Meet the Stylist: Flora and Tomer
Flora
Flora Shepelsky is a highly-respected beauty entrepreneur, talented wig designer, and the founder of Design by Flora, a wig, fall, and topper design and manufacturing company! Flora has coordinated fashion shows, charity events, and taught educational courses. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines, newspapers, and on national television. Born in Russia, raised in Israel and Brooklyn, Flora currently resides in New Jersey with her husband and their five children. She works from Design by Flora’s showroom innovating new designs, overseeing operations, and meeting with custom clients on a daily basis. Design By Flora has store locations in New Jersey, New York City and Los Angeles.
SS: Tell us the story behind your favorite wardrobe item?
Flora: My favorite wardrobe item would have to be my sandals. When I choose a pair of shoes, the most important aspect to me is comfort. Secondly, I need to be able to dress them down for work and then be able to change to an evening outfit to run to an event with minimal stuff to carry. One day last year, I came to work in flip flops forgetting that I had a meeting that night. I ran out and picked up a gorgeous pair of sandals, not thinking about comfort. This was an emergency. Three hours into the evening, it dawned on me that I felt like I was barefoot. This was not just a sandal, it was an orthopedic one. This was the best buy I ever made. I wear them to work and to meetings and even to weddings. I now have them in every color and get to wear them year round with my monthly trips to LA. The best things you find are often not what you are looking for.
SS: What's your most memorable 'panic moment'? How did you recover from it gracefully?'
Flora: My most memorable panic moment was in Miami. After a long day at the beach, I had to get ready to be picked up for dinner straight from there. I packed a dress to change into and showered at the beach. It was not a business dinner so being a bit late was okay. As I was getting ready, one of the straps from my dress ripped. In my car I always have a sewing kit, but I was not in my own car and I did not have any way to get to a store. I'm always so organized and on time, so for me this was devastating. Not so gracefully but without a choice, I tore both straps of the dress with my teeth and made it into a very sexy strapless dress. However, I did spend most of the night trying to keep the dress from falling. By the end of the night I must have gotten 20 compliments on my emergency creation.
SS: What is your favorite era for fashion?
Flora: My favorite era in fashion is the 40's and 50's. I even found a bathing suit resembling something Marilyn Monroe wore. At times when my hair grows a bit longer, I will finger wave it to look like that moment in time. I do wish I could be daring enough to wear the clothes. Maybe one day!
SS: What was your big break?
Flora: I've been in my line of work, doing wigs since I was 16 years old. I must say that every ten years or so, I thought, "Wow, this is my big break." Even when my work was recognized by many TV producers, high -end magazines, newspapers, and fashion blogs it still somehow did not feel anywhere near as rewarding as when I designed my “Illusion Fall.” Now I can confidently say my big break was then. About six months after introducing it into the market my business exploded. The Flora Illusion Fall became a household name among women suffering from hair loss. Before time, women who previously wore extensions for just hair enhancement length and fashion started calling for my illusion fall. I never had to advertise as it went by word of mouth and now we receive requests for our illusion fall from all over the world. But I must say, you know you made it when a client tells you that her little girl was playing with her mother’s hair and said, "Mommy stay still. I'm Flora!”
SS: Whose closet would you most like to raid?
Flora: It’s a funny question for me about whose closet I would raid because I never thought about that. So this answer required some research. I don't have a specific style as I just kind of get what looks good. One thing I noticed when looking in my closet is that it's mostly black with very few items of color. I also never noticed that I mostly wear v-neck with either spaghetti straps or long sleeves and nothing in between. So after looking through some of my favorite celebrities, I chose Angelina Jolie since she has a very similar casual and dressed up vibe to me.
SS: Who are your favorite designers?
Flora: As for my favorite designers for working out and hanging around, I love Lululemon. For work, TV appearances, meetings and interviews, I prefer Giorgio Armani for its tailored classy pants and shirts. But for my evening wear, I choose not such well known designers but rather amazing ones. Both of them I have worked with and have the upmost respect for their work and unique style. Their names are Ashley Michaelsen and Norisol Ferrari. Of course, for my hats and hair accessories, I go to my amazing partner who I share space with in Los Angeles, Sherel’s Hats. All of their high end hats are made in NY and I'd put nothing else on my head.
Learn more about Flora by checking out her website - www.designbyflora.com and keep up with her on Twitter & Facebook.
Tomer
Tomer grew up around the millinery business since before he could remember. His mother, Shirley came to New York with his father thirty some odd years ago with big dreams and nothing more than $300 in their pocket. With her determination, great style and personality, she started making and trimming her infamous hats to all of the local hat stores in Brooklyn. Before long, enough demand had grown for her to save up enough money to open up her first boutique. Tomer has been doing this since he was about 9. So you can really say it’s been a lifetime, but he officially began working part time at about 19, and has been there full time since I graduated. When a certain profession is in your blood since childhood, it’s hard to deny the obvious choice to enter into a family business no matter how many other options you explore.
SS: Tell us the story behind your favorite wardrobe item?
Tomer: My favorite go to outfit is my jeans and t-shirts. I’m always ready to work and get my hands dirty.
SS: What's your most memorable 'panic moment'?
Tomer: I headed to the Betsey Johnson Mercedes Benz Fashion show and as I got out my car I ripped my jeans right in the crotch area.
SS: How did you recover from it gracefully?'
Tomer: After I had a near meltdown realizing I couldn’t go into the show, I then remembered that I had a sewing kit in the car. Thank you mommy for teaching how to be a milliner, never knew it would help me get out of a wardrobe malfunction.
SS: What is your favorite era for fashion?
Tomer: I love hats from the 20's to the 70's when the millinery industry was really in its heyday. As for my clothing, when I’m not in meetings I love to dress in 70's and 80’s styles as I have somewhat of a hipster’s fetish.
SS: What was your big break?
Tomer: When designers started to showcase high end hats in Mercedes Benz Fashion shows, they came to our New York factories and we then started collaborating with some of the world’s most amazing fashion designers.
SS: Whose closet would you most like to raid?
Tomer: Johnny Depp
SS: Who are your favorite designers?
Tomer: Belstaff, Etro,Neil Barrett, Bottega Veneta, Fifth Avenue Shoe repair, Tsubi, Rogan. Canali for suits.
Learn more about Tomer on his blog - http://sherels.blogspot.com, Facebook and Twitter.