Fashion stylist, Corporate Stylist, Media Stylist, Personal Stylist

That's the flavor of the season; Experience a stylistwhen you think of fashion designing...

Today, fashion is not just limited to designing and thengetting into industry or showcasing ones collection on the ramp. Fashiondesigners have explored new areas of proving their talent and making a nichemarket. This one such field is a stylist. Now, you might feel like questioning what'sso new about it? Well, gone are the days when a stylist was just a helper tosome designer for creating a look. Today, a stylist is the person who isresponsible for creating a look for either an individual or a model withclothing and accessories to make a statement. Fashion stylist is a much talkedabout term these days. Conventionally, a stylist works on a commercial, fashionshow or magazine shoot but today, with appearance being key in so many organizations,fashion stylist often works for individual clients creating their own uniquestyle.

Now, even the fashion institutions like JD Institute ofFashion Technology to name a few are coming up with courses that give the indepth knowledge of this field. The student designers who are opting for it are proving it to be a great success. Lets take a peek-e-boo on the areas that this field offers.

Media Stylist

With a boom in the media industry, the work of the stylisthas become more challenging and unique. A fashion stylist works for magazines,newspapers, or advertising agencies on commercials. Here the stylist selectsclothes for photo or video shoots, goes to the field and collects swatches. Alarge part of the job is planning. Shaltun Bejemin is one such fashion stylistassociated with India's one of the biggest publication group India Today, hasmade it big in a short span. He is behind the look of their health magazinesand, provides the creative aspect of the shoot, sources the clothes andaccessories required and decides on the looks for models. As he says, "When ona shoot the stylist has to dress the models on set, has to decide as per therequirement of the magazine and the Image of the company which, is definitelychallenging. What I like about it is that it makes you understand even theminute things of fashion",

Bollywood & Stylist

The celebrities are the public figure and are noticed everynow and then. Working in this case involves more personal client work and manystylists have full time jobs styling their celebrity clients which can include actorsfrom Bollywood, television presenters, singers and, also politicians. Don'twonder! Most of the top notch politicians have gone for the image make overduring elections.

Kinjal Galia a debutant stylist, with films like Sarkaar Rajand about to release Mission Istanbul has assisted the head costume designer ofthese latest hits. As the stylist says, "my work is quite challenging as I mvery much responsible for the look and the costume of the cast. Somecelebrities, especially the big name Bollywood stars, like to have theirstylist on call. Assisting any designer in itself is a great experience. That' sthe way you begin and make it big one day".

Personal stylist

They are at times called as image consultants, but this kindof styling requires the one-to-one repo with the clients. These clients can becelebrities, business persons or even any usual individual. But they surelyknow that their image needs an overhaul.

Smit Raj, a young Fashion Designer in his early 20's hasable to make such rapport with the celebrity, the famous MTV VJ Ran Vijay. Thisdebutant takes the credit of giving a different look to this VJ for their newlyaired series Split villa. As Smit says, "the field is tough, what is importantis to enter and make your space. My collection was likes by the VJ himselfthus, I got the credit. Once liked, you have to maintain that rapport andquality. My job is based on empowering the client to develop their own lookrather than dressing them in my preferred style".

Corporate Stylist

Corporate world is one such place where the role of a stylist is so important and challenging that one blunder can ruin the entire career. Today, most of the companies whether International or National give greater weight age to the look and appearance. The aura is created with the first meeting itself. As stylist for the anchors of Zee News, Nitika Seth says, "At work, you're on show. Especially, when you are before the camera and, people are watching you, the ways you dress truly reflects the image of your channel or say company". another such wardrobe in charge Mansi working for the newly launched Hindi Channel 'Voice of India' finds the field very interesting. "My job profile is to check the entire look including make up and hair style of the anchor and to see whether it appeals the target viewer or not".

With so many areas of opportunities, the field surely has a long way to go. Styling no denying sounds glamorous, but it's not all it seems. What is needed is a proper grooming for fashion institutions, starting professionally only when you are confident of your caliber. Fashion is constantly evolving and one has to keep oneself updated with every emerging trend. And, don't you forget you need to look great to gain people's trust in a world where image is everything!