Hunt 1

Brie Hunt
Professor Fernandez
English 100
22 September 2015
Senior Project Research Paper
Monica Rose, Mariel Haenn, Brandon Maxwell, and Elizabeth Stewart. These are among
the top fashion stylists to date. These people are also my idols because in the industry of fashion,
taste and creativity are the foundations to making idols such as Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga,
Jenifer Lopez, and Beyonc go from gorgeous to becoming paragons of beauty. In the fashion
industry, fashion stylists are global professions who select clothing and accessories for
published editorial features, print or television advertising campaigns, music videos, concert
performances, and any public appearances made by celebrities, models or other public figures
(Melynda, allaboutstylling.net). For me, at least what I would hope to do in this industry is, to
make people feel good about themselves, and to share my passion and knowledge of fashion with
the world. I do understand that it is no easy feat. First of all, getting into the industry requires
much more than raw talent. It requires connections and networking. Some say, if you have a
good enough product, it sells itself. That is very untrue in this world. Your product, styling
expertise, doesnt begin to sell itself until you have a big name endorsing you and with many
competing stylists to serve the 1 percent, it becomes difficult to really branch out and achieve
fame. I think that is idealism that sets me apart from others looking to get into my profession.
Many looking to get into the fashion are seeking fame and glory, I am just trying to make
someone elses day brighter by helping them look their best. I dont need celebrity cliental to do
my job and to do it right. The public perception of people who choose this career path are split

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down the middle they either believe that we are wishful dream chasers or they greatly respect
and idolize the job but that is more so to idolize those who have become successful in it. When
people look at the fashion industry, more specifically stylists, most think of us as divas and
dream chasers. Some people dont even respect the job. They think clothes are just something to
put on their back. A lot of people think its wrong to care so much about your look and that the
job requires no real talent or skill but say

[Someone] goes to [their] closet and then selects out [a] lumpy blue sweater, for instance
because [theyre] trying to tell the world that [they] take [themselves] too seriously to care
about what [they] put on [their] back. But what [they] dont know is that that sweater is not
just blue, its not turquoise, its not lapis, its actually cerulean. [] However, that blue
represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so its sort of comical how [they] think
that [theyve] made a choice that exempts [them] from the fashion industry when, in fact,
[theyre] wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this [industry].
(Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada)

Their impression is that if you're not famous there isnt a market for you. Granted, its not an
easy job to acquire cliental for; just like any business, you have to start from the bottom up. From
my personal experience through family and friends they suggest that I don't take this career path
because it is a risky business to be in and will take a lot of time and effort and not and I probably
won't make as much money as they would like me to make. They view it like being an actress or
singer and to be completely honest, it kind of is, but then I think, what if these famous stylists
never tried. I dont need to be famous, I just need to love what I do.

To get a better idea of what it really takes to get into this industry and what it demands, I
decided to interview an alumni of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM).
Vantashi Finicky is a mid-level stylist who owns her own fashion business and has a few years of

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experience in the industry. As a personal stylist, she must maintain a fashionable and professional
image as well as becoming a customer service role model. She is consistently seeking new
fashion in media and studying fashion trends on not only other top stylists and celebrities but
also trying to stay ahead of the ball game by predicting whats coming up next. Having product
knowledge to act as an expert for the customer is key because most fashion stylists focus on
accessorizing and putting outfits together rather than actually designing them. At many points, a
fashion stylist also becomes a promoter and salesperson of top brands, becoming a mediator
between the customer and the product. Finding cliental is the hardest part of any business. Most
personal stylists are independent business owners in their own right and as such, need to search
for innovative ways to increase business through use of customer referrals, website requests and
personal networking. [She] helps clients achieve their desired looks by aiding them in the
selection of personal style items, such as clothes and shoes. [She] must identify [her] client's
tastes, activities, body type and desired image in order to tailor a look to each of [her] client's
needs (Finicky, interview). She tries to provide expertise and honest confident feedback
regarding merchandise style and fit. Sometimes travel is required if a job needs to be done for
specific customers that are not able to come to you and most definitely when you need to pick up
items that you wouldnt ordinarily find in stores. Some of her greatest work from her portfolio
shows accessories that she found at small shops or events that shes attended. Expos are also a
great way to not only gain cliental but share and receive feedback, insight, and update their
knowledge of upcoming fashion lines. Weekends are also required because of most customer
traffic is on the weekends. Finicky works hard for her customers, working to give everyone a
personal touch. One her main goals, which is why I personally chose to interview her, is that she
wants her cliental to find styles that will make her client feel good about themselves, despite any

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type of body they have. We share the same mentality that not everyone is born beautiful, but
everyone has the potential to be.

Although the basis for owning and running a business is a good product, marketing and
hard work, any type of certificate in fashion industry will be very helpful for a fashion designer
or makeup artist or cosmetology or marketing and business degree. It not only gives you some
credibility, but helps you to network through school and begin your cliental. Business
management classes help a lot because results almost never meet the expectations of owning a
business so it helps to be prepared for various upsets. Making friends in the business and
learning from others who have gone through the process is very key. Finickys expectations were
having a lot of clients and to be able to build a small cliental within a year but she soon realized
she needed to first begin by just purely consultation work because financially, the job was quite
draining. She could only recommend and sample clothing for others through pictures and profiles
because she didnt have the merchandise on hand. Another bump was that she didnt realize that
people didnt really understand her job or the necessity for it. She needed to develop a certain
language to explain what she does, what she can do for each client, as well as going back and
forth between the etiquette and language of a fashion stylist and that of a salesperson. She has
grown much since she first started but she credits this to experience she built through working on
her portfolio. Many brands and media offer work experience or internships to aspiring stylists so
she was able to intern and learn when she was in school. She networked a lot and this experience
allowed her to land a job and work with different fashion designers and with runway shows. The
fashion industry is a competitive job market but with the right attitude and drive to become
skillful at what she did, she stood out and her mentor saw her determination, focus, and patience

