Dressing celebrities for a living, working with models and getting paid for it sounds like a dream job, but how do you get there? We caught up with celebrity fashion stylist Omenaa Boakye to find out her five tips on exactly how to become a stylist. Omenaa has worked with some of the biggest names including, Iman, Elizabeth Hurley and Martha Stewart, to name just a few.
INTERN AND ASSIST
I have always been creative and loved fashion from a very young age. When I was 15 I already knew that I wanted to work in the fashion industry. Just before my school break began I called up different magazines and asked if I could intern with them for two weeks of my holiday. I used to love the teenage magazines Bliss and Mizz, I called them and expressed my willingness to help, fortunately, they both agreed to give me a week-long work experience. It was during this time I really developed a love for fashion, I now had first-hand experience of how a magazine operated, and I loved every minute of it. Every summer holiday I would intern at different magazines to gain more experience of the industry.
Interning at a magazine or assisting a stylist will provide you with invaluable experience that you can only learn on the job. Over the years there have been so many things that I have learned from other stylists, that I would have never of known had I not assisted. You will learn the key skills of how to approach a project, deal with clients and liaise with brands.
FIGURE OUT YOUR NICHE
What is your style aesthetic? Is there anything about the way you approach styling that will set you apart from other stylists? This is what will help make you a successful stylist.
BUILD YOUR PORTFOLIO
Make sure you build your portfolio. Your portfolio is a book of different images of models you have styled. When you have a good amount of images, you can show it to clients and agents so they have a good understanding of your style and what you are capable of. You can start building your portfolio with other artists that are looking to expand their portfolio. You can usually find makeup artists, photographers and hairstylists who are interested in working on new images for their book, free of charge.
BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH DESIGNERS AND BRANDS
It is very important to build relationships with designers and brands as you will need to work with them on a regular basis and be able to borrow clothing from them for different projects you work on.
KNOW YOUR FASHION
To work in fashion, it is important to have an understanding of the fashion industry. Pay attention to what trends are happening on the runway and in the street. Do your research; read magazines, blogs and online media. This will help you stay on top of what is in going on in the fashion world.
