Fashion Consultant Role: How to Become a Style Consultant

A fashion consultant is an advisor in the fashion industry. A fashion consultant should have a working knowledge of both retro and contemporary styles, plus an eye for creative design. A consultant who works as a stylist will use their creativity to arrange clothing and accessories in aesthetically pleasing templates to meet customer needs.

Employers and clients turn to fashion consultants because of their expertise in their field, whether they’re stylists, personal shoppers, merchandisers, or image consultants. If you want to become a fashion consultant, here are three responsibilities that might fall within your job description:

1. 1. Fashion merchandising: As a fashion stylist, you will organize and manage your inventory. Plan ahead to acquire fashionable clothing on schedule while building a network of trusted suppliers. Select stylish items at thrift stores to accumulate inventory at a discounted price range if you are working within an extra tight budget.
2. 2. Personal shopping for clients: A personal shopper or image consultant helps clients revamp or refresh their overall style or daily wardrobe. A personal stylist assesses a client’s personal image, body type, and preferred colors. Depending on a client’s needs, a personal shopper might deliver clothing straight to a client’s home or accompany a client to a department store and walk them through purchase options.
3. 3. Wardrobe consulting for productions or photoshoots: Besides providing fashion advice, a consultant might help plan a runway show, an editorial photoshoot, or a professionally shot production, such as a film or commercial.

Here are four steps you can take in any order to develop a career in the fashion industry as a consultant or stylist:

• Develop strong interpersonal skills. Customer service skills will be your greatest asset in this field. Ask concise questions to learn your client’s preferences and maintain an open conversation with them to develop a design strategy. Some clients might be averse at first to altering their personal style, but you can use your communication skills to guide them through the process. Suggest complementary elements that will update their wardrobe and boost their self-confidence.
• Gain a working knowledge of current fashion trends. Popular styles often trickle down from celebrities and models on runways, but trends often lose steam by the time they reach average consumers. A fashion expert will analyze the latest trends to predict what is coming next. Knowledge of trend cycles and the fashion industry will be invaluable as you aim to keep your style choices ahead of the times.
• Network to build your client base. As you gain experience in the industry, you can network to scale your business. Collaborations with up-and-coming designers or notable clients can enhance your reputation in a competitive industry. Pursue internships with notable fashion companies or reach out to colleagues in the field to share successful consulting business strategies.
• Pursue comprehensive education or certifications. You can usually start a fashion consultant job with a high school diploma and varying years of experience in the industry, depending on the role. Additionally, a bachelor’s degree in fashion design or a stylist certification in a related field could show potential employers you have the expertise and drive it will take to succeed.

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