Once upon a time I wanted to be a stylist. It was when I had assumed that being a stylist meant being surrounded by beautiful clothes, and beautiful people, taking pictures and strutting around being fabulous. It was during this time (back in 2015) when my path crossed with Rosana. If you have been around for a while you might remember her from this interview I did with her on my (now dead) YouTube channel. This was also the same time when I was assisting her and learning what it entails to be a personal stylist. I must admit all my assumptions came crashing down. Not to stay styling isn't a fun and satisfying job but it is a lot of hard work. Behind-the-scenes are not as pretty as the final results which everyone gets to see but oh-the-results are so worth all the work.
To continue with my mission to feature ways in which people can not only make sound investments in their clothings (hinting towards my Sweater Series) but also invest in help from experts in order to minimize wasteful purchases over the years.
Personal styling is not a privilege just for celebrities and the wealthy. A personal stylist can help you decode your style, make recommendations towards pieces missing in your wardrobe, create a lookbook for different occasions with what you already own in turn saving to time and I-don't-have-anything-to-wear moments, and more. To prove exactly that I am featuring Rosana Vollmerhausen, of DC Style Factory in today's post. She has not only pivoted her business strategy to offer remote styling, during the past near with changing needs of her clients (Hello COVID!) she has also made her services affordable. DC Style Factory offer their services on a sliding scale along with an additional option to select a payment plan.Rosana: I believe personal styling is essential self care. We all do it every day -- interact with our closet space, put on clothing, wash our clothes, store our clothes. Through our signature styling process, my goal is to reframe each of these daily acts to be one of self care and, ultimately, an easy, joyful experience.
Tanvi: How does remote personal styling work?
Rosana: All our remote services are designed to get to the heart of individual client needs and provide top-notch styling expertise. We achieve this by connecting with our clients through a combination of Zoom appointments, easy-to-follow manuals, shared client folders to interact on specific clothing items, and directional videos to achieve a functional closet and stepped-up personal style.
Our signature Wardrobe Makeover package is made up of three steps that hinge of the completion of the previous step: the Closet Audit, Online Shopping, and Outfit Creation with a Lookbook. We guide and empower our clients to work on their wardrobes through a thoughtful, strategic process full of fun and style!
We also have a several a-la-carte services, which we launched this past year. Style Define is a stand-alone service that sets up the framework to look at your closet and personal style with strategy. It is one Zoom call to define your lifestyle, body shape, and personal style. You receive a Style Report afterwards that will help you take those next steps toward creating a cohesive wardrobe and style.
We also have a Zoom Style Consult and also Headshot Styling, both conducted remotely.
Tanvi: Are you working with clients from around the world? What’s the process for that?
Rosana: We do work with clients abroad. This past season, I worked with clients in Israel, England, Australia, Lesotho, and Hong Kong. Since I have shifted my focus to our remote styling services, It has been such a wonderful surprise to be working with so many people internationally!
The process for the Closet Audit and Outfit Creation are the same. We do make adjustments in our business hours due to time differences.
Shopping is where things are a bit different. There are three different ways we have approached shopping with our clients who live overseas:
Sourcing from U.S. retailers and having items shipped overseas.
Identifying local retailers and brands to shop that have an online presence for me to source.
Sourcing local U.S. retailers and brands for appropriate styles and having the client shop locally for the silhouette, style, color, etc. we are looking for. We have even scheduled times for me to be available when they are out trying on items so I can provide immediate feedback via WhatsApp or Google Messenger.
Tanvi: What is the end goal you wish to achieve with your clients?
Rosana: First and foremost, that it all feels so easy now. Style that feels good is never out of reach. It just needs understanding and strategy. I also want my clients to walk away feeling that our time together changed and enhanced their perspectives on their clothing, style, closet, and bodies. I want them to think, "Wow. That was way more than I expected it to be" because I truly believe your style, wardrobe and closet can truly be way more than you expected it to be!
Tanvi: What is one myth that you’d like to bust about personal styling?Rosana: I say it on our sliding scale pricing page, but I do deeply believe the “luxury” of caring for one’s body should be accessible to all. Deciding how to adorn your body is caring for yourself. At DC Style Factory, I want to demystify personal styling as a luxury level of self care only for those with access to resources. We all should have that wonderful feeling of getting dressed each day in clothing that fits well and makes us feel like, “Yes world. I’m coming for you.”
----There you have it! Rosana is one of the premier stylists in the DC-area and now with 'Zoom' no matter where you live, you can make and appointment and get her help to streamline your wardrobe (and life, if I am really being honest!). I'd like to thank Rosana for taking the time to answer these questions. I hope everyone who took the time to read find this post helpful. Feel free to reach out to her directly here or leave your questions in the comments below.DC Style Factory: Website | Facebook | Instagram