KELLEN MULCAHY
A GUIDE TO EDITORIAL STYLING
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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BOOK OVERVIEW
3
THE RIGHT ANSWER
4
THAT’S NOT LOGICAL
6
FOLLOW THE RULES
8
BE PRACTICAL
10
PLAY IS FRIVOLOUS
12
THAT’S NOT MY AREA
14
DON’T BE FOOLISH
16
AVOID AMBIGUITY
18
TO ERR IS WRONG
20
I AM NOT CREATIVE
22
LAST SECTION
24
BOOK OVERVIEW
As an editorial stylist, it is important to be able to create a photo that is both unique and timeless. Groundbreaking fashion editor and stylist Carine Roitfeld once said:
“FASHION IS NOT ABOUT CLOTHES, IT’S ABOUT A LOOK” This book provides an extensive guide to overcoming the ten biggest mental blocks as they relate to fashion editorial styling, to help you create something iconic.
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“THE RIGHT ANSWER”
CHAPTER 1
Our culture dictates how we view the “right way” to do things. When confronted with a situation, it is natural for our minds to jump to the first solution. But what if the first solution isn’t the “right” solution? What if the “right” solution isn’t the best solution? What if there were multiple “right” solutions? As children, each of us were taught how to dress. Tops were to be worn on top. Bottoms were to be wore on bottom. That’s the correct way to dress, right? If fashion editorial stylists thought in this mundane manner, the final product would lack depth and creativity. What if you expand your horizons to think of pieces of clothing as multi-functional pieces of art rather than pieces to an already determined puzzle?
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TOOLS 1. The Second Right Answer Don’t stop at your initial thought. Search for multiple answers instead of the first one that enters your head. This will spur creativity and innovation in your solutions. 2. Forget Assumptions It is impossible to discover new perspectives if you hold onto the fundamental way of viewing something.
EXERCISE How many different ways can you wear a button up shirt?
How many different ways could you style a pair of sunglasses?
3. The Sufi Judge “Truth is all around you; what matters is where you place your focus” - Roger von Oech
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“THAT’S NOT LOGICAL”
CHAPTER 2
Setting out on a new project can be intimidating for many people. But what if I told you that brainstorming could be fun and exciting? Many people who feel overwhelmed in the beginning stages of the creative process are those who limit themselves to “logical” ideas. We must break this habit. The creative process for editorial styling starts with a strong mood board. This is a vital product of your imagination that will ultimately direct the vision of the photo shoot, so it is important to think outside of the box before you get stuck inside it. Keeping these simple steps in mind can make a world of difference in the outcome of your brainstorming session.
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TOOLS 1. Soft vs. Hard Thinking In soft thinking, we focus on similarities and diffuse connections. In hard thinking, we focus on differences and logic. Both are used in structuring a complete idea in the creative process. 2. The Creative Process Approach the creative process in two phases: the imaginative and the practical. Soft-thinking should be called upon for the imaginative phase to provide innovative ideas. Hard-thinking is put into action in the practical phase to further solidify the ideas. 3. Making the Strange Familiar If you are having trouble thinking imaginatively about a concept, try thinking metaphorically about the situation. Comparing it to something familiar will open up a world of similarities.
EXERCISE Practice with Metaphors: Come up with 3 metaphors for a pair of shoes that tell 3 completely different stories. How would you style the shoes? What environment is the subject depicted in? What do the shoes themselves signify?
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“FOLLOW THE RULES”
CHAPTER 3
We’ve been taught in school to color inside the lines and follow the rules. However, I can’t name any great innovator who has followed all the rules on their path to success. Audrey Hepburn continues to live on as a fashion icon for flaunting trousers in a time when women were expected to wear dresses. Mary Quant created the miniskirt, a defining fashion item of the 1960s, by challenging the constraints society placed on women’s fashion. In recent years, Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel has challenged what it means to be “couture” by incorporating 3D printing into his production techniques and eliminating traditional needlework. Point being, if you aren’t willing to break the rules, someone else will.
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TOOLS 1. Challenge the Rules If all rules are followed in the innovation process, you will only be thinking of things as they are, making it impossible to create something new. Try thinking in the mindset of a rebel so you can generate new ideas and eliminate those that are insufficient. 2. Slay a Sacred Cow Once a revolutionary idea is born, it becomes your “sacred cow”. Don’t get too attached to the sacred cow. You’re going to have to replace it with another one soon to stay relevant.
