NFC’s Styling Workshop: What You’ll Learn and Why You Should Join the Next One

WORDS BY NFC STUDENT, CHARLY BUTCHER

I hadn’t really given styling much of a thought in regards to my career path, but after attending the National Fashion College’s Styling Workshop with the incredibly talented Karina Mutabazi, my mind has definitely opened!

From the moment I walked into the Styling Workshop at the NFC campus, I knew it was going to be a fun and insightful experience. Karinda was so knowledgeable in her craft and it made for a really fun and engaging day. We started the morning by learning different tips and tricks Karinda uses when styling; she even showed us her “styling kit” that she takes with her wherever she goes. My favourite trick I learnt was using fashion tape to pick up any sort of dust or powder from a garment, something I never would’ve thought of — I'd would probably just wipe it and smudge it out even more!

Karinda then went on to show us some of the real-life mood boards that she has used to style the likes of Thelma Plum and other creatives. It was amazing to see the process from vision to the final look. After that, we were then tasked with creating our own mood boards using the magazines and stationery provided. It was such a fun and hands on activity. Once we were done, we had the opportunity to share our boards with the class and discuss our thoughts and ideas.

After a quick break for lunch, Karinda talked us through the world of celebrity styling and shared many insights you wouldn’t usually think about. A standout point she mentioned was the importance of considering the sound a garment might make if the wearer will be mic’d up, such as avoiding beads that could rattle and be picked up on audio. She also highlighted the need to consider the colours of the background or carpet that the wearer will be walking on, to ensure the outfit compliments it, rather than clashing in photos or in-person. 

It was now time to put everything we’d learnt from Karinda into practice. Using the styling wardrobe at NFC, we were given the challenge to style an outfit that you might see at Laneway Festival. With so many great pieces to choose from, we were encouraged to collaborate with each other to pull together a look that was both on theme and trendy.

We had the privilege of working with the wonderful Geena Glass to capture, “street style” shots of our outfits, which was such a fun way to step out of our comfort zones and get in front of the camera. 

For our second look, we were asked to style an outfit that felt a little more “like us”, heading into NFC’s studio on campus, to shoot another round of photos in our personalised fits. 

​It was such a fun day and great chance to collaborate with other students. I already can’t wait for the next NFC Styling Workshop — and if you were thinking about joining next time, this is your sign to come along!

STAY TUNED — NEW SYDNEY & MELBOURNE DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON!