Fashion Rider recently caught up with fashion and celebrity stylist Desiree Lederer, to talk all things industry related as well as some of the highs and lows she has experienced along the way.
Based in London, Desiree has an abundance of experience working with top name photographers and loves directional styling. Her experience ranges from editorial and beauty shoots to music videos ,TV commercials, shows and events. Desiree has an eye for detail and can add her experience in art directing to any project.
It’s always interesting for us to hear about other people’s work lives and to find out just how they got to where they are today.
Here’s what Desiree had to tell Fashion Rider when we put her under the spotlight, OK, not quite a spotlight, we just asked some nice questions and had a good chat.
A bit about you:
How did you train and what was your experience?
I had a number of fashion jobs with very established names including, Jean Muir and Mulberry, before finally setting foot in the styling world at Cosmopolitan Magazine. Working my way up from Fashion Assistant (sorting the cupboard) to styling my own shoots as Deputy Fashion Editor. From there I eventually went freelance and learnt it all on the job.
What do you wish someone had told you when you started?
My only wish was when I was deciding about career and studies that I had had more guidance and discussions about all of the possibilities. I initially ended up studying law which was not my true passion. But luckily I did manage to redirect and get on track for my true vocation.
Tell us about your business:
What work are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my fashion stories where my passion and talent are hopefully showcased. Fashion images can be timeless and beautiful even like a painting.
What is the single biggest obstacle for your business success?
The competition is fierce and there are too many young people out there hoping to be a stylist and teams are always changing for many reasons, so the industry can be quite fickle which makes it even more challenging.
About the Fashion Industry at large:
What are the best and worst things about our industry?
The worst things I guess are the superficial element, especially when you think about the truly important things that matter in life.
Also the constant pressure on women to look slim and model like. Although the tide is changing in some areas, for instance Asos is one brand which is now using models of all sizes which is great and I love to see.
However, the best things for me are that it is a huge industry so it can provide a number of different jobs and a varied work force. And fashion and how we dress is important for making us feel and look good. It gives us a huge variety and inspiration of what clothes to wear to suit our every mood, personality and styles.
Fashion Rider and its members
Desiree is certainly inspiring. Starting out in the world of freelancing is hard. You have to build your portfolio of clients, you have to build `you` as a brand. But most importantly when going into any area of work, and especially freelance, a lot of the `learning` element is done on the job. You learn as you go and these things are sometimes not something that can be taught, only experienced. And lastly you have to constantly keep on your toes and refreshing or reinventing yourself even.
We share our member stories to help others learn as well as find alliance with some of the information which is shared.
If you would be interested in sharing your story we’d love to hear from you.
The right partnership
If you’d be interested in hiring Desiree or finding out more about her work and the projects she has been involved in, you can contact her on the details below, she’d love to hear from you.
DESIREE LEDERER Fashion stylist
de*****@de************.com
+44(0)7957 364 267
