but it also requires consistency. With each new experience, or new styling job, you want to demonstrate direction in your work. In order to always get better, and strengthen your expertise, you need to elevate your work as much as you possible in each job. If you have an idea that will mean doing something you have not done before, such as asking a couture designer for a piece, or designing and creating a garment completely on your own, then do it. Don’t settle for less that what is in your imagination, nor compromise on your vision. Once you get to a certain level and have some experience, then try to stretch yourself further. Do a stretch assignment with a team and photographer whose style is very unique or are very different to the others that you have worked with. Cultivate new opportunities for yourself that will allow you to step outside of your niche.

Work on your brand

Next, when you have a body of work, you need to let your book speak for your creativity. You need to know your brand, and what makes you unique. What does your portfolio say about you as a stylist; is your brand chic, always on trend, artistic, androgynous, sexy or edgy. Curate your images to show your best work. When on set, only bring items you really love to the shoot, and do not compromise. You need to be proud of every image and every look you create, as every item forms part of your brand.

Take Risks

Learn to take calculated risks. If you think something can work ,say so. Trust in your ideas and have the confidence to take risks with your work, even if they don’t always pay off. A quirky item of clothing, or a particular look might not make the final edit but equally it could become the centerpiece once on set once you share your creative vision with your client or the photographer. A unique concept or original idea can be the standout inspiration that you need for an assignment and this is exactly why you will get hired as a stylist; your imagination and foresight are your main assets in this industry. You are there to bring to life a picture that in the beginning some one else might not be able to see.

Don’t set limitations for yourself

Being creative is all about being resourceful and finding opportunities where others cannot. Do not be limited by resources, your finances, the budget, and your current location. These moments, when you think outside limitations, often offer the best opportunities to be creative. Think about what do you need to make your idea or concept work? How can you get what you need? Who is available that might help? What can you substitute for the expensive resource you need? What do you already have that i can use? Explore your network, ask others in your field if they can help, and don’t be afraid to ask others for what you need.

Ask for feedback

Lastly, always ask those around you for feedback and encourage them to voice their opinions about your work. Talk to those on set, ask questions and always be willing to improve. Your creativity is also key to getting an agent. Even if they don’t sign you, they can tell you where you are lacking, what your portfolio is missing, and what they need to see in order for you to reach a professional level.

Learn from this what your strengths and weaknesses are, and what others believe makes you unique. You can use this vital information not only to further develop your styling, but in the evolution of your personal brand.

Good luck!!

April 26, 2018 By Helen Katharine

In Business/ Collaborations/ Styling

Styling 101: Building Creative Relationships

There is something special when creative people get together – Joy Mangano

Relationships are so important. Who you know can have a significant impact on how successful you become, and without connections, your work may not get noticed. Everyone needs a network, and creatives are no exception to this rule.

Relationships are also critical for the creative process, and creativity often a result of collaboration. For this reason, it is extremely important that you connect with people in the industry, or build relationships with other creatives. These connections can be built online, in person, or on the job. Through this creative network you will hear about jobs, exchange industry news or gossip, helping you to grow and improve in your profession. Being around other likeminded creatives, can often present more opportunities for inspiration or the opportunity to collaborate on projects.

In the past, when I wanted to learn more about the fashion industry I attended conferences not only to expand my expertise and to keep up to date on burning topics in the industry, but also so I could network and introduce myself to as many people as possible. I connected with many stylists and fashion creatives online and with the students of local fashion schools so that I might receive invites to their fashion shows and careers events. I made both friends and contacts this way.

Where to start

My advice to anyone starting out, who needs to build their network, is to look in your local area for anything that relates to your creative passion; this could be a conference, a festival or a Meetup. There are many groups on Facebook for creatives seeking other stylists, makeup artists, photographers for TFP (time for print) collaborations. There are also many other more sophisticated professional networking sites and forums for paid work in the field once you have some experience.

How to make the most of your connections

Once you have established yourself within the creative scene, and made your introductions, it is very important for you connect with people who can help you grow, develop your craft and succeed. You will also want to consider how you can make it mutually beneficial for you and your connections; have you established a lasting relationship with people who can help you and with whom you can also lend a helping hand? Offering to collaborate and supporting others pays dividends, and this will be very useful to you especially if you go on to intern or assist. Lastly you want to meet with these people regularly, to not only be keep in the loop regarding any work or collaboration opportunities that arise, but also so that you continue to learn from them, that you challenge yourself and that they point out areas where you can improve and strengthen your experience.

