Fashion and Creative Director Stacey Jones

I met the photographer David Anthony in 2000.  Within 4 months of meeting and shooting with him we were working together on Harper’s Bazaar.  I had no experience before I met him.  I had never assisted anyone so had no real knowledge of what I had to do to get samples for a shoot so I had to quickly figure it out.  I learned everything on my own and on the job.  It was the type of situation in which you either sink or swim. 

I went to the University of Kansas for Civil & Environmental engineering and got a degree in Computer Graphics and multi-media from Columbia College. I never interned or assisted anyone at a magazine.  So my story doesn’t make sense to others, but it makes sense to me.  Within a year, David and I were shooting every month for International editions of Marie Claire, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar.  That’s where I got experience calling in samples and working for photographers.  My learning trajectory went from 0 to 60 in a matter of weeks.

Within a year from the start of my career I met Stacy Wallace-Albert, the former Fashion Editor of Chicago magazine.  She contacted me and asked if I would style a piece for Chicago magazine.  I accepted under the condition that I would have complete control because I always had control in all of my shoots up to that point.  She was okay with that, and we started collaborating.  We instantly had a great working relationship and friendship which continues to this day.  A year later, she decided to retire and I was the only person she would recommend to replace her.  I met with the Editor-and-Chief and Publisher in 2001 and I received the position of Fashion Editor of Chicago magazine.

From 2001 until 2004 I took the fashion features and editorials at Chicago Magazine to a new level. In 2005 it felt like the perfect time to have a separate fashion issue that would push the boundaries of our fashion content.  One evening in Milan with our publisher Randy Hano I brought up the subject and he said, “That is a great idea, I’m going to go back and discuss it with the Advertising team and President of the Tribune (who owns Chicago magazine).”  I thought, “I know this is a great idea, but I can’t imagine this is really going to happen.  No one is going to take it seriously.”

I had a conversation with Richard Babcock, the Editor-In-Chief of Chicago magazine and his response was, “You sound really enthusiastic and we’re having a meeting with the President of the Tribune in an hour.  Come up with a prototype.”  Well, they loved it.  So he asked for a budget.  But the whole time I was pitching this idea I thought there was no way this was going to happen.  The first issue alone exceeded everyone’s expectations. Advertising revenue increased by 65%.  Out of the gate it was extremely successful.
 

 

 

Lesson 1:  Never take ‘No’ for an answer.  Ever.

When I started in the fashion industry, there were plenty of designers who told me “no.”  There were times when designers didn’t return my calls and when PR agencies wouldn’t lend me clothes.  They didn’t know who I was so why would they send me samples from Paris?  When I had people tell me “No” and they would not send samples, I would be sure they remembered me and sent them a copy of the issue with the fashion shoot in question along with a very nice note saying, “I’m very sorry you chose not to participate...”  They would see many of their competitors on the pages and I always got a phone call or fax saying, “If you ever need samples in the future, please let me know.”

On one of my first shoots with Chicago magazine, UPS did not deliver a Yumi Eto dress in time because they had been holding it in U.S. Customs.  So at 11:00 PM the evening before the shoot, I went down to the UPS warehouse in south Chicago to personally fish out my own box but I was told I couldn’t get it because I could not be in the back of the warehouse.  I wasn’t going to leave without that box.  If we didn’t have it, then the dress wouldn’t get photographed and my story would have suffered.  Finally after going through several supervisors they let me in and I retrieved the box.  The bottom line is that I never take ‘no’ for an answer.  Ever.  There is always a solution to every problem.  I just try to think outside of the box.  In the end I was so in love with the dress that I bought it from the designer which I still have and love as much today as I did then.  It is one of my “go-to pieces.”
 

Lesson 2: Trust your instincts

I always knew from the age of 10 that I wanted a career at a fashion magazine; I just did not know how someone went about getting there.  Once I achieved the mini-goals I set for myself there was no stopping me. Every time I finished a shoot for a magazine, I was already on to the next one believing that it would be bigger and better.  I’m very fortunate to be living my dream.  It’s a lot of hard work though.  I won’t lie.  I’ve had a lot of assistants and interns ask, “How do you know how to put these clothes together?”  It just comes from within.  I just know it instinctively.  I believe you either know it or you don’t.  My career is the result of a lot of hard work, determination and trusting my instincts. 

I’ve always trusted my instincts. I would never change anything I did in the process to get to where I am today.  I certainly made mistakes and had many learning experiences throughout the years, but overall I managed to do well from the beginning and appreciate the path I have taken to get here.  But, timing is everything.  I needed knowledge and experience to even come up with the idea of creating an entire fashion magazine where none existed in the marketplace.  Chicago magazine loved what I created and I was able to put them on the global fashion map.

