NAME: Soyon An

AGE: 26

LOCATION: Los Angeles

COMPANY YOU WORK FOR: I’m an independent contractor

JOB TITLE: Fashion stylist/costume designer/wardrobe mistress/fashion designer

HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN AT IT: 7 years

 

Describe what you do.

Since I’m an independent contractor, I can wear many hats. I take jobs that have anything to do with fashion. When I’m a stylist, I shop for clients to build their image for shows, photo shoots and even everyday style. As a costume designer, I design costumes to create a look or theme on set. I construct the garment from the ground up sometimes, and I use what I have and push my creativity to make something plain, exquisite. As a wardrobe mistress on tour, I supervise the designed costumes for the touring show, making sure the costumes are cleaned, fixed and ready for the show. As an independent designer, I get contracted to do fashion illustrations on Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, make samples of the designs I created, and sometimes I even get hired to do patterns for garments. Also, I’m building my own clothing line, SoanKizmit, that will be out this year.

Who have you styled?

All the “American Idol” top 10 for Season 6, and “So You Think You Can Dance” contestants Seasons 2 and 3. And I have assisted in styling Avril Lavigne, Jada Pinkett Smith, Mariah Carey, Kate Bosworth, Catherine Keener and Kid Rock.

Who has been your favorite and why?

The “So You Think You Can Dance” 2007 Tour because they were wonderful to work with. My days were long, but we had so much fun it made the workload lighter.

What do you find most fulfilling about your work?

My creative freedom with some clients and the restrictions with others give me a challenge that is so diverse. It’s fulfilling for me to meet demands and overcome my limitations creatively.

How do people react when you tell them what you do?

They say, “You have a dream job.”

Describe your path here.

I went to Otis Parsons in 1998 to study art, and then I returned to pursue a fashion degree. I transferred to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, but never finished since I got a job offer to do styling for some A-list celebrities.

What other jobs have you held?

Assistant buyer and designer for what’s known as the cut-and-sew knits department — hoodies and sweatshirts — for Twelve, the high-end line of Forever 21.

What are some challenges that you might not have expected?

The challenges come on a day-to-day basis, so you have to strategize to figure them out. On the “So You Think You Can Dance” tour, we were working on Halloween and all the dancers wanted to wear costumes. I had to make 14 Halloween costumes in eight hours. That was crazy.