Evyan Metzner is the Fashion Editor for SELF magazine. She’s been in the business for over twenty years, and has worked with the most amazing photographers in the world – Bruce Weber, Patrick Demarchelier, Annie Leibovitz, Carter Smith, Reagan Cameron, and Norman Jean Roy. And styled some of the most fabulous women in the world, i.e. Beyonce, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

I had an opportunity to ask Evyan a few questions to share with readers of Fabwick – and readers of bleikt.is. Give it a read.

AR: Anna Rosa

EM: Evyan Metzner

AR:  How has the fashion world changed during your career – especially with the luxury designer market’s continuous expansion?

EM: There’s no such thing as a “European brand” anymore.  There aren’t really things that you can just get in Paris, or you can just get in Milan anymore because you can really buy everything worldwide, which is kind of amazing. The amount of information that is accessible to anyone that has a computer is mind-boggling. And it used to only be available to editors who worked at magazines. And sites like Style.com have allowed a lot of people to see what’s available, but those things might not necessarily ever be made. And that’s where magazines offer a service that just going to Style.com will never give you. And I think that the ideas of luxury brands and just designers alone have magnified to a point where something like Louis Vuitton is a household name.

AR: How much input do you get from the top-tier actresses you style, i.e Sarah Jessica Parker? Do they come in with ideas?

EM: Sometimes they do. It depends on whether you’re doing a cover or you’re doing a fashion story on them. It’s really about the collaboration of working with the things that they like and what the magazine’s style is. And finding the happy marriage between the two. But someone like Sarah Jessica Parker, who LOVES clothes, is very exciting to work with because she’s into trying new designers that she’s never worked with before. She knows what she likes and that always makes it easier.

AR: How do you portray personality through clothing and photography?

EM: How you put it together! The way you wear clothes is a mirror of a mood or a personality. By wearing something very sleek and clean, you can come off being very pulled-together. If you’re wearing something that’s graphic, you could be seen more artistic and daring. If you’re wearing something more feminine and ladylike, you could come off more polished or prim. Clothing is really a reflection of mood. And photography is the same. Is she smiling? Is it black and white? Is it color? Is she moving? Is she jumping? What angle do you shoot it at? These factors are all different ways to portray personality.

AR: Where do you see the fashion industry going?

EM: I think the fashion industry is in a very exciting period of change. And with the Internet and blogging and tweeting, it’s made it more accessible than ever.

AR: Who are your favorite designers/brands of today?

EM: Dries Van Noten. Marni. Louis Vuitton. Marc by Marc Jacobs. Rebecca Taylor. Prada.

AR: What are your favorite “go-to” pieces – what do you wear to work?

EM: Fitted blazer. Jeans or cargo pants. A high heel or my black motorcycle boots. Some kind of colorful handbag. If I have a big meeting, I wear a dress, like Marni, or I love my new Zero + Maria Cornejo dress. It’s modern and clean and I feel very pulled-together in it.

AR: How hard is it to break into this business as a fashion stylist/editor – what does it take?

EM: It’s hard. It takes a lot of work to stay in this industry. There are a lot of fleeting stars, but to be able to last in this industry, you have to work really hard and be able to work with lots of different personalities.

AR: How do you feel about fashion bloggers?

EM: I love them. Especially ones that have a unique point of view.

AR: Top 3 traits women need in order to be successful today?

EM: They have to be articulate, diplomatic, and have good common sense.

AR: How do you stay healthy and energized?

EM: I have two small children and we ski, we ice-skate, we hike. I also have a very active job. No sitting at a desk for me!

AR: Are women in the world too competitive towards each other – do we need to strengthen our sisterhood?

EM: I think women have come a long way about being open to other women’s successes — much more than when I was starting in this industry.  There are more women with families and who understand the constant juggling that you have to do and the juggling it takes. It’s no longer all or nothing. I also work in a business where its 95% women. That’s saying something. And we manage.

AR: After having worked with some of the most beautiful women in the world – what does beauty mean – what is beauty?

EM: It’s being comfortable in your own skin.

And now the most important question…

AR: How do you like Iceland?

EM: I’ve been to Iceland twice and I love it!  And it’s one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever visited.

And one bonus question at the end…

AR: What do you think about Icelandic women?

EM: I think Icelandic women are beautiful — I love their fair skin and blonde hair.

AR’s internal monologue: Hello bbbbbbbrunette over here, but I do have that beautiful fair skin (I tell myself and smile).

To learn about Evyan Metzner visit her professional site HERE