Photo Courtesy William Morris Endeavor Entertainment LLC
………………………..
“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman”
-Coco Chanel
…………………………
Christie Brinkley is a supermodel, spokeswoman, actress, Broadway star and entrepreneur. Her skincare line, Christie Brinkley Skincare has proven to be wildly popular. As one of the most recognizable faces in the world, we have all grown to love her beauty, and her iconic style. I can personally say that I’m a very big fan.
Her working relationship and friendship with famed stylist Wayne Scot Lukas is one for the record books. In this day and age of the ‘celebrity stylist’ we see them come and go. Stars seem to work with their stylists for no more than a few years, and then it’s on to the next. But Brinkley and Lukas have been working together for over 20 yrs.
Photo Courtesy Hamptons Magazine
…………………………
Wayne Scot Lukas is a world renowned Fashion Stylist, TV Host, and Ready-to-Wear Designer of lukastyle which can be found on onpointonpoint.com. He has styled for many of the most famous magazines, cosmetic companies, clothing labels, and advertising agencies. His celebrity roster includes Tina Turner, Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, and Halle Berry just to name a few. And of course Christie Brinkley.
I first met Wayne 14 years ago when I moved into New York City’s famed London Terrace. We used to walk our dogs together – me with my Great Dane ‘Mista Wilson’ and my Pug ‘Dennis the Menace’, and he with his Tibeten Mastif ‘Titus Major Lukas’. We (and our dogs) became fast friends.
Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit down with Wayne and Christie for a Q & A about their long lasting relationship.
…………………………
Marc Jacobs Sweater and Leggings, Hermes Birkin Bag
…………………………
AC: Christie, why did you choose Wayne as your stylist?
CB: I met Wayne on a job many years ago and he was really great to work with. He was very prepared and always brought lots of choices (and laughter) to the set. On a long shoot it’s always a bonus to have that positive, upbeat presence to make the day fun as well as productive. Some stylists dress you and then walk away – but Wayne keeps an eagle eye on the set, and jumps in to tug on the shirt, or pin a pant leg to make it look better in the photograph. He’s always ‘into it’, making sure he’s doing his part, and that makes for a great shoot. My nickname for Wayne is “Wayne Too much Fun”, because we laugh and joke around so much, plus he puts up with my singing, dancing and mugging around as he’s trying to pin me into something!
AC: Wayne, how long have you been in the business? and how long have you been styling Christie?
WSL: I have been styling for 31 years. I started at about 17 years old running around my local area in New Jersey in a beat up blue Chevy Chevette, buying vintage prom dresses at B’nai Brith thrift stores, then cleaning, refitting, and re-beading them. I would eventually sell them for quadruple the price. I would do the local girls hair and makeup, and dress them for their proms. I did all the kids in the local high school, and had racks and racks of vintage dresses hanging from a bar anchored to my bedroom ceiling. I was then able to take these dresses and shoot them on models myself eventually being asked by local photographers if I would style their “test” shoots for no money. I was so hungry to be in fashion i did whatever it took.
I met Christie at a fashion show in 1992. I was 26 years old and ready to take on the world. Christie’s personal assistant Margo asked me if I’d be interested in being filmed for her show “LIVING IN THE 90’s WITH CHRISTIE BRINKLEY”, because she liked my ‘grunge’ outfit. I still remember the look; I had on vintage levis, a huge sweater that I had hand knit in brown wool to match a Yohji sweater that I could not afford from Charivari, and an old vintage denim shirt with a wool skull cap that I got from a Tibetan monk. The ladies took my phone number and hooked me up with one of the biggest agents in the industry, Bryan Bantry. Margo and Christie were the push I needed to take my career to the next level. Margo is now Margo McNabe- Nederlander, owner and producer of many theatrical and Broadway shows.
Previous to that I was styling Lauren Hutton and working as a photo agent for Swedish photographer Per Zennstrom, with the help of his wife, ICE modeling agency owner Jenni Rose. I was instrumental in brokering the first deal between Lauren Hutton and J. Crew. Shortly there after I was hired to do a Good Housekeeping cover with photographer Timothy White featuring Christie Brinkley, and our relationship exploded from there. The next job was Christie Brinkley’s eye wear line for Nouveau eyewear.
