Creative Director for Mikel Welch, James Bianca

Welcome back to the spring season of the Mood Board podcast! I am so excited to be on season eight of this show. I want to thank everyone for the continued enthusiasm and interest from all over the world (mind blown!). I also want to thank all of you for your patience as my interior design business Angela Belt interiors and the show grow at the same time. 

Since the Met Gala just happened, I had to kick off the season with fashion stylist, closet designer, and Creative Director for Mikel Welch, James Bianca. In this interview, we discuss prioritizing your closet earlier in the design process and how James wears multiple hats to run her business. We also dig into what advice she would share for other young Black women who want to join the fashion and design industries. 

James embarked on her styling journey in 2006, a passion that evolved into a flourishing career when she made the pivotal move to New York in 2008 to immerse herself in the world of fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Her transformative period began as a Fashion Editorial Assistant for Women’s Wear Daily, a role that deepened her understanding of the intricacies of the industry.

Seasons spent collaborating with esteemed designers during Mercedes-Benz/New York Fashion Week and within the opulent showrooms of luxury brands like Givenchy, Saint Laurent, and Valentino further enriched James's professional tapestry. The culmination of these experiences came in July 2012 when she was recruited to contribute her expertise to J.Crew's revered still life and soft goods department.

Post her tenure at the cherished American brand, James seamlessly transitioned into the realm of freelance fashion styling, showcasing her versatility by working for brands spanning the spectrum from Target to Tom Ford.

Currently, James dedicates herself to the role of a personal fashion stylist, employing her extensive industry insights to infuse editorial style into the daily lives of her clients in an accessible and enjoyable manner. Her knack for wardrobe curation naturally led to an unexpected realization – the art of designing closets became an integral part of her client offerings. Recognizing the potential for a more comprehensive service, James inaugurated a high-end closet design branch within her business in 2020, further enhancing her commitment to elevating her clients' sartorial experiences.