Edward Bowleg III is a part of fashion’s next generation of stylists dominating the industry. The New York and Paris-based image architect fell in love with fashion as a child. Some of his earliest memories include him persuading his parents to bring fashion magazines home so that he could sift through them, gleefully soaking up the contents of the pages before he could even make sense of it all. Bowleg went on to major in fashion design in college where he quickly learned that constructing clothing was more complicated than it appeared in magazines. However, it was through this experience that he would come to recognize that he had a knack for arranging looks.
Bowleg went on to land a few freelance gigs assisting stylists and his career took off from there. He has lent his eye and styling expertise to various cover shoots for WSJ magazine, Vogue China, and Homme+ magazine, just to name a few. His work extends beyond editorial magazine work. He has also dabbled in advertising, styling with brands such as Hermes and Valentino Garavani.
Bowleg recently sat down with EBONY, highlighting his journey from elementary school fashion lover to a fashion stylist sitting front row at Paris Fashion Week.
EBONY: Where did your interest in fashion begin?
Edward Bowleg: My interest in fashion began through art and drawing. Art class was always my favorite subject in elementary school. I started to take weekend drawing classes and eventually, I began drawing the clothes I would see in my mom’s catalogs. Over time, that turned into begging my parents to bring home fashion magazines for me and spending a lot of time watching fashion programs like “Fashion File,” “Fashion Television,” and “Video Fashion.”
How did you know that you wanted to be a stylist? Did you do any internships or assistant work?
I understood I wanted to be a stylist once I went to school for fashion design and realized I didn’t have a knack for constructing clothes. During that time, I had still been hoarding magazines and came to the realization that I loved putting pieces together. I had also been interning here and there for a stylist so it felt like a natural transition.
I began freelancing/interning and learning what the job entailed during the summer of 2005, the year before I graduated high school. I continued interning and assisting throughout my college days. I went into assisting full-time after graduating college and finished in 2019, so it has been quite some time!
Where do you go for inspiration when styling a shoot?
I draw inspiration from many different places: movies, pop culture, art, and even dreaming up characters in my head, which could turn into something. Traveling also stirs up inspiration, as I love exploring new places and coming away with something new to be excited by.
You do a lot of editorial work. Have you had thoughts about getting into celebrity styling?
I’ve dabbled in celebrity styling a little bit, and I’m certainly not opposed to it. It is a whole different beast from the editorial side of things, but it is a challenge I find intriguing.
Where do you see yourself in the next 3-6 years?
In the next 3-6 years, I’m hoping to expand upon the knowledge I’ve gained working in the industry. Perhaps consulting on a line of clothing or becoming an editor at large at a publication. I love fashion and I love this industry in which we get to create images and tell stories, so anything I can do to further that would make me happy!