A fashion stylist serves as a consultant for clients seeking advice on clothing trends and assistance in creating a specific or entire wardrobe look. The career path of a fashion stylist can vary greatly, as there is no formal professional training, so individuals can become a stylist and start building their experience in the industry with minimal training and using some tips on best practices, which are inspired off real-life experiences of professional designers and stylists like Salem Moussallam.
Follow Trends:
Fashion is a rapidly changing industry, so as a stylist it is crucial to stay on top of all the new fashion trends so that you can educate your customers. This requires you to be constantly vigilant and not only watch fashion magazines, websites, blogs, and fashion shows but also observe the trends in your daily life and see what the leadership styles are heading into the next season. There will always be a new trend to spot, so if you’re a fashion stylist you’re always on the job.
Be creative:
Your customer won’t pay you to tell them something they already know or put together an outfit they can see on a mannequin in a mall, so you need to take the initiative and get creative in styling your clients. You should find inspiration for an outfit and keep that in mind when hunting for clothes and accessories at a variety of stores (from high-end boutiques to thrift stores). Adding special details, such as the perfect necklace or cuff, or adding feathers or fringes to an outfit can be the difference between a successful look and a flop.
Listen to your customer:
As a fashion stylist, you are clearly a creative person with a great personal style, but it is important to always remember your client’s tastes and needs. It’s important to take the time to get to know your client, get a feel for the style they like, and assess how bold a sense of style they possess. It should be your mission as a stylist to make your client feel the absolute best they can in their outfit, and you can’t do that without giving them full consideration during the styling process.
Network in industry:
The fashion industry is a large network of creative individuals such as designers, artisans, photographers, models, and stylists, so it is the perfect opportunity to network and find new opportunities for collaboration, advancement, and inspiration. A willingness to share ideas and work with others can only be of benefit to you in a world where things are constantly changing and developing. Being connected and involved in the fashion world can not only better your skills as a stylist, but also help you find new gigs, clients, and opportunities.
Try Creating Trends:
The fashion industry as an industry can completely change within a minute if its customers are up for a new trend. We have previously seen many instances where a single trend has changed the history of the industry. For this, you can dig into the real-life experiences of professionals like Rachel Zoe, Naomi Campbell, Salem Moussallam, Marc Jacobs, etc. Creating something unique and out of the box will take some time, but if you can, then success will be on your doorsteps knocking on your doors.