styleworks: August 2010

Photographer: Sai Sivanesan (images not retouched). Stylist: Carolee Custus
Hair & Make-up: Asha Heller. Artist: Suzie Love

bio

Daughter of a military family, travel formed the foundation of her love of fashion and culture. Regularly moved from urban to rural, Canada to Europe, Carolee has developed a styling artistry that explores cultural norms by fearlessly mashing them together. A graduate from the Humber College Fashion Arts Program in Toronto (voted by both teachers and classmates as most likely to succeed) she is passionate about promoting Canadian fashion, positive body image and working with young people, so enjoys her work with leading youth publication Faze Magazine as their Senior Stylist.

Within Carolee's Faze and freelance work she has styled many Canadian television and recording stars including Lights, Kreesha Turner, Shiloh, Leah Miller, Elise Estrada, and Degrassi: TNG actors Annie Clark, Jessica Tyler, Melinda Shankar and most recently Tre Armstrong from So You Think You Can Dance Canada.

Her print work includes covers shots, editorial and beauty spreads for Faze, Vietsun and New Class Magazines. She has also worked with leading Canadian designers such as David Dixon, Carlie Wong, NADA, Thien Le, Evan Biddell, Gaudet, Greta Constantine and Andy The-Anh to name a few. She has also enjoyed working with talented local photographers including David Hou, Mario Miotti, Michael Parker, Martin Volpe, Sang, Alice Keith, Sai Sivanesan, Richard Sibbald and Caitlin Cronenberg.

In addition to print work, Carolee styled and produced the Gaudet fashion show that opened Toronto Fashion Week (TFW), Spring 2010 and assisted on David Dixon's opening show Spring 09 at TFW.

Carolee enjoys staying active within the Toronto fashion scene by participating in various fashion related projects including being a guest stylist for a fashion installation called “Joy is my muse” at Toronto Alternative Arts and Fashion Week 2010, acting as a Fashion Organizer for “Savage Nights an Arts Salon,” planning and organizing fashion installations and fashion shows showcasing Toronto designers, models and photographers and by competing in the L’Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy semi-finals in Toronto, 2009 as team stylist.

Next to fashion, Carolee loves working with young people and was excited to be invited to speak with the Summer School Fashion Program at George Brown College, Casa Loma campus, Toronto in 08 and 09.

Her love and knowledge of fashion runs deep and her gentle, resourceful nature makes her a wonderful addition to any set.

> JOY @ FAT 2010