Fashion Consultants

Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories; fashion consulting is the art of helping others decide what to purchase and wear. A fashion consultant is a professional who provides expert advice regarding fashion and style — to individuals choosing clothes, and to companies making fashion decisions — using knowledge of trends and fashion principles to assist others in the realm of fashion.

Personal, Image and Wardrobe Consulting

Fashion consultants help clients develop and enhance their professional and personal images. They help clients choose clothes for a variety of occasions and decide which styles are flattering and communicate the appropriate message — the same outfit problem, treated professionally: what does this person need this garment to say? Fashion consultants are often called personal stylists or image consultants, and image consulting is the broader professional field that aims to improve a client's image personally or professionally through appearance, behaviour and communication, evaluating the effect of appearance on professional image.

The wardrobe stylist is a specialist cousin: a consultant who selects clothing for published editorial features, print or television advertising campaigns, music videos and concert performances, and public appearances by celebrities, models and other public figures. Stylists work inside a creative team assembled by the client, collaborating with the designer, photographer or director, hair stylist and makeup artist to build a particular look for a project. It is said that stylists are the people who push each celebrity to make the best-dressed list, and that they assist with editorial photo shoots — the visible tip of a mostly invisible profession.

Consulting Jobs and Industry Consulting

Consulting is also a job market: fashion consultant positions are listed on employment sites such as SimplyHired, which aggregates fashion consultant jobs with salaries and reviews, linked below. The work suits experienced industry people — buyers, stylists, merchandisers — whose knowledge has become saleable by the day or the project rather than by the salary.

And consulting in fashion is not all about clothing and style. Many other consulting fields serve the industry: sourcing, production, retail operations, branding and technology all have their consultants, gathered in the fashion industry consultants directory linked below. A clothing company hiring a consultant is buying the same thing an individual hires an image consultant for — outside expertise, applied to a specific problem, without a permanent hire.

How a Consulting Engagement Works

A personal consulting engagement usually follows a shape: an initial assessment of the client's goals, body and existing wardrobe; a wardrobe review that keeps, alters or removes what is already owned; a written plan for the gaps; and accompanied or sourced shopping to fill them. Corporate engagements mirror the pattern at company scale — audit, plan, execution. Fees follow the shape too: hourly for advice, day rates for shopping and project fees for company work. The value in both cases is the same — an expert eye applied to decisions the client would otherwise make by guesswork, with the cost of mistakes designed out in advance.