How Stylist Alexander-Julian Gibbson Problem-Solves For Stars Like Lucky Daye

Ciara in Roberto Cavalli for Ebony. Becky G in Schiaparelli for Teen Vogue. Method Man in Louis Vuitton for Essence. Joe Keery in Gucci for GQ. The place there’s a well-styled journal cowl, Alexander-Julian Gibbson is probably going behind it, working meticulously off-camera.

With a decade of expertise, the 29-year-old inventive director and editorial stylist has dressed a few of as we speak’s greatest rising stars and family names, from Laverne Cox to Chloe Bailey, Lil Nas X and extra. Earlier than he grew to become R&B singer Fortunate Daye’s private stylist, Gibbson was a young person from Houston with lofty aspirations.

“I all the time loved fashion and in highschool, I had a clothes line that I did vogue reveals for and picture shoots for. The title of my vogue line was WDYM. It stood for ‘Nicely-Dressed Younger Males,’” he laughed, cringing on the title on reflection. “It’s so corny! Anywho, that was the title of my clothes line that I made once I was 16.”

Raised in a Nigerian family, fashion was all the time a cornerstone of Gibbson’s life, be it dressing up for church or events. But stability was paramount. He attended Howard College on the pre-law monitor — till one internship at XXL Journal in 2012 made him change course. He switched his main to public relations, and Gibbson went on to intern at Flaunt Journal and Fendi, the place he landed his first job.

Since then, Gibbson has made a reputation for himself within the vogue trade, from touchdown features in Vogue to incomes a spot on Black Enterprise’s 40 Under 40 list. From his humble beginnings planning the Howard College homecoming vogue present to getting Fortunate Daye dressed for his Candydrip tour, Gibbson is simply getting began.

“Styling is, largely, actually simply problem-solving,” he mentioned. “What’s the state of affairs at hand and what’s required of me? And the way can I fill that out? After I determine learn how to make it occur, then I begin making use of my very own fashion and my very own flare to it. I’m a stylist, however I like inventive course. I like having the ability to assess the place you might be, the place you need to be and the place you need to go.”

For “Who’s Behind the Garments,” Gibbson talked to HuffPost in September about his 10-year inventive journey working in editorial, how his alma mater ready him for the style trade and the eagerness tasks and clientele that gas him.

What was the impetus for stepping into styling and vogue and who impressed you to do this?

Rising up in a Nigerian house, my mother wasn’t too pressed about it, however a variety of my household round me have been very pressed about it — so the aim was to be a physician, lawyer or an engineer. I used to be going to go the lawyer route. I all the time loved fashion and in highschool, I had a clothes line that I did vogue reveals for and picture shoots for. I had an actual web site and all the things, so it was all the time an outlet for me. After I went to school, I thought of what was my favourite a part of having my very own clothes line — as a result of I did all the things — however my favourite half was styling. However I used to be nonetheless centered on turning into a lawyer and I used to be afraid: How would I make it as somebody with no connections, my dad and mom are immigrants and I dwell in Houston, Texas? That’s not anyplace near New York.

Till I ended up going to Howard College for college, and that introduced me nearer to New York and broadened my horizons. I obtained an internship in New York at XXL Journal, the place I used to be the style director’s intern. I did it and I obtained to fashion my first picture shoot for the journal. I got here up with an eight-page unfold, the idea and all the things. My boss actually liked the work I did and was like, “Look, everytime you graduate, you could have a job with me.” And I believed, “OK, cool. I’ve a job, and that’s with out me attempting vogue critically. What can I obtain if I take this critically?”

How would you describe your sense of fashion, and the way has your Nigerian heritage contributed to it? How would you say your private fashion has advanced?

I feel Black persons are the best-dressed folks on the planet, and I feel being Nigerian, having the ability to work together with the tradition, you need to have fashion. I used to be raised in Houston the place there’s tons of Nigerians, so I went to Nigerian events each week. I went to a Nigerian church the place you are available a match. If you consider the idea of Nigerian garments, you go, you decide a material, then you definitely design an outfit and have any individual make it. That’s how it’s. You’ll be able to’t go purchase Nigerian garments off the rack. It’s a must to put in work, and you need to have a stylistic eye to even participate within the tradition. My mother could be very a lot a believer and a participant within the technique of Africanwear, and she or he loves garments and artwork. I don’t assume she’s gotten to discover in the best way that she most likely may have, which I feel makes me all the time really feel a bit extra considerate about the truth that I’m doing what I’m doing. I really feel like I’m doing it for each of us. However yeah, she loves garments, loves fashion, loves aesthetics. It’s one thing that was all the time in me. Even once I did gown badly, I did it purposefully. I favored these garments, and I wore them — regardless that I look again like, what the hell was I considering?

