Entrepreneur and movie star stylist Risa Kostis has constructed a dynamic profession rooted in creativity, flexibility, and adaptableness—and, in fact, an everlasting love for style. She first stepped into the sweetness business at 21, specializing in hair and make-up for weddings. She gained invaluable enterprise expertise managing a purse and shoe firm, which paved the best way for launching her personal styling enterprise.
In 2018, a wedding-day mishap impressed her to co-found The Rescue Equipment Firm together with her sister, providing important styling instruments designed for brides and past. Risa’s styling philosophy facilities on personalization, confidence, and inclusivity. She prioritizes a real-world perspective over inflexible style guidelines. Her experience extends throughout private styling, wedding ceremony day dressing companies, and adaptive style options.
On this interview, she shares her profession journey, styling philosophy, and the way she empowers each consumer—no matter physique kind—to embrace their distinctive magnificence with confidence.
Once I requested Risa how her story unfolded, she shared:
“My entrepreneurial journey started at 21 after I began doing hair and make-up for weddings. I used to be ending cosmetology faculty in Boston when a good friend requested me to type her and her maid of honor’s hair and make-up for her wedding ceremony. That was the second I knew—this was what I wished to do.”
She additionally remembers, “Shortly after, I moved to San Francisco and took a job on the entrance desk of a day spa whereas constructing my consumer base on the aspect. Throughout that point, I met a designer for whom I sometimes did hair and make-up. She ultimately introduced me on board to assist run her purse and shoe firm. It was an unimaginable hands-on studying expertise—a crash course in small enterprise administration, manufacturing, and manufacturing. Wanting again, I couldn’t have requested for a greater basis for launching my full-scale styling firm and product line.”
As she gained expertise, weddings and particular occasions turned the core of Risa’s experience. She recollects the second that finally led to creating The Rescue Equipment Firm:
“It began at a scorching Arizona wedding ceremony in 2018, simply as I used to be introducing my day-of dressing service. A photographer good friend invited me to a marriage she was capturing, providing behind-the-scenes photographs in trade for my assist. I agreed, and like most wedding ceremony days, I didn’t meet the bride till I arrived to decorate her and magnificence everybody.
“As she walked down for the primary look, somebody stepped on her practice, and the zipper utterly broke. I attempted security pins and tremendous glue, however ultimately, I needed to sew her into her robe. It was like nothing ever occurred. I’ll always remember that day—not simply because it sparked The Rescue Equipment Firm and my now-popular dressing service, however as a result of saving the day is the best possible feeling on the earth. That was after I knew I needed to create an expertise that might deliver that very same aid to my purchasers.”
Recognizing a spot available in the market, Risa and her sister got down to design the final word wedding ceremony day emergency equipment—mixing luxurious with performance.
“It was necessary for us to create a signature equipment that felt luxurious {and professional} but remained user-friendly and complete,” Risa explains. “The Bride Equipment is our best-selling product, impressed by the skilled styling equipment I’ve used for over a decade. It contains 22 rigorously chosen objects designed to make the largest influence on a marriage day.
“Inside, you’ll discover necessities like a stitching equipment with pre-threaded needles in the most well-liked wedding ceremony colours, double-stick tape, mini tissues, a lint curler, and our Hair + Pin Equipment—that includes 4 completely different security pin colours, straight pins, two shades of bobby pins, and clear rubber bands. Distinctive additions embody a deodorant-removing sponge, tremendous glue, a button + bustle hook for satin-covered buttons and robe bustling, foot gel pads, stain-removing spray, wrinkle-release spray, and extra. It’s really a one-stop mishap-preventing store!”
One could marvel, “How can a stylist create a very inclusive and customized expertise for purchasers with various physique varieties and mobility wants?” Risa Kostis explains:
“As a stylist, guaranteeing a profitable physique kind evaluation for various purchasers, together with these with distinctive mobility wants, begins with a customized and inclusive strategy. That is actually the place a listening ear is available in, and an important perspective I take is that of a scholar—I want to grasp any each day challenges with getting dressed and areas which may want particular consideration.
