 |
| « Hippy Hippy Shake | Read our latest Articles! | New York, New York » |
I've been sorting through old paperwok today and I found a bunch of polaroids from fashion shoots that I styled way back when. I thought you guys might fancy a little peek and a brief history of my whirlwind styling career. I had just moved to London and a friend of a boyfriend knew Kenny Ho who had just started making costumes for a new band called the Spice Girls. He was overwhelmed and needed someone to basically go shopping for him, do a bit of needlework and be on hand during pop video shoots. I didn't have any experience but I was motivated and confident that I could learn fast. It was a total rollercoaster - loadsa fun, so much hard work, emotional and freebies galore!
After 2 exhausting years I wanted a change of scenery and with my fashion/music experience I went to work for Mixmag. I was the fashion assistant for a year and a half and I worked on the street style pages that we photographed in Ibiza and around clubs in the UK. A real dream at the time because I loved dance music (yikes!) and being paid to spend time in Ibiza was a real coup. I was hanging out with assistant photographers, make up artists and hair stylists who wanted to build their portfolios, so I left Mixmag and started "testing" with models to build my portfolio too. My ambition was to work for a more style led publication, but I was sooo skint, as no one gets paid at this stage. Unable to buy big glossy prints of my work, I just collected polaroids of the shoots from the photographers (see above and below). I took them round to show agencies and tried to find work in glossy magazines, but the doors I knocked just wouldn't open.
I really enjoyed myself and it was a challenge to work with so many creative people, but in the end I became disillusioned with the politics of the fashion industry. I had collected piles of vintage clothing from my weekly carboot sale jaunts, so I bought a pitch at Portobello and my market trader years began. I haven't looked back since, but finding these polaroids today pulled a little heart string which said maybe I should have pursued it a little bit further...
 |
Those polaroids are fab plus they show you where you have been and where you are now so dont start dwelling on tha past and thinking about what you should and shouldnt have done! Youre doing something great that makes us girlies oh so happy!
Lorna xXx
Those photographs are really awesome Leona. There's something contagious about London, i've always promised myself i'll move up there as soon as money and age allows, for now my regular trips will have to do. As much as i love the sound of working in the fashion industry, especially as a stylist some things are worth so much more. The thought of hiking all my vintage clothes and re-worked accessories to portobello makes my little kitsch heart skip a beat, let alone owning my own business that lets me do all the car boot rummaging, vintage hunting and ramones listening i can handle... no point thinking about what could have been when what you've got is so shit hot!
keep it up leona, and if you're ever in need of a weekend girl to take under your ever so sparkly wing, just shout- what was that about flattery getting you everywhere?
zoe x
They are great, particularly the first and third.
Don't beat yourself up you've been/are very successful.
Thanks for sharing.
i love them especially the first and fourth you have real talent.Thank god you started jewelry though because i could never live without it!!
++QUICK QUIZ++
Leona, which are your Top 10 favorite bands/solo musicians ever?
>_<
Leona,
Just a note to say don't have any regrets!! What you're doing now is so much more fun and worthwhile, and you get complete creative control. What you're doing now is so much better than all those stuck-up designers!! What was it that disillusioned you about the fashion industry? ( the people??!!)
Liz
Leona those are amazing, you must be one of the most talented, determined and creative people i know (kinda!) and if i'm anything like you when i'm a bit older then ill be a very happy proud girl! you're so imaginative and original that you deserve all the success you get, and whoever didnt open those doors for you will be kickin' themselves now!
Laura xxx
Hey leona
you really MUST be able to read minds cos yesterday when I posted my other message under hippy hippy shake I was gonna email you and ask you if you could give me some info on becoming a stylist.WHen you have the time please could you leave some info as I really really REALLY wanna be a stylist it's my absolute dream! I think your really talented! And what you do now is really fab! You could go back into styling part time. Loads of people combine different aspects of work and you could get loads of inspiration for your jewellery collections. I really wanna be like you I wanna study at the london college of fashion i wanna be a stylist and i wanna have a fashion jewellery accessory range just like you! I probably sound really pathetic but it's true!
Anyway if you get the time please leave me some info on becoming a stylist i'd really appreciate it!
p.s where did you live before moving to london?
p.p.s sorry this message is like an essay
x lors x
that does sound like a great time, and you're so lucky to have done so much stuff in your life so far. being a stylist must have been sooo much fun. but thank god u gave it up - now you get to make the coolest, kitsch-est, funkiest jewellery ever! plus spend loads of time going round car boot sales. where would we be without ladyluckrulesok!? well done leona xx
man you are soooo inspiring, not tryin 2 b a suck up but really you are!!! super gerrrrate photos, gave me some ideas for my gcse art!! thank you!
love x
AHHHHH! Got my purchases today! woooooop! ;p
i love getting stuff in the post....
thank u!
i love portobello...
YEH!
i love lady luck rules ok!
OK?!
woah! love the new collections! my naughty computer has had a virus so i have not been able to indulge in any of the new stuff as yet..but i did go to manchester and paid a visit to no angel and stocked up there! yay!
p.s Leona is there no end to your talents! do not fear.. i am certain you made the right choice, where would all us girlies be without you and your boss jewellry!
xoxoxo
I just want to say that I absolutely love everything you make! And you have provided me with something to ask for for every birthday and christmas off my boyfriend hehehe. This year I got the lipstick lightning bolt necklace and I lurve it!
So thankyou :-)
xxx
hey girls - - >
Y'know I don't regret starting my own business and creating Lady Luck Rules OK for one mini second! I really enjoy what I do for a living and I don't take it for granted either. The fashion world was too much for me, I'm so much happier crafting the day away, listening to loud music and feeding my flea market obsession.
a's 2 the q's -
Isabel *in no particular order*
• The Ramones
• David Bowie
• The White Stripes
• Patti Smith
• Devo
• The Donnas
• early Rolling Stones
• Linda Ronstadt
• The Libertines
• Blondie
Liz - some people were cool but most of the fashion dudes I came across were arrogant and self obsessed. There was no love in the room with these people!
Lors - I was born in Winchester and when I left school I managed an underground shoe shop called 'Raw' in Southampton before moving to London.
Becky - hope your trip to Madchester was fun, did you see the Kings of Leon?
Thanks everyone for your kind words and support. I have some exciting news to tell you all soon, so keep checkin' back!
x
Hey Leona!
Great to see you're a White Stripes fan. I absolutely love them!
If you haven't had the chance to see them live yet then you seriously must..
On a more creative note; I think it would be great if you could get some more t-shirts printed! I treated myself to one of the blue "jumble sale" tees, Which I lovelovelove.
The badge idea, i.e. giving four free when you buy a t-shirt, is great.
Keep at it! And I look forward to new designs arriving soon.
Hi,
Do you know where I can find contact details for Kenny Ho or an agent he might have? It's concerning a television programme...
Thanks so much for your help,
Teri.
hi there
my name is morgan, i've lived in london for about two and a half years now, i previously worked for some central london store window dressing mannequins.
for some top high profiled stores for the last two years.
at the moment i given up my job to progress further by styling at photo shoots.
I have found a real interest in the fashion, trends and have a keen eye for style and I am a dedicated follower of fashion.
i have spent the last month sending out my CV to tv programmes, magazines and department stores but no one has anything.
Anyway I was wondering if you would know a website, or anyway who is looking for assistants at all
It would be a great help if you did?
Thank you
morgan
