The red carpet was everyone’s favorite spot. As usual, celebrities started streaming in much later. From DJ Sadiq to Avril, the nominees for the night showed up in pomp and colour. When the upcoming stylist of the year award was announced, I was awed by the fact that the young lady who was feted was among the few people who caught my eye -- her eccentric style and the way she was confident had me wanting to know more about her.
She was taken by surprise, went on stage all emotional to accept the award...and by the time she settled down, it still hadn’t dawned on her. One year down the line, she has done big things.
Beata has since become a darling to many celebrities. Big Eyed Bee, as she is fondly called on social media has become a brand that has spawned several ventures. She is a stylist at Couture Africa Magazine and the founder of Ojwa Styling Company. It deals with wardrope, commercial, editorial, music video and all kinds of styling. She is also co-founder of StyleNerds Kenya -- a fashion and style blog -- alongside Diane Nthurima.
Some of her clients include Victoria Rubadiri, Joey Muthengi, Fena Gitu, Kagwe Mungai and Amina Abdi.
In her interview with Fab Lab host and producer Adelle Onyango, she opened up about her career, debunked some myths about styling and gave tips on dressing up.
On what every woman should have in their closet:
“Pumps...I think they are very timeless. A shirt -- that nice shirt to work with everything and black jeans,” she said.
On misconceptions about a career stylist:
“Styling is the process of getting the model, looking for the location, looking for the photographer, the designer and organizing everything. It’s not just pairing shoes...it’s a whole different aspect,” she revealed.
Which celebrity did she have most fun styling?
“Kagwe Mungai, because he’s my friend. It’s usually fun to come up with concepts and hear what he has to say ‘cause he’s someone creative. Whenever we sit down and come up with something, it’s always epic,” she adds.
Fab Lab is a lifestyle and magazine show features a new face every week...giving you exclusive access to behind the scenes the Kenyan fashion industry. Be sure to watch the interview on Youtube!
