Q&A with Katy Perry's Stylist

We chatted with Johnny Wujek, the stylist behind Katy Perry's girly, glittered, and LED-lit costumes. He knows all about fashion emergencies, making a bold statement, and dressing for your figure—here's his best advice!

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Seventeen: How long have you been working with Katy Perry?

Johnny Wujek: I've known Katy probably about 10 years and I've been working with her since before she kissed a girl.

17: Do you have a favorite look that you've styled for her?

JW: I really loved our Metropolitan Museum of Art dress that lit up.

17: Do you have a favorite type of material to work with?

JW: The cool thing about the projects I do with Katy are the different mediums. I love working with LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and the future technology stuff. There's even cool heat reactive and sound reactive fabrics that I'm working with right now.

17: Have there been any fashion emergencies?

JW: When we did the Victoria's Secret show her zipper bust on her costume. And when a zipper busts, there's no recovering, but somehow I figured out how to loop it back in. My hands were shaking and they were like, "We need her now!" It was so intense, it ended up literally going up as she walked out the door.

17: What is the process that goes into designing Katy's costumes?

JW: We work side by side on every project. We'll get the schedule and know what's coming up for each event and pick out the vibe and pick out the theme. Then sketches are drawn up and she'll approve them or we'll make corrections. If it's for a premiere, I'll make a folder of things I like and she selects what she likes—it's always a collaboration.

17: Do you collaborate with her hairstylist and makeup artist?

JW: That usually happens on set. If it's for an event, they'll see what she's wearing and then she'll always have her own ideas too. And if it's for a video, we create look boards. So we all work together on photo shoots or video shoots. There's always prepping and planning together. On a red carpet event, I show them what she's wearing and that inspires hair and makeup.

17: How can girls emulate Katy's style without going all out with glitter and LEDS?

JW: I think it's just about being an individual, throwing in color, even if it's with a colorful shoe. Just have fun with it.

17: Katy's so great at embracing her curves, what advice do you have on dressing for your body type?

JW: I think when you're a curvy girl, accentuate, rather than trying to hide in potato sacks and don't be afraid to wear things that are a little more fitted to show your shape. Katy's got big boobs and curves like a pin-up girl—own it and know that it's your body and it's beautiful!

Check out the best of Katy's fashion looks in her new DVD, Katy Perry: Part of Me!

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