Supporting freelance creatives throughout the current pandemic, we bring you a new series of interviews highlighting fantastic talent in a variety of creative fields. This week we speak to Roisino, a London-based creative director and stylist. In the midst of the quarantine, Roisino stays proactive by developing her well-renowned fashion DIY skills, focussing on “bold concepts, bright colours and current culture…referencing socio-culture, personal reflection, and art to visualise creative concepts.” In our interview below Roisino outlines her inspirations, creative ethos, how she’s making the most of the UK’s self-isolation and the pandemic’s impact on the future of our industries.
Hi Roisino, tell us about your journey establishing yourself as a creative director and stylist?
I’ve very much always had a DIY ethos. I’m definitely of the opinion that if you have enough drive and creative knowledge and understanding for your current position, that you can make any idea a reality as long as you’re willing to work for it. I moved from Belfast on my own when I was 18 to pursue my creative aspirations and since then I’ve been building my portfolio through working on my own concepts, jumping on fellow creatives projects and also assisting. I’ve interned for PR’s and Magazines, worked as a Fashion Editor for independent magazines, straight out of uni I was creative assistant and set design at Kyra TV. It’s been a massive amount of hard work and dedication but also a lot of experimentation and belief in my ideas and my aspirations that have led me to where I am. Now I work for myself as a freelancer; a Director and Stylist whilst also as a creative for a collective called GRL PWR Gang; a platform that offers advice to female business owners.
Who are your favourite people to work with and why?
People who are ready and willing to experiment! I’m an extreme planner to make sure I have everything I need for a shoot but I do it so that there’s a lot of room for collaboration and ideation on the day. I love when my team brings their own thoughts to my concept, it makes the whole process a lot easier and more fluid. I like people who are respectful of each others craft, because that’s exactly what this is to each one of us. I’m a bit of a stickler as well so I do love people who are punctual too. Basically I like to work with people who what to work!
What fashion brands are you into at the moment?
This is a difficult one because honestly at the moment I’m more of a DIY orientated person; up cycling and buying vintage. Brands wise; I love GCDS for their overall visual look, but it terms of clothing, I’m much more of a Skoot Apparel, Namilia, MYOB kind of girl. I love the whole tough punk aesthetic crossed with hiphop silhouettes; it’s very much my brand.
How do you try and distinguish your individuality in your work?
It’s always crazy and the concept is always flipped on it’s side. I love when people look at my work and are a little unsure whether they like it. It’s both pretty and ugly as hell. It’s completely in your face; either in colours, or in message. I like to make people think and bring something fresh to the table and my DIY ethos definitely supports that.
You say your “expression draws on referencing socio-culture, personal reflection” how is this explored in your work?
Whenever I’m working on a concept that is completely creatively directed by me, the reference from the project always comes from either a point of reference in my life; such as a negative experience I have had. For example, I did an editorial called Pretty Ugly for Just Magazine, it’s based on my unhealthy relationship with my self-image when I was younger. Whereas one I’m working on at the moment is a reference to the Punk movement, and what it could be categorised as now within the recent climate, which references socio-culture.
In your opinion how is the current COVID-19 situation going to affect creative freelancers like yourself?
To be honest, it’s genuinely quite a terrifying situation. Any shoots I had planned or I was being part of have now been cancelled for the foreseeable future. Any content I worked on in the past few months is also likely to be slow on release, pretty much grinding my progression as a creative to a halt. It’s frustrating as I really hit the ground running this year, I finally felt like I was truly getting somewhere with my career. I currently am a little lucky in the sense that a lot of the work I do with GRL PWR Gang can be done digitally, or we’re creating formats for it to be, so I have a little income coming in. So in that regard I’m in a better situation than most, but not in terms of overall society. It’s ridiculous that our wages are not being compensated in the same way as those who make up the full time or part time workforce.
What steps are you taking over this self-isolation period to keep yourself proactive and creative?
As I work from home quite a lot, I’m quite apt at keeping myself busy and being comfortable in my own company, so I’m setting up projects for myself to do and getting on top of all the creative ideas or general admin aspects of my job that you usually don’t have time for when you’re working intensely to create content and meet deadlines. Getting my website in check, creating promo posts for my work, submitting editorials etc.
With many people struggling to get many supplies during the lockdown, how do you stay so creative with limited resources?
I recorded my first IGTV VLOG in self – isolation, it’s a DIY jeans upcycling vlog which I created using supplies I have in my home. With my ethos, I’m pretty good at coming up with creative solutions when you have limited resources and time, so I wanted to share some stuff for people to do who aren’t used to this type of isolation. I’m going to hopefully be making this a series as we progress through this situation.
Do you think COVID-19 will change styling and fashion in the future, how?
I think we’re all going to be a lot more conscious of what we’re using, how we’re using it and the general impact of our industry. Resources will be limited after this so we’re all going to have to get super creative. It’s going to definitely be important.
What’s the first thing you’ll do once self-isolation is over?
Shoooooooot. I’m going to shoot the minute self-isolation is over. I’ll be self shooting at home, but collaboration is key to me, so that’s the priority.
Follow on Roisino on Instagram
www.roisino.format.com
Words: Izabel Rose