INTERVIEW | EDITORIAL STYLIST DIANE GORGIEVSKI

BY KELLY MÜLLER

In case you missed it, NOT SO MUMSY supports and celebrates parenthood, period. Both Marcia and I are passionate about sharing the stories of mums and I personally love chatting with those who juggle work/life, because it inspires me to keep doing the same. I am perpetually inspired by mothers (and dads) who follow their passion and create a work life that complements their family life so it was my great pleasure to chat with the very clever, creative and passionate, Diane Gorgievski.

Editorial stylist for the likes of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and RUSSH, Gorgievski has worked on some of Australia’s most recognisable and innovative shoots with many much-loved celebrities and influencers. She was behind that Jessica Mauboy cover for Sunday Style, the documentation of Australia’s no 1 beauty vlogger Lauren Curtis’ dramatic hair cut and the pared back, sexy as hell Erin Wasson for Tomboy editorial - not to mention being on the main team for international hair stylist Luigi Murenu for six seasons at international fashion week.

Gorgievski has recently opened her own boutique salon, Koda, in the fashionable Gould St, Bondi. With a focus on detail and service, Gorgievski promises to deliver an editorial edge to customer’s hair needs, bringing them current but achievable looks. This same attention to detail is replicated in the look and feel of the salon - Metallic Copper Kartel chairs, Philippe Starck mirrors and a huge ‘Heracleum The Big O’ light by Bertjan Pot. Gorgievski clearly knows a thing or two about style.

In between working on shoots and running Koda, Gorgievski also balances her role as a mother to her daughter Maddalena. (Ummm, superwoman or what?!) I stole five minutes to pick her brain about her secrets to the work/life juggle.

Congratulations on the opening of Koda. After an incredible career as a senior stylist at Valonz as well as working as an editorial stylist, was this something you had imagined for a long time? How did it come about? KODA was something that just happened organically - it was never really in my life plan. It literally came to me as a push from the universe, so I took it and ran with it.

What did you do before Koda? I am an editorial stylist so I focused on that path before Koda and travelled most of the year working on international fashion shows. I then of course did the most incredible thing to date and had my baby.

How do you balance Koda with motherhood? It's a never-ending struggle for balance. I have my baby - my business baby and my biggest importance, my husband. All three need just as much time and energy and LOVE. I am getting there.

Do you have any time management secrets for other working mamas? Buy a planner. And write it down.

Is there anything about your management style in the salon that you apply to your approach to motherhood or vice versa? I feel that I always need to be feeling good to be able to put a smile on. Sometimes all I need to is a 30 minute ‘me time’ walk and then I am good and can keep on giving. I think definitely doing things with a calm and fair approach keeps good vibes going and they are the best to have both in salon and at home.

What are some of the qualities you hope to instil in Maddalena? Manners are very important. I also want to teach her to have the ability to sit back and watch and analyse things. I think people who see things for what they are go places.

What are some of the personality traits she's showing already? She is determined and extremely communicative. She loves music. She's already ‘doing’ things.

She recently turned one, what has been your favourite age of her life to date? That's a very hard question because all the ages have been awesome. 12 months is a huge milestone and I have to say, a huge achievement. I did love 12 months, lots of words and it’s cliché, but hearing ‘mum’ is priceless.

If Maddalena told you she wanted to be a hairdresser, what would you say? My first reaction would be no. Hairdressing recruits people into apprenticeships from a really young age - I think I would prefer Maddalena to pick a career when she was a little older. In saying that, I was so head strong and started hair by 15 years old and I stuck to because I LOVE it! I think that you are so exposed to world very early in so many ways in the hair industry - through the honesty of clients and peers and there was definitely a party scene that I was exposed to very early.

But the truth is, I want Maddalena to be whatever she wants to be, as long as she is happy.

Previously the PR and Communications Manager at ModelCo Cosmetics and most recently the Marketing Director at Stylerunner,  Bondi based Kelly Müller is also a new mama to Sunny Marlow Muller. Kelly now works from home, running her own PR and Marketing consultancy and approaches parenting with mindfulness, compassion and a daily morning coffee. Follow Kelly on Instagram