CREDIT: COURTESY OF STEPHANIE WARD
Fanshawe graduate Stephanie Ward has more than a few pointers for up-and-coming stylists.

Stephanie Ward is an up and coming wardrobe stylist who is now based in Los Angeles. Since graduating from Fanshawe College, Stephanie has been styling for personal clients for photo shoots, red carpet appearances, clients’ events as well as commercial shoots.

Ward highlights the ins and outs of working as a stylist and how to get your foot into the door in the industry. Living in L.A. is also a dream come true for Ward, so she has a couple of pointers for anyone interested in becoming a stylist.

Here is a Q&A with Ward:

How did you start your career in styling?

I started out by assisting other stylists with different projects and taking every styling opportunity that I could get my hands on.

What brought you to Los Angeles and why Los Angeles?

Living in Los Angeles has always been a dream of mine and there is so much opportunity for styling in L.A., so I decided to take the leap and go for it.

What is your favourite part of your career?

Besides getting to be a shopping machine, my favourite part of my job is that everyday is different. It’s so exciting and refreshing. One day I am dressing a client for an appearance, and the next day I am working on a photo shoot or going around town to different showrooms and pulling wardrobe for my next job, so things always stay interesting.

What is the most challenging part of being a stylist?

For me, I am constantly filling my schedule with different projects, so I am always on the go trying to prep and finish different jobs.

What are some of your favourite moments of working in the industry so far?

I love seeing pictures of my clients posing on the red carpet or seeing a project that I worked on be on TV. Seeing my work out there is so rewarding.

Describe what it is like working for your clients.

Fun. I love working with different clients and putting looks together for different events and occasions. It’s fun to tailor each look depending on the event, client the products I get to style with.

What is a piece of wisdom you would leave with someone that is aspiring to be a stylist?

The best advice I can give to an aspiring stylist is to start by assisting other stylists and learn from them.

Styling is one of those careers where the path to success is not linear. There is no way to guarantee success or failure. The main thing to focus on is to keep working hard to make the right moves and catch that big break. It is one of those careers that it helps to speak, learn and work for already established stylists and people in the industry.

Staying inspired and aiming to be better and doing your research doesn’t hurt either. It’s a fast-paced world, but if you have your heart set on it, it can be extremely rewarding.

Keep in touch with Stephanie Ward and her follow her career through Instagram @stephanieeward.