Morgan Bienvenue is a fashion stylist based in NYC. Her approach to personal styling stems from the desire to help clients find themselves through fashion.

Morgan has worked with iconic brands including Macy’s, Under Armour, and Swarovski.

A friend in me

Outside of a consultation or shopping appointment, Morgan usually communicates with her clients over text. "It’s the most conversational and natural way for them to ask me anything or send me pictures from the fitting room when they’re shopping. I consider it a major compliment when someone is considering buying something and the first person they think to ask is me."

"I never want to discourage that level of closeness because in reality clothing is super personal. Often the things we’ve talked about beforehand involve insecurities or hang-ups so my goal is to function as a best friend that they know will give them honest, but encouraging fashion advice."

Trust your intuition

When first meeting a client, Morgan provides a questionnaire that offers insight into their goals and the lifestyle they lead. However, for the most part, she can sense a client's style identity just from being in the room with them. "I genuinely think that interpreting someone’s style is an intuitive process."

Morgan also uses her client's current closet as a source for clues. "To me, impulse purchases offer great insight into the person you want to become. It is often the fear of change or lack of experience with shapes and proportions that keep you from letting that person out."

If the time is right

"Sometimes you simply can’t convince a client to see what you see. Maybe they aren’t ready to see themselves differently, maybe they just experienced a weight gain/loss and their brain hasn’t caught up to their new body yet, or maybe you just aren’t seeing eye to eye on what style suits them."

Morgan finds these problems arise when a client has put a wall somewhere inside themselves. "Maybe they aren’t quite able to articulate what they envision for themselves, or they don’t fully commit to the process. Either way, when a client tries something on that makes them feel special, it’s apparent. They don’t have to fake it, that feeling just emanates from them. If I can’t get that response from them, I know we might have just met a little too early on in their journey."

Client deep dive

Intuition alone can tell you a lot about your client, but the right questions will help you along the way. We challenged Morgan to unravel the goals of a client who feels disconnected from their true sense of style-if she has just -5 questions to work with.

Who... are your personal style icons?

What... are your goals? What do you want to accomplish that you think updating your personal style will help you achieve?

Where... is your favourite place to travel?

When... was the last time you wore an outfit that made you feel like yourself? What was the situation surrounding that outfit?

Why... have you hired a personal stylist now vs. any other time?

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Follow Morgan on Instagram for daily style inspiration, or find out more about her services on her website.

Chris Adnitt worked in the hospitality industry for over two decades before setting up The Wedding Arrangers—a London-based wedding planning business specialising in dry hire and blank canvas venues. Chris and his team produce weddings that are fun, creative, relaxed, and often very food orientated.

Chris recalls his journey into the wedding industry, his take on upcoming wedding trends, and his approach to vendor relationships with the help of an old wedding day tradition: something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue...

Something old

I can't recall one particular moment that drew me to event planning. Instead, I experienced a gradual deepening of love for the hospitality industry. It began with my first part-time job in a local pub, grew during my 10 years as a club promoter/DJ, and cemented itself during the 10 years that I ran my own restaurant and catering business. When a flood brought my restaurant to a close, I felt I had reached a serious crossroads in my life. It was time to ask myself where my real passions were. The answer was obvious: food, music and booze! In my mind, that's what all the best parties are built from—so now throwing amazing parties is what I do.

I received some great advice regarding my line of work once: "Relax, have fun, it's just a party!" I relay that message to my staff at every single event we run.

Something new

Given the nature of our venues, we are often asked for very "rustic" inspired decor. However, I am noticing a growing preference for more elegant set-ups contrasted with the industrial setting. In terms of food, I'm seeing more couples opt for super casual street food options at their weddings. These couples are doing away with table plans and formal dining, in favour of food trucks and stalls with a variety of fun bites from around the world. Some are opting for a full market vibe with beer benches, festoons and mismatched antique furniture, while others are bringing in fresh-looking mid-century modern furnishings.

We work with the brilliant Chew That! to put together amazing food and bar options for our couples.

Something borrowed

I'm extremely picky when it comes to the key suppliers I recommend.

