Fashion is just not about clothes. It’s about how you style them. The focus is increasingly increasing on styling a product. Be it fashion, films, consumer durables, or lifestyle products the key ingredient, for success lies in styling.
Although internationally styling is a flourishing career option, this concept is just opening up in India. Yatan Ahluwalia, one of the first few stylists in India, says, “ To begin a career in styling, work with a designer or a stylist. Assist in as many fashion shows, product and advertisement shoots as you can. Exposure and work experience are the key words before branching out.” As for career options in this field, “You could get into style shoots for magazines, advertisements and films. Most movies these days focus on styling. Designers are playing the role of a stylist,” says Ahluwalia.
How does one go about a career in styling? Most design institutes do not have a diploma degree in styling. NIFT is perhaps the only exception as it offers a short module in styling. However, this module is a part of the communication course.
Rangraj Bhattacharya, a fashion design graduate from NIFT says, “I have done a course in fashion designing, I always wanted to venture into styling. Styling is very important because your product may be good but if you do not style it well, the impact is lost.” Styling is one of the reason that designers like Manish Arora, Wendell Rodricks and Sabyasachi Mukherjee manage to create a hype on the ramp ( but often these clothes are not impressive on the rack).
Internationally Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier take the cake as they are great designers and excellent stylists. Styling seems to be the key ingredient for a good window display. News channels have also joined in with Zee News and NDTV opting for professionals to create a new look for them. With the concept of styling catching up in the industry corporate houses are also opting for professional stylists.
Rangraj Bhattacharya, a fashion design graduate from NIFT says, “I have done a course in fashion designing, I always wanted to venture into styling. Styling is very important because your product may be good but if you do not style it well, the impact is lost.” Styling is one of the reason that designers like Manish Arora, Wendell Rodricks and Sabyasachi Mukherjee manage to create a hype on the ramp ( but often these clothes are not impressive on the rack).
Internationally Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier take the cake as they are great designers and excellent stylists. Styling seems to be the key ingredient for a good window display. News channels have also joined in with Zee News and NDTV opting for professionals to create a new look for them. With the concept of styling catching up in the industry corporate houses are also opting for professional stylists.