BEHIND THE SCENES OF CRYSTAL CLEAN:
Sian O’Donnell: Stylist
July 18th, 2020
By Grace Proctor @grace_proctor_
Sian O’Donnell is a London-based fashion stylist with experience in editorial, commercial, advertising, music video, lookbooks and personal styling, as well as wardrobe for TV & film. A close collaborator with photographer and filmmaker Jasmine De Silva on the project Crystal Clean, Sian told us a little more about the project and her love of fashion.
“I always thought I would go into journalism and was lucky to get a place on the Fashion Journalism course at UCA. However, after I graduated and started interning at various magazines, I naturally funneled into a styling career. For the first few years I still wrote pieces for digital platforms, but it gradually phased out when styling became more prominent, and I haven’t looked back since! I took the final step to go freelance as a fashion and wardrobe stylist two years ago, and it has been the best decision I could have made. The reason I love being freelance so much is the freedom and diversity that comes with it. To be able to choose your own jobs is elevating; you could be working on an editorial one day, to a short film on location, and then a week long TV commercial in a freezing cold field the next.
For Crystal Clean my focus was mainly on accessories, as the jewellery needed to be lavish and ostentatious; she was literally dripping in diamonds. I added luxe lingerie in sheers and silks and embellished mules so you could still see the full effect of the body.
For me fashion is a fun and guilt-free way of experimenting. Growing up, the club scene was definitely a huge influence on me, as well as the 90s aesthetic of sportswear and colour, and the whole notion of “don’t take yourself too seriously” which I have definitely brought through into my adult and styling life. Subcultures hugely inspire me and I am always referencing back to different pockets of society for inspiration in my work. The UK is incredible for that. I also love colour. The more colour the better. I find when I have to style neutral shoots (like for beauty or an advert) I am always trying to add a touch of colour, even if it is a tiny stone in a ring!
Unnatural standards of perfection are a problem. Just look on Instagram at the influencers with the filters and the contouring and the outfits! I honestly do feel sorry for these young girls who have the pressure on them to look a certain way. The 14 year old pictures of me are questionable to say the least (remember the crunchy mousse hair trend and pink frost lip gloss, terrible!), but at least we looked like kids who were having a great time at the park with their mates in trackies and terrible fringe choices. The industry is definitely changing for the better, but like with everything, it takes time to fully evolve.
“Teams are so important, you tend to start working a lot with the same faces and it feels like family.”
My most recent career highlight has to be the short film I styled toni_with_an_i for BBC4 which has just been nominated for a BAFTA for best short form programme! It was amazing news to hear during lockdown and definitely the pick-me-up the team needed. Fingers firmly crossed!
I cannot wait to get going again after lockdown, excited to get the styling kit back out and get creative!”
