Today we’d like to introduce you to Aisha Rae.
Aisha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started my career in New York City. I was studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology when I did a summer abroad program and met a lovely women by the name of Diana Suyat. Diana and I became friends while on the trip and she told me she worked in television. At that moment I was naive and didn’t know you could work in entertainment without being talent. When returned from our abroad program she offered me a job to work at The “Tyra Banks Show”. I was only 19 at the time and had no clue that a stylist job existed and what the job entailed. My first day I met Earl Nicholson and Aaron Tucker and they saw something in me that I honestly didn’t even see in myself and hired me the first day being on my first set!
From there I met celebrity stylist Atiba Newsome through my cousin who was currently working at Def Jam at the time. I instantly started assisting Atiba on jobs with Kelly Rowland, Sean Garrett, Prince, BJ the Chicago Kid and more. I instantly was thrown from a television wardrobe stylist into a celebrity stylist.
After graduating from Fashion Institute of Technology with my Bachelor’s in Fashion Merchandising Management. I decided to make the big move to LA at age 22. I didn’t know anyone and only had about $89.00 in my checking account. Oddly I wasn’t scared and hit the ground running when I touched down. I networked with numerous people I met in NY who were currently in LA and tried to get a job anywhere I could. I struggled a lot but finally started landing big jobs after three years living in LA. I found an agency who was interested in developing me and met another celebrity stylist Marjan Malakpour and began working with her with talent including Cher, Earth Wind & Fire, Demi Lovato, and more. I was instantly working 24/7 traveling around the world and started becoming in demand and booking numerous cover shoots, commercials, music videos, editorials and more.
While working in LA and building my name I started being seeked out by the editorial world in NY, London, and Paris. Working with the top fashion editors at Purple, Dazed, CR Fashion Book, W Magazine, Harpers Bazaar, and British Vogue. During this shift in my career, I was asked by CR Fashion Book to become the new contributing women’s editor at CR Fashion Book.
Currently, I am still a contributing women’s editor at CR Fashion Book in NY and a celebrity stylist in LA and work as a bi-coastal stylist, editor, and fashion consultant for my new creative agency BL8K.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My career was not a smooth road and still not. I always have to prove myself and people always underestimate me. In this industry you don’t really get jobs off resume it’s only about what you are doing right now! So you constantly have to keep challenging yourself, reinventing, and staying true to yourself so you don’t get lost in all of it!
The struggle never ends but that’s what keeps you humbled and fuel to keep going!
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I have one amazing associate Angel Cross who allows me to handle both coasts at the same time. My business focuses on styling, costume designing, editorial, and creative directing.
What I am most proud of about my company is not allowing fear and not knowing how to do something or having little experience doing it stop me. I have diversified my business to do multiple jobs and my clients range from all around the world and all in different areas of entertainment and production.
What set’s me apart is that three years ago I started a creative agency called BL8K and we focus on building brands with creative development, consultation, celebrity and editorial placement. Working with numerous brands has taught me so much and have allowed me to provide opportunities to brands to reach a larger network and be seen on top celebrities. It also allows me to help me grow my network and work with more editors and stylists who reach out to BL8K for their personal projects!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I feel the characteristics I have that helped with my success is not being scared of being alone, don’t care about others opinions, routine, and believing in yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: AISHARAESTYLE.COM
- Phone: 2015751309
- Email: aisharaestyle@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aisharaestyle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1309814129&ref=bookmarks
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