Fashion Stylist: Types, Roles and Responsibilities

Shubham Anil Jain
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited
Bangalore, India
Email: [email protected]

1. What is Fashion Stylist?
A fashion stylist also known as wardrobe stylist, is a consultant who selects the clothing and garments for published editorial features, print or television advertising campaigns, music videos, concert performances, and any public emergence or  made by any celebrities, models or other famous personalities. They are part of a big creative team assembled by the client, working with the fashion designer, photographer/director, hair stylist, and makeup artist, so they can put together a particular look or theme for the specific project or show. Sometimes, a wardrobe stylist can also be called as a fashion stylist, fashion editor, or celebrity stylist. So basically it can be say that “stylists are the magician who push each celebrity to make the best dressed list,” and assist with editorial photo shoots.

2. Types of Fashion Stylist

2.1 Runway Stylist
When the runway shows are being considered, a lot of things happen behind the stage, when it’s time of fashion weeks, it is seen that big names and high-end designers unite to showcase their collections, it requires a lot to give the same brand a new application of outfits combinations by managing both keeping the brand identity in place as we a giving it a whole new look and aesthetics altogether. So, there are celebrity designers who particularly design for their various celebrity clients to hire stylists to keep the vibe of the collections maintained as well.

2.2 Commercial Fashion Stylist
They generally work for many ad commercials and agencies, by creating the right combinations for the cast and sharing the screens. They should have good knowledge of colors, what colors work great in the camera and the requirements of the brand organizing the ad film. Commercial stylists are generally work as freelancers, so can work with designers, photographers, and production houses for the same.

2.3 Editorial Fashion Stylist
They are a creative professional who works in putting together looks and styles for fashion magazines and editorials. They are who are responsible for showcasing different designers’ exclusive collections in their magazines for advertisements. They work for famous icons, celebrities, and fashion models. They should have a good eye for details and be high on Fashion, and be updated with current trends to be able to flexibly work with various designers and their working aesthetics.

2.4 E-commerce Stylist
An E-commerce Stylist works for creating looks for different brands and catalogs for e-com websites. Many of them are generally freelancers and work with different production houses, photographers, and designers. More or less, they are same to commercial stylists. Sometimes, they also have to merge with retailers, manufacturers, or buying houses for buying and merchandising projects.

2.5 Wardrobe Stylist
They are the ones who manage and help to create a wardrobe for many journalists and other known personalities. They think that, rather than buying outfits for every event, why not keep a capsule wardrobe handy. Mostly it is found that, stylists in TV sets and newsrooms create wardrobes that are updated regularly by the Wardrobe Stylists.

2.6 Retail Stylist/Fashion Consultants
Nowadays, many retailers, luxury, and premium brands goes to hire retail stylists as a part of their stores to help costumers guide them through their collections, stores and consult them about trends and personal styling. They help by communicating the design aesthetics and features to their requirements suggesting to them what they should buy.

2.7 Celebrity Stylist
The celebrity stylist is the one who helps famous celebrities to dress for red carpets and award shows. Keeping intact the requirements of the celebrity, public appearances, red carpet looks, awards, promotional campaigns, well it’s all being managed by the Celebrity stylist. Bryon Javar, Law Roach, Jason Rembert, Jason Bolden, and many more are a few well-known Celebrity stylists around the world.

2.8 Product Stylist
As the commercial stylist works for various commercials and ad films, there is a set of stylists who creates the mood that matches the outfit, making the photoshoots even more relatable to the audiences. They help to get various props and accessories for different commercial and catalog shoots basically and hence are freelancers. Visual merchandising, interior styling, and fashion studies can be combined together as an ideal set of skills required for being a product stylist.

2.9 Image Consultants Stylist
Image consultants are more or less like a personal stylist but they also give services regarding soft skills and personality development keeping a note on the overall personality growth of client. An Image consultant works on the image building and personality and styling part particularly comes as an add-on.

2.10 Personal Stylist
Personal stylists are the one that doesn’t work for officials who belong to glamour. There are common people all around the world, who need help for their day-to-day basics, building a capsule wardrobe for each occasion, work wear outfits, weddings, festive events and so much more. So, here the personal stylist comes in pictures and work for common people for styling them.

3. Roles and Responsibilities of Fashion Stylist

1. They have to work with various clients and advice them on dynamic styling for visuals.
2. They have to look for sourcing of clothes, fabrics, accessories, makeup and more to facilitate a wardrobe.
3. Coordinates with a team of photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, and other industry professionals in order to develop attractive looks for clients.
4. Study the market trends and develops new factors and objectives in accordance with it.
5. Bind with magazine publications, retailers, and wholesalers fir various events and shows.
6. Travel across the world for finding specific fabrics or props.
7. Purchases and organizes necessary props and accessories required according to theme.
8. Keeps keen eye on current, developing, and changing regional and global trends in fashion and styling.
9. Adapts to the client’s own interests in color, style, and shape.
10. Coordinates with the shooting team and locations.
11. Facilitates any delivery of a design or product as per deal.
12. Manage the wardrobes and outfits designed for a photo shoot or event.
13. Develops exclusive, creative, and unconventional designs as per customer requirements.

4. Conclusion
In today’s scenario, India’s fashion industry has extended its wings in fashion and design. It has grown into a massive sector with a plenty of work opportunities for those who are interested in fashion. Here, a fashion stylist is one of the most prominent fashion careers. Fashion styling is a very new and innovative field to explore for those who want to show their inner artistic skills and apply their creativity in the fashion industry. The sector offers a many of prospects for motivated students, which can be overwhelming at times.

5. References

1. Banzon, Camille (June 15, 2011). “Top 5 celebrity stylists of the fashion world”. International Business Times. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
2. 10 Different Types of Fashion Stylists in the Fashion Industry (Updated 2022), By Shrestha Brahma, https://thefashionfrill.com/fashion/types-of-fashion-stylist/
3. Fashion Stylist Job Description, https://www.greatsampleresume.com/job-description/examples/fashion/stylist
4. How to Become a Fashion Stylist: 5 Essential Tips All Fashion Stylists Need to Succeed, https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-a-fashion-stylist
5. Job profile Stylist, https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/stylist

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Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.

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