You see the titles in Magazines and in TV Shows; Fashion Editor, Fashion Stylist. Do you know what their job entails if you aren’t in the industry? Have you ever wondered who dresses people for events, for photoshoots, for commercials you see everyday?
I interviewed Brandon Frien, wardrobe stylist, creative consultant, and all-around fashion hustler. She is a stylist for editorial, commercial and personal wardrobe stylist. Her work has been featured in various magazines such as: Chicago Magazine, Elle, InStyle, Marie Claire, Refinery 29 and Vogue. Frien has also worked for numerous household name clients such as: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cards Against Humanities, Gap, Tazo Tea, Ziploc, and the list goes on. She works for her own styling and creative consultant agency Kit This with her business partners, and teaches Fashion Styling at Columbia College Chicago.
I talked to her about her journey to being a fashion stylist and editor, her daily tasks, and how her job is affected by COVID-19. Read below!
Q: HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN A STYLIST?
A: Unofficially, forever; officially, since 2008
Q:TELL ME ABOUT THE LAST JOB YOU HAD, AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE STYLING
A: I was working for a luxury boutique (after many years in retail) and really wanted to find a way to continue working in fashion in Chicago, but having more freedom than the retail life could provide. I started my own ecommerce boutique where we styled everything we sold on model, 3 different ways. It was through this endeavor that I met many photographers, models, hair and makeup artists and producers and was introduced to the world of commercial and editorial wardrobe styling. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Q: HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOB TO PEOPLE WHO AREN’T IN THE INDUSTRY
A: When people ask me what I do, I say that “I dress people for television commercials and print advertisements.” It’s the simplest answer, although not nearly complete.
Q: WHAT TYPE OF CLIENT DO YOU USUALLY STYLE FOR?
A: The clients that hire me are either doing something non-traditional that requires a lot of creativity, or they are looking for a sophisticated eye. Examples of this would be a 100-year anniversary video for Wahl Clippers, which involved recreating iconic men’s looks from the 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, 1970s, and today; and a project for CAT which involved sourcing a whole gamut of costumes, from a ghostbuster and astronaut, to an Elvis impersonator and rodeo clown. Also, the work I do for CB2 and Brookfield Properties – these are both clients that require fashion-forward and sophisticated, unique looks.
Q: TELL ME ABOUT A SHOOT YOU HAVE STYLED FOR THAT YOU WERE THE MOST EXCITED ABOUT
A: This is an incredibly difficult question. I get excited about all my shoots, but for very different reasons. Some of my favorite work from last year includes:
• Styling former Canadian First Lady Margaret Trudeau for Second City. Margaret is such an icon and it was an honor not only to meet her, but to have the opportunity to cultivate her image for her upcoming one-woman show. I even got to work with a brooch gifted to her by Queen Elizabeth! It is an experience I’ll treasure forever.
• Styling the book cover for a dear friend and AIDS activist named Rae Lewis Thornton. I had the pleasure of meeting Rae back in 2014 when Essence Magazine did a 20-year follow-up on a story they had written on her. She has been living with AIDS for 30 years now and she is one of the most inspiring people I have ever known. Since I met her, she has been talking about writing her memoir. She has finally finished it, and she asked me to style her for the cover. Jobs like these are the ones that really mean something.
• Working on a project for Nike that Virgil Abloh was connected with – my partner and I styled a group of mentors for Virgil’s NikeLab project and it was such a wow moment to be included.
• A 60s era portfolio shoot for photographer Bob Coscarelli. I had the opportunity to style a couple in an authentic 1960s pre-fab home that has been maintained all these years with original fixtures and furnishings. The chance to merge vintage and modern in this gorgeous setting with an amazing crew was a creative fantasy come true!
• An editorial video and still project with photographer Kirsten Miccoli. Kirsten is one of my favorite photographers and every now and then she has an idea for a personal creative project and will reach out. I am always thrilled and flattered to be included. This particular story ended up in Schön Magazine, and got a lot of attention, which is always nice for a stylist.
Q: WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB? THE EASIEST?
