R: You styled the shoot with Kelly Carlson for ROUGE. Tell us more about it. I know that you had to transfer the clothes from New York to LA.
D: Well, the photographer who I work with on a regular basis, Julia Pogodina, contacted me about whether I would be interested in doing a gig with Kelly Carlson for ROUGE Magazine, and I jumped to the opportunity—great chances like this don’t come by everyday. It was quite an adventure after that-once the concept was established, it was all about contacting several designer showrooms and their PR’s to get access to clothes and accessories, bringing them back to my place and sorting them out, then packing them. I had a huge suitcase full of beautiful clothes, 3 gowns that I had carried in my hand, and a small bag full of accessories. It was a big risk transporting them that way, because with all the content, the suitcase was worth $50,000. So, I was praying everything got there safely.
R:What was your impression from Kelly? Is she really so beautiful? How did you choose the clothes for her?
D: I thought that Kelly was gorgeous. She has been in the business for a longtime, so she knew exactly what type of looks work for her. Once I walked her through what I had envisioned her in, she was able to see where I was coming from. I chose clothes that were related to the concept-- which was the everyday life of a Hollywood celebrity staying at a hotel. The pictures were going to be movie-like frames with moody vibes and rich backgrounds like a poolside, a suite, a bar/restaurant; so overall I went with my gut feeling of what I thought would look great on her.
R: How does a stylist choose a dress for a model they don’t know personally and have seen them only in the magazines?
D: For the most part, that is how it usually works, we Stylists don’t know the models personally and usually we meet them on set, during castings or backstage of runway shows for the first time, unless we’ve worked with them in the past. There’s usually a concept that is given by the Art Director or Photographer, which is then passed down to everyone in the team, and that includes the Wardrobe Stylist, Hairstylist and Make-up Artist. We look at reference pictures and discuss the idea in depth making sure that it has been embellished on enough. We also take a look at the portfolio images of the chosen model(s), whether she/he has been in several magazines and we have not met before, sizes are given before hand to the Stylist who then shops around with visions of the looks and makes the necessary adjustments a while before the date of the shoot or on set.
R: Tell us more about your childhood. You were born in Sudan and grew up in the United Arab Emirates. Why did you decide to become a stylist?
D: I had a great childhood. Yes, I was born in Khartoum in The Sudan and I moved to the UAE when I was one year old and spent over seventeen years of my life there. My parents are both Eritrean and they provided my siblings and I a very diverse upbringing among many different people. We traveled a lot, studied in international schools, and spoke different languages. I was exposed to the arts at a very young age, music and dancing was very common at my home, since both my parents believed that it brought happiness among us. My father introduced me to Fashion. He loved clothes and knew so much about many designers like Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. He was actually our personal Stylist at home, especially my Mother’s. He enjoyed shopping for her (and all of us) it was his favorite pastime and used to take me along with him. I remember being a little six year old visiting all these massive boutiques and he would place me on one of their armchairs, pulling out all the clothes in front of me, showing me the details on how well everything was made, and how to put great looks together. I was always blown away at how good he was at that and how beautiful everything looked. So much for that six year old who didn’t know she would take those memorable moments and make something of them—that is why I became a Stylist.
R: You have studied in England. Why did you move to New York and stay there?
D: I did part of my studies in the UK. It was actually my Parents decision to have me moved to the USA, although I wanted so much to stay in Europe. Being an American Citizen, they thought that it would be easier to pursue my studies without worrying about high and unnecessary expenses. So I first moved twelve years ago to Virginia, and then about 3 years later moved to New York City to become part of this challenging yet glamorous industry.
R: Tell us more about the profession of a stylist? What don’t people know about it?
D: The job of a Stylist is a challenging one. It entails so much planning, organizing, communicating, setting and taking overall responsibility for the major part of the shoot or the runway show. What people don’t know is how much we put into a project, they think Styling is all about making someone look good or enhancing their style, however it takes a lot to pull all of that together. You have to do thorough research through history books, movies, old tear sheets and magazines to grasp a concept. You also have to be outspoken and fearless and can get a hold of anyone in the industry, bearing in mind that your request can be rejected….Nevertheless you can still pick up and move on to the next contact. Most of all, everyone in the shoot is solely relying on you, so if you can’t bring all the looks together or get any clothes, then the whole project falls apart pretty much— we are the problem solvers. Sometimes, we can be the Art Directors too, figuring out the whole storyline of an editorial and what look we’re trying to pull off. Overall, it is a very intense profession and requires focus—with styling, you need an eye that can see beyond the norm, so you either have it or you don’t.
