Meet Mattey Spicer | stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mattey Spicer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mattey, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
in my career, seeing clients happy makes me happy. in something as personal as wardrobe styling it is impossible to fake positivity if you just aren’t feeling it. i really look at every project as a collaboration. when i see clients get genuinely excited about what they’re wearing or the images they’re seeing as a result of my work i feel as though we share moments of appreciation together & that’s very valuable & intimate. it creates a shared confidence that is authentic.

in my personal life, sharing experiences with people i love and appreciate makes me happy. i enjoy my personal space at times but i place most of the value of experiences in who i shared that with & the memories that were created. that’s something we can both hold onto even if one of us isn’t around anymore.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
i’m a freelance stylist & i have been in this role for about 7 years. i’ve always felt like i have a balance of both a creative and a business mind. i was watching people create work that was so aspirational to me & i just sat back and took notes for years. i would try to network with people i saw doing cool stuff and would insert myself in those circles. eventually i was able to ask for opportunities because those people knew me well enough and respected my creative abilities. i noticed that if i wanted to be in total control of doing the work i wanted to be doing and working with who i wanted to be working with the only way was to start my own business. i feel blessed to have been able to work with the clients i have thus far without agency representation, purely off networking and building a strong portfolio. it requires a lot of extra admin work on my end but i enjoy that. i appreciate feeling like i am in control of the direction of my work and the development of my personal brand.

every opportunity i’ve had has been a result of relationships. it’s really that simple. i believe an individual is only as valuable as their network, especially in creative industries. opportunities are typically gate-kept and i don’t move that way. the only way for us to win as individuals is for us to win as a team. if there’s an opportunity i may have that isn’t right for me i love being able to refer the right person for the job. i know that when that individual is given the same opportunity they will think of me. it all comes full circle. the same goes for mentoring peers. if someone has questions about how i’ve built my business i’m always willing to share. that was instilled in me by mentors that i had in the early stages & still have now that continue to build me up rather than turn their head when i need guidance. i hope to pass that along the way they have. i hope that my legacy is encouraging people around me to share their love & knowledge & to pay it forward at every opportunity.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
when i first started coming to LA i fell in love with Silver Lake & other little pockets of the East Side. i appreciated all of the small businesses and cool people. Night + Market Song was one of my first hangouts. i still keep it at the top of the list for recommendations.

regardless of my love for the East Side i think a day on the West Side is essential. starting your day at Gjusta is a must. i stop there every time i’m on that side of town.

i think walking up both Fairfax and La Brea is essential to anyone interested in fashion & pop culture. so much culture was built from the ground up there especially in the world of streetwear, skating and music. some of it is a lot different now but the roots that were planted there really paved the way for a big majority of the things we’re seeing now & a lot of the stores that birthed those things are still there. plus you can grab dinner at Jon & Vinny’s which is another one i hold close to my heart.

flea markets are my personal favorite part of the city. no one does it like LA. Rose Bowl is the holy grail but there’s so many – Fairfax, Long Beach, Silver Lake. i love that you can hit one pretty much any day & that there is always something for everyone there.

RIP to The Standard West Hollywood. that hotel was single handedly responsible for making me fall in love with LA. the whole vibe was incomparable & made me feel ways i had never felt before. even if i didn’t have the money i made sure i did at least 1 night there every time i’d come to town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
shoutout to my Mother for encouraging my creativity from day one. not everyone has that & i am forever thankful.

shoutout to The Chain. my homies that are always supportive & encouraging. i’m lucky to have such a strong group of friends all doing their own thing & killing it.

shoutout to my boys Kareem Jackson and Eric Hayes who gave me my first job in fashion & showed me that you can be a business owner at any age. they really showed me that authenticity wins. thanks for being unapologetically you.

shoutout to Tea for believing in my dreams & for always hyping me up.

shoutout to my little brother G for always being down to help with anything & for making sure i keep my foot on the gas.

shoutout to Stephen Jordan for giving me my start in the industry with my first freelance client and never being too cool or too busy to teach me something.

shoutout to my boy Junell Tanio for helping me find myself creatively when things get tough. he’s a lifeline that’s always inspiring me and keeping me moving. he’s also helped me create some of the projects i’m most proud of.

Website: www.matteysworld.com

Instagram: @matteysworld

Image Credits
Egan Parks, Junell Tanio