In the words of Britney Spears: "I go through life like a karate kid."
I recently sat down with writer and friend Kanani Fong to take part in an interview questionaire she's titled "The 23." In answering I realized this list gave great insight into who I am, so if you want to know "About Me" have a read...
WWW.TWITTER.COM/CHRISMANNOR
1. What makes a woman memorable?
Strong choices. A woman who boldly asserts her opinion, whether expressed by her shoe choice or in a conversation about politics, is the most memorable type of woman to me.
2. Tell me, your earliest memory of discovering beauty?
Although I grew up in a beauty salon, surrounded by beauty everyday, what I'd account as my first discovery of beauty is the day, at about 6 years old, that I picked out a dress for a party my mom was attending. The fact that I'd selected the dress she actually bought, and wore confidently, was the seeding for my career in the beauty industry.
3. Tell me, the scents that evoke your childhood?
The smell of Barbicide and Ralph Lauren cologne (in the green bottle). I spent most of my early childhood with my father in his beauty salon. He always wore Polo cologne and eager to help in the shop, I was constantly doing the combs. Emptying and refilling the jars with Barbicide to make sure they were clean.
4. Tell me, your favorite comfort food?
MaMa's microwaveable mini pizzas! I know this sounds ridiculous, but I love them. I'm a terribly picky eater but they're one of the things my mom would buy for my siblings and I when I was a kid that I still love today.
5. Your most memorable older relative or friend? My paternal grandmother passed when I was 5. Neither of my grandfathers were active in my life so I spent a lot of time with my maternal great-grandmother. Nana, she's my most memorable older relative for sure!
6. If you could narrow it down to one thing: In your childhood, what moved you to go into fashion?
Growing up in my father's beauty salon is the single strongest influence from my childhood for most everything in my life, but especially for getting into fashion. Having been around so many beautiful and fabulous women from such a young age forged aesthetic interests greater than most --tenfold.
7. Is fashion important and why?
Yes, fashion in its most basic interpretation is important. Taste, however, is even more important. There are things I see people in all the time that I would NEVER wear or put together. Both as a stylist and a consumer of fashion though, I have a great appreciation for personal style, so I don't think it's at all important for most people to follow the rules when it comes to fashion. I do however, think all fashion choices --whether following or breaking the rules, should be made in good taste.
8. What persons inspire and influence your work?
As a stylist, my work is completely controlled by what fashion designers put out. They provide my options and from those options I create my ideas of perfection. Considering that, I'd say, my work is most inspired by classic fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O, and Rita Hayworth. I think that these women were the perfect combination of taste and sexiness, and those are the two things I most often try and invoke when working with a client.
9. What role, if any, does spirituality play when you work?
Spirituality doesn't necessarily play a role in the clothing I select for a given project, but I have a very close relationship with God. I believe that I am destined to follow my current career path and look at my upbringing as His way of making sure I had the necessary knowledge to pursue it. On shoots though, when plagued with the option, red shoes or black shoes, rarely do I say to myself "WWJD?"
10. Tell me one thing you love or believe in.
Success is undeniably contingent on talent. Pursuing a career in Hollywood I constantly have to remind myself of this because so many things turn out to be political. I don't believe though, that a person can succeed without talent. Whether it's the ability to perform or the ability to listen and respond, to succeed a person has to be talented at one of these things.
11. Are there any stereotypes you want to dispel in regards to fashion and beauty?
I wouldn't say it's a stereotype that I'd like to dispel, but with regard dressing women, outside of the high fashion arena, I'd like to prove that sleek silhouettes can be created for women of all shapes and sizes. Making the right fashion choices, the right cut, the right color, the right SIZE...all of these things make a difference and if given the proper knowledge any woman can be a fashionista.
12. When you dress a client, how do you determine what qualities you want to bring out?
I always ask my client what's their favorite physical feature. Then I tell them what I think is their best feature...lol! Hopefully we pick the same part of the body, if not we negotiate, if so this always takes priority when considering which qualities to bring out. Dressing for celebrity women, and really for any woman, should always be about accentuating the assets and minimizing the drawbacks.
13. Do you think clients are harsh in their assessments of themselves?
If so, why do you think this is? How do you try to change their perception? It's 2008 and the world is a much different place than it was 30-40 years ago. Old Hollywood's favorite most glamorous stars were sizes 6-8. In the size 0 world we live in today my clients are constantly being overly critical of their human flaws. I'm a man though, and for most women reassurance in your beauty, from a man, is the best kind. Using the right words and giving them honest praise always helps to change a client's perception of themselves.
