Ever wondered who makes those show-stopping red-carpet looks that make you stop scrolling? You know, the kind that you’re like, “How on earth did they pull that off?” Well, spoiler alert—it’s not only the celebs themselves having a lightbulb moment in their wardrobe.
Famous celebrity stylists are the masterminds behind these moments. They steam dresses at 4 a.m., scour for vintage pieces from decades past and somehow ensure that it all arrives on time, despite flights being delayed. It’s all bonkers, you know, but someone has to do it.
Law Roach – The Bloke Who Changed Everything
Right now, Law Roach may be the most talked-about stylist in the business. He began with a vintage shop in his native Chicago and somehow wound up being the person everyone wants to work with. His collaboration with Zendaya is something else entirely; that robot suit at the Dune premiere still lives rent-free in people’s heads.
The thing is, he said he was retiring in 2023. The internet just about lost its mind. But then he said he’s still working with Zendaya because they’re “forever”. A decade on, they have pretty much made sure he’s a part of everything she does. When she gained more control of her career, he hitched a ride.
These days, he’s more selective in taking on new clients. Ryan Destiny is currently on his roster, and at the 2025 Met Gala, he arrived with blonde hair while styling several famous people. What do celebrity stylists do in his case? He basically pioneered “method dressing” — you know, when actors dress in the image of their film characters during the promotional tours. Absolute genius.
Jason Bolden – When Your Work Speaks Volumes
Jason Bolden was voted Stylist of the Year by The Hollywood Reporter in 2025. His work with Cynthia Erivo during press for Wicked was totally mental (in the best possible way). Every single outfit was a narrative for her character. That isn’t just choosing clothes — that’s storytelling.
His journey to being a stylist was an interesting one. He worked in the retail arm of Louis Vuitton and Oscar de la Renta, then opened a vintage store called The Garment Room in New York. Calvin Klein would occasionally stop by for inspiration. Finally, Gabrielle Union talked him into styling her for Art Basel, and that changed everything.
Now he’s dressing Michael B. Jordan, Yara Shahidi, and Taraji P. Henson. He’s got his own Netflix show, Styling Hollywood, with his husband, Adair Curtis. But what’s really ace is that he’s not afraid to call out the fashion industry’s gatekeeping, especially around Black stylists and designers.
Karla Welch – From Wine to Wardrobe
Here’s the thing: Karla Welch was once a sommelier before she rose to become one of Hollywood’s top stylists. She went from being a wine authority to dressing Hailey Bieber, Ana de Armas, Tracee Ellis Ross, Greta Gerwig and Matt Damon. That’s quite the career change.
She’s not just styling, though. She is the co-founder of The Period Company (which aims to help fight period poverty), created the styling app Wishi and owns xKarla, a clothing line with Hanes and Levi’s. She’s basically demonstrating that stylists can be proper entrepreneurs.
The New York Times and Hollywood Reporter have both referred to her as one of the most powerful stylists. She even has a MasterClass course on teaching personal style.
In September 2025, she signed on to be the ambassador of Spanx’s “Shaped by Stylists” programme. How much do celebrity stylists make at her level? Well over a million quid a year for the true elite. Celebrity stylist salary figures show averages around £129,000, but the range is massive—from £25,000 for newcomers to well over seven figures for the big names.
Erin Walsh – The Confidence Builder
If you’ve noticed Anne Hathaway looking incredible lately, that’s Erin Walsh’s doing. She’s been credited with Anne’s entire “style renaissance”. But here’s what makes Walsh different: she genuinely believes what you wear can transform your life if you’re intentional about it.
She works with Selena Gomez too (behind Selena’s recent fashion glow-up), plus Ashley Park, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Mindy Kaling. That Gap dress she put Anne in for a Roman Holiday-inspired look in Rome? People went absolutely bonkers. It sold out immediately. Mixing high-end with accessible brands isn’t common on red carpets, but Walsh is making it her thing.
Kate Young – The Vogue Alumna
Kate Young was Anna Wintour’s assistant at Vogue in 1997. She’s now dressing Dakota Johnson, Sienna Miller, Margot Robbie and Selena Gomez. She was awarded Best Stylist at the 2025 WWD Style Awards and has been named “The Most Powerful Stylist” by The Hollywood Reporter three times.
Her work with Margot Robbie on the “I, Tonya” press tour was outstanding; that white Chanel dress became iconic. She’s also done Robbie’s press tour looks for Barbie. In fairness, public reaction to her styling for Margot has been very mixed, with more than a few fans loudly expressing annoyance about wanting different looks.
What’s brilliant about Young is her range. She’s consulted for Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera, and Jason Wu, styled campaigns for Prada, Dior, and Chanel, and even has her own YouTube channel called “hello fashion”. She’s basically everywhere.
