The Forward Women

Freelance fashion stylist
2022 Australian Stylist of the year
Brisbane Based
Grew up in North QLD, Yelandji tribe
A daughter
Middle child of 3 girls
Wife and  
Mum of 1 beautiful little girl

Q1) What would you say your values are and why?   1. Creativity: because it takes you on the most amazing thrill rides. My creativity is inspired from photography, historical garments, different stories and cultures.   2. Kindness: We are not kind to ourselves, especially women. We are kind to everyone else: our family, partners, friends and children, but we are not kind to ourselves. Our self-mind-chatter can be harsh but we are all doing a great job. I am more conscious of my self-chatter since becoming a mum because I am now representing all women for my daughter. I want to be strong and ensure my language shapes her in a positive way.    3. Culture: all meanings of culture. Culture in families, community, photoshoots and recognising peoples cultural backgrounds. I have always been fascinated & inspired by different textures and aesthetics of different cultures.

Q2) Can you provide us with an overview of your career & how you became a stylist?

My career started as a kindy teacher, following in my mums footsteps, but I knew I always wanted to do something more creative so I enrolled at fashion and photography school. I have worked in pattern marking, merchandising, retail and VIP for Circus Solieli and then worked at a vintage & retro collectors, restoring garments.

Working at the vintage & retro collectors opened opportunities to work with photographers when they borrowed the garments. It started with them asking for my advice and input, to being asked to photoshoots to assist and eventually being asked to attend the shoot to help with styling and for my creative eye.  

I love that styling choose me.

I have now been a freelance stylist for 8-10years. Starting out on my own was the scariest thing I have ever done, but looking back I am so proud of myself for making such an awesome decision.

Q3)  Congratulations on winning 2022 Australian Stylist of the year.  What is your biggest career achievement?

I am so blessed for the opportunities styling has given me. Yes, I have had the opportunity to work internationally in New York, New Zealand, Berlin and Italy, work with brands & magazines like the Rolling stones, Vogue, Marie Claire, Australia Zoo, Sony, Universal studios & Apple Watch.

But my career highlights are actually down to the shoot and what I was able to create & people I got to work with: example working with baby tigers for Australia Zoo or the time we were served homemade pasta & cheese in Italy countryside.  The highlights throughout my career have been my first cover image, first time producing & being featured in the Germany Magazine Schon.

I am blessed to be able to work in different countries, different labels and the memories I have created.

Q4) What do you love about being a stylist and what is the biggest challenge?

I love that I can creative a language with clothes. It’s a way of communicating in a strange, fun way.

People brush off the meaning of clothes as “superficial” but it can be free and amazing. We all choose to wear clothes everyday, it has meaning, it is our costume and it represents who we want to be that day. I love I get to express this everyday on different people, in different forms and creative a story.

What I love the most is working with my clients to push them, help them achieve their goals and give them confidence in areas that don’t have confidence in.

Clothes, costumes and garments can make people feel vulnerable because they can be scary and highlight their flaws or insecurities. I get to help them feel confident in the clothes, showcase them and see their personalities come to life in front of the camera.

The biggest challenge is balancing creativity with business administration. Unfortunately, my job is not always glamorous. A lot of my time is in front of the laptop, emailing, prepping garments for the shoots or following up parcels. All of my work is preparing for months in the lead up to the shoot and after it.

Q5) I can imagine being a stylist would be quite a competitive industry. How did you judge this, in particular motherhood, did you have a pressure to keep working?   Yes, but I think the pressure was only coming from myself. I continued my styling work up to 1-2weeks prior to the birth of my daughter, mostly because I also didn’t want to give up the creative side as it fills my cup.   But it was becoming hard to balance the demand of work and the demand of my daughter. Some of my clients are overseas which required me to work at different times of the day & night & be available 24/7. So, I am currently trying to give myself time and be kind to myself by focussing on more 9-5 roles, limiting shoots to 1-2 a month and local if possible.   I am grateful my clients support this decision and understand the demands of being a mum.   Sadly, the styling industry is competitive, especially in Australia as the market is small. There is not many avenues in Australia to become a stylist with only one fashion director – Australian Vogue. It can also be quite hard within the industry as it can be “cliquey”. I am always trying to not be ‘cliquey’ and not just go with what I know.   My advice to others who want to be a stylist, is it can be a lot of hard work. If you can. work as an assistant, work for free, do the heavy lifting and get onto a photoshoot to experience them and determine if you like it and to gain confidence in your own style.

Q6) Since I became a mum, I know my style has really disappeared and I now live in tights & baggy t-shirts and have been struggling with what to wear. What advice what you have to other new mums and trying to find their new style?

I totally get it & this is what I am wearing all the time aswell.

When I was pregnant, I was so disappointed in the fashion available. Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you give up on your style or trying to looking nice. They only had tents, vertical stripes, horizontal stripes or knit dresses available. My recommendation is for designers in the field to step up & do better.

After having a child, it is hard. It doesn’t feel like your body, it hurts & it’s too much. I feel like 100% be kind to yourself during this time & wear what you feel is comfortable.

Instead of “these will fit me later once I lose the weight”, go buy yourself a pair of jeans that fit you now and wear them. Honour yourself and your body as it goes through this change after making an incredible life. No matter how unrecognizable your body is, remember that “you’ve got this & it will work out”.

Q7) What is next step / goal for yourself?   1. Riverstyx , creating a nice, safe space for people to recover and take care of themselves & again – learn to be kind to themselves involving hot and cold therapy, magnesium and take the time to be outside. I want to help people to look after themselves.   2. For styling: there is a lot coming up in regards to performances (ie. at the Sydney Opera house) & helping my clients progress their careers and:   3. As a Mum, learning to work on myself and my triggers to that I can represent all women kind for my daughter in the best way that I can. I do not want her go through this world with a tarnished view or for things to be hard for her. My goal is to build her foundations that help her navigate this new & involving world, teach her to be vulnerable but also how to find her strength, power and grace.

For more information on Riverstyx: River Styx Recovery