Name: Jo Skillman
Profession: Creative director
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Website: joskillman.com
Instagram: @jo_jayne_s
A designer and writer at heart, Jo applies her skillset to building large-scale brands and campaigns that engage and excite communities. Previous clients include, The White House/Michelle Obama, The CW Network, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Blank paper all day.
They don’t make for pretty sketches, but they do turn into good logos.
I’m a fiend for warm colours. Especially the burgundy/red-orange with fuchsia/ice pink combos I’ve been seeing a lot lately.
I'm into vintage of every era. I have a particular love for the boldness and linear nature of Art Deco, and I once centred an entire campaign on mid-century clip art I found at an estate sale.
I’ve also directed a brand identity centred on vintage political buttons. Any era can be an inspiration depending on the client!
I have a years-long and very active group text of several senior designers, and I continue to believe that brain trust is far more helpful to me than any one designer’s phone number, no matter how famous.
We’ve found each other jobs, travelled together, designed an entire cookbook, celebrated birthdays, troubleshot print issues, shared business tips and largely been an irreplaceable resource for each other.
I am crazy organised. I use project management software, creative briefs, digital moodboards, and white boarding tools, Google Cal invites, and handwritten notes. Whatever it takes to get the team on the same page and the same schedule.
Children. Bartenders. Attorneys. Chefs. People you happen to be standing next to at a coffee shop.
I’m a big fan of polling people around me who don’t have any "skin in the game" at all because they have no design ego and no reason to overthink.
I’ll sometimes sketch or brainstorm in public places just for access to guest brains: “What does this look like to you?” “When I say ‘education,’ what do you think of?” “What does this colour remind you of?” After all, I’m almost never designing things for just the client.
Name: Emunah Winer
Profession: Designer and creative director
Location: Israel
Instagram: @emunahwiner
Emunah Winer is the co-founder of Nihilo, a branding agency helping founder-led companies to reach the top of their fields through an artful blend of visual and verbal design. Industry specialisations include spirits, outdoor, biotechnology, and female innovation.
Blank. Lines get in the way. I don’t sketch but I do take lots of notes.
Unknown. The era I research and reference is directly related to whatever specific project I’m working on—I let that lead me.
Brian Collins.
I use a combination of pen-on-paper and digital tools to keep on top of projects. However, sometimes I just let myself go with the flow.
I always like to ask my husband because he knows absolutely nothing about design! Sometimes we get stuck in our own design heads and having a “regular” point of view really helps.
Name: Ben Hartley
Profession: Digital designer
Location: London, England
Instagram: @benhartleydesign
Website: hartley.design
Ben Hartley is a freelance digital designer specialising in type-driven visual design, branding and digital experiences.
P.S. Ben is currently available for work!
For aesthetics alone, I love Art Nouveau for its shameless indulgence and organic textures. Especially when I need a break from the digital, and at times cold, design space we're in.
But Mid-Century Modern design is my go-to for communicating information and ideas clearly and pragmatically—distilling the content into a structured layout, bold typography and vivid colours.
Dotted. My thought process is very structured.
For the first step of a project, I like to plan things out on paper in connected notes and sketches. This is fairly obvious when it comes to web design when you have blocks of content to organise. But even with illustration and font design, dotted paper helps me estimate proportion and divide the page up neatly.
Bethany Heck. I read her article on multi typeface design when I was in a formative stage of my growth as a designer and it completely blew my mind.
I had always been spoon-fed the idea that you should only use a maximum of 2 typefaces in a design but her rebellion against that taught me to question design conventions.
I’m using this green and yellow combo for a client branding project at the moment and it's giving me such fun, light-hearted energy. I've always loved yellow and how it seems inherently more bright and vivid than other colours—as though it refuses to calm down and step back.
Digital tools, but as basic as possible.
Simplenote and Clear are my go-to. The minimal functionality keeps me focused on the work itself, not the productivity.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but... clients. At the end of the day, they know what the result needs to be.
I had to learn how to navigate client relationships in a way that gets the right kind of feedback from them. Of course, there are difficult clients that make things hard but the good ones have helped me produce some of my best work.
