Fashion Stylist Interview with Zhanna Shaporenko

I am a Person, who is trying to live every day as if it would be the last one. I love old movies, jazz and weird people. And to travel.

• How long have you been working as a Fashion Stylist?
  Let’s say professionally for 3 years.

• How did you end up working as a Fashion Stylist?
  It was a long way to realize what exactly I wanna do in life. Everything started with me and my wardrobe. In a few years my style changed a lot. When new outfit was coming up in my mind, I was immediately going to search for it. Then I had my photo camera and for the shootings I was styling models by my own. So it was just a matter of time to turn the hobby into a job.

• What is your current work?
  Right now I’m mixing the shootings with the PR activity.

• What would you like to learn?
  I would like to learn French and web design.

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
  Owning my own agency and styling all Hollywood celebrities.

• What is your educational Background?
  Bachelor and Master degree in Law and also I did a Master in Fashion Communications: Styling and PR in Milan.

• Where can we see your works?
  In the different magazines, online and printed versions, catalogues, campaigns on the web sites of the Brands.

• What do you love most about this job?
  This job exactly reflects your personality. After a while, you can easily see who worked on the project, without knowing the name. Works the same as with the photographers and painters.

• What skills do you need for the job?
  First of all it’s about the talent and vision. Not everybody who have a great style and taste can style the shooting or create the concept. It’s different. If you have that then you will easily learn how to do this job, if you can communicate with people and you are friends with the computer to make all the researches.

• What has been so far your worst/hardest day?
  I actually had a few, once we were shooting in the forest, full of mosquitoes, while it was 40 degrees. Another one was up in the mountains till the night and it was incredibly cold, windy and creepy ahaha. But in any case, when you know you are working on a great project, you can deal with all.

• What has been so far your best day?
  My best day was when I got my first big client. I was working really hard on it.

• How is your day-to-day life regarding the job as a fashion stylist?
  A lot of researches, everyday checking all the networks, blogs, magazines. A lot of shops and vintage markets. Events. And meeting people of course.

• What is your work/life balance?
  Do your job good, but don’t fill all your life with it, remember about yourself, to rest, to eat and to see your friends.

• Would you say you have to become self-employed to work as a Fashion Stylist?
  Yes, absolutely. Only in this way you can follow your creativity.

• Who inspires you most and why?
  I can inspire myself with any thing. Movie, book, personage, furniture, actor, dance.

• When did you know that fashion styling is the right work for you?
  When I had a good feedback on one of my first projects from the Vogue Italia team.

• Do you think networking is important in your role of work?
  If so, how do you network?
  It’s the Tool n.1 nowadays. It’s very important. I use the most Instagram.

• What are your best tips for someone who’d like to become a professional fashion stylist?
  Don’t loose the passion, just because people don’t accept your vision. You are just not in the right place.

• In your opinion, is it necessary to ‘learn’ styling in a school environment (University, private course etc.) in order to become a professional fashion stylist?
  Yes. First, because you practice, that’s important. Then most of the disciplines they give you, are really useful. Like Fashion photography for example. And also was never a disadvantage to have in the CV any stroke of your degree.

• What would you have wanted to know before starting your work as a Fashion Stylist?
  That it’s not that easy to find a fix job, as a fashion stylist, also it’s a really huge concurrence.

• What should people really think about before choosing to go into fashion styling?
  If you are ready to fight, work hard and don’t give up for your dream.

• How would you say would be the best way to become a fashion stylist?
  To start from the little projects. Where you can try yourself without feeling embarrassed, if it didn’t go in the way you were expecting.

• The book/blog you would suggest any person to read if they’d want to become a fashion stylist?
  I would suggest to start with „Pret-a-Porter ’94“ and „September Issue“ movies.

• What is most important in your work?
  To be always updated.

• How do you deal with disappointments?
  If we are talking about images i hide them in the special folder on my desktop, which I never open ahaha 🙂 With the other disappointments, I learn and go forward, leaving them behind.

• Do you have a mentor? Or did someone help/guide you in your career path?
  All of my friends, who are working in this industry for a while. I was lucky to learn a lot from them.

• Describe the fashion sector
  Fashion is an art, is a religion, is a business.