Learn How To Dress Stylish – Courses in Color Analysis, Personal Shopping, & Personal Styling | Sterling Style Academy New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, & Dubai
Arab, Indian, Russian and Asian girls have at least one thing in common, they all love their designer brands.
Whether or not you travel and enlist in our 3-Day Certification Program in London, New York, Dubai, Mumbai, or Hong Kong, there is no doubt that you will learn how to mix and match designer fashion and accessories with bargain High Street brands when you enroll into the Sterling Style Academy. Learn how to dress stylish while learning how to style others and assessing their personal coloring. Shopping for a designer item is easy – pick up a Chanel bag, a Prada dress, and Jimmy Choo shoes. However the question is do these items all look good when mixed together. Learning the technical aspects of style according to the elements and principles of design will help you dress stylish and create a celebrity look that is uniquely your own while learning how to do it for others.
Whether you are wearing an abaya, a hijab, or a sari, there’s more to looking good than just wearing designer shoes and handbags. Or do you know how to wear haute couture without looking like a Dior or Chanel ad? Mixing Gucci, Prada, with Louis Vuitton can be as easy as mixing Zara, Mango, and Top Shop. Or better yet, mix Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton with Zara, Mango, and Top Shop! Through understanding your own personal coloring and how to evaluate others as well as learning about the different fashion style types, you will be able to better shop for yourself and shop for others through the Sterling Style Academy 3-Day Short Certification Course.
Get a luxury education shopping High Street and designer brands whilst also learning about other multinational fashionable brands and stores when you enlist in the