What Skills Are Appreciated in a Fashion Stylist?
The role of a fashion stylist might seem so glamorous to an outsider. I mean, yes, you get to work with fabulous clothes and some interesting and creative people. But this job requires more skill than just “knowing” what clothing to pick or being up to date with the latest fashion trends. To be creative is a must regardless.
A skilled stylist would be someone considered as a good communicator, professional, who has an eye for detail and organises their time well. In this post, you will discover some of the most desirable skills of a fashion stylist. At the end, you will know what behaviour and approach, apart from being creative, can impress your client.
Eye for Detail — or being meticulous
When a stylist is building an outfit, it is crucial that the outfit is cohesive and well-presented. During each stage of preparation — brief and concept creation, garment pulling, and on-set — will require a certain level of attention to detail.
Most likely, each stylist will have their favourite approach, but this is how I do it. Firstly, I make sure that the brief is understood and I have discussed the vision with the client and the team meticulously. It is okay to ask questions too! Then, when sourcing the pieces, I double-check that the garments create a flowing theme. Ultimately, the final result will look immaculate on your model (at least that’s the goal).
The eye for detail will come out when deciding on the colours, fabrics, cuts and shapes, and taking into consideration who are you dressing, what is their body shape, height and skin tone. Before completing a look, I always check-in with myself:
- Do the colours work well together?
- Is there a good mix of fabrics?
- Is there a balance of proportions?
- Does it fit and represent the brief?
The latter point is crucial, as sometimes it is easy to get carried away with your creativity, but it is necessary to make sure that whatever you are putting together, tells the right story. Eventually, this will become intuitive.
Additionally, make sure the clothing is clean, steamed and ready to be photographed. Nobody wants to see those creases in the final images!
Good Work Ethic — professionalism, teamwork, communication
Maintaining a good work ethic will increase your chances of getting booked for more jobs and leaving a good impression on people you are working with, especially if this is your first time working together. Practicing professionalism shows that you are serious; not only about the job that you are doing, but also about yourself. This will also help when dealing with different personalities (and you will encounter many of those).
Another way to show good work ethic is communication skills. This seems such an easy skill to have, however, it is surprising how many people actually lack it! It’s especially important when voicing your ideas to the client and the rest of the team or just asking questions to understand the brief better. Even though most of the times as a fashion stylist you will work alone, working within a team is as equally important and inevitable.
During the brief, I always make sure that I am on the same page with the client and ask as many questions as I need in order to really understand their vision and voice my own creative input. This is the time for exchanging ideas and get the ball rolling.
Communication with your client and teammates is essential for the successful outcome of a project.
Time Management — ability to meet deadlines, work under pressure
At times, you will have to work on multiple projects simultaneously and managing your time like a pro. Occasionally, projects come in last minute and there were times I had to create a set of numerous looks in a short period of time. To say that I was feeling the pressure is an understatement. But that pressure definitely helped me to achieve better results in a very limited time frame.
Having a priority list always helps to keep track on what’s going on and to stay focused. No doubt this is a stressful job, but if you maintain your focus, break down the essential and urgent tasks and keep in touch with your team, it will be easier to manage.
Not only the preparation can be time-pressuring, but working on-set too. Make sure to follow the timelines of the call sheet, so all of the looks are executed in front of the camera and nothing is left behind.
Problem Solving — coming up with solutions, options and suggestions
Often stylists are named as “creative problem solvers” and for a good reason. What happens when the parcel from a designer doesn’t arrive on time before the shoot? Or that dress doesn’t fit the model the way you thought it would? There will be many situations where you will have to think of a “plan B” and effectively.
To avoid awkward encounters, it’s best to be prepared for those issues. So, not only you are a problem-solver, you are a problem-identifier. Think of potential cases of what could go wrong and be ready for it, i.e. if you are unsure of the sizing or the client isn’t happy with the selection, have a couple different outfit options ready.