Lesson 3: Always work with honesty and integrity

I love the fashion industry and everything about it.  But, there are a lot of people trying to claw their way up the ladder with dishonesty and cattiness.  I’ve never conducted myself that way.  When I’m working on a photo shoot, the samples will be back when I say they will be back. I once flew a sample Prada dress from China to New York because I knew they were relying on the dress being there and it was the only way it would be back in time.  I’ve had a photographer take a Louis Vuitton runway look as part of his carryon luggage and have him drop it off at the PR person’s house on a Saturday because it needed to leave that evening for another destination.  A lot of people just think, oh what’s one more day, the shoot’s been extended, I’ll just be late returning the samples…. 

I had an instance when an assistant in New York was gathering looks for a weekend shoot.  We were waiting on an Alexander McQueen dress.   The hours passed and I started asking where the McQueen dress was.  I called the PR company who was having the dress sent through their messenger service and was told the dress had been delivered.  The dress definitely was not delivered to my apartment so my assistant ran up and down my street for several blocks to every building and doorman to find where the dress had been delivered.  She eventually found it at another apartment building 3 blocks away.  It was a $4,000 dress.  If we hadn’t done that, we would have missed shooting the dress, but more importantly it could have been lost forever.  The PR people said, “Stacey this is why we love you.  No one would ever do that.”  I feel a sense of responsibility with my work.  It’s my responsibility that the designer, the magazine and I are represented well, and I will deliver on my commitments.  That’s how I approach everything I do.

Lesson 4: Don’t be afraid of failure or success

Most people are afraid of failure, but I think more people are afraid of success because it’s easier to fail than push yourself.  Fear of success can cripple you more than anything, but I’ve never been afraid of success.  Sometimes people are very talented, but they fear being successful and they never go that extra length. They’re too afraid to take the steps and the risks to get them to the next level. Failure is actually easy.  You don’t have to leave your comfort zone.  It’s much easier to tell people that you tried and failed rather than to push so hard to succeed and then not knowing what to do with the success.

I’ve feared failure in the past. I still do at times.  I think things aren’t going to work out, or I don’t know how I’m going to make something happen or the situation seems near impossible to accomplish.  When those doubts occur, I only allow myself a moment - a mini-pity party.  Then, I get myself together and keep going.  If I show any sort of weakness my staff wouldn’t have faith in me.  It’s normal to have fears or feel uncertain about the future.  But, I never let it overcome me.  I don’t ever allow fear to take over.  I’ve had an incredible life so far and I’ve worked my tail off for it.  I was always sure that I was going to be successful despite any setbacks or challenges I had to face.
 

   Stacey wearing a Louis Vuitton coat next to a Sean Kennedy Santos photograph

Lesson 5: Don’t wear labels when you interview

I’ve managed many people over the years.  When interviewing I always suggest to be a bit humble in how you dress.  If you come from a wealthy family don’t wear labels when you’re interviewing.  It might turn people off, and they might think there’s no reason to hire you if you come from a wealthy family, have it made already, or don’t need a job.  This is a mistake people make all of the time when interviewing for a job in fashion.

If you’re in your 20s and interviewing, don’t dress like you’re 40 and wear your Mom’s Chanel. Whether you’re interviewing for a position in banking or as an art curator, you can never go wrong by wearing a fitted classic black or charcoal suit with a crisp white shirt and minimal jewelry.  Sure, get your hair blown out and have a great handbag and shoes, but there’s no need to be an over-the-top Fashionista   Don’t show any labels.  If you have a bag and it says “Prada,” you better not be able to see that it says Prada, or it should be very small. If you come into an interview in head-to-toe labels, then that’s all they’re going to remember about you. Make the interviewer remember you for you and not for what you wore.  You can call me old fashioned, but when you interview the first time, less is more.

Lesson 6: Don’t let your lack of qualifications stand in your way

When I interview a new assistant the interview will go something like this:

“I’ve seen your resume and you are obviously very qualified for this position on paper.  You have a degree in journalism and a master’s degree, but I don’t care about any of that at all.

“What I care about is: Are you going to be here when I need you to be? You are ultimately an extension of me.  I’m the person that created this and whose reputation is on the line.  It’s my contacts I’m handing over to you. If you say something inappropriate, if you say something too strong in an email or not strong enough, if you insult someone or you don’t get the job done – it’s all going to come back to me and I’m the person who’s going to hear about it.

