Do you wonder how to become a fashion stylist and look for opportunities to become one? In this blog, I’m going to discuss a Fashion Stylist’s job profile, key responsibilities, education, certifications, salary, and everything that you need to know about the profession of Fashion Styling.
You might be awestruck when you see celebrity stylists dressing your favorite stars, and the glitz and glam of the red carpets have the potential to inspire many aspiring fashion stylists.
However, as a budding Fashion Stylist, the destination might not be as easy as it sounds so putting the best points for you to note while considering fashion styling as a profession!
If you’re someone who has an eye for fashion and can become a trendsetter, this blog will help you to figure out the process of becoming one and how to proceed further as a Fashion Stylist!
What Does a Fashion Stylist do?
A Fashion Stylist helps curate outfits, whether it’s meant for editorial or celebrities, there are different types of fashion stylists that you can try, and their roles and job roles differ accordingly.
Fashion Stylists collaborate with photographers, editors, designers, and journalists, to create portfolios, campaigns, editorials, commercials, music videos, runway, and films.
They’re well aware of the trends and sometimes are responsible for setting trends. Networking plays a huge role in this career as it’s more of a freelance job that gets you, potential clients.
These are the job responsibilities of a fashion stylist:
- Conduct fashion Photoshoots for brands, tv commercials, movies and sets, fashion weeks and runways, and celebrities.
- Curate outfits for celebrities in tv shows, movies, etc.
- Stylist models on the runway.
- Ad campaigns with brands
- Consult clients on fashion & styling.
How to Become a Fashion Stylist
If you think you’ve got an aesthetic for fashion, curating outfits is your thing, then Fashion styling is the course for you to opt for By now I’m assuming you’ve read the types of fashion stylists mentioned above, if not check it now!
Stay tuned to know the core steps to becoming a fashion stylist.
However, keep in mind that the route to becoming a fashion stylist is not as easy as that of other fashion professions as celebrity styling, commercial styling, image consultant and editorial styling vary in the true sense, hence the skills and majors differ, hence breaking that down for you!
1. Having an aesthetic sense of style
Fashion Stylists always look fashionable and presentable. Watch different fashion shows, tv series, documentaries, Fashion movies, and Fashion podcasts, to stay updated. I have also listed Fashion magazines to get an overall knowledge of what is happening in the world and then practice it on yourself.
With social media taking the center stage, it’s really easy for anyone to create a mini fashion portfolio of yourself that will get you, clients, then and there! Create different #ootd pictures, collaborate with designers to pick mini-projects as interns, create a feed or even better, get yourself a Fashion internship.
2. Get a Degree in Fashion Styling
Education is important and sources are many. No matter how much you read magazines, books, or watch documentaries, proper education will always help you know the fashion industry better and will prepare you for your future prospects.
Fashion stylists mostly do courses like fashion styling, designing, merchandising, or communications and PR as their choice courses.
In addition, you’ll also learn the basics of everything you need to know in the course! Try to get yourself educated in the Best Fashion Colleges possible to get a better idea of your field and be an expert!
Here are a few courses for fashion stylist you can pick before pursuing fashion styling:
- Graduation/Bachelor (3-4 year course)
- Masters (2 years)
- Diploma (6-8 months!)
If choosing a fashion college sounds like a task, you can also opt for Online Fashion Courses which help you complete your education from the comfort of your home with the flexibility of time and many such advantages.
Hence, introducing you to a Masterclass that consists of Fashion Styling courses by Tan France, one of the most popular names in the Fashion and Styling Industry. There are a variety of offers and courses at the best prices, check out now!
3. Explore Fashion Styling Internships
Getting certified helps you gain confidence in the expertise that you have and help your clients build trust in your skills. Anyway, if you’re getting yourself enrolled at one of the fashion colleges you would anyway end up getting a certification and that’s the best part actually!
Any of the fashion courses you choose for education will help you achieve the certification you need. In addition, fashion colleges also provide you with more exposure to brands by providing you with Fashion internships, which I’ve covered here.
4. Create your Fashion Portfolio
A fashion styling portfolio is one of the crucial aspects of any styling courses that you pick. If you are a fashion student, chances are that you’re already aware of the term and trying to figure out how to get one prepared for yourself.
Create an online or offline portfolio as I list down the guideline for you in my latest post about creating a fashion portfolio!
This helps the companies to get a better understanding of the work of who’s getting hired and what to expect while the students get the right clients after their fashion degrees.
5. Build a Strong Network
Networking is quite an essential aspect when it comes to being a Fashion Stylist. The more you network, the more people will actually know about you and your services, and hence will get you more clients! You can also consider networking online through LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram, etc.
6. Research is the Key
Research is the key. Read about existing stylists in the industry, the interviews, e-books, and experiences of other stylists, watch of day in my life stylist videos on Youtube, etc. Before you get into the fashion industry, make sure you know what you are getting into.
What are the Skills Required as Fashion Stylist?
Listing the core skills that will help you to a becoming a fashion stylist keeping notes of the skill that appeared most on stylist resumes. These skills can be achieved by getting courses and self-practice in real which is even more important!
1. Photo Shoots
A Photoshoot consists of a setup that involves fashion models, stylists, and a photographer accompanied by a fashion editor who creates images, catalogs, editorials, and much more. A photoshoot’s goal is to accomplish a defined visual goal. These photos can then be used for post-production or editing.
The role of the Fashion Stylist includes conceptualizing, styles, and coordinating editorials, fashion, and celebrity photo shoot for magazines. Coordinates wardrobe and props for ads, films, and commercials.
