Fashion might look glamorous on Instagram but behind every red carpet moment is a LOT of chaos, spreadsheets, sourcing, fittings, returns, early mornings, and problem-solving that nobody talks about.

For the season one finale of the podcast, I’m joined by celebrity stylist and fashion journalist Corina Gaffey for a really honest conversation about building a career in Irish fashion, freelancing, backing yourself, and figuring things out as you go.

Corina shares how she went from magazine life at KISS and Stellar to styling major names like Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally, and what fashion styling actually looks like behind the scenes.

We also talk about:
• “faking it till you make it” and learning on the job
• the reality of freelance life when the inbox goes quiet
• the pressure behind red carpet styling
• confidence, personal style, and social media trends
• why copying someone else’s style never really works
• rejection, resilience, and building relationships in the industry

It’s an insightful and honest chat about creativity, career pivots, self-belief, and finding your place in a competitive industry. I hope you enjoy!

Support the show

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support

Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!