Fashion stylist Corina Gaffey takes us through her ‘day in the life’

To celebrate Malfy’s status as an icon of Italian style, with its elegant blend of botanicals and handpicked juniper, we asked fashion stylist Corina Gaffey to share an insight into her glamorous working day.

Morning

8am

The time I get up in the morning depends on what I have scheduled for that day. No two days are ever the same! My work as a stylist is so varied. One day, I could be styling a campaign, another shooting social media for a brand, having a fitting with a client or producing a shoot. If I have a shoot, I could be up as early as 5 or 6am to be on set. If I’m prepping and pulling clothing for clients or shoots or have an office day, I get up around 8am. I’m usually straight on my phone, have my first coffee of the day in bed, check emails, chase samples and organise my to-do list for the day ahead.

9am

I have a dog called Teddy, so first thing, myself or my husband Anthony will take him for his morning walk. I’m fortunate that I can bring Teddy to the office, and I have a little area set up for him that he can settle in while I tackle more emails and admin – the non-glamorous side of styling that people tend to forget about! I grab a second coffee before I get to the office and settle in at my desk.

11am

It’s time for a fashion run-through, where I will organise the clothes and accessories, and check the rail to see if everything has arrived for the upcoming shoot. When preparing for a shoot, I usually prep a mood board, cast the models, source the location, and plan the fashion looks. I then source all the clothing directly from designers, high-street stores and boutiques. It entails a lot of running around the shops. I tend to keep my look relatively casual for shoot prep days. But if there’s a fashion event that I need to pop into, I’ll choose a pair of flat shoes – essential – and a printed midi dress, so I’m a bit more polished than my usual jeans and trainers combo.

Afternoon

3pm

Pre-production meetings and location scouting are a big part of my job, so I meet a client to view a space for a fashion showcase I’m working on. I need to consider the venue and plan the layout to display the fashion and accessories, envision the event’s running order, and where the models will walk to best show off the clothes.

5pm

As a freelancer, sometimes my day creeps into the evening if I have a deadline to meet, if I’m hosting a fashion event or show or if a shoot runs late. If that happens, I usually get ready in my office – it’s so central, I have a big beauty box there with all my essentials and half my wardrobe – so handy! I also have a bar cart for a little cocktail as I get ready and play music. I rarely get super dressed up, but I’m going to a gallery viewing party, and I wanted to wear this velvet dress from the H&M Studio collection – it’s so fun. The only decision I have now is what shoes to wear!