If you haven’t seen a stylist work to create looks in person than you are missing out on a huge part of the fashion industry. Imagine a busy little bee buzzing around from flower to flower collecting nectar. Watching stylist Ashley Dunn work gave me that same exact visual. I watched her start with inspiration, then she covered an ENTIRE store in about 30 minutes before she started narrowing them down. It was like magic, watching all these separate pieces come together for a complete looks.
As I got to talk more with Ashley I found out that she was not only pulling clothes for an upcoming menswear shoot, but a video shoot as well. The shoots were a few days away but on the day of our meeting she still had to speak to pageant girls at The University of Houston about personal styling. Her to-do-list goes on and on and things are added to it on an hourly basis. She keeps a running list of times, places and locations for her schedule. While most of the world is sleeping Ashley stays up as late as she needs to, to be sure that her daily list is organized for the next day.
Things had not always been so busy for this now experienced stylist working in Houston. Starting out in the corporate world, Ashley eventually left that career to follow her passion and dreams of being a respected, working stylist. Not only did she chase her dreams, she caught them! In 2003 Ashley was still pursuing her degree in college but she knew a career in fashion would make her feel fulfilled. From then until now, the market for stylists in Houston has changed dramatically. There was little demand when she first began styling so making something out of nothing was what she did. She set goals and networked to meet the right people in the industry. Over time people took note of her work ethic and professionalism. In combination with her keen sense on style, it propelled her to the top. She now attends NYFW and has a regular monthly segment on Great Day Houston. She’s a got expert on style and fashion.
None of this came easy, it was worked and sacrificed for! When I asked Ashley how many career goals she has set and met for herself, she said “It is hard to keep count, but the true blessings are the unexpected milestones that you reach along the way. Being recognized among your peers is and continues to be one of the more rewarding elements.”
To learn more about Ashley Dunn, keep up with her daily happening on Instagram and online.