First of all, the food needs to be incredible. Once you tie in crockery hire and service, it will doubtless form the biggest part of the budget breakdown. If I haven't had first-hand experience of working with a caterer, we attend a rigorous tasting day and talk to them at length about their experience in dry hire venues—not every caterer can handle this environment!

We run our own in-house bar company, London Wedding Bars in association with the amazing cocktail team at Behind This Wall in Hackney. I take personal control of the wine programme and work with some incredible merchants to ensure our wines are always on point.

We love to bring amazing photographers and florists on board to really put the icing on the cake of our celebrations. I always advise couples to spend some time getting to know their photographers; they're going to be shooting some intimate and emotional moments and you won't be relaxed if you don't click personally with your photographer.

Something blue

That is how I would describe the colour palette for my most recent wedding. Our last wedding took place in an incredible Victorian riverside warehouse called The Chainstore. Our couple chose beautiful bentwood chairs and clean white linen which contrasted beautifully with the muted silver napkins and natural stoneware crockery. Extraordinary floral work by Still Life brought the whole thing to life—Phalaenopsis, Orchids, Hydrangea, Campanula flowers and Ilex trees.

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See more of Chris' work on Instagram and find out how The Wedding Arrangers can bring your big day to life on their website.

Camilla Boniek is a wedding and events planner, born in Italy and based in London. Camilla's approach to wedding planning is moulded by her empathy, her attention to detail and her dedication to making every event a memorable experience.

Camilla shares words of wisdom, wedding trend predictions and heartwarming memories with the help of an old wedding day tradition: something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue...

Something old

When I was 18, I used to work as an event hostess to make some money whilst studying. By chance, I was put in contact with a wedding planner in need of an assistant at an upcoming wedding. And well… here I am. I can still remember the excitement that I felt during that day—I’ve always loved love! I have had great organisational skills from a very young age, so that experience just made sense to me and connected all the dots.

When helping others to celebrate their love is your job, you make plenty of amazing memories—that’s the reason I love it, and why I in fact don’t see it as a “job” at all.
One particular memory will always have a place in my heart... A client of mine's father seemed cold and was mostly silent—an introvert. I thought he didn’t like me. But during the wedding, right after the cake was cut, he hugged me and said, “Thank you for your precious help, I have never seen my daughter this happy. I’m sure this is so much more than she ever dreamed of”

Something new

2023 will be the year that bold colours take over in the wedding industry. Blue and purple, in particular, will be the protagonists of the upcoming season—which makes me very happy, I love that combination.

Something borrowed

The advice I received: “Once you planned it, re-plan it. And then start again.” This is the best way to ensure you don't miss anything. But here's my personal take: “Plan it, design it but above all feel it.”

Something blue

I find colour inspiration in everything. Last night, my son was wearing orange, white, and light blue pyjamas and I immediately had a visual in my mind. You’d be amazed at how many things are inspiring when you look rather than just see! A timeless favourite colour combination of mine is nude colours with blush pink. To me, it feels heavenly and the natural shades make it timeless and pure.

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Follow Camilla on Instagram to find a beautiful archive of her work. Find out more about Camilla's services on her website.

Few have had as profound an influence on culture, art and fashion as Frida Kahlo. Frida has inspired fashion lovers the world over, Charlie Collins amongst them. Charlie is the founder of Creative Wardrobe—a style consultancy specialising in curating "magical wardrobes", filled with pre-owned pieces and vintage treasures. In recent years, Charlie has also added Head of Consignment at Vestiaire Collective, Author and Mother to her CV—all whilst settling into a colourful new home in Lewes.

Charlie's debut book is an ode to her lifelong style idol fittingly titled, Frida Style Icon—a project she embarked on in her first few months as a new mother. We speak to Charlie about cultivating peace with colour, finding lifelong companionship in clothing, and creating a fitting tribute to an enduring icon, Frida Kahlo...

Incidentally sustainable

When I first started hunting for pre-loved pieces, it wasn't because I was conscious of being sustainable. I simply loved the unexpected mix that occurs when lots of random things are thrown together in an organic way. I loved the creative freedom that hunting for second-hand pieces afforded me. New season pieces in trend-lead stores felt stale in comparison and besides, I am a bargain hunter! Now the word sustainable is used widely, "over-used" some might say. To me, "sustainable" means consuming and producing consciously with the longevity of our materials, the planet and the item itself in mind.

