Harriet Nicolson is a renowned celebrity stylist with over eight years entertainment industry experience and is currently acting as fashion editor at Vingt Sept Magazine, she is also the stylist behind our ‘House Party’ shoot where we celebrated maximalism and British eccentricity through the pieces paired with our jumpers. Here we speak to Harriet about her background, the inspiration behind our own brand campaign shoot and if she had to design a FUND jumper what statement she’d choose.
How did you get into styling?
I always knew I wanted to go into fashion as I had been obsessed with it from a young age. My degree is in fashion marketing and, immediately after university, I interned in the buying department at Arcadia; I quickly realised that working in an office was not for me. I then applied for a job as a receptionist in the personal shopping department at Topshop Oxford Street – I used to see all the stylists coming in with their clients or to pull for shoots and that was when the penny dropped. I was there for around a year and a half and made my way up the ranks until I was eventually a stylist. It was there that I met the stylist Gemma Shepherd and she asked me if I wanted to come and work for her on The X Factor. I spent the next couple of years interning and assisting anyone and everyone I could and never looked back.
What's been your career highlight to date?
My first big cover shoot was for ELLE. The excitement that I felt on that day I will never forget, nor the excitement that I felt when I had a printed copy in my hand with my name in the credits. I actually still feel that rush when I see my work in print.
What was your inspiration for FUND's 'The House Party' collection shoot?
Rachael and I had a long conversation about what she loved and what inspired her; bright colour clashing, the Gucci campaigns we both love with their luxury aesthetic. I pulled this all together to create a maximal and fun vision to fit in line with FUNDs brand ethos
What's your process for styling a shoot, where do you begin?
I start with talking to the brand to ensure we are both on the same page. I then go away and create a moodboard to share with them; this creates a visual for us all to work off and reinforces that we all have the same vision for where the campaign/shoot is going to go. Once I have done this, I compile a list of brands that work with the aesthetic of FUND – these are also brands that the customer would purchase from too or pieces they already have in their wardrobe. We really wanted to show FUNDs customers multiple different ways they can dress up their jumper and give them new ideas but by using pieces they may already have in their wardrobe. I then go away and pull from the brands to create looks for each specific jumper ready for shoot day.
Sustainability is at the heart of FUND, is this something you're looking for in the brands you're using for jobs and wearing yourself?
Absolutely! I tend to avoid working with or wearing any fast fashion as much as possible. I love that FUND’s jumpers are pieces you will have in your wardrobe forever. Fashion is often mistaken to be the pieces that are in fashion that season, but I truly believe you can create that ‘in fashion’ look each season by outfit building the pieces you have differently. For example: this season you may put your favourite FUND jumper with a tutu skirt a la Carrie Bradshaw, and next season you may wear exactly the same jumper with your jeans, boots and biker jacket to achieve a completely different style.
If you could style one outfit for yourself, wearing a FUND jumper, what would it be?
I think this is such an unfair question as there are so many ways to wear them, so I am going completely on what I would wear today! I am working from home, running errands and then travelling to the Isle of Wight so I want to feel comfy but also chic. I think today I would go for one of the brights collection with a pair of clashing wide leg trousers, my Celine trainers, big coat and a cross body bag.
If you could design your very own FUND jumper what statement would you pick? [NB. Our statements are all inspired by famous quotes from notable figures so please pick a quote and then choose a word or two from that quote]
SO SHE DID