Hidden Gems: Meet Buckley Sampson of Image by Buckley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Buckley Sampson.

Hi Buckley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I never set out to create a business around image. In many ways, Image by Buckley grew out of my own life in the entertainment industry and my desire to help actors understand something I had learned firsthand: how you present yourself can be just as important as the talent you bring into the room.
I came to Los Angeles as an actor, and over the years I spent more than two decades navigating the entertainment industry from the actor’s side. I experienced the auditions, the callbacks, the headshots, the wardrobe questions, the uncertainty, and all of the conversations actors have with themselves before walking into a room.
Along the way, I also began working in casting , which gave me another perspective. I started seeing actors not only as the person auditioning, but through the eyes of the people making decisions on the other side of the table.
That experience changed the way I looked at image.
I began to understand how quickly an actor communicates who they are. Before they speak, before they perform a scene, there is already a story being told. Their headshot, their clothing, their grooming, their energy and their overall presentation are all part of that story.
I noticed that many talented actors struggled with this. They knew they were good at what they did, but they didn’t always know how to translate that talent into a clear, marketable image.
So I started helping.
At first, it was simply friends and fellow actors asking me what they should wear to an audition or how they should approach a headshot session. I would help them pull looks from their closets, shop for specific roles, prepare for headshots or figure out what their casting type might be.
Then something happened.
Those actors started getting referrals from other actors. Agents and managers began sending people my way. Photographers started reaching out. What began organically became a business.
That business became Image by Buckley, ow in it’s 20th year and 5 years with my associate Emma Mercier of Emma Mercier Styling.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
t’s Not About Fashion. It’s About Storytelling.
I don’t believe image consulting is about making everyone look fashionable or putting someone into whatever happens to be trending.
For me, it’s about understanding the person first.
Who are you? What roles are you going after? What do people naturally see when they meet you? What do you want to be known for? What is authentic to you—and what can be refined?
My job is to help bring those answers into focus.
When I’m styling an actor for headshots, I’m thinking about more than whether an outfit looks good in a photograph. I’m thinking about what that photograph is communicating to casting.
When I’m curating audition wardrobe, I’m thinking about how the clothing can support the character without turning the actor into a costume.
When I’m working on editorial or event styling, I want the final look to feel elevated and memorable while still feeling unmistakably like the person wearing it.
I want my clients to look in the mirror and recognize themselves—but a more intentional, confident version of themselves.
Helping Actors See What Others See
One of the things I love most about my work is helping actors understand their casting.
Actors don’t always see themselves the way the industry sees them. That’s completely normal. We live with ourselves every day, so it can be difficult to step outside of that perspective.
My experience in casting has taught me to look at an actor through a different lens.
Sometimes there is a quality that an actor has never considered that is actually one of their greatest assets. Sometimes their wardrobe is sending a completely different message from the one they want to communicate. And sometimes they simply need permission to stop trying to look like someone else.
That’s where the work becomes exciting.
I’m not interested in creating a version of an actor that doesn’t exist. I’m interested in identifying what is already there and making it clearer.

As you know, we’re big fans of Image by Buckley. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
What started with helping fellow actors choose an audition outfit has evolved into a specialized image-consulting business focused on the entertainment industry.
Today, I work with actors on headshot styling, audition wardrobe, editorial styling, event styling and the many visual moments that are part of building a career.
Every client is different, and that’s what keeps the work interesting. There is no formula that works for everyone.
My goal is always to create an image that feels authentic, strategic and current—an image that helps an actor communicate their value before they ever say a word.
After all these years, I still love the transformation.
I love taking someone who says, “I don’t know what my type is,” or “I have nothing to wear,” or “I don’t know what my headshots should look like,” and helping them find the answer.
Because ultimately, Image by Buckley isn’t really about clothes.
It’s about identity, confidence and being seen.
It’s about helping actors walk into the room knowing exactly who they are.
And after spending so many years on both sides of the entertainment industry, I feel incredibly fortunate that I get to help people tell their story—before they even begin to speak.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
When I think about luck, I don’t just think about opportunities.
I think about people.
I’m incredibly fortunate to have met so many talented actors, photographers, casting directors, agents, managers, hair and makeup artists and creative professionals throughout my career.
Every relationship has taught me something.
Some people became clients. Some became colleagues. Some became friends. And many became advocates for my work, sending someone else my way because they believed I could help them.
There is something incredibly special about that kind of trust.
A referral is more than a business opportunity. Someone is essentially saying, I believe in this person enough to put my own name behind the introduction.
I never take that for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imagebybuckley.com
• Instagram: imagebybuckley
• LinkedIn: Buckley Sampson

Image Credits
Stephanie Girard
Gloria Gruber
Cameron Radice