Fashion is an integral part of our personalities. For example, as a celebrity, fashion might mean making a bold statement with their personal style. For a normal corporate employee, it may mean a ticket to career enhancement and for a teenager, it may mean fitting into their peer circle by following the latest trends.
Fashion is not just about clothes, it’s about showcasing your personality and lifestyle. But with globalisation, fashion trends are rapidly changing. What was trending a month ago may not even be relevant anymore. So, how to cope with the emerging styles and how to truly understand your personal style? Here’s when fashion consulting comes into play!
Fashion consulting serves as a vital bridge between trends, personal style, and professional needs. More than choosing the right outfit, it’s about helping individuals find that perfect alignment between their goals and image. Today, where our clothes are the make-and-break factor for a lasting first impression, fashion consulting empowers people to make those moments count.
Key Skills That Define a Successful Fashion Consultant
With the rising need for fashion consulting in today’s heavily globalised fashion industry, there are more and more toes dipping into the sea of the fashion consulting career. And with this growing competition, certain traits and skills help you set yourself apart from your fellow competitors.
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Technical Knowledge
To differentiate yourself from the lot, having immense technical knowledge of your field can be of great help. This means not only should you be aware of all the current trends, but you should also have an in-depth understanding of the historical trends. With this vast technical knowledge, your clients will get an understanding of your passion in the field and it can end up being a great opportunity for landing clients.
Apart from this, keeping up with technology may also give you bonus points. Using technology to your advantage can help you track client appointments and information which in turn smoothens the process of onboarding and handling clients.
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Customer Service Skills
The next best fashion consultant skill that can make you more successful in the industry is your customer service skill. How you handle your clients and deliver your message to them matters the most because a customer is always the king. Strong customer service skills help you build trust with your clients and even train you to quickly adapt to each of their unique personalities and needs.
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Sales Skills
Fashion consultants use their expertise in sales to help customers pick out the perfect clothing and accessories while guiding them toward making purchases. If you are going to work in retail, knowing how to sell effectively is a must to drive results. Even in private consulting, using smart sales strategies to build client relationships helps in distinguishing yourself from your competitors.
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Creativity
Another crucial trait of a successful fashion consultant is having creativity and top-notch planning. Clients appreciate it when their fashion consultants are laying out detailed plans related to their accessories and outfits. Further, your spark of creativity can also bring a touch of originality to the table, helping your clients with finding new styles and even picking you the second time they need a fashion consultant.
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Attention to Detail
Your knack for noticing finer details—whether it’s experimenting with textures, selecting the perfect colour combinations, or pairing patterns and styles that resonate with your clients—is essential for growth. This showcases your immense passion in the field, further interesting the client into choosing you over the others.
How to Become a Fashion Consultant
As you have already read the key skills required to stand out as a fashion consultant in this fast-growing industry, are you ready to know how to become one?
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Pursue a Degree
You do not necessarily need a degree to kickstart your career as a fashion consultant, but having one can give you a real edge. Many employers lean towards hiring consultants with at least an associate’s degree in areas like fashion design, merchandising, art, or textile design. That said, a lot of fashion consulting professionals choose to go further, earning a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or technical school.
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Get Certified
Not a necessity, but having a certification from a reputed organisation can prove to build a great trust factor between you and your client, increasing your chances of getting hired. Certification in this field can work as a demonstration of your skills and qualifications, giving your clients a sigh of relief that they are in good hands.
While there are several certification courses in the market, ICBI’s Image Consulting can be considered a pioneer in India if you are wondering how to be a fashion consultant. This course covers psychological, physical, aesthetic, and social aspects of image consulting that enable you to take group and one-on-one consulting sessions to make your clients feel, look, and perform better for enhanced success in their lives.
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Gain Practical Experience
Classroom learning is only the first step towards success in the fashion consulting industry. Gaining practical experience is the second fold of the coin. You can get an internship in retail where you can develop your expertise and put your knowledge to the real test.
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Build Your Portfolio
As you continue gaining experience with internships and jobs, ensure you are also building your portfolio to have something to show to your clients when you go the freelance/business route. If you don’t have prior work experience, that’s completely fine as well. Working on projects in your college or the courses you took is also a great addition to your portfolio as it shows your range of skills.
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Begin Networking
Like any other field of business, fashion consulting also works on networking. Make it a point to connect with seasoned professionals in the fashion world and learn from their expertise. Expanding your professional network is a smart move as it can open doors to new job opportunities and introduce you to potential business clients who can elevate your career.
Also, use social media sites to your advantage. Create a social media account just for fashion-related content where you can share your tips and tricks related to fashion and even showcase previous learning experiences. This helps in building a community – and you never know, your next client might be just one follow away!
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Keep Upskilling
Staying ahead of evolving trends and understanding consumer preferences is key to becoming a successful fashion consultant. Keep yourself in the loop by attending fashion shows, reading the latest fashion magazines, connecting with designers, and diving into the rich history of fashion. Continuously updating your knowledge ensures you’re equipped to offer clients fresh, relevant, and on-point fashion advice that keeps them coming back for more.
How Much Do Fashion Consultants Make?
The salary of a fashion consultant can vary based on several factors, including their experience, location, and the type of clients they work with. On average, fashion consultants in India earn around ₹2,88,837 annually, according to Indeed.
The future looks bright for this profession. As social media continues to shape trends, more people in India are becoming style-conscious and eager to refine their personal image. Additionally, government data projects Indian e-commerce to grow at an impressive annual rate of 27%, reaching a staggering US $163 billion by 2026. This rapid expansion, along with the rise of personal styling platforms, is expected to boost the demand for fashion consultants.
Career Opportunities as a Fashion Consultant
You can tap into a myriad of opportunities as a fashion consultant. Here are your choices:
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Personal Shopper
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Personal Fashion Consultant
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Editorial Stylist
Wardrobe Stylist
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Commercial Stylist
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Photography Studio Stylist
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Corporate Stylist
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Fashion Merchandiser
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Makeup Artist
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Fashion Blogger
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Public Relations
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Photographer
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Fashion Designer
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Wedding Planner
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Model
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Retail Fashion Store Owner
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Event Manager
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Talent Agent
