Fashion isn’t just about following the latest trends; it’s about identifying ‘your’ style that brings out the best in you. And in a world where everyone is consistently working on themselves to put their best foot forward, fashion styling has become one of the most preferred career choices.
Who is a Fashion Stylist?
A fashion Stylist helps people make a personal statement by enhancing appearances. They offer expert advice and make recommendations on styling, clothing, and grooming to clients to empower their clients to bring out their most charming personalities.
What Does a Fashion Stylist Do?
A fashion stylist helps people achieve looks that highlight the most powerful aspects of their personalities. They help clients comfortably adopt a new or enhanced style and also dress up for special events, such as interviews, reunions, dates, wedding events, award ceremonies, the launch of fashion brands, celebrations, international travel, etc. Fashion stylists also work as permanent fashion advisors for models, photographers, celebrities, politicians, etc. to help them project an attractive and influential public image.
Fashion Stylist Responsibilities
- Suggest styles based on aesthetic preferences, latest trends, personal style, and body type.
- Give recommendations on individual pieces, entire outfits, colour palettes, styles, and fabrics.
- Help clients pick the most appropriate and flattering dresses and accessories for social events.
- Help them put together new and attractive looks with whatever they already have in their closets.
- Assemble clothing and accessories for ad campaigns, television programs, prints, fashion magazines, etc.
- Solve fashion-conscious problems around clothing and grooming.
What are the Areas a Fashion Stylist Works In?
- Personal shopping
- Wardrobe or show styling
- Editorial styling
- Commercial styling
- Corporate styling
- Photography studio styling
- Make-up artistry
- Fashion merchandising
- Public relations
- Fashion blogging
- Fashion designing
- Photography
- TV and film industry
- Wedding planning
- Modelling
- Talent management
- Event management
- Travel styling
- Advertising
- Interview styling and grooming
How Much Do Fashion Stylists Make?
Fashion stylists can earn anywhere between INR 10,000 and INR 10 lac per month or more. The earning potential depends on factors such as:
- Marketing efforts to create a client base
- Networking skills
- Area of expertise
- Work experience
- Marketing
- Customer satisfaction
- Structured business training to start, market and grow their consulting and training business
ICBI certified Image consultants have acquired excellent repute in the fashion styling industry since ICBI offers:
- Consistent mentoring and handholding support
- Effective business training that helps set up and grow your image consulting and soft skills training firm
- An opportunity to become an in-centre trainer for ICBI subject to competency mapping assessment
Skills Needed to Become a Fashion Stylist or Consultant
- Love for fashion
- A knack for staying updated with the latest brands and fashion trends
- Understanding of colours, fabric, body type, and face shape
- Communication skills
- Confidence
- Empathy
- Networking skills
- Customer friendliness
Getting Started as a Fashion Stylist
Step 1: Learn the Basics of Fashion Styling
Professional training helps fashion styling aspirants understand the nuances of different personalities, body types, and colour schemes. Even the world-famous fashion stylists and celebrity stylists, such as Rachel Zoe, Anna Bingemann, Anaita Shroff Adajania, Kate Young, and Petra Flannery put in years of hard work and mastered the most important aspects of an overall image before making it to the highest of ranks in the glamorous world.
ICBI offers training on 24 modules based on a world-class curriculum, which helps students become fashion-conscious problem solvers. Its globally-recognized certification co-branded with Conselle Institute of Image Management (USA) and SQA also gives professionals credibility, which is much-needed in the fashion styling industry.
Step 2: Get to Know the Industry
The knowledge of how the fashion industry works is important for building repute as a fashion stylist and getting new projects. This requires in-depth research of the industry trends and a fruitful network of professionals.
ICBI’s repute, pre-established network, and large client base gives fashion styling aspirants the right exposure they need to enter the industry.
Step 3: Develop Industry Specific Skills & Knowledge
To develop industry-specific skills and knowledge, expert guidance and practice are key. This is the reason it is best to take help from professional image consulting institutes, such as ICBI, where you canget ongoing access to trainers and hands-on training on various aspects, including building your business portfolio, identifying the right sourcing solutions, and promoting your work, in addition to enhancing aspirants’ fashion-related outlook on colour theory, trend evolution, etc.
Starting a Fashion Styling Business
The acquired fashion styling and entrepreneurial skills must be put to practice to establish a fashion styling business. Here’s a 5 step process to start and grow your own fashion styling firm:
Step 1: Gain Experience
Take up pro bono work to gain experience and strengthen your work profile. Offer fashion styling services to friends and colleagues if you have difficulty getting paid projects initially.
Step 2: Create a portfolio that showcases your strengths and connections
Showcase your experience through your work portfolio. Make sure to highlight your strengths and unique skills, targeting the audience you’re skilled at servicing.
Step 3: Create a website
Establishing online presence has become imperative to increase the reach to your target audience. So, hire a professional to build an attractive website that gives visitors complete insight of what you have to offer.
Step 4: Build your brand
Build your brand by educating your audience on various fashion trends, clothing styles, body types, colour schematics, etc. Write blogs and post informational videos on YouTube to connect with your audience.
Step 5: Establish social media presence
Leverage social media to market your services and expand the scope for collaborations. Use Google ads and paid social media ads to increase your reach and promote your work among your audience.
How to Make Fashion Styling Business More Profitable?
Here are some tips to make your business stand out and generate more profit:
- Make your certification speak for you. With international image consulting certification, you can assure your clients that you do not just excel in fashion but you also excel in understanding and improving their overall image. Moreover, an image consulting certification will increase your credibility, hence conversions, multifold.
- Create attractive monthly packages that keep clients encouraged to continue seeking fashion styling services from you.
- Offer additional tips on hair, makeup, grooming, and overall personality development for comprehensive image management.
- Ask for referrals, testimonials, and reviews to increase credibility.
Become an image expert in the thousands of crores huge image consulting industry with ICBI and make it big as a fashion stylist.
Learn more about ICBI’s image consulting course.
The author, Suman Agarwal, is the senior-most Image Consultant in the Indian Sub-continent and director of Image Consulting Business Institute. Image Consulting Business Institute is a pioneer in India and one of the biggest brands in the world in Image Management and Soft Skills Training Space. It offers programs for people to become Image Consultants and Soft Skills Trainers and at the same time offers Image Management and Soft Skills Training services to individuals and companies.