Behind Every Celeb’s Red Carpet Triumph Is a Great Stylist
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“Anyone who thinks these girls are dressing themselves is seriously deluded. The truth about Hollywood is that you can buy taste,” Janice Min, editor of The Hollywood Reporter, told “Good Morning America.”
Celebrities are paying big bucks to stylist to have a camera-ready look that will be buzzed about long after it’s shown on the red carpet.
“I dare you to name any friend of yours who saw ‘My Week With Marilyn’, the movie Michelle Williams was nominated for the Oscars, but every single one of your friends knows exactly what she was wearing at the Oscars, that it was that gorgeous coral gown by Louis Vuitton,” Min said. “It was a big style moment. That’s what got her in the weekly magazines, that what got her on TV shows, that’s what got her more air time in the pre-show before the Oscars, that’s where the fashion completely trumped the acting.”
Kate Young, the stylist responsible for Williams’ stunning Oscar look, nabbed the top spot in the Reporter’s list of the 25 most powerful stylists in Hollywood. Young also dressed a pregnant Natalie Portman for last year’s Oscars.
The other stylists on the Reporter’s list have dressed some of Hollywood’s hottest actresses, including Sofia Vergara, Rooney Mara, Octavia Butler and, yes, Angelina Jolie. Remember that black velvet dress with the thigh-high split that stole the show and spawned a Twitter feed for Jolie’s right leg?
That stylist, Jen Rade is number six on the list.
“I wouldn’t say they can make or break a career, but they almost can,” Min said of a stylist’s importance. “A stylist, some people think it’s frivolous … but if you are an actress, it’s the best investment you can make here. You know you can get a lot of critical attention for a great acting role, but where are you really going to get your attention? You’re going to get it on the red carpet.”
Of course, not all of that attention is good. Some stars make headlines for all the wrong reasons. A stylist faces the challenge of being daring enough to get attention without going so far that the client ends up a fashion disaster.
“If you are a stylist you want your clients to be talked about – in all the right ways. And my God, you will be fired the next day if your client is being talked about in the wrong way,” Min said.
Stylists perform a valuable service. Theron appreciates her stylist, Leslie Fremar.
“Leslie knows my body. I have big shoulders, I don’t have a small waist, so we stay clean and classic and not very fussy,” Theron told the Reporter about her stylist, who is number two on the list.
Min said Fremar put Theron in “an unbelievable” pink Dior gown at the Golden Globes.
“You know, Charlize kind of has this very classy princess thing going on the red carpet and that is because of her stylist,” Min said.
She added that “every memorable look that you have seen in this past red carpet season” was created by a stylist.
Here’s the complete list of the Hollywood Reporter’s second annual ranking of the most powerful stylists:
- Kate Young
- Leslie Fremar
- Petra Flannery
- Elizabeth Stewart
- Kemal Harris and Karla Welch
- Jen Rade
- Ryan Hastings
- Samantha McMillen
- Deb Waknin
- Christina Ehrlich
- Jeanne Yang
- L’Wren Scott
- Ron Zangardi and Mariel Haenn
- Elizabeth Saltzman
- Cher Coulter
- Leith Clark
- Jessica Paster
- Penny Lovell
- Wendi and Nicole Ferreira
- Brad Goreski
- Nicole Chavez
- Johnny Wujek
- George Kotsiopoulos
- Arianne Phillips
- Ilaria Urbanti
The Hollywood Reporter honors Hollywood style and the industry's top tastemakers with a special four-cover Style Issue that hits stands today.
The covers of the second annual Style Issue -- which reveals this year's 25 Most Powerful Stylists -- feature Charlize Theron and her stylist Leslie Fremar, who comes in at No. 2 on the list; Emma Stone, along with her stylist, Petra Flannery (No. 3); Katie Holmes and stylist Jeanne Yang (No. 11); and Jessica Chastain with stylist Elizabeth Stewart (No. 4).
Topping this year’s THR list is Kate Young, stylist to Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz. A former assistant to Vogue’s Anna Wintour and the only stylist represented by CAA, Young created Portman’s awards-season look in the run-up to the actress’ Oscar victory for Black Swan last year. Young takes the THR top spot from last year’s most powerful stylist, Rachel Zoe.
PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes at THR's 25 Most Powerful Stylists Photoshoot
Because her success has been so beyond what anyone thought a stylist could achieve, THR excused Zoe from this year’s list, but she is represented in the issue. In a special Style Issue feature story titled The Graduate, Zoe, a new mom, opens up about her life today.
“Things that used to get me down don’t stress me out anymore," she says. "Instead of being terrified at 40, it’s like my life is complete.”
Zoe also tells THR that she doesn’t know if there will be a fifth season of Bravo's The Rachel Zoe Project and admits to thinking: “Are people sick of it? Is it time to do something new?”
PHOTOS: Best Awards Season Looks by THR's 25 Most Powerful Stylists of 2012
The 25 Most Powerful Stylists will be honored today during a luncheon hosted by THR and Jimmy Choo at Soho House in West Hollywood. The list was curated by THR's style team led by Style Editor Carol McColgin and Senior Writer Merle Ginsberg.
The Style Issue also includes a finance-meets-fashion analysis in "How a Bad Economy Killed Office Casual"; a look at red-carpet glamour in "5 Awards Beauty Trends"; a lush piece-by-fabulous-piece retrospective of the costumes in the Julia Roberts-Lily Collins upcoming Snow White fantasy "Mirror Mirror"; rare photos of Hollywood icon Audrey Hepburn; and an awards-season insider's tale of sharp elbows and withering looks in Ginsberg's "My Red Carpet War Stories."
