Stylist to the Stars: Robert Verdi

You know him as style maven to the stars.  And now outspoken fashion guru, Robert Verdi, is dishing with Cotton Candy Magazine®.  As the personal stylist of actress Eva Longoria, Verdi’s sharp, chic eye has fueled his career as a trusted interior designer, noted stylist and favored fashion TV correspondent.  With a cameo in every girl’s favorite coming-of-age movie, The Devil Wears Prada, and numerous appearances on E! as a candid fashion commentator, Verdi is one of the fashion industry’s faves. Read on to find what he can’t live without, what Verdi says you should be never be without and the real reason he’s always got a pair of hot sunglasses.

Cotton Candy:  You grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey. What’s the biggest difference between living in Jersey and in Manhattan?
Robert Verdi: Sixteen miles.  There is no difference.   When you grow up as close to New York City as I did, the city is your playground.

CC:  When did you know that you wanted a career in fashion?
RV: When I was in kindergarten.  I told my teacher that I loved her shoes.

CC:  Who is the single most influential person in your life?
RV:  My art teacher, Mrs. Weintrab.  She saw something in me that I didn’t even know was there, and she drew out my creativity and passion for design in all areas.

CC: What is it about fashion that intrigues you?
RV:  Fashion is your first voice; it says something about you before you open your mouth. Therefore it’s an incredibly powerful tool that doesn’t tell people who you are.  It tells people who you want to be.

CC:  Aside from fashion, what else in your life do you feel you could not live without?
RV:  I could not live without jewelry, art, music, sex and my one-eyed dog.

(Dolls, click the photo below)

CC:  Tell us. Why the fetish with sunglasses?
RV:  When I started in television, I was really insecure about being bald, so I perched the sunglasses on my head to disguise it. Please don’t tell anyone.

CC:  From which role do people recognize you the most: your cameo as a fashion journalist in The Devil Wears Prada, as a commentator on Fashion Police, as the host and creator of Full Frontal Fashion or something else?
RV:  Something else: most people recognize me from Surprise by Design on the Discovery Channel.

CC:  What are the biggest mistakes you’ve made, perhaps regret, but have learned from – both in fashion and personally?
RV:  In fashion there are no mistakes.  That’s what’s really great about it. In my personal life everything has been a mistake.  That’s what is bad about it.

CC:  Do ever wish you could have a so-called normal life? Why or why not?
RV: I do have a normal life. I think having a normal life is a choice. I take the train.  I stand in line for my movie tickets.  I have a total normal existence. I wish I had bodyguards and a chopper on call.  It would be so much more stylish.

CC:  We read that you’ve planned some very interesting events, such as Eva Longoria’s wedding to Tony Parker. Who’s wedding or anniversary party would you like to plan next?
RV:  My own, so if you know anyone who is interested in marrying me, tell them to find me online.

CC:  Out of all of the celebs with unique style, who’s style speaks to you the most? Who would you love to give a makeover?
RV:  There is no one I would like to give a makeover, but there are a lot of cool women that I would like to work with, such as Nicki Minaj, the Olsen twins, and M.I.A.

(Dolls, click the photo below)

CC:  What advice do you have for anyone wanting to break into the fashion industry?
RV:  No job is beneath you.

CC:  What’s the single best accessory for a woman?
RV:  A gay man that makes sure she looks perfect all the time.

CC:  Do you believe that clothes really do make the man?
RV:  It’s definitely a combination of things. Character is more important, but clothes can disguise a bad character.  So, yes they make the man.

CC:  How do you encourage yourself when you feel sad?
RV:  I get away from anything that is familiar; I take a walk or I escape anything that I’m doing.

Written by: Natasha D. Smith

Photos via thechicindex.com