In between Golden Globes fittings for Jessica Alba, Stacy Keibler and Morgan Saylor of Homeland, we caught up with styling-celeb Brad Goreski to talk red carpet strategy, zipper nightmares and his award season vice – Swamp Water.

What is the best and most difficult thing about ‘the race to the red carpet’?

The best thing is seeing the expression on the face of your client when you know you’ve found the dress. I would say the worst part is the fight for dresses, but that’s just part of it.

Do you have any awards season survival must-haves or any personal vices?

Are you talking about the Double Big Gulp of Coke Zero with a splash of Diet Dr. Pepper in my hand? It’s my Swamp Water, that’s what I call it.

What’s your favorite ‘make it work’ story from any red carpet event you’ve dressed?

It’s usually something to do with shoes or once they’re dressed they need to go to the bathroom, but I am always nervous about zippers. There are so many things that come up, but heaven forbid a zipper would break. People have nightmares about showing up to places naked; I have nightmares about zippers breaking.

What makes for a great Golden Globes dress?

The Golden Globes kick off the New Year, so you really want to start off in the right direction by giving the public an idea of where your client’s style is going for the year. You want to put in the effort at the Golden Globes, make it grander for the Oscars and then at the Met Ball you can just have a lot of fun. It’s also important to consider what your client is going for. If my client is presenting, I don’t want them to wear a nominee’s dress.

Have you ever had to convince a client to wear something you really believed in, but they weren’t sure about? What’s your strategy?

It’s always about them, but if I am feeling very strongly about a dress they are not 100 percent set on, we’ll sit down and talk about why each dress would work – we love options. But, ultimately, it’s not me on the red carpet. They are the ones out there being photographed and talked about.

Last year, you were working out of your garage with one assistant. How have things changed for you this awards season?

This year I am in a really nice studio space, and I have three assistants. You’ll get to know them and see how crazy and exciting things are going when Season 2 of my show comes out, which is very very soon.

What are your predictions for red carpet trends this awards season? What’s a trend you would like to see happen?

Just going off what’s been coming in and out of the office, I’d say black and white, either as a solid black, solid white or mixed graphic. There is a lot of sheerness, the illusion of seeing skin, not seeing skin, so I am excited to see who is going to give us a little peekaboo moment.