Stylists are the new must-haves

Anyone with enough moolah can afford designer clothes and expensive brands from all over the world. But to actually look stylish in those clothes, one needs more than just money. One needs a quintessential eye for fashion, or may be just a good stylist. In fact, a good number of people who are constantly in the public eye, and under media scrutiny, are hiring experts whose job it is to ensure that they look their best 24x7, literally.

These stylists are more than just fashion designers. While some simply stick to styling, others do both designing as well as styling. Explaining this further, Surily Goel, the young lady who dressed up Preity Zinta in Salaam Namaste and whose clients include Gauri Khan and Malaika Arora says, "When you are designing a collection which will be presented at a fashion show, you cater to a different section of clients all together. You work independently, keeping in mind the current trends and the target audience. But when it comes to styling for a person, be it for a movie or otherwise, there's a lot more to it. It's like working together with your clients, getting to know them, their likes and dislikes and the character (if it's for a film) etc."

The best part about hiring a stylist for yourself is that you will never have to worry about things like fashion faux pas, outdated wardrobes and what-to-wear confusion. It's all tailor-made for you and all you are expected to do is stick to what your stylist says. And it's not just actors who avail of the services of a stylist. As Anaita Shroff Adjania, stylist for films like Dhoom II puts it, "I have non actor clients too. It could be anyone from big corporates, and brand managers to business persons who are in the limelight always. I spend a week or so with my clients and my work includes a wardrobe re-shuffle and re-vamp. A stylist can put together a wardrobe from any part of the world, and I also work closely with my clients and help them with their hair, make-up and body language too." Talk about a package deal!

Some designers also turn stylists for their fave celebs and regular clients too. As fashion designer-cum-stylist falguni peacock says, "I have styled both Priyanka Chopra and Sushmita Sen. But I also style for my regular clients especially when there is a big do around the corner."

But some stylists prefer perfection 24x7. violet Monis, whose clients include vidya balan, koena Mitra, upcoming actress Sherlyn Chopra, celina Jaitley, kim Sharma, preeti jhangiani and the likes, says, "I work with my clients on a daily basis. They are in the limelight all the time and hence the necessity to look good 24x7. i take a call on everything from their gym wear and home wear to casual wear apart from the shows, interviews and the likes."

Surprised? Well, don't be. Red Swastik star, Sherlyn Chopra explains, "There was a time when I did not have a stylist and when I look back at the fashion faux pas i made, I cringe. When people look at celebs, all they see is an impeccable, polished look. But there is a lot of hard work that goes into it. Today, before I step out of the house, be it for an audio release or press conference, I make sure that my stylist works on my look. After all, your appearance does make a world of difference when it comes to portraying the right image — be it that of a glamdoll or a girl next door."