Business Series (NEW!): Interview with Simone Harouche

The business series is finally back and I'm kicking it off with an interview with Simone Harouche, fashion stylist (to the likes of Christina Aguilera, Nicole Richie, and Miley Cyrus) and handbag designer (Simone Camille) based in L.A. I actually had the wonderful pleasure of working with Simone on her custom wedding invitation suite last Spring and I had an amazing time working together. Her skills as a stylist came through in the whole wedding and because of her amazing inspiration for her invitations it allowed me to make one of my favorite sets.

Simone's always incredibly busy so I'm thrilled that she was willing take the time to answer a few questions about her daily life as a stylist for us. My goal with this series is to share some business tips, resources and interviews with a variety of professionals in a range of fields. So, here is Simone... Enjoy!

Image above (left to right, top to bottom): Simone, Nicole Richie at the Oscars styled by Simone, Cindy Crawford styled by Simone, Simone Camille bags (& clipping from Vogue), Guess ad styled by Simone, fashion icon Jane Birkin.

Tell us a bit about what you do as both a stylist and a designer.

 
As a stylist, there really is no such thing as an average day. There have been days where im in my robe till noon, sending emails, making phone calls. Then there are other days where I’m overbooked and running from a fitting to a meeting with another client’s fashion line. Or, where I'm going from a shoot then straight to the airport for another job the next day. A stylist is, for the most part, freelance, so my clients vary in their needs, their schedules, and what they require from me. It's all a balancing act. You also have to have a lot of discipline since there are all these deadlines and jobs to do, and you’ve got to multitask to figure out how to get it all done on time.  

 
As a designer, there is more focus and structure. I gather inspiration, make mood boards, and have ideas that I then base a collection off of. 

What does your typical day look like?

Well, it depends on the day and whether I am prepping a job, doing fittings, or on a shoot. I've been a stylist for years now and I can honestly say that no job is ever the same. Sometimes things get so hectic working 18 hour days running from a fitting with one client to a shoot with another. Other days, I will just work a normal 9-6 hour day.

My assistant will usually meet me at my house around 9, we go through the calendar, go over our schedule of what needs to get done for the various jobs, look though the list of items we need to pull, send sample requests to designers and showrooms, decide on places we need to shop from, etc. After a full day, once the stores close, we usually meet back at my house and go through what we have received or pulled from stores and make a list of what needs to taken care of the next day.

It really all depends on the jobs I'm trying to balance and what each of my clients needs are. I like that styling is unpredictable like that… I never get bored!

How did you break into the business? (the key steps that got you where you are) 

Fate.

 
It’s a very long story, but the short version is, I knew I wanted to get into fashion but didn’t know what exactly it was that I wanted to do. A month before graduating from college, I happened to pass by a boutique in Los Feliz that looked so cute!  Fate made me go into the store that day. The boutique happened to be owned by a very successful stylist and as fate would also have it, that the stylist happened to be there when I came in. To make things even more interesting, the stylist recognized me from 15 years before that fateful encounter when I happened to be friends with her younger brother.

 
We got to talking that day in the store. She asked me what I was doing with my life and I let her know I was graduating college the following month, trying to figure out how and what to do with fashion (keep in mind I still had no idea she was a very successful stylist). One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was her intern for the summer, then her assistant come fall. And now, 7 years later, I'm here. The rest is history!

Miley Cyrus, Nicole Richie & Christina Aguilera styled by Simone on the red carpet

At what point did you consider yourself a success? 

 
I still don’t consider my career a success. I have so much that I still want to accomplish. However, working with Mert and Marcus was definitely something I could check off my bucket list. They are my all time favorite photographers!

Where do you pull your inspiration from?

 
I pull inspiration from all over the place such as magazines, books, old movies, art, and travelling. There is so much out there to be inspired by- I think the hardest part is figuring out where to look, or knowing what you are looking for.

fashion icons Jane Birkin, Francoise Hardy, and Marlene Dietrich

Who are your your style icons?

 
Jane Birkin, Marlene Dietrich, Taletha Getty, Anita Pallenberg and Francoise Hardy.

The fashion world (especially styling) seems pretty individual and competitive. Is that true and if so, how have you dealt with that? How important is it to find professional mentors that you can turn to for support or advice?

 
The fashion world is extremely competitive. It's also very easy to get swept up and have work be all consuming. Luckily, I have friends in this business who I can talk to and get advice from. It makes things a lot easier when you can speak to people who have been there. I try to keep a balanced life although most of the time I know I should try harder to maintain that balance. I also try to remember that fashion is subjective, as is the case with beauty and art. I have to go with my instinct and with what I believe. I cant listen to other people's opinions or comments because it distracts and changes my original intention. If I go with what I believe, I can't fail.

Who do you admire as a business person and why?

I admire many people in business, some because they dare to follow their dreams, others because they are passionate, some for refusing to give up, and even some for being cutthroat. In the entertainment industry there is always someone waiting to take your spot, that’s why I try to do my absolute best every day and put all I have got into a job. You are only as good as your last project.

 

What's the best advice you've received and the greatest lesson you've learned so far in your career?

 
Greatest advice was from my agent and friend Margaret Maldonado, “If you work at what it is you want to do every day, it just gets better and better.
 Every day you get closer to where you want to be. When people talk about what they want to do but they don’t show up, they get stalled. Just do it. If you want to be a painter, make sure you paint every day.”

Greatest lesson: ..And this one I had to learn personally- Always take valuables out of the car. No matter how tired you are, or how long your day has been.

Comments

[nick]

gem: “If you work at what it is you want to do every day, it just gets better and better.
 Every day you get closer to where you want to be. When people talk about what they want to do but they don’t show up, they get stalled. Just do it. If you want to be a painter, make sure you paint every day.”

[MaeMae]

oh gaaa. loved every ounce of this. thanks, simone!

[Trude]

Such a great interview, thanks so much for doing this and to Simone for her awesome advice!

[gary]

Last paragraph was priceless. Forward momentum is everything. Dreams die of inactivity. Mortality rate: high.

[Alicia @culinarybliss]

I'm just starting my own little business and I really needed this article! Thanks for the great post. I found your blog through Pacing. Your work is awesome!