This month I was lucky enough to catch up with celebrity stylist Rivkie Baum. She is the current fashion editor of Drafted magazine, editor of the hugely popular online magazine Slink, and most recently Rivkie set up Slink Boutique indulging into luxury pieces for women size 16 and upwards. Was styling something you always wanted to do? I don’t think I really realised it was a valid job until I got to the London College of Fashion and realised there were loads of jobs other than designer in the industry. I used to want to be the stylist on This Morning though! How did you get into it? Strangely enough I was studying Fashion Design at LCF and also working as a waitress. There was a make up artist who lived behind the restaurant and my manager introduced us. He asked me to style a shoot and I blagged my way through. It got published and I realised I really loved styling. What has been the most exciting job you have worked on? I’m a sucker for a celebrity shoot because I love learning about people and finding out what they’re actually like. So I loved working on shoots with McFly, Little Mix and the Wanted. Although the most exciting was probably a Music Video for a band called The Ruskins. It was in association with Converse and had a huge production team and members of Skins and Shameless in it. It was like a 15+hr day but was so cool.
Little Mix editoiral shoot for Fiasco Magazine photographey by Elliott Morgan
What gave you the inspiration to set up Slink magazine? I was working in plus size retail having just finished my degree and I realised lots of customers didn’t read magazines as because so little applied to them in them. They didn’t know about fashion or trends and as I love fashion I wanted to create something just for them. It has always really annoyed me that in the industry, plus=clothing not fashion.
You have also recently set up Slink boutique, can you tell Style Me Curvy readers about the brands you have? Getting the brand selection right was hugely important to us. We have a selection of brands from the USA and Europe. It’s really about highly curated fashion – great pieces that will become go to everyday staples and special pieces that make you feel amazing. We have brands such as Mynt1792 (super cool and on trend and great quality), Melissa Masse (silk print blouses and dresses) and David Meister (designs red carpet and cocktail dresses and can be seen on Oprah, Queen Latifah and Octavia Spencer) as well as loads more! What would be your must have Party dress for this season? I’m obsessed with a LBD in boucle we have on slinkboutique.com . Every person I have seen it on looks amazing.
Name some of your favourite purchases you have bought recently for your winter wardrobe: I’ve bought a green, duck down, parka from SLiNK boutique – it’s super warm and I’m totally prepared for snow now! I also bought a teal, bodycon bandage dress from the boutique. I can wear it with boots for meetings and day and then add a bit of bling and heels for the evening. It’s so comfy too. Best style tip? Be comfortable. That doesn’t mean make no effort but if your ‘dressing up’ clothes are all uncomfortable, too tight, too long, too short – it will bother you all night and you’ll forget to enjoy yourself. Also buy the size that fits not the no. you’ve decided you are, I own everything from a 12-20. It genuinely doesn’t matter.
What are your favourite brands and stores to shop in? I always can find something in Marks and Spencer. I adore Jaeger for cut, quality and forever pieces. I also love DKNY – again, it’s so classic and lasts a lifetime. Name five things in your handbag at all times? Ipad – I listen to music on there! Blackberry, blackberry charger (because the battery life is appalling), business cards (always networking) and a bottle of water. Name something you can’t live without? My blackberry – I’m an email and social media obsessive. What do you love most about working in fashion? The amazing people that I get to meet and that no two days are ever the same!