“You need to be extremely efficient, self-motivated, organized and be able to think outside of the box.  If there’s a real issue – ask me, but please don’t ask a stupid question – and you know what a stupid question is.  I don’t have time for that nonsense.

“I don’t really care if you like or dislike fashion, but you need to have some form of passion and respect for the industry because if you don’t you’re going to think it’s frivolous.  You have to have some interest in learning and respecting it, but you don’t have to want to be a fashion editor.  In fact, I’d rather you not want to be a fashion editor because I don’t want you to think all we are going to do is drink Champagne with designers and play with expensive clothes when the reality is that 90% of this job is hard work, long hours, organization, logistics, networking and making things happen within budget and on deadline.  I’ll give you a night to think about it and if you feel it is too much to handle then there will be no hard feelings.  But if you decide to work with me I expect complete dedication to the time it takes to complete the bi-annual issue, and I promise you’ll learn more from this experience than at any other publication.”

I have been 100% accurate in the people I hire.

Lesson: 7: Be prepared to think outside the box

When I tell someone to think outside the box, it’s about them getting something done by any means necessary (as long as it’s ethical). 

What I’m talking about is not taking ‘no’ for an answer.  ‘No’ is never the answer.  If I have to step in, it’s not going to be nice.  I need people to be resourceful and think for themselves.  I don’t care how you get it done as long as you’re honest and it’s done. If there’s a dress stuck in Paris, I don’t care if I have to fly over there to get it myself, I’m going to get that dress.  I need people around me who have that same determination.  I’ve been in those situations when I think, “How am I going to make this work?” But I always do.  I always find a solution to a problem and I need people around me like this.

We couldn’t let an interview with Stacey go by without knowing her must have buys and taking a peak inside her closet!

You’ve seen the best of the best in fashion.  If you had $50,000 to spend, what would you buy?

Only $50,000? (We laugh.)

If you had unlimited funds to spend, what would you buy?

I would buy a Villa in Provence to have all my wonderful friends around.  My biggest splurge would be to treat my friends and family to a month of good food and wine.  After accumulating so many things over the years, I have a lot of one-of-a-kind furs, shoes, and handbags, so life experiences have become more valuable to me.

If you could only spend $1,000 what would you buy?

I would buy a button down white shirt and great fitting black pants.  You can never have enough crisp white shirts.  UNIQLO has some amazing $30 white button up shirts.  I also got a navy blazer off the rack for $59 there that looks like it was fitted for me.  So, I would buy basics.  You can never go wrong with staples in your wardrobe.  They need to be replenished all of the time though, but you don’t need to spend a lot of money on the basics.  Get a great blazer, white shirt and pair of perfectly fitted pants.  Tailoring is key. Ill-fitting clothing is a travesty.

If I had money to spend on anything other than my month-long villa trip, I would go for the big guns with accessories: $2,000 pair of shoes or a structured crocodile handbag.  There is this pair of Walter Steiger shoes that are the only shoes I’ve seen this season that I’m excited to buy - Python, open toe.  Gorgeous.  They fit amazingly well and so sexy yet unique.  I was so uninspired with fashion this past summer.  Instead I’m buying $60 jackets that I can throw on.  I’m also in a bag lull.  I’m dying for a new bag, but there’s nothing that I want specifically.  I never shop on impulse.  It takes a long time for me to find that true love.
 

I’ve actually thought about this. I would take my Zebra rug and start dumping the contents of my closet.  I’d include a couple of vintage one-of-a-kind Chanel handbags.  My grandmother’s sapphire grey mink capelet (it even has pockets!), a few Chanel jackets, my Andrew Gn dresses and Martin Grant coats because both designers are great friends of mine and I live for their collections! A mink trimmed and embroidered Louis Vuitton coat because there are only two in the world of this coat.  I know that because Marc Jacobs told me when he saw me wearing it at a Louis Vuitton party in Paris.  My Michael Kors fur coat because it’s the reason I’m writing my first book Just Stand by the Sugar.  I have a gorgeous ostrich bag and white python bag that were custom made for me by my dear friends John Truex and Richard Lambertson; and a gorgeous baby blue Tod’s hobo crocodile bag from 2000.   I’ve never seen one like it. That bag would definitely go in the zebra rug.   And of course, a picture of my dog Bianca – she was my Angel!
 

Brian Atwood

Yves Saint Laurent silk leopard print dress

Ports 1961 linen and pailette jacket
 

 

Want to study this article with friends? Join a bSmart Community Mentor Group here!