Always be promoting

Once you get a foot in the door, make sure to always self promote and tell them your contacts about your accomplishments and successes. Positive visibility goes a long way! Talk about what you are learning, what ideas you have for future work, and ensure to sell yourself to every contact as you would in an interview. Adapt to your audience and highlight anything that shows your passion and enthusiasm for the subject. If you are interested in commercial styling mention celebrity stylists that you love, for fashion editorial mention photographers you would like to work with, magazines or publications that are in-keeping with your values or ambitions, and of course any stylists that inspire you.

Develop your personal branding

Lastly, use the opportunity of networking to develop your personal branding. Your brand represents what people should know about you, your values, your integrity and your work ethic. Always be ready to pitch your brand should you need to, have your portfolio at hand and make sure to promote your brand and website, whenever an opportunity presents itself.

As a creative, your personal branding is all about you, so make sure people know who you are!!

April 13, 2017 By Helen Katharine

In Art/ Photography/ Styling

Styling 101: What is Editorial Photography?

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel

Editorial photography is an art form. It differs from commercial photography or fashion photography in that its purpose is to sell a story as opposed to a product or lifestyle. While there can sometimes be an overlap, editorial is more focused on the concept, and the artistry of telling a story or capturing a specific moment in time.

Commercial photography predominately sells a product and typically puts the emphasis on the product or service in question for promotional or marketing purposes. The styling, lighting, and art direction usually are designed around the merchandise or item to showcase individual designer pieces and highlight the brand. In fashion photography the focus is on the mood and styling of the image, and everything else in the picture is used to convey a trend or lifestyle. The styling, art direction and choice of aesthetics such as set, lighting and props tend to be more conceptual. Often fashion photography images fuse together the worlds of art and commerce, while also highlighting new clothes, a beauty product or accessories in a fantastical manner.

Editorial photography is designed to convey a theme, a mood or feeling, via a story and a highly stylised sequence of images. Editorial photos can document real life issues, events and human interest narratives. They are typically financed by a magazine or publication, and not by an individual advertiser. They can be used to support the written word by lending visual context, or as a standalone visual art piece conceived of perfect shots. Within editorial photography there are several genres including photojournalism, fashion, portrait, sports and landscapes. Fashion editorials often feature as full page or double spreadsheet in a magazine.

Fashion Editorial

Fashion editorial pieces are often considered to be edgy or non traditional. This is often achieved via a combination of intense model poses, non customary lighting and conceptual artistic direction consisting of extreme garment styling, makeup and hair. The choice of shooting location also plays a vital role in creating fashion editorial. While different clothing or looks might be used in each picture of the sequence, each of the chosen elements combine to depict a common visual thread throughout the spread. Fashion editorials can be shot outdoors or in a studio, be simplistic or very rich in colour and backdrop, be minimalistic or lavish in design. What is always common however, is the level of creativity and use of sharp composition in editorial work, that lends itself more towards art than either commercial or typical fashion photography.

February 19, 2017 By Helen Katharine

In Business/ Styling

Styling 101: What’s in my styling kit?

Before anything else, preparation is the key to success – Alexander Graham Bell

What’s in my styling kit?

First things first, why do you need a kit? When you start working on projects, be it for commercial clients, celebrities or on location, you will always need to have a kit with you. Having a kit always to hand will enable you to make last minute adjustments and alterations while also avoiding any potential wardrobe malfunctions! It is a requirement and therefore I would suggest having it prepped at all times should any last minute jobs arise.

On shoot day, you can expect to have to re-steam, reorganise and reshape your items when styling them on person. One question you should always clarify prior to arriving on set is if there will be access to a steamer or iron and ironing board, at the studio or on location. The production team may have organised for it, but if not it is your responsibility to ensure you have one.

I would recommend to always have the following in a handy lightweight bag, so that you are always prepared and can allow for any last minute inspired changes to the look or fit of the garments. A lot of styling on set or location involves improvisation, so you want to be sure you have everything you need in order to take advantage of any opportunities that arise or ideas that come to mind!