Behind the wardrobe door

I've had certain pieces in my wardrobe for over 15 years. Perhaps the oldest and most well-worn is a faded denim shirt from Marks and Spencer that I picked up in a charity shop. I adore my white Rixo bias-cut maxi skirt—I found it pre-owned on eBay and wore it for the night before my wedding. I style it with classic striped shirts or simple sweatshirts and brogues to make the most out of it day-to-day. Brands I love, found in my wardrobe and around my home: Vestiaire Collective for pre-loved treasures, The Restory for clothing and accessory aftercare, By Sarah for their beautiful facial oils, Ocean Bottle for their big impact drinking bottles and Patagonia and Ganni for their pioneering circular strategies.

Fashioning motherhood

Motherhood brought about two style transformations for me. In my pregnancy, I lost my way. My clothes simply didn't fit anymore and so, in desperation, I turned to my husband's shirts. I spent many months living in tracksuit bottoms and any shirt that would close over my enormous tummy. Then when my son was about 6 months old, I re-found myself. I am more in love with fashion than ever before. I love colours, crochet, patchwork, quilt, wearable art and anything that makes a statement!

In response to my own experience of becoming unrecognisable to myself, and the journey we go on as blooming mothers, I added Magical Mamas Wardrobe Reboot sessions to my services. Pregnancy is beautiful, real, and grounding but also tough—it can really knock us for six when it comes to body confidence. I love to support women in rediscovering their creative juices and getting excited about styling themselves again!

The colours of home

We were lucky enough to move into a house that was already beautifully done by paint and tastemaker, Cassandra Ellis—founder of Atelier Ellis. We wanted to keep the house as beautifully "wabi-sabi" as we'd move into it, so we sold a lot of our old things and started from scratch. My passion for mad colours manifests more in my taste in outfits than interiors. I have found serenity in living in a more simple space with calming colours. For our bedroom, we took inspiration from our local area, particularly Charleston House—the beautiful home of artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. We used Atelier Ellis paints, to craft a fun powder pink, yellow and grey colour scheme, reminiscent of the Bloomsbury style.

Pen to paper

I knew my lovely editor, Kajal Mistry, through Creative Wardrobe as she had bought a few pieces from me. She gathered I was Frida obsessed, and the book grew organically from there! My son was three months when I started the project so the hardest part of the writing process was trying to muster the brain power to focus. It was hard being away from him for long stints of time, but I'm proud of myself for persevering. In the end, we even turned the book around in record time.

My research process was fast and furious, I owned most books on Frida prior to the book opportunity and so I dived in head first and enjoyed the process immensely. I loved learning more about my icon and particularly loved finding out that, like me, she had a passion for the spiritual, the mystical and anything magical and fantastical. In my childhood, I wrote freely and often and loved English literature but I suppose I stopped once it wasn't necessary anymore. I have always found writing easy and enjoyable and love connecting what's inside your heart or head with pen and paper. Frida loved writing and penned many hundreds of letters to her loved ones.

Remembering Frida

I am a lifelong Frida Kahlo fan. I am inspired by her unconventionality, her unapologetic boldness and her continued ability to surprise and delight. A style icon is someone who is renowned for inspiring and influencing the tastes of many people all at once, Frida continues to do this posthumously. She has inspired some of the greatest fashion designers of all time from Jean Paul Gaultier to Valentino and encouraged many thousands of us to adorn flower crowns or embrace our unconventional beauty. She is a true style icon!

I hope the book makes readers come to appreciate how Frida infused her fashion with her spirit. Her clothes were a reflection of her heart, mind, passions and of course her politics. She was an artist who channelled her creativity out into the world in multi-faceted ways.

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Charlie Collins curates sustainable outfits and shares vintage treasures on her Instagram, you can also find out more about her styling services on her website. Frida Style Icon, is now available to order.

Ashley Campbell is a Denver-based interior designer. Her namesake interior design firm specialises in the new construction and renovation of luxury residential interiors.

