Was Sofia Coppola Wrong About the Rise of Personal Stylists in Fashion?

A look at whether or not the increasing number of personal styling apps and subscription boxes are killing the concept of personal style.

A few days ago — right before Oscar Sunday — acclaimed filmmaker and style icon, Sophia Coppola had this to say when speaking about her enthusiasm (or lack thereof) for this year’s Red Carpet:

“I miss the days before actresses hired stylists, when women dressed themselves for formal events. There was personality, style — and mistakes. I loved Cannes in the ’70s, when there was a mix of European glamour, Hollywood, and hippies: Nastassja Kinski in a cotton dress with flowers in her hair. Wearing a kimono jacket could pass as black tie.”

Similar statements have been made about Red Carpets through the decades. Despite there being few outliers every year, more and more celebrities are leaning on a combination of personal styling and gifted gowns from corporate sponsors such as Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, etc. for their formal looks.

Granted, most of the “Oscar Look” (chiffon gown, voluminous hair, chandelier earrings, etc.) that Coppola seems to loathe is, for all intents and purposes, mandated by Hollywood evening-wear overlords at this point. This is a point she concedes while elaborating that, “stars are done up in a glamorously generic uniform — a look so professionally executed that real women could never come close to achieving it for a formal event in their lives.”

Aha…but what if women could?

Thanks to fast-fashion personal styling apps like Stitchfix and wardrobe subscription boxes like Kate Hudson’s Fabletics, consumers in every corner of the fashion market can have the outfit of their dreams hand-selected and delivered to them at their convenience, a la a celebrity stylist.

These apps are a godsend, especially for fashion lovers who find themselves consistently underserved by retail outlets or whose budgets don’t stretch far enough to commit to a seasonal wardrobe change. But as it happens with any form of automation, are we losing the ability to dress ourselves?

Take Fabletics, for example

They’re a wonderful service for women who find themselves constantly needing new workout and leisure clothes, and would also rather not have to settle for whatever trendy collegiate sweatpants are found in women’s athletic wear sections.

Debate about whether or not the athleisure trend needs to die a slow, fiery death (probably), have gotten so heated (pun intended) that schools, airlines and almost an entire state have tried to place a ban on yoga pants alone.

Another popular option for on-the-go personal styling is Stitch Fix

They’re a data-driven subscription app that allows subscribers to choose between a series of clothing options — from major retailers to have delivered directly to them each month.

The company was built on founder Katrina Lake’s $2B vision, but it also has come under criticisms for not accurately understanding its customers’ needs and not including enough variety in their offerings.

This isn’t to pile all over easy to-go styling options, some of which are able to serve a very profitable demographic that has previously gone ignored.

What are some examples?

PLVSH is a online subscription service for the luxury shopper looking for every day in plus size offerings. Thrift Fix, a more affordable alternative to Stitch Fix offers personal styling for the thrifty shopper or vintage lover. Le Tote, an apparel rental service similar to Stitch Fix (minus the personal styling) offers Maternity subscriptions for women who don’t want to spend a fortune on short-lived maternity wear.

Even better, as not all subscription boxes are created equal, some like Nordstrom’s Trunk Club connect consumers directly with personal stylists to help make the entire shopping experience more intimate and tailored.

In summation, the fashion business as a whole works tends to rely on trends and some level of conformity. This is a fact that’s been known, but not necessarily established since the early days of the business. What we don’t know — are the effects of an overly automated fashion experience.

Could Coppola’s essay just be more cloud-screaming sentiment from a privileged influencer, or have we allowed technology to mechanize every method of self-expression in order to prevent us from taking our own risks?

Tell us what you think about all of the new on-the-go styling options and whether or not it’s impacting the way you look at fashion! Twitter: @teamwillu