How I Got Here: New Zealand stylist Zoey Radford Scott on learning how to embrace change
IMAGE VIA @ZOEYRADFORDSCOTT/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“There’s not one way to get anywhere in this role. It’s so dynamic, it’s a challenge and every day is a new adventure.”
Have you ever stalked someone on LinkedIn and wondered how on earth they managed to land that wildly impressive job? While the internet and social media might have us believe that our ideal job is a mere pipe dream, the individuals who have these jobs were, believe it or not, in the same position once, fantasising over someone else’s seemingly unattainable job.
But behind the awe-inspiring titles and the fancy work events lies a heck of a lot of hard work. So what lessons have been learnt and what skills have proved invaluable in getting them from daydreaming about success to actually being at the top of their industry?
Looking for a new 9 to 5? Head to our Careers page for new listings daily.
Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to women who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs, exploring the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly the knowledge, advice and practical tips they’ve gleaned along the way.
This week we speak to Zoey Radford Scott, a New Zealand-born stylist living and working in New York. After studying fashion and business in Wellington, Zoey landed her first styling role almost by accident. With the help of a photographer friend, that shoot was published in a magazine – and then without thinking too much about it, she moved to NY “with an open mind”.
It was here Zoey cemented herself as a vehement force in the styling world, combining creative talent with a friendly sense of “Kiwi ingenuity”. Over the last four years, her client list has included brands like Diesel, Ssense, Highsnobiety and Jacquemus, working with talents like Bad Bunny, Sydney Sweeney and Steve Lacy – to name a few. Here’s what she’s learnt along the way.
What do you do and what’s your official job title?
I’m a stylist from New Zealand, living in New York.
Take us back to when you were first starting out. Did you study to get into your chosen field, or did you start out with an internship/entry-level role and climb the ladder? Tell us the story.
View this post on Instagram
I started when I was finishing my graduate collection. I studied for my Bachelor of Fashion and Business at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand. I was getting ready to shoot my final collection and a photographer met with me asking if he could shoot it. We shot it and it was amazing, and then he asked if I would style a shoot for him.
I didn’t really know what that meant but he had full faith in me. I borrowed my friend’s clothes and [pieces] from some stores I had connections with… [it was] very all over the place but I built looks, we shot it and then it got into a magazine. That was pretty satisfying and gave me a lot of confidence. We kept shooting together and it just started to become the thing I did on my weekends.
Not thinking too much about it, I then moved to New York with an open mind. On my way there, I applied for an internship at Opening Ceremony as the stylist assistant. I got an interview and was offered the position in my second week. It was so exciting and super overwhelming, but amazing ’cause I had no time to think about it – I just got there and started. It was an insanely tough position, really thrown into the deep end but ended up turning into a full-time job and helped shape my career now in a huge way. I’m forever grateful for that year of my life.
It ended up turning into a full-time job and helped shape my career now in a huge way. I’m forever grateful for that year of my life. I kept using my New Zealand way of approaching situations, I kept contacting people and anyone I was interested in shooting with. I did some editorials and got into some magazines, and then started getting my own clients.
Unfortunately, my J1 visa was coming to an end… maybe this was a bad decision, but instead of accepting an offer from my soon-to-be employer, I denied it and moved back to New Zealand to be with my family. The excitement of moving home wore off pretty quickly and I was trying to figure out how to move back. I realised that my job doesn’t really exist in New Zealand… I would have to really commit to being there and maybe change my career… [that] was really freaking me out.
I reached out to the stylist who offered me the job to stay, and she was about to start a three-month travel job overseas. She asked if I could get back to New York in a week and I said yes. I then worked as her first assistant for about five years. This was an amazing experience, and she is now a lifelong friend.
View this post on Instagram
She taught me everything and pushed me to grow and learn the stylist world, but with a New Zealand spirit – which I think is so important. I needed to move to my next chapter, so we parted ways and I went out on my own start of 2022. I’m super grateful for my journey, I feel like I’ve really put in the work and now it’s time to see where it will take me. I’m super excited for my future.
What challenges/hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now? Can you tell us about one in particular?
Visas, money, uncertainty. NYC in general is very hard. [I’m] thankful to my friends.
What do you want people to know about your industry/your role?
There’s not one way to get anywhere in this role. It’s so dynamic, it’s a challenge and every day is a new adventure. It’s hard to feel comfortable, but it’s forever making you think on your feet and adapt quickly to change.
What’s the best part about your role?
Being able to work with my friends, meet all kinds of people, travel and grow. I love how I never know what’s coming next and anything is possible! And making outfits and images is so satisfying to me, it makes me the happiest.
What would surprise people about your role?
View this post on Instagram
It’s not glamorous. It’s very heavy lifting, schlepping around the city… it’s not pretty and it’s very stressful and it doesn’t really end. It’s kind of like a constantly-confused equation. So many things to think about, always.
What skills have served you well in your industry?
Having Kiwi ingenuity. I think working and growing up in NZ, you learn to have a very can-do attitude and we can figure out how to solve situations without being an expert.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
Believe in yourself, keep pushing and keep creating. Make sure you’re having fun; don’t take things too seriously.
What about a practical tip?
View this post on Instagram
Be kind, be humble, stay true to yourself and enjoy the moments.
Read the rest of the How I Got Here series here.
Looking to step up to a career in media? Each week we send a wrap of industry jobs straight to your inbox. Enter your details below and we’ll keep you in the loop, or browse current openings here.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