Ashley has been featured on the DIY Network program Building Belushi, as well as HGTV’s House Hunters Renovation.

Hit the ground running

For Ashley, communicating with clients face-to-face isn't just more enjoyable, its more efficient. "I like to start a project with a tour of the client's home with my team. In this meeting, we get to see their current space, learn about their family, and figure out what works and doesn't work in their space. Then, we hit the ground running and start designing. We prepare moodboards, furniture layouts, and sample collections to share with the client at our next in-person meeting."

Between meetings, Ashley encourages her clients to share images of spaces that excite them—which helps her to build a better image of their tastes and goals for the project. Once the design is finalised, Ashley eagerly awaits delivery and installation!

Functional and beautiful

"When uncovering my client's style, I love to focus on function."

Ashley's job is to create a beautiful space, but she is also mindful that the space has to cater to her client's day to day needs and fit their lifestyle. Ashley knows she has delivered on the design when clients are jumping up and down in design meetings! She really knows she has perfected it when clients are still raving about their spaces years after the project is finished.

Something's gotta give

Ashley finds the hardest part of the design process is coaching clients to accept that, “something's gotta give—especially in today’s world." "Good quality, cheap, fast—you can only have two of the three. For instance, if you pick good quality and cheap, it won’t be fast. If you pick fast and good quality, it won’t be cheap."

Ashley finds that getting to the bottom of her clients' priorities can be tricky. "We try to treat this as an educational and trust-building dialogue. Once we check this box, it’s smooth sailing!"

Client deep dive

A project celebrated for years to come, starts with asking the right questions. We challenged Ashley to gather the project overview from clients who are first-time renovators—if she had just ~5 questions to work with...

1. Who do you share your space with? How many kids do you have? Do you have regular guests?
2. What do you love about your space? What are your hobbies?
3. Where do you spend the most/least time in your home?
4. When you host, how many people are invited?
5. Why are you renovating your space? Why did you wait so long to call?
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Got a question for Ashley? Learn more about her services on her website or find an archive of her work on her Instagram.

Marlene Anzaldua is a freelance fashion stylist based in Chicago. Marlene's styling work has been published in print and digitally for magazines including Glamour, L’Officiel, British Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar.

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in fashion?

I have had a fascination with fashion, magazines and posing for as long as I can remember. I knew I belonged in the fashion world when my first Cosmo arrived in the mail at age 13—I was so excited.

Back then I had no idea that by the age of 40 I'd be styling photoshoots for Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, Instyle and Vogue.

What inspires you?

I find inspiration in day-to-day activities, scrolling through Pinterest, people watching or in my dreams.

When I am suffering from creative burnout, I take a step back from whatever project I am working on. I can feel myself re-finding what I need just by stepping outside, grounding myself, having a smoke, and becoming one with the elements as I listen, feel and smell the world around me.

How do you want your work to be remembered?

I create fashion under the impression that it is armour against a cold world.

I hope someone in the year 2121 will pick up a look I created and feel compelled to wear it because they want to feel empowered, confident and badass.

Search for the Holy Grail

I have a lot of crazy fashion photoshoot ideas on my bucket list! But top of the list...

Models walking across the Bahrain Desert in search of the Holy Grail of fashion. I'd need a zebra, a camel and a horse—and of course, lots of sand.

I’d love to collaborate with photographer Alina Gofman and fashion designer LaQuan Smith. I admire Alina's drive and her photography style. LaQuan Smith's work is the epitome of fashion for me and I adore all that he creates. I'd want looks that incorporated Haute Couture denim, lots of gold and specks of neon.

I'd want Brianne Pearson, Bella Hadid and Liu Wen to model for me. All three bring the look and attitude that my scorched wasteland needs.

I was inspired to create this shoot by a combination of movies, The Mummy, The Book of Eli, The Devil Wears Prada and then, of course, the Jacquemus 2020 desert fashion show.

Find out more about Marlene's services on her website. Follow Marlene on Instagram for fashion shoot BTS and outfit inspiration.

Jiovani Cervantes is an LA-based personal stylist. Jiovani specialises in personal shopping and fashion editorials, curating looks that help his clients to feel authentic, stylish and confident.