Chris Horan – The Architect of Brat Summer
Remember “brat summer”? That lime green, trashy-chic, ’90s wrestler aesthetic that dominated 2024 and early 2025? That was Chris Horan’s work with Charli XCX. He was organising a stylist’s closet in high school, and now he’s shaping pop culture.
He landed Charli as a client in 2021 after wanting to work with her for five years. He called it “a main character moment”. That “360” music video with 14 different It Girls? He styled the entire thing. For the Crash album, they went all black with ’90s wrestler Sable as inspiration. For Brat—well, you saw what happened. He also works with Christina Aguilera, Barbie Ferreira, and Shania Twain.
Molly Dickson – The Farm Girl Made Good
Molly Dickson was raised on a farm in North Dakota and didn’t know how to pronounce designer names, and now she’s styling Sydney Sweeney, Bella Hadid, Camila Mendes, Sadie Sink and Lana del Rey. Her journey is genuinely inspiring.
She had worked as Leslie Fremar’s assistant for seven years, observing and learning everything. Then along came Katherine Langford just as 13 Reasons Why was about to explode on Netflix. Dickson personally styled her entire press tour and figured, “Okay, I’m doing this on my own.”
That viral Miu Miu micro-miniskirt moment with Sydney Sweeney? Dickson. Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign? Also Dickson. When they first met, Dickson showed up in overalls and trainers, and Sweeney said she knew immediately she wanted to work with her. “My type of girl,” Sweeney said. She’s even created a denim collection with Madewell based on what her clients actually ask for in fittings.
Rebecca Corbin-Murray – The British Powerhouse
Rebecca Corbin-Murray is based in Los Angeles and London and is basically the stylist you go to for British actresses. Florence Pugh, Lily James, Gemma Chan, Simone Ashley — she’s dressing them all. She was number three on The Hollywood Reporter’s 2019 list of the 25 Most Powerful Stylists.
That purple Valentino ensemble worn by Florence Pugh in Cannes with an Aperol Spritz in hand? That was Corbin-Murray taking a stand in the wake of all the Don’t Worry Darling drama. She is aware that every public appearance is an occasion for saying something.
She started as a contributing fashion editor at British Vogue before assisting top stylists. Now she’s creating some of the most memorable looks in Hollywood. Celebrity stylists UK, like her, are proving London can compete with Los Angeles when it comes to creating fashion moments.
The Money Talk
Let’s be honest about the finances. How much do celebrity hair stylists make? They’re averaging around £142,000 yearly, though this swings wildly depending on your client list and location. If you’re in California or New York, you’re looking at considerably higher earnings.
But here’s the reality: most stylists aren’t pulling in seven figures. They’re freelancers working mental hours during fashion weeks and awards seasons, dealing with massive pressure, hoping their clients don’t end up on “worst dressed” lists. The best fashion stylist in the world isn’t just about having the right connections—it’s about having an encyclopedic knowledge of fashion history, relationships with design houses, and the ability to understand your client’s personality.
Why This All Actually Matters
These people aren’t just picking out nice clothes. They’re building visual narratives, creating cultural moments, and boosting confidence. When Zendaya walked red carpets in tennis-themed looks for Challengers, that wasn’t random. When Charli XCX became the face of Brat Summer, that was planned.
And they’re working harder than most people realise. Molly Dickson once rode a motorcycle between four different hotels to do final touches on clients before the Met Gala. They’re chasing FedEx trucks, staying up all night steaming dresses, and negotiating with designers who might not want to lend pieces.
The fashion industry can be quite brutal too, especially for Black stylists and those from marginalised communities. Jason Bolden and Law Roach have been vocal about the gatekeeping they’ve faced. But they’re not just complaining—they’re changing the system, one client at a time.
Social media has changed everything. Every look gets picked apart within seconds. One wrong choice and you’re trending for all the wrong reasons. But that pressure has elevated the role of famous celebrity stylists. They’re not behind-the-scenes anymore—they’re influencers, entrepreneurs, judges on fashion shows, and cultural commentators.
Law Roach is now judging RuPaul’s Drag Race and Project Runway. Jason Bolden has his Netflix show. Karla Welch has her MasterClass and multiple businesses. They’re building empires whilst still creating those red carpet moments we all screenshot.
Next time you see a celebrity looking absolutely mint on the red carpet, think about the stylist who probably hasn’t slept properly in days to make it happen. That dress looks effortlessly perfect. Hours of fittings, steaming, and at least one proper crisis. These brilliant people are creating art whilst working their backsides off to make sure their clients shine. Good luck to them!
