We recently connected with Phyllis Leibowitz and have shared our conversation below.
Phyllis, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear your thoughts about making remote work effective.
Fashion styling for photo shoots and videos basically consist of 2 parts: The first is sourcing the clothes, and the second is styling the model or performer in those clothes on the photo shoot.
Before covid, sourcing clothes was mostly done in person, including shopping at stores, borrowing from showrooms, renting from costume houses and vintage dealers. Now most of that can be done remotely.
But photo shoots require the stylist to work in person on set to steam, iron, make alterations, adjust the garment on the body, and collaborate with the photographer. So during covid, a new job category was created for photo shoots: “Covid Compliance Officer”. That person would make sure all covid safety protocols were followed on set: masks, sanitizing, proof of vaccination, etc. The CCO would administer covid tests to each crew member every morning. If someone tested positive, they would be sent home.
Fashion styling for my private clients is different than photo shoots. It’s just me and my client in their home editing closets, and shopping. During covid, most of our shopping shifted from in-person to shopping online. I actually found it was more time efficient to search websites for specific items.
And I soon discovered that editing closets, getting rid of unused clothing, trying on outfits could be done remotely over Zoom! I have clients in Quinto Ecuador, Paris, Brisbane and Miami I’ve worked with several times remotely – and we’ve never even met in person!
Once in 2021 I was scheduled to shop at Ralph Lauren with a private client, and I got covid. I was in quarantine so I couldn’t shop with him in person. So I set up a VIP apportionment for him with a dedicated salesperson and private fitting room, and we shopped the store and tried on clothes via FaceTime.
An unexpected benefit to working remotely is that I save a huge amount of time traveling between appointments. I live in New York City, and with traffic it can take on average 1/2 hour to travel between stores, and if you visit 4 or 5 stores in one day, you can lose 2 hours or more just in travel time. Now I’m able to get a lot accomplished in those 2 hours.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
As a commercial fashion stylist, my job is to source clothes for an artist – celebrity, actor, musician, model, author, and style them on set for magazine shoots, advertisements, publicity photos, tv commercials, album covers, music videos, Broadway marquees. I’m hired by magazines, advertising agencies, record labels, and publicists.
And now I’m working more with private clients on their personal wardrobes. I help organize their closets, discard clothes they haven’t worn for years, shop for new clothes and style outfits. I love working with private clients – it’s emotionally rewarding to help with their image, find silhouettes that best flatter their body types, and build confidence. It’s a lot more than personal shopping – I help them make them happy – I love that!
Most people think fashion styling is just about going shopping for designer clothes – but that can’t be further from the truth.
I have thousands of resources throughout the world, including established and emerging fashion designers, boutiques, department stores, online vendors, costume houses, vintage dealers, shoe brands, jewelry and accessories manufacturers, prop rentals, wardrobe equipment, trimmings, tailors, costume fabricators, makeup artists, hair stylists, and bespoke suiting. And I am experienced with industry protocol for procuring these items, for instance, via the memo process for costumes, studio services at department stores, rental agreements, equipment contracts, etc.
I got into my styling career by first working as a production assistant on tv commercials – the lowest entry level job. I loved film production, and I had always loved fashion. So when I discovered there was a job category where I could do both – it was a no brainer! Then I used my contacts to meet fashion stylists and started working as an assistant stylist to learn and get experience.
There are all different kinds of stylists – some specialize in fashion or beauty, some work with kids, some style e-commerce, etc. I tend to specialize in advertisements and editorials for celebrities. I also love rock and roll, so I style a lot of bands for album covers. I also have experience with mens suiting, which a lot of stylists don’t. And I have an advantage in that I have a deep knowledge of fashion history, so I’m able to style vintage costumes. The actor Liev Schreiber will be starring in a Broadway play next year, and I just styled photos for the Broadway Marquee. It takes place in the early 1960s so I was able to source costumes from that era. I know the difference between silhouettes from the Edwardian era vs. the Victorian era. I’m in the costume designers union, so I can work on major motion pictures. For instance, you need to be in the union to work on a Scorsese or Spielberg film.
For private clients, my work is more psychological and emotional. I want them to feel great in the clothes they wear every day. I never pressure a client to wear something they don’t feel comfortable in, and I won’t let them buy anything they don’t LOVE. If they want a brown cashmere sweater and they find one they like, I won’t let them buy it. I tell them that they have to LOVE it. There are a million brown cashmere sweaters in the world, and we hold out until we find the perfect one. That is how you build a solid wardrobe that you will love forever. I want them to look at photos in 5 years and not say: “What was I thinking?”
One of the achievements I’m most proud of is I styled the legendary musician Lou Reed for a music video in the late 1990s. The director asked me to make a black t shirt with gold letters that said “Rock N Roll Animal” which is the name of one of Lou’s most iconic albums. Lou loved the shirt so much, he donated it to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, so my shirt is now in their permanent collection!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I love the creative aspects of being a stylist, but I also want a profitable business! Google has made sourcing fashion easily accessible to more people. Before Google, fashion stylists had value because we knew where to find specific kinds of clothing and had access to designers through our relationships with their publicists. Most people didn’t have access to those resources. Now, anyone can get on Google to access those resources. As a result, fashion styling is easier for more people to do, there are a lot more stylists working, so………supply vs. demand…….styling rates have decreased.
So now I’m pivoting to work with more private clients. It requires a sense of style and sensitivity that can’t be created by Google. I bring my experience, knowledge and industry connections to individuals I work with, and they benefit from a very elevated experience that goes way beyond a personal shopper.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
My main styling business had always been dressing performers and models for magazine editorials, events, album covers and tv commercials.
Clients and friends were always asking me for advice on their personal wardrobes, and I realized I had experience and resources of great value to them. And I loved doing it. So I realized there was untapped potential to build a side business working with private clients. I bring experience, knowledge and industry connections to my private clients, and they benefit from a very elevated experience that goes way beyond a personal shopper. I honestly can’t remember who my first paying client was, but through references I started building a steady clientele. And believe it or not, working with private clients is a lot more lucrative than celebrity photo shoots.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.phyllisleibowitzstylist.com
- Instagram: @phylleib
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/phyllis.leibowitz
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/phyllis-leibowitz-82a66b25/
- Twitter: @phylleib