ada kokosar freelancer stylist rodebjer nyfw garance dore photos

9 years ago by

Here is the second installment of our series on freelancers. This time, we thought it would be insightful to talk to a seasoned freelancer — someone who has been working that way for a long time. With Ada, a stylist who has worked on fashion week shows, editorials, campaigns and more, it’s the only way she has ever worked…

We followed her backstage at the Rodebjer show during NYFW – to get a glimpse of her freelance lifestyle behind-the-scenes, and discuss with her what her take on freelancing is like. Completely different to Hayley, but just as interesting!

Have you ever freelanced? What was your experience like?

ada-kokosar_garance-dore_3

Ada Kokosar | Freelance Fashion Stylist

As a free spirit, working on a freelance basis comes to me organically and naturally. I think of creativity as a liquid. It’s like a river that needs to flow freely; constantly moving – upstream and downstream. I need the flux that changes bring.

I’ve always been a freelancer but, lately, I’ve found myself seeking opportunities to go deeper into the creative process. I’m more interested in the whole process and to see myself evolve through it…

There are both pros and cons to freelance life. The pros have kept me freelancing for almost 15 years. I get the opportunity to wear different hats, pick up new talents, and collect many experiences. As a freelancer, you have to keep an open mind to switch from one style to another. You also have to relate to many types of people and adapt to new situations. Consequently, you’re constantly improving yourself through everyone around you. But you also learn to expand your own vision and to not take your own ideas for granted. On the other hand, you can never organize your personal life. Next week is always a surprise, as you never know where you end up. It makes relationships difficult. Always on a plane, always a changing schedule. You can barely plan anything.

Strategically, it’s very important to have someone who oversees that constant flow of creativity, like an agent or studio manager. I want someone who can help me by suggesting directions to take and the priorities to make. As a creative person, it is difficult to have an outside view of yourself in the projects that you love. I make choices based on my gut feeling and they often turn out to be good decisions. At other times, I make the wrong choices and lose time and energy. However, through every experience, I grow personally and evolve professionally.

Freelancing is always exciting – and it fits me very well – but you have to be stable, brave, and determined. It’s not happening if one of those traits are missing.

——————————————————–

In addition to styling the Rodebjer show, what other brands do you work with frequently? 
I work for many clients in various roles. I styled all the editorials online for Diane von Furstenberg. I also styled the shows for Porsche Design, Frankie B Hollywood, Angel Sanchez and Rodebjer. I’m the creative director of Letasca, and I’ve started consulting on the new FW16/17 for Laneus. I’ve worked with & Other Stories as a designer, creative consultant, and stylist. I’m usually approached by clients who like my work and style, and I maintain a long-lasting relationship with them built on hard work, passion and talent.

And can you tell us a little about your collaboration with & Other Stories?
I love the concept behind their company—the idea of selling a lifestyle rather than a seasonal trend. I created a capsule collection with a stylist’s approach, producing a total of 5 looks for 5 different silhouettes and identities.

So how did you come to decide on the agent you work with now? 
It’s primarily determined by having a good connection, mutual understanding and respect. I’m now working with a personal studio manager who can follow my multi-tasking skills and support me in finding the right partner for a collaboration with a brand or an influencer from the creative industry.

What is your best advice for those considering a freelance career?
Be strong, passionate, and follow your inner instinct when opportunity rises. Be ready to take risks.

ada kokosar freelancer stylist rodebjer nyfw garance dore photos

Words: Neada Jane | Photos: Erik Melvin

Thanks to: Carin Rodebjer & the Rodebjer team

18 comments

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  • Ces interview sont vraiment intéressantes, est ce que pour les prochaines on pourra s’éloigner un peu de la mode ?

    Amélie
    https://charlesrayandcoco.com

  • I love this series, can’t wait for the next instalement. ;)

    http://vodkaandarose.blogspot.co.uk

  • Merci pour ces beaux portraits de femmes indépendantes qui donnent bien envie de prendre son envol :) !

