Meet Trailblazer Taylor Negrete

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Negrete.

Taylor, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Fashion and style along with the history of the two have always held a special place in my heart. New York, being the fashion mecca that it is, is a place I always wanted to live. In 2016, I had an opportunity to do just that. At the time, I was working in a three-sided, soft walled grey cubicle at my corporate technology job. While I loved the people I worked with, it was never what I set out to do. I put in my notice and started packing for the big apple. Honestly, it was the best decision I ever made! After moving to New York, I started interning with a stylist and very quickly became her first assistant. I’ve clocked countless 12+ hour days, lugged garment bags, shoes and accessories up and down subway stations and can confidently say I know the streets of New York like a true New Yorker. Working as a stylist in New York can be pretty taxing on your body and I ultimately decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue more red carpet opportunities, as New York is more editorial. Moving to L.A. truly helped launch my freelance career. I am incredibly grateful for everyone I’ve assisted and to my assistants and interns, I’ve had some really great experiences working with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and building my own personal clientele.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Anyone who tells you a non-traditional career is easy is bananas. As a freelancer, you have to advocate for yourself because no one else will. There is no human resources team to step in when you need them. You are your own HR, payroll, marketing, cheerleader, etc. It is a constant struggle of knowing when to say yes to jobs and when to walk away. “Know yourself, know your worth”. Absolutely, I just quoted Drake. Again, you have to be your own advocate. The other challenging aspect I found myself facing, in the beginning, was a lack of trust in my creative process. It took me some time to find the right balance of how much to pull for a client depending on the number of looks I was curating for them. It can be very easy to go overkill and show up with two rolling racks, 40 pairs of shoes, four trays of jewelry and endless amounts of accessories for one to two looks – at the end of the day it’s just not necessary. Trusting my gut was key.

For those just getting started on this incredibly challenging and rewarding path, it is important that you know it takes time and success is never guaranteed, similar to acting. It is not to discourage you in the least but to honestly let you know the reality of it – I work on average 12-15 hour days, I don’t stop to sit on Instagram for half an hour because by then the likelihood of a stylist stopping in at Spring London and pulling the dress I had in mind for my client is far greater. Speaking of Instagram, what most stylists showcase are the exciting aspects of the job when in reality 90% of the job is schlepping and 10% is glamorous. If you are genuinely interested in pursuing a career in fashion the best thing you can do is intern, remember those 12-15 hour days I mentioned? Be patient, you might intern for a year unpaid before you have an opportunity to assist.

Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a celebrity and editorial fashion stylist. I work with clients to identify their style, elevate it and create cohesive looks for varying public and personal events. Fashion and style specifically, can be so expressive, I love curating looks where clients can embrace their individuality. It would be a personal dream to work with Harry Styles and Mahershala Ali, both of whom tend to bend typical fashion “rules”. It’s clear they are willing to play with color, pattern, texture, silhouettes, and accessories. I love that Harry doesn’t take himself too seriously and has worn everything from Gucci to McQueen to these gorgeous romanticized rock ’n’ roll custom pieces created by the incredibly talented gender-fluid designer, Harris Reed.

I have a lot of experience working with inclusivity and diversity, both of which there is a huge issue within the industry. Although my part is minimal in the big scheme of things, I’m a big proponent of doing what I can to educate and spread the message of diversity and inclusion. Ignorance is a massive culprit holding the industry back from progressing. Luckily, there are some incredible companies and designers paving the way for others in the industry to follow. For example, 11 Honoré has been groundbreaking. It’s a size-inclusive retailer carrying designers like Cushnie, Roland Mouret, Sally LaPointe, and Zac Posen. For the first time women of all sizes can wear designer clothing, it’s a beautiful and long overdue concept. Within brick-and-mortar retail, we still have a way to go. I walked into a Nordstrom a few weeks back for a client looking for their plus size section. I passed by Petites, RTW, juniors, kids and an entire denim section before finally asking a salesperson to direct me to their plus-size section, to which they replied, “We don’t have one at this location”. It’s comical to me, like oh I didn’t know only size 12s and under lived in this city. Nordstrom is one of the most well-known major department stores in the U.S., even a small plus-size section within every store would help combat the size inclusivity issue. Then, on the other hand, there is the diversity issue. The lack of diversity goes beyond what you see on magazine covers or what is sent down runways… fashion has the surface level stuff covered. It’s about what’s going on behind closed doors, who are the designers, on the advertising team, etc. Sizeism, lack of diversity and underrepresented minorities within fashion is all too prevalent and the more people we educate and put into positions of power the sooner long-lasting and permanent changes can be made.

Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
In an industry where almost everything is done via word-of-mouth, it’s crucial to network. Attending previews and events is important as you never know who you will meet, plus they are a lot of fun! It’s a great way to connect with industry professionals who a lot of the time you only communicate with over email.

Contact Info:

• Website: taylornegrete.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @thetaylorjanet

Image Credit:
Photographer: John Sciulli
Photographer: Dylan Long
Photographer: Derek Wood
Photographer: Sophie Elgort
Photographer: Ben Watts | Stylist: Gabriela Langone | Assistant Stylist: Taylor Negrete
Photographer: Paul White | Stylist: Anita Patrickson | Assistant Stylist: Taylor Negrete

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