R: Are there any common rules in styling that you always follow – like combining colors for example?
D: I personally don’t tend to follow rules, I just do what I feel looks good. However, we Stylists have our basics and the main one is “Never to over style”.
R: You take expensive clothes and jewelry for the photo sessions. Do you use guards to keep them safe? Isn’t there any danger to be stolen?
D: It all depends on the project. For example, when I worked at the Dubai Fashion Week, because it was such a big event with so many models and several people backstage, there were guards watching the jewelry and they were put on the models minutes before they were about to hit the runway. If it is at a shoot, I usually keep the jewels with me in a bag and pull them out when I need them—if the production is bigger, then I sometimes give the responsibility to one of my most trusted assistants—like I said, it always depends on the type of work.
R: And which was the most expensive dress you took for photo shoots?
D: I feel that I have used jewels that were a lot more expensive than gowns. For a recent shoot I have used a Tourmaline set by Helen Yarmak that was worth $150,000.00 As far as a dress is concerned, Walid Atallah gown that was worth $45,000 where he used precious stones as embellishments—this was during a runway show at the Dubai Fashion Week.
R: How much time does it take to collect all the necessary clothes for a photo session? Has it ever happen to you to search for a particular dress but not find it? What do you do then?
D: It usually takes me a week to ten days—once again it depends on the size and type of project. It has happened plenty of times where I haven’t been able to find an item of clothing that I really wanted—and in such instances, I always figure out an alternative plan way ahead of time or at that particular moment. You have to be quick at solving problems.
R: If you have to style a Hollywood movie – what would it be? Sex and the City or something else?
D: Ideally, I prefer movies where I can get creative; something futuristic like Aeonflux or The Fifth Element where I have to create the look from scratch. I also don’t mind periodic movies like Pride & Prejudice or Dangerous Liaisons cause it would entail research and recreating once again. Movies like Sex and the City would be a lot of fun to style, it would be pulling clothes and putting looks together that are off the runway and that is what I usually do already. I always look for challenges and diversity.
R: What kind of emotions can a woman express through her clothes?
D: A woman can express all sorts of emotions by the way she dresses. Clothing emotions define our image, and a woman’s style is influenced by how connected she is to her own beautiful self, and her ability to reflect her inner beauty through her outer beauty in the way she dresses. It is always important to know how to dress your own unique self in whatever mood you’re in.
R: You have traveled the world. Can you point some differences between the style of women in Europe, America, Africa and the Arabian countries?
D: There are so many similarities yet differences always exist. Let me start with women in the Arabian countries, just like all women in the world, they are very beautiful and they tend to dress modestly but very elegant—they believe that you don’t need to reveal too much to be considered sexy, however, some can dress forward too. African women are all about the colors and vibrancy of prints and extravagant silhouettes--they are all about looking good, feeling good and sharing it with the world. In America, for the most part, I feel that it’s all about poise --women here are true believers of finding that element of abundance through fresh and confident styles. With European women on the other hand, they are all about the dash, the dress to kill and the ostentatious look but you can also find the traditional bourgeois. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where you come from; it’s all about the style that makes you feel good about yourself.
R: Where in the world do the most stylish women live?
D: Stylish women can live anywhere in the world, however, if you’re asking me where I think Fashion speaks its loudest…Then I would say that it’s London—People there are just so amazing when it comes to expressing their own style.
R: Have you ever styled men? Is it more difficult or easier?
D: Yes I have, and I thoroughly enjoy it. It’s actually just as hard or easy as women. Once again, it all depends on the intensity of the concept.
R: Can a dress totally transform a woman? Can it change her completely?
D: Of course it can. A perfect dress or look can reflect a woman’s mindset and inner beauty. As far as changing her completely, I feel that any woman will remain true to her inner self regardless of what she puts on.
R: Are there any rules in combining the dress with the accessories and which is the accessory that every woman should have in her wardrobe?
D: I think that every woman should have great belts in their wardrobe, it always complements/elevates a look. With rules of combining dresses with accessories, minimizing is the key, so do not over accessorize.