EXERCISE Create a list of socially accepted “fashion rules”.
What rules would you break?
What will happen if you break them?
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“BE PRACTICAL”
CHAPTER 4
As mentioned in the previous chapter, the world continues to move forward through innovative thinkers. These thinkers are the ones that allowed their inner “artist” to create ideas before consulting the inner “judge” for practicality. From now on, try not to let your developed relationship with the eager, evaluative judge overpower open-minded artist within you. Of course, channeling your inner artist is easier said than done. Just as lifelong relationships are created, time and effort must be put forth to get anything in return. Cultivate this bond on a day-to-day basis and you will begin to get what you give.
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TOOLS 1. What-If? Asking what-if questions spurs an unrealistic, yet inspiring world of creativity. While the ideas you generate may seem anything but useful, they are useful stepping stones in creating ideas that are more practical. It’s also a fun way to jump right into the imaginative phase of your creative process. 2. Developing Stepping Stone Ideas Always remain hopeful in the creative process. Instead of criticizing impractical ideas, focus on the positive, interesting, and potentially useful features. Turn the impossible into the possible.
EXERCISE What if clothes were outlawed?
What if you were the clothing?
Come up with your own “What If” questions:
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“PLAY IS FRIVOLOUS”
CHAPTER 5
Coming up with creative ideas can be daunting. Using playful exercises can turn humor into gold. Allowing yourself to play around with ideas is important. Fashion has the reputation of being serious and sophisticated; I think it’s quite humorous. In what other world are Gucci’s giant hats and Hood By Air’s double facing shoes considered the norm? Allow your mind to take you to your fantasy world where all is fun and games. Let the clothing reflect your playful nature. Don’t get too caught up in fashion rules and trends put out by leaders in the industry. Create your own reality and have some fun doing it.
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TOOLS
EXERCISE
1. Engage in a Playful Discussion
You are constrained to a t-shirt and belt on a 5-look photo shoot. What do you do?
Don’t be afraid to play in the workplace. 2. Add a Constraint Adding a constraint like time or money gets your creative gears turning faster and allows less time for the inner judge to weigh in on the situation. 3. Pause for a Bit When confronted with a problem, allow your mind to go on recess for a bit. This places the problem in your subconscious, which allows you to put your problem into perspective, grow the idea seed, and ultimately approach the problem with somewhat different assumptions.
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“THAT’S NOT MY AREA”
CHAPTER 6
Try not to look at the situation through a narrow-minded point of view. Opening your mind up to a combination of specializations can greatly improve your work.
“Fashion is architecture; It’s a matter of proportions” (Coco Chanel) Some of the greatest fashion designers of all time come from architecture backgrounds. If they had not explored into the realm of fashion, we would never have been introduced to the revolutionary designs of Raf Simons, Tom Ford, Comme de Garcon, among others. To be an artist, you must first be an explorer. Knowledge is power and a useful tool to your creative success.
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TOOLS 1. Be an Explorer You have unlimited access to information. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. You can find inspiration in unsuspected places. 2. See The Obvious Try asking yourself: “What are the most obvious things I can say about...” You can also try to explain the subject in detail to someone who knows nothing about it. 3. Explore Fairytales Fairytales live in dream land. Picturing your situation as a fairytale is a fun way to explore your imagination. 4. Storyboarding Putting a pen to paper and mapping out your process will provide you with a useful pre-visualization of your idea.
EXERCISE Write a fairytale about the fashion industry:
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“DON’T BE FOOLISH”
CHAPTER 7
We are told as children not to act “foolish”. From this point on, we filter our thoughts and actions by what seems “normal” versus “outlandish”. We learn to be active participants of group-think in order to fit in. This is a dangerous lens for a creative thinker. If you find yourself at a creative block, try looking at things from a “fools” point of view. Don’t judge your ideas just yet. Laugh at it. Think from an outsider’s pointof-view. Although being foolish may not give you all the right answers, it is a great way to free your mind and expand your imagination.
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TOOLS 1. Laugh At It Don’t get caught up in the seriousness of the fashion industry. Sometimes humor is the answer. 2. Reverse Your Viewpoint Stuck in the same train of thought? Reverse the way you’re looking at the situation. This will allow you to discover things you would typically overlook. 3. Roast It Take your most valued piece of common sense and roast it with the contrary position.
