Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Suvino.
Hi stacy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I went to college at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and majored in Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design. My professors invested a great deal in me and taught me that no dream was too big. I had long dreamt of working in the windows at Bergdorf Goodman and FIT helped secure an internship doing just that.
I got my design start in the windows at Bergdorf Goodman. I started as an intern, graduated to freelance artist and soon after was offered a position first in the interiors department and then in windows. I was afforded a great foundation there working under David Hoey and Linda Fargo. I learned how to source, the process of working with antique stores and prop houses, how to build, how to style, how to create composition and about the fundamentals of fashion and design.
From there, I became a creative director of a 100 year old department store in Tulsa, Oklahoma by the name of Miss Jackson’s. I was able to test ideas there and have a great deal of creative freedom while refining my skills and expanding my knowledge. Myself and my colleague, Rachel, designed and implemented art driven window installations. We also decorated and merchandised the interior of the store and took on all photo shoots and fashion campaigns. This was the first time I took ideas that weren’t within the confines of a window and expanded the stage I created on.
While I was at Miss Jackson’s, I began receiving calls from other stores as well as national brands and publications to work in set decoration and prop styling. That work over the next couple of years led to my move to Atlanta and the opportunity to work on editorial and commercial projects through The Spin Style Agency.
Today, I continue to work in Atlanta on various creative endeavors including work on film and television projects as a set decoration buyer. I have worked with The New York Times T Magazine, British GQ, Nike and Target, to name a few. Additionally, I worked on “Reservation Dogs” for FX on Hulu, “Fancy Dance” for Apple TV, “True Detective Season 3” on HBO, the Academy Award nominated film “Minari” for A24 and most recently “The Sensitive Kind” for FX on Hulu.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I moved up rather quickly during my time in New York City which was such a blessing. My professors in college and mentors at Bergdorf Goodman invested in me in so many ways to help prepare me for the future. The road to transition into film and television has been a bit more challenging. It’s quite competitive and a great deal of it is about networking which posed the initial challenge when my film career began and my creative circle was small. Within the last couple of years, our industry has faced challenges that have required adapting to and evolving with. I’m not sure what the future holds, but storytelling is so important to myself and my colleagues and we look forward to continuing to do so for many years to come.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work as a set decoration buyer for film and television projects and as a prop stylist for photoshoots and commercials. I source things from places all over the world to implement onto sets. Many times I work alongside a team that acquires items from furniture all the way to small decoratives as well as items to layer in as the details of a character. If it’s a period project, a great deal of research is involved to make sure things are historically accurate, down to the last detail. I have a great love and respect for history and thrive working on intricacies. Many of the details are never seen by the viewer but I find great joy in sourcing them and having them on set to help narrate a world with complexity.
I am most proud of projects that are bigger than what myself and my colleagues do, projects that represent others and tell their story for the world to hear and often times learn from. Most notably, working on “Reservation Dogs” and “Minari” were life-giving to me and an honor to be a part of. Both are experiences I will carry with me forever.
I think what sets me apart from others is my luxury background in art, design and fashion. I have the ability to source things that help tell the story of a character within their geographical location and financial status but I’m also able to use my knowledge of creating over the top and sometimes surreal spaces when it’s called for. My education in design has also equipped me with an understanding of spaces and a skillset of building models in scale as well as drafting spaces.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I have been really lucky to have mentors that have helped guide me in my creative journey. Some came into my life while I was in college and have remained on the path alongside me and others have come along in various stages of my career. My advice would be to start by asking those if your life you admire and connect with for mentoring within your career field. Sometimes seeking mentorship requires being bold as well. During my last year of college and early in my career, I made a short list of creatives that really inspired me and reached out to a few of them that I had never met. Several responded and provided guidance that’s applicable still today. Last year, I got to meet my hero, production designer Rick Carter, and took the opportunity to seek advice in my career and ask questions about his. The words he shared with me I’ll continue to aspire to and cherish forever. That moment was a reminder that being bold can often times require courage but you never know where it might lead… perhaps an unexpected conversation with the very person you admire most. Be bold, take risks and never stop learning. I’ve always had the mentality that anything is possible….you just have to believe in yourself and put in the work to achieve your dream. Everyone has to start somewhere, always remember that. I’ve learned a great deal from my mentors and each of them are not only an important part of my creative story but an invaluable part of my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stacysuvino.com
- Instagram: @stacysuvino
