Emily Moody
Fashionably Jacksonville at the Cummer Museum
Thursday, November 13th | 6:30-8:30 pm
$20 Members & Non-Members
reservations at: cummermuseum.org or 899-6038
Gerald “Fitz” Pullins has always held fashion near to his heart, although a career in it was not always his plan. Born and raised in Jacksonville, he grew up around a family of stylish dressers, including his grandmother, mother, and aunt. “They were sharp dressers,” he explains, and so growing up surrounded by these fashionable women made it easy for him to find a love for fashion as well. His aunt really helped catapult his personal style when he was still a pre-teen by teaching him the wonders of a wardrobe. “It’s not just clothing,” explains Fitz, “it’s about creating a personal style; that’s what a wardrobe is. Learning that changed so much for me.”
He continued to carry a style all his own while growing up, but after high school, while caring for his ailing grandfather, he lost focus on his fashion goals. He thought a stable job in the healthcare industry was a safer option with a steady paycheck, and he worked as an ER tech for 10 years. This decade hardened and calloused him towards life and death. After taking some time to dig deeply into what was important to him, he realized the ER wasn’t the place he needed to be.
Then, he met Diana, the person who, as Fitz puts it, “really gave me the boost I needed.” She consulted with him about personal style, and they went shopping for new, professional looks for a job she was starting. She was thrilled with the color combinations and looks, raved about his expertise and urged him to connect with photographer Agnes Lopez. Before Fitz knew it, he was meeting Agnes for coffee and soon after began working on shoots with Jacksonville Magazine.
Fitz recently launched Fitz Pullin’s Inventory Room, where he is currently making and selling natural candles, soaps, and his favorite new item, the man-velope, an oversized, masculine clutch, under the brand. He is excited about the potential to open a brick-and-mortar in the future and to take the company into a full lifestyle experience, complete with ties, bowties and chic clothing.
Between his styling jobs with Jacksonville Magazine and other corporate clients, he loves working with people one-on-one to hone in on their personal styles. People need a stylist who will be honest with them and say, “I wouldn’t get that. That doesn’t look good.” But, he is quick to point out that if the person he is dressing doesn’t like it, then it will never work. “You have to feel comfortable and sexy in what you’re wearing.”
If you want to hear more from Fitz about the latest trends and what to wear in the upcoming holiday season, make sure to head over to Fashionably Jacksonville at the Cummer Museum on November 13th for an evening of drinks, small bites, and great discussion about style. Fitz is destined for great things, so keep Fitz on your radar and follow his blog The Bandwagon Effect, on fitzpullins.com, to stay in the loop of the latest and greatest in fashion.
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