Entrepreneur and superstar stylist Risa Kostis has constructed a dynamic profession rooted in creativity, flexibility, and flexibility—and, after all, a permanent love for trend. 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 way in which 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 trend guidelines. Her experience extends throughout private styling, wedding ceremony day dressing providers, and adaptive trend options.
On this interview, she shares her profession journey, styling philosophy, and the way she empowers each shopper—no matter physique sort—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 college in Boston when a buddy requested me to model 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 needed 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 shopper base on the facet. Throughout that point, I met a dressmaker for whom I often 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. Trying 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 grew to become the core of Risa’s experience. She remembers 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 buddy invited me to a marriage she was capturing, providing behind-the-scenes images in change for my assist. I agreed, and like most wedding ceremony days, I didn’t meet the bride till I arrived to decorate her and elegance everybody.
“As she walked down for the primary look, somebody stepped on her prepare, and the zipper fully broke. I attempted security pins and tremendous glue, however in the long run, 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 very best feeling on this planet. That was after I knew I needed to create an expertise that might deliver that very same reduction to my shoppers.”
Recognizing a spot out there, Risa and her sister got down to design the last word wedding ceremony day emergency package—mixing luxurious with performance.
“It was vital for us to create a signature package 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 package I’ve used for over a decade. It contains 22 fastidiously chosen objects designed to make the most important affect on a marriage day.
“Inside, you’ll discover necessities like a stitching package with pre-threaded needles in the preferred 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 embrace 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 surprise, “How can a stylist create a very inclusive and personalised expertise for shoppers with numerous physique varieties and mobility wants?” Risa Kostis explains:
“As a stylist, making certain a profitable physique sort evaluation for numerous shoppers, together with these with distinctive mobility wants, begins with a customized and inclusive method. That is actually the place a listening ear is available in, and a very powerful perspective I take is that of a scholar—I want to know any day by day challenges with getting dressed and areas that may want particular consideration.
“Relatively than relying solely on conventional physique form pointers, I concentrate on proportions, consolation, and performance, contemplating how clothes drapes and strikes with the person’s physique. For shoppers who use wheelchairs, I take seated proportions under consideration, in addition to correct layering and undergarments to make sure each aesthetic stability and ease of motion. Material decisions, adaptable silhouettes, and strategic tailoring play key roles in enhancing each model and practicality. Above all, I prioritize listening to the shopper’s wants and preferences, making changes that align with their life-style and trend objectives whereas celebrating their distinctive form and confidence.”
Are you curious about working with Risa Kostis or interested by what a one-on-one evaluation is like? She shares:
“Most of my private styling shoppers come from present shopper referrals. We normally do a deep dive on a name or Zoom to ensure I can meet their wants, and that additionally provides them an opportunity to share their styling objectives for any upcoming occasions or appearances.
“Since plenty 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 associates/wedding ceremony occasion members that will need wedding ceremony apparel consulting providers or to rent me for day-of-dressing. Communication is the cornerstone of every thing 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 guide on the subject of coloration evaluation. Whereas I feel it’s confirmed helpful for lots of stylists and their shoppers, I don’t use a proper coloration evaluation course of with the individuals I work with. I can inform instantly after I have 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 feel coloration is a selection and a sense whenever you’re getting dressed.
“Once I hear somebody say, ‘I can’t put on that coloration,’ I at all times wish to at the very least strive it on collectively, so we will take images 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 lots of encouraging methods to find one’s ardour within the trend business. Reflecting on her personal journey, she says:
“I really like that in right now’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 feel that’s what makes my talent set so fascinating. I at all times inform aspiring younger folks that model is subjective and innate—in the event that they like it, they need to pursue it.”
When requested about her trend philosophy and what makes working with Risa Kostis distinctive, she explains:
“My philosophy is all about distinctive consideration to element, prioritizing personalised model over labels, and making each shopper really feel uniquely their very own. I consider in unparalleled customer support, a zero-judgment method, and curating seems to be that commemorate individuality.”
The sister duo possesses a distinct segment and distinctive set of abilities, as Risa emphasizes:
“My sister is definitely my enterprise accomplice 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 in the future develop an adaptive rescue package that honors her ardour whereas aligning with our core worth of caring for our clients.”
It was a thrill to interview Ms. Risa Kostis, who shared her perspective on working with shoppers: ‘The experiences I’ve had all through my life—from working within the service business for over a decade to performing, trend publicity, styling, and a lot extra—have given me the inspiration to supply one thing really particular. I’ve an uncanny potential to fulfill my shoppers precisely the place they’re of their lives and for each event they should costume 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 with no 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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