Fashion Stylists: Clothes and Connections!

[Xone]

metal i think u are right....here it almost doesnt exists fashion advertising (besides dpt stores) so the game here goes more if and editor or stylist like it or not the clothes....there is one or two mag that are known for charging the brands or the designers to get editorial presence....i think its also ddpend of the magazine policy about it.....thats why sometime we saw banana republic in bazaar or st john in w or vogue i think.....

 

[Jump]

you should call some stylists and ask if they need an assistant...


find the names of some agencies that represent some busy stylists and offfer to work for free if youhave to ...
just to get some experience...
and then you can meet some more people and then you will have some experience...
so the next time you will get paid...

it starts like this...

thanks softgrey i would love,to do that but how just send an cv with no experience what about edward enninful

 

[Jump]

i found some agencies now what?

 

[metal-on-metal]

so the game here goes more if and editor or stylist like it or not the clothes

Wow. That's so wonderful. See, in a pure, ideal world, the editors would get together and only feature the clothes they liked. But then where would Versace, Baby Phat, and St. John go? I think it's so great that some magazines still work like that. But are they not so desperate for advertising? Do they receive corporate funding from somewhere?

 

[mishahoi]

i found some agencies now what?[/QUOT
like it was said before, you should call them up and offer your services. if they like you over the phone (make a good impression!) perhaps you should take a portfolio showing you can do some work and show it to them?

 

[mishahoi]

and this makes me think of a new question about what you established stylists would look for in an assistant, but i think ill start that on a new thread....

 

[Jump]

but i dont have a portfolio well i have one but theyre stories that i imagined and made them by drawings

 

[mishahoi]

but i dont have a portfolio well i have one but theyre stories that i imagined and made them by drawings

hmm.. im not a stylist so i cant really tell you from experience, but if it were me, i would be a little more prepared before going in to look for a job. even if you offer to work for free, there are LOTS of other people who also want to work for free to get experience and they are going to pick the people who seem like they know what they are doing.

i would suggest following the advice on a lot of these stylist threads and put together a portfolio with some test shots.

 

[Jump]

well im not sure if im prepared just dunno where to start

 

[tristan]

Jump, I think you should look at the "becoming a stylist" thread. You're in Paris Baby! Where so many aspiring photographers, models and makeup artists go. Don't think that Meisel will be shooting your first pictures, go out, and get your hustle on, find some people who are in the same position as you are, and work with them. You don't just become a stylist over night.

 

[Jump]

I got a reply from jedroot,they are willing to take me but they want a resume what do they mean by that a resume on myself or a cv?

 

[Llila]

I am an aspiring Stylist that wants to learn!
I don't know how to go about "pulling" clothes and no one seems to be willing to give me a hint or a clue as to how! I get little job offers to do videos and photo shoots and even a job with a network but the first question is... "Can you pull clothes" or "Where do you pull clothes". The small jobs I have done have been from budgets... so, I buy what I need. But I would like to broaden my horizon by being able to do everything! ANY SUGGESTIONS... ANYBODY?.... ANYBODY!!

Also, Can anyone reccomend websites to find jobs!?

PLLEASE! THANK YOU!

Llila

 

[BetteT]

Llila,

It's the hardest part of styling (next to actually finding work) and very complex. You must build relationships and be able to offer something in return .. ie: credits in a magazine or exposure via a celeb at a red carpet event something that will give the designer some positive PR. Generally, designers and their publicists will pick and choose which media they want to show up in so the higher quality a publication is and the higher end an event is, the more likely they will lend. For portfolio/test shoots and most videos of so called "up and coming" artists don't generate much interest, if any at all. So you have to find the gigs that will generate the right amount of publicity for the designers or boutiques and approach them with those. It's a process that takes years to develop and must be worked constantly.

BTW ... the decent paying jobs don't show up on the internet ... they are found by networking, marketing yourself to those that hire stylists and eventually by having an agent who reps you to the high end clients. But to get an agent, you must have quite a bit of paid work and proof of your work ... like tear sheets from magazines, a strong reel it you are working in film/TV/video and a strong portfolio. Web sites have most of the non paying junk and "great exposure" gigs which aren't of any help in your career ... and testing for prints, etc. So don't look for those to be a source of anything that approaches real jobs.

Building a business as a stylist takes years before you really make any money ... you don't just jump in and get much paying work and certainly not the well paid gigs. Hopefully, you have other means of support and a flexible schedule ... essential while you build your business.

 

[Llila]

I appreciate your imput, thanks!

 

[Mhmmm]

BetteT is correct. If you're just starting out you need to have/develop relationships with the PR People at the big houses and with the smaller designers in order to borrow clothes. Most of the stylists I worked with at a major fashion house were either former asst.to a major stylist, worked for a major book, or were styling a major star we were interested in having photographed in the designer's clothes.
That is to say, they had been personally known to the PR Dept/Designer. From the Designer's point of view, at least a major one, who is regularly flooded with requests, you much pick and choose who to loan looks and accessories to. Most likely there is only one sample per look for the US and you can bet your bottom you're sharing some of the collection globally and if US VOGUE/W/ELLE/BAZAAR want it, you're not getting it. Period.