Call me anytime

"Before the pandemic, I’d typically meet my clients face-to-face over a coffee. However. I now conduct our first consultation over either via voice call or Zoom." If that all goes well, Jiovani then schedules a date to meet face-to-face.

Once Jiovani establishes a relationship with his clients, all that's needed is a simple text or phone call, whether that be at 2 pm or 2 am!

Identify the source

With each client, Jiovani identifies two key factors that determine the direction and approach that he will take: intention and obstacles. Intention refers to why his client wants to elevate their wardrobe, and obstacles refers to what is currently preventing them from achieving absolute style confidence. In his own words, "I need to understand how my client would like to show up for themselves and what I need to do in order to make that happen."

Overcoming obstacles

Jiovani is more than a stylist to his clients, he is also an honest friend. "I run into the same fork in the road with every client. They have to face their obstacles and learn to embrace them. It's about using insecurities as fuel to move forward, instead of letting them hold you from your fullest potential." Jiovani does his best to console and uplift his clients, hopefully providing them with enough of a spark to light a fire of confidence within.

We challenged Jiovani to understand a new client's intentions and obstacles—if he has just ~5 questions to work with...

What... does a typical week in your life look like?

When...was the last time you felt absolute confidence in an outfit you’ve worn? What was the occasion?

Why... are you seeking assistance from a personal stylist?

Who... do you take most of your style influence from?

Where... do you see yourself in five years? What are you wearing?

Find out more about Jiovani's services on his website. Follow Jiovani on Instagram to explore an archive of his editorial work.

Erica Ball is a personal stylist based in Los Angeles. Erica combines the art of personal styling and curated shopping to help her clients create a brand, image, and wardrobe that they love.

Perfect fit

Erica finds that email is the best method for initial communication with clients, it lends itself well to fast-paced interaction and any quick-fire questions that clients might have such as, "Do you work with teens?" or, "What do you charge?"

If Erica and a potential client appear to be a good fit, she'll invite them for a quick chat on the phone. Once the pair decide to work together, Erica likes to conduct an initial face-to-face meeting if possible, "I find face-to-face meetings help to build our relationship and trust faster."

Set your goals

First things first, Erica needs to be aware of her client's goals and their expectations of working with her. To find out Erica asks, "What do you hope to have by the end of our time together?"

From there, Erica dives straight in. "Getting inside someone's closet with them and going through each item is probably the most helpful method of uncovering their style, I ask a lot of questions about each item in their wardrobe—do you wear this piece? Do you love it? Do you know how to style it?"

Self-investment

"Self-care is hard for many of us, but especially for women and even more so for mothers. Sometimes the hardest part of my process is getting a potential client to see the value in my services."

Erica often has to explain to clients that whilst her services may seem like a big expense upfront, she will in fact be saving them hundreds, if not thousands, down the road. "I teach my clients how to shop smart for their body type and lifestyle and stop throwing their money away on items they'll never wear."

Client deep dive

In Erica's experience, mothers often choose to invest in their teenage children's style before helping themselves. So, we challenged Erica to uncover the values and goals of a teen girl who's ready for a style transformation—if she had just ~5 questions to work with.

What... is your ideal look for...

1. school?

2. hanging out with friends?

3. spending time with family?

When... you look in your closet, how do you feel? How would you like to feel?

Why... do you want to change your style?

Who... do you admire for their style (celebrity, influencer, friend, etc.)?

Where... do you like to shop? Do you even like to shop?

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Learn more about Erica's services on her website, or subscribe to Erica's YouTube channel for a bank of styling tips and tricks.

Shaquanna Chappelle is an Atlanta-based image and style expert, working to help women elevate their work wardrobes and achieve their career goals. Shaquanna's style services help her clients to break out of their comfort zone, identify their unique style, and create confident bold looks.

Form a connection

Shaquanna finds Zoom a very useful tool for client communication, not only does it allow her to get real-time visuals of her clients' wardrobes, it also allows her to form a deeper connection with them.

Put yourself in their shoes

Shaquanna explains, "When I truly understand my client's lifestyle, I can make informed decisions about what will make them feel their best."

