How do you assess a person’s natural lines?

For the face, I don’t simply consider a small, slim face to be beautiful. From the front, I look at left-right balance, the ratio of width to length, and the contour that runs from the cheekbones to the cheeks and jaw. From the side, I look at the three-dimensional flow created by the forehead, nose, lips and chin. For example, if someone with a short, small chin wants an overly sharp, long V-shaped jawline like one in a celebrity photo, the face can end up looking longer, or only the chin may stand out, upsetting the overall balance.

For the arms, a silhouette that tapers naturally from the shoulder to the elbow and wrist matters more than simply being thin. I also look at the width and shape of the shoulders, the volume at the front and back of the upper arm, and the space between the arm and the torso when the arm is lowered. If someone with a broad shoulder frame and a fuller upper body aims only for the very thin arms in a photo, the arms may get slimmer, but the shoulders can look even broader, or the balance between the upper and lower body can look awkward.

For the waist and buttocks, I look at the curve that runs from the waist through the hips and buttocks to the thighs, rather than the waist measurement alone. What matters is not only the ratio of waist to hips from the front, but also how much the waist curves in and the buttocks project from the side, and the symmetry and position of volume from behind. The width of the pelvis and the shape of the rib cage differ from person to person, so the same hourglass line can’t be applied to everyone. If there isn’t much difference between someone’s waist and hip width and they want an extremely narrow waist, it looks more natural to work with the hips and buttocks too, finding proportions that make the waist look beautiful by comparison, rather than forcing the waist smaller.

When a trend clashes with someone’s natural lines, I don’t just say no. First, we analyze together why that line looks beautiful in the photo. That’s because even a waist or face shape that looks similar rests on things that don’t change easily, such as the size of the rib cage, the width of the pelvis, the shoulders and the bone structure of the face.

So when someone brings a celebrity photo, rather than trying to make them look exactly like that person, I try to find out what exactly they like about the photo. Once I’ve worked out whether it’s the narrow waist, the smooth side profile or the short, soft jawline, I suggest how to bring out that feature as beautifully as possible within what they naturally have.

To me, a good result isn’t borrowing someone else’s line. It’s a line that could plausibly be the person’s own, made a little more beautiful. That’s also what we mean when we say that everyone has their own most beautiful line within their natural range.