Celebrity Stylist Karla Welch on the Game-Changing Power of Styling and Making Magic With Renate Reinsve and Tessa Thompson

15:42Karla Welch:You still remember. But that's from a different time. We're not going to be, or maybe I hope people are like, oh, her dress at the Golden Globes. that you go back to. Yes. But I just think the turnover is so fast now.

15:55Tessa Thompson:Talk to me about her look for the Cannes Film Festival. What color would you call this?

15:59Karla Welch:Lilac. Lilac, okay. Yeah. I loved this. I love how timeless some of these designs are, even though they're edgy. That's what I kind of love about her. It's like classic with a little bit of a something else. Because we thought maybe... Not saccharine. There's nothing sweet. Even that Givenchy's so sweet, but it wasn't sweet at all. and we're like no i had sketches for it the year for the oscar before because we thought maybe this foreign film she was in was going to get nominated it didn't which fine and so i asked said oh let's try this dress on for can and we met in paris and tried it on it was perfect i have had

16:38Tessa Thompson:the great pleasure of getting to go to the can film film festival exactly once as a guest those stairs are no joke. Yeah. Do you think about designing for stairs and all of that? Like what goes through your mind?

16:50Karla Welch:I always think about what I love about this dress is how sharp that hem is. And I've realized through trial and error and lots of error that you kind of have to go a little shorter than you think in general, because if this skirt had a bend to it, I would want to run through whatever windows behind us or wall. That's like if I saw a bend. And so what I love about all my girls kind of is like we really find what the pose is for the dress. I love that you have dress rehearsal. Oh my God. Of course. That's amazing. The decisions are done, are made. We're ready before the day begins.

17:25Tessa Thompson:How much do you inform hair and makeup?

17:28Karla Welch:With Renata, we have like a joke. She's like, today, all the questions go to Carla.

17:35Tessa Thompson:That's good.

17:36Karla Welch:You got to know who you're delegating to have a captain. Yep.

17:39Renate Reinsve:This episode is brought to you by eBay. Hi, everyone. I'm Nikki, one of Who What Wears fashion editors. I hope you're enjoying this episode about all things award season fashion. The start of a new year is all about who's wearing whom. So I can't wait to see who celebrities choose for the upcoming red carpets. The new year is also my cue for a big closet clean out. It's a great way to declutter, clear my mind and refresh my wardrobe. What used to feel like a chore, something my mom made me do, has become something I love and find almost meditative as I've gotten older. And honestly, I have eBay to thank for that shift.

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19:26Tessa Thompson:Can we talk about Tessa Thompson most recently at the Golden Globes wearing custom Balenciaga? which was created by Pierpolo, who I know you have been such a fan of his and worked with him so closely when he was at Valentino. This won a lot of heart for me. I mean, I was just beside myself. I love a weird green. It's like goldy green, but it sort of reminds me. It had a lot of like yellow

19:52Karla Welch:undertones. It was so incredible. She wore one of his first dresses at the Academy Gala, the little yellow strapless with all the like little daisies on it and I said to Pure Polo because Tess and I just started working had started working together even when we'd known each other for years so it was quite a thrill I was like you know I would really love it if you would give me one of the the new the new looks I want you to meet her and I just know you'll love each other and he was like yeah I trust you go for it because you know when you ask PR some of the PR people are like here's this dress and I'm like that's not the dress I want so again it's the relentlessness but you know I try to do it in a pretty nice way, but fingers crossed.

20:29Karla Welch:I was like, I really think she's going to get a Globe nomination. And will you guys make her a dress? But this dress came together really kind of last, not last minute, but like. Quickly. Quickly. You know, the sketches came in and Tessa, I love you. She's slow to decisions sometimes, whereas like I like, so it's like. She's a deliberator? A deliberator where, you know, you know me, Virgo. Like, I'm like, this is it. But I had a call, a FaceTime with Gabrielle, who heads the studio, and Pierpaolo. And he had just gone to Dubai with her or to the Fashion Trust Arabia. And he's like, you know what I like about her?

