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The Capital has a new fashion fetish — hiring personal stylists for important events. Delhi’s demand for exclusive styling services has gone up significantly in the last few months, with malls introducing special services and stylists’ schedules choc-a-bloc.

The Capital has a new fashion fetish — hiring personal stylists for important events. Delhi’s demand for exclusive styling services has gone up significantly in the last few months, with malls introducing special services and stylists’ schedules choc-a-bloc.

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“I have been helping people shop, and planning their look. Most clients like to keep it discreet, as they want to pretend that style comes naturally to them,” says stylist Rishi Raj. Designer and stylist Manjari Jindal says, “I know of some socialites who act as personal shoppers and charge for it. Mostly, these are women with a fashion or modelling background. But, the clients are always tight-lipped about accepting that they need help to decide their own look.”

However, with the trend now taking to malls, the city is opening up about it. Select Citywalk mall in Saket, for instance, has introduced a stylist-on-call service. It has hired a small team of stylists who help shoppers choose their wardrobe and decide their look after taking a detailed brief on the occasion.

“We give you an honest opinion on whether something suits you or not,” says Natasha Chopra, who heads the team. Arjun Sharma, director of the mall, says, “We thought of the service after the customer feedback showed that people wanted an expert opinion before they spent big bucks on party wear.” The luxury comes at Rs. 1000 for every hour the stylist assists you.

Designer Arjun Bhasin supports the change. “It can be helpful to have a specialist in the field to do it for you.”