R: What rules should a woman follow if she is overweight?
D: I believe that style is for every woman regardless of her size or weight, so anyone should find their strongest feature and accentuate it.
R: When you work for a photo session the collaboration with the photographer is very important. How do you succeed to make a successful team and find a common view about the project?
D: Through constant communication, contribution, persistence, and trust. Everyone will be aware of what’s going on and nobody comes to the shoot feeling lost. It’s all about good teamwork, maintaining a clear perspective of goals to be accomplished and an optimistic approach towards challenges. That is the way success will be inevitable.
R: Which are your favorite fashion brands and designers?
D: Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Comme Des Garçons, Alexander Mcqueen, Sandra Buckland, I have so many.
R: Tell us more about the fashion trends for the spring of 2009?
D: There are several…Asymmetrical dresses and blouses; White, Lemon Yellows, Chartreuse and Fuscia are definitely the fresh colors; High waists in many silhouettes; Pantsuits and Shortsuits; See-through/Sheer fabrics; Harem pants (which I totally love), and of course the ruffle and bows.
R: Can you describe the most beautiful dress you have ever seen?
D: That would be really hard. I love clothes and I’ve seen, worked and worn so many beautiful dresses. The one that’s in my head right now is something that my mum wore when I was younger— a vintage piece by now, a beautiful black with emerald green Escada cocktail dress that I’m happy to say I am now a proud owner of.
R: Tell us more about your own designs. I have read that you have started in 2005 and that you are inspired by the street fashion.
D: Well, I did start a line back in 2005. It was a line of ravishing tank tops that were inspired by the periodic era of the 18th century combined with the underground street styles. I then went on to create a whole collection about a year later and that was inspired by a mix of combat sports with the street styles once again. I was invited to showcase my collection at the Dubai Fashion Week, however I didn’t feel I was ready yet. As much as I love designing, I think that I will share that part of me with everyone when the time is right. There is so much I want to do—but I need to keep in mind that it’s all about taking small steps.
R: Are you a rebel yourself? What is the craziest thing you have ever done in your life?
D: In many ways I am. I have taken so many risks without thought, just following my heart always. The biggest risk I took was withdrawing from a major of Business Law in University to pursue my studies in fashion; and then leaving the comfortable life in Virginia with close family to move to the daring city of New York. Later on, after finding a good design job at a corporate office with stable salary, I left that as well to focus on my styling. My parents didn’t know what to make out of my sudden and extreme decisions-- As my father always told me “You are always swimming against the tide!!” And honestly, I do not regret any of my choices because they have made me who I am today, and it makes life more exciting I guess.
R: Tell us more about your daily routine? What time do you wake up, what do you usually do during the day?
D: I usually wake up very early, around 7am. The first thing I do is check my blackberry for important emails, then get up and shower, probably go for a run if I’m up for it and the weather is accommodating, come back and eat. I then sit in front of the computer and answer emails, if I have shoots lined up, I’ll be contacting PR reps for designers and make appointments to head into showrooms and make the necessary pulls. I also like to look up editorials online, photographers I may want to shoot with, and different talents I could possibly work with and contact them all. Pretty busy days, but I also never forget that quality of life is also important, so I keep in touch with my family and friends.
R: Is there a celebrity whose style you like?
D: One of my all time icons is Edie Sedgwick—Andy Warhol’s muse from the sixties. She has been my favorite as far as style figures are concerned. I also really like Sienna Miller (British Actress), Marion Cotillard (French Actress) and Agyness Deyn (English Top Model).
R: Do you know anything about Bulgaria? What would you wish for our Bulgarian readers?
D: I was hoping you’d ask me this question. I actually do know of Bulgaria. I have been there when I was seven years old with my parents and my sister and some family and friends. It was a big trip for us and I really enjoyed it. I have been to Sofia and Varna (stayed at the Grand Varna Hotel), Sana Beach…I had a great time and have so many pictures. I would love to go back again now as an adult and as a Stylist, I would love to do some great work out there, and continue a growing relationship with ROUGE Magazine. For the Bulgarian readers, I wish them to have an enriched experience from reading materials either in print or online that will allow them an opportunity to experience the rich cultures other parts of the world has to offer in terms of art, music, fashion, and literature. And I hope that my work will offer that to them.
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