Liat Baruch is a fashion force to be reckoned with. While Baruch has 15 years of experience in the fashion industry, his work with the Richie family is perhaps his greatest fame. There’s no denying that Sofia Richie’s effortlessly sophisticated style has been at the top of every fashion enthusiast’s mind, and we have Baruch to thank for that.
With her attention to detail, Baruch can turn ordinary looks into extraordinary statements. Her distinctive and incredibly strategic approach to style is about mixing eclectic elements, mixing textures and experimenting with unexpected combinations to create that sense of effortless sophistication that also pushes the boundaries of traditional fashion standards. Her unique vision and impeccable taste have earned her a loyal clientele and made her a sought-after collaborator for high-profile clients and fashion publications.
Baruch’s influence as a stylist continues to evolve and transform the industry, inspiring others and redefining personal style. In the latest episode of Who What to Wear with Hillary Kerr, Baruch reveals her fashion do’s and don’ts, her take on where the fashion industry is heading and the style details behind Richie’wedding looks.
For excerpts from that conversation, scroll below.
For an event like Sofia Richie’s wedding, where it takes place over several days and is a big moment because it’s a wedding, how long does the styling process take? I’m curious about the timeline of a process when it’s something huge like this.
Liat Baruch: First of all, she’s a permanent customer. And actually, her sister has been my best friend for 25 years, so Sofia is my sister. I have been working with her at this level for a few years. It’s a constant thing. For the wedding, it wasn’t like [I said]”Here are the ten looks”, then I presented to [her looks] during the ten days preceding the marriage and the five days following. It was more like we were doing general stores [leading] until marriage. And from there, we extract the best pieces and accessorize them so that they are perfectly refined. [and] as we want. It wasn’t like I had 17 mood boards with each look and stuff, it was very organic. That’s why it’s so funny when people are blown away because that’s what I do, and that’s what she does.
I like to know more about the process. What does the first day of working with someone look like? And how do you get on the same page or know they’re the right customer for you?
Until now it was difficult because the whole point of me is that I don’t exist. It’s like you, Hillary, call me up and say, “I have a board meeting, what am I wearing?” You’re not going to walk into the board meeting and say, “Liat is doing my hair. It’s your style; I just helped you get there. So first I meet them, and we usually go over coffee to discuss what they are looking for and what they need. Usually they need help with their wardrobe and feel like they don’t have the right leather jacket or blazer. I usually like to start with an event, whether they’re having a bar mitzvah for the week, whether they’re going to Hawaii, or whether they’re having an event of some kind, or just day-to-day looks and don’t want to look the same every days.
Through word of mouth, most customers know [ahead of time] that our aesthetics align. That doesn’t mean I can’t work with someone who doesn’t share my aesthetic. It’s just that there are millions of people who do certain things very well. But if anyone liked the way Sofia looked at the wedding, now they can see it and think they want something similar – and I can; that’s what I do.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Then check out our previous episode with Charlotte Palermine.