21:06Karla Welch:She's so beautiful, but she's a little bit, and maybe this was like his Italian, like, weird. Yeah, you nailed her. Like, she's such an interesting, like, cat, you know? Yes, but not cookie cutter. No, and he just totally got the essence of her. And he was like, Carla, this is the dress I'm going to make because we hadn't come up with the decision or the color. And he's like, and this is the color. And you're talking to the colorist of the world. Like there is no one who. Yeah, he's the master. And I was like, OK. But there were other, you know, dresses on the table. And he's like, you're going to love it.

21:43You're going to you're going to be obsessed.

21:45Karla Welch:It's like snakeskin. And every single one of those little things are all lined with metal. little tiny metal beads she had other other opportunities and dresses and we had like a couple beautiful dresses and then the Friday night it finally arrived and we zipped it up and then we were done and I knew that was it and it's funny because it's like I don't really source a lot of outside opinions but I'll always show my husband and of course the team and Matthew was

22:11Tessa Thompson:like yeah that's he gasped so you guys as you mentioned you haven't worked together for that long in the grand scheme of things how do you develop shorthand quickly with someone what is that process like of realizing like, okay, we get this?

22:25Karla Welch:Is this a Virgo quality that we just need to know right away? Like that we get it, you know what I mean? Like I think Tess and I have known each other and like kind of fangirled on. I mean, I'm just such a fan of hers and we liked each other right away. And just our first conversation was really nice and long and just rattled off ideas and little trains of thought. So I'm sure there's like, there is a getting to know you period, but I know pretty quick how I can work with someone or if I can't.

22:52Tessa Thompson:Well, especially like

22:53Karla Welch:you're a pro. You've been doing this.

22:55Tessa Thompson:Yeah. That is one of the benefits of experience, right?

22:58Karla Welch:Yeah, for sure. And I also think one of the benefits now in my career that I'm really fortunate to have is that I can decide when it's not working. Whereas like when I started or even a few years ago, I would adapt to someone else's style. And of course, there's adapt. Of course, It's not a dictatorship here. No. As much as I'd love it to be. Me and the president. You find ways that you know where it's a pleasure. Like, I really want work and need work to be a pleasure. And so you know when you're flowing with someone. Wait, speaking of a little bit what you just mentioned,

23:38Tessa Thompson:talk to me about Tessa's bag for the Golden Globes. Yeah. I thought that was so lovely. I think there was one shot where it was like the Bulgari was a watcher bracelet Serpenti. Yeah, two of them stacked. Two of them stacked and then her bag and then you had two pins on the bag. Ice out, be good. One of the things that I've always loved about you and the way that you present in this world and the way that you show up on social media and the way that you show up in life is your commitment to activism. How did that moment come together?

24:07Karla Welch:Really easy. You know, our friend Elsa Collins was helping spearhead it. I had three girls going, you know, so I got three sets of them. Renata no, because she's not from here, even though she probably would have because she's a human being in the world. But it was more just to be ready. You know, our job is to be ready. And it was like, I didn't talk to Tessa about it. She texted me and she's like, have you heard about these pins? And I was like, I've got them. And she wrote back, great. And then Grace, very, in the most chic way, Grace, my longtime wonderful assistant. She put them on the bag and off they went.

24:42Karla Welch:It was a perfect moment. I think when you have someone who knows who they are and I know who I am, I'm not going to. I mean, I have put ACLU ribbons on people who maybe didn't want to wear them. I don't care because in some moments, but also it was a good moment or if they needed a little coaxing. Yeah. Not Ruth. Of course, her whole movie was about that case. But when you know who you are, as Tessa knows how she is, that's what she was going to do.

25:07Tessa Thompson:OK. Other beautiful moment. I have to talk about.

25:10Karla Welch:Fashion Fun Arabia.

25:11Tessa Thompson:be that how like Holly Golightly is that I mean the color is everything yeah the shoe is just weird enough like I love the glove yeah how how did this come together it was me introducing the

25:24Karla Welch:two of them yeah and uh does she feel was she just like yes all in yeah that's nice yeah but sometimes like even I'm surprised with like how people like respond to a look I always know how I feel, but I don't think I have the tastes for the masses. And then so when it like, because I always know my work's good. Yeah. And but I don't always know how it will be received. Well, those lists are kind of like, OK, I just think back to like they're meant to sell magazines.

25:52Tessa Thompson:Some of the more intellectual or directional looks might not necessarily be a part of that. OK, thanks, mom. That's fine.