There are lots of factors to consider when styling a client, their preferred style, body type, etc. but for Shaquanna, the most important factor is their lifestyle. "I like to ask clients about what they do at work, after work, on the weekends, what a typical day looks like for them, what they do with their kids and spouses, if they travel, etc." Listening to her client's answers helps Shaquanna to put herself in her client's shoes and make better selections when shopping and putting together outfits.

Avoid miscommunication

Challenges can arise from the difference in how people define certain styles or aesthetics. To prevent any miscommunication Shaquanna always asks her client to thoroughly explain their interpretation of their desired look. "A client might say they want to look modern, but everyone has their own visual definition of what modern means. I ask thoughtful questions to encourage a deeper explanation, which helps me paint a better picture of their desired outcome in my head."

Clear communication is key when it comes to finding the perfect style, and so is asking the right questions. We challenged Shaquanna to understand the needs of a client who wants to up her game when it comes to dressing for work—if she had just ~5(ish) questions to work with...

Who... do you look to for style inspiration?

What... is your profession?

Where... do you currently shop for your wardrobe?

When... would you like my shopping and styling services to be completed?

Why... is your style a priority for you? Is there something that recently occurred that made you want to step it up?

How... do you want to feel when you show up to your workplace in your elevated style?

Find out more about Shaquanna's services on her website, or find banks of outfit inspiration on her Instagram.

Sarah Sullivan had long been dishing out informal style advice to her family and friends, until one day she decided to make it her career.

Sarah trained as a personal stylist and set up her own personal style consultancy, Style Solutions by Sarah—founded on the belief that dressing up every day should be a joy, not a chore.

Adapting communications

I always prefer to meet clients face-to-face as styling is such a personal service. After initially talking with clients via email or DM, Sarah likes to organise a face-to-face chat as soon as possible to get a better understanding of her client's needs. In recent years, Sarah has adapted her service to offer online consultations conducted via Zoom too.

Personal problem solver

"People usually contact me because they are looking to solve a problem with their style. Often this is a result of a lifestyle change—a client might have retired or become a mum—and they are now unsure how to dress."

Alternatively, Sarah finds many clients come to her with the infamous "wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear" dilemma because they are struggling to mix and match items together.

Once Sarah understands where her client is coming from and what they need, it is a lot easier for her to find a style that suits! After a session, Sarah allows clients some time to absorb all the information given. She then loves receiving feedback and photos of outfits they have put together themselves—complete with a smile!

Confidence is key

The biggest obstacle Sarah has to overcome? Client confidence. "There is often a discrepancy between what my clients would like to wear and what they feel they 'should' wear. They don't want to dress up too much or stand out."

Sarah's job is to gently help persuade her clients to try new things, "Just get out there, life is too short!"

Client deep dive

So how does Sarah coax out the truth of what a client wants to wear? We challenged Sarah to understand the mindset of a client who has always found fashion and styling a chore—if she has just ~5 questions to work with.

What.. would you like to achieve from our session?

It is really important that I understand my client's end goal. Is it just to feel more confident about wearing what they already have and creating outfits?  Or is it about helping them adjust to a whole new lifestyle?

When... did you last wear this?

A client's answer is a good indicator of whether they are holding on to items which no longer fit or suit their lifestyle. If they haven't worn an item for over a year, I persuade them to let it go in order to make room in their wardrobe for a new chapter and things that bring them joy.

Why... won't you wear this?

This question helps me to uncover any emotional hangups a client may have about their body shape. People are often surprised by what new styles actually look good on them.

Who... do you admire for their fashion sense?

I can use their answer to assess what they might be open to trying.

Where... do you usually shop?

This question gives me an indication of my client's taste and budget. I might discover that their usual choice of shop/brand might not be the most flattering for them or best suited to their lifestyle.

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Learn more about Sarah's services on her website, or follow her on Instagram for a source of style inspiration.

Meet Lisa Wisdom, the founder of Style with Wisdom. This is a styling and shopping service for men and women who want to build confidence through their clothing.

Lisa has over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry. She started in retail, moved to fashion buying, and now runs her own styling business.

This article explores...

