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Interview conducted in September 2021

 

Appetizers

Starting with some basics.


Job Title + Years of Experience

Fashion Designer & Stylist, 5 years

Areas of Expertise

Design, Styling

Company + Industry

MARQ Clothing, Fashion

Education

Grambling State University Bachelor’s in Mass Communication with a Concentration in Public Relations

Fun Starters

Getting to know the human side.


Favorite dessert?

Cookies and cream ice cream

Favorite book or movie?

Book: A Happy Pocket Full of Money by David Gikandi, Movie(s)- Love & Basketball, The Notebook, SALT, Columbiana, Brown Sugar

Myers-Briggs personality type

Campaigner ENFP-A

What do you like to do for fun?

I like to work out, run, and do yoga. I shop, eat, hang out with friends, and travel!

What's one thing you recommend doing in your city in Los Angeles, California?

One thing I recommend and always take my friends to do is hike Runyon Canyon.

Main Course

A quick deep dive into the day-to-day job.


Tell us about yourself and your job.

I am thirty years old, originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. I have been styling for over 5 years, which led me to start my own brand, which I started during the pandemic.

How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?

When I moved here I went for dinner with a friend where we sat at a bar next to two women. We began to talk about our goals for moving to LA, and one of the women overheard me discussing my interest in fashion. She then told me she had a friend that owned his own fashion PR company, and she connected us and I began to intern for the company the following week.

What interests me about my field is that although it is constantly changing, fashion always repeats itself in some way. I love that it allows me to express myself and my creativity.

What does a typical morning look like on the job?

A typical morning on the job looks like waking up meditating/praying, washing my face & brushing my teeth then going for a run. I like to set the tone for my days and get my blood flowing this way. I then shower and check emails and Shopify for any orders.

Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?

By the afternoon I am printing off labels then heading to my studio warehouse where I keep all of my inventory to ship.

What types of projects and meetings are you involved in?

My work is usually project-based and typically around what new collection I am working on or what fabrics I need.

The kind of meetings that I have are sketch meetings, cut and sew/pattern meetings, sourcing fabric (which I do myself), manufacturing and marketing meetings.

Who do you collaborate with within meetings and projects?

I usually collaborate with freelancers for my sketches/flats and marketing. As far as my manufacturing, I use a manufacturing company. I have found it to be very seamless so far. This is what works for me now.

Dessert

Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.


What's the most challenging thing about your job?

The most challenging thing about my job is doing a lot of the things myself such as shipping, sourcing fabric, and running the Instagram account.

What are some characteristics that can help someone succeed in your role?

Some characteristics would be to be determined and willing to do the work even when it gets hard.

Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those just starting off?

My advice would be to stay true to yourself and remain authentic. It really pays to be yourself.

What's something that surprised you about your job?

Something that surprises me is the fact that I get to wake up every day and do what I love for myself.

Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to do what you do?

The first step is to believe in your mind that you can do whatever you think of and go for it full force. There will be days when you don’t feel as motivated and it is okay to rest, but don’t give up...keep going because someone needs you to do what you were called to do.

Drinks


Chat more over coffee or tea?

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May Roded | Art Instructor @ Loyola Marymount University

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Adelya Tumasyeva | Visual Designer @ KiwiCo, Inc.