2. Fashion Shows
A fashion stylist also works behind fashion shows. They are responsible for well-coordinated Hair and fashion Facilitate guidance during company events, fashion shows, and collection presentations in order to display products, designers, and clothing as efficiently as possible.
For this, you can collaborate with fashion designers and bring trending looks for the ramp walk.
3. Art Direction
Art Direction is related to theatre, advertising, fashion, publishing as well the film industry. As a fashion stylist, you need to collaborate with photographers, art directors, advertising agencies, and magazine editors to create looks for characters for films, shows, and theatres.
As Art Directors, your sole job is to Work closely with Fashion Director, Photo Studio Manager, Photographers, Art Directors, and Traffic Coordinators.
4. Product Knowledge
Product knowledge is the ability to gain a deeper understanding of the product you’re selling. Product knowledge is required of company employees in order for them to communicate with and inform customers about the product. It mostly is used in the domain of retail and fashion consultancy where product knowledge plays a crucial role in selling.
5. Customer Service
Customer service’s major purpose is to establish a solid relationship with clients so that they return for more business. As a Fashion Stylist, and Fashion Consultant in retail, your core responsibility is to Create Customer intimacy with exceptional customer service and brand knowledge.
You also are responsible for personalized outfits for customers while providing excellent customer service.
6. Wardrobe Stylist
A Wardrobe Stylist is more like a personal stylist or an Image consultant who helps you curate a personalized wardrobe based on your style choices. It also yet includes individualized services to customers in the areas of gift selection and wardrobe consultation, Research and acquiring wardrobes for fashion editorials and advertisements, and creating lookbooks.
7. E-Commerce
Also called a Commercial stylist, collaborates with the styling team on E-Commerce shoots to create images in line with brand identity, also called catalogs. They work closely with photographers and Art directors on concepts for E-commerce creative shoots.
8. Personal Style
Fashion Stylists also put together pieces for a personal style according to their lifestyle and taste but also in the spotlight of fashion, also known as Fashion Bloggers, promote current fashion trends and answered any queries customers had about their own unique style.
If you’re willing to know more about becoming a fashion blogger, check out our post that’d help you do exactly that!
9. Store Management
Store management involves coordinating window design and store layout planning; coordinating event launches and completing merchandise initiatives while maintaining standards of visual presentation, visual merchandising, etc.
10. Sales Floor
Fashion Consultants or Sales assistants supervise the sales floor to meet the client’s needs to ensure a unique and outstanding shopping experience. It’s more of a personal experience that you give your customers helping them with buying decisions.
What Degree Should I Get to Become a Fashion Stylist?
To work as a Fashion Stylist, you must complete a number of educational prerequisites. Graphic design specialized in sales and merchandising, and business is the most common study for fashion stylists.
Fashion stylists have a Bachelor’s degree in 64% of cases and an Associate’s degree in 22% of cases.
Fashion Institute of Technology, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San Francisco, and FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising are some of the core degrees you can opt for.
What Should I Major in to Become a Fashion Stylist?
These are the courses you can major in to become a Fashion Stylist:
Best Fashion Styling Colleges
There are various fashion colleges you can pursue your fashion styling courses from. Most colleges provide bachelor’s, master’s, and Diploma courses depending you the amount of time and expertise you aim to gain, it’s all about the learning experiences in the end.
Here is a list of fashion styling schools you can look for:
- The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) (US)
- Parsons, The New School for Design (US)
- London College of Fashion (UK)
- Royal College of Art (UK)
- National Institute of Fashion Technology (India)
Explore the Best Fashion Colleges in the world if you’re considering fashion as an industry you want to get into.
Jobs & Career
As a Fashion stylist, you can be a part of any fashion business as there are multiple types of stylists you can be. Although there is no compulsion in whether you want to be flexible enough to try more than one type of styling.
Here is a list of various types of fashion styling designations.
- Editorial Fashion Stylist
- Commercial Stylist
- Runway stylist
- Celebrity Stylist
- Product Stylist
How much does a Fashion Stylist Earn?
The Average Salary of a fashion stylist in the US is $50,954. The earnings of a fashion stylist depend on two things, one is the location and the next is what genre he/she is having expertise. Varied countries have varied salaries.
Average Salary: $50,954
| United States | $50,954 |
| United Kindom | $27,555 |
| Italy | $69,037 |
| India | $12,784 |
| Australia | $56,550 |
What is a Fashion Stylist Male to Female Ratio?
According to Zippia.com, using a database of 30 million profiles, of fashion stylists in the US, it is estimated that the US has more than 3,962 Fashion Stylists, 79% of all Fashion Stylists are women while 21% are men, and the average age is 33 to 35.
Where should I Learn Fashion Styling?
There are a variety of programs available, MasterClass provides you with the best Fashion Styling courses guided by Tan France who’s known for Design and styling aesthetics.
Famous as a sought-after personal stylist in the world, co-hosted the Netflix fashion design competition series, Next in Fashion alongside Alexa Chung. I’m sure you don’t want to miss the learning he’s there to provide!
What is the average age of a Fashion Stylist?
An average fashion stylist’s age at their peak is between 33 to 35, best in the ’40s after starting their career by 24/25. This is a specific 35-50 age range where people are feeling good and want to look good and want the best of their careers.
What is the most common degree for Fashion Stylists?
A degree in fashion design, fashion merchandising, fashion retailing, or fashion management is required for most fashion stylists. While a bachelor’s degree isn’t essential for admission into this sector, most businesses (and potential clientele) prefer formal education.
