JoJo Hoffman
Staff Writer
Cat Wennekamp, a 2007 Mira Costa graduate, uses her passion for fashion to fuel her career as a celebrity stylist.
Ever since graduating from Costa and the Model United Nations program nine years ago, Wennekamp has become a business owner and a creative consultant for a number of brands, music videos and advertising campaigns. She has also been a contributing fashion editor for various publications such as Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone magazines. Wennekamp said her time at Costa and, more specifically, her involvement in Model U.N. gave her the confidence to launch her own career.
“When I think back to my high school years, Model U.N. was the experience that had the most significant impact on my career,” Wennekamp said. “Not only did it further develop my skills and confidence in public speaking, but it also developed my life as a young adult.”
Wennekamp began staging her own mock shoots with her friends when she was in high school. She got her first break into the fashion industry at the age of 18 when she met Whitney Houston’s stylist, Tod Hallman. She was given the opportunity to shadow him on a photoshoot in Malibu.
“Cat was successful at a young age due to her outgoing personality and her laser vision,” Cat Wennekamp’s mother, Tati Wennekamp, said.
While attending the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles from 2007 to 2009, Cat Wennekamp orchestrated a fashion shoot that took place in her parents’ jungle-themed bathroom that made the cover of Oyster fashion magazine. After the shoot, a contributing editor recommended Cat Wennekamp to the clothing company Levi’s, which brought her to style the 2012 Levi’s Roadwear print advertising campaign.
“I have worked with Cat on three projects where she did creative consulting and styling, and I loved working with Cat,” owner and president for Wear It To Heart Sunnie Ha said. “She is good at what she does because she likes it, and she gives her best at whatever she does. Even though she is young, Cat knows how to think about other people’s needs before her own.”
After styling multiple other projects in 2015, Cat Wennekamp was asked by casting director Brendon Ratner to star in the global docu-series “House of DVF,” an E! Network series that follows the journey of seven people competing to become the new global brand ambassador for world-renowned fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg’s brand. Wennekamp was one of the finalists after completing several tasks related to the fast-paced fashion industry, including merchandising, designing and event marketing.
“The competition entailed traveling the world and being the face and voice representing Von Furstenberg at events,” Cat Wennekamp said. “The experience was unforgettable and to have Diane Von Furstenberg as a mentor was invaluable. Being around her motivated me to continue advocating for women’s causes and empowering the youth.”
Cat Wennekamp said living in both Los Angeles and New York has enabled her to meet and work with some of fashion and entertainment’s top influencers and celebrities, including Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco and Rebel Wilson.
“I knew Cat had finally made it when she was asked to style Bruno Mars for his hit music video, ‘Grenade,’” Tati Wennekamp said. “She had been styling for some time, but this really gave her a huge platform and confidence to build her portfolio further.”
Wennekamp recently launched an image-consulting service called Style Guise in which professionally trained stylists provide styling tips and shopping services and help to organize and edit clients’ personal wardrobes. She said she saw this as a way to allow a VIP service to be accessible and convenient for everyone and to also allow young stylists to begin as interns and work their way to a career in fashion.
“Through my new company, Style Guise, I hope to bring elevated style help to everyone at an affordable price by giving them an easy and accessible service,” Cat Wennekamp said.
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