2008 Woodie Awards
Interview with Sam Saboura from Extreme Makeover
Jared Johnson
Issue date: 1/15/07 Section: News
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Sam Saboura is a celebrity stylist on ABC's "Extreme Makeover" and is also an Illinois native who enjoys working with people to increase their self-esteem and confidence.
If you're an avid viewer of television, you've probably seen celebrity stylist Sam Saboura on ABC's "Extreme Makeover." Born in Park Ridge, Illinois, Saboura assists different types of people to look and feel great. In addition to his television appearances on shows such as "Extreme Makeover," "Oprah," "Good Morning America," and many others, Saboura also contributes to many top printed publications such as: Us Weekly, People, Glamour, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times and The New York Times. Saboura aims to help everyone dress and feel outstanding and he is getting it done. Read on to catch a personal interview with Saboura about his positive endeavors and career.
JJ: Hello Sam!
SS: Hello!
JJ: As a teenager, what were your career goals and how did you achieve them?
SS: I always used to sketch when I was younger. When I was a teenager I thought about becoming a teacher, and I had also been acting since I was six years old so there were a lot of different goals demanding creativity. What I'm doing now is a culmination of what I did when I was younger. The fashion mixed with television gigs is what I always wanted to do.
JJ: Describe working as a personal shopper at Fred Segal. What happened on a daily basis?
SS: I was always very active and extremely busy. I would show up in the morning and I would have my assistant help me start pulling items for my clients. We would put together little personal collections for them within the store or we would send it to their offices and homes. I would travel and put ensembles together for celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt. I would go to their home a few days a week and take care of the basic needs of their clothing.
JJ: What is most rewarding about working with the "Extreme Makeover" team and giving people new looks?
SS: That was an amazing experience because I come from working with celebrities and socialites at Fred Segal, but here, I was able to work with everyday people who do not have the opportunity to shop at such stores. Many of them had low self-esteem and confidence, so it was great to be able to boost them emotionally and give them the look they wanted. Working with "Extreme Makeover" also took me in different directions that offer me many opportunities such as my television career. It also granted me the opportunity to write my book. So all these great things I have today are a result from me working on "Extreme Makeover."
JJ: When you're on the red carpet, what is going through your mind?
SS: It's crazy on the red carpet because you're trying to see as much as you can and as a stylist I want to stop and take in all the dresses, beauty and glamour, but as someone who's working, I really have to focus on what people are wearing and pick up on the trends that are happening spontaneously. It's important to see if there is a common denominator in trends on which we can report. I keep mental notes in my head and I try not to get carried away by the wonderful fashions.
JJ: Is it difficult to immediately form an opinion or question about an outfit a celebrity is wearing while on television?
SS: Yes. You want to take it in because sometimes the way a person looks in real life is different from that on television so you want to look at the dress and observe the detail and the true color of the gown. Many of these details are lost on the television, so it's like having your couch on the red carpet. It's amazing!
JJ: All in all, what is the most important and common advice you give to women about fashion?
SS: To look to fashion and style and magazines and look to the runway shows for inspiration, but don't take it so seriously. Fashion is really like art. You look to it for inspiration, you love it you hate it, yet you take that inspiration and run with it on your own level and never try to copy what you see in magazines or runways because it's not realistic. You need to summon the inspiration and use it in your own way.
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JJ: Hello Sam!
SS: Hello!
JJ: As a teenager, what were your career goals and how did you achieve them?
SS: I always used to sketch when I was younger. When I was a teenager I thought about becoming a teacher, and I had also been acting since I was six years old so there were a lot of different goals demanding creativity. What I'm doing now is a culmination of what I did when I was younger. The fashion mixed with television gigs is what I always wanted to do.
JJ: Describe working as a personal shopper at Fred Segal. What happened on a daily basis?
SS: I was always very active and extremely busy. I would show up in the morning and I would have my assistant help me start pulling items for my clients. We would put together little personal collections for them within the store or we would send it to their offices and homes. I would travel and put ensembles together for celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt. I would go to their home a few days a week and take care of the basic needs of their clothing.
JJ: What is most rewarding about working with the "Extreme Makeover" team and giving people new looks?
SS: That was an amazing experience because I come from working with celebrities and socialites at Fred Segal, but here, I was able to work with everyday people who do not have the opportunity to shop at such stores. Many of them had low self-esteem and confidence, so it was great to be able to boost them emotionally and give them the look they wanted. Working with "Extreme Makeover" also took me in different directions that offer me many opportunities such as my television career. It also granted me the opportunity to write my book. So all these great things I have today are a result from me working on "Extreme Makeover."
JJ: When you're on the red carpet, what is going through your mind?
SS: It's crazy on the red carpet because you're trying to see as much as you can and as a stylist I want to stop and take in all the dresses, beauty and glamour, but as someone who's working, I really have to focus on what people are wearing and pick up on the trends that are happening spontaneously. It's important to see if there is a common denominator in trends on which we can report. I keep mental notes in my head and I try not to get carried away by the wonderful fashions.
JJ: Is it difficult to immediately form an opinion or question about an outfit a celebrity is wearing while on television?
SS: Yes. You want to take it in because sometimes the way a person looks in real life is different from that on television so you want to look at the dress and observe the detail and the true color of the gown. Many of these details are lost on the television, so it's like having your couch on the red carpet. It's amazing!
JJ: All in all, what is the most important and common advice you give to women about fashion?
SS: To look to fashion and style and magazines and look to the runway shows for inspiration, but don't take it so seriously. Fashion is really like art. You look to it for inspiration, you love it you hate it, yet you take that inspiration and run with it on your own level and never try to copy what you see in magazines or runways because it's not realistic. You need to summon the inspiration and use it in your own way.
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