We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Valeria Nicole. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Valeria below.

Valeria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

One of the most difficult questions I faced as a new Wardrobe Stylist was, “How much do I charge?” Why is it SO DIFFICULT to find an answer to this question? I spent weeks consulting teachers and searching online, only to hear, “It depends.”

Well, it may depend, but I will share my rates as a freelance Wardrobe Stylist in the commercial entertainment sector: $800 to $950 per day. I work about 5-8 projects per year, gaining at least one more recurring client each year. Two years in, freelance wardrobe styling remains part-time or seasonal for me.

My experience began in college, where I stacked my portfolio with Wardrobe Supervisor positions before graduating. My first commercial gig was for Truly Seltzers, and that was the job that made me leave film. The truth is, there’s more money in commercial work than there is in film or theatre. You don’t have to work on underpaid films for 2-3 years to “get your foot in the door.” I never took an underpaid job after graduating. Currently, I don’t accept anything below the industry minimum day rate, hoping we all stop normalizing the underpayment of skilled newcomers.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a Wardrobe Stylist advancing towards becoming a Creative Director, with a background spanning commercial styling to celebrity stitcher roles. Over just 2 years, I’ve worked on concerts with icons like Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Janet Jackson, and others. My projects have ranged from embellishing Beyoncé’s jumpsuit with rhinestones to styling 30 different people for a Camping World commercial, and sourcing an elf costume for a commercial with Busy Phillips. Most of my gigs are last-minute, and I relish the adrenaline from tight deadlines and the thrill of achieving the seemingly impossible.

People tend to remember me by my appearance. I always have differently colored hair or a wacky new accessory. I love sourcing from unique indie designers and artists. My aim is to be someone people can count on for one-of-a-kind styling.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

What employers and coworkers have told me in the past is that I have a good balance between work and play. I know when to tease my coworkers and when to shut my mouth and rush to steam a dress for the next shot. Another thing people notice about me is what I wear. Someone always approaches me to ask where I got my light-up chandelier earrings or my frog overalls. People know I am the girl for unique finds. After socializing, I always try to at least talk to the producer and get their Instagram. They know the most people because they are the ones hiring. Lastly, I make sure to post a healthy amount of personal and creative content on social media. My coworkers and employers have become some of my biggest fans and supporters. And like them, I am always keeping up and supporting their new projects.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I would love to close this interview by sharing my resources! First off, Facebook Groups have given me 80% of my jobs. You can type in the search bar: ‘film crew’ or ‘film production.’ It’s also beneficial to tap into your network in different cities. I take jobs in multiple states where my friends or family provide housing.

On the job, I’ve found Etsy to be a great place for sourcing unique items. Often, I message the creators directly, and they’ll do something custom for me on a rush order. Google Lens lets me take pictures of anything, and it finds it online for me. For creating mood boards, I utilize Chat GPT Dalle 3, an AI image generation tool, to produce images that effectively convey my vision. Lastly, you might be surprised by how many creatives in the industry are willing to message you back and offer insight on Instagram. I always strive to offer the same level of support to anyone who contacts me, as a way to pay forward the assistance others have given me

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ValeriaNicole.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/runitsthatcreep/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/valeria-nicole-423460230/

Image Credits