Todd White Types Coi Leray, Latto, And Megan Thee Stallion
A latest cellphone name has Todd White’s head spinning.
“I simply had a name at this time and realized that I have to put collectively a temper board for a music video that, doubtlessly, has 16–20 seems,” he says, shocked, over the decision. “I’ve by no means achieved something like that earlier than.” As if that’s not wild sufficient, the tight timeline to which he doubtlessly has to stick makes it even scarier. “You get these calls generally the place you’ve got 48 hours to drag one thing like this collectively.”
Straightforward-peasy — not less than for a stylist and costume designer of White’s caliber. He’s an trade heavyweight, a inventive director who’s been tapped by rap’s main ladies like Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, and Coi Leray to curate the long-lasting seems you see get tens and hundreds of likes on social media. Regardless of whether or not they’re shutting down the pink carpet, gracing the duvet of {a magazine}, or filming a number one business, White’s fingerprints could be discovered throughout their fittings —- and he’s simply getting began.
All of it got here from sending one direct message in 2017 that modified his life eternally. “I all the time say yikes as a result of I really feel like with out that second I wouldn’t be right here,” he says. “I’m so grateful that I simply took that likelihood.”
White didn’t simply get up just a few years in the past and say, “I need to be a stylist.” Since he was a child in Cincinnati, he had a critical love for all issues trend. “I’ve all the time been interested in artwork basically, however particularly trend simply due to the glam of all of it, luxurious designers, and the movie star side.” When he turned 16, he determined to pursue it after graduating from highschool.
That’d lead him to Kent State to review trend merchandising. Whereas he was there, he turned much more immersed in trend, with a job at Without end 21 inspiring him to deal with ladies’s trend design. White collaborated with a good friend round this time, who studied images, to create Vogue Haus — a showcase for his or her inventive course abilities. “I form of got here up with this concept with my photographer good friend on the time for the way we are able to apply for the long run,” says White. “The concept was, I’d type, he’ll shoot, and we’ll give you ideas for individuals who need to construct a portfolio for modeling or if somebody has a model, they usually want some kind of inventive idea for an upcoming launch.”
On the similar time that White was waist deep in preparation for his trend profession, Megan Thee Stallion was exploding onto the rap scene after making “The Houston Cypher” her bitch and dropping her debut EP Make It Scorching in 2017. Her aura and lyricism have been unmatched. Anyone who was anyone knew that she was subsequent up. White found her music round this time and immediately turned a fan. Eager to develop into part of her story, he determined to shoot his shot and hop into her Instagram DMs with a proposition.
“I acquired hip to her music and was actually impressed by her,” he says. “One late night time, I simply randomly determined that I might DM her and see about the opportunity of styling her for upcoming reveals and initiatives.” Not anticipating a response, he was shocked when she acquired again to him fairly shortly. “I can’t keep in mind if it was the subsequent morning or just a few hours later, however I do know it didn’t take that lengthy,” he recollects. “This was a time when she solely had a few hundred thousand followers.”
After that message, he linked up along with her just a few weeks later. “We met in New York whereas I used to be there for trend week,” he explains. “She had a present, so we related and vibed. We actually hit it off. After that, I might meet her in different cities to decorate her or not less than assist with no matter she would put on.”
As Megan grew in recognition and other people began to see her as a trend icon, White’s styling work acquired its share of the highlight. “Our work throughout that period was enormous due to the mega star that she’s become,” he says. “That opened up doorways for me to get different folks’s consideration.”
These “different folks” are among the largest stars you see on social media and listen to on prime playlists, like Latto, who he’s draped in customized threads from Onrushw23fh and Michael Schmidt, and Uproxx Cowl Star Coi Leray, who he’s laced in Karl Kani. He constantly finds inventive methods to seize his purchasers’ personalities in clothes. To do that, White has a really perfect course of that helps him give you these iconic seems.
“More often than not, I’m turning on some music, and I’m deep diving into no matter inventive could have been shared with me by the artist,” he says. “Relying on who you’re working with, it’s a must to dissect what period they’re in at the moment so all of it is smart. Then, I’m doing a deep dive. I’m on Pinterest, I’m on Instagram, I’m on TikTok. I need each platform that has something to do with trend, and I’m pulling references, I’m taking notes on up-and-coming designers, [and] I’m taking a look at seeing what’s present from a runway present.”
“This course of takes me just a few days,” he continues. “As soon as I get that temper board or inventive of what I see, I prefer to hop on the cellphone with the consumer to undergo every little thing. As a result of extra occasions than not, you’ll give you a very nice temper board and never get any notes or have any notes. After which the day of the shoot comes and the artist, the consumer can hate every little thing — which normally solely occurs if there’s not been any communication.”
White could be very open and trustworthy about not simply his course of, but in addition how purchasers can react. There are occasions when folks will love his inventive course. Different occasions, they will discover points with it — which is par the course if you’re a stylist working with so many alternative purchasers. “You need folks to love every little thing that you just do, however you’re not going to all the time get that response,” he admits. “Typically they hate it, and it’s a must to give you one thing utterly completely different, or they adore it, however issues may very well be higher.”
Tight turnaround occasions for creativity can even put a damper on the method — however even these can work out too. “I’ve had purchasers the place we’ve had 24 to 48 hours to place every little thing collectively, together with becoming on the day of the shoot, and issues go unhealthy,” he says. “However then one way or the other, on the finish of the day, the shoot finally ends up turning out nice and the consumer is thrilled. These are the moments, the tense days, that I stay for.
“One thing so simple as an assistant not exhibiting up on time or a UPS supply arriving late can actually throw off a shoot — however when the ultimate shot is wrapped, you’re in a position to replicate and be excited that you just pulled off one thing properly collectively,” he provides.
White has no plans to cease styling anytime quickly, though he’s achieved virtually every little thing he’s ever wished — however there are even larger aspirations that he’s been serious about pursuing. “I might like to get into movie -— particularly, horror movies,” he says. “In an ideal world, I’d like to do a slasher movie and be part of the costume design and wardrobe.”
