Entrepreneur and celeb stylist Risa Kostis has constructed a dynamic profession rooted in creativity, flexibility, and flexibility—and, after all, an everlasting love for trend. She first stepped into the sweetness trade at 21, specializing in hair and make-up for weddings. She gained invaluable enterprise expertise managing a purse and shoe firm, which paved the way in which for launching her personal styling enterprise.
In 2018, a wedding-day mishap impressed her to co-found The Rescue Equipment Firm along with her sister, providing important styling instruments designed for brides and past. Risa’s styling philosophy facilities on personalization, confidence, and inclusivity. She prioritizes a real-world perspective over inflexible trend guidelines. Her experience extends throughout private styling, marriage ceremony day dressing companies, and adaptive trend options.
On this interview, she shares her profession journey, styling philosophy, and the way she empowers each consumer—no matter physique sort—to embrace their distinctive magnificence with confidence.
Once I requested Risa how her story unfolded, she shared:
“My entrepreneurial journey started at 21 after I began doing hair and make-up for weddings. I used to be ending cosmetology faculty in Boston when a buddy requested me to model her and her maid of honor’s hair and make-up for her marriage ceremony. That was the second I knew—this was what I needed to do.”
She additionally remembers, “Shortly after, I moved to San Francisco and took a job on the entrance desk of a day spa whereas constructing my consumer base on the facet. Throughout that point, I met a dressmaker for whom I sometimes did hair and make-up. She ultimately introduced me on board to assist run her purse and shoe firm. It was an unbelievable hands-on studying expertise—a crash course in small enterprise administration, manufacturing, and manufacturing. Wanting again, I couldn’t have requested for a greater basis for launching my full-scale styling firm and product line.”
As she gained expertise, weddings and particular occasions grew to become the core of Risa’s experience. She recollects the second that in the end led to creating The Rescue Equipment Firm:
“It began at a scorching Arizona marriage ceremony in 2018, simply as I used to be introducing my day-of dressing service. A photographer buddy invited me to a marriage she was capturing, providing behind-the-scenes pictures in alternate for my assist. I agreed, and like most marriage ceremony days, I didn’t meet the bride till I arrived to decorate her and magnificence everybody.
“As she walked down for the primary look, somebody stepped on her practice, and the zipper utterly broke. I attempted security pins and tremendous glue, however ultimately, I needed to sew her into her robe. It was like nothing ever occurred. I’ll always remember that day—not simply because it sparked The Rescue Equipment Firm and my now-popular dressing service, however as a result of saving the day is the very best feeling on the planet. That was after I knew I needed to create an expertise that might convey that very same aid to my shoppers.”
Recognizing a spot out there, Risa and her sister got down to design the last word marriage ceremony day emergency equipment—mixing luxurious with performance.
“It was necessary for us to create a signature equipment that felt luxurious {and professional} but remained user-friendly and complete,” Risa explains. “The Bride Equipment is our best-selling product, impressed by the skilled styling equipment I’ve used for over a decade. It consists of 22 fastidiously chosen gadgets designed to make the largest affect on a marriage day.
“Inside, you’ll discover necessities like a stitching equipment with pre-threaded needles in the most well-liked marriage ceremony colours, double-stick tape, mini tissues, a lint curler, and our Hair + Pin Equipment—that includes 4 totally different security pin colours, straight pins, two shades of bobby pins, and clear rubber bands. Distinctive additions embody a deodorant-removing sponge, tremendous glue, a button + bustle hook for satin-covered buttons and robe bustling, foot gel pads, stain-removing spray, wrinkle-release spray, and extra. It’s really a one-stop mishap-preventing store!”
One might surprise, “How can a stylist create a very inclusive and personalised expertise for shoppers with numerous physique sorts and mobility wants?” Risa Kostis explains:
“As a stylist, making certain a profitable physique sort evaluation for numerous shoppers, together with these with distinctive mobility wants, begins with a customized and inclusive method. That is actually the place a listening ear is available in, and a very powerful perspective I take is that of a pupil—I would like to grasp any each day challenges with getting dressed and areas which may want particular consideration.