25:59Karla Welch:I'm just, you know. Yeah. My mom will always be like, did you make the list? The best list? And I just say, yeah, mom.

26:09Tessa Thompson:So one of the things I also wanted to talk about is sort of like your role in the crafting of the narrative for a client and how, because I know when someone shows up on the scene or someone changed a stylist or someone's having a moment, I often will look at like, okay, well, who's their agent? Who's their publicist? What stylist are they working with? What glam team are they working with because it shows their taste. But more importantly, it shows that these people who are extremely vetted and knowledgeable have chosen this person. And that counts as much as anything because if someone is clever enough to surround themselves with all sorts of people, then that really often tells me as an editor, it's indicative of like the direction of travel, we should say.

26:51Tessa Thompson:Yes. Could you speak about any moment where you feel like you've helped that journey for someone or enjoyed being a part of it.

26:59Karla Welch:I think I've done it for everybody or have or got to go on that journey, but I know that I make a big impact.

27:04Tessa Thompson:Do you remember a point earlier in your career when you realized that you were doing that? Because obviously today this is like you are operating at an incredible level.

27:15Karla Welch:Oh, thanks.

27:16Tessa Thompson:What was it like when you were still feeling like maybe you were earlier in your career and starting to understand your power?

27:23Karla Welch:When I was starting, it was like still the movies, movies, movies. But of course, I had girls in TV and I had girls who weren't always sample size. And I remember really pushing hard to be like, actually, no, you should make her a dress because she's amazing. And TV, I used to always say TV is going to be where it's at. Like any business of like this in fashion, especially like there's tons of insecurities where you're like, I don't know, am I making an impact? But I do know the impact stylists have. Like it's the same ongoing conversation, you know, the impact Rachel Zoe had, of course. Andrea Lieberman in a different way, but like iconic, but like, you know, and I have good fortunate timing.

28:03Karla Welch:When Ruth and I started working together, I had read a press release of who was going to Cannes Film Festival and I read about the loving story. And then I see this name Ruth Negan and I was like, oh, I want to know who that girl is. And just like also magic. I get a text from Brenna Rifkin. She's like, I'm working with this woman, Ruth Negan. I was like, I am in. Yeah. Say less. Say less. And I remember my agents being like, oh, we're not sure. The agent at the time being like, we're not sure this is anything. And I was like, oh, I already said yes. By the way, you're three days late to this and I'm flying to Albuquerque to fit her and it's going to be something.

28:39Karla Welch:Yeah.

28:40Tessa Thompson:Talk to me a little bit about the publicist relationship because, you know, we shoot covers. Publicists have feelings and thoughts about things. Sometimes they're very additive. Sometimes a little more trust would be nice. How do you do you have to deal with your client's publicists often? Because there are lots of opinions as and it's a business. I understand why there are lots of opinions. I'm curious about how you navigate that relationship.

29:05Karla Welch:I think that dynamics changed a lot. Yeah. Yeah. Because you're more powerful now? Well, I think just in a general, as a general thing, like I remember doing a shoot 18 years ago and you'd be like real scared. And then you kind of like some things, you know, when you take your eyeball at the industry, you're like, oh, OK, I don't have to be that scared. But that said, you know, the publicist that I work with, and maybe this is nature of being a little bit of an introvert, that I have a real separate life from work. so I'm not hanging out being besties but I do incredibly respect the publicists I work with they work really hard and I think the more you grow in this business and you kind of and that more you grow as a human being where you can have the perspective of seeing it through someone else's lens and their objectives and realizing you can all work together and what are the whys and that hey I'm actually I do know how powerful we are but I'm not the star here and the objective is to work together.

30:05Karla Welch:And I'm sure I'm not a lot of publicist's choice because I do gain ground in ways that some might not. Because you're not so malleable. Yeah, I'm not malleable. I am not malleable. And I want to work the way I want to work because when I can work the way I want to work, that's when magic happens. And it's not for everybody. And that's okay. But it is for many.

