Meet the Experts: Maria Hatzistefanis, Stassi Schroeder and Michael Costello

Who better to talk to our Simply Stylist go-getters than those who have already worked their way to the top of the industry? From beauty, to blogging, to fashion and beyond, our panel of experts all have something in common: They've worked their butts off to make it and they want to share their journeys! We are so pleased to introduce Maria Hatzistefanis of the ultra luxe Rodial Skincare, Stassi Schroeder of Style by Stassi and designer to the stars, Michael Costello. You'll get plenty of face time with them at the Simply Stylist Fashion+Beauty LA Conference on March 28th at The Grove, but read on to get some basics right now!  

Maria | President of the Rodial Group (Rodial Skincare & NIP+FAB), Visit Rodial Online

[blockquote_sty ver="1 or 2"]Maria started her career as a beauty writer at Seventeen Magazine before moving to New York where she received an MBA from Columbia Business School. After a stint in Corporate Finance first in NY and then London, Maria followed her passion for beauty and founded Rodial Skincare in 1999. Maria identified a gap in the market for a range that would offer targeted treatments to specific skin concerns. 15 years later, Rodial is a global brand available in 35 countries and more than 1,000 luxury stores worldwide, including Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Space NK and Nordstrom. Maria also founded two other skincare brands, Nip+fab and Nip+man and has recently launched a make-up range, growing the presence of the Rodial group to more than 20,000 stores worldwide. Maria has received the CEW achievers award and is and is a regular speaker at fashion, business and digital conferences worldwide. Maria lives in London, UK with her husband and two boys.[/blockquote_sty]

Stassi | Style By Stassi, @stassischroeder

[blockquote_sty ver="1 or 2"]Stassi Schroeder is a television personality, jewelry designer and fashion maven. She is best known as the break out star of the hit Bravo reality series, Vanderpump Rules. The show just wrapped its third season and remains one of the network’s most successful shows.

In 2014, Stassi took a step back from reality to focus on her true passion, fashion. She started StyleByStassi.com, a fashion and styling blog which has since gone on to gain a large following, solidifying her as a fashion influencer. Through the site’s posts, Stassi shares the latest in beauty & fashion as well as her one-of-a-kind opinions on all things trendy.

The same year, Stassi was approached by Shop Prima donna and asked to channel her love for design to create a series of jewelry collections to be sold on its website. The collections represent Stassi’s range of creativity through each of their unique styles, while making pricing accessible for the everyday woman. “Elements,” launched in November 2014, showcased her passion for statement necklaces and “Stassi & Dayna,” released in late 2014, was created alongside her mother Dayna Schroeder-Czermak as a call to more elegant pieces.

Stassi’s latest collection “S by Stassi” launched in February 2015 with softer, more delicate pieces, a nod to ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English Writing at Loyola Marymount University. She loves yoga and wine and currently resides in Los Angeles with her dogs Zoe and Luda.[/blockquote_sty]

Michael | MTcostello,com, @michaelcostello

[blockquote_sty ver="1 or 2"]Michael Costello is a fashion designer based out of Los Angeles, most well known for dressing the A-list celebrities of the entertainment industry. Michael Costello has been a designer since age 14 and has focused his design technique around elegant yet sexy silhouettes. All dresses are made custom in Michael's showroom and design house in downtown Los Angeles. His client list includes Beyonce, Katy Perry, Arianna Grande, Lady Gaga, Salma Hayek, Paris Hilton and many others.

Michael's company is also based around his family, who have even started working on their own collaboration collection, "MTCostello". His main focus is keeping his clients feeling beautiful and bringing a sexy modern silhouette back to the forefront of the fashion world.[/blockquote_sty]