Lucia Braham has been assisting Steve Cordony for years
We know many of our readers are design students and wannabe stylists so last year, we tried really hard to bring you plenty of inspiration on how to get into this highly competitive industry from those who have been there and done it! Today, we curate all those interviews here in one place. If you dream of becoming a stylist, this could be the best blog post you ever read!
We loved Lucia Braham’s no-nonsense rundown on what to expect as a stylist’s assistant. She’s worked with the best: Steve Cordony. Read more. It’s not all bad though; as well as giving a warts and all account of the very non-glam side to styling, Lucia also shares why it’s totally worth it if you’re really passionate.
Lucia Braham has been assisting Steve Cordony for years
For anyone thinking they’ve left it too late to pursue their dream of becoming a stylist, be inspired by Aimee Tarulli’s tale. She left a senior role in advertising to become a stylist after designing her own home with her builder husband made her realise how much she loved interiors. She started off assisting Julia Green at Greenhouse Interiors. Julia also left a completely different industry, pharmaceuticals, to follow her dream!
Aimee Tarulli at home. Pic by Armelle Habib
Not all stylists are women though! Meet Adam Powell in this interview. His work is popping up all over the place and we definitely think he is one to watch. He works part-time for Temple & Webster and the rest of the time on freelance projects, as many stylists do. His work has been featured in Real Living and elsewhere.
Photo by Maya Vidulich
It took Tahnee Caroll a while to work out it wasn’t interior design but styling that she was destined for. But once she worked it out, her career took off in leaps and bounds. Read her story.
Following six months of assisting with Greenhouse Interiors’ Julia Green, Alana Langan is now happily running her own styling business and online homewares store, HUNT & BOW. Here’s how she did it…
Alana Langan (Photography by Annette O’Brien)
Alana studied an interior styling short course at Central Saint Martins in London in 2011 and then spent six months assisting Julia Green in 2013. “For me, hands on experience was a priority rather than qualifications; I think you can learn a lot about a profession by jumping in head first and learning on the job, ideally in an assistant role. I think it also depends on your career direction. I always had the intention to have my own business so gaining this experience was a priority.”
She started Hunt & Bow, originally as an interior styling business, in 2012. Last year she added the online store string to her (pardon the pun) bow. “I’d always wanted to have my own business doing something creative, so I took the opportunity to develop the business plan during my maternity leave and then went for it. In early 2013, I was lucky enough to secure an assisting position with Julia Green which was instrumental in my career. Not only did I learn the art of styling, but also important business and industry aspects that go hand-in-hand with it.” After six months, Alana felt ready to venture out on her own, and she’s loved every minute.
Alana’s own apartment, as featured on The Glitter Guide. Styling by Alana, photography by Annette O’Brien
“My days are often varied, which I love. They can include sourcing vintage or modern products for the online shop, photographing stock and updating the website or working on creative ideas for upcoming shoots, running around town collecting props or meeting with clients. It’s a complete mixed bag!”
Alana’s interest in interiors started early. “I grew up in a home that always had some kind of renovation happening and was encouraged from a young age to get involved. When I was 12, I painted my bedroom and refurbished my first piece of furniture (a Queen Anne side table I decoupaged!) so it’s always been a part of my life and something I’ve loved doing. It wasn’t until I reached my 20s that I discovered being a stylist could actually be something I got paid to do!”
Alana’s own home as featured on The Glitter Guide. Styling by Alana, photography by Annette O’BrienGoo Collection Spring/Summer ’13. Styling by Alana Langan, photography by Robert Earp
The best part of the job is getting hands on at a shoot. “Being on set and in the flow of the scene you’re creating is just so much fun. Plus, it’s great being part of a creative collaboration with the team (photographer, client, assistants etc.). It’s a real group effort and when things are working well, you can really feel the energy buzzing around. There’s nothing like it!”
Working for herself however is sometimes quiet and a little lonely. “Thankfully though, I’ve built a great network who are really supportive and are always there whenever I need to bounce ideas around or just have a chat.”
Jacqui Vidal’s apartment as featured on The Design Files. Styling by Alana Langan, photography by Annette O’Brien
Great as the job is though, if you think it’s glamorous, think again! “There’s lots of furniture re-shuffling, running props back and forth around town and heavy lifting! Plus, a reality for me is being wiped out at the end of a long shoot. It’s non-stop work on set and it can be physically and mentally exhausting come wrap time.”
Alana’s top advice for getting into the industry is:
Get an assistant role to really learn about the job and the industry
Get yourself on Instagram and start practising your styling
Make a career plan of action and stick to it.
In five years’ time she’d love to still be doing what she’s doing, but perhaps with the addition of a bricks and mortar store in Melbourne. As a working mum, she continues to be inspired by women who run their own businesses and juggle the demands of motherhood. “They’re both the toughest jobs in the world.”
Sarah Ellison has the job many readers would kill for: senior stylist on one of the country’s most popular magazines: Real Living, where she’s been for more than 2 years. Here she shares what it’s really like behind the scenes and gives plenty of advice for those wanting to follow in her footsteps.
After fashion college, Sarah Ellison started a small fashion label but to earn some money, she took a job doing visual merchandising for an interiors store. She met many stylists there and started assisting Paul Hopper from House & Garden part-time.
“Fashion and interior styling are very similar jobs,” she says. “The main difference would be that interior styling is much more of a mammoth production. There’s a big difference between calling in some clothing and calling in 6 rooms’ worth of furniture to shoot. Creatively though, the ideas come from the same part of you that gets inspired. Inspiration can be applied to any media.”
Sarah assisted freelance for a couple of years and built a portfolio of test shoots in her spare time. She was assisting stylist Kirsten Bookallil, who had been putting a good word in with Real Living editor Deb Bibby. “I met with Deb and she gave me my first editorial shoot. Unbeknown to me it was actually a bit of a test as there was soon to be a position opening up for a stylist. Deb loved the shoot, put her faith in me and hired me for the job. Great timing too as I must admit there aren’t many jobs out there.”
Photo by Nick Scott
She says the most common misconception about the job of a stylist is that it’s all glamour. “Most of the time you are schlepping furniture around, crawling around on the floor putting Ikea together and being a bit like a courier,” she says.
