FASHION STYLIST ALINA HOLZ

Fashion Stylist Alina Holz

Alina Holz is a freelance fashion stylist born and raised in Hamburg, she is also based in Hamburg and is represented by the agency Kult artists. She studied fashion design in Hamburg at the HAW and finished her studies with the diploma in 2010. She started styling very classic with fashion. But during this year she also started adding still and interior styling more and more within her portfolio as she discovered a big passion for this sector and the very special and different kind of work.

How did you become a fashion stylist?

During my studies, I did an internship with an agency in the field of styling, as I was at the end of my studies and I needed to figure out, what to do whit what I’ve learned at university.

It was a great experience, as they gave me the opportunity right after a few months to travel to Miami with them for production (I had never been to the USA before).

After finishing the internship I continued working for them as freelance styling assistance, which was a great way to earn my own money even if I was still a student and by the way in a field that I liked a lot. So I got to know photographers, hair and makeup artists, etc and so I became an assistant.

What advice would you give an upcoming fashion stylist?

Try to assist as much as you can, try to find your „handwriting“ through working with a lot of different people, you can learn so much by just watching an experienced stylist doing their work.

I’ve worked with a few stylists, with some of them for a long time, they all have different workflows and their own way to combine patterns, textiles, styles, etc.

No matter at what point of your career you are, you should always take the time to work on free projects, as its such a great way to sharpen and create your own handwriting and also to grow, caus its a never-ending process, it’s always moving.

And try to network as much as you can, there are so many of us out there… I’ve underestimated this fact for a long time.

What has been the most memorable moment of your career, so far?

To me there is not this one moment that sticks out, every time you work with a great team for a longer time, especially when you travel together you grow together like a family that’s always very special.

When I finally get to see the finished work you’ve been working on so hard, it just makes you very proud.

And I’ve met a handful very special people over the years, that inspired me or took me to the next level

What challenges do you have as a stylist?

It’s a very physical job, you have to be very good at running (mostly against time) and lugging all that stuff from A to B and back.

Sometimes a very specific wish comes in very last minute (like the day before the shoot), so you should have a handful of names you can call or places you can go to if you are looking for this one specific, rare piece.

And Time is mostly against you and often you have quite a lot of stuff going on at the same time and everything has to be under control.

What goals do you wish to achieve in the future?

I would love to see that the conscious and fair fashion movement is taking more and moreover the fast fashion industry and be a  part of it with my work.

There is so much going on at the moment, incredible nice brands with beautiful, wearable cloth coming up more and more. Not what some of us still have in mind, when they think of conscious, slow and fair fashion.

For my work and my careerism aiming to get to work a lot more as a still and interior stylist.

How do you choose what looks work for each individual client?

Usually, I get a briefing from the client and there mostly is an Art Director, I can talk to.

I try to listen very carefully to what’s been said in the briefing, often after there was a briefing meeting, I take some time to go through it all by myself, make notes, write down questions that are coming up.

Mostly it’s not a specific pair of pants or shirt, its rather a feeling or a vibe that needs to be transported through the styling, I  think, I have a good feeling to catch up on that and start creating a picture or a whole world in my head.

Do the clothing choices you make at work inspire your personal style?

I think so, but I think that’s rather for editorials or free productions than for commercial work. But I think its often rather a vibe or a mood that I like about a collection or certain pieces of it, or even the presentation of the designer. So I think, I sometimes adapt things and make them work in my wardrobe and in my way.

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style is very casual, I love sneakers, jeans and plane simple t-Shirts. I never ever wear high heels. I love colors and patterns, but for me personally, it doesn’t have to go too wild 😉 it has to be practical, in summer I love hopping into my jeans shorts, add a t-Shirt and my Birkenstock or just jumping into a flattering summer dress-done!

What is your favorite item in your closet?

At the moment I love my Levis Jeans, I am wearing it up and down and it’s getting better and better. And my black boots, they just work with everything-jeans, a skirt, dress and they are super comfy.

Last year I bought myself a (for my opinion) a very expensive summer dress, which I had an eye on for a very long time. It’s by a German fair fashion brand in Berlin, its name is folk days, I am so looking forward to wearing it again.

What trends are you loving right now?

As I said, I love the fair and slow fashion trend that is going on at the moment, I love purity, details, and textures. I like to put together patterns and colors, that you would never put together.

To be honest, I don’t follow trends (at least not intentional) I follow my instincts and adapt things that I like and put them together so it becomes my personal way.

What’s the best style advice you’ve received?

I think its good to have these very few favorite pieces in your closet, of high quality and you will see that there’s not so much more you need. Like a good pair of jeans or shoes.

If you have that, you can find endless combinations. I don’t buy a lot of new clothes for myself, as I’ve heard once that if you buy cheap stuff, you buy double and its true. So I rather stick to quality than quantity, you would be surprised about my tiny closet 😉

Who is your favorite designer? Why?

I liked the recent collections of Marina Hoermanseder, Dawid Tomaszewski and Tim Labenda