…………………………
Wayne Scot Lukas
Photo Courtesy Hamptons Magazine by Kate Orne. Givenchy Couture Dress, Rocha Sweater, Christian Louboutin Shoes
…………………………
AC: How much say do you have when Wayne comes to you and says ..YOU HAVE TO WEAR THIS?
CB: Wayne would NEVER say “You have to wear this or that.” He knows what I gravitate towards, and as soon as he starts laying out outfits and fabulous shoes, I find myself jumping into them with glee! If I am on a job and I have to wear something I don’t like (for say advertising), he will tug and pin it – till it looks flattering and pretty.
…………………………
Christie arriving at Good Morning America to promote her role as Roxy Hart in Chicago. Herve Leger Red Dress, Christian Louboutin Shoes
…………………………
AC: Wayne, Christie definitely has great style. She always looks so amazing. Do you help her with her personal wardrobe or just for events and appearances?
WSL: Christie has her own very fashion forward style – she sees beauty in everything from how a garment is fit to how it is sewn. Christie’s personal style is innate and the best way to work with her (actually with many great talents) is to listen. I pay attention to the shape, fit, colors, and fabrics that she explains work for her. She’s told me the best thing about our business relationship is we speak an “unspoken” dialogue when it comes to her appearance, the looks she wears, and her personal taste. I have been supporting Christie’s personal style for the same amount of years I know her. She is philanthropic and doesn’t believe in waste so from time to time we do a major closet overhaul and she donates. If the clothes are too dressy, Christie will sell them and then donate the money directly to those in need. I love that about her. It is a team effort but she had a refined personal style before I came on the scene. It’s a pleasure to dress her shape and her image, and its wildly fun that we share similar tastes. I have learned that in keeping my ego in check there is always something I can learn about style.
…………………………
Aqua Dress, Worth & Worth New York Hat, Azzedine Alaia Cardigan, & Ralph Lauren Shoes
…………………………
AC: What’s the one piece of clothing that Wayne has gotten for you that you cannot live without?
CB: Wayne knows I LOVE hats, he introduced me to Worth and Worth and I have a hat that I have worn for YEARS EVERYWHERE in the world and with everything from jeans to gowns! I call my favorite hat my “trusty trilby” after an eagle eye reporter noticed how much I wore it and gave it that moniker. Or maybe its my sparkling Louboutin black pumps I wore for my CHICAGO audition and they caught the choreographers eyes and I got the part!
…………………………
Photo Courtesy Hamptons Magazine by Kate Orne Elie Saab Dress, Lanvin Shoes
…………………………
AC: Christie, can you sum up your feelings about Wayne in a short paragraph?
CB: Wayne is as excited about styling and creating a gorgeous look for a photo today as he was when he started working with me many years ago. It’s that enthusiasm – that creative fire in him – that makes everything so special. HE CARES. He contributes his passion, his artistic eye, his energy. That makes each job fresh and exciting. He arrives on each shoot with the seasoned eye, expertise, and a style sense that keeps fashion young hearted and fresh – never dowdy or dull! He spots great pieces and effortlessly throws them together in unexpected way, all with a smile and a kind heart of gold!
………………………..
…………………………
AC: And Wayne, I’m terribly curious what you might say in a short paragraph about your relationship with Christie?
WSL: The one word I would use to describe Christie is LOVE. She has a heart of gold and is the perfect best friend / best big sister you could imagine. She loves her family and her friends fiercely. She puts others first and believes in the possibility of a better world. She hopes for a better future for not only herself but her family, friends, and the world as a whole. By her actions in private (the things the public doesn’t see) she makes small and large changes that have ripple effects in many communities. There is so much she does in private that is thrilling and loving and kind. I am lucky I have gotten to know the women behind the covers. It’s a blessing to know Christie, and to have had a chance to bask in her heart’s glow. I’m so much better for the experience. Christie has single handedly shifted my life, one closet cleaning, one visit, one job, and one sunny friendly day at a time.
…………………………
After chatting with these true style icons, I can see why they have such love for each other, both personally and professionally. Their love of fashion and style are one in the same, and their friendship and camaraderie is inspirational.