In order to keep all items and your models looking exactly as you planned, your styling bag/ kit should contain:

- 1 pair sharp scissors

- 1 lint roller

- Garment / crocodile clips

- Razors

- 1 sewing kit with various thread spoils in 4-5 colours and several needles

- 1 or 2 tape measures

- A box of small and large safety pins

- 2 rolls of double-sided tape

- Deodorant

- Makeup remover

- Makeup sponges

- Clear bra strap holders

- Quick Tips instant heel fixers

- Cotton balls (can be used for stuffing out clothes, bags and shoes)

- A glasses microfibre wipe

- Shoe grip pads to prevent shoes from slipping

- Reusable silicone nipple covers

- Clear Polish or shoe & purse shine sponges

- A selection of nude, black and white bras in various sizes in strapless, push up and backless shapes

- Nude tanga pants

- Bra fillers i.e. chicken fillets

- A selection of spaghetti strap vest tops in nude, white and black

- A silk scarf or piece of fabric to protect clothes from staining and to protect hair and makeup from transferring onto garments

- Stain remover wipes

- A selection of tights / hosiery

- A bumbag or utility bag – this is for you when you need to be handsfree on set

- A selection of belts

- A leather belt hole puncher

- A kimble gun for removing and reattaching price tags
- Suit bags – for the transport of clothing
- A selection of practical and attractive buttons
- Mobile phone and charger

- Polaroid camera (optional but very useful for test shoots and when preparing looks for a fashion show with the models)

Ensure you know before you arrive how much space you and your team will have and ask what area you can use to hang clothing. If you have a lot of garments to hang, you will need to know that there will be somewhere to hang them. Bringing a foldable rail will be essential if nothing else is available.

Lastly will there be anywhere for your models to change ? If outdoors or on location, you may want to bring some scarves, sheets etc that can be fashioned as a makeshift changing room to give your models some privacy from the crew. Some models are very comfortable stripping off and changing / being fitted on the spot, but if not then you may have an issue when working to get them changed under time constraints. It is therefore always better to plan and have a coverup to hand should it be required.

Following the guidelines above will ensure you have a smooth and stress free shoot day! Good Luck!

PS. Have I missed something? Do you have a top tip that you wish to share? If so, please post your comments below.

January 22, 2017 By Helen Katharine

In Art/ Business/ Fashion/ Photography/ Styling

Styling 101: What is Fashion Styling?

“Fashion is not art. Never.” – Jean Paul Gaultier

What is Fashion Styling?

Fashion stylists create looks or images for their brands and clients that allow the muse or model to engage with their intended audience. Fashion styling as a profession, is fast becoming one of the most sought after career paths globally but yet many still don’t know exactly what it entails. It is not just about putting clothes or outfits together!

Fashion styling can be a creative and fun job, but it is also serious and fiercely competitive. It is both a very demanding and rewarding profession. Stylists have to be both collaborators and entrepreneurs, as we work with a team and /or a client to create the work, so good communication and social skills are essential. It is also vital however to have drive and self motivation, as the hours can be long, the planning and preparation stressful, and the day to day mostly autonomous.

What skills do you need to be a stylist?

As a stylist I help brands, photographers and artists put together their visions and strategy to help them achieve business goals; we are visual storytellers. A freelance fashion stylist has to be creative and artistic, while also being very practical and business savvy. A stylist will be required to conduct research, conceptualise, then create work to brief and within budget.

Being successful in this industry requires a real drive and determination; you need to be resourceful, responsible and willing to work hard. We are working B2B with brands, companies, agents and celebrities so professionalism and communication are key. All in all, stylists generally have a very diverse and dynamic skill set. They are essential to the fashion industry and play an integral part in fashion branding, PR and marketing.

What is the main role of a fashion stylist?

Stylists are creative storytellers. As a stylist, I help create narratives and stories about people, events, trends, products or moments in time. The images are created to have an entertainment and artistic value for the mass market and the reader, nevertheless the intention or the ‘story’ is usually to sell a product or concept. We draw on references from history to create context, while also using our creative visionary to predict and interpret future trends. Inspiration can often be found in art, film, music, pop culture so a stylist needs to constantly be absorbing the world around them.

For this reason, it is important for stylists to be knowledgeable about fashion terms, designers and publications. Not also does this make us more creative, but it adds to our expertise, and gives integrity to our personal brand. Being ahead of the competition, helps a stylist constantly refine and develop their brand identity. For each job we need to be able to direct, envisage and interpret a concept, while presenting something new and fresh.

December 18, 2016 By Helen Katharine