Entrepreneur and movie star stylist Risa Kostis has constructed a dynamic profession rooted in creativity, flexibility, and adaptableness—and, in fact, a permanent love for style. She first stepped into the sweetness business at 21, specializing in hair and make-up for weddings. She gained invaluable enterprise expertise managing a purse and shoe firm, which paved the way in which for launching her personal styling enterprise.
In 2018, a wedding-day mishap impressed her to co-found The Rescue Equipment Firm along with her sister, providing important styling instruments designed for brides and past. Risa’s styling philosophy facilities on personalization, confidence, and inclusivity. She prioritizes a real-world perspective over inflexible style guidelines. Her experience extends throughout private styling, wedding ceremony day dressing companies, and adaptive style options.
On this interview, she shares her profession journey, styling philosophy, and the way she empowers each consumer—no matter physique sort—to embrace their distinctive magnificence with confidence.
After I requested Risa how her story unfolded, she shared:
“My entrepreneurial journey started at 21 after I began doing hair and make-up for weddings. I used to be ending cosmetology college in Boston when a pal requested me to model her and her maid of honor’s hair and make-up for her wedding ceremony. That was the second I knew—this was what I needed to do.”
She additionally remembers, “Shortly after, I moved to San Francisco and took a job on the entrance desk of a day spa whereas constructing my consumer base on the aspect. Throughout that point, I met a dressmaker for whom I often did hair and make-up. She ultimately introduced me on board to assist run her purse and shoe firm. It was an unimaginable hands-on studying expertise—a crash course in small enterprise administration, manufacturing, and manufacturing. Trying again, I couldn’t have requested for a greater basis for launching my full-scale styling firm and product line.”
As she gained expertise, weddings and particular occasions turned the core of Risa’s experience. She recollects the second that in the end led to creating The Rescue Equipment Firm:
“It began at a scorching Arizona wedding ceremony in 2018, simply as I used to be introducing my day-of dressing service. A photographer pal invited me to a marriage she was capturing, providing behind-the-scenes images in alternate for my assist. I agreed, and like most wedding ceremony days, I didn’t meet the bride till I arrived to decorate her and elegance everybody.
“As she walked down for the primary look, somebody stepped on her practice, and the zipper utterly broke. I attempted security pins and tremendous glue, however ultimately, I needed to sew her into her robe. It was like nothing ever occurred. I’ll always remember that day—not simply because it sparked The Rescue Equipment Firm and my now-popular dressing service, however as a result of saving the day is the best possible feeling on the planet. That was after I knew I needed to create an expertise that will convey that very same aid to my shoppers.”
Recognizing a niche available in the market, Risa and her sister got down to design the last word wedding ceremony day emergency package—mixing luxurious with performance.
“It was vital for us to create a signature package that felt luxurious {and professional} but remained user-friendly and complete,” Risa explains. “The Bride Equipment is our best-selling product, impressed by the skilled styling package I’ve used for over a decade. It contains 22 rigorously chosen objects designed to make the most important affect on a marriage day.
“Inside, you’ll discover necessities like a stitching package with pre-threaded needles in the most well-liked wedding ceremony colours, double-stick tape, mini tissues, a lint curler, and our Hair + Pin Equipment—that includes 4 completely different security pin colours, straight pins, two shades of bobby pins, and clear rubber bands. Distinctive additions embody a deodorant-removing sponge, tremendous glue, a button + bustle hook for satin-covered buttons and robe bustling, foot gel pads, stain-removing spray, wrinkle-release spray, and extra. It’s really a one-stop mishap-preventing store!”
One could surprise, “How can a stylist create a really inclusive and personalised expertise for shoppers with numerous physique sorts and mobility wants?” Risa Kostis explains:
“As a stylist, making certain a profitable physique sort evaluation for numerous shoppers, together with these with distinctive mobility wants, begins with a personalised and inclusive strategy. That is actually the place a listening ear is available in, and an important perspective I take is that of a scholar—I want to know any every day challenges with getting dressed and areas that may want particular consideration.
