The Trend in Celebrity Stylists
Learn the Pros and Cons of Becoming a Stylist to the Stars
In the fickle world of women's fashion, we have seen an emergence of a new breed of celebrity - the personal stylist to the stars.
Hollywood celebrity stylists such as Rachel Zoe (pronounced as in toe) have become very influential in the world of fashion, with celebrities relying just as much on their stylists, to present them in the best light, as their PR team. According to Katherine Power, co-founder of WhoWhatWearDaily.com, “having a stylist has become as important as having a good publicist.”
The Role of a Celebrity Stylist
Celebrity stylists (or personal stylists) are often all things to their clients, from advisor to personal shopper to friend. Says Power, “Many twenty-something celebs rely on them not just for style advice but for creating their own image-making wardrobe.” One of Zoe’s high-profile clients, singer and actress Lindsay Lohan, says of her stylist, “Rachel Zoe is my stylist, but she's more like a personal shopper.”
Other stylists to the stars (although not as well-known as Zoe) include LA stylist Jessica Parker, who has been styling celebrities for 11 years, Andrea Leibermann, the New York and LA stylist who collaborates on Gwen Stefani’s fashion line, L.A.M.B; and stylist duo Cristina Ehrlich and Estee Stanley who are responsible for the Miss Davenport label. These women are credited in Marie Claire’s article “Stylists to the Stars” (Aus edition, May 2008) as styling such celebrities as Jennifer Lopez, Cate Blanchet, Jessica Simpson, Hilary Duff, Gwen Stefani and Penelope Cruz, to name but a few.
Working with models on photo shoots or runway shows or music artists for their videos and promotions, the role of the celebrity stylist can be a stressful, albeit rewarding one. Presenting your famous client in their best light, for that perfect red carpet photo, means reaping the rewards or shouldering the flack, if the fickle fashion media think you have got the look wrong. Such is the current craze in celebrity culture, glossy women’s magazines such as In Style and SHOP Til You Drop, often run comparison photographs of looks that are hot and those that are not; hence the caption “Shoot the Stylist!”
Rachel Zoe’s Distinctive Style
Whilst Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe is much revered in the fashion industry, she does have a certain recognizable celebrity style (colorful caftans, golden tan, oversized shades, look-at-me jewelry and high-heels) which has lead many in the fashion business to refer to her clients as “ZoeBots.” According the Daily Mail 's (26 November 2007), “Liz Jones on why she can’t stand a certain celebrity stylist,” Zoe has even been accused of influencing the current controversial trend in becoming a size zero; a claim which she vehemently denies.
In her book Style A To Zoe, Rachael Zoe outlines her meteoric rise as a celebrity stylist, from working as fashion editor of YM magazine to finally going freelance as a stylist to the stars. Zoe claims that clients flock to her as she is well connected and does her homework. Therefore, she has a thorough understanding of her clients’ famous bodies, their best features and their flaws.
Advantages of Being a Celebrity Stylist
As well as the obvious personal sens of satisfaction obtained from making their clients feel good about themselves, celebrity stylists reap the benefits in terms of their own publicity, demand for magazine interviews and editorials and freebies from various quarters including some of the most exclusive fashion houses, with their couture gowns. You get to rub shoulders with the elite of the fashion world, both sides of the runway. Says designer Michael Kors of Zoe’s influence, “She is very influential. She has editorial pages all over the world without editing a magazine.”
Disadvantages of Being a Celebrity Stylist
“Pumping up someone’s ego can be emotionally draining, says Oaff of the Observer, plus you come in for negative criticism every time your celebrity client puts a foot wrong on the fashion front,” especially if they are seen running into Starbucks with sloppy sweatpants and no make up, thus shattering their glamorous image, (which you then have to work hard to restore!)
Become a Personal Stylist
To be successful you need to have a real interest in fashion, hair and beauty, and an understanding of trends. Much of the work involves psychology; creating inner confidence within your clients and making them feel positive and happy about themselves. Consequently, a background both in fashion and psychology is a plus, which may partly explain, with her degree in psychology, why Zoe is so successful.
There are a number of image consultant and style courses available worldwide, both with on-site training and home study course. Several professional bodies for Image consultants exist, including the US based Association of Image Consultants International and the UK’s Federation of Image Consultants
The Future Looks Bright for Celebrity Stylists
There is no doubt that this is a growing trend, which can be very highly paid if you end up styling A-List celebrities. Rachel Zoe is in such demand that she reportedly (according to the Daily Mail, 5 October 2007) earns around $6,000 per day.
There is more emphasis now days on dressing-to-impress and looking glamorous. To satisfy the hoards of twenty-somethings and glossy women's magazines (which are immersed in our copycat-celebrity culture), there is tremendous pressure on celebrities to be seen as fashion-forward and to make their own style statement, with regard to applying up-to-the-minute trends.