EXERCISE Watch a fashion show from this season and roast it:
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“AVOID AMBIGUITY�
CHAPTER 8
We are products of a harsh society. Humans naturally avoid ambiguity in order to avoid doing something wrong. We follow a detailed list of rules and regulations in which most of our decisions are based. Without this type of direction, we may feel conflicted and confused. One of the most difficult aspects of editorial styling is embracing ambiguity. Oftentimes, stylists are presented an idea with little direction, at which point you must mold it into your own. Use the following tips to tap into your creativity when this lack of structure becomes overwhelming.
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TOOLS 1. Paradoxes A paradox is a self-contradictory statement that relies on your ability to entertain two different notions at the same time. Paradoxes “whack” us out of our typically narrow thoughts paths and force us to question our assumptions. 2. Consult An Oracle Oracles can provide us with the tools to access our intuition, which in turn gives us the power to delve deeper into whatever problem we are trying to solve. 3. Become An Oracle Take time to meditate on the subject and form the question you are trying to answer. Once you have your question, open your mind to something random and unrelated to your question. Now, think of how that random thing could apply to your situation. Search for multiple “right” answers. 4. Listen To Your Dreams Start interpreting your dreams as stimulants to your imagination. If you have a particular problem you are trying to solve, think about it right before you go to sleep. As soon as you wake up, write down your dream and try to interpret it in as many ways possible. Your unconscious provides a door to your imagination.
horse folder shoe rainbow school house cat smoke cloud sad book nail bottle computer parent laugh
EXERCISE Pick a random word to the left and create a style story. What kind of clothes will you pull? What would the model look like? What is the setting? Were you able to form a story with a deeper meaning?
paint ring blanket cookie fish code napkin lightbulb coffee tent farm fuzzy sock plastic bite eye plant candle picture box used chord remote phone message snail photo lipstick
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“TO ERR IS WRONG”
CHAPTER 9
No one enjoys failing. We learned to avoid failure at an early age through our educational system. However, to be a true creative, you mustn’t take your education too seriously. More often than not, we convince ourselves we can’t do something, simply out of fear. This often happens before we even make it to the imaginative phase, eliminating the possibility to succeed altogether. As creatives, we have to approach the imaginative phase without failure in mind. While success will always be favored over failure, we must remind ourselves that there can be just as many benefits to failing. Failure provides us with the chance to learn what doesn’t work and an opportunity to try a new approach to a problem. The ability to embrace this fear is what separates innovators from the rest of the world.
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TOOLS 1. Get Comfortable with Making Errors Our failures are our “whacks� that can allow us to solve a problem in a different, more effective way. 2. Stay in Survival Mode
EXERCISE Reach out to a new network of creatives every week to collaborate on a project.
Success is not forever. The moment you become overly-confident and arrogant, you will miss the opportunity to evolve into something greater. Always seek change in your successes.
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“I AM NOT CREATIVE”
CHAPTER 10
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The biggest mental block of all is telling yourself that you are not creative. As long as you believe this to be true, you will never allow yourself access to your imagination. Be your own self-fulfilling prophecy by telling yourself that you are creative and acting on it. The only thing holding your creative ideas back is you so start tapping into your imagination. Believing in yourself is the first step towards success. Don’t hold back!
TOOLS 1. Discover Your Own Creative Style Tap into your creative tendencies, here are a few examples of my own: I tend do work well under pressure
EXERCISE Write down a list of your own creative tendencies:
I’m inspired by other disciplines I can get caught up in the first right answer I fear failure when working with new people I consult oracles when I am feeling uninspired, because my best ideas come from deep within I come up with ideas right before falling asleep
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LAST SECTION Now that we’ve covered all of the mental blocks that an editorial stylist may encounter, it is important to know when and how to put your ideas into action. Timing is paramount in the success of your creative idea. Good timing comes from understanding and developing each of your creative roles: The Explorer, The Artist, The Judge, and The Warrior. To prepare, try to list tools that will help you access each creative role. Make sure to utilize The Artist and The Explorer in the imaginative phase. Once you come up with your creative idea, you should then tap into the practical phase, where The Judge and The Warrior take action. An idea means nothing if you do nothing with it. The key to making it as an editorial stylist is persistence. The fashion industry does not make excuses for you. The moment you stop creating is the moment you will be forgotten. Creative collaboration is key.
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GOOD LUCK!
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