(Editor’s note: This is a new column that will focus on two specific topics: people who got their start in Rush County and public policy issues that affect, or will affect, us all.)

It’s a long way from the quiet family farm where she grew up in northern Rush County to the hustle and bustle of downtown New York, but Karen Kaiser has made the transition seamlessly and successfully. A member of the RCHS Class of 1996, Karen went on to graduate from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and then, at the urging of David Willkie, she followed her dreams to New York where, for the past three years, she has been a fashion stylist assistant to Karl Templer, one of the world’s most well-known fashion stylists for such publications as Vogue [Italian, French, British, Japanese, Homme International], W, V, The New York Times Magazine and Interview Magazine. “Karl is very much an art director on a photo shoot, as well as the stylist. There’s a lot of creativity going on behind the scenes before people see a beautiful ad or editorial story in Vogue or Interview. It’s a very complicated process, starting with nothing more than an idea and a preliminary draft layout,” Karen said.  

Fashion shoots take Karen all over the world. “When I was in high school, Mom encouraged me to participate in as many activities as possible and wanted me to learn to balance them with my school work,” Karen said in a recent telephone interview. “Even in those days, I was drawn to things that involved lots of creativity. Mom taught me to sew when I was younger, which gave me the first real outlet to create new things,” she said.

Prior to her time working with Karl, Karen worked with the creative director at Aveda. “They didn’t like the stylist they had on a project, so they chose me for the next shoot! I honestly attribute many of the opportunities that I’ve been given to the start I received from people like David Doyle and Coach Cinda Brown. Regardless of whether it was A Cappella choir or playing basketball for the Lady Lions, we worked very hard and both Mr. Doyle and Coach Brown instilled in me the belief that you can make anything happen if you’re willing to work hard enough to make it happen,” Karen said.

Karen’s job gives her the unique opportunity to travel to exotic places doing fashion shoots. Recently back from ad campaign shoots in Madrid and Milan, and scouring London for interesting and unique clothing and accessories for an upcoming Italian Vogue shoot, Karen said, “Karl just started styling the Fall ‘09 Valentino show in Paris and is beginning to work on the new Spring/Summer 2010 show. It’s a great deal of work. There’s a lot more involved in preparing for and setting up a shoot or show than most people realize. Every aspect of a fashion shoot and show is very carefully planned – and just as carefully carried out. The amount of preparation with the clothing and accessories is dependent upon the client or magazine, the models and the photographer we are working with. I have become very well informed about the fashion market and the history of fashion photography. My real love, though, is creating the world in which the fashion shoot takes place – where the photography and the fashion come alive – because that’s what we’re really doing – creating a lasting moment with each new assignment. A fashion shoot is more than just photographing a product or a model in an attractive setting. Every element is carefully considered; the setting, the model, the lighting, the placement of the product, the mood Karl wants to capture and making the clothing look its absolute best in that situation. There is a great deal of work involved to make the clothing look effortless. We did a Dior fragrance shoot in Hawaii for film and for print. We started with an idea, but that required creating a total environment for the model, his clothing, how the sunlight reflected on both, makeup, the temperature, and a hundred other things. It’s wonderful dealing with the creative people at this level – they have such talent. Sometimes the process is almost surreal. But it’s also great to come home. Coming home helps keep me grounded,” Karen said.

Reflecting back on her days at RCHS, Karen also recalled Les Fenimore. “He also had a big influence on me. We worked very hard in his class, and he showed me that to achieve the results you want requires hard work, desire, and commitment.”

The majority of the work Karen does is for the print media. “We just did a new Nike campaign which is quite different from our usual fashion campaigns such as Calvin Klein, Gap and Benetton. But now that the NBA tournament is over, I’ll have the chance to work with Kobe Bryant from the Lakers as part of the campaign. That will be a new experience for me.”

With so much happening in her life, what does the future hold in store for Karen Kaiser? “My dream is to be on my own as a fashion stylist, or to work as an editor someday.” Humility is also important in the high profile world of fashion. “It’s important to always treat people with the same respect – sometimes creative people can be a little temperamental. Thankfully, I inherited patience from my parents. Coming home helps me keep everything in its proper perspective. People are just people, after all – regardless of their reputations or the fame they’ve achieved.”

Asked what advice she would offer high school students today, Karen said, “Try as many cultural activities as you can. There are so many avenues to go down. I would urge kids to explore as many of those avenues as their time and talent will permit. You never know where trying a new activity will lead. I consider myself very lucky to have grown up in Rush County. There was never really a disconnect in my life. It was more a matter of growing naturally from one level to the next. I also had lots of parental support, which was critical,” Karen explained.

In conclusion, Karen said she hopes one day to come back and make a contribution in the community. “Perhaps I can inspire others to pursue their dreams, to work hard and find a way to make good things happen in their lives.”

Are the two worlds of a Rush County farm and haute couture all that far apart? Not for Karen Kaiser. The lessons learned in the first help keep her focused and grounded in the second.