As founder of cosmetic company, Rae Cosmetics, Rochelle Rae is literally bringing beauty to Austin as well as across the country. Self described as a make-up line for the "athletic chic," surely she has found inspiration from her own life as someone who takes pride of her athletic lifestyle. Here is an interview and a brief biography with the lovely, Rochelle Rae.(To the left: Rochelle Rae, Rae Cosmetics store front, Rochelle Rae at Runway to Heaven.)
Interview with Rochelle Rae.
MyStyle-Austin: How would you describe your personal style?
Rochelle Rae: I would say wide spread. I can be very casual. I love going to the beach. I am very much a board shorts and wife beater kind of girl. A lot of times I feel like I am the one who is too dressed up at the party. If I have an excuse to dress up I totally love to dress up but I am completely comfortable in a wife beater and board shorts.
MSA: What style do you think best reflects your personality?
RR: I would say that it is a little eccentric either way. I wouldn’t say that either one defines me. You probably wouldn’t see what I am wearing on the pages of a magazine, what I like to wear is usually a little bit different. I love being both the girl in the board shots and the glamour girl. I went to art school and I used to wear polyurethane and thigh high boot and had purple hair, combat boot and fish nets. I was always little bit on the edge.
MSA: That was in L.A?
RR: No, that was actually in Missouri, Kansas City, and once I came to Texas as well. I actually calmed down when I went to L.A.
MSA: Being in Kansas City, did you style set you apart from the other students?
RR: It did somewhat. Kansas City is a big city and I went to an art school so I was the norm at the Art Institute. I did not have any tattoos or piercing at that time, I don’t now either. I did have some piercing at one time but not anymore. I wasn’t that weird. Once I left the school campus I guess I was a little different from everyone else.
MSA: How did your style transition when you lived in L.A?
RR: I worked so much in LA and went to school. My style there was actually very comfortable because I was on a movie set most of the time. I was a little more comfortable, I still sported the polyurethane pants but I was such in a work situation that I had to be comfortable.
MSA: You said that an eccentric twist defines your style. Is that what you would say sets your style apart from everyone else?
RR: I think what sets me apart, and I have been told this, is that I feel very comfortable in my clothes. Even if it is a black tie event, I like to feel comfortable in what I am wearing. I don not wear anything that I do not feel comfortable in. Even thought I wear three-inch heels everyday, unless I’m in board shorts, that is what I feel comfortable in. Even at New York Fashion Week, people were like ‘are you kidding me?’ Everyone else was in flats, but that is what I feel good in. Back to when I was still in school and I was the only one showing up to class in shiny red plastic pants, that is what I felt comfortable wearing.
MSA: From who or from what are you inspired by stylistically?
RR: I am inspired mostly, by women in the media that are in my age range. Charlize Theron, Cameron Diaz, she always looks comfortable in what she wears even when she dresses up.
MSA: Who is your style icon?
RR: Cameron Diaz. I have a strong sporty side and I love the fact that she can be so sporty with her board on the beach but then look so beautiful on the red carpet.
MSA: Her red carpet looks always seem so effortless!
RR: Exactly! I have been lucky enough to be told that by some people. Maybe that was not necessarily true, but that is what I try to look like.
MSA: Speaking of red carpets. What is would your dream red carpet look be?
RR: I would love to wear an Oscar de la Renta gown. They seem to always be a bit over the top yet still very classy. I would love to show off the red soles a little bit.
MSA: What one item of clothing does every woman need?
RR: Jeans. Great jeans. Jeans that look good on you and that you feel comfortable in. Especially here in Austin, you can go to an event if you have the right pair of jeans.
MSA: What is your opinion about style in Austin?
RR: Obviously it is so much more laid back than everywhere else. I feel like there is good and bad to that. I feel like if you do have that great pair of jeans you do not have to feel uncomfortable going to an event. But at the same time if you want to go out and have a nice dinner with you friends you don’t want to see that guy in his cut-offs and flip flops. The sort of anything goes rule in Austin is great, but is sucks at the same time. It’s what makes Austin what it is.