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and worked with her to build a reputation in the styling industry. She says approach everything
you do with passion and stand out from the competition by going just that little bit further. Be a
team player. Theres no room for being a drama queen. Having a good attitude is key and great
customer service and fashion knowledge is all you need. (Finicky, interview).
Fashion has advanced greatly over the centuries, however, since the late 20th century up
till now, we have been seeing a high fluctuations of trends disappearing and reappearing again.
For example, high-waisted clothing has sprung back from the 1980s to the 2010s. There are
however trends that never go out of style like animal print and denim. Jeans being one of the
most timeless articles of clothing, Bazzar magazine quotes Yves Saint Laurent saying "I wish I
had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and
nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicityall I hope for in my
clothes. (Laurent, Bazzar) There are some foreseeable changes that can be easily predicted. This
includes functionality. Certain textiles will advance and will affect how we were our clothing.
One of the greatest designers of all time, Brandon Maxwell, Lady Gagas Fashion Stylist, works
mostly not to make her look appealing but to make her stand out by bringing together pieces to
create marvelous outfits and making them work with the theme shes going for as well as making
them work functionally. That is not to say she is the future of the fashion industry, even in her
prime, no one was wearing meat dresses and telephoning their hair. We do see advancements in
how clothing has an effect on what draws our attention and keeps it. Hair is a much
underappreciated part of the fashion stylists job. People give credit to just the hair stylist but the
two work together or sometimes is one person to bring the outfit to life. Fashion for the most part
is extremely unpredictable and really relies on the unpredictability of artists and icons to really
experiment and sell the look. In the past, many thought we would be wearing latex silver suits

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and shoe with automatic laces but that couldnt be more far off. Future Dictates of Fashion, a
book by W. Cade Gall which was published in January 1893 sports many illustrations of how
fashion would change over 100 years. To be honest, the author wasnt very imaginative as most
of the illustrations look like those out of a Wizard of Oz book and many people look like
clowns. This theme continues on where clothing only get bigger and crazier. Bigger and crazier
has definitely been shown to be accurate but there were many fluctuations of subtly. Accessories
also seemed very prominent in these illustrations and although we in this day do not carry swords
and umbrellas on the daily basis, the idea of having something in our hands, shoulders and heads
has evolved and will continue to do so. Functionality isnt the driving force of fashion, but it can
help direct what becomes possible.
The overall job will remain unchanged in 20 years. People will still need others to tell the
how to dress and accessorize. The clothes may change but taste and being able to help others
look good adapt to this change, no matter what decade theyre in. Some may argue that as
peoples taste changes it become hard to adapt and that it may put people out of jobs very fast.
This is somewhat true but overall not a real concern. Just like survival of the fittest if you cannot
adapt to the changes in fashion, in art, and in taste, you dont really deserve to be in the market.
The fashion market is ever changing and many adapt to it and try to stay as far as 4 steps or more
ahead of the curve. To be honest, its the fashion designers that will have the most trouble. One
the clothes are made available, its up to the stylists to put everything together. The biggest
struggles will probably fall with hair styles to match the clothing that will come out. Other
foreseeable changes include animal textiles that may become scarce or even nonexistent in 20
years. A recent book series, The Hunger Games, talks about how in the future fashion is all
about who the name you wear and standing out the most. Some even go as far as to modifying

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your body. This is actually a weird yet totally possible way the fashion industry could expand.
Tattoos and body modification and Plastic surgery are already on the rise. Have we hit a limit on
creativity of clothes and accessories to where now we have to morph our body to keep up with
the new dawn of fashion? It seems extreme but evidence in the everyday world shows it. First it
began with tattoos, then moved into gages wear people put giant holes into their ears and now
were seeing an, albeit still unpopular, change wear people surgically implement metal into their
body to alter their structure. Plastic surgery is already dominating thing so its probably not long
till body modification follows.
Initially I thought this type of job was helping people find outfits that suits them and
making them happy by helping them find a look that they can feel comfortable in. After doing
my research and interview, I noticed there was way more to fashion and styling than just giving
my opinion and picking out clothes for clients. I noticed there is a very big business component
to the job. I expected that to come in much later when you wanted to expand and start a business
but getting cliental and building a name for yourself is very similar to just that. Another
components that I was totally aware of was staying ahead of the ball game in fashion by studying
trends. I didnt however think about body modification until it was brought up to me by my
cousin and though I personally find it disgusting, part of being a fashion consultant and stylist is
being open to many trends and styles because maybe thats what is in or maybe Ill have a
client who already has it and Ill have to work with them. Many people already do so with tattoos
of varying types, I think I can still work with this.
Over all I still think this job is perfect for me. Everyone has their own style but can
always find room to try new things and appreciate how they will look. I have confidence in
myself and in choosing this job. I need it if I expect my clients to have confidence not only in my

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ability to make them look fantastic, but to feel confident in themselves and feel comfortable in
how they look. I have always believed that fashion was not only to make [people] more
beautiful, but also to reassure them, give them confidence"(Laurent, Bazzar) Part of looking
great is being able to hold yourself tall. I plan to do the same for myself and I am excited for
what lies ahead of me.

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Works Cited Page
Laurent, Yves. "Famous Words of Fashion's Greatest." Bazzar 6 Feb. 2014. Print.
Melynda. "What Does a Fashion Stylist Do?" All About Styling. 16 Aug. 2014. Web. 22 May
2015.
Weisberger, Lauren. "7." The Devil Wears Prada. New York: Doubleday, 2003. 124. Print.