14. Women’s top gripe? Men’s top gripe? Women --"I'm too fat!" Men --"She's too thin!"
15. What fashion icons can men look to when they are in their 20’s? 40’s? 60’s?
Men in their 20's should look at Matt Damon and Usher, who have an effortless yet together sense of style. Men in their 40's should look at Brad Pitt and George Clooney. These guys understand dressing age appropriate but still maintain a fashionable demeanor without looking stuffy. In their 60's men should be naked in bed with their wives watchin' Matt and George in one of the Ocean's films.
16. What fashion icons can women look to when they are in their 20’s? 40’s? 60’s?
In their 20's women should take a page from fashion icons Rihanna and Scarlette Johansson. Flirt with different styles and don't be afraid to show your sexy side. 40 is the new fabulous and that revolution is being headed by superstars Madonna and Halle Berry. Berry has grown gracefully from a young fashionista into a mature fashion icon who still loves to show off her amazing body, even after recently giving birth, and Madonna is constantly reinventing herself, each time more and more fashionably. As for women in their 60's my bid for influence goes hands down to Helen Mirren. She's always had such strong control over her femininity and sexuality and at 62 her grasp is just as tight. She won her first Oscar at the age of 60 proving that women over 50 can be just as fabulous as those young bitches! Ruby Dee, who's actually 83, is also an amazing reference for older women looking to see over 60 and stunning.
17. Name three things all women should have.
A white collared shirt, a black pencil skirt and a good pair of dark wash, straight leg jeans. These 3 things are staples in a woman's closet from 20-60.
18. Name three things all men should have.
A pinstriped blazer, a white collared shirt, and a nice pair of khakis. No matter how formal or informal the affair, guys will be dressed for the occasion with these 3 items.
19. Tell me about three things you own that you can't do without.
Let me just start by saying I'm much more needy than the average person! Aside from the 3 things all men should have, in my closet I need my white patent Marco Vicci dress shoes, my Dolce & Gabbana aviator sunglasses, and all the confidence in the world.
20. On this road, what have you learned about yourself or others?
On my way here I've learned to 1. never trust others more than you trust yourself 2. a dog that will bring a bone will carry one, and 3. that it's not about who you know rather who knows you.
21. Favorite things about fashion week?
The people! I absolutely live for other people who love fashion. Seeing all of the fashion choices that, whether agreeable or disagreeable, were made really makes me happy and feel less like a loser for caring so much about the way I'm dressed.
22. Any discoveries recently?
People control the media! This is gonna save me a lot of damage control money.
23. At the end of the day, what do you want people to remember about you?
I want to be remembered for my talent and integrity. Lucky for me most of the decisions I make are right, because I've got to stand behind them either way.
________________________________________________________
Fashion, the one word that most condensely describes me and my existence. Let me brief you on who I am:
Christopher Mannor...a 22 year old living in LA with one goal in mind, World Domination. I AM A FASHION STYLIST! I spent my childhood and adolescent years in the beauty salon owned by my father and it is there that I began to hoan my skills as a beauty industry professional. From there I went to college, Penn State, and studied political science with aspirations of becoming a lawyer and eventually a politician. Then I realized that politics are SOOO political, and I dropped out and decided to throw myself into the most political industry I could find...Entertaiment. I moved to LA and it dawned on me to do what it was that I'd grown up with and always had a passion for, make women beautiful.
Though I grew up in a salon, and styling hair is an innate talent I couldn't not possess even if I hated it, fashion was always my niche. Having won best dressed in high school and done some fashion show coordination and editorial styling part-time, I decided to pursue whole-heartedly a career as a Fashion Stylist in LA. Since making that decision I have been reassured, through steady success, that this is direction my life was supposed to take. I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing professionals (photographers, models, hairstylists, make-up artists) in the industry and quite quickly have become a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood and the fashion scene at large. This is my business and personal MySpace account as business is my life, PERIOD. I am a workaholic perfectionist and I don't settle.
For business inquiries have a look at my website which features photos of my work, a resume, and contact info. I do check my messages here quite regularly but advise that work related contact be made through my personal email, [email protected]. I'm a THE SuperStylist, so if you turn on your tv and think you see a guy that looks like me...chances are, it is me. If you are at an event in LA and think it's me, it probably is. There's really only one way to find out though, so my advice is that if ever you bump into an amazingly well dressed black guy in his mid twenties with big framed glasses and an amazing pair of shoes on, tap him on his shoulder, and say "Christopher, nice to meet you." Until then...we have MySpace.