Elaine Thompson leads Pistachio Designs, an interior decorating firm based in NYC. AT Pistachio, Elaine ensures that each client's lifestyle is carefully considered and translated into a highly personalised home.
When possible, I always prefer a face-to-face meeting to get to know new clients (zoom totally counts)—conversation typically flows best that way and we can really dive into the nitty gritty. As a project evolves, digital communication works well. Especially as we share reference images or floor plans and renderings. Milestone meetings are another great opportunity to chat things out, face-to-face, and make sure everyone is on the same page.
Understanding my client's lifestyle is one of the most important factors when working through the design process. Lifestyle gives me a sense of what clients value most in their day-to-day lives and I use that information to inform my design choices.
The most challenging part of the design process is probably all of the decisions that need to be made every step of the way. The smallest details can make a huge impact...it's a lot! I remind both my clients and myself that nothing in interior design needs to be permanent; it's ever-evolving and ok to change your mind down the road.
We asked Elaine to imagine she was working with a couple who have just bought their first home—they only have a small space to work with but they have big ideas and dreams! How would she get a feel for the life they want to live here if she had just ~5 questions to work with?
Who do you turn to for style inspiration?
Is it a celebrity with a fabulous home? A favourite writer? A friend with great taste?
What is your favourite at-home activity?
The answer here is so telling, it really gives me a sense of this couple's lifestyle. Do they love staying in for a quiet evening catching up on their Netflix queue? Or do they prefer to host friends for dinner parties?
Where was your first trip together?
This is a fantastic icebreaker and usually leads to some fun stories too! The location and type of trip they took can also help provide inspiration for a colour palette or mood.
When did you realise you want to work with a designer?
Do they need help honing in on their design aesthetic? Do they get overwhelmed by the details of making a space feel 'complete' and need someone to narrow down choices to keep things progressing? The more I know about what a client's strengths and weaknesses are, the better we can all work together!
Why do you gravitate toward certain colour palettes?
Do you like muted colours for the calming effect they evoke or are you afraid you'll overdo it if you work with brighter, more saturated hues? Either way, I'm here to help!
Find out more about Elaine's services on her website. Find interior inspiration on Elaine's Instagram.
Julia Edwards is a London-based makeup artist. Julia has been responsible for the beauty looks of Stormzy, Michaela Coel and Megan Barton-Hanson.
Perhaps it is a cliché, but I grew up with a glamorous mother. I love looking at old photos of her and seeing her unwavering commitment to glamour. She wears a smokey eye every day, even if she’s just going to put the bins out!
I have always been fascinated by watching my mum apply her makeup. Although she’s definitely had some unusual application methods! She used to absolutely cake on her mascara and then meticulously separate her lashes using a safety pin—obviously don’t try this at home!
If I’m feeling uninspired, I stay off social media as much as I can. Comparison, when you’re already in a somewhat self-doubting or negative head space, only serves to make you feel worse.
I usually try to just ride out a creative dry spell. I find that if I focus on spending time with family and friends and doing things that make me happy, my creativity returns naturally by itself.
That’s something I am still figuring out for myself at the moment. I feel like I am in quite a transitional phase of my career. I have a lot of plans and goals that I am keen to realise.
Since the pandemic, I have been more focused on stability and have naturally gravitated towards doing a lot of commercial work rather than overly creative and expressive projects. My work recently has been more commercial/clean or glam rather than experimental and editorial. I enjoy creating the latter and I’m itching to get back to it.
Whilst I love creating natural/no makeup-makeup looks, usually more is more for me. I’m in my element when creating a dramatic look.
Whatever style of makeup I’m doing, whether it’s a classic smudgy and sultry liner, a really juicy glossy lip or a more conceptual artistic look, I want whoever is wearing the makeup to feel powerful and sexy—whatever that means to them.
We asked Julia to share her 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that she hopes to one day bring to life...
We asked Julia to share the creative vision at the top of her bucket list...
Growing up I was obsessed with two things: faces and cats. I’d love to do a beauty shoot that combines the two.
I'd create an ongoing beauty series where models pose next to a cat with visual similarities. For example, a ginger cat with a redhead model, a cat with heterochromia and a model with heterochromia, a sphynx cat and a model with a shaved head and so on.
