Not All Stylists Have Had a Terrible Start to Their Career

If you’re tapped into fashion-centric Instagram accounts (as we unashamedly are), then you’ve likely heard of @fashionassistants by now. Filled with screenshots of messages describing fashion assitants’ experiences, @fashionassistants portrays what it's like to be an assitant... but mostly in a negative way.

It’s no secret that the industry is known to treat assistants in a less-than-ideal way, but scrolling through the page got us thinking: There must be some positive experiences we can focus on despite all of this. The role of a fashion assistant is undoubtedly a stressful one, so it’s no surprise to hear that it can be very difficult at times. That being said, however, we don’t think that a few challenges make the job inherently nightmarish.

To shine a light on some of the positive experiences within the industry, we reached out to a few women who have held the position at some point in their lives to see if they had positive experiences to share. Much as we suspected, their responses proved that though it’s unquestionably tough job, and there are definitely some changes that should be made in the industry, there are some good stories out there. Read on to see some uplifting stories from women who have previously worked as fashion assistants.

Jaime Ridge

“I am fortunate enough to have had an abundance of support throughout my career, and have been surrounded by encouraging and kind people within the industry. There is no denying that the work is often challenging, and the hours can be long, and it can often be stressful, but great things take time, energy and love, especially in the creative industries. I live by the idea that you should treat people how you wish to be treated, and thus far, personally, it’s proven to be great words to live by!"

Alanah Pickup

“I have definitely seen the instagram account, and can relate to certain posts, and not to others. In my experience in the Australian Fashion Industry (I started when I was 18 years old), I have developed incredible workplace relationships, that have then developed into actual friendships with many esteem stylists in the industry. Of course, there are elements and areas of the industry that are 'tough' and 'hard work' but I would never say that it is in a disrespectful, belittling way. Rather, as much as there can be 'glamour' within the fashion industry, there is a lot of tough work, long hours and late nights that go into those beautiful shoots. It is more or less part of the industry that you work hard. I suppose, when you initially start you don't understand what goes into creating a photo shoot for example, but it isn't just about going to events and playing with beautiful clothes.

I still count many of my esteemed bosses as friends, and feel lucky to have worked alongside them and continue to have a nice relationship with them even as I have transitioned out of the industry. Whether it be that they offer career advice (even though I might have been leaving their side) or personal, life advice, I have always had a good relationship with the stylists I have assisted, and continue to assist and talk to years down the track.

Whether it be that they have picked me up and dropped me home even though I was their assistant on a shoot (when my car was at the mechanic), kindly bought lunch or dinner or paid for a taxi when they knew that I was struggling to afford it that week, there have been many instances that contradict the backlash we are seeing on the @fashionassistants page. There have also been countless times where fashion directors or editors allowed junior assistants to use their media discounts for various high-end websites, which seems like such a small thing, but 30 percent off at Net-a-Porter is nothing to joke around about!”

Gemma Keil

"I first knew I wanted to pursue a career in magazines after assisting a British Fashion Editor, whilst living in Dubai.

After having assisted several stylists on commercial jobs, it was my first foray into the fashion editorial world, and I fell in love with the creative process and magic that can be made. Also the fashion!

The stylist was different (from previous bosses) in that she was very generous with her knowledge and talked me through the process.

So although I was run off my feet, steaming, doing Starbucks runs, lugging bags around that were bigger than me in the sweltering heat, I felt like the luckiest girl on earth to be part of the team making the magic."

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