How to Become a Celebrity Stylist

A celeb is expected to look red hot on every occasion, and with paps around every corner, there’s always a risk of their bad hair days becoming public! Many employ stylists, either for an everyday look or for that glitzy Hollywood party. Often those stylists become almost as famous as their employers, gaining thousands of followers on social media platforms, and as a result, their income can increase beyond their stylist status, with many making a good living from sponsorship and other side projects.

Becoming a successful stylist to the stars doesn’t follow a set career path, and there are very few focused qualifications. However, there are recognized routes to reach your goal and we’re here to tell all.

Thanks to the styling efforts of Tom Eerebout and Sandra Amador, during the recent Oscar Awards, Lady Gaga’s look for that night garnered 34,000 Twitter mentions and over 3 million likes on Instagram. But the stylists, too, gained thousands of hits, making them more famous and sought after.

 

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A post shared by Tom Eerebout (@tomeerebout)

Becoming a celeb stylist

It’s useful to understand what is needed to become a celebrity stylist. Here are some tips that you should consider if you want to become one:

1. Build an impressive resume. A strong educational foundation is important for any career, and it helps if you can secure a relevant degree or qualification. You can either pursue a degree in a university or look for short courses on styling. In this day and age, you could even train yourself through the Internet or YouTube. There is no right way. The one thing that matters is that you get some kind of credibility either through formal or informal education.
2. Obtain a meaningful internship. Why is this important? Like any apprentice, you can’t take on big names unless you have the necessary experience. A good place to start is to work as an assistant. Micaela Erlanger, a famous celebrity stylist, interned under another much-respected stylist, the late Annabel Tollman. She took on a number of internships while she was pursuing a business degree, gaining the experience necessary to become stylist to the stars!
3. Submerge yourself in the trade. Read magazines, follow fashion but don’t be afraid to develop your own look, know which celeb wears which designer and think about how you would style them. If you can, go to events, fashion shows, offer to style friends and family, then their friends and so on. Look at nails, hair, accessories and jewelry, anything that adds to a look.  Understand color, shape, form, and texture and immerse yourself in the culture.
4. Start building connections. This means being in the presence of industry experts and prominent celebrity stylists. Being elbow to elbow with industry forerunners may lead you to low-profile career opportunities, but as you build a portfolio of work and experience, you will get noticed and land a high-profile celebrity client.