Style Unplugged: A Chat with Van Teixeira on Fashion and Production

Van Teixeira is a brazilian stylist, talented fashion designer, image and style consultant, passionate communicator, mentor, and the founder and CEO of Oficrie. Known as the "Criadora de Looks," Van shares her captivating behind-the-scenes experiences from campaigns and styling on her social media, connecting with her audience in an authentic way.

With a brilliant career, Van has crafted major campaigns for renowned brands such as Lolla Cosméticos, Época Cosméticos, Nielly Gold, Colorama, and Beleza Natural. She has also had the privilege of dressing influential artists like Jojo Toddynho, Jade Seba, Monique Alfradique, and Pocah.

Her passion for fashion ignited at the age of 15, inspired by the show "Esquadrão da Moda" — brazilian version of "What Not To Wear" — which fueled her desire to transform people's looks. Through the internet, Van showcased her first works, and since then, her career has soared, opening doors to new opportunities.

Today, she proudly boasts over 200 campaigns to her name and actively creates opportunities for other talents. Van's main goal is to make the fashion industry more accessible and recognized while continuing to live her dream.

Van Teixeira in the Backstage

Some styling pieces signed by Van Teixeira

1. Do you believe that fashion styling has the power to transform the perception of a brand or product and communicate a unique narrative? How do you explore this in your work?

Absolutely! Image communicates, fashion is image, and the way we dress conveys messages. So, we have the power to deliver the right communication, whether through our everyday looks or the outfits used in a campaign. Every aspect of communication (including styling) in a campaign — whether for a mattress or cosmetics — requires a cohesive message to effectively reach the brand's target audience.

2. In your opinion, what are the most essential skills for a stylist?

Our field seems fantastical! It's no use thinking it's all glamour because, in reality, it looks glamorous from the outside, but it's challenges after challenges. I believe there are three very important skills needed to stand out in this industry: being communicative and networking; having the flexibility to handle and solve unexpected problems; and knowing how to work under pressure.

3. How do you see the relationship between styling and sustainability in fashion? Can styling help promote conscious consumption?

Since we have a broad view of combining looks and different communications with a single piece, making it less disposable and, above all, fully utilized, our work as stylists contributes to conscious consumption when we understand that we don’t need 50 pieces to convey an image. Sometimes, we can have just two pieces that communicate numerous images and further emphasize conscious consumption.

4. What kind of research do you conduct before starting a project? Could you share your creative process with us?

My creative process is very varied… It depends on how much time I have for each project, my relationship with the client hiring me, and the brand as well! But generally, I try to understand what the client desires through references; the more images I have of the "ideal project," the better my understanding of it.

After that, I get to know the brand and the context of the campaign, needing to understand the audience and whether it’s a campaign focused on a market action like "Black Friday," for example…

Then, I align expectations with the client in a conversation where I also share my ideas, and we exchange thoughts before getting to work (looking for pieces, checking model sizes, thinking about looks, and getting client approval).

5. How do trends influence your work? Do you prefer to follow them or create something timeless?

I love following trends! I'm creative, so whenever I can draw from that source and translate it into my styling, I do! But it’s not always possible. It depends on many factors, but when I can, I always include it in my styling… I love this cyclical process of fashion that comes and goes, remaking and unmaking all the time.

6. What are your main inspirations and references for creating?

I often say that everything serves as IRI (Influence, Reference, and Inspiration). We receive diverse stimuli all the time — textures, environments, music, scents, photos, stories — that help us be creative; we just need to allow ourselves to feel these stimuli.

But what inspires me the most is music, references from magazines (Vogue, Elle, L’Officiel), Pinterest, and observing the streets; these are my sources of inspiration.

7. And for those starting in fashion, do you have tips on how to develop a stylist's eye?

I think getting hands-on experience is the best way to develop that eye. You can create three looks based on an external stimulus, like music, for example, and photograph a friend or family member to start training that eye. Nothing beats practice! No one is good at what they don’t execute… Practice leads to perfection, and that saying is as true as it gets…

8. Any book, movie, or course recommendations for those looking to improve?

Study the greatest fashion designers we’ve had worldwide, as they will inspire you on your journey. Additionally, I’ll recommend two courses. Mine, available on Hotmart, called "Start no Styling," which focuses on helping those who want to enter the field, covering everything from creating a mood board to issuing an invoice for a client. And the "Reaprendizagem Criativa" course by Murilo Gun, available on YouTube.