MSA: If you could add on thing to Austin fashion what would it be?
RR: I would add more events that you are required to dress up for!
MSA: Who’s closet would you love to play in?
RR: Kim Kardashian. One, for her clothes, but also because I heard that she used to go in and organize other people’s closets and I bet hers is so perfectly organized too. I would love for my closet to be organized by color and shirts over here……
MSA: So what is the current state of your closet?
RR: I am moving so it is a wreck!
MSA: What trends do you love?
RR: I am going to buy a pair of leather leggings! I saw a pair online by BCBG Max
Azria that elongate your legs and I am also liking the over the knee, thigh high boots.
MSA: Which trend do you hate?
RR: I have seen on TV and in magazines remakes of the parachute pant. I have also seen that shoulder pads are making a comeback and I am a child of the eighties so I just want to burn those!
MSA: What has been your favorite personal style moment?
RR: I was nominated, by Austin Under 40, for Person of the Years in the Arts. So I went to St. Thomas and bought a gown the night before the event. It was bad enough that I could not make it to the store until close to closing but they also had to alter the dress overnight for me to wear the following evening. It wanted it to be long enough to wear these five inch heels and be as tall as possible. I always say that I should have been born six foot.
MSA: What has been your least favorite personal style moment?
RR: Probably all of high school! The styles weren’t so lovely and I was quite a bit overweight, so add those shoulder pads to an overweight teenager and it wasn’t so pretty.
MSA: Through Rae Cosmetics, how do you want to bring style and fashion to Austin?
RR: We do a lot of style events around town. Three days after doing our last show during fashion week, we came back to participate in the Tribeza fashion show. We also did Runway to Heaven but I am really proud of the fact that we can bring fashion to people that aren’t necessarily fashionistas. Girls that want to look great everyday but without all the fuss, our make-up is great for that. Just because you’re an athlete or the girl in the board shorts you want to look pretty too and we came up with a make-up line that is great for that.
MSA: What designers did you work with at fashion week?
RR: A lot of up and comers. Christina Crawford, Jessica Joyce. The venue contacted us and provided us with mood boards from each designer that were really fun to work with. One wanted leopard print on the faces of the models. It was an awesome experience to have our logo on the red carpet and be a part of the chaos.
MSA: What is your one piece of style advice for all the women out there?
RR: Be comfortable. Don’t wear a style because that is what is in style. Wear what you fell comfortable in. If you are not a make-up girl don’t wear cat eyes or dark eyes. Exuding confidence is the most beautiful, sexy thing about a person. Man or woman it’ not the make-up or the clothes that give you that.
Biography: ABOUT ROCHELLE RAE!
Rochelle Rae is CEO and creator of Rae Cosmetics. She is an award-winning make up artist with a degree in Fine Arts and attended the prestigious Makeup Designory in Hollywood California. In 2009 Rochelle was a finalist for Austinite of the Year Under 40 in Arts and Entertainment.
Rochelle has won the “Award of Excellence” from the Association of Wedding & Events Coordinators, the “Award of Excellence for Make Up Artistry” from Austin Wedding Day Magazine and both the “Best Make Up Artist” and “Best in the Business of Beauty” awards from Austin Monthly Magazine. Rochelle has served as Director of Make Up for runway shows by designers Zac Posen and Sergio Guadarrama (Celestino Couture) in Austin TX and in New York during New York Fashion Week.
Rochelle’s line of natural mineral cosmetics, Rae Cosmetics, has won “Best Beauty Product Award” from both Rare Magazine and The Austin Chronicle. Rae Cosmetics was the sole make up sponsor of the 2009 New York Nolcha Fashion Week and has been featured by Modern Bride Magazine and over thirty other regional and national publications.
Trusted by photographers, filmmakers, models, wedding coordinators, celebrities and fashion designers alike, Rochelle has earned a reputation as a premier makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur.
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