“Moderately than relying solely on conventional physique form tips, I concentrate on proportions, consolation, and performance, contemplating how clothes drapes and strikes with the person’s physique. For shoppers who use wheelchairs, I take seated proportions under consideration, in addition to correct layering and undergarments to make sure each aesthetic stability and ease of motion. Cloth decisions, adaptable silhouettes, and strategic tailoring play key roles in enhancing each model and practicality. Above all, I prioritize listening to the consumer’s wants and preferences, making changes that align with their way of life and style objectives whereas celebrating their distinctive form and confidence.”
Are you interested by working with Risa Kostis or interested in what a one-on-one evaluation is like? She shares:
“Most of my private styling shoppers come from present consumer referrals. We often do a deep dive on a name or Zoom to ensure I can meet their wants, and that additionally provides them an opportunity to share their styling objectives for any upcoming occasions or appearances.
“Since numerous my work is shifting towards wedding ceremony styling and day-of-dressing, most of those assessments are with ladies who’re getting married or shut buddies/wedding ceremony celebration members which will need wedding ceremony apparel consulting companies or to rent me for day-of-dressing. Communication is the cornerstone of every thing I do, and I take detailed notes of their file that may serve me all through the method of working collectively.”
What are Risa’s ideas on coloration evaluation? It was refreshing to listen to her say:
“My reply would possibly shock you, however I don’t essentially go by the guide in relation to coloration evaluation. Whereas I feel it’s confirmed helpful for lots of stylists and their shoppers, I don’t use a proper coloration evaluation course of with the folks I work with. I can inform instantly after I have a look at somebody—based mostly on what lives of their present closet and through fittings—what is going to improve their look and complement their look. I feel coloration is a selection and a sense while you’re getting dressed.
“After I hear somebody say, ‘I can’t put on that coloration,’ I all the time wish to at the very least strive it on collectively, so we are able to take images and ensure it’s a coloration that they actually need to rule out. Whereas there’s system-based construction round coloration evaluation, I personally wish to push folks exterior their consolation zone into the ‘what-if’ area if they’re keen to go there. We all know immediately when it gained’t work, and that’s ok for me!”
Risa shares that there are a lot of encouraging methods to find one’s ardour within the style business. Reflecting on her personal journey, she says:
“I like that in in the present day’s world, there are such a lot of roads that result in the identical factor. I don’t have any formal coaching in styling, and actually, I feel that’s what makes my talent set so fascinating. I all the time inform aspiring younger those that model is subjective and innate—in the event that they find it irresistible, they need to pursue it.”
When requested about her style philosophy and what makes working with Risa Kostis distinctive, she explains:
“My philosophy is all about distinctive consideration to element, prioritizing personalised model over labels, and making each consumer really feel uniquely their very own. I imagine in unparalleled customer support, a zero-judgment strategy, and curating appears to be like that commemorate individuality.”
The sister duo possesses a distinct segment and distinctive set of expertise, as Risa emphasizes:
“My sister is definitely my enterprise associate in The Rescue Equipment Firm! She has a proper background in Occupational Remedy (OT) and has labored in each inpatient and outpatient rehab settings.
“It’s in our plans to in the future develop an adaptive rescue package that honors her ardour whereas aligning with our core worth of caring for our clients.”
It was a thrill to interview Ms. Risa Kostis, who shared her perspective on working with shoppers: ‘The experiences I’ve had all through my life—from working within the service business for over a decade to appearing, style publicity, styling, and a lot extra—have given me the inspiration to supply one thing really particular. I’ve an uncanny means to fulfill my shoppers precisely the place they’re of their lives and for each event they should costume for, and I firmly imagine that’s one thing that may’t be taught. Once we work collectively, you develop into a really particular a part of my life, and that’s one thing I’ll by no means take without any consideration.”
Risa Kostis is a famend stylist who has been featured on quite a few nationwide tv reveals and media shops.
Thanks, Risa Kostis, for this unique interview with Social Life-style Journal. We’re excited to see what’s subsequent in your profession!
Skilled Web site of Risa Kostis
Work with Risa – Apply right here
Subscribe to Risa Kostis’s Newletter
The Rescue Equipment Firm Web site
Instagram Profile
Fb Profile