I want models from all different ethnic backgrounds—the more diverse the range of human and cat faces featured, the more interesting the shoot will be. The odd celebrity featured in the series would also be fun! The model Sydney Harper is absolutely gorgeous and would be a fun way to kick off the series, I could see her posing with a Siamese cat.
I envision really luxe but simple and effective styling. Big chandelier diamond earrings, or a statement jewel necklace against a plain backdrop. I absolutely love Desiree Mattson’s work, the way she captures a mood and the overall feeling of opulence in her photography would be perfect for this concept.
The main technicality to overcome would be getting the cats to sit still and pose without being spooked by the camera!
Find out about Julia's work on her website. Find her on Instagram for never ending makeup inspiration.
Once upon a time, Louise Hall enrolled in a personal colour and style consultation with House of Colour—and it changed her life.
After weaving her new appreciation for colour, shape and style into her own wardrobe, Louise chose to share her knowledge further by setting up her own personal styling and colour consultancy, House of Colour La Jolla.
Face to face, Zoom, emails, or even Instagram DMs—you name it, Louise has used it to connect with her clients. Clients tend to reach out to Louise in the way they find the most convenient—and she's perfectly happy with that.
Louise offers two main consults: Personal Colour Analysis and Personal Style Analysis.
In her colour analysis, Louise searches for her client's most complimentary colour palette, including their “wow” colours. A colour analysis must be done in person and usually takes place in Louise's custom La Jolla studio.
Recipients of Louise's personal style analysis discover how to combine their body architecture with their own personality, to find styles that naturally look good on them, whilst reflecting their authentic selves. In short: they learn how to tell the world who they are.
Louise can conduct a personal style analysis in person or over Zoom—virtually works great too because it enables Louise to see inside a client’s entire closet if needed.
People can fall victim to liking something just because they believe they should. Because they were told to by a magazine, social media, friends or family.
Louise finds it can be a challenge to identify what is true to the individual, and what is a result of outside influence. When a client suffers from real difficulty in expressing how they feel about clothing items and what they truly like or dislike Louise remains patient and works harder to understand her client's character.
It’s not just about dressing a body type/shape, it’s about dressing the whole woman.
Louise works hard to understand the intricacies of her client's personalities so that she can effectively dress them from the inside out. "Sometimes we wear items that theoretically should work for our body architecture, but they still don’t feel right." That's because we don’t feel ourselves in them, and that's where Louise can help.
Louise loves receiving feedback from clients such as, “I never realised what a difference texture, pattern, flow etc. could make.” Or, “You’ve given me permission to truly express myself—the outside matches the inside.” But Louise's personal favourite? “You’ve changed my life!”
We challenged Louise to lay the foundations for a thorough closet edit—if she had just 5 questions to work with.
What... do feel like when you wear this?
When... did you last wear this outside the house?
Why... settle for something that doesn’t make you feel amazing?
Who... are you wearing this for?
Where... do you spend most of your time? (Let’s make sure you have a great closet for that!)
Got a question for Louise? Learn more about her services on her website. Find transformational stories and handy styling tips on her Instagram.
Samuel Geals fell in love with photography at a young age, and has continued to pursue his passion ever since. Today, Samuel works as a multidisciplinary photographer specialising in fashion editorial shoots.
Samuel is commited to collaborating with emerging models, to champion a new generation of faces within the fashion industry.
Find more of Samuel Geals' work on his website or check out his Instagram.
There were two formative moments in my desire to pursue fashion photography.
The first was working with a professional model. When I got into the studio and the model arrived, she looked through the clothing options and made it her own. She moved her body and followed my lens and it became more of a collaborative effort to create great images. This sense of collaboration continued as I started working more with teams of creatives. I'll always be addicted to the moments we all put our minds together to create something great.
The second, purchasing my first lighting diagram from a professional fashion photographer. For my next shoot, I booked the studio and set up the lights following every detail. Once I saw the image appear and what had been achieved I was hooked. I then started playing around with the lighting set-up, turning one light off or changing the lighting modifier for a different effect.
These two moments pushed me so far forward in such a small amount of time. I ran with it and haven’t stopped since.
