As a part of the Morning Lazziness series about empowering women in the fashion industry who are doing wonderful things with their ideas in society, I had the pleasure of interviewing Naz Meknat.
Naz Meknat, born in Tehran, Iran is a Los Angeles-based fashion stylist and author who has been working in the fashion industry since 2005 with a degree in Fashion from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.
As a celebrity stylist, she has worked with celebrities such as Sterling K. Brown, Brian Tyree Henry, Nyambi Nyambi, Camilla Luddington, Jeannie Mai and Tara Reid to name a few. She has also worked on countless editorial photo shoots and ad campaigns. Her work can be seen in publications such as Hollywood Reporter and Variety
On August 26th, 2021 her first book, 7000 Miles to Freedom, a memoir, was released. 7000 Miles to Freedom is a story of survivorship and triumph, a story about persistence and resilience.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
I’m a celebrity wardrobe stylist and an author. I started my career in the fashion industry in 2005 after graduating from FIDM with a degree in fashion.
When and how did it all begin?
After graduating from FIDM, I tried a few different things in Fashion. I started with Visual Display and window display design, then took a job as a women’s designer assistant and finally.
Got into Styling and found out that Styling was what I loved the most and was best at, so I started building my clientele and worked very hard on becoming an experienced Stylist, trying my hands in Editorial, Red Carpet, film and other branches of Wardrobe Styling.
What sparked your interest in fashion?
I have always been a creative person, from childhood, I like Art, film and cinema and of course Fashion. Once I moved to Los Angeles and found a college specifically for Fashion and design, I knew exactly what I needed to do.
What is it you like best about being a fashion stylist?
I love helping my clients look and feel their best. The confidence they exhibit after our Styling sessions is my best reward. I like to help my clients to achieve their goals and make their lives easier by solving their wardrobe dilemmas.
In your opinion, what are the most critical aspects of the fashion industry?
To understand that you don’t have to be a slave to designer brands and understand that Style has nothing to do with how much you pay for an item. You can look amazingly trendy and put together shopping affordable labels, and on the contrary, you can spend thousands of dollars on your wardrobe and look cheap.
What is your best and worst fashion moment?
Generally, the best Fashion moments are when you look comfortable and confident with your loo, and the worst is when instead of you wearing the clothes, the clothes are wearing you, when you look and feel uncomfortable with your look.
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion and style are a way of showing the world who you are without having to speak. It shows your personality, taste and creativity.
What is your first fashion memory?
Watching beautiful actresses walking the Red Carpet at the Cannes Film festival in beautiful gowns, walk up those iconic stairs and disappear from the crowd. It always seemed so magical- To me as a child.
Name your favorite fashion designers of all time?
It’s hard to pick just one, there have been so many amazing designers throughout the years but some that come to mind are Mugler, Alexander McQueen and Christian Dior and Isaia.
Are there any types of clothing that you avoid wearing?
Anything too trendy will go out of style and outdated quickly, any pieces that look obvious belongs only on the runway and are not to be worn on the streets.
What do you think about work ethics, and what kind of ethics you believe in following while working with fashion?
To treat every client with equal respect, whether they’re a celebrity or an entrepreneur or a stay at home mom. Every client is important. Also to practice integrity, honesty and patience at all times with all clients.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
I like to continue my Advocate and Activist work on a bigger scale, using the experiences and connections I have made in the fashion industry to reach a bigger demographic of women and Children who are the victims of Domestic and sexual abuse.
How would you describe your personal style?
Classic with a little bit of an edge.
If you were not a fashion Stylist, what would you want to be?
I would be working in the Movie industry. I love film and cinema so I would be doing something in that field.
What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?
Social Media is perhaps one the most important tools when it comes to fashion. The new generation is turning more and more to Fashion influencers for inspiration and they use the Social media as a tool For inspiration and creativity.
