FEATURE ー SEBASTIAN HUNT & DYLAN RICHARDS
This New Zealand styling duo has attitude, and they aren’t afraid to let you know about it. Sebastian Hunt and Dylan Richards said a big F-U to being taught fashion and decided to style their own path, and boy do we wish we were walking in their killer shoes. We had a few choice words and spent some time talking to the boys, no holds barred. Things got real.
What’s your back story?
Dylan / We both started off as stylists working with New Zealand-based Black Magazine as part of the fashion editorial team. We learnt so much, but needed to branch off to start working for other publications. Now it just comes down to getting our names out there and making more connections.
Tell us the tale behind the Seb & Dylan duo…
Dylan / Simple, two minds are smarter than one and it’s great having someone you're so close to who will honestly tell you if something isn't working or can be improved, and bouncing average ideas back and forth until we have created something amazing. We don't sugar coat our opinions to each other, ever.
Seb / Dylan and I met and instantly became best friends. We went on and studied design together but didn't really enjoy it. We aren't the type of people who like being told what to do by a tutor, and believe that creativity comes naturally and can't be graded by someone like that. We both didn't really enjoy it so we dropped out and we went and got internships together at a super cool PR showroom. From that, we learnt the tricks of the trade, met a lot of people in the industry and one day got picked up by a photographer who asked us to style a shoot for him. We've been shooting ever since.
So you studied fashion, but obviously it wasn’t for you…
Dylan / Yes, but I was a drop out. My lecturers wanted me gone because I had such a ‘whatever’ attitude towards them and their opinions as I didn't see them as anyone to look up to or inspired to be like. One time my lecturer questioned me on what I was wearing. She was basic. But after we left and they had seen what we had been creating and getting involved in, they actually called us to come and speak to the class about what we had been doing. We declined that offer.
Seb / Yeah I did, but dropped out too. I got told I was the worst student they had ever had. I don't believe in studying fashion anyway. Like, yeah, go learn to sew for a year, but fuck doing some bung ass design degree for 3 years. NO ONE can teach you ‘fashion’ – you've either got it or you don't. You know within you if you have what it takes so stop beating around the bush trying to become someone that you are not. And if you are, kudos, see you on the field.
Love or hate relationship?
Dylan / Love and hate.
Seb / Ditto.
I hear you compete on set for who can style a better look, true or false?
Dylan / False. I go onto set with looks already made to save the stress of free styling on the day. I create looks days in advance so I can stare at them and tweak them until the shoot to reassure myself that I love what we are about to put our names on.
Seb / I’d probably lose that one anyway.
Menswear or womenswear?
Dylan / Menswear, as I really love to play up the gender role with what I put guys in and can go totally wild. I do really love to style womenswear shoots, but I don't have access to the clothing I would like to put girls in.
Seb / I feel like our work can't be gendered.
Ultimate shoot?
Dylan / Truthfully I have way too many ideas and different directions I would head down to make the ‘ultimate’ shoot, and can't narrow it down to one (but probably with Naomi Campbell).
Seb / A self-styled shoot of me and Dylan on the cover of Vogue.
How would you describe you styling aesthetic?
Both / Clean, sharp, minimal; a play on gender.
What trend/style are you vibing right now?
Dylan / Scarves! Neck ties – anything along those lines.
Seb / I tend not to follow trends. I like to interpret fashion and tell my own story.
What’s the next big thing?
Dylan / At this point, the move to Sydney.
Seb / Is this a trick question? Us, duh.
When are you moving to Oz? Sydney, not Melbourne?
Both / Hopefully based in Sydney sometime in between late January to late February at the latest but would love to go to Melbourne to shoot as well.
http://www.sebastianhuntanddylanrichards.com
Interview / Jamie-Maree Shipton
Photography / Ken Xun Cao
Fashion / Sebastian Hunt & Dylan Richards
Hair & Make up / Sophy Phillips
Model / Charlie Mismash From Red 11 Model Management
