Ever wonder why celebrities always look so well put together? They employ stylists to keep them looking fashionable. And one of the hottest stylist around is Ugo Mozie, a fashion stylist and creative director of Nigerian descent.
One of his main clients is Chris Brown, but he has also worked with Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Sean “Diddy” Combs as well as for films such as Sex and the City 2.
In addition to styling the stars, Mozie is currently the fashion editor at large at 360 magazine, the New York fashion editor of Ghubar magazine, and fashion contributor at WAD magazine in Paris, according to his website.
Mozie, 23, was born in Enugu, Nigeria, but moved to Los Angeles, California, at the age of three with his family. “He got his first insight into entertainment in 2004, when he attended and graduated from Barbizon School of Acting and Modeling. With the help of Jay-Z, he got his first modeling job in 2005,” says the site.
He went on to launch his own fashion line, Aston Mozie with design partner, Quinn Aston, in February 2010, during New York Fashion Week. This soon led to requests for Mozie’s services as a fashion stylist.
“Mozie, with Karrueche Tran, designs The Kill and also consults CB’s [Chris Brown’s] own streetwear brand, Mechanical Dummy’s Black Pyramid,” reports Complex magazine.
AFKInsider interviewed Mozie about his life and career.
AFKInsider: Has being from Nigeria influenced your work?
Ugo Mozie: Being born in Africa has definitely influenced my work. I believe every single detail of my childhood and culture has influenced the way I create. My parents kept my siblings and I traveling throughout our childhood. I remember always collecting clothes and accessories from all over the world to incorporate into my wardrobe in the States. The obsession goes on to this day as I gain most of my design and styling inspiration through trips. You can definitely see African influences within my aesthetic.
AFKInsider: Have you incorporated any African style into your fashion sense?
Ugo Mozie: Being born in Africa has definitely gave me more sense of identity and personal confidence. These factors all contribute to what makes me a marketable figure.
AFKInsider: What first got you into the styling business?
Ugo Mozie: God got me into the styling business. I never had styling in my peripheral growing up. After moving to New York and launching my fashion line, styling naturally came to me and was like a match made in heaven.
AFKInsider: Styling is a hard industry to break into. How did you?
Ugo Mozie: Styling is definitely a tough business to get into. However, I never gave up. Like any industry, it takes a lot of knowledge, research, and passion. One must be creative, but your business and communication skills need to be as great in order to get real jobs.
AFKInsider: How did you attract celebrity clients?
Ugo Mozie: My first celebrity clients started as friends first. Everything has happened in a very organic way for me. It usually starts with sharing ideas and tips and next thing you know I’m dressing them for a red carpet event.
AFKInsider: Do you have an African celebrity clients?
Ugo Mozie: At the moment I don’t have any African entertainment clients, but I am in touch with a few for some dope projects this fall and winter.
AFKInsider: What has been your biggest challenge?
Ugo Mozie: My biggest challenge is not being able to be as present with my family. I grew up with a large family and we were always together. I take all my challenges as motivation. Thus, my family is my biggest motivation.
AFKInsider: What are some of your goals?
Ugo Mozie: My long-term goal is to continue doing things that make me happy and inspire others. I plan to have a major organization one day that can give back tremendously to the universe. My main goal for this year is to travel to at least three more different countries by December.
