形象設計師應該是這樣的

如何才算得上是一位好的形象設計師(stylist)呢？讀了一篇頗好的訪問，受訪者是於各大重頭國際時裝雜誌當形象指導的mel ottenberg，我將重點抽起，也作部份翻譯。注意這並非直接翻譯，有興趣者請讀原文。

mel ottenberg photographer: terry richardson

Behind-The-Scenesters: Mel Ottenberg
—Maya Singer

不希望風格本身被察覺到，只想當大家在雜誌上看到照片的時候覺得：噢，多好看！
“I don’t want the style to be noticed, per se. I just want the kid who’s reading the magazine to think, wow, that looks great.”

身上長時間帶備記事簿，每當遇上喜歡的攝影師，就給他們看。
"I feel like styling is one of those careers where you’re kind of struggling until one day, you aren’t. I spent a long time keeping a notebook of ideas and showing it to photographers I liked when I had the chance to meet them.”

關乎你如何處理手中的資源。從不會直接使用得來的衣服。花大量時間洗衣服，以及讓衣服變得骯髒。有些人不喜歡他們提供的衣服變得骯髒，但這是值得的，男士在有點一塌糊塗的時候才性感。
"I like simple, classic pieces, and it’s more about the way I handle the stuff. I spent a ton of time this past year washing things and making them look dirty. I don’t ever want the clothes to look like they came straight out of a FedEx box from the showroom. Sometimes guys get [annoyed] over me coming at them with my dirt or water bottles with my secret concoctions, but I always tell them it’s for their own good. Guys look hot a bit fucked up."

關於形象指導的方向：男性就是'我想跟這男人一起走到街上'。女性就是'我想到她出現的地方'。
"For women, I’m big on sexy, too, but I like to get sick clothes from all over. Women’s fashion is a great way to express different moods, different energy. It’s more idea-driven and exotic, I’ve found; more about creating the exciting picture in my head. With men, it’s like, I want to be walking down the street with that guy. With women, it’s like, I want to go to that place where she is."

Do you think you have a signature, as a stylist?
"Maybe…a certain effortlessness."

艷濃的女妝，james franco在影樓一口應承

到圖書館，到美術館，到古著店。資料搜集是關鍵。喜歡恐懼，恐懼使一切變得亢奮。
"...sometimes I’m going to the library or to a museum; sometimes I’m doing appointments at showrooms or scouting different vintage shops. The research is always key, even if I don’t wind up using it that much. And then there always seems to be a big scavenger hunt for the magic stuff that’s really going to pull everything together. I’m constantly looking for new jewelry, or an amazing shoe. There are days when I’m literally just wandering around the city, trying to figure it out. That’s usually about the time I’m thinking, well, this is impossible. But I like that moment, I like the fear. It keeps things exciting."

客戶有權向你提出指引，你可以當這是掣肘，也可以當這是一個突破的機遇。
"My take is, a magazine is a client like any other, and they have the right to give you certain guidelines. You can look at that as a constraint, or you can look at that as an opportunity to innovate."

準備非常非常的充足，有較保險的東西，也準備挑釁性的東西。由於早已兩手準備，不會於拍攝的時候才來詳談誰喜歡什麼不喜歡什麼。
"I think you head that off by being really, really prepared. I come in with all my looks ready, and I’ve got my safety stuff and my push stuff, and because everything is kind of done, there’s not much of an opening for a big conversation about what someone likes or doesn’t like."

原文：style.com behind-the-scenesters: mel ottenberg