World Monitor Magazine WM_5 | Page 60

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EUROBAK talks : master class with Natalia Petuhova

We talked with Natalia Petuhova in the framework of EUROBAK Talks . Natalia is the chief consultant of Garderob Service-Bureau , coach-consultant of 1TV channel in Russia the on-screen and off-screen style expertise for TV presenters , trainer of special courses in Protocol Service at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Civil Service .
Natalia Petuhova , Coach-consultant , garderob . ru
Natalia , you have been in this profession for more than 15 years . How did your journey start ?
Any journey in any profession starts with the choice . We don ’ t always make this choice right away .
Any journey in any profession starts with a choice . We don ’ t always make this choice right away .
My professional journey started with this question to myself : “ what do I like to do the most in life ?” I finished the Faculty of Psychology at Moscow State University , majoring in human resources , hotel management to be exact . I was then recruited by a company , specializing in political consulting . This was the place where I first saw that a person ’ s appearance influences how others accept him / her in society . One thing is when a person is surrounded by a metropolitan crowd , it is absolutely different than visiting periphery of the country . When a manager goes to the province dressed in a suit that costs at the salary of a mineworker , he won ’ t be accepted and trusted . The connection becomes impossible .
In 1996-1997 I seriously started thinking of how appearance forms the image of any person in the society . Gradually I chose this direction and organized my business in 2002 to consult in office attire .
Since then we have worked in two main directions : with personal clients and corporate companies ( formalizing employee ’ s appearance , working on the corporate dress codes , workshops , etc .). This is not enough to make a corporate book stating what staff ‘ should do ’. It is necessary to raise the loyalty of employees , to make them want to do what is important for the company . Such an approach became the signature of our company .
My colleagues and I are not bossing and running down the instructions on dress code to a company staff . We are somewhere in between communicating to the employees , making an audit of their appearance , and figuring out what they are comfortable at wearing .
Two years ago was when young , smart and zealous specialists started employment in various companies . They are people aimed at result , but not preoccupied with appearance . They prioritize comfort first . How do we reconcile the requirements of top management and the desire of these young people to wear convenient clothing ? This is the strength of my business . We love making this connection and masterly accomplishing such a task .
Working with personal clients is a very inspiring direction that I savor . My favorite process is when you shop alongside a client and you choose three to seven clothing items together with a ‘ wow ’ effect . Therefore , I ’ m convincing clients to not just buy clothes for the sake of buying . Whether this is a man or a woman , they should say ‘ wow ’ to their reflection in a mirror when buying things to wear . It doesn ’ t require them to be overdressed – in rhinestones and feathers – as a show business artist . The ‘ wow ’ effect is when a person is impressed by how she / he looks in any outfit with no pain or inconvenience .
It ’ s exciting to ensure that a person feels comfortable and attractive in casual dress , formal suit or even sportswear that fits his / her context . This is my ‘ song ’, a ‘ tune ’ I ’ m good at , something I love doing well . This is the skill I ’ m teaching my students .
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