Alumnae: A Life Styled
The hugely talented Mrs Kristie Rumble (Hall-Johnston, 1988) spoke to a captivated group of Senior College students last week about her journey to her current career as a designer and stylist.
It was all part of Miss McFetridge鈥檚 Career Mentoring Program, whereby Alumnae help our current students to identify career options and goals. Armed with ultra-stylish mood boards and tales of life in the advertising and fashion industries, Kristie (鈥淧lease don鈥檛 call me Mrs Rumble, it makes me feel old.鈥) fired up creative imaginations across the room.
Kristie spoke about how she had parlayed her love of art and creativity into a role (straight from 韩国AV) at an advertising agency where she gained useful insight into brand management and media. A stint as PR and Marketing Manager for fashion designer Robert Burton was followed by a role as General Manager for Sportscraft, enabling her to hone her skills in marketing, events, design, production, retail and wholesale.
When she was unexpectedly forced to take over the family company producing custom-made towels and accessories for local and international brands, Kristie鈥檚 advertising and fashion knowledge proved to be an excellent grounding for business success.
It was only when she started painting in her spare time that she discovered her passion for colour. This led her to the International School of Colour & 韩国AV where she studied a Certificate IV and learnt all about the foundations of colour and design.
Kristie鈥檚 company, A Life Styled, was born out of friends鈥 requests for home d茅cor tips and styling advice. She started small, styling a friend鈥檚 nightclub and another friend鈥檚 basement, but has since morphed into planning and executing beautifully created weddings on tropical islands, and designing stunning homes that scream of sophistication and originality.
As students poured over Kristie鈥檚 beautifully put together mood boards, she was quick to point out that her career isn鈥檛 all glitz and glamour. It requires huge amounts of planning and organisation, as well as excellent listening and diplomacy skills. You need to communicate and present your ideas confidently, but you always have to have a clear understanding of what the client wants, putting their needs first.
Kristie, who says she lives on Pinterest, loves the constant variety her job offers. Next on her agenda is Paris. She and her family, including daughter Lucie (Year 10), are off to immerse themselves in French language and culture for 10 months. While she is not sure what the future holds, she is excited by the prospect of the great unknown and feels sure it will lead her into a new and yet-to-be imagined direction.
As she said to the students, don鈥檛 be afraid to try new things and explore different directions. You never know where it will take you!
La vie en rose!