Arieta is 29 and has been working in fashion at various capacities for 10 years in the UK. – A window dresser for GAP which allowed her access to seeing how looks are pulled together as worldwide GAP is applauded or their fabulous and consistent windows, while working as a window dresser for GAP in brighton she started to get involved in styling.

Getting back to London she started to assist veteran stylists like Didi Danso and Karen Klarkson on a weekly basis, she also got work experiene at fashion magazines like RED, Just 19, Sneak and smash hits where she met Henry Holland. She then moved on to fashion PR and worked as press officer for a popular brand on high street but still styled part time. She has styled a variety of people from Boy bands like Tripple 8 ad Blue to TV presenters like Myleen Klass, June Sarpong, zezi and supermodel Agyness denn and LILY ALLEN. She also styled Deola Sagoes Spring/Summer 2007 on line look book and did the same for other up and coming african designers in the UK like, ZED EYE which she is also a creative director.

She runs an online website called www.ethnicky.com with a friend which is about interior decorating in African fabrics and 6 months after the launh of the site they were invited by the Mayor of london’s office to makeover his offices to mark AFRICA DAY.
She is curretly the PR manager for River Island retailers ltd which is a fashion brand in the uk with over 200 stores in the UK.

We are quite excited about getting some Styling tips from London’s most wanted…So lets get straight into it.

FashionAfrica.com: What is the first impression you see in a person that goes on to influence your work on him/her?

Arieta: PERSONALITY… I’d rather work with someone who is fun and up for anything than a moody person. I can’t be arsed with moodiness, we don’t save lives in our job so take a chill pill…

FA: Looking back would you say it all started as a kid or did the knack for styling come later in life?

A: It definitely started as a kid, growing up, we didn’t have much and I had to wear hand me downs sometimes. So the onus on me was to make the clothes cool, well at least make my friends think they were. This continued into my teens and early twenties. I am a firm believer that fashionistas are born not made!

FA: In three words, what would your style be?

A: Fierce, Feroucious, tomboy!

FA: Academic achievements …high school, college (any awards)?

A: A degree in Business Law, a HND in Business and Marketing…and MOST BEAUTIFUL baby in Brighton and Hove, 1979 (I kid u not!!).

FA: Most people who are in different fields of fashion didn’t always get a positive approval from their families. How did your family take your decision?

A: My parents died when I was younger so they didn’t get to see me embark on my career path. My mum always encouraged my creative side but my dad didn’t want to hear it. If my mum had her way I would have been an actress as I was obsessed with FAME the TV series as a child and my mum wanted me to go to La Guardia high. Dad was like HELL NO!! My siblings are quite creative too so they have always been supportive. My aunties and uncles too (especially BABA APOLLO and Aunty flo) have supported everything I have done and with my career choice now, at first they didn’t understand but encouraged me any way.

FA: Grande! Sorry about the loss of your parents, but it’s a good thing you still have a strong family support system.

FA: Having worked with various fashion-related organizations from Gap to magazine companies, how has all that contributed to your eclectic and very creative style?

A: Being around every aspect of fashion from sketching the designs, sourcing the fabrics, dealing with suppliers, working with clothing standard agencies, pulling together looks and indeed styling outfits have given me a deep respect for fashion. So when you respect something, it definitely impacts your life and in this case, yes it has.

FA: Your clientele; who do you enjoy styling most…the girly girls or sexy tomboys?

A: BOTH

FA: Yeah, which celebrity did you style first?

A: A boy band in the UK called TRIPLE8. It was for TOP OF THE POPS in 1999, I was an assistant on that shoot and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

FA: Did it feel surreal or you were used to the industry already?

A: Na, it feels as surreal now as it did then. I’m a shit kid from Lagos, so this is all still amazing to me. I try not to show it thou, shades on and all.

FA: Which other celebrities have gotten your touch?

A: Solange, Lily Allen, Keri Hilson, OLUCHI, Alek wek, Liya Kedebe, Tyson Beckford and Kelly Rowland.

FA: Being an African woman in the industry, does that give you some drive at all?

A: Of course, to work harder and longer than my peers.

FA: What the best thing about styling a person?

A: Getting to know them. I am a people person, love meeting new peeps.

FA: I guess that’s why you got to become the PR manager for River Island…huge! How has that been?

A: Its amazing, I also am the face of RIVERTV, which is a fashion channel, I get to go to most of all the fashion shows to blog (went to NYC, LONDON and PARIS fashion week this year) which is great. I get to meet so many fabulous people who have inspired me. River Island is a very family orientated organization and they encourage and nurture talent so I also get involved with the window schemes too. Which is awesome.

FA: With such demanding jobs, how do you stay focused and balanced as a human being?

A: My family keeps me sane. I also have an amazing boss who is the doyenne of high street PR in the UK Sarah Walter who is just the most supportive person ever. I also have a few good friends too who totally get me, they have known me for ages and tell me off when I throw my toys out of the pram.

FA: The best advice you got as a “stylista”?

A: Find what works for you and stick with it. You might love fashion but does fashion love you? That’s the question.

FA: Fashionistas-who gets your five-star?

A: Grace Jones.. need I say more…

Findout more about Arieta on www.styleinsider.riverisland.com

- Ernest Nwangwu for FashionAfrica.com