A: I would say that the hardest part is the shopping. There are so many things that a stylist needs to acquire, and sourcing all of that stuff requires a ton of time and organization. It is also physically demanding and overall exhausting. You are running around all over the place, schlepping literally as much as you can carry; dealing with traffic and pedestrians and parking; working to accommodate everyone’s schedules (designers, studio services, etc.). I mean, I thrive on all of it, but do not underestimate how exhausting it is. Stylists need to have options, and acquiring those options takes a lot of work.
The easiest part? None of it is really easy. It’s fun, but not what I’d describe as easy. Every job has its pressures – each client wants and expects something different — so even with all of my experience, no job is ever easy. The easiest, I suppose, is when working with clients and photographers you’ve worked with before. When that level of trust is there, everything is easier.
Q: WHERE DO YOU GRAB INSPIRATION FROM?
A: This is such a tough question. Inspiration can come from anywhere – an item of clothing or a collection; a color combination; a show I’ve been bingeing; a book I’m reading or read; something I saw on a walk; a conversation. Once something sparks my interest, it builds from there. If I’m specifically looking to get inspired, I’ll usually start digging through Instagram and that can take me literally anywhere.
Q: WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN STYLING FOR A CLIENT?
A: 1. Make sure the client is happy
2. Remember why they hired you and don’t lose your pov
3. Be professional
Q: TELL ME ABOUT A TIME WHEN A SHOOT WENT COMPLETELY WRONG. HOW DID YOU RECOVER?
A: I really wish I didn’t have an answer for this question! There have, of course, been many swerves off course over the years, but the one that stands out in my most recent memory was a multi-day, 2-part shoot for a large commercial client. They had a very small budget and very high expectations (a common issue). They did not appreciate our curated assortment of items and there was discussion of having us fired. We pulled rabbits out of our hats – we would rapidly shop while the other was on set (this demanded a 2 – person team), shop after wrap, order online all day long. We cut sleeves and necks and collars off of everything. In a nutshell, we made it work. We also sucked it up a little and had an open and honest discussion about managing the clients’ expectations. Fortunately, we saved our asses and they hired us back for the second round.
Q: HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’VE MADE IT AS A SUCCESSFUL STYLIST?
A: If you can afford to live on your own and take care of all of your own needs financially, based purely off of styling income, then you know you’re a successful stylist. I’m sorry, but that’s the bottom line. It’s not about features or opportunities or connections or whatever. This is a job. When people reach out to you to PAY YOU for your styling skills, that’s when you know.
Q: HOW HAS YOUR JOB BEEN AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC? HOW DO YOU STAY POSITIVE?
A: Well, my job as a stylist is at a stop. It’s scary. I feel like my job the way I knew it could be gone for the rest of the year. And I have no idea what any of it is going to look like when and if it returns. Visualizing myself trying to pin something on a dark-ass set while wearing latex gloves and a face mask (which is fogging up my glasses), makes me a little stressed. And I just started thinking about all the things in my kit that I need to multiply and add to adhere to government regulations.
How do I stay positive? First of all, by tearing myself away from the internet. There is terrible news every single day and people are constantly talking about it. So much bad news, so much anger, so much hate, so much blame… it’ll suck everything you’ve got, if you let it. In addition to this, I throw in a little creativity to every day: a jigsaw puzzle, baking, cooking, knitting, playing dress up. There is a lot of dress up happening.
Q: ANY ADVICE TO ASPIRING STYLISTS?
A: The best advice I can offer to aspiring stylists is to build their networks. Styling is so much about who you know. You need to be meeting everyone in the city in which you work (or hope to work) who is remotely connected to your field, established and aspiring. Start building those networks in college. Some of you will go on to create wonderful, powerful and successful partnerships.
The other thing I will say, and I don’t know what the future looks like here, but you need to make sure that you have strong relationships with all of your local retailers. These relationships are the bread and butter of your business.. Always treat them with professionalism, respect and gratitude. And it never hurts if you can sell something for them.
The Girl That Hates Color 