“Reasonably than relying solely on conventional physique form tips, I concentrate on proportions, consolation, and performance, contemplating how clothes drapes and strikes with the person’s physique. For purchasers who use wheelchairs, I take seated proportions into consideration, in addition to correct layering and undergarments to make sure each aesthetic steadiness and ease of motion. Cloth selections, adaptable silhouettes, and strategic tailoring play key roles in enhancing each type and practicality. Above all, I prioritize listening to the consumer’s wants and preferences, making changes that align with their way of life and style targets whereas celebrating their distinctive form and confidence.”
Are you interested by working with Risa Kostis or interested by what a one-on-one evaluation is like? She shares:
“Most of my private styling purchasers come from present consumer referrals. We normally do a deep dive on a name or Zoom to ensure I can meet their wants, and that additionally offers them an opportunity to share their styling targets for any upcoming occasions or appearances.
“Since a variety of my work is shifting towards wedding ceremony styling and day-of-dressing, most of those assessments are with ladies who’re getting married or shut pals/wedding ceremony occasion members which will need wedding ceremony apparel consulting companies or to rent me for day-of-dressing. Communication is the cornerstone of all the pieces I do, and I take detailed notes of their file that can serve me all through the method of working collectively.”
What are Risa’s ideas on coloration evaluation? It was refreshing to listen to her say:
“My reply may shock you, however I don’t essentially go by the e book in the case of coloration evaluation. Whereas I believe it’s confirmed helpful for lots of stylists and their purchasers, I don’t use a proper coloration evaluation course of with the individuals I work with. I can inform instantly after I take a look at somebody—based mostly on what lives of their present closet and through fittings—what’s going to improve their look and complement their look. I believe coloration is a selection and a sense while you’re getting dressed.
“Once I hear somebody say, ‘I can’t put on that coloration,’ I all the time wish to at the least attempt it on collectively, so we are able to take photographs and ensure it’s a coloration that they actually wish to rule out. Whereas there may be system-based construction round coloration evaluation, I personally wish to push individuals outdoors their consolation zone into the ‘what-if’ area if they’re prepared to go there. We all know instantly when it received’t work, and that’s adequate for me!”
Risa shares that there are numerous encouraging methods to find one’s ardour within the style business. Reflecting on her personal journey, she says:
“I really like that in at present’s world, there are such a lot of roads that result in the identical factor. I don’t have any formal coaching in styling, and in reality, I believe that’s what makes my ability set so fascinating. I all the time inform aspiring younger people who type is subjective and innate—in the event that they find it irresistible, they need to pursue it.”
When requested about her style philosophy and what makes working with Risa Kostis distinctive, she explains:
“My philosophy is all about distinctive consideration to element, prioritizing customized type over labels, and making each consumer really feel uniquely their very own. I consider in unparalleled customer support, a zero-judgment strategy, and curating appears that remember individuality.”
The sister duo possesses a distinct segment and distinctive set of expertise, as Risa emphasizes:
“My sister is definitely my enterprise companion in The Rescue Equipment Firm! She has a proper background in Occupational Remedy (OT) and has labored in each inpatient and outpatient rehab settings.
“It’s in our plans to at some point develop an adaptive rescue equipment that honors her ardour whereas aligning with our core worth of caring for our prospects.”
It was a thrill to interview Ms. Risa Kostis, who shared her perspective on working with purchasers: ‘The experiences I’ve had all through my life—from working within the service business for over a decade to performing, style publicity, styling, and a lot extra—have given me the muse to supply one thing really particular. I’ve an uncanny potential to fulfill my purchasers precisely the place they’re of their lives and for each event they should gown for, and I firmly consider that’s one thing that may’t be taught. After we work collectively, you change into a really particular a part of my life, and that’s one thing I’ll by no means take without any consideration.”
Risa Kostis is a famend stylist who has been featured on quite a few nationwide tv exhibits and media shops.
Thanks, Risa Kostis, for this unique interview with Social Life-style Journal. We’re excited to see what’s subsequent in your profession!
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