  • I was still a student that I already began to work as freelance. I always liked this freedom to work on various projects like fashion, design object, graphic design, architecture. Finally, it is there that I learn most and most fast. Even if sometimes I find ourselves a few weeks without any project, it’s always the perfect moment to rest and start very personal projects. And it’s so true : “it is necessary to be balanced, brave, determined … and well organized”. I can choose my schedules and my way of working. That’s really exciting !

  • I want to get into freelance work but it’s hard to start and get a client base

    http://hashtagliz.com

  • Ana @Champagnegirlsabouttown September, 28 2015, 11:46 / Reply

    Thank you for that interview, Garance. Ada seems a very confident, thoughtful and creative women who can be an inspiration to many. Life of a freelancer has pros and cons, a con being not knowing where your next paycheck is coming from! But being a freelancre for 4 years (before opening my own business) had so many pros that it really outweighted the insecurity of the job. I used to be the most unhappy employee ever and probably the worst, too. Anarchy runs through my veins :) and I hated political games of the office. Once I went freelance I realised that it was a primary factor of my stress. My job can be very stressful in itself (criminal law) but once I started working for myself I was able to focus on the job and making a difference arther than on office politics. Going solo was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.
    Ana
    http://www.champagnegirlsabouttown.co.uk

  • I really love this Free-Lance Series! I’m currently thinking about starting a project on a part-time basis, and it helps to see how free-lance experts deal with the daily life.
    Plus, I also think this idea of giving us a glimpse of the free-lance life is in the perfect timing as the economy is not that great great, and for our generation, we will have to CREATE our jobs, instead of waiting to find it in a company… Your series will definitely make the whole thinking less stressful (for people like me, who can be afraid of that status).
    So, thank you! :)
    ps: I love the “dusty” color palette of the last picture!

  • bavarian_blue September, 28 2015, 12:57 / Reply

    Thank You Neada for this very interesting topic. It’s worth a sequence!

  • Je me reconnaît bien dans le côté naturel du free-lance. Je le suis moi aussi depuis deux ans. Et j’ai sentie une vraie liberté après avoir démissionné de mon CDI. Comme si j’aurais toujours dû faire ça. Ca expliquais rétrospectivement pourquoi j’avais l’impression de ne jamais trouver ma place en entreprise. Je suis contente de l’avoir fait tôt (27 ans) comme ça je n’ai jamais ressenti le sentiment de gâchis. Des fois j’envisage de rem-prendre un travail de salarié. Mais les avantages de la vie de free-lance dépassent de loin ses inconvénients de mon point de vue !

  • Ha! your writing is not easy to read, and I thought the headline was ‘life of a furlana,” I thought oooh, what facinating new job is this?

  • Great read, good business advice for “creative” people that need to focus their artistic talents in the business realm

    http://lifeandcity.tumblr.com

  • These interviews are always so inspirational! Love Ada’s story!
    http://fashion-soup.com/

  • AmeliePompidou September, 29 2015, 4:16 / Reply

    Thanks for this interview. It is very interesting !
    I would also be interested to discover people working as agent or studio manager. They have to balance the creativity flow together with money, time and people issues. What a challenge !

  • Hello, is that a Rodebjer dress? What is it called? I can’t see it on their website.
    Please let me know. Thank you

  • Merci pour ce joli portrait !

  • Super ces nouveaux articles, c’est vraiment très intéressant pour moi qui me lance dans le monde du travail après avoir fait des études de design textile, merci !
    J’ai bien sur entendu parlé du statut de free lance mais c’est toujours bien d’avoir différents points de vue.

  • I love this series! It’s a conversation needed in so many ways. I’ve been a freelancer for 1,5 years now, so pretty much just as the beginning of what I hope to become. Quite honestly, there are so many questions and things I’m still trying to figure out; I’ve never been more terrified and inspired by process as this one. As Ada puts it, I follow my gut and I need that flexibility and flow of things as they come. I find it hard to stay put with one company, with the same team. Though I have experienced the beauty of having a kind of working family.

    Since I’m still pretty young (23) I experience a lot of self-doubt which is a little uncommon for me. I usually have a healthy amount of self-confidence but this is an adventure every day. There’s something about “selling yourself” that creates that. But I wouldn’t want it any other way. ;)

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