“Relatively than relying solely on conventional physique form tips, I deal with proportions, consolation, and performance, contemplating how clothes drapes and strikes with the person’s physique. For shoppers who use wheelchairs, I take seated proportions under consideration, in addition to correct layering and undergarments to make sure each aesthetic steadiness and ease of motion. Material selections, adaptable silhouettes, and strategic tailoring play key roles in enhancing each model and practicality. Above all, I prioritize listening to the consumer’s wants and preferences, making changes that align with their life-style and trend objectives whereas celebrating their distinctive form and confidence.”
Are you curious about working with Risa Kostis or interested in what a one-on-one evaluation is like? She shares:
“Most of my private styling shoppers come from present consumer referrals. We often do a deep dive on a name or Zoom to ensure I can meet their wants, and that additionally offers them an opportunity to share their styling objectives for any upcoming occasions or appearances.
“Since plenty of my work is shifting towards marriage ceremony styling and day-of-dressing, most of those assessments are with girls who’re getting married or shut buddies/marriage ceremony get together members which will need marriage ceremony apparel consulting companies or to rent me for day-of-dressing. Communication is the cornerstone of the whole lot I do, and I take detailed notes of their file that can serve me all through the method of working collectively.”
What are Risa’s ideas on colour evaluation? It was refreshing to listen to her say:
“My reply would possibly shock you, however I don’t essentially go by the e book in terms of colour evaluation. Whereas I feel it’s confirmed helpful for lots of stylists and their shoppers, I don’t use a proper colour evaluation course of with the individuals I work with. I can inform instantly after I have a look at somebody—primarily based on what lives of their present closet and through fittings—what’s going to improve their look and complement their look. I feel colour is a selection and a sense whenever you’re getting dressed.
“Once I hear somebody say, ‘I can’t put on that colour,’ I all the time prefer to at the very least attempt it on collectively, so we are able to take pictures and ensure it’s a colour that they actually need to rule out. Whereas there’s system-based construction round colour evaluation, I personally prefer to push individuals outdoors their consolation zone into the ‘what-if’ house if they’re keen to go there. We all know straight away when it gained’t work, and that’s ok for me!”
Risa shares that there are various encouraging methods to find one’s ardour within the trend trade. Reflecting on her personal journey, she says:
“I like that in at present’s world, there are such a lot of roads that result in the identical factor. I don’t have any formal coaching in styling, and actually, I feel that’s what makes my ability set so fascinating. I all the time inform aspiring younger folks that model is subjective and innate—in the event that they find it irresistible, they need to pursue it.”
When requested about her trend philosophy and what makes working with Risa Kostis distinctive, she explains:
“My philosophy is all about distinctive consideration to element, prioritizing personalised model over labels, and making each consumer really feel uniquely their very own. I consider in unparalleled customer support, a zero-judgment method, and curating seems that commemorate individuality.”
The sister duo possesses a distinct segment and distinctive set of expertise, as Risa emphasizes:
“My sister is definitely my enterprise companion in The Rescue Equipment Firm! She has a proper background in Occupational Remedy (OT) and has labored in each inpatient and outpatient rehab settings.
“It’s in our plans to someday develop an adaptive rescue equipment that honors her ardour whereas aligning with our core worth of caring for our clients.”
It was a thrill to interview Ms. Risa Kostis, who shared her perspective on working with shoppers: ‘The experiences I’ve had all through my life—from working within the service trade for over a decade to appearing, trend publicity, styling, and a lot extra—have given me the muse to supply one thing really particular. I’ve an uncanny means to fulfill my shoppers precisely the place they’re of their lives and for each event they should gown for, and I firmly consider that’s one thing that may’t be taught. Once we work collectively, you turn into a really particular a part of my life, and that’s one thing I’ll by no means take as a right.”
Risa Kostis is a famend stylist who has been featured on quite a few nationwide tv exhibits and media retailers.
Thanks, Risa Kostis, for this unique interview with Social Life-style Journal. We’re excited to see what’s subsequent in your profession!
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