“I’m giving it my all to trail-blaze a path for people who look like me, with limited access and connections to the fashion meccas of the world,” says Kim Russell, stylist, budding creative director, and the person behind Instagram account The Kimbino. Russell has amassed over 150,000 followers with her incredibly convincing collages, which put celebrities in a mixture of archival runway looks and current day cult pieces. In Russell’s fashion universe, Princess Diana’s revenge dress is replaced by Glenn Martens for Jean Paul Gaultier couture, Taylor Russell walks in 90s Miu Miu, and Hayley Bieber emerges from a hotel in and SS06 Alexander McQueen look.
The Australian stylist got her start on virtual moodboard site Polyvore posting outfits, racking up over 40,000 followers, but she found her true home in fashion research. Alongside her collages, Russell documents pivotal fashion moments and unearths little known fashion trivia; did you know that the floral Rachel London look that Madonna wore to the 1988 Tony awards was worn by Rihanna in a 2018 Garage Magazine editorial? Or that Tina Hobley wore Vivienne Westwood to the 1997 National TV Awards? Russell does, and so attuned is her eye that her account has become a go-to resource for the likes of Bella Hadid, Julia Fox, and Barbie Ferreira. So trusted is her knowledge, she’s also become an advisor for Kim Kardashian, exchanging knowledge in DMs and even sending dresses for North to wear. “I’ve amassed a following of some of the coolest people by being unapologetically me,” Russell says.
Text Sophie Benson
