HAIDA YUSOF

Fashion Stylist

How would you describe yourself ?

I am curious, driven as well as adventurous in experimenting with art.

Tell us about your foray into styling and your career.

I would say that it all started from working at a fashion events company, through which I garnered enough experience which became a gateway towards working with a magazine. While there, I worked on conceptualising and styling many editorials, then I spread my wings and began as a freelancer after three years in the magazine industry.

What is your work philosophy?

Listen to your gut feeling. I would say 70 per cent of styling work really depends on intuition.

Do you have any particular pre-work rituals?

A marathon of The Office to unwind and lighten the mind before I prep for work.

How do you gauge or research on how to best style someone?

Instagram is the best insight into their personality, their sense of dressing and what they like—and what they do helps too.

How do you put the personality at ease, and how do you connect with them?

Formality in the beginning is always the best way of approaching the client, then I inquire about what they like or are inspired by. I study these muses and inspirations then relay it back to them visually with a selection of clothes before I can read their choices.

Describe your experience with Zee Avi. What was most memorable about her?

Zee Avi is always present with heaps of energy, it is hard to just pick one experience!

What do you consider to be a successful shoot?

When the client, photographer and the rest of the crew syncs up in creative delivery, and of course when everyone is happy with the results plus had a good time.

What did you think of our November 2018 feature personality?

Zee’s the perfect personality to add some zest into the content of the magazine.

What was the hardest and easiest part of the entire shoot?

The hardest would be securing permissions and requesting clothes from labels and boutiques. It’s a strenuous process of back-andforth communication with little guarantee of wardrobe availability. I feel, there is no easy part of the shoot; rather easy-to-deal-with clients. And all clients are unique, and present different challenges.

Was the work dynamic any different, as you already knew Zee beforehand?

Not really, but I was prepared to meet with the rest of the team before we let loose on set.

Did you learn anything from it?

Yes, of course. Every shoot delivers new knowledge be it from learning new tricks on set, down to gaining more insights on the quirks of the personalities you work with.

What was your best moment from this shoot, or one that you cannot forget until today?

How we all just joke around and sing along to Zee’s upbeat playlist. Couldn’t resist belting out to Missy Elliott’s Work It!

Describe this pictorial spread in three words.

Sassy, strong and playful.

“INSTAGRAM IS THE BEST INSIGHT INTO THEIR SENSE OF STYLE AND WHAT THEY LIKE”