How do you kickstart your styling career in 2020?
Well, since I've been a stylist for the past 15 years and I styled top celebrities in the
industry, I will tell you what I would have done if I had to start from zero in 2020.
Hi, my name is Basia Richard and I help aspiring stylist enter the styling industry.
If you want to become a stylist, schedule a free discovery call with me and I will link
the application in a description.
You know, also don't forget to subscribe and hit the bell to get notified when I post a
new video, which is every Monday.
In this video, we will talk about what I would have done to become a stylist today.
So let's get started.
So first of all, I will tell you what I would have done in order to become a fashion stylist
and a personal stylist today.
So we will talk about two different career choices.
Now, if you have no idea, what is the difference, watch this video first to understand different
career choices, so you know which one is right for you.
So we're going to start with advice number one, which is hire a mentor.
And that goes for both career choices.
When I started in the styling industry, I actually got an internship with a celebrity
stylist.
She taught me absolutely everything in terms of how the styling industry works.
Since I was like living in Los Angeles, I had a choice.
So I could pick either a personal styling and style regular people or a fashion and
celebrity styling and work on like editorials, commercials and also style like stars for
big red carpet events.
So I actually started as a personal stylist first.
So I would shop and style, you know, friends and then friends of my friends and colleagues,
just to like get comfortable and start earning my first money.
But eventually I moved to assisting other stylists when I really learned how to shop
and work on bigger editorial jobs, advertising jobs, style celebrities for big red carpet
events, et cetera.
So eventually I got an assisting job where they [inaudible 00:02:08] where I got more
experienced dealing with a client.
And eventually I branched out and started to style on my own.
So if I wanted to start a styling career today and I didn't live in Los Angeles or like New
York, or maybe like any other major city in Europe, where there is a fashion scene, I
would start working as a personal stylist, simply because you can do it right now.
You don't need a degree in fashion or like major experience in this industry.
All you need is a mentor who can give you direction and proven strategies so you don't
really get stuck in the same spot, wondering like, how do you get started?
And where do I find my first client?
Now, if I were living in Los Angeles or New York or let's say London, or maybe Paris,
I would probably start styling celebrities.
So in order to do that, I will get an internship with a celebrity stylist.
That's the fastest way to get your foot in a door.
All you have to do is to simply email a stylist your resume and send like a quick message,
telling a little bit about yourself and your experience.
Advice number, I would educate myself like crazy.
Now, when I started, the styling industry, wasn't like very popular.
It was more like an up and coming industry.
So there were not too many resources out there, outside of like books and magazines.
Now, you have blogs, you have social media.
You have so much easier access to education.
So if I wanted to start now I would read daily blogs, read magazines, check apps.
I would watch probably like runway shows daily and see what this buzzing in the fashion industry
now.
You want to be up to date on like collaborations between brands, look out for like new and
upcoming hot designers, et cetera.
So in order to be up to date on all your newest fashion news, you can grab my free cheat sheet
guide with like all resources you need.
So you will find all lists of blogs and the list of magazines that you should read, but
also yo will practice vocabulary and stylist jargon.
You're going to find those in this cheat sheet in the description below.
Now, you also want to study body shapes, colors, dressing guidelines, type of styles, fit,
fabric, so you're ready to educate your clients and dress them properly according to their
body shape.
Now, you also need to have knowledge on like major designers, brands, and niche designers
as well, so you can suggest certain designers for your clients, knowing how they will fit
their body.
Advice number three, build a portfolio.
Now this advice goes both for personal stylists and fashion stylists.
Now the portfolio will look completely different for both of them.
Now, as a fashion stylist, you'll be working on editorial jobs, print advertising jobs,
commercials, et cetera.
So you need to build a portfolio that will reflect your pace and who you are as an artist.
So you want to learn how to build a portfolio.
Well, watch this video and I will link it in the description below.
Now, you want to start styling test shoots first.
And what does it mean?
Well, tests are free photo shoots in order for everyone on your team to collaborate and
build a portfolio.
So you will team up with a photographer, makeup, hairstylist, and a model to produce in style,
a photo shoot in order to get images for your portfolio.
So everyone on your team would work for free in order to get images for their portfolio
as well.
Now, as a personal stylist that portfolio will look a little bit different.
So you have to show your style by creating looks for your clients.
So the best way to do it is to show before and after images.
So take a photograph of your client before you style them.
And then after you did your amazing jobs.
So I'm showing you right now, one of my clients, Selena Gomez, how she will style before she
worked with me and then after.
So that will apply to your personal clients as well.
Then you can feature it on your website or on your social media.
Advice number four style, friends and family.
Now, the best and easiest way to get more experience and feel more confident is to actually
start styling.
Many of my clients, my style [inaudible 00:06:45] program that I teach feel that they are not
brave enough to start styling real clients.
So I tell them exactly what I tell you.
Start with your friends, that goes for personal stylist.
Okay?
Now, in order to start styling real clients and feel fearless, you need to get enough
practice under your belt.
So you'll start with your friends.
Take them shopping, organize their closet, listen to their struggles and help them discover
their new style.
You will only learn if you have hands on styling experience and start practicing.
Now, when it comes to fashion stylist, you should get internship with a stylist.
Now, fashion stylist work on many different jobs and projects and getting clothes from
designers on loan.
Then having like relationships with PR, photographers, prepping for a job then working on set is
a completely different world.
So now the best way to understand how it works is to do internships.
So you will learn exactly how all those jobs come together.
What is the process of working on set?
And you're going to be ready to go on your own.
Advice number five, utilize social media.
Now, when I started in this industry, like 15 years ago, there was no social media, like
nothing, no Facebook, no Instagram.
So, I would do a lot of networking, attending different types of parties, et cetera.
So now you have social media at your fingertips, so use it.
As a personal stylist you can use your platform to educate your audience, create looks online,
give tips, suggest certain designers and looks for your potential clients.
So it's just so much easier to connect with your clients as well.
Now, as a photo stylist, you can connect with photographers who can see your work and connect
with people from the industry, showcasing your portfolio and start getting new clients
as well.
So now you know exactly what I would have done if had to start in 2020.
Now, if you want to learn more, grab my free cheat sheet guide with tons of resources for
aspiring styles.
I'm going to link it in the description below.
Also don't forget to subscribe and hit the bell to get notified.
I post new videos every Monday.
Thanks so much for watching and I will see you next week.