A lot of my work is inspired by lyrics written by metal/metalcore bands and most of my shoots are named after the song or band I was listening to when the idea came about. There’s something about the dark poeticism and fast beat that put a fire in me to create. I also regularly watch films with award-winning cinematography. Watching people at the top of their game create is inspirational in itself.
Although I do follow lots of magazines and other photographers' careers, it’s more common for me to take inspiration from music and film rather than from other photographers. I think that creative types, from all backgrounds, need to have different visual or auditory stimuli. Even if you were to go out into the city and see the world moving along or out into nature to clear your mind, it’s something different from the usual.
Firstly, I want my work to be remembered for the timeless aesthetic that I love so much—the strength and power of the female (and male) form.
I’d also like it to be remembered by all the people involved in creating that photo shoot. From the make-up artists, hair stylists and clothing stylists to the brand, client or agency.
I like my images to serve a purpose and create a memory. Moving into the next phase of my photographic work, I’d now like to edge more into a political stance. Having been a listener of metal and punk since I was young, I’m now delving into my nostalgia and history to find new meaning.
We asked Samuel to share his 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that he hopes to one day bring to life...
I have been watching futuristic/sci-fi cinema—like the Blade Runner series and Equilibrium—and taking more notice of how they portray fashion and style in the future.
This very much ties in with my new phase of introducing a political and punk concept into my work.
I want to tell a story of the struggles between us, the citizens, and the governments and police forces that we reside under. There are so many ways to tell these stories, subtly or controversially—I feel it’s an area for me to explore and create a unique identity.
For the most part, I would like to create sets and shoot this idea in the studio. I'd need control over the lighting in order to create other-worldly shadows and harsh light. If I were to choose a location, it would be a very modern but heavily concreted area in a large and towering city, mixed with glass buildings and reflections.
Some of my inspiration for this concept came from Steven Klein and Steven Meisel. These two photographers are able to create a completely unique world—a fantasy if you will. They are able to take you away into a new dimension and they execute the image itself in a beautiful way, whether it’s raw and desaturated or heavily saturated with coloured gels on the lights.
I'd keep the styling open to interpretation from a number of different clothing stylists and brands, however I'd love to work with Tom Ford and Atsuko Kudo Latex.
I envision a mixture of eccentric clothing with exaggerated features, smart wear with clean and crisp lines, latex and bondage-type items, trench coats and clothing with interesting silhouettes. I'd want to incorporate accessories that allude to a dystopian society, such as oxygen tanks for a world where the air is no longer breathable and using police batons to create a menacing vibe.
I'd need models with strong faces that can pull off a menacing look. I like to work with new and upcoming models, but if I were to choose one model in particular it would be Steinberg—they have an inner innocence but a very metal/punk aesthetic.
I have already done some editorials moving in this direction which will help me to permanently introduce this aesthetic into my work. But this is a question with endless possibilities and this is only the beginning...
Above all else, a home should be two things: functional and personal. Every home should be a true reflection of its resident's lifestyle and personality. Once you have found out what your client needs from a project, you can start finding out what they want. How does your client hope to live within the space you're creating? In what ways can this space enhance their lifestyle? What is going to make this space instantly recognisable as their own?
Visualist speaks to five top interior designers to find out what they've got jotted down on their client intake form...
It is important to understand how a client wants to interact with the space, but also how they hope to interact with others within the space. How can the room you're designing enhance your clients' relationships and facilitate beautiful memories?
Laura Medicus is the owner and principal designer of Denver-based interior design firm, Laura Medicus Interiors. Read our full interview with Laura here.
Whether it be for clothing, homeware or even food, the way your client shops reveals a lot about their personality, priorities and tastes (quite literally when it comes to food). Familiarise yourself with the brands/shops that your client chooses to interact with and see if there is a common thread that can be translated into your design.
Lucy Smith is the founder of antique furniture store and interior design firm, Lucy Madeline Design. read our full interview with Lucy here.
Do you like to cook and entertain? Do you want space for indoor games on a rainy day? Do you need storage space for sporting equipment? An outdoor shower for sand rinsing/dog washing? Your client needs their home to function on a daily basis, so you need to know what day-to-day life looks like.
Liselle Milner is an award-winning interior designer and founder of Zenterior Design. Read our full interview with Liselle here.
