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There is a particular kind of freedom in getting dressed when you no longer feel the need to explain yourself.
For some, clothing is a matter of aesthetics. For others, it is a declaration, a defence, or a glimpse of the person they are still becoming. And sometimes, finding your style has less to do with discovering what looks good on you than with figuring out who you want to be when the world is looking.
For Aya Lisch, Creative Director and Personal & Brand Stylist, fashion is where identity, psychology, and self-expression meet. But her path into the industry was far from conventional. After seven years in IT and project management, she found herself on a rainy February walk, questioning whether the career she had built was one she actually wanted to continue. Her answer came almost immediately. Fashion, an interest that had followed her since childhood, was no longer something to keep on the sidelines.
Today, her work goes beyond putting together an outfit. Through styling and creative direction, she helps individuals and brands understand what they want to communicate, what they have outgrown, and what they are ready to become. We spoke with Aya about career reinvention, clothing as visual armour, the psychology behind personal style, and why being taken seriously in the creative world begins long before anyone gives you permission to enter it.
You spent seven years working in IT and project management before moving into fashion. What was the moment—or realization—that made you decide to completely change direction?
The pivotal moment was a simple feeling of utter misery (I think it’s always a classic beginning for every movie there is). I remember it was a rainy day in February and I went on a walk thinking if I realistically wanted to continue my career in tech after 7 wonderful years. The "No" was immediate. Two seconds later, the question was posed in my head: what would I do alternatively? The plan was to make a list of 5 industries/career paths I could see myself stepping into. Fashion was the first one; after all, I have had an interest in fashion and styling since I got my hands on my first Barbie. Sadly, during my teen years, it wasn’t considered a “real” profession. And it wasn't my first career change, so it didn't feel as scary. I knew it would be a risky transition, but I also knew it was worth it. Always listen to your gut, kids.
You describe fashion as a language of identity, emotion, and human nature. When did you personally start seeing clothing as something much deeper than simply what we wear?
I want to say my teen years were when youth maximalism played a serious role in how I wanted to show myself (I was bullied in school, so I desperately wanted to separate myself from them and develop spikes so they would think twice before approaching me); I also started to look into style and how I could make the most of the limited clothes that I already had. I wanted my outfit to speak for me, give a peek to the outside world of who I was becoming. But, if I am completely honest, my early 20s are the most accurate time when I started to REALLY explore and play with different styles and experiment with what I liked and what wasn't working for me. That was also the time when I moved to another country, and freedom to explore had a new meaning to me. This time around, unlike my teen years, I was on a mission to find what I liked, instead of trying to impress others.
3. Looking back at your career so far, is there one project or body of work that feels particularly important to you—not necessarily because it was the biggest, but because it changed the way you saw yourself or your work? What made it so meaningful?
Recently, I co-directed a short film, which was a very new experience for me. It was definitely meaningful because it is such a thrilling feeling to have someone trusting you with their idea and vision, and me being able to add extra dimension to the development of each character (costume & direction), and the film overall, without changing the original vision is a magic come true.
It is momentous to me as a woman too, because I've been to plenty of spaces in multiple industries where my opinion was suppressed or laughed at (sometimes to my face) simply because of my gender and my appearance (blonde hair, tattoos, long funky nails, etc.), but here it felt like a true collaboration, mutual passion, and utter respect.
Your work combines psychology with styling and creative direction. When you work with someone, how do you uncover the person they are beneath the image they think they’re supposed to present?
Since an early age, I was very good at reading people (thanks, trauma), so uncovering what people want comes naturally to me; however, my goal is to direct an individual or a brand with questions. What I come across very often is people telling me from the get-go what they don't like/want. But they never had a chance to sit down and ask what they WANT for themselves. What they want to show to the world, what they want to hide. This is where my actual work begins. I navigate my questions so they can actually get the idea of where they are going, and then I expand and build from there. Usually it's frustrating for a client (patience is teh key here), but once we figure it out, like a puzzle, everything just makes sense for them. One thing to remember: you already know the answers; you just need to ask yourself the right questions. I am here to simply guide you and give you all my knowledge.
ou’ve described clothing as a kind of “visual armour.” What do you think people are really trying to protect, express, or become when they get dressed?
Honestly, it is such an individual process, and it is also forever changing, because as humans, we constantly evolve. Some want to show off their quirks and most deering parts of their personality (I have a client that when we started working together first, we wanted to implement her favourite pink colour and love for bow, hearts, and cute girly things to her corporate wardrobe, but to be still taken seriously as Gen Z talking to stakeholders), some want to hide their insecurities (nothing wrong with it, whatever helps you through the day), some want to tap into the future versions of themselves that they are building and working towards (embodying it through clothing and inner aesthetics rather than just simply trying to fake it). And there are some that went through a major life change/shift/move that whatever was working for them before doesn't anymore, and they crave to rediscover themselves. At the end of the day, it's all about expressing who they are.
You made a major career change into an industry that can feel incredibly difficult to enter. What do you think your younger self misunderstood about finding your place in the creative world?
One thing I wish I could tell myself from a few years back is not to stick to just personal styling (that was how I started); keep reminding myself that I do indeed possess the knowledge and nerdy qualities to make it all work out and build from it.
Being “too much” has always worked well for me, and this industry is no exception.
Also, pick a better bank for business and collect all receipts for the company expenses :)
For a young person reading GuidfromM who has a strong creative ambition but feels “too young” or unqualified to take it seriously, what would you want them to know?
You might have heard it's difficult, but the truth is, it's quite simple. You just have to want it bad enough and put the time and your energy into it, not just yap about how much you want it. Study your craft like it's day one and develop strong opinions in your area (or multiple) of expertise (they might sometimes clash, but that's not the end of the world).
I’ve heard so many people saying that the industry is gatekept, but think about it: I wouldn’t want to invite you to work with me again if (for example) I had you as BTS content creator once, and you showed up to the set beyond late, with a horrible mood, with a dead phone, and with no charger or power bank. Naturally, no one would want to have such a person back on set.
"My advice would be to develop an extremely professional approach to not only your craft, but also how you show up (preferably as a delight every single time), and give 150%, even if they requested 100%. It’s your reputation at stake. Take it seriously and to heart."
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