https://www.essence.com/fashion/katherine-mateo-stylist-interview/

Courtesy of Katherine Mateo By Mecca Pryor ·Updated December 13, 2024

The Stylist’s Notebook is a new series centering the career >multi-hyphenates. While some focus on specific disciplines like design, styling, photography, or art, many are driven by a desire to master it all. When speaking to one of my parents’ peers recently he spoke about how much he admired our generation’s comfortability in changing careers and not staying somewhere they do not have a desire to be. We understand not only that it is okay to move on but also to have mastered multiple areas. 

Here enters 32-year-old stylist and casting director Katherine Mateo who appears to effortlessly juggle two different career >Who Decides War, Hanifa, and others as a casting manager. Her styling projects have included Wonderland magazine and countless other noteworthy projects.

“Getting a roller set, hearing your mom gossip with the other women—that’s something I grew up with and still carry into my adult life.” Recently, she worked on a styling project with New York City-based brand Awake, where one of the models had her hair pinned up in a doobie, further highlighting her cultural influences. This speaks to the longstanding influence of New York’s transcendent and generational target=”_blank”> View this post on Instagram

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Was there a moment in your career when you’re like I’m here, and I’ve made it? 

I’ve been grateful for a lot of different steps in my career, but the biggest thing that puts me right back into my childhood state, or there’s no way that you would have thought this would have happened at that moment. It would definitely be working with the Jordan Brand team in any capacity, let alone them sending me sneakers. These sneakers I used to beg my mom to buy, and drag her from Payless to Footlocker. This is something that I can’t believe is happening. that you know, like, I get to work with the Jordan team and have my hands in so many different things. 

From my clients, Who Decides War to the Jordan team reaching out to me, to speak on a panel, things like that I would have never known would be in my cards. It’s surreal. So, whenever I get a box from Nike, I am like, This is crazy. So that is for sure. And then, my moment of, wow, I’m doing the things that would be two years ago, [when] I target=”_blank”> View this post on Instagram

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What advice would you give to young creatives looking to break into fashion? 

One of the biggest things that worked for me, and that I still do, is not being too good to get your hands dirty. You’d be surprised how many people in front of you sometimes also need help. Honestly, although I went through hell working at all these different places and gaining all these experiences, I’m very grateful for it. Being able to go from a brand to a public relations company, to Marie Claire, to freelancing, social media work, and then doing casting and styling, I now understand the fashion industry as a whole because of this background. 

To me, you can never think, “Oh, I’m the best. I’m done learning.” You’re never done learning. There’s always someone you can help out, and always someone you can learn from. It doesn’t matter how many years someone has under their belt sometimes it’s okay to listen to the interns or the assistants.

TOPICS:  Black stylists

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