I might say my fashion has advanced in a bizarre, nearly regressive, however an fascinating means. I grew up in that surroundings the place I used to be all the time dressed daily, and didn’t repeat outfits. I feel the pandemic helped change me a bit and dealing for myself, the place I’m not all the time going to one thing or doing one thing, helped me recognize consolation. I like the place I’m at now as a result of I really feel there’s a very cool marriage between consolation and elegance. You discover an fascinating house whenever you attempt to obtain each. I look an entire lot extra relaxed today, whereas nonetheless fashionable, and it nonetheless has the notes that I feel I’ve all the time had. There’s a love of items which are fascinating and eclectic, nevertheless it’s simply that now, I can put on the craziest jacket you possibly can consider and put on sweats with it — however the sweats are fitted, well-thought out. It feels a bit easy. I really feel like that’s one thing that comes from dwelling in New York; everyone right here has a sort of effortlessness to their very own private fashion.

Upon beginning your profession, did you are feeling like there was an enormous studying curve? And what are a number of the obstacles you’ve encountered that folks sometimes don’t think about or take into consideration? All we see is the ultimate product on {a magazine} cowl.

I grew up all the time harping on the concept of arduous work and considering, “If you happen to work arduous and do what you’re speculated to do, issues will work out,” and coming to New York, I realized that that’s actually so little of it. There’s a lot politics. It’s very a lot who you recognize and the way shut you might be to any individual. I feel at Howard, I realized a bit about who you recognize as a result of I used to be capable of expertise some alternatives due to [connections]. I feel New York even goes previous it, as a result of I feel being Black in New York is one factor, and it’s already powerful. Clearly, it’s shifted lots, however I feel once I was beginning, we weren’t as embedded within the trade as we are actually.

It was arduous as a result of I couldn’t relate to anyone. I used to be working with a ton of wealthy white folks. I’m not wealthy, I’m Black, and never even from the identical space. It felt like a critical tradition distinction. For a big a part of it, I felt like I couldn’t relate to lots of people on something. After Fendi, I went to GQ. Even with a variety of my white associates at GQ — it was a operating joke — each time they’d be speaking about one thing, I used to be like, “I actually do not know what the hell y’all are speaking about, so that you’re going want to clarify to me who this individual is or what these references are.” On a regular basis.

It was simply studying that there are politics. Clearly, I feel I used to be set again within the recreation of politics as a result of I used to be up to now faraway from all the things that that they had identified. Issues like, “Oh, this individual can’t shoot this as a result of they labored with this individual” and all sorts of loopy stuff like that. Or, “Though we love this outfit, it could possibly’t be on the duvet as a result of the duvet must be this model as a result of they really pay promoting {dollars}.” Even silly stuff like, “Oh, you possibly can’t work right here since you work for this individual proper now, and I don’t need to get on their dangerous aspect.” All actually silly issues — however studying that a variety of this all was a recreation and that expertise will get you lower than half the best way.

I ponder in regards to the values that have been instilled in you at Howard and the pipelines — or lack thereof — that existed to convey HBCU college students into vogue. Did you ever really feel at a drawback compared to FIT or Kent State college students?

Actually, the Howard expertise was such a tremendous expertise I’d by no means even considered it like that. In any means that it may have possibly set me again from something, it launched me ahead within the reverse means 10 instances extra. Even having the arrogance or or the thought course of to place myself into what I do … there are such a lot of issues that I did at Howard that once I left Howard and went to work for these firms, they have been doing smaller shit than what I’d already completed. I used to be on the HU homecoming board and deliberate it. I used to be working with a $100,000 or a $75,000 price range once I was a sophomore in faculty and executing multi-layered ideas that I had provide you with in my dorm room. If you try this and Fendi is doing a retailer opening they usually provide you with a $30,000-$50,000 price range, it’s nothing.

I used to be flying in designers from everywhere in the world from our vogue present that I did at Howard, as a result of that’s simply part of it. They all the time empowered us at Howard to really feel like we may do something. I’d by no means been the kind to be like, “Oh, I need to be an entrepreneur.” I used to be very a lot all the time superb working for any individual. At Howard, it was all the time like, “Oh, you do that? Oh, it is best to begin a enterprise.” Even the grind of going to Howard, nothing comes straightforward in any respect. It’s a must to work extraordinarily arduous for all the things, even to get registered for lessons. As a result of I did all that, I realized to not take no for a solution, to buckle up and hit the pavement once I have to, and so many issues that made me stronger as a inventive.

