Style Unlocked: Rescue and Repair
I recently spent the day with Risa Kostis, who is not only warm and beautiful, she is one smart woman. She’s an entrepreneur, author, stylist and philanthropist — she’s chairing the Valley Youth Theatre VYTal Affair-athon in August.
Born in Maine, Risa grew up watching her mother sew, which led to a love of all things fashion. “I feel like I was infused with the fashion gene from the time I was born,” she said. “I used to lock my closet so my sisters wouldn’t steal my clothes and always experimented with bizarre styling techniques from about the age of 10.”
After stints doing hair and makeup for brides, working for a handbag and shoe designer and being in-house public relations director at Prairie New York, she took what she considered her best skills and launched RISTYLE Consulting in 2014.
Not long after, she and her sister Jess recognized a need and created The Rescue Kits. Now, mind you: This is not your average travel kit filled with breath mints, a comb and two Band-Aids. To begin, there are currently seven well-thought-out kits: two full-size and five micro kits, with more on the way.
Risa and Jess have sourced, tested and co-created their kits with purpose. Each is designed for a specific life moment and its possible problems. The first was the Bride Kit. “I’ve been working with brides for over two decades, so it was only natural that because of the importance and pressure the wedding day brings, that I would create something to make sure they felt taken care of, stress-free and in control on the biggest day of their lives,” Risa said. The kits were designed to give customers a “stand-in” stylist at their fingertips, for a fraction of what a stylist would charge.
Each Rescue Kit is different, but they all help make the day better — and less stressful — with items like red wine stain removers, hairpin kits, necklace extenders, wrinkle remover spray, pre-threaded sewing needles and more.
The Rescue Kits have been featured in publications like The Knot, Martha Stewart Weddings and Brides Magazine, and Risa and Jess have big plans for expansion. Meanwhile, they are enjoying the ride as sisters and business partners. “I’m so grateful to have her by my side. It’s been the greatest gift to work alongside my best friend and biggest cheerleader,” Risa said.
When she isn’t running her two businesses, Risa loves to give back to the community. “I’m humbled and honored to serve as the chair for this year’s Valley Youth Theatre VYTal Affair-athon,” she said. “Between RISTYLE, The Rescue Kit Company and my work with the very few charity organizations I contribute to, there’s not a lot of time to focus on much more.”
Maybe there’s a Rescue Kit for that!
To learn more, visit therescuekitco.com.
