Mahi Singh was excited about her friend’s wedding. But as the day neared her excitement turned into anxiety. She had two functions to attend and she could not zero in on even one costume. Finally, a personal stylist came to her rescue. “I knew I wanted traditional clothes but also wanted to stand out in the crowd. So my stylist matched up my lehenga with a very interesting dupatta and draped sari in a very unconventional manner,” reveals Mahi about her personal stylist experience.
A personal stylist would go around malls and markets with you picking up clothes, accessories and mix-and-matching various ensembles for you. And city fashion enthusiasts are loving the idea of this help even if it costs anywhere from `10,000 to `1 lakh per day. “About three years back when I first ventured into personal styling, there weren’t many takers. But now, from CEOs to brides and grooms to be, people from all walks of lives want to hire personal stylists. Some are occasion-driven and some just want a wardrobe makeover,” says personal stylist Bhavya Chawla, who adds that she gets both male and female clients.
In a fashion-savvy world where appearances are of more importance than ever before, personal stylists have many takers. The best thing about hiring a personal stylist is that they are well coordinated and have contacts with fashion designers, believes Kajal Srivastava. “We live in such a fashion-conscious world that it’s essential to look not just your best but also different. And a personal stylist can do just that. Apart from deciding what latest trend would suit you the best they can also add a twist to it so that you stand out in the crowd,” says Kajal, who has hired person stylists for various occasions.
With increasing popularity of personal stylist, recently many web portals like voonik.com, 20dresses.com, doozton.com and stylecracker.com have come up with offers where personal stylists handpick suitable outfits for customers, based on their body type and style preferences. People are becoming more aware of their own needs, hence the demand for personalised styling, says Tia Paranjape, fashion stylist, who works with stylecracker.com. She continues, “From wedding and event-related styling to complete makeovers, we have over a thousand users engaging with us for highly personalised styling advice.”
Some like Fab India and some want to shop in ShoppersStop. Also, there are many who want to be the trend-setter in their group. So, they want to be updated on all the latest fashion trends and whatever is in, says Bhavya, who works with voonik.com. “Copying celebrity styling is passé. Luckily I found a designer who understands my needs and what I am comfortable with. If I don’t like an A-line skirt I shouldn’t be forced into wearing one even if it looks nice on me. This understanding between client and stylist is the most essential I believe,” adds Meghana Kaushik, who has taken advice from her personal stylist on occasions.
It’s essential to take into account factors such as a person’s personality, body type, aspirations, social life and budget, says stylist Sheela Kapadia. “Offering wardrobe solutions has gained priority due to the increasing fashion consciousness and competition in the corporate world. I believe it is only going to get bigger,” adds Sheela.