You have to dig in to find the devil in the details with The CW’s new reality series, Stylista. Pegged as “The Devil Wears Prada reinvented,” the competition will definitely not endure without its fair share of demons. For the contestants, these will probably come in the form of judges Joe Zee and Anne Slowey. These two might not be coming straight from the underworld, but they sure bring out the bite in the show.
Joe Zee, the creative director of Elle magazine was recently interviewed by Mediabistro’s Diane Clehane. Zee talked about his reality television debut on Stylista, as well as his career and inspiration.
The Canadian-born fashion guru was educated at the University of Toronto and the Fashion Institute of Technology. He was always interested in the art of fashion, even spending time to look through magazines during his free periods in high school. Joe Zee also admits to being a “huge pop culture junkie,” watching television regularly and eagerly awaiting the release of new movies. His eye for fashion soon developed, and he knew it was his calling.
“I was really attracted to that cutting-edge fashion scene,” he said. He began working part-time at a store in his hometown, and eventually landed jobs as an intern on numerous publications. His résumé boasts of a stint at Allure, being the contributing fashion editor for Details and House & Garden, having the privilege of being W‘s fashion director and his most recent profession in Elle magazine.
When asked about his career in Elle, he admitted, “I’m responsible for all the visuals in the magazine, cover to cover. I have a lot of input into which celebrity we put on the cover. The big thing I did when I got here was change the roster of photographers and stylists we use, and really sort of take it to the next level — bring the glory back of what used to be.”
Joe Zee soon saw his interest in television expanding. He immediately agreed to be a judge for Stylista when offered the position. “It’s been fascinating for me, as a television junkie, to break down the fourth wall and see how it all works.”
Stylista will surely be at a loss if it wasn’t for Joe. Though he describes his participation as “minimal,” he finds the job easier for him because he didn’t need to show up on set early for hair and makeup. The experience, however, left him with a few surprises as well. He didn’t expect everything to happen so quickly, and was surprised at how fast everyone learned what they had to do.
In the mean but glamorous streets of the fashion industry, Joe Zee has accomplished a lot. He owes this to his passion and dedication, as well as to the serious work ethic he has developed. He determinedly takes things at his own pace, especially with his adage, “I don’t take no for an answer.”
Joe Zee and fellow judge Anne Slowey can be seen at their best, teaching interns on Stylista. The competition for aspiring Elle magazine assistant editors will premiere on The CW on October 29, as part of the network’s 2008 fall lineup.
-Maria Gonzalez, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Observer.com, Mediabistro
(Image Courtesy of Jossip.com)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