Not too long ago, you styled the Howard University x Jumpman promo, kicking off your alma mater’s collaboration with the Jordan Model. What did it imply to you to return to “The Mecca” and be on the helm of that?

I undoubtedly need to do extra stuff with Howard. It’s one name I’ll all the time reply. I used to be actually three days out from knee surgical procedure once they requested me to do it. I used to be like, “Uh, I most likely shouldn’t — however sure, I’ll be there!” It meant lots to go as a result of if I didn’t go to Howard, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now. Howard will all the time have a particular place in my coronary heart. It was crucial for me to return and be capable of do what I’m doing within the context of the place that obtained me to the place I’m.

You’ve completed a variety of labor, from editorial covers for Essence, Teen Vogue, GQ, styling the forged of “Love & Hip Hop” for promos to dressing Fortunate Daye for music movies, crimson carpet appearances and his excursions. Each artist, each shopper has a unique set of wants, so what’s the framework that you just function from to guarantee that all of their requirements are met?

Styling is, largely, actually simply problem-solving. Even in case you work with the identical artist, each efficiency is completely different. For instance, if I’m styling Fortunate for late evening, there’s a sure set of designers that I’m capable of have entry to. If I’m styling him for {a magazine} cowl, relying on that journal or who’s taking pictures it, there’s now a brand new degree of designers I’ve entry to. Each state of affairs has been completely completely different. So the very first thing I like to consider is, what downside do I clear up proper now? What’s the state of affairs at hand and what’s required of me? And the way can I fill that out?

After I determine learn how to make it occur, then I begin making use of my very own fashion and my very own aptitude to it. What particularly makes it one thing that I can add to? The very first thing I take into consideration on any job is: How the hell am I about to do that? Now that I’ve discovered the logistics of doing it, how can I make it me? How can I make it one thing that appears like my work? It’s simply fixing these issues and when folks are available with new stipulations — like “I need to put on this” or “I don’t need to put on that” — it’s like, “OK, effectively listed below are our choices based mostly on these parameters that you just’ve given me.” We provide you with one of the best one, and it’s a collaborative effort.

What’s the kind of shopper that will get you excited and the kind of shopper that aligns or resonates with you?

I feel it’s any individual who’s up and coming. I’m a stylist however I like inventive course. I like having the ability to assess the place you might be, the place you need to be and the place you need to go. Then construct a go searching that. I like working with people who find themselves enthusiastic about garments and luxuriate in attempting issues. Clearly, my thoughts can go as loopy as it could possibly get, however that’s not for everyone.

On the notice of inventive course, you launched “The Land of Milk & Honey” final 12 months, a photograph sequence analyzing immigrant experiences in the US. I believed that it was completely gorgeous, and for as soon as, it showcased Black immigrants, as a result of we’re usually omitted of the dialog. What spurred its inception?

That project is one thing actually close to and pricey to me, as a result of it got here proper after [Donald] Trump was elected. I used to be simply feeling like there was a lot of this horrible rhetoric round xenophobia and racism and I used to be like, ’That is fucking sick.” I felt actually hopeless about America and actually powerless, so I wished to determine a means that I can do one thing inside the context of what I do. That’s how that undertaking was born. The entire level of it’s to rearrange what we image once we consider an “American face.” I wished to spotlight all of the completely different communities which have contributed to America and American tradition by way of their very own tradition. One of many issues I wish to say I like about America is that it’s speculated to be a melting pot. If you develop up and consider that, know of that after which begin listening to all these loopy issues towards individuals who come from wherever they arrive from to return right here, it’s jarring. I wished our undertaking to fight that. We’ve been touring round in several pockets of tradition inside and across the nation, from Chinatown in Brooklyn to Hialeah, Florida, which has the biggest inhabitants of Cubans in America. We shot these households with photographers who’re from the tradition, then I styled them in designers from the tradition as effectively. It’s this love letter to immigrant tradition in America.

Who’re a few of your favourite designers or labels that you just frequent and why?

My all-time favourite designer is Haider Ackermann. I like him. I like all the things that he does, and he’s simply now introduced that he’s going to be doing the Jean Paul Gaultier couture present. I like a variety of designers, a variety of my associates who’re designers, folks like Christopher John Rogers, Adebayo from Orange Tradition. I like the work that my associates do.

Trying again in your profession, what recommendation would you give to a younger Black or brown child from an immigrant household within the South on learn how to make it within the trade?

I might say do it by yourself. Hold attempting it, even in case you’re doing it by yourself. Having my clothes line, having my weblog in faculty, and never ready for the chance for any individual at hand me a possibility gave me a one-up once I was offered with a possibility.