Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Buckley Sampson owner Emma Mercier associate. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Buckley Sampson owner, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

Being a working actor and also working in casting I saw something missing in how actors were presenting themseles at auditions and in headshots. Being a good actor was simply not enough. One needs to know their personal brand, and pay attention to what they are selling and how to dress for the part. I saw so many actors simply not dressing for the audition whether it was a commercial or a theatrical. I always strive to bring my A-game in terms of wardrobe to audition opportunities and thus (thankfully!) booked A LOT of jobs. I thought I could make a difference for actors by empowering them in the process so then I created a fun outlet (side-hustle if you will, that filled my down time and put some good in the actors world. I started asking my peers if I could style the for their audition, headshots, lifestyle shoots, and anything else I could. The more actors I consulted the more referrals I got and soon I needed to really organize because I had so many requests! So, then I simply committed to creating IMAGE BY BUCKLEY for actors in 2007.

Buckley Sampson owner, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

IBB- Buckley Sampson

Thanks for the opportunity. I’ve always had a passion for fashion from a young age and worked as an actor in commercials and television for the last 30 years. I also worked as a casting professional in Los Angeles for 10 years and had my own casting company called B Casting for 2 years. I created Image by Buckley (IBB) back in 2007, melding my experience in front of and behind the camera and my love of styling and working with actors and creative professional. I hired Emma Mercier back in 2020. I really respected her background as an actor and her styling experience. Emma worked for Stitch Fix curating personalized clothing subscription boxes for clients around the world and her passion project called “The Gift of Thrift” putting together thrifted boxes of clothing for clients. She assisted me for a year and now works as my associate taking on her own clients for IBB.

We offer many different types of styling at Image by Buckley from headshot, editorial, PR, lifestyle, and event styling, with headshot styling probably being our primary focus. Since 2007, IBB works with actors and creative professionals in person in Los Angeles. IBB also works by zoom with clients in many different markets domestic and internationally -New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, UK, Australia, and more.

The process is simple: A potential client reaches out to us via a submission form to communicate their individual styling needs. From there, we curate personalized Pinterest boards for online ordering and inspiration. Then, if the client is Los Angeles based, we spend a day in-person with them to review their current wardrobe and buy new pieces for their shoot before putting the looks together, which includes wardrobe, accessories, and hair & makeup ideas. That way, they can go into their shoot with a clear vision and game plan in order to execute the looks to the best degree possible!

One of the biggest problems I personally encounter with clients is the ability to separate personal style from what will best serve the look we’re trying to create. Of course, we always want the wardrobe to feel like an extension of who the client is and for them to feel comfortable and confident in the looks we put together, but it can be so helpful to have an expert eye to encourage you to take risks and try something new, to be able to verbalize why one piece tells a story better than another, and to offer perspective and objectivity that it can be hard to have about yourself.

One of the things that I think really sets Image by Buckley apart is our creative eye. Emma and I are always asking ourselves how we can make each session feel truly unique, personal, and creative so that we are not only meeting the client’s expectations, but exceeding them.

I’m most proud of the feedback we receive from clients when they come back and say things like, “These are the best headshots I’ve ever had” and “I could never have done this on my own.” It’s truly an incredible feeling to help someone bring their vision to life and help them feel beautiful, confident, and accomplished.

The main thing I want clients to know about our company and work is that it’s truly a collaboration. We are here to work with you, listen to your needs and wants, and bring your unique vision to life with focus and empowerment.

CAN YOU TELL US THE STORY OF HOW YOU MET BUCKLEY AND BECAME HER ASSOCIATE??

I was actually an Image by Buckley client and that’s how Buckley and I met! I had moved to Los Angeles about a year prior and had been devouring the Audrey Helps Actors podcast, which is how I learned about Buckley and her work. I wanted to shoot new headshots that would be competitive and up to industry standard, so I reached out to Buckley about styling them for me. As we worked together, we discovered what great collaborators we were and got to talking about my own background with styling. About six months later, she emailed me and let me know that she was looking for an assistant and wondered if I would be interested (which, of course, I was). From there, we did a little trial run, where I pulled online wardrobe for a few mock clients, before I jumped in as an assistant to help Buckley with pulling online wardrobe and to assist with in-person shopping. From that point, we slowly transitioned into me working independently with clients – at first, with Buckley’s supervision, but after a year, she officially promoted me into my Associate role, where I’ve been working independently with clients ever since!

Buckley spent over a decade developing Image by Buckley into a reputable, sustainable business and I was just lucky enough to join an already established and thriving company. The company’s name and reputation are truly what have allowed me to generate the client base I have today. In terms of growth, for me, personally, I would say the most instrumental things have been word of mouth, client referrals, and social media, especially sharing our work on Instagram. All of these things have allowed me to stake my own claim in the business and put my own stamp on my work – though always with respect and gratitude to Buckley for giving me the platform to do so.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Image by Buckley-Buckley Sampson

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is the idea of creating something out of nothing; having it all start with an idea or spark of inspiration and then working to actually bring that idea to life. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing something that just started out as a thought, especially an idea you’re passionate about, being brought to fruition. I feel this even more so with styling, because when you’re able to use your own creative insight and skills to make someone else feel joyful, grateful, and accomplished – there’s truly nothing more rewarding than that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.imagebybuckley.com
• Instagram: Image By Buckley: Buckley Sampson and associate Emma Mercier Styling

Image Credits
1. Owner: Buckley Sampson photographer Huebner Headshots HMUA Theresa Baca 2. Associate: Emma Mercier photgrapher Gregory Wallace 3.Actor: Marcel Werder photographer Jonny Marlow grooming Theresa Baca styling Buckley/Image by Buckley 4. Actress: Shelby Howell photographer Stephanie Girard HMUA Theresa Baca styling Emma/Image by Buckley 5.Actress: Bailey Sorrrel photographer James Depietro HMUA Ashanta Artistry styling Emma/Image by Buckley 6. Actor: Jay Kiman photographer James Depietro grooming Stephen Bowman styling Buckley/Image by Buckley 7. Actress: Kat Kim photograqpher Matt Kallish HMUA Kristine Lisman stylingEmma/Image by Buckley 8. Actress: Emily Marie photographer Molly Pan HMUA Lauren Urasek