Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Kallas.
Nina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The younger me was always popping into my mother’s closet and putting on random outfits with heels and jewelry – I would walk around the house, like a little runway, and just be living playing dress up. Fashion has always been something I’ve had a strong interest in – fast forward to when I got into high school I started getting into street style and following fashion blogs. I loved what I was seeing on the runways so it inspired me to go to the thrift stores to buy fabric similar to the pieces I loved on the runway and I would make my own creations of them. Near the end of my high school career, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in fashion, I decided to have a small fashion show with a friend at a local gallery. Since designing clothes was something I enjoyed so much. It helped me to step into the industry and see how doing a project like that would go; it went well and helped me understand my goals and passion more. After that, college was the next step in my head – I felt that going to school for fashion business would be more beneficial for me since I already knew how to make garments.
In 2014, I went to Columbia College Chicago for fashion business; during my time at Columbia, I started to focus on networking with local brands and all types of creatives in Chicago. During the end of my first year at Columbia, I reposted on my Instagram some photos that a local Chicago store posted on their IG from their upcoming collection… the brand then reached out to me to do an SS15 campaign for their new collection… which was crazy since I have never done anything like this before. I have always been someone to take a risk and even if I have never done anything like the task I am being asked before I go ahead and just do it. I ended up doing the campaign (finding the photographer, doing the creative direction, finding models, styling, and location (etc.) which I ended up loving it. After that I started networking with local talent at my school, I hopped into a school project with a friend to help style/do makeup and hair for and then I started working with the photographer more and more and soon enough got more portfolio work. During this time, I dropped out of Columbia and was working full time, so all my days off I was styling, working on portfolio shoots, and networking – I seriously hustled my a** off, I kept pushing myself to keep working as hard as I could without any expectation of the outcome. A few months into it an agency reached out to me to meet with them and to potentially be signed… I got signed with them after meeting (which I felt was a dream come true because I was styling shoots on the side for the love of doing it and wasn’t thinking about trying to be signed or anything, at least yet). Since I’ve been signed with an agency, it took me a few months to push myself to be freelance and quit my other jobs to focus on this full time.
Once I felt I could really push myself to freelance full time, I finally quit my job, with no guarantee I would be able to make this work and it happened naturally that I got work right after I started freelancing full time. I kept focus and motivated to push myself to do better and to work harder. Networking and being active on social media has helped me push myself a lot and meet some amazing creatives. All in all, I am so happy I made the move to pursue this full time, and the way my career happened so organically is something that is important to me as well because it makes my path feel right.
To everyone/anyone that wants to pursue something and they have any doubt, I am telling you, don’t doubt yourself by any means. You go follow what you are passionate about and what excites you – it will be worth it and the more you work hard and don’t give up you’ll get there sooner, I promise. It’s all about self-motivation, we all got this.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My journey so far has been fortunately smooth – every opportunity that I have had a chance to work on or be an art of has come organically. If I had to say any struggle so far in my career, it would be how competitive this industry is… keep working hard and staying focused.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Nudehues – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I am a freelance wardrobe stylist, which means, I work on editorial and commercial work. I work on styling for magazines or eCommerce for online stores, my roles are either leading or assisting on photo shoots. Frequently photographers will reach out to me when they are wanting to shoot something that is really focusing on layers, colors, or patterns – I would say that is what I specialize in. I love thinking outside of the box for more editorial shoots and being different/taking risks, which would tie into what sets me apart from others.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plans for the future is to be able to travel more for work and expand my abilities – to learn and grow as much as possible, as fast as possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.nudehues.com/
- Phone: 9202260660
- Email: nina.k.kallas@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nudehues/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nudehuescom-271730703309384/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/nudehuess
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/NudeHues01/
Image Credit:
Model: Christina Jones (@xstinamarie_), HMUA: Felicia Leon (@fmvdmakeup), Photographer: Adam Mayer (@adamdmayer), Stylists: Nina Kallas (@nudehues), Model: Karli Simmons (@karlisimmons_), Photographer: Adam Mayer(@adamdmayer), HMUA/Stylist: Nina Kallas(@nudehues), Model: Lynn Smith (@lynneasmitherzz), HMUA: Erica Janssen (@erijanss), Photographer: Colleen Carney (@colleencarneyphoto), Stylist: Nina Kallas (@nudehues), Model: Emilie Geneve (@emgeneve), HMUA: La’Yanna Kai (@beautybylayanna), Photographer: Adam Mayer (@adamdmayer), Stylist: Nina Kallas (@nudehues), Model: Ingrid Medeiros (@ingrid_pmedeiros), HMUA: Mercedes Small (@masmakeupartistry), Photographer: Michaela Quan (@michaelaquan), Photo Assistant: Adeline Hocine (@adelineania), Stylist: Nina Kallas (@nudehues), Model: Erin Zielke (erin.zielke), HMUA: Mercedes Small (@masmakeupartistry), Photographer: Alexa Visius (@alexavisciusphoto), Stylist: Nina Kallas (@nudehues)
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