When you have a personal relationship with the PR/Designer who knows you to be trustworthy and will return samples when you say you will and in the condition it was loaned to you and assuming what you're looking to shoot is available, then you have no problem, otherwise, it is NOT happening.

Try to score an asst stylist/market editor job at a magazine or with a stylist. I know, easier said than done, but THE best way to learn the ins and outs of how to get the job done and more importantly MEET & befriend the right people. The photographers /photographer's assistants /market editors /showroom assistants /pr assistants / party promoters. The people who can grease the wheels so you can one day do your own thing!

Good luck to you!

 

[RockRoyalty]

I have to agree with Mhhhh and Bette T on everything. Being a fairly good stylist is much about networking as it is about imagination and hard work. You would have to know all the right people such as Pr's/ showrooms assistants, photographers, designers e.t.c who if they like your work will introduce you to other people in the industry who would offer you work. All this providing that by having contacts you'll have to return the favour to them. Nothing is given for free.Plus, you'll have to work with little (if you're lucky) or no money in the beginning, -to gain experience, they say. I know it sucks!! But unless you have an agenda full of names... My advice is to go to a model agency and offer to do some tests for the models portfolios. (The agency will only be willing to give you all the new girls.) Or you can try and land a job in a local magazine as an assistant to the styling team.Also try the local art college for 2 or 3 year photography students to style one of their college projects. This way you'll have some good photos to start building your portfolio and will also gain some contacts in the process.Final word? Test,test, test

 

[zrzava]

It never hurts to ask to have a meeting with a store manager to present your project. Be sure to be flexible about the meeting time--these are busy people! Have as much information about the job you are doing as you can.

I understand that it's much harder to pull clothes in larger cities where the samples and stock are in higher demand.

I find that a smile and a professional demeanor go a long way too. These people want to know that you are reliable and will return the pieces on time. Present yourself as such.

If all else fails, you can always use a credit card and returns to get you through your first few jobs while you're trying to establish yourself. Just keep in mind that some stores monitor when you buy and return (to prevent fraud) so don't do this too many times. You could find your credit card being denied later on!

Finally, in many cases it doesn't matter where you source your clothes from. Model tests and many commercial jobs don't need to be done with designer labels and new clothes. Pull together everything from your wardrobe that is cool, unique and made from good materials. It will all look fabulous on the model once you pin it right!

 

[Lena]

My advice is to go to a model agency and offer to do some tests for the models portfolios. (The agency will only be willing to give you all the new girls.) Or you can try and land a job in a local magazine as an assistant to the styling team.Also try the local art college for 2 or 3 year photography students to style one of their college projects. This way you'll have some good photos to start building your portfolio and will also gain some contacts in the process.Final word? Test,test, test

excellent feedback

 

[RockRoyalty]

More styling advice

Thanks LenaB)

Most of these tips have worked for me so far.

Having studied photography as well as fashion has given me the chance to style as well as photograph some of my projects for college. So i insist on my tip about photography students. Most of the time they are open to suggestions and willing to try even the most outrageous of ideas. Plus not restricted by budgets (as most of professional work is ) they let their imagination and achieve fairly good results.

This applies for make-up artists schools if you want to achieve near professional result for the pictures. Ask the person in charge of the make-up college for students that are good to the sort of make-up you're looking for.(say you like a more natural make-up rather than theatrical e.t.c)

Another tip is to find a big department store or a funky boutique where you live and offer to do their windows. (This is how Armani started)

It's also good checking out " Mastering Fashion Styling" by Jo Dingemans. An excellent, well researched book.

 

[Felix Dasilva]

I am a photographer and do many magazines which are NOT Vogue and sometimes very low budget magazines.

My experience is that when I travel somewhere, I usually call up the magazine before, they mention a stylist that they work with and I plan the concept with the stylist and whatever it is displayed in the magazine has more to do with the influence of the stylist, who is the model that is being used and who is photographing because a lot of the shops that let the stylists get the clothes (NEVER FOR PAY) weights how much exposition they will get from the shoot. Because in credits a lot of the times it will say: Such and such model is wearing dress by such and such designer at such and such shop.

But I also take shoots to do outside the area of the magazine, for example, I have taken Elle Bulgaria and done in Brazil. There we were shooting with Caroline Francischini and Laryssa Castro and we were pretty much free to choose the styling, but sometimes some of the magazines send me a list of brands that I have to stay within when working with a stylist that is of my choice and the magazine has never worked with.

In other words, could be that the magazines only use clothes of advertisers, but either way I have never heard of stylists paying to get clothes in editorials in magazines, for the opposite. Most of the times, the brands and the shops are just too happy to let them borrow so they can get the free advertising that will come with the exposition of their product in the editorial pages. And the not so famous designers are even more eager to let all publications use their clothes for the shoot.

If a small or big designer should ever ask me to pay for using their clothes in a shoot I will tell them that they are CRAZY and move on to other designers, because there will be plenty that understand the business and will never charge!