How I Became… A Fashion Director and Stylist

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MILAN, Italy — A self-prescribed “scrappy road child” from Brooklyn, philosophy and images graduate Julie Ragolia started her profession in vogue by styling shoots for her roommate at Brooklyn School. Sticking near her ardour for music, Ragolia despatched a portfolio to MTV, the place she was employed as a employees stylist.

Ragolia sought company illustration, sharing her portfolio with Streeters company in New York who steered she apply for an assistant function to W journal’s then vogue director Alex White. It was at W that “it clicked for me — that vogue is certainly an artwork kind.”

Julie Ragolia by Daniel Beres | Supply: Courtesy

Ragolia went on to work on the likes of Fader journal, Man of the World and At Massive. The stylist and vogue director has additionally labored and consulted with manufacturers on promoting campaigns and the purple carpet, in addition to contributing to titles together with 10 Journal, Wall Avenue Journal, L’Uomo Vogue and GQ France. She types runways for manufacturers together with Principle and Ermenegildo Zegna. Now, she shares her profession recommendation.

How did your profession in vogue start?

I by no means supposed to be in vogue. I believed I’d be a curator, an artwork critic or a professor. Vogue was at all times intriguing to me, however I grew up a scrappy road child from Brooklyn, with very modest means. At the moment in my life, in that point of the trade, it did not seem to be my universe.

I began as a movie scholar at NYU, however I realised I did not wish to be a director. It was an costly college, so I moved to Brooklyn School and studied philosophy and images. I’d do shoots with my roommate who was a budding vogue photographer and he stated I may by no means make it on this trade, so I put a guide collectively and despatched a résumé to MTV.

I adopted my coronary heart into music and it so occurred that that they had seen a shoot I had finished in order that they employed me. The subsequent factor I knew, I used to be styling a few of their movie star company and DJs, however I nonetheless wasn’t satisfied I used to be working in vogue. I did not see the artwork kind but.

What inspired you to remain working within the trade?

Folks round me had been speaking about having brokers so I believed I ought to do the identical. I went to an company known as Streeters, feeling essentially the most related to them having grown up a road child. They noticed my portfolio and stated I wasn’t prepared for illustration, however that Alex White was in search of a brand new assistant at W journal and I ought to apply.

Working beneath [White] at W in these early days and seeing simply how a lot work goes into making [it in the] vogue trade was when it clicked for me, that vogue is certainly an artwork kind with numerous social, political and cultural references. I noticed how a lot artwork goes into the pondering course of of constructing vogue editorials. It grew to become a inventive drive in my thoughts, seeing the hunt to know society that may be discovered by way of vogue.

What qualities made you stand out in your first job?

Rising up shy and nonetheless being extremely shy is my biggest asset in some methods as a result of that stepping again allows me to see a much bigger image. I am observing life and I’ve at all times had a way of the place issues are going as a result of I’ve at all times been a cultural observer. References of tradition had been at all times, and proceed to be, the principle drive in how I believe.

Being shy is my biggest asset as a result of that stepping again allows me to see a much bigger image.

In the event you’re working someplace like MTV, in case you’re not observing tradition, then what do you converse to? Rising up in deep Brooklyn is a spot the place you had each sort of music. It was throughout me and it influenced me in a multi-cultural, multi-referential nature that has at all times been part of who I’m and my work.

How has the style trade developed over your profession?

Once I began in menswear, I believed that world felt alive. There was one thing effervescent in New York with a number of younger designers, then hastily, there was the emergence of menswear designers and types having a voice, and male fashions had been allowed to be themselves, whereas feminine fashions weren’t. There was extra honesty for some time in menswear and I gravitated in direction of that.

L’Uomo Vogue cowl picture for Might 2019 subject by Andreas Larsson, styled by Julie Ragolia | Supply: Courtesy

What I really like about what’s altering within the trade is that ladies now have this skill to be who they’re. Feminine fashions aren’t simply hangers for garments, which could sound crude however that is the way it was. It is not simply the garments — it is in regards to the individuals who put on them. In a visceral sense, there is a better curiosity in who the individual on the opposite facet of the web page is and that is what’s thrilling about vogue.

For somebody like me to really feel at dwelling on this house now could be thrilling as a result of I really feel like all of my sides have a voice. There was a latest piece in Vogue by Slick Woods about her mum and being a mum. It was the primary time that I felt really related to {a magazine} as a result of rising up, I did not see myself. Folks can begin to see themselves in magazines and that for me has at all times been necessary.

What’s a vital ingredient to your work as a stylist at present?

I must really feel one thing from individuals as they stroll. I by no means wish to really feel like they’re simply carrying garments. If I can not imagine it, then I can not do it, as a result of I by no means wish to really feel dishonest. It’s the identical with editorials — I solid from a human perspective.

The time period “road casting” has at all times been humorous to me as a result of all people is road solid. Even prime fashions like Gisele had been solid on the road. There’s no distinction in the sort of individual or that kind of individual — what’s completely different is the sort of story you inform round every individual. I am grateful that the trade now could be a spot the place we’re all pondering that approach.

Are there any specific philosophies which have guided your profession selections?

At all times try to be as sincere as potential, and by no means assume that I do know what I am doing. If I am fortunate sufficient to be 70 on this trade, I’ll nonetheless really feel like a 20-year-old child who’s making an attempt to determine what she’s doing. I by no means wish to lose that childlike method of marvel, and I by no means assume that I’ve finished one thing nice, as a result of then I can not get higher.

As a youngster within the trade, I believe the best lesson I discovered was to actually perceive what my job was. If I did not learn to do budgets as a junior or make sure that I used to be organised, then I wouldn’t have been in a position to type a serious movie star concurrently styling a vogue present and dealing on three completely different editorials.

Observing is the perfect instructional instrument.

I am additionally a extremely calm individual once I work as a result of I am grateful for what I’ve. I grew up with nothing so to be able the place I am flying from New York to Milan, Paris to Mexico Metropolis to LA, simply this month, is unbelievable.

What makes a junior stand out to you?

I’ve had interns and younger children ask me about taking styling lessons, however I at all times advise them to focus on different aesthetic fields since you carry a lot in from exterior. This trade is about understanding easy methods to learn what is going on and anticipate what’s about to occur. Spending time in galleries and museums was, for me, a approach out rising up and thru that, I discovered that there was a much bigger image.

Perceive tradition — actually observe it. Sit on a bench and watch individuals. You may study lots about how individuals transfer, how individuals assume, how individuals gown. You then see these delicate cues from people which are thrilling. Observing is the perfect instructional instrument.

What do you imagine is crucial for somebody beginning a profession in vogue?

Endurance. Nothing occurs instantly. Generally it looks as if individuals are simply popping out of nowhere, doing X or Y marketing campaign or shoot. However they may have been planning it for a very long time of their heads and hearts. Nothing simply occurs. These individuals have been working for it not directly or one other for a very long time.