Event coordination, just like publishing and personal training, is a role that everyone’s just dying to break into. Why? Because it’s fahhhhhhhbulous – well, it is for some at least.
Working in events will break you, day in and day out. BUT, you shouldn’t shy away from it if you think you’ve got the guts, talent and creativity to deal with the questionable requests made from your clients.
We spoke to Tess Kerestes, event stylist and manager + owner of Sydney’s The Style Maison about what it takes to make it in the industry.
“It’s all about creating a unique, memorable space and experience for the people that are attending,” she says.
So, what the hell is an event manager/stylist?
“It’s a really hard one to define because it depends on the brief and what the client wants – I’m open to anything someone comes and asks me to do.”
Tess is the girl in your group who was verging on anal-retentiveness when it came to organising weekend shindigs in high-school. She always knew she wanted to be in events but at the time there were no courses directly focusing on the sector. Just like hundreds of her predecessors, Tess chose the route of studying public relations in order to break in. She secured an internship at Liquid Ideas in her second year of uni, and was offered a full-time position after just two months (slaaaaay, sister). She worked her way up to senior account manager in just under six years before leaving the firm to start The Style Maison.
If Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone were to figuratively merge into one singular business, it’d be The Style Maison.
With Tess at the helm, the organisation has worked with some huge names since it opened its doors in Feb of 2014.
PORTFOLIO SNIPPET:
NINE WEST SS14.
NINE WEST SS15.
TAITTINGER COMTES DE CHAMPAGNE.
REEBOK PUMP.
+ A LOT OF WEDDINGS (YES, PEOPLE, THAT IS A WEDDING CAKE MADE OF CHEESE ON THE RIGHT).
WHAT ATTRIBUTES DO YOU NEED TO WORK IN EVENTS?
Determination:
“You really need to be someone who can have limited sleep and a caffeine addict.”
Back-bone:
“You have to be confident and believe in yourself.”
Foresight:
“Be prepared for anything. I carry around, what I like to call, Mary Poppins and she’s my event tool kit – she has absolutely everything I could ever need in there. Think of anything that could go wrong and have a backup plan.”
Charisma:
“Having good relationships with people, because you do rely on them to pull the event together as well it’s not just you. You never really know who you might need a favour from – you might need to call someone up because something went wrong and you need extra of something.
~Gusto~:
“Having a passion for it – it’s not an easy job. You really, really need to love what you do.”
Anal-retentiveness:
“Excel is one of my best friends.”
Creativity & patience:
“Those who aren’t prepared for the hard work and don’t have that creative flair or passion do end up falling away and finding it really tough.”
WHAT LIES/MISPERCEPTIONS DID YOU HAVE OF THE INDUSTRY?
“You’re told ‘oh, you’ll finish at 10, don’t worry’ and you’re still packing up at 1AM.”
This may come as shock to some but events usually go down at night.
Tess also pointed out that while a lot of her job is beyond-glamourous – champagne poppin’, etc – a fat-chunk of it’s monotonous (devo). Be prepared to get your hands, and all other topical limbs, dirty as all hell.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR TEEN-SELF AND OTHERS?
There’s a couple of interns at The Style Maison ATM and Tess has told them all to watch J.K Rowling’s Harvard address (when you have a spare 20 minutes).
“I would tell myself not to take everything so seriously,” she adds.
“Learn from your mistakes, be prepared for anything and be open minded.”
ALSO: “Don’t get a credit card.”
^^^ PREACH.
WHERE’S THE STYLE MAISON HEADING?
Tess, as a lover of all things vintage (and not in a gross, ‘take that fucking choker off and wear something other than denim’ lover of vintage), has accumulated a phat collection of props and decorations to make any event ~sparkle~. She’ll soon be hiring them out so everyone can be #blessed and get amongst their collective wonderment.
The Style Maison will continue to thrive as a beacon of event perfection/steadily progressing into a stylistic empire. Keep killing it, girlfriend.
GET AMONST TESS/THE STYLE MAISON ON ALL HER CHANNELS:
>>INSTAGRAM<<
>>FACEBOOK<<
>>WEBSITE<<
If Tess has served as #inspo in your journey toward event-based domination, then have a look at the courses Melbourne Polytechnic offer – they’ll give you all the ~learnings~ you’ll need to break into the industry. Alternatively, if you’ve received a smack across the face from some of the cold-hard-truths disclosed in this article, then Melbourne Polytechnic will have something up their sleeves that you can pursue instead. Check them out HERE.
Photos: Supplied / Tess Kerestes.
