Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Escobar.
Lee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Ever since I was little, I dreamt of being a stylist, I guess you can say before I even knew that was an actual career. My parents would always tell me I was a difficult child to dress because, well, I never let them pick out my clothes. Whether or not my outfit was actually good, I didn’t care because I loved being able to put pieces together and make myself stand out. Cut to college, I went to Cal State Long Beach and majored in fashion merchandising. Looking back now, I realize I should have majored in design, but I don’t take back my experience because it definitely got me to where I am today. At the time, I was working as an assistant manager at Guess in Cerritos when I got an opportunity to intern for a well know celebrity stylist.
While my full-time position at Guess wasn’t necessarily allowing me to take on this internship, I knew this was my chance to break into the celebrity styling world, so I quit my job to become a full-time unpaid intern. I drove from Long Beach to Studio City, Monday through Thursday while still being enrolled in classes full time. I completely submerged myself into this world because I knew I was living in what I had always imagined myself. I had a couple of full-circle moments while in this internship, so I knew this was where I was meant to be. As time goes on, I make my way through the assisting world, figuring out what type of stylist I wanted to be. I met many amazing stylists along the way who taught me how to not only survive in that world but thrive. If anyone knows anything about the celebrity stylist assistant world, they know that it is not for the weak. Time and time again, I was tested, but at the end of the day, I kept going back to the fact that if little me saw where I was then, I would be so proud. I got to work with many big names such as Michael B Jordan, Big Sean, Kehlani, Kelly Rowland, Kylie Jenner and so on, on some projects that are unforgettable. Although that celebrity styling assistant chapter of my life is currently on pause, I am still very much a stylist that is consistently learning and growing.
Once I left the assistant world, I ventured out into another world of styling, known more as costuming. I got the privilege of working on two tv shows and a movie. While I learned so much on the costume design side, I ventured off to the last form of styling, E-commerce. I landed in house stylist position at Fashion Nova, where I would go on to work with the most amazing models and creative team. During my time at Fashion Nova, I landed a billboard on one of the busiest streets in LA, Melrose and Fairfax! I grew up going to the melrose trading post with my grandma, so to see my styling work on a billboard across the street was a literal dream come true and full circle moment!!! Hop to my current position, I have remained in E-commerce, where I am the head stylist for a small brand in downtown LA. While my main position is styling, I have also been given the opportunity to design, which is something I have always been interested in. My goal in the near future is to have my own brand, where I design, style and creative direct everything from sunglasses to unisex clothing. Whether it’s a year from now or three, you’ll be hearing my name again soon 🙂
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, as any stylist will tell you. When I say this career is not for everyone, I truly mean it. It will test you again and again until you decide if it’s really for you. In every type of styling world I worked, they all had their challenges, but my love for fashion always shined through. For one, throw out the idea of an 8-hour workday. At the peak of my assisting career, I was working 12-15 hour days for months straight, with not one day off. It was mentally draining. Other struggles were leaving the side of styling I thought I would never leave once I started, but knowing there was more out there that I wanted to accomplish.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what are you most proud of?
I am a wardrobe stylist. I am most proud of achieving my goals I set for myself when I was a child. I knew what I wanted to do and I made that happen for myself by working hard and continuously growing as not only a person but a stylist.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think taking risks can obviously be very scary, but in order to grow, we must push ourselves. A quote I heard recently really resonated with me because it states, “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear”. I think one big risk that actually jump-started my career was quitting my full-time job for an unpaid internship for three months, with multiple bills to pay. Looking back, I know that whether the risk is little or big, it can definitely change your life.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @leejaaay
