Thursday 27 October 2011

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Alicja Jasnikowska

On my final day of interning of Gok's Clothes Roadshow I was fortunate enough to meet Alicja Jasnikowska who had filled in last minute while we were filming the haberdashery section of the show. I was instantly charmed by her genuineness, her down to earth energy and of course her wisdom of the industry.


Since then I've been really lucky to work with her on two other projects where she has taken so much time to teach and share everything she knows! It's been such a positive experience that she has inspired a blog post :)

Alicja is a freelance fashion stylist and writer, she is in her early thirties and completed her Fashion Design degree at Manchester Met Uni in 2001. It seems she was bitten by the styling bug from her very first year at uni and despite concerned tutor's warnings of the difficulties of the industry she was pretty determined to go ahead and fulfil her passions.

Following a plethora of work placements including the fashion desks at The Guardian, The Times, Sunday Times Style & WGSN, Alicja's first full time job was Fashion Assistant on the launch of Star magazine in 2004. Since then she has contributed to various publications - She, The Sun’s Buzz magazine & Ahlan in Dubai (where she lived & worked for 18 months).  Her experience is also in TV shows where you have undoubtedly seen her work in Gok’s Fashion Fix, Hotter Than My Daughter, Pop Goes the Band and due out later this year, Ashley Banjo’s Secret Street Crew.



Here's what she said in a quick interview:


Three words to describe your style?
Stylish & classic with a tough edge


This season's key accessories?
Snakeskin is everywhere – on bags, shoes, bracelets, clothing – so definitely worth investing in.  Otherwise bright jewel-toned bags or shoes in clean simple shapes reference the modern minimalist trend – heavily influenced by the clashing colours of Jil Sanders collection from last season.  Or get in early & invest in a ladylike granny bag (or better still borrow one from your nan).  These were spotted at Miu Miu & Gucci this season & this trend is going to be huge for next spring/summer 2012 too.

What is your career highlight so far?
There have been several (& hopefully many more to come).  I dressed Danny Dyer a few years back, who I’ve had a secret crush on since I saw him in Human Traffic.  Another top moment was interviewing Ewan McGregor, whilst doing a placement at Sunday Times Style  & working on three series of Gok’s Fashion Fix was such an amazing experience – it’s amazing how popular this show is and makes you truly appreciate the quality of British high street fashion.

Who/what influences your work the most?
Street style is my biggest influence (& something that I really missed whilst living in Dubai). I love checking out how people put things together.  London is fantastic for this – people really do mix things up and never look too polished.  Obviously the catwalks are also a huge influence.  I always check out what Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Prada & Burberry Prorsum are showing as these designers heavily influence the high street & usually dictate the season’s key trends.  I am also loving what Raf Simons is doing for Jil Sander & personally adore brands such as 3.1 Phillips Lim, Alexander Wang & Phoebe Philo for Celine - if I had the money I would live in these brands.  I also like to reference art & architecture for inspiration for shoots.

Favourite thing about being a Freelance Fashion Stylist and Writer?
I love the variety of freelancing - no day is ever the same!  One day I could be working on a TV show such as Gok’s Fashion Fix trying to track down the perfect stiletto courts; the next a fashion shoot dressing a 5ft10 model in braces and a top hat (& clothes too of course).  Also I truly do adore fashion & love the satisfaction of tracking down a bargain or predicting a trend before it breaks.  And the fact that my job is so physical & active, so I don’t have to waste time in the gym, is an added bonus.

Some of Alicja's work:



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