If you've ever wondered what all goes into making your favourite celebrities' lives look as good as they do, you should be watching Styling Hollywood, which premiered on Netflix late last month. The show follows celebrity stylist Jason Bolden and interior designer to the stars Adair Curtis. Together, Bolden and Curtis, who have been married since 2012, own JSN Studio, a lifestyle studio that specializes in home and wardrobe styling, but their Netflix reality show isn't all about business.
Styling Hollywood follows the couple through relationship struggles, workplace drama, and yes, award show styling sessions and home renovations for A-listers. Ahead, Bolden and Curtis talk about the unique challenges that come with running a business with your significant other, their own home decor aesthetic, and black girl magic, the special something that all of their celeb clients embody.
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Refinery29: Both of you started out thinking you'd be in different career fields. Can you talk a little bit about how you discovered your passions and what it was like to transition paths?
Jason Bolden: Being from the Midwest, it was typical that you only had a couple of careers to choose from, but I always enjoyed anything that had something to do with style. I jumped right into luxury retail, and it gave me my fix! Soon after, I moved to New York City and opened a vintage shop in Soho. It was then that I began to really lean into styling. My first moment was dressing my dear friend Gabrielle Union for Art Basel. I put her in a vintage Lanvin maxi dress and things started to bubble! I'd say my career change was pretty magical!
Adair Curtis: I'd been in the entertainment business for a really long time. I started at VH1 and from there worked with everyone from Sean "P Diddy" Combs to Naomi Campbell. I made the decision to pursue a career in that industry at a really early age and just went for it. Things started to change when I met Jason though. His work made me pay attention to design and after a while, I started falling in love with it. Years later, I went back to school for interior architecture and to really soak up as much as I could learn. The transition wasn't particularly challenging because it was such a natural progression and Jason was so encouraging the whole time.
Jason Bolden: Being from the Midwest, it was typical that you only had a couple of careers to choose from, but I always enjoyed anything that had something to do with style. I jumped right into luxury retail, and it gave me my fix! Soon after, I moved to New York City and opened a vintage shop in Soho. It was then that I began to really lean into styling. My first moment was dressing my dear friend Gabrielle Union for Art Basel. I put her in a vintage Lanvin maxi dress and things started to bubble! I'd say my career change was pretty magical!
Adair Curtis: I'd been in the entertainment business for a really long time. I started at VH1 and from there worked with everyone from Sean "P Diddy" Combs to Naomi Campbell. I made the decision to pursue a career in that industry at a really early age and just went for it. Things started to change when I met Jason though. His work made me pay attention to design and after a while, I started falling in love with it. Years later, I went back to school for interior architecture and to really soak up as much as I could learn. The transition wasn't particularly challenging because it was such a natural progression and Jason was so encouraging the whole time.
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What's your best piece of advice for someone who wants to change career paths?
JB: Come up with a plan and make sure you are solid on the decision. You have to stick with it.
AC: Take calculated risks and don’t wait too long to start doing what you want to do. Even if it's part-time on the weekends.
JB: Come up with a plan and make sure you are solid on the decision. You have to stick with it.
AC: Take calculated risks and don’t wait too long to start doing what you want to do. Even if it's part-time on the weekends.
Tell me a little bit more about black girl magic and how it informs your approaches to interior design and styling.
AC: Our clients are often the most fearless, educated, opinionated culture shifters. We take a fearless approach when trying new things on the design side of things.
JB: Our clients' magic helps me. It puts me in a space to look for things that scream fearless!
AC: Our clients are often the most fearless, educated, opinionated culture shifters. We take a fearless approach when trying new things on the design side of things.
JB: Our clients' magic helps me. It puts me in a space to look for things that scream fearless!
How did you two decide to start a business together and what is it like to run a business with your partner? Are there unique challenges there?
AC: Us working together happened organically and over time. At some point, it made a lot more sense to work together than to do things separately. Jason inherently knows the challenges I face and vice-versa. It feels good to know he understands on a deeper level. Our biggest challenge is creating space for ourselves together and individually outside of work.
AC: Us working together happened organically and over time. At some point, it made a lot more sense to work together than to do things separately. Jason inherently knows the challenges I face and vice-versa. It feels good to know he understands on a deeper level. Our biggest challenge is creating space for ourselves together and individually outside of work.
This season of Styling Hollywood starts out with you two struggling to get your brand new house organized and made into a home. Can you share a little bit about what aesthetic you chose for the house?
AC: We have a strong point of view, but we're not attached to a particular style. We always approach the design of our own home based on how we want to feel there, and these days, we gravitate to calming spaces.
AC: We have a strong point of view, but we're not attached to a particular style. We always approach the design of our own home based on how we want to feel there, and these days, we gravitate to calming spaces.
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Do you have a favourite piece or room in the home?
AC: I spend so much time in the bathroom. It's my favourite place in any home we live in and actually is a deciding factor when selecting a place to live.
AC: I spend so much time in the bathroom. It's my favourite place in any home we live in and actually is a deciding factor when selecting a place to live.
Can you walk us through how you get to know your client's personal styles?
JB: I truly do the one thing most people don't do... I just listen and the epic moments come from that.
JB: I truly do the one thing most people don't do... I just listen and the epic moments come from that.
What are the weirdest requests you’ve ever gotten from clients?
JB: I had a private client who wanted to sleep with her dress because she didn't want it to get lost...
JB: I had a private client who wanted to sleep with her dress because she didn't want it to get lost...
Is there an interior design trend or style trend that you wish would go away?
AC: We tend to shy away from trends altogether. They come and they go. We're more into classic things that actually get better with time.
AC: We tend to shy away from trends altogether. They come and they go. We're more into classic things that actually get better with time.
Since starting your business, what projects have you been most proud of?
JB: For me, it's not a particular project. It's every time one of our clients decides to take a stand by including me in a space where the opportunity didn't previously exist.
AC: Every project opens up a new opportunity to collaborate with other creatives and learn new things so I'm proud of each one.
JB: For me, it's not a particular project. It's every time one of our clients decides to take a stand by including me in a space where the opportunity didn't previously exist.
AC: Every project opens up a new opportunity to collaborate with other creatives and learn new things so I'm proud of each one.
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