Metamorphosis at Romina Montserrat FW24
I hate being asked any version of this question, but tell me about your style.
As I’m getting older in my career, I'm learning that all of my work has a sexy undertone to it, which at first was not intentional at all, but has kind of become my brand in a way. It’s funny because I always was this super tomboy growing up, and now, even if it’s menswear or something it still has a sexy undertone. And I think that's why me and Romina mesh so well, because I think the Romina girl is sexy.
When you’re dressing models, and clients… is that how you dress yourself?
Yes and no… I think there are undertones of my personal style in my work but it depends what the shoot is for. I guess there’s always a bit of me in it, and I hope the viewer starts to see that, but it’s not all about me! I wish it was!
This is your first time styling a runway presentation! How do you find your role as a stylist changes when working on an in-person presentation as opposed to, say, an editorial?
With editorial, you can obviously fake so much, especially when you know the specific angle it’s being shot from. And this needs to be 360, and livable, and movable – the models need to be able to walk around and move in it. It can’t just be like a static photo.
How did you meet Romina?
We met through one of the models, Born… she was like “this designer keeps hitting me up and wants to hang out” and I was like “tell her to come out!” and we went bowling one night, and have been close ever since. I think it’s so nice that we have a friendship first…I’ve been looking to work with my friends more.
That’s where the magic happens!
The best work happens when you’re working with your friends. I think we understand each other and both appreciate each other's’ eye and vision.
But this is the first time you two have collaborated?
Yes… we have been in talks of collaborating on a collection together, so she invited me to come on board and do the show with her. It was actually supposed to be a more Ready-to-Wear collection, but the direction changed to more of a couture collection. So hopefully in the future we will be working together on a Ready to Wear line.
How long have you guys been working on this collection?
Like two weeks! And that was when I started casting and talking about looks… we were really inspired by the girls. We definitely had looks we wanted on them, but they really inspired the way in which it all unfolded, the hair, et cetera.
Romina works with very architectural shapes, and as a stylist it seems like you could either lean into the distortion of the body and the chaos of it all, or you could take a more minimalistic approach to styling and let the shapes speak for themselves. Where do you think you landed with this collection?
I think it’s a mix. The shapes and styling have obviously been inspired by the womanly figure, and also the shapes of bugs. You can see on Born’s look, she has a huge hump on her butt like a bug. Obviously her clothes are so structured and her origami is insane when it’s molded on the body, but it has to be a mix of both since the collection progresses from covered up to undressing.
As a stylist a lot of the time you’re character-building…who do you think the Romina girl is?
Well, this collection is interesting because if you look at Romina’s brand as a whole, it’s super colorful and metallic. Even when she first showed me the collection I was like “woah… it’s all black”. It’s something that she hasn’t really done before but I think it’s been inspired by the Romina New York girl that wants to wear all black and be sexy. I think she’s obviously sexy and confident…. I don’t want to say ‘a boss bitch’ but you know, she’s in charge!
There’s a lot of confidence in the clothes.
Yes, you have to have confidence to wear her clothes.
Are you a Romina girl? Do you wear Romina’s clothes?
I’m a Romina girl! I’ve borrowed pieces from her before, but I actually just bought my first Romina piece and it’s the classic cocoon hood. I love it, I wore it for New Years and it was amazing.