Though it may seem tedious, figuring out the value of each item in a client's home gives you great insight into their priorities—and will definitely help to clear some clutter!
Devin VonderHaar is a Portland-based home organiser and creator of The Modern Minimalist. Read our full interview with Devin here.
There is no place like home... but sometimes it's nice for a home to feel a little bit like somewhere else. Perhaps your client pines after their favourite holiday destination; or craves the comforts of a previous home. A client's answer will reveal more about the ambience they hope to feel in their home and could inform stylistic decisions based on certain areas, emotions or eras.
Nikki Holt acts as design director for the Luxury Residential Design Studio at Denver-based interior design firm, Kimberly Timmons Interiors. Read our full interview with Nikki here.
Want more insights from your client? Check out our interior design client questionnaire template.
Elliot Soriano is a freelance fashion stylist and costume designer based in Los Angeles. Elliot counts many a celebrity amongst their clients, including the one and only Lady Gaga.
Find an archive of Elliot's work on their website. Follow their Instagram for style inspiration and celebrity snaps.
The one constant throughout my entire life is my love of cowboy boots. If you look at photos of me as a child, it didn't matter what I was wearing, there was always a cowboy boot. There are photos of me in superman pyjamas with cowboy boots on!
For college, I went to an art school in Portland. There I revived my love of cowboy boots with a few pairs I found at a thrift store near my dorm. My current pair (as pictured above) are red satin with a steel toe—they're a runway sample from when Raf Simons was at Calvin Klein.
I spend a lot of time on Instagram bookmarking inspiration. Films are also a great source of inspiration. My favourite film account to follow is Cinespia. They screen classic movies here in LA at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and have the best taste for cult classics.
I'm most proud of my work assisting Brandon Maxwell in dressing Lady Gaga. I spent a lot of time researching and calling in students and young emerging designers from around the world for her to wear. Giving those emerging talents the same opportunity to be seen as a major LVMH brand—especially on someone like Lady Gaga—has proven to be very helpful in launching their brands.
We asked Elliot to share their 'bucket list concept'—the creative vision that they hope to one day bring to life...
My Bucket List concept looks like something you might see in Dazed Magazine.
I'd love to take a week-long trip to Mexico City with my four best friends. These four friends are my Queer Family and we love working together. During the middle of lockdown, after 3 months of not seeing each other in person, we took a trip to Joshua Tree. The photos from that trip are amongst my favourites ever.
I'd love to shoot throughout Mexico City but the one place I'd absolutely need to shoot at would be Casa Luis Barragán. I took a few courses on architecture in college and visiting this Luis Barragán masterpiece has always been at the top of my bucket list.
Styling would be pretty straightforward—I'd want to highlight each of my friend's individual styles. For authenticity, I'd let them do their own hair but to add a bit of twist to the photos I would like to bring on one of my favourite make-up artists on board, lesgubrious—who just so happens to be based in Mexico City. For the clothing, I'd love to feature Latino designers like Roberto Sanchez and my friend Ivana's dad, Cesar Arellanes, who makes almost all of the clothing she and her wife Brooke wear. I was introduced to Brooke and Ivana through my friend Derek and was just naturally drawn to them by their unique style and energy.
What I love about my Queer Family is that we are all creatives, so collaborating on a shoot would be a dream. They are also very good sports when it comes to my ideas... For our Joshua Tree trip, I insisted that we had a wig party in the desert! Derek and Ivana are both incredibly talented graphic designers and have a really great eye for steering the poses and creative direction. Matt and Brooke are both photographers and always capture great candid photos of our little family.
My idea mostly stems from our desire to travel together. Last year we went to Mérida in Mexico for Brooke and Ivana's wedding and it is one of my most cherished memories of our time together.
Natalie Daley is a doctor with a passion for fashion. Alongside her medical career, Natalie is the founder of Style Confidence Daley—a personal styling consultancy prescribing clothes as a means for women to develop their confidence in the workplace.
Natalie usually speaks with her clients over the phone or on Skype, to discuss the findings of their style questionnaire and their style board. But no matter the method of communication, listening is always key. Listening to your client and what they're looking for is so important.