• How Lisa Wisdom, a seasoned personal stylist, meets her clients.
• What Lisa finds most challenging about the styling process.
• Questions for Lisa to understand a new client's style situation.

After 10 years working in personal styling truly understands the power of dress and seeks to share the secret with her clients. "Personal styling is about more than organising your wardrobe and buying new clothes, it's about building confidence to take forward in your everyday life, whatever you do. Every morning, whoever you are, you have to get dressed—everyone should enjoy that process, it can totally impact how that day turns out!"

The face says it all

Most of Lisa's clients contact her through email or social media. They usually follow her for a while before reaching out or come via a recommendation.

Then, Lisa and the client schedule a Zoom consultation. After that, they meet face-to-face. "Face-to-face meetings with my clients are so important because it's their facial expressions and body language that allow me to really understand how comfortable they are in the outfits we have styled. I can usually tell immediately if they love or hate what they are wearing just by how they stand and their facial expression."

The client's feelings are always the most important, "It's not about clients wearing something that I love, it's about them finding clothes they are clearly happy and confident in—which I love to see!"

The person behind the clothes

Dressing for a new job? Adapting to a new body shape or lifestyle? Before thinking about clothes, Lisa seeks to understand her clients' mindset and goals—whether it's gaining confidence in daily dressing, dressing for a new job, or adjusting to a new body shape or lifestyle.

Lisa measures her success through client feedback. She often senses a tone shift in how they communicate and discuss their style. Good feedback sounds like, "Wow! Every day I have received compliments on my outfits" or "I am having so much fun dressing every morning, I love my new wardrobe!"

"I know I have done a good job when clients go on to have confidence in creating their own looks and are excited to go shopping! I love receiving mirror selfies!"

What’s the most challenging part of this process?

Lisa knows many clients seek her help because they feel low and vulnerable about their body and confidence. "It is only natural for us all, including myself, to focus on our negatives. My job is to work closely and consciously with my clients to build up their confidence and encourage them to focus on their positives. Once we focus on those positives and find the right shape and colours everything comes together."

We challenged Lisa to understand a new client's style situation and goals with just five questions...

What... are the 5 key items you are wearing on repeat right now?

When... have you felt most confident in what you were wearing?

Why... are you looking to update and move your style on?

Who... in the public eye or personal to you do you admire for style?

Where... do you currently shop the most?

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Learn more about Lisa's services on her Instagram.

Name: Pablo Lara H.

Profession: Illustrator, photographer, and web designer

Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Instagram: @deer_and_daggers
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Tumblr: @pablolarah‍

Pablo Lara H. is a freelance creative specialising in illustration, photography and web design.

Notebook

I use different paper for different mediums. For sketches in graphite pencil, standard blank paper. For watercolours, gouache, and markers, blank Fabriano paper (or any thicker paper variety).

I use Brazilian notebooks from Tilibra for sketching and note-taking, they are an old trademark in the field.

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Source of inspiration

I love the '70s and the Baroque (+ Rococo) era. I’ve been making an archive of vintage magazines (from the '50s-80s) for colour palettes and layout ideas.

Designer on speed dial

Massimo Vignelli, Eiko Ishioka or Saul Bass. I can't decide.

Colour

I call this colour palette, "70's Nordic Sweater."

Fonts

Firm favourites

• All fonts by Margot Lévêque Studio
• Erotique from Zetafonts (Stephen Keller's chosen font of the month for I Love Typography)
• Artem Nevsky's New York
• Mathieu Triay's free font: Bricolage Grotesque (available on Google Fonts)
• Sorts Mill Goudy (and all the free fonts at The League of Moveable Type)

A distant love

I love the new serifs experimenting with old and new trends. There are new foundries and freelance type designers doing amazing typefaces. For example, Magilio.

Never again

A cliché, but Comic Sans or Papyrus.

Pablo also curates a bank of free typefaces.

Organisational method

I use several apps/websites to help me get things done like presentations, sketching projects, trees of ideas, etc.

Trusted advisor

For the project itself, the client. You have to satisfy the expectations of the client. But you can always provide guidance and negotiate some of your ideas. For general knowledge, growth as an artist, critical appreciation, and learning I look to other designers or colleagues.