Entrepreneur and movie star stylist Risa Kostis has constructed a dynamic profession rooted in creativity, flexibility, and flexibility—and, in fact, a permanent love for style. She first stepped into the sweetness trade at 21, specializing in hair and make-up for weddings. She gained invaluable enterprise expertise managing a purse and shoe firm, which paved the best way for launching her personal styling enterprise.
In 2018, a wedding-day mishap impressed her to co-found The Rescue Package Firm along 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 style guidelines. Her experience extends throughout private styling, wedding ceremony day dressing providers, and adaptive style options.
On this interview, she shares her profession journey, styling philosophy, and the way she empowers each consumer—no matter physique sort—to embrace their distinctive magnificence with confidence.
After 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 fashion 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 consumer base on the facet. Throughout that point, I met a dressmaker for whom I sometimes 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. Wanting 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 turned the core of Risa’s experience. She recollects the second that in the end led to creating The Rescue Package 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 pictures in alternate for my assist. I agreed, and like most wedding ceremony days, I didn’t meet the bride till I arrived to decorate her and magnificence 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 ultimately, 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 Package 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 will carry that very same aid to my shoppers.”
Recognizing a niche out there, Risa and her sister got down to design the final word wedding ceremony day emergency equipment—mixing luxurious with performance.
“It was vital for us to create a signature equipment that felt luxurious {and professional} but remained user-friendly and complete,” Risa explains. “The Bride Package is our best-selling product, impressed by the skilled styling equipment I’ve used for over a decade. It consists of 22 rigorously chosen gadgets designed to make the most important influence on a marriage day.
“Inside, you’ll discover necessities like a stitching equipment with pre-threaded needles in the preferred wedding ceremony colours, double-stick tape, mini tissues, a lint curler, and our Hair + Pin Package—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 actually a one-stop mishap-preventing store!”
One might marvel, “How can a stylist create a really inclusive and customized 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 strategy. That is actually the place a listening ear is available in, and an important perspective I take is that of a pupil—I want to know any day by day challenges with getting dressed and areas that may want particular consideration.
“Quite than relying solely on conventional physique form pointers, I deal with proportions, consolation, and performance, contemplating how clothes drapes and strikes with the person’s physique. For shoppers who use wheelchairs, I take seated proportions into consideration, in addition to correct layering and undergarments to make sure each aesthetic steadiness and ease of motion. Material decisions, adaptable silhouettes, and strategic tailoring play key roles in enhancing each fashion and practicality. Above all, I prioritize listening to the consumer’s wants and preferences, making changes that align with their life-style and style targets whereas celebrating their distinctive form and confidence.”
Are you interested by working with Risa Kostis or interested in what a one-on-one evaluation is like? She shares:
“Most of my private styling shoppers come from present consumer referrals. We normally do a deep dive on a name or Zoom to verify I can meet their wants, and that additionally offers them an opportunity to share their styling targets for any upcoming occasions or appearances.
“Since a whole lot of my work is transferring towards wedding ceremony styling and day-of-dressing, most of those assessments are with girls who’re getting married or shut pals/wedding ceremony get together members that will need wedding ceremony apparel consulting providers or to rent me for day-of-dressing. Communication is the cornerstone of every little thing I do, and I take detailed notes of their file that may 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 would possibly shock you, however I don’t essentially go by the e book relating to coloration evaluation. Whereas I believe it’s confirmed helpful for lots of stylists and their shoppers, I don’t use a proper coloration evaluation course of with the folks I work with. I can inform instantly after I take 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 believe coloration is a alternative and a sense if you’re getting dressed.
“After I hear somebody say, ‘I can’t put on that coloration,’ I all the time wish to not less than attempt it on collectively, so we will take pictures and ensure it’s a coloration that they actually wish to rule out. Whereas there’s system-based construction round coloration evaluation, I personally wish to push folks exterior their consolation zone into the ‘what-if’ house if they’re prepared to go there. We all know straight away when it received’t work, and that’s ok for me!”
Risa shares that there are lots of encouraging methods to find one’s ardour within the style trade. Reflecting on her personal journey, she says:
“I like that in right this moment’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 believe that’s what makes my ability set so fascinating. I all the time inform aspiring younger those who fashion is subjective and innate—in the event that they adore it, they need to pursue it.”
When requested about her style philosophy and what makes working with Risa Kostis distinctive, she explains:
“My philosophy is all about distinctive consideration to element, prioritizing customized fashion over labels, and making each consumer really feel uniquely their very own. I consider in unparalleled customer support, a zero-judgment strategy, and curating appears that remember individuality.”
The sister duo possesses a distinct segment and distinctive set of abilities, as Risa emphasizes:
“My sister is definitely my enterprise associate in The Rescue Package 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 equipment that honors her ardour whereas aligning with our core worth of caring for our prospects.”
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 trade for over a decade to appearing, style publicity, styling, and a lot extra—have given me the muse to supply one thing actually particular. I’ve an uncanny means to satisfy my shoppers precisely the place they’re of their lives and for each event they should gown for, and I firmly consider that’s one thing that may’t be taught. Once we work collectively, you turn 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 reveals and media shops.
Thanks, Risa Kostis, for this unique interview with Social Way of life Journal. We’re excited to see what’s subsequent in your profession!
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