Do you really need a selling internship in order to become a stylist?
Since I've been styling for the past 15 years and style top celebrities like Sara Hyland,
Irena Sykes, Selena Gomez and many, many more.
I'll give you a straight answer to whether you should get internships or not.
Hi, my name is Basha Virtru and I help many aspiring stylist in my styling program.
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In this video, we'll talk about if you should get a styling internship in order to become
a stylist.
Now let's get started.
Now I know you want to get a straight answer yes or no, but it really depends on what selling
career choice you want to proceed.
Do you want to work as a fashion stylist, a personal stylist, maybe a celebrity stylist?
Three of those career choices are completely different.
And depending on what is the career choice that you choose, it will really determine
if you need styling internships or not.
So let's start with the first career choice.
What is a fashion stylist?
Now a fashion stylist is a consultant who selects clothing for publish editorial features,
print, television, advertising campaigns, music videos, et cetera.
So essentially a fashion stylist styles a model for a magazine shoot, commercial, advertising
campaigns, and then we'll work on many similar jobs.
Now in order to have a successful career as a fashion stylist, you have to live in a city
where there is a fashion scene, right?
So if you live, let's say in the United States, you would have to be in New York City.
Now, if you want to start working as a fashion stylist, you do have to get styling internships
in order to enter that industry.
Now there's really no formal education out there that will get you started in a fashion
styling industry.
So the best way to get started is by getting an internship.
So, I know a lot of you probably who finished fashion schools and study merchandise or any
other fashion related subjects, getting internships is really not appealing at all.
But in reality, what you really have to think about that getting internships is really a
form of education.
So even though you will work for free, you will learn the ropes and will understand how
all those jobs come together.
How to work on set, where to get the clothes from and so much more.
So until you see how a fashion stylist work, it will be pretty difficult to get started
in a fashion styling industry.
Now interning with a fashion stylist will also give you an opportunity to be promoted
to a fashion stylist assistant.
So, that happens all the time.
And I promoted my interns to a assistant position many, many times.
So don't think that you're wasting your time.
You are learning the ropes and you will have an opportunity to get a paid assistant position
with a stylist you are interning for.
Now in order to get a first job as a fashion stylist and start styling on your own, you
need to have a portfolio that showcases your work.
Meaning you need to have images of your work, preferably from editorial shoots.
So this seems like a lot of work and yes it is, but every fashion stylist will have a
portfolio full of editorial shoots, advertising campaign images and that will be like their
resume.
Now, a client will book a fashion stylist based on their portfolio, but will also hire
a stylist that he or she has a relationship with.
So that's why getting internships is so vital.
Like I mentioned you that you will not only understand how this industry works, but you
will meet people from the industry, develop relationships with photographers, stylists,
PR agencies, et cetera.
So this will really help you get started in a fashion styling industry.
Now you might be asked asking yourself a question, how do I start building a stylist portfolio
that can get hired to style for a magazine shoot?
What you have to do is what is called a test shoot.
Now test shoots are great way to start building a portfolio.
So essentially you will collaborate with a makeup artist, a hairstylist, photographer
and a model to style a photo shoot.
And you'll be able to use those images and put them in a portfolio.
If you want to learn how to get started in depth, I have this video here and I will link
it in a description below.
Now let's talk about a personal stylist.
Now a personal stylist offers advice on style trends, colors, and works with individual
clients.
So anyone can hire a personal stylist in order to upgrade their new wardrobe, understand
what works on their bodies, what doesn't and learn how to put looks together.
So now in order to start working as a personal stylist, you don't need to live in New York
City or Los Angeles.
Now the reality is that you can start styling people if you live in a small or medium city
population.
Now the biggest difference in terms of styling internships between a fashion stylist and
a personal stylist, is that as a personal stylist, you don't need internships to start
styling clients.
Now, the reason for it is that personal styling is really a service based industry.
And what do you have to learn and is how to create services and shop with a client.
And in order to do that, there's absolutely no need to intern.
If you did a closet declutter for your friend, or maybe like shop with your friends, you're
more than ready to get started.
Now, some of you might say, now, I don't know how to properly do a closet detox.
I don't know how to properly shop as a stylist.
So now all you need to do is to really hire a mentor or a coach who can help you get started
as a personal stylist and help you grow your business.
Now, what you really need to know is how to properly dress people according to their body
shape and suggest right colors.
You don't need to intern with a stylist to learn that.
Also you need to create services, price it correctly.
Again, you do not need to intern to learn that.
And lastly, you need to utilize social media and referrals to get clients in the door.
And again, you don't need to intern to learn how to do it.
So in conclusion, if you want to start working as a personal stylist, you do not have to
intern with a personal stylist in order to start this career.
So lastly, let's talk about celebrity stylists.
Now, a celebrity stylist is a consultant who selects the clothes for celebrity clients
and they will dress them will work on different types of projects like publish editorials,
print or TV, campaigns, music videos and of course, any public appearances like red carpets.
So now if you want to work as a celebrity stylist and you live in U.S. you have to be
in Los Angeles simply because you can't start styling celebrities if you live in the area
where there are no celebrities, right?
So now in order to start working as a celebrity stylist, you must start with styling internships.
There's absolutely no other way to get started.
You have to start interning with a celebrity stylist in order to learn the ropes and perks
of this job.
Now celebrity stylists do work on many different projects, comparable to fashion stylists,
but their main bread and butter is red carpet and event styling.
So now in order to learn how all those jobs come together, how to create relationships
with brands and designers, how to conduct proper fittings and the process of styling
for red carpet events, there's absolutely not really any training out there that will
teach you this, unless you will intern with a stylist and have on hands experience.
So now if you want to learn how to become a stylist for celebrities, you can watch this
video and I will link it in the description below.
Now the best and the easiest way to get into the celebrity styling industry is to send
an email to a stylist requesting internships.
Now, lots of stylists will hire interns to help with daily tasks.
And I have done it many, many times in my career.
And you don't really need to have any experience in the styling industry prior to getting internships.
Now, so you don't need to have any education in the fashion field in order to get an internship
with a celebrity stylist and you can come from completely different industry to get
started in this industry.
Now, again, you want to treat the the internships are like an extension of your education.
Now you will meet so many people from this industry, not only stylists, but also photographers,
publicists, makeup, artists, hairstylists.
So the more people and expand your network, the easier it will be for you to start styling
and building your styling career.
So now you know exactly if you need styling internships or not.
Let me know in a comment below which styling career is right for you.
Also, don't forget to subscribe and hit the bell to get notified when I post a new video,
which is every Monday.
I also have a free cheat sheet guide for you.
Everything is linked in the description below.
Thanks so much for watching and I will see you next week.