The Ever-Evolving Role of a Fashion Stylist

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From working under big designers to getting bylines on luxurious fashion magazines, stylists have experienced an evolution in their own journey. Nowadays, they are the go-to person for eminent designers. 

With the ever-evolving digital landscape, the role of fashion stylists is also evolving. Throwing light on this very topic, Shalini Gupta, Head of Department - Styling, and Beauty, School of Fashion, Pearl Academy takes us through the various aspects of Fashion Stylists.

What is fashion styling and who are some of the famous fashion stylists?

Images have become central to the way we consume culture, make fashion and lifestyle choices and even stay updated on current global affairs. A fashion stylist is the ‘Image Maker’. Be it for magazines, brands, people or films, a stylist works on building characters we can relate to and aspire to be like. Some of the most famous stylists are Anahita Shroff and Vijendra Bhardwaj for Magazines, Rhea Kapoor and Ami Patel for celebrities, Niharika Khan and Manish Malhotra for films.

What is the difference between fashion design and fashion styling?

Fashion Design gives us products whereas Fashion Styling weaves stories around the product to make it relatable and places it in our own life and context. Based on consumer preferences, audience profiles, and aesthetic compositions, fashion styling bridges the gap between the product and the buyer. It builds connections with you as a consumer and builds aspirations.

What are the skill sets required and what are the career options?

To be a good stylist, you should be a keen observer and stay updated with current affairs. Doing research is very important. Graphic visualization skills, photography, make-up, and hair and editing skills will be a plus point to help with visual and digital communication.

You can work as a stylist for magazines, television, films, web series and celebrities. Additionally, you can work for brands, on social media campaigns, for commerce websites, as a fashion show director, visual merchandiser as well as in public relations.

Is it important to have a formal education as a stylist?

Because of the growing competition, formal education will give you the skills you need to prove yourself faster as you will gain experience while in college by working on projects. You will be able to think on your feet and create original work due to the theoretical and practical knowledge you will acquire through class work and projects.

What things should a student look for while choosing a design school for such courses?

A student should look for a good team of faculty with relevant teaching and industry experience. Also, it is important to see that they have a good alumni pool in the industry which will provide a lot of opportunities to engage with the industry. Becoming a stylist today takes as much work as any profession and one should not get swayed by promises of quick results. Like any other profession, it takes sustained effort and a lot of practical work.