Can you tell me a little bit about how you started and eventually found your way in both parts of your fashion career?
I grew up in LA and I always knew I wanted to be a fashion designer. When I was a kid, I didn’t know what a stylist was. We have a family friend as a client, and she is my childhood hero. Because that’s the closest thing I know to what I want to be.
I’ve always wanted to be a fashion designer and my goal was to get into FIT in New York City right after graduating from high school, but September 11th happened, but that made the move to New York City. My New York City is derailed.
I studied for a semester at SMC [Santa Monica City College], and then I go to FIDM. I go to fashion design. I have a teacher – I even remember her name; That’s Mrs. Owens—and she’s a designer. She actually just got a job as the lead designer of Apple Bottom jeans.
She was a portfolio teacher, and I remember her telling me I was going to be a great stylist. She had previously worked at MTV as a stylist, and she introduced me to what it was because I didn’t really know what it was. I interned for her at Apple Bottom after graduating. After that, I interned at a few different denim companies. I finally got a job with a small brand in LA as a women’s designer, and I was there for four years.
There, I met the stylists and I started assisting. I did freelance design after leaving, but I focused more on style.
