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Celebrity stylist and creative consultant Karla Welch is always looking for that lightning in a bottle when it comes to styling clients like Renate Reinsve and Tessa Thompson. “I’m always looking for the thunderbolt, the idea, and that’s how I kind of approach every bit of styling,” Welch says.
On the latest episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, Welch walks through some of the iconic red carpet looks she’s styled, how she thinks about dressing clients for the Oscars, and more.
For excerpts from their conversation, scroll below.
How do you feel about this season? Does it feel different than previous seasons? How do you feel about having yet another client nominated for an Oscar?
I love Renate [Reinsve]. We’ve worked together since Worst Person in the World, one of the best movies of all time, and we just have an incredible way of working together. I love award season. The first week back was stressful. I was like, “What are we doing? What am I doing with my life?”
I was back to work on the first, and then I think in that first week, we did 30 looks between the two gals, Tessa [Thompson] and Renate [Reinsve], who were both nominated for [Golden] Globes, and Amy Poehler, of course, who was also nominated and won a [Golden] Globe. It felt like a lot, but it felt like a lot for everybody.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
So Oscars are coming up. Nominations just came out. Obviously, knowing you, you’ve been thinking about this for a while. What is the direction you’re considering? What can you tell me that doesn’t tell me anything, but tells me something?
Well, I have two directions. I actually thought I already had the dress kind of done in my mind as a sketch. I’m always looking for the thunderbolt, the idea, and that’s how I kind of approach every bit of styling.
I always say I’m conjuring a muse. I was just driving the other day, and I had an idea, at Cannes, of how I wanted her to look at the end. Then I just veered away from it, and then I was like, “No, no, fuck it. I’m right,” so that’s what we’re gonna do.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Can we talk about Tessa Thompson most recently at the Golden Globes in an incredible custom Balenciaga?
[Tessa Thompson] wore one of his first dresses at The Academy Gala. The little yellow strapless with all the little daisies on it.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Tessa and I just started working together, even though we had known each other for years. So it was quite a thrill. I was like, “You know, I would really love it if you [Pierpaolo Piccioli] would give me one of the new looks. I want you to meet her, and I just know you’ll love each other.” [Pierpaolo] was like, “Yeah, I trust you. Go for it.”
When you ask PR, some of the PR people are like, “Here’s this dress.” And I’m like, “That’s not the dress I want.” So again, it’s the relentlessness. I try to do it in a very nice way. I was like, “I really think she’s gonna get a Globe nomination, and will you guys make her a dress?” This dress came together really kind of, not last-minute, but quickly.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
[Pierpaolo] was like, “Carla, this is the dress I’m gonna make.” Because we hadn’t come up with the decision or the color. And he’s like, “And this is the color.”
And you’re talking to the colorist of the world. Like, he’s the master. It’s like, snake skin. And every single one of those little [beads] is all lined with metal. Little, tiny metal beads. And then on Friday night, it finally arrived, and we zipped it up, and then we were done.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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