More great Q&A with Letitia Burrell, freelance stylist and the creator and editor of DuJour Magazine. This time around I asked a bit more about breaking into the industry as a stylist, and more about running the magazine as well. If you missed the first part of the interview, be sure to catch it here.

What’s the toughest part of your job?

Wow, the toughest part of my job is Dujour still being rather obscure with too low of a budget to accomplish what I know DUJOUR can accomplish…..but most importantly probably anonymity. I can’t ever get to be who I really am 100% of the time because the fashion world is just so crazy like that. I’m a college degree-less, Jamaican-American, 20-something living in a small studio apt. outside of NYC. That description doesn’t really get you far in anyone’s eyes. I definitely wouldn’t be the highlight at a power luncheon. Battling daily insecurities is the worse. Having long, highly productive phone calls only to finally meet someone and have them judge me, which translates into them judging the magazine. The truth is that no one has done what I do in the same circumstances I did it in, and lived to tell about it. Being the first is always the most brutal because people will always hover over you with a critical eye, waiting for you to fall. But I can’t help it. I know what I want and I go after it, and it doesn’t take a genius or millionaire, hoity toity, 40-something Caucasian women (or gay man!) to make a successful magazine. It just takes passion, guts, and sleepless nights! And its unfortunate ya know, that most mags started by young black publishers either have a big naked butt on the cover (Vibe) or are solely for other young black people (Essence). I happen to have damn good taste too, just as much as any Elle or Bazaar editor, and I really don’t have an answer as to why there aren’t more successful black editors, but I guess I am willing to get the first rock thrown at me to pave the way. But yeah, it is definitely a really, really hard uphill climb to deal with.

What do you look for in the designers and boutiques that are featured in your magazine?

Well, that’s easy! We look for true indie creatives, hot off the presses, just one or two seasons under their belt that really make a statement and fit in the girly Dujour lifestyle. We have found ourselves head over heels with Etsy, because there is just an innumerable amount of designers and stores on there that still work out of their basement, but really, really produce sound products and brand imaging.

What should one be doing in high school or in college to prepare for the fashion magazine world?
The saying you always hear is true, and that is school is really a waste of money and time if you want to be in the fashion industry. Its pretty much the number one industry where do-it-yourself really goes a long way. Now of course a design or marketing major is different, but styling and editing…puhhleaze. Finish high school, take some time off and freelance for a bit. If you are good enough you will land an agency and get the big jobs. From there, you will be in a place to decide whether going to finish school is right for you or not.

How do you get clothes for your shoots?
Ha! I love this question because I have been pulling clothing for shoots since I was 17. A miracle if you ask me. You see that is the funny thing. When you dont have to say you own your own magazine, you can walk in with your head up high, but once you open your big mouth, they will size you up and automatically think you are working on some “ghetto” production if you don’t look the part. So I was able to pull for shoots since a teenager simply by doing research. I created a pull letter after months of looking for a sample online, created a database of stores with their price points, designers they carry, magazine press (less press means more eager to work with you) and as much about the owner as I could track down. From there its all about confidence and believing in the concept behind that particular shoot you are doing. If you are doing a beachwear shoot, don’t ask for vintage Valentino gowns, and if its a greek goddess trapped in an urban jungle, obviously having a bunch of bohemian 70′s get-ups are going to get you some stares.

Walk us through a regular day on set, styling a shoot either for your magazine or freelance job.

My day on set starts way before at the DUJOUR headquarters. If the samples are already in my possession, I first glance over everything on a rolling rack, then I start to lay out outfits with accessories and shoes, or even style them on myself and snap photos (never hurts). Then I pack my kit and put all the outfits in garment bags. When I arrive on set, rolling rack in tow, I take everything out the garment bags and hang them to be steamed. First things first is checking in with model’s corner to relay the concept to hair and make up. A storyboard is key. Once the models are all done up, they do a quick fitting to see if everything meshes well and make any last changes to what I decided looked good when I first planned the looks. We shoot look after look, making sure to get beauty shots, full body shots, etc so that there is something for all team members and we have enough to choose from. At a certain point its super helpful to unload the pics on a computer and see how everything looks, because on camera you can’t catch most mistakes like wrinkles, weird crops,etc. And throughout the day I will take behind the scene photos or video for fun footage for our website and digital magazine. And that’s it really! Oh, and a cupcake break of course!

What sort of supplies should a stylist always have on a shoot?
Oh boy..pins, pins, pins! A lint brush, a small sewing kit and extra bobby pins for the hair stylist always helps! Actually, there is an out of this world blog post that lists all you could ever need here: http://stylebites.blogspot.com/2006/06/pins-and-needles-how-stylist-packs-her.html

What makes your eye for style unique?
Its as simple as styling for myself…or my alter ego at least. And this is really true for most people. You do things the way you would do it for yourself. Boutique owners buy collections they would wear, designers design garments they would wear, and stylists mostly style outfits they themselves dream of wearing. Its the best job in the world really. You window shop for a living..and sometimes get to keep the finds! So to answer the question, its unique in that its my own personal style personified, and enhanced, for the sake of beautiful photography and there is only one me.

Let’s say a girl with no connections or portfolio is interested in breaking into the world of freelance styling. What are the first steps he/she should take?

To be honest, its all about honesty…being honest with yourself. You can easily look at magazines and judge whether you have the talent to grace the same pages one day. Those that get into something just for the sake of it, will find themselves unhappy not too long after. It takes talent, hard work and dedication. It’s not like styling yourself for a night out, you need a unique voice to fill a void. Once you have that confidence and greatness, people will come to you. Get a leather portfolio, sit it on your desk, and make a goal to place one story a week in it until you fill it up. Use places like Craigslist, Model Mayhem, your local fashion school, community bulletins, etc. to find freelance gigs. And nothing works better than word of mouth. Have someone review your work. If its good enough, set up meetings at artist agencies to get representation where they work to find you work, like a modeling agency. Its really not that difficult. The more you practice, the easier it will be to pull clothes, find decent photographers, and in turn, become successful!

Thanks Letitia!

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