Even SCADstyle guest Robert Verdi takes out the trash

It would be nice if we didn’t judge books by their covers. But the truth is, we do. That’s why it’s so important to understand that despite whether or not it’s right, appearances matter. It’s crucial we always try to put our best foot forward.

Fashion entrepreneur, TV personality and style expert Robert Verdi dished out advice to students at SCADshow on April 11. He emphasized how presenting yourself well can create opportunities. “We make a judgement based on what we see,” he said, “so you want people to see you looking fabulous. Clothes are your first voice.”

Verdi’s talk was part of the SCADstyle series, an annual gathering of international designers and influencers featuring lectures, panels and workshops that took place at SCAD locations in Savannah, Atlanta and Hong Kong from April 10 through 12.

Verdi knows a lot about being judged by appearances — and not just from his experience as host of the style talk show “Fashion Police.” To most people, “the way things look are the way things are, even if that’s not always the case,” Verdi said. Although most people see him as a critic, he often gets misjudged himself. “Celebrity stylist is the moniker people put on me,” he said. “But I see myself as an entrepreneur.”

He said the biggest misconception about him is that he’s mean. “Sometimes people ask you for your opinion but they don’t really want it,” he said. His advice to students is to know when to be agreeable. Know when people just want to hear what they want to hear and when they are truly asking for your opinion.

Verdi has worn many hats throughout his career in fashion. The most powerful lesson he can give is to be well educated, no matter what you want to do. “’Knowledge is power’ is a very true statement,” he said. Despite being a jewelry design graduate from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Verdi continues to be a life-long learner who has dabbled in many different fashion ventures. “I self-educated myself on interior design and I became an interior designer.”

If you could learn from Verdi’s mistakes, one thing to know is how to manage money when you don’t have a steady weekly income. Designers and creatives often deal with an uneven and sporadic amount of cash inflow. One week they might make thousands of dollars but not have a steady income for weeks after. Verdi stressed that being able to understand what your fixed expenses are each month, even when your income isn’t fixed, is important to success.

Students in attendance appreciated the practical advice Verdi imparted. Caroline Ruder, a fashion graduate student who introduced Verdi’s discussion, said she, “appreciated his wisdom mixed in with his sense of humor.” Her favorite takeaway from the talk was Verdi’s advice to, “remember that you’re never too good for even the most mundane task.”

His next project is called The Great Bag Company. He views these bags as the, “affordable, cool bag,” made from a mold that reduces the carbon footprint associated with traditional handbag manufacturing.

If you’re thinking about interning for Verdi in the future, he let us in on his idea of a perfect candidate: “Someone with diverse talents who has multiple interests and is a self-starter,” he said. “And someone who is willing to take out the trash.”

Verdi stressed to students that no task is beneath anyone. Even Robert Verdi has to take out the trash.