Today, fashion is not just limited to designing and then getting into industry or showcasing ones collection on the ramp. Fashion designers have explored new areas of proving their talent and making a niche market. This one such field is a stylist. Now, you might feel like questioning what's so new about it? Well, gone are the days when a stylist was just a helper to some designer for creating a look. Today, a stylist is the person who is responsible for creating a look for either an individual or a model with clothing and accessories to make a statement. Fashion stylist is a much talked about term these days. Conventionally, a stylist works on a commercial, fashion show or magazine shoot but today, with appearance being key in so many organizations, fashion stylist often works for individual clients creating their own unique style.Now, even the fashion institutions like JD Institute of Fashion Technology to name a few are coming up with courses that give the in depth knowledge of this field. The student designers who are opting for it are proving it to be a great success. Lets take a peek-e-boo on the areas that this field offers.

Media Stylist

With a boom in the media industry, the work of the stylist has become more challenging and unique. A fashion stylist works for magazines, newspapers, or advertising agencies on commercials. Here the stylist selects clothes for photo or video shoots, goes to the field and collects swatches. A large part of the job is planning. Shaltun Bejemin is one such fashion stylist associated with India's one of the biggest publication group India Today, has made it big in a short span. He is behind the look of their health magazines and, provides the creative aspect of the shoot, sources the clothes and accessories required and decides on the looks for models. As he says, "When on a shoot the stylist has to dress the models on set, has to decide as per the requirement of the magazine and the Image of the company which, is definitely challenging. What I like about it is that it makes you understand even the minute things of fashion",

Bollywood & Stylist

The celebrities are the public figure and are noticed every now and then. Working in this case involves more personal client work and many stylists have full time jobs styling their celebrity clients which can include actors from Bollywood, television presenters, singers and, also politicians. Don't wonder! Most of the top notch politicians have gone for the image make over during elections.

Kinjal Galia a debutant stylist, with films like Sarkaar Raj and about to release Mission Istanbul has assisted the head costume designer of these latest hits. As the stylist says, "my work is quite challenging as I m very much responsible for the look and the costume of the cast. Some celebrities, especially the big name Bollywood stars, like to have their stylist on call. Assisting any designer in itself is a great experience. That' s the way you begin and make it big one day".

Personal stylist

They are at times called as image consultants, but this kind of styling requires the one-to-one repo with the clients. These clients can be celebrities, business persons or even any usual individual. But they surely know that their image needs an overhaul. Smit Raj, a young Fashion Designer in his early 20's has able to make such rapport with the celebrity, the famous MTV VJ Ran Vijay. This debutant takes the credit of giving a different look to this VJ for their newly aired series Split villa. As Smit says, "the field is tough, what is important is to enter and make your space. My collection was likes by the VJ himself thus, I got the credit. Once liked, you have to maintain that rapport and quality. My job is based on empowering the client to develop their own look rather than dressing them in my preferred style".

Corporate Stylist

Corporate world is one such place where the role of a stylist is so important and challenging that one blunder can ruin the entire career. Today, most of the companies whether International or National give greater weight age to the look and appearance. The aura is created with the first meeting itself. As stylist for the anchors of Zee News, Nitika Seth says, "At work, you're on show. Especially, when you are before the camera and, people are watching you, the ways you dress truly reflects the image of your channel or say company". another such wardrobe in charge Mansi working for the newly launched Hindi Channel 'Voice of India' finds the field very interesting. "My job profile is to check the entire look including make up and hair style of the anchor and to see whether it appeals the target viewer or not".

With so many areas of opportunities, the field surely has a long way to go. Styling no denying sounds glamorous, but it's not all it seems. What is needed is a proper grooming for fashion institutions, starting professionally only when you are confident of your caliber. Fashion is constantly evolving and one has to keep oneself updated with every emerging trend. And, don't you forget you need to look great to gain people's trust in a world where image is everything!