Freelance stylist Coco Smith (Coco is short for Courtney and she’s originally from Ireland!) has worked with brands ranging from ASOS, Adidas and River Island to Tommy Hilfiger and styled the likes of Kelly Rowland and Sarah Harding. Last year, she helped H&M showcase their Isabel Marant collection…
Presenter and columnist as well as stylist, Coco takes time out of her busy schedule to answer a few Stylonylon questions…
How did you get into styling? Who or what has been your favourite project to date?
I actually started out studying fashion design, and somehow ended up styling all my finished designs into photoshoots with my friends, I just felt like the finished garment wasn’t enough to tell the story of the piece of clothing I had made… it was like unfinished business.
So my photography teacher suggested I look into styling as a career. I ended up doing a post-grad in London College of Fashion while working in a top London boutique as a stylist and manager. The rest, as they say, is history!
My fav project to date? That’s tough, I love so many of the shoots I work on for different reasons. I shot a Brown Thomas campaign in the middle of the Sharjah Desert, we had a convoy of cars and it was just a bizarre and incredible experience.
I also did a shoot with four models around Lake Como, we had a really tight time deadline and the weather was awful which was challenging but it was exhilarating. Another cool shoot was in a valley that had been flooded and filled with white sand in Cape Town, the sand was pure white and the tree stumps were black and we had a manmade lake behind us, it was a surreal backdrop. There’s just too many to mention.
Love this behind the scenes shot of Coco’s desert shoot! (Image credit – Daniel Holfeld Photography)
Did you have a favourite piece or pieces from the H&M x Isabel Marant collection?
The fringed boots (Ed’s note: going on eBay for £375 these days!) without a doubt… I was lucky enough to be allowed to keep them. They are the most worn pair of shoes I own now, and they were even a size too big because they were samples but I just didn’t care. (I wear thick fluffy socks!)
What’s on your shopping list for SS14?
I am obsessed with white lace dresses at the moment… and on the hunt for something FABULOUS.
What was the last thing (clothing/accessory) you bought and why?
I bought an amazing fringed charcoal leather and snakeskin bag from Parfois; it’s a huge oversized tote I can fit my life into. I adore it.
What are your go-to pieces for SS14?
I’m still loving leather for SS14, soft leather tops and skirts teamed with easy jersey pieces. I also think SS14 is all about the sorbet tones so don’t be afraid to try some colour in your wardrobe – I am lusting after the new Louis Vuitton canvas bags with pastel leather straps. I will still be living in my ripped boyfriend jeans, and if the sun comes out some slouchy denim cut offs. Oh and definitely some cool headwear and hats… I have a new Christy’s London white Panama hat I adore.
Find Coco on Twitter @CocoSmithStyle and check her website www.courtneysmith.ie
Image credits – Daniel Holfeld Photography
