Tell us about yourself
I am a London based fashion stylist and host. I started in the industry over 10 years ago working on a variety of projects within TV, film, music and editorial. In recent years I have been working with celebrity clients and found myself branching into the world of fashion hosting.
How did you get into styling?
I always knew that I wanted to work in the world of fashion. I think my love for clothes stems from my fashion conscious mother when I was growing up. I loved to experiment with clothes and play dress up. When I started out, I set about getting myself work experience in the industry, which I still think is a great way to get started because you get first hand experience on the job.
What's your style?
My style is very eclectic and can depend on my mood and what I'm doing that day. I would say my overall style is a little ‘Olivia Palermo meets Kate Bosworth’ with Kate Moss’s effortless tone.
Tell us a bit about the campaigns you've worked with
I've worked on a range of projects, both beauty and fashion. I was the ambassador for Jergen's Skincare and taught people how to put their skin on show in a cool fashionable way. I've worked at London Fashion Week for the past 2 seasons, hosting the Luxe Lounge & presenting my own style and trend workshops. I was Rimmel London’s online host for LFW for the past 3 years reporting on the latest beauty trends, and I have been busy shooting editorials and working on a variety of TV shows. It’s been a really fun mix.
Do you see your style as more commercial?
I would say it’s a little commercial although I don’t think that’s necessarily the best choice of word. I think fashion is fun. It’s the expression of ones self. The great thing about fashion is it’s so diverse. It’s also about making you feel good and being in tune with how colours and prints work for you and your body shape.
What is it about fashion that you love?
I love the diversity and the creativity that comes with fashion. Recently TK Maxx launched a big campaign about self-expression in fashion. What’s really interesting about the campaign is that it actually portrays real life shoppers as models. They put together their own looks based on their own self expression which I think is great, as opposed to just following the latest trends.
What do you expect from this season's Design Genius?
I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of varied creation, innovative designs and things that we haven't seen before. Contestants are working with unimaginable products and bringing something really revolutionary to the fashion industry, it's going to be very exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing how the designers work under pressure and within a confined space.
Describe the next Design Genius?
The next Design Genius must have something exceptional. It's all about designing something that has the ‘wow’ factor, and is entirely functional. The winner has to show skills that point towards revolutionary in the realms of design and originality.
What are you looking for in particular?
I'm looking for fierce determination, skill, technical ability and original thinking. Someone who can work from a strong vivid imagination and bring something to life in a functional way; that is the real test.
What do you hope for the contestants?
I hope the contestants bring innovation. Working with unimaginable products is a real challenge. It will be good to see how people work with that pressure. The fashion industry is very fast paced and so they will have to be very forward thinking.
What advise will you give to designers just starting in the industry?
My advice would be to always make sure you have your own stamp on something. Stay true to yourself, have a vision and carry it through from beginning to end. Whatever it is you want to transcend in your designs, have belief in what you are doing. It's about going into that journey, embracing the obstacles and getting to the end feeling proud of what you have achieved.
What do you find annoying from new designers?
Designers can sometimes run with their imagination so much so that they create weird and wacky designs that are just not functional. It’s also about stepping back and reviewing what you have done as you go through the journey of making your garment, if you fail to do that you can go so far in the wrong direction with your design it will be hard and sometimes impossible to get back on track.
What was the most defining moment in your career so far?
The transition that I've made from being a renowned fashion stylist to hosting fun inspiring shows such as Design Genius has been a great achievement. As well as continue to do the job that I love, I also get to teach people my knowledge through all of the style workshops do. For more information on the workshops that I hold, visit www.kaleehewlett.com.
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