Maker’s Mark
Meet Mickie Clark—photo stylist, treasure hunter, and quite possibly, your next girl crush.
Photo by Neal Reiter
Mickie Clark settles into a booth at Turtle Bread in Longfellow, bespeckled in her signature black-rimmed glasses and wearing a silver dance card from the early 1900s on a necklace. Today, there’s a more recent addition—fitting for the January Saturday during the ICE surge in Minneapolis—a slender, vintage brass cylinder whistle on a chain.
It comes in handy for the photo stylist who advocates for her neighbors. Her other passions range from art, fashion, and music to cooking, traveling, and yes, shopping. The professional part of her shopping excursions is for a long list of commercial and editorial clients that varies as much as her interests—corporations, such as Target, Caribou, and Evereve; fashion and product stories for magazines; and interior styling for designers, builders, and architects.
Whether on-set or off, Mickie has cultivated rich relationships that have shaped her career. That was evident the afternoon when Mickie dipped into I Like You in St. Paul. Owner Sarah Sweet hurried from around the counter to greet Mickie with a warm hug. “It’s like walking into ‘Cheers,’ and it feels good,” Mickie says of indie businesses where she is on a first-name basis with the owners.
From a young age, the Gen X latch-key kid was inspired by her parents; her mother, a former folk singer, was a hairdresser and regularly put on fashion shows, and her father was an art director and an English teacher who wore a variety of chapeaus and carried a cane. “They are both great storytellers who led colorful lives,” she says.
Her family moved from Los Angeles to the Twin Cities when she was young, and that upbringing belied the shy teenager’s growing interest in punk music and underground house parties. She devoured magazines, like Vogue and Trouser Press, the latter spurring her love of Brit bands and photography. Andy Warhol, David Bowie, and Niki de Saint Phalle are her cultural anchors.
These days, you can find her grabbing dinner at Tilia with her husband, Bill Sattler, a mixed media artist and trim carpenter, or the couple is visiting their three grown children, who are leading their own creative lives. “We’re a band of weirdos,” Mickie says.
I caught up with Mickie as she shared how she grew her career in styling, her favorite thrifting spots, and how she defines her personal style.
Photo by Kelsey Lee
Kelly: How did you break into the photo styling business?
Mickie: For a long time, I didn’t know this line of work existed. But I had photographer friends tell me, “You are a stylist,” in the way I dressed and kept my home. So, I shadowed a few people, including stylist David Anger, who I assisted for years.
What’s your process when you’re starting a styling job?
I always have my sketchbook. It helps me remember all my ideas because being on set can be intense—you have so many people coming up to you with questions—so it’s a cheat sheet for myself. I also create Pinterest boards to collect jumping-off ideas.
Then you do a lot of shopping.
I do have some of my own props that I’ll pull from first, but I always find inspiration in the real world, so I will never not shop in person—I love the treasure hunt.
You once had a bedazzled rolling makeup kit you used to store your styling supplies.
It didn’t look that way when I ordered it, but when it arrived, it was sparkling. So, I decided to call her Grace Jones because Grace is fabulous.
What all do you store in there?
Lint rollers, needle-nose scissors, blocks, and pins for product styling. For interior styling, I keep floral wire, sheers, double-stick tape, a steamer, and skinny wooden skewers, which have countless uses, like to make licorice sticks and floral stems stand up or to keep the tongue of a boot from flopping over.
What’s the most satisfying part of your work?
I really love a collaboration. When I get paired with the right client and they get excited about creating beautiful imagery, that’s super fun. I have a great team of individuals who I love to work with. We laugh a lot. I like people who are interested in the world.
Where do you find inspiration?
Women artists. Street style. I love following what’s happening in other places, like Paris, Berlin, NYC, and Mexico City.
Photo by Ryan Dyer
Favorite place to thrift.
Uplift North [formally Assistance League Minneapolis]. I love their philanthropic and charitable ways.
What’s the best find you’ve scored?
A George Nakashima daybed that I found at St. Vinny’s [St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store]. I saw a sexy wooden leg sticking out from under a bunch of cushions. I later learned the bed was one of two prototypes for Nakashima’s Foundation for Peace. They went missing from California years ago and ended up selling at an auction in New York. It was super exciting.
Describe your personal fashion style.
I like a mix of classic silhouettes, layers of textures, and colors. I lean more edgy; I like a dash of rock-and-roll.
Tell me about some of your signature pieces.
My glasses are Yves Saint Laurent frames, which I found on consignment at Vuefinder Optical. I’ve bought from the owner, Nadine [Gross], at different shops before she opened her own. I’m often wearing my No. 6 clogs or blush Red Wing boots, and statement jewelry, which I get from The Jewel of Minnetonka. I also love a cape—it feels regal and a touch dramatic.
What’s next for you?
With AI, a lot of businesses and clients are taking their visual needs overseas, where they can do things cheaper and faster, and it shows. I’m always open to new and different opportunities. I also look forward to collaborating with cool people to do some pop-up sales, events, and workshops, all in the spirit of community.
To learn more, visit mickieclark.com and follow along @mickie_clark.
Kelly Ryan Kegans
Kelly has made a career of inviting herself into other people’s homes for more than 25 years, covering residential design, architecture, and lifestyle for national, regional, and local publications.
