ABOUT
Majka Kaiser / Stylist & Wordsmith
I’ve always had a passion for and been involved in the arts. My first introduction was through the performing arts; singing, dancing, and acting on stage from the age of four. My recollections of my childhood are filled with sparkling sequins, stiff tutus, thick stage make-up, bright lights and hours and hours of rehearsing with other equally creative and talented people. By my mid-teens I had discovered the world of opera and at 16 I left my hometown to attend music school and so my adventure began which would take me to Europe a few years later at 21.
London was where I made my home for several years. During my three year studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama I lived a two minute walk from the Barbican Arts Centre, home to both the National Shakespeare Company and The London Symphony Orchestra, the latter whom I would later work for. Here, I was a mere stroll away from Spittalfields, Brick Lane, and Hoxton Square, the bustling hub of independant creatives and artisans, where I would come full circle, living in the East End in my last two years in London.
I also lived in the heart of Westminster where my mornings and nights would begin and end with the iconic chimes of Big Ben. Mornings were spent walking along the Thames to Guildhall where days were spent running between opera rehearsals, make-up classes, fight classes, language and singing lessons. Evenings spent performing in some of the most opulent private residences and city guilds, or attending the capital’s most illustrious art galleries and theatres. My childhood dream of living the life of those crazy, talented kids in Fame had come to fruition. Looking back I can barely believe it happened to me.
London is where my passion and keen interest in the applied arts and design was fostered. Exposure to the phenomonal work of artisans and designers at every turn fuelled my desire to see more, to learn more.The more my voracious appetite was fed, the more I hungered.
I had envisaged spending the rest of my life in Europe, but more often than not, life has other plans for us. So, after 15 years I found myself in my hometown of Christchurch once again. Not much had changed, but I was a completely different person. The fiesty teenager who couldn’t wait to leave to take on the world at 16 was now content to remain, to stop, listen, and follow wherever her heart would lead her.
I started making things with my hands again and that’s when one thing led to another. Before I knew it I was assisting on styling shoots and landed a full-time job as a visual merchandiser to a department store where I designed and made props for window displays and in-store merchandising. Later I became more interested in graphic design, which would play out in the creation of Mint Style Studio.
Mint Style Studio was born when I found myself yearning for more diversity and freedom in my work. I missed the creative energy I got from working with a constantly revolving set of talented creatives and wanted to find a way to make a living from my desire to learn about different artistic mediums. Mint Style Studio began as a personal project, but also as a way of finding a direction and focus in a line of work which would satisfy all my creative and professional desires.
Services
I now happily work as a freelance stylist and writer. My ever expanding client base includes New Zealand luxury fashion brands, independent art galleries, boutiques, broadsheets, and magazines. My expertise ranges from writing and curating blogs for fashion brands, boutiques, and small businesses, visual merchandising and window displays for retail, editorial and commercial styling, and editorial writing and copywriting.
If you think I can help your business, I’d love to hear from you. Just drop me a line at info@mintstylestudio.com and I’ll be in touch within 24 hours.