Topping this year’s THR list is Kate Young, stylist to Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz. A former assistant to Vogue’s Anna Wintour and the only stylist represented by CAA, Young created Portman’s awards-season look in the run-up to the actress’ Oscar victory for Black Swan last year. Young takes the THR top spot from last year’s most powerful stylist, Rachel Zoe.
PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes at THR's 25 Most Powerful Stylists Photoshoot
Because her success has been so beyond what anyone thought a stylist could achieve, THR excused Zoe from this year’s list, but she is represented in the issue. In a special Style Issue feature story titled The Graduate, Zoe, a new mom, opens up about her life today.
“Things that used to get me down don’t stress me out anymore," she says. "Instead of being terrified at 40, it’s like my life is complete.”
Zoe also tells THR that she doesn’t know if there will be a fifth season of Bravo's The Rachel Zoe Project and admits to thinking: “Are people sick of it? Is it time to do something new?”
PHOTOS: Best Awards Season Looks by THR's 25 Most Powerful Stylists of 2012
The 25 Most Powerful Stylists will be honored today during a luncheon hosted by THR and Jimmy Choo at Soho House in West Hollywood. The list was curated by THR's style team led by Style Editor Carol McColgin and Senior Writer Merle Ginsberg.
The Style Issue also includes a finance-meets-fashion analysis in "How a Bad Economy Killed Office Casual"; a look at red-carpet glamour in "5 Awards Beauty Trends"; a lush piece-by-fabulous-piece retrospective of the costumes in the Julia Roberts-Lily Collins upcoming Snow White fantasy "Mirror Mirror"; rare photos of Hollywood icon Audrey Hepburn; and an awards-season insider's tale of sharp elbows and withering looks in Ginsberg's "My Red Carpet War Stories."
6
Jen Rade
Clients: Angelina Jolie, Pink, Katharine McPhee
Of course there was the leg, but Jolie’s black Oscar gown with the
high slit by Atelier Versace on its own epitomized smokin’ hot. In fact,
any time the female half of Hollywood’s hottest couple graces the red
carpet, it’s a fashion moment. That’s partly because of Rade’s
dramatically glamorous taste.
PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes at THR's 25 Most Powerful Stylists Photoshoot
Witness Jolie’s Globes gown — an ice-white satin column, also Atelier Versace, with a slash of red matching her lips, and nothing else except Lorraine Schwartz’s 25-carat diamond studs.
PHOTOS: Best Awards Season Looks by THR's 25 Most Powerful Stylists of 2012
“Stylists without great dresses have nothing,” says Rade, who chooses to stay mum on leg-gate. “This whole business is about having good relationships, being respectful — I do returns quickly.”
Rade cut her teeth styling videos for Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur, then commercials like the first iPod TV ad. She also has been a Project Runway guest judge. Her latest gigs: styling Smash’s McPhee, whom she put in a strapless nude Donna Karan for the Globes, and continuing to consult on designer Rena Lange’s collection.
1
Kate Young Clients: Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz read more
2
Leslie Fremar Clients: Charlize Theron, Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett...read more
3
Petra Flannery Clients: Emma Stone, Claire Danes, Zoe Saldana, Mila Kunis, Megan Fox...read more
PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes at THR's 25 Most Powerful Stylists Photoshoot
Witness Jolie’s Globes gown — an ice-white satin column, also Atelier Versace, with a slash of red matching her lips, and nothing else except Lorraine Schwartz’s 25-carat diamond studs.
PHOTOS: Best Awards Season Looks by THR's 25 Most Powerful Stylists of 2012
“Stylists without great dresses have nothing,” says Rade, who chooses to stay mum on leg-gate. “This whole business is about having good relationships, being respectful — I do returns quickly.”
Rade cut her teeth styling videos for Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur, then commercials like the first iPod TV ad. She also has been a Project Runway guest judge. Her latest gigs: styling Smash’s McPhee, whom she put in a strapless nude Donna Karan for the Globes, and continuing to consult on designer Rena Lange’s collection.
1
Kate Young Clients: Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz read more2
Leslie Fremar Clients: Charlize Theron, Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett...read more3
Petra Flannery Clients: Emma Stone, Claire Danes, Zoe Saldana, Mila Kunis, Megan Fox...read more4
Elizabeth Stewart Clients: Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Freida Pinto, Jennifer Lawren...read more5
Kemal Harris and Karla Welch Clients: Olivia Wilde, Hailee Steinfeld, Zooey Deschanel, Stacy Keibl...read more
7 Ryan Hastings Clients: Rooney Mara, Mia Wasikowska, Robert Pattinson read more
8
Samantha McMillen Clients: Carey Mulligan, Evan Rachel Wood, Dakota and Elle Fanning, D...read more
10
Christina Ehrlich Clients: Penelope Cruz, Amy Adams, Amber Heard, Tina Fey, Julianna Ma...read more
13
Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn Clients: Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Rachel McAdams, Lily Collins read more
17
Jessica Paster Clients: Emily Blunt, Felicity Jones, Andrea Riseborough, Ellie Kempe...read more18
Penny Lovell Clients: Rose Byrne, Ginnifer Goodwin
read more19 Wendi and Nicole Ferreira Clients: Octavia Spencer, Elizabeth Banks, Channing Tatum, Josh Hutch...read more
20
Brad Goreski Clients: Jessica Alba, Rashida Jones, Maya Rudolph, Demi Moore, Noomi...read more
