Pulled home - twice - from the mainland, a long-held love of fashion has evolved into a career as a personal stylist for this Tasmanian creative.

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Lara Christie

You live and work in Nipaluna/Hobart. Have you always called Tassie home?

I grew up near Knocklofty Reserve in West Hobart, so my childhood was characterised by immediate access to bushland and that moody Tasmanian energy that anyone who has been here knows. After school, I followed in the footsteps of my two older brothers - and a lot of other Tasmanian teenagers - and did the Melbourne pilgrimage. I was hungry for city life, and wanted to see what else was out there in the world but, after two years, I really felt the pull of home. I missed the community spirit that I’d grown up with, and knowing people when I walked down the street - I think I’m Tasmanian to my core.

After a little while back in Hobart, I ended up in Perth, doing digital project work with the Western Australian Museum for two years. I loved the work, but ended up feeling pulled back to Tasmania again. I missed the mountain, the nature, and having my feet on the land that I grew up on. It’s a really powerful feeling - it’s what brought me home and has kept me here since.

You recently launched your own business, Baseline Studio. How has your career journey brought you to this point?

It feels like I’ve done every job under the sun - selling art at Salamanca, a butler role at MACq 01 Hotel, customer service in real estate, and the design job at the museum, to name a few. I used to think that the diversity of the roles that I’ve taken on was because I had a short attention span, but I look back now and think that it was actually because I was working through a process of elimination to land on what it is I really want to do.

When I moved home from Western Australia in 2023, I took a job with Hobart City Mission as store supervisor, as well as overseeing volunteers. That job was a real agent of change for me - it connected me back to the local community, and reminded me how Tasmanians come together for good. Being around second-hand clothes in the op shop really lit a spark in my heart, too. Throughout my childhood and early 20s, fashion had been a key theme. Clothes have always brought me so much joy, and I’d dabbled in helping other people to feel good through some styling side projects, but now I started to wonder if I could make it a real job.

I wanted to learn from the best, so I applied for - and secured - a scholarship to study Personal Styling with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. I was able to study remotely, and had access to lots of amazing industry specialists who had worked with celebrities and been in the industry for a long time. Finishing the course gave me the confidence to make a living as a stylist.

Now you’re offering personalised styling services through Baseline Studio. Can you talk us through the process?

The Baseline Book is a personalised digital lookbook tailored to each client’s current style needs, and including up to five curated outfit ideas to make getting dressed effortless. Our clients complete an extensive questionnaire that includes questions about style influences, their favourite brands, and three words that they want to feel every time they get dressed. Some of the questions seem a bit random - I even ask for a Spotify playlist! - but we’re looking for an all-encompassing idea of who each person is, because that’s the gateway to helping them explore their style more.

We then produce a digital look book that is curated to the client, and includes recommendations of brands and readings that they might get something out of, as well as links to all of the suggested products. Ultimately, it’s a reference document to go back to again and again, either when you’re not sure what to wear on a weekday morning, or you’re getting ready for an event.

Can you identify where your love for fashion comes from?

All credit goes to my grandmother Ava! She was a model in the 50s - I believe she was Miss Tamar at one point - and she was a real society woman. She loved art, culture and clothes, and my visits to her as a child primarily involved her sitting me down and taking me through fashion magazines. I didn’t really have a say in it, but I grew to love it, and it became a part of my DNA.

My grandma taught me that there’s nothing wrong with being the best dressed person in the room, and it’s okay to take up space. I think that’s really important for women especially to hear. Feeling good in the way you put yourself out into the world doesn’t mean you’re vapid or vain - it’s simply an expression of identity, and that’s all that matters.

What other services do you offer through Baseline Studio?

The themes of Baseline are a a good example of the diverse experience that I’ve had throughout my professional life. I’ve got a lot of creative skills that have meshed into one big creative blob!

I’m available as a freelance stylist for hire for photoshoots and brand campaigns, and also offer some social media services, including content creation and social media management for brands and businesses. I also love working in web design, graphic design and digital projects.

What are three must-dos for every visitor to Lutruwita/Tasmania?

Visit Mona. I love what it’s done for Tassie. To stick such a stark art gallery full of shock value in a port town in Hobart is really clever, and one of the best things that the whole state has to offer.
Go to the east coast for the wineries and scenery.
And check out Hobart’s growing wine bar scene.

Where are your favourite local haunts for eats and drinks?

I love Lucinda - the food is incredible, the staff are so friendly, and the wine list is always good. The New Sydney is my favourite local pub, and Hometown Secret is my go-to for a really good no-fuss Chinese meal, including the best dumplings in Tasmania, hands-down.

What does the perfect day off look like for you?

I’d start with coffee from Abercrombie on the outskirts of the city, then go op-shopping for clothes and other bits and pieces at Gowan’s Auctions, Goodbyes and Bruce. In the afternoon, I’d go for a run along the Pipeline Track on Kunanyi, and top it all off with a casual dinner with mates. Essentially, it’s all the local stuff - connecting with nature and clothes, because that’s what I love the most.

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Q&A: Lara Christie