Talent Spotting: Matthew Moxham

MATTHEW Moxham is sat in Starbucks, sipping water, “I’ve already overdone it on the caffeine today” he tells me whilst trying to coordinate expensive jewellery for a shoot he’s styling tomorrow. “They’ve given me £100,000 worth of jewellery” he says as his phone continues ringing off the hook.

He’s come a long way from his Armani-wearing school days – a time when he realised fashion was the only career for him. “I’m going to put my phone on silent now” he says, apologetically...

"In Paris people take a lot of time to look effortlessly chic. In Manchester’s Northern Quarter people take a lot of time to look effortlessly scruffy."

How did you become a fashion stylist?

I’ve been styling on and off for ten years. I’ve also worked in PR. I trained in international fashion buying and styling at the London College of Fashion for three years. When I finished my course and moved back to Manchester I decided to go to Manchester Metropolitan for another four years and do international fashion marketing. I started assisting another stylist on shoots and it became apparent that I have a knack for it. I’m very passionate about it.

My dad always says “You were at university for seven years. You could be a doctor or an architect by now.” He’s right but that’s boring. My heart has always been in the styling and fashion arena. When I get up for work and go to a shoot, I often think ‘Oh my God. I’m getting paid to shop and have a laugh.’ There’s no better job.

Matthew Moxham

Have you always been passionate about fashion?

When I was a child, my mum went on a shopping trip to Edinburgh and brought me back a really crap Calvin Klein T-shirt. I don’t really know what happened but something changed overnight and I became quite obsessed with designers. I used to be a lot worse than I am now. Can you believe I used to get my school uniform from Armani?

These days, I think fashion has changed and it’s more about mixing and matching designer with high street. It’s now ok to talk about the bargain you got from Primark that you’re wearing with a really great Balenciaga bag.

Why didn’t you stay in London to work as a stylist?

There are a lot more styling jobs in London but there are also a lot more stylists. Plus I’m a northern boy – I’m from Preston.

What do you think of the way people wear fashion in the North West?

There are different looks. There’s what I call the ‘well-heeled triangle’ in Manchester which used to be the Circle club, Panacea and Ithaca. People who went there were always dressed up. You wouldn’t wear those types of clothes to the Northern Quarter, which is much more dressed down. I love the Northern Quarter.

You know, in Paris people take a lot of time to look effortlessly chic. In Manchester’s Northern Quarter people take a lot of time to look effortlessly scruffy.

Would you say Manchester’s Northern Quarter is more like a mini-London then?

In Manchester lots of people can afford to live in or close to the city centre. In central London, the property prices are really high so people have to travel further to get home. Girls up North generally always seem to make a lot more effort compared to London, but that’s because in London people have to be functional. They can’t just nip home to get ready after work.

How about Liverpool?

You hear stories of girls going out in their pyjamas and rollers but it's true! It does happen in Liverpool. I was amazed. The girls do look stunning though when they go out at night. They look like they’re in Marbella. It’s great.

"In Manchester’s Northern Quarter people take a lot of time to look effortlessly scruffy."

Tell us about I.Am.Stylist...

It’s about building a brand around the styling. I was listening to the Black Eyed Peas when I thought of the name.  Will.I.Am inspired me. The great thing about being a freelance stylist is that you don’t need a showroom. There’s the personal styling and the fashion styling. I meet up with clients in town and I also style magazine shoots and celebrities.

What makes hiring a stylist any better than taking a friend shopping for advice?

It’s about knowing what suits different body shapes and making people’s realisations come true. It’s about interoperating a brief. It’s also about different interpretations of briefs as well.

I could say I want a nice vintage dress, but vintage is such a wide scope. What a stylist will do is look at shape and have the eye to see what type of vintage would suit that person. I don’t think it’s something anyone can just do. Persuading someone to try something on they don’t think is for them is difficult to do. However when they do it they often love it. That’s the rewarding part of the job.

How does dressing celebrities differ from dressing everyday clients?

You might look amazing in a Valentino gown but where are you going to wear it to? How is that going to fit into your life? I enjoy that part of the job. It’s maybe not the glitz and glamour of celebrity fashion shoots or dressing celebrities for events, but it’s a personal thing. You can make a massive difference to someone’s life. When you look and feel good your confidence increases. I try and give people a bit of empowerment and offer is a bit of escapism during the four hours a client’s with me. She'll leave set for the season.

Who are your customers?

I get a lot of mothers of the bride or groom. It’s an important day for them. Also, ladies who have just had a baby. For nine months they’ve been in a smock top and then when the baby comes they have to cope with adjusting their lives. Not to mention the fact their body has been ravaged! You don’t look or feel the same way you did before you got pregnant.

I get a lot of men too. That’s a growing trend. Men want to look good. I have guys who live in suits for 18 hours and they come home and don’t know what to change into.

Is styling men a lot different to styling women?

Men really do have a different way of shopping. It’s about taking their personality and making a style concept for them so they feel comfortable. I try and give people the tools to go and build on that wardrobe I’ve helped them put together.

Capsule wardrobes: yay or nay?

I do love capsule wardrobes but I think you’re always going to want to go out and buy that fabulous dress that’s got nothing to do with your capsule wardrobe! Sometimes it’s like ‘screw your capsule wardrobe! I’ll wear a dustbin bag everyday if I can buy that expensive designer dress.’

Are there any other stylists you look up to?

The industry does get quite competitive but there are stylists who I respect. A really good one is Karen Binns. She does the most incredible conceptual stuff. She’s bang on.

Not Gok Wan then?

I love Gok. Love him. He can be a bit too eager with a waist belt every now and then but I think he’s great at dressing people to suit their shape.

Stylist Icon, Karen Binns

Which celebs have you styled?

Michelle Keegan, Catherine Kelly, Sascha Parkinson, the cast of Hollyoaks...

The entire cast of Hollyoaks?

The entire cast dahling. <laughs> It was a shoot for Hello magazine.

Who else?

Kelly Brook, Amanda Holden...

What was Kelly Brook like?

She was gorgeous. She’s actually very articulate despite having a reputation for being thick. She’s not that tall – maybe 5’8”. Amanda Holden was lovely too. Gorgeous.

Do you say ‘gorgeous’ about every celebrity?

<Laughs> Yeah I need to get a new word. Fabulous?

How do you get booked to work with these celebrities?

Through connections, networking, recommendations. Lots of different ways. When you go on jobs, you’re able to broaden your work horizons. Makeup artists, hairdressers, photographers and then the stylist, me – you develop bonds and you all recommend each other for other jobs.

Who would you like to style in the future?

You obviously dahling. <laughs> No, someone who really needs me is Courtney Love. She needs an overhaul. I would turn her into a lady.

For more information on Matthew Moxham including contact details for his styling service, please visit www.iamstylist.co.uk