With all her work, Natalie seeks to really understand the individual's personality and encapsulate that in their wardrobe. Watching the visible transformation in a clients' confidence is Natalie's favourite part of her job. She knows she has done her job well when clients let her know they've been using her suggestions whilst doing their own shopping.
Styling work is most challenging when a client has a very specific brief. "Your goal is to do your best for your client. Naturally you want to ensure you interpret their brief just right."
Natalie has also had to come to term with the fact that client's won't love every item or outfit you pick for them—and that's okay!
Natalie's styling services are tailored specifically for women in the workplace. She helps her clients to dress in a way that reflects the positions they aspire to have, or those they already hold. In keeping with Natalie's area of expertise, we challenged her to make an initial consultation for a client who wants to up her game at work by "dressing for the role she wants"—if she had just 5 questions to work with.
Who... do you admire in terms of their style?
What... do you want to achieve by changing/discovering your workplace style?
Where... do you see yourself in the next year if you make changes to your workplace style?
When... do you want to achieve this by?
Why... do you feel that your workplace style is holding you back from getting the role you want?
Got a question for Natalie? Find out more about her services on her website. Or find Natalie on Instagram.
Catherine Robertson trained at the London College of Style before setting up her personal styling consultancy CR Styling. Catherine leaves each of her clients looking like a million dollars—minus the price tag!
As a mother herself, Catherine understands that time can be sparse for her clients. But that doesn't stop her from making them feel "confident, happy and fabulous."
And the same goes for budget. Catherine firmly believes that "the UK high street offers all you need to look stylish and effortlessly chic."
The best place to meet a client is in their own homes. "You can learn so much about their style and lifestyle needs from talking to clients in their own house."
To kick off this meeting, Catherine asks her client to show her their current favourite outfit—the one they feel most confident in. The hardest part of Catherine's job is then having to tactfully say, "That looks nice but I can definitely make you look even better!
Catherine knows she can make her clients look and feel amazing. But first, she has to know what that means to them. We challenged Catherine to pin down the priorities of a new client—if she only had 5 questions to work with...
Who... do you follow on Instagram and love?
What... is your favourite part of your body?
Where... do you usually shop?
When... do you feel your most confident?
Why... have you chosen to work with a stylist? (It is important to know what the client is expecting.)
Got a question for Catherine? Explore her services on her website, or check out her Instagram.
Michelle Wright, aka Mrs Stylewright, is an East Midlands-based personal stylist and colour analyst. Michelle focuses on helping women over 30 to rediscover their confidence through the power of dressing.
Michelle's process begins with a "getting to know each other call" to establish her prospective client's needs. If all goes well, a meeting follows.
If the client is local, or happy to pay Michelle's travel expenses, then the meeting will take place in person—usually at the client's house. Zoom meetings work too but Michelle prefers to meet her clients face to face. "I think that you get a better feel of a person from meeting in real life."
For Michelle, an honest assessment of her client's day to day lifestyle is key. An inaccurate picture will result in an inauthentic style and the client not feeling truly themselves. As Michelle explains, "It's pointless glamming someone up in suits and heels if they spend their days at messy play with their 3-year-old!"
That is not to say her client's can't use their new style to manifest the lifestyle they dream of. "When uncovering someone's style, I want to know who they aspire to be as well as who they actually are." To get to the best version of themselves, Michelle must first help clients overcome their own negative perceptions of themslves—the hardest part of her job. Her work seeks to build each individual's self-confidence so that they can finally see what others see.
The most challenging part of Michelle's job is changing people's negative perceptions of themselves. Her work seeks to build each individual's self-confidence so that they can finally see what others see.
To help a client see themselves through others' eyes, Michelle must first figure out how they see themselves. The scenario: a client wants to refresh their style by making the most of what they already have, not investing in too many new items. We challenged Michelle to understand this client's existing relationship with their wardrobe—if she had just 5 questions to work with.
Who... do you want to be? (Who are you now?)
What... do you wear the most?
Where... are you in your life right now? (Where have you come from? Where do you want to be?)
When... did you last feel fabulous? (Where were you and what were you wearing?)
Why... aren't you happy with your wardrobe?
Got a question for Michelle? Find out more about Michelle's services on her website. Find style tips and outfit inspiration on her Instagram.
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