Today’s episode features Costume Designer and Fashion Stylist Lisa Smedley-Calderon. We talk about her start in the entertainment industry as a fashion stylist for many musical artists including Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Boyz II Men. We dig into how styling and costume design are two very different jobs that sometimes intersect. Lisa shares what it was like when she had to leave the industry for a decade to take care of her ailing parents and how she decided to transition fully into costume design when she returned. She built her experience by working as a buyer, a costumer, and an ACD on a multitude of projects before starting to head her own teams as a costume designer. If you head on over to the Patreon, there’s an extended cut of this episode with even more stories. I also release episodes there two days early!
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Costume Designer Lisa Smedley-Calderon
Credits include: Color Book, The Waterboyz, Cinnamon, Karen, The First Noelle, How The Gringo Stole Christmas, The Ice Cream Man
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Lisa Smedley-Calderon, Costume Designer and Fashion Stylist, has built an impressive reputation from styling, creating images for legendary celebrities, to creating characters for commercials, TV series and movies. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, it was her move to California that propelled a whirlwind of working with some of the greatest artists in the entertainment industry. Lisa became known for cultivating styles unique to each clients’ personality while adding a hint of her own quirks. Her acute attention to detail marks her signature touch.
While completing her studies in Fashion Merchandising, Lisa became a fashion consultant for Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. While at Saks Fifth, she was referred to the Crystal Agency and began assistant styling and later styling independently as one of the most sought after fashion stylists and is presently working in movies and TV series. Lisa has styled for artists such as Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Bobby Brown, Boyz II Men, and Color Me Badd, as well as award shows such as the Grammy’s, American Music Awards, Billboard and MTV Awards. Lisa has evolved in her career as a costume designer on movies and TV series with A-List celebrities. Now with over 20 years of experience in the film and TV industry, Lisa continues to have the same drive and passion she did 20 years ago. When not on a project, Lisa likes to read, travel, and spend time with family.
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Lisa Smedley-Calderon Links:
LSC Website: fashionstylingbylisa.com
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TFACD Links:
Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer
Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner
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Whitney Anne Adams Links:
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Union Links:
Costume Designers Guild IG: @cdglocal892