Stylist Spotlight: Jess Willis
Jessica Willis is the style director of The Cut where she brings creative visions to life through fashion. She has a background in costume design and has worked behind the scenes in the music industry, which has developed her amazing technical styling skills. Willis has a long list of clients including Vogue, Tiffany & Co., Jil Sander, Apple, and more. She has conceptualized style for various campaigns, videos, and runways. She has notably styled Solange’s film When I Get Home and the Pyer Moss Collection 3 runway show.
COURTESY OF JESSICA WILLIS ON INSTAGRAM
Growing up, Willis had a passion for art, and she was specifically drawn to sculpture. She even was on a path to apply to Rhode Island School of Design to train to become a sculptor. In addition to her love of sculpture, she was an avid film watcher. After watching a particular movie called Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? in which the first black supermodel to be on the cover of British Vogue, Donyale Luna, appeared in the opening scene. Luna was shown wearing wearable sculptures. This inspired Willis to give wearable sculptures a try, so she partnered with a photographer friend to take photos of her wearable sculpture creations. Their work ended up in an art show where a costumer took notice of Willis’ work. Willis was invited to join an art collective where one of their first major clients was Lady Gaga, and Willis helped create looks for her Monster Ball tour. While at this same studio, Jess Wilils created looks for Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, and the Black Eyed Peas.
COURTESY OF JESSICA WILLIS ON INSTAGRAM
Eventually, Jess Willis became part of the wardrobe team for the Black Eyed Peas and went on tour with them which allowed her to travel the world for three years. After her touring adventures with the Black Eyed Peas, Willis decided to pursue independent styling and secured her first project of Azealia Banks’ music video for “1991” and followed that up with another of Banks’ music videos for “Luxury”. At that time, budgets for new talent in the industry were limited, so Willis took a different turn and took a corporate job as lead stylist with a big retailer. After a couple years at the corporate level, Willis decided to take a leap and start her own brand. She moved to New York and quickly learned that it was not going to be easy, but she persevered and stuck with it until she started working with some good clients of her own.
COURTESY OF JESSICA WILLIS ON INSTAGRAM
In an interview with Scene, Willis recalls the first time she really felt “seen” in the industry was when she worked with Solange on her music video for “When I Get Home” and Solange said that she had been following Willis’ work for a while now. That moment really stuck with Jess Willis, and at that point she felt even more confident in the work she was presenting to the world.
Jess Willis may not have taken the traditional route of formal training or attending college, but she gained her knowledge and expertise by putting herself right in the middle of the industry. Willis is a prime example of what an open mind and hard work can get you. She tested out all kinds of jobs in the industry and used that experience to build her own successful brand.