30:27Tessa Thompson:Yeah, exactly. As evidenced by the fact that you have so many long-term clients. Yeah. Talk to me about that like what makes a long-term client work and like how do you work together well and how do you continue to evolve when you've been with someone for a really long time because i

30:42Karla Welch:know it's still work you got to make sure you're giving them the very best i can't just be giving renata and tessa the best i have to give everybody the best and so i i kind of like always will tailor how i do things like olivia who's my og is about is about to be the sundance kid she's at at Sundance Film Festival with her movie that she's directing and starring at The Invite. She's in the Iraqi film, I Want Your Sex. And I was like, okay, what are we going to do? And we talked about it. And I was like, like, the looks are so fun that she's going to wear because it feels like a little Robert Redford.

31:18Karla Welch:It feels a little like, so you want that always to bring that excitement to someone. It's an interesting business because I have to be in love with you to work with you. Like, I love you. Because I do. Because I'm like, I'm not going to do this if I don't love you. It's too much work. Yeah.

31:34Tessa Thompson:One of the other things that I think is really amazing about the way that you work, it's well known in this industry that most people start out assisting and then at some point in time they have assistants and at some point in time those assistants move on. And there have been a wide range of, shall I say, responses by various people within the industry to how they feel about when someone from their team moves on. I love the way that you have championed Erica. yeah and yay erica cloud erica cloud and been so celebratory and it's been a pleasure watching her continue to work and to take on her own so good clients and to do all that how did you get to a place where that is your approach when it comes to team members of your own who you've cultivated and taught moving on because that's also like i go through that yeah within the world of who wear and Marie Claire where you're like, oh my gosh, we've done so much together.

32:27Tessa Thompson:And it's painful when someone leaves often, but also to have joy for them. I think one of my proudest achievements,

32:35Karla Welch:besides actually of having a really sustainable business for 20 years, is that all my girls go and thrive. I, you know, Sienna Montesano, my little KK, she works in a different field because she's like, I don't want to be a stylist. But she's off like running. She runs like PR for Doanne now. And just like, I'm so lucky that I have got such great team members. But also like, I have run businesses since I was 20 years old. You know, when I, we can talk about that in Second Life. If anyone wants to hear about it, we discussed, you have. And, and I've been like the manager or the boss, which is a big responsibility.

33:20Karla Welch:And it's also like can really get your feelings hurt, you know, because, you know, you're the leader. You're the person they shit on, which is fine. But like at the same time, well, it is. It's true. Listen, it's. Everyone complains about their boss. Everybody complains about the boss. Just like everybody. But you know what? The key is to not do it on when while they're paying you. go home and do it somewhere else because you're on my you're on my clock yeah but I want people like of course there's a moment of panic when you're like this person knows my brain inside and out but like I mean I'm super thankful I'm nothing but thankful and how could you this is a business where you come in to go and be it and I have to give people all the skills they that's the outcome and you want that outcome for them or you want them to be like a committed assistant which by the way great job fantastic like photo assistants are making sometimes more money than like i mean there's days i'm not getting paid but everybody at my office is you know so it's a choice and i think there's no there's such amazing first assistants out there who are committed to to that but they have to have that energy where because i feel like sometimes in this business too, you can get insecure about like, I'm not that.

34:38Karla Welch:I'm not the person who's getting the invite. It's like, yeah, well, that's when it's time for you to go put your name on the door and take on all the responsibilities. All the bad stuff. All those invoices. Yeah. I love that. I'm so, when Erica got shouted out at the Oscars by Robert Downey Jr., I'm like, get out of town. And don't you think I didn't say it like Sarah Paulson? So I expect you to do. She's like, yes, Yes, I will.

35:01Tessa Thompson:It's very Seth Rogen, the studio. Just say my name. Just say my name. So speaking of diplomacy in that way, how do you deal with other stylists when their clients come to you to switch? Do you have conversations? Because all of you guys know each other and all of you are friends. Yeah. Do you address it head on? Is it something where you're just like, we're not going to talk about this. We're just going to like move forward. Everyone has their own choices. How do you feel about that?

35:26Karla Welch:It depends. And I think the key is to like, you know, obviously I like if I know the person well, it's that conversation. It's that it is. It's just that little note being like, hey, like I will never start working with someone if they haven't had their conversation with the person. It doesn't have to be that deep. Right. Where it's like, but I do think people are like, well, I couldn't do it. And that's why they're moving on. It's like, just say less. You don't have you don't you know, if I was like a person hiring a stylist, I wouldn't be against mixing it up.

35:56Tessa Thompson:It's you putting yourself into someone else's shoes, which is what you do with publicists, which is what you do with agents. So it's like really understanding the basics, putting yourself in the client's shoes.

36:05Karla Welch:Yeah, as long as it's done classy, you know, I think like. Don't burn the bridge. Don't burn a bridge. I mean, it's like, you know, you've been in situations where it hasn't been done nicely. And I'm like, well, shame on you.

36:19Tessa Thompson:Oscars are upon us. They certainly are. I know you can't tell me all of your secrets or maybe any of your secrets. But what are you thinking about?

36:28Karla Welch:Well, here's the dress, everybody.

36:32Tessa Thompson:You've been thinking about this for a while. Yeah. How much are you considering? What is the direction you're considering? What can you tell me that doesn't tell me anything but tells me something?

36:40Karla Welch:Well, I have two directions. Okay. I actually thought I already had the dress kind of done in my mind as a sketch. I'm always looking for like the thunderbolt, like the idea. And that's how I kind of approach every bit of styling. It's like I always say I'm conjuring a muse and I was just driving the other day and I I was like, I had an idea, actually can, of how I wanted her to look at the end. And then I just veered away from it. And then I was like, no, no, no, fuck it. I'm right. So that's what we're going to do.

37:09Tessa Thompson:But I love two things. One, shower and driving. Best places. Totally. Right.

37:15Karla Welch:Sometimes I come up with my best ideas actually at like a music show.

37:17Tessa Thompson:Because it's like you have to be present.

37:19Karla Welch:Yeah.

37:20Tessa Thompson:But you're feeling. You're like, oh, wait a minute. and also that but then again that speaks to you have that initial thought like this has been a plan this whole way through yeah variations of when something shows up yeah it's funny because

37:33Karla Welch:i was had to do something and was about the fates like a tropa or whatever and it was like you're either dragged or you lead i'm not going to be dragged that's not no because it's like also like i'm really open to like a little bit of magic some intervention that calvin klein dress was a little magical intervention and it was like yep we focused on a lot of high moments that's not

37:57Tessa Thompson:that's not the full picture always never are there any moments that you look back on you're like i don't know how i feel about that maybe that slightly missed the mark or and i don't need like a specific example of yeah or like you didn't trust your gut and x happened i'm curious about and i know at this point that's not happening you have so much experience under your belt like oh

38:21Karla Welch:Yeah, but it can happen. It can happen to the best of us, you know, where you're just like, ugh.

38:24Tessa Thompson:What has been a moment where you were like, oh, whoops? Not, again, like you don't have to tell me.

38:28Karla Welch:Well, I'm not going to name names or dresses or designers, but there was one dress that was so bad. And it was just like, I should have, and I thought in the moment, if I just spilt this red glass of wine that's in my hand, if I fell away to like trip right now, then we could put the backup dress on.

38:50Tessa Thompson:and why like what was wrong it was just like it was made it just came with too much fabric and

38:56Karla Welch:it was the wrong type of fabric and i like lamented like i really suffered thanks for bringing this up i couldn't just talk about the good stuff that's not yeah no no no

39:08Tessa Thompson:because it's not always just good stuff yeah and this is useful for folks like if even carla welch can have these moments yeah yeah carla it was such a pleasure this was so fun love talking to you always. I love talking to you personally and professionally. Thank you so much for making the time for us today. Thank you for having me. Congratulations on the podcast.

39:28Karla Welch:Thank you. The videocast. What are you calling a video podcast? Video podcast. Oh, there we go.

39:39Hillary Kerr:A huge thank you to celebrity stylist, Carla Welch. Make sure to subscribe to our show wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. And while you're there, I'd also be so grateful if you would rate and review us. You can now watch all episodes of The Pod on our new Who What Wear podcast YouTube channel, so please subscribe and check us out there. If you have any guest suggestions or any other feedback, find us on social at Who What Wear. See you next Wednesday on the Who What Wear podcast.

40:17Hillary Kerr:This episode was produced by Hilary Kerr, Summer Hammeris, and Natalie Thurman. Our production assistant is Raven Yamamoto. Our audio engineers are at Glen Canyon Audio, and our music is by Jonathan Leahy.