FIVE QUESTIONS TO…
Katrina Dimitriou-Stylist
FIVE QUESTIONS TO…
Katrina Dimitriou-Stylist
Interview Vassilios Nicolaos Vitsilogiannis (IG: @iamvassiliosvitsilogiannis)
Katrina Dimitriou is a Greek Australian stylist living in Greece. She’s been in love with fashion and beauty ever since she remembers herself. Born in Australia, she is now living in magnificent Greece. She has worked in education for many years, while always
being the de facto stylist of the day. One day, she decided that fashion had to play an even larger role in her life than it had till then so she began organising fashion bazaars and events and styling sessions. Being a passionate shopper for so long, she found out that everything connected to these activities came so naturally to her, since she was so involved in shopping and choosing items for herself and others for so long. Her dreams are big, always, and you will read about them soon. She doesn’t like to talk about herself, as she’s a doer more than a talker.
1. Where do you get inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from everything: nature, birds, a mountain, the beach, animals in general, beautiful colours or materials. Everywhere you look there is beauty, especially in nature. Have you ever seen a pigeon feather, or a duck feather? There is a world of colour and beauty in each and every one. The scale can be minimum, the feather, or maximum, a seascape, but we are surrounded by beauty. All you have to do is open your eyes and see it. And I do that. And that inspires me to create.
2. Why do you like styling?
I love styling because I feel that I have a chance to bring a little of my world and viewpoint into another person’s world. By seeing the strengths somebody has, either appearance-wise or personality-wise, my job ( and pleasure) is to bring them into focus, and bring out the beauty they posses, whether it’s a trait they have realized and focused on before, or whether it’s something that’s gone unnoticed up until then. The second case is even more satisfying to me as a stylist because I’m…unearthing hidden gems, so to speak, and can change and maybe improve one’s perception of themselves. That gives extra meaning to what I do.
3. What materials or clothes do you use on someone you style?
I have favourite materials, such as cashmere or silk, leather or sheepskin etc.
My materials are 100% natural, sustainable and ethically sourced. Because the world of vintage — we also have unique vintage items, is all about recycling and reusing, it benefits the environment no end. We almost never use synthetics — only in very rare cases, and all our materials are of the highest quality and 100% biodegradable. The sky is really the limit to what I may recommend somebody wear. I will always make suggestions so that the client is exposed to my opinion, but then the final product will be in agreement with the client. It’s important that everybody leaves satisfied with the way they look, whether this involves changing their style, learning something new about themselves or just getting ideas for a future session, but always feeling and looking fabulous!
4. What is styling for you?
Styling is all about looking and listening for me. It’s about beauty ( of course!) but it’s also about understanding the person in front of me, trying to understand who they are, what they wish their clothes would do for them, what they want to hide and what to showcase.
So it’s got some… psychology in it actually. I want to understand. Once I do, then I can suggest styles, clothes, materials, etc. It’s a really fun process for everybody involved actually, trying on different styles, bringing people in touch with materials or items they’d never imagined themselves ever wearing, but realizing that they are right for them after all. When I style people it’s like I want them to look at themselves in a positive light, like themselves a little better, appearance wise, but not only. Not everybody needs that to the same degree , but it’s really an important service to those that do. And you’d be surprised by who needs it the most sometimes…it’s not who you’d think!
5. What would be the ideal styling on a person who would represent the 4 elements of nature respectively?
What an interesting question. If this person had to represent all of these 4 elements I suppose I like to see what they looked like first and what they exuded. I could perhaps choose one dominant element , the one that suited their temperament the best, let’s say fire, and add touches of the other elements. So, if it was a lady, and if the look suited her, she would wear red for fire, with a flowery print or clay earrings for earth, an aquamarine bangle or ring for water and a gossamer thin see-through flowy cape style bolero jacket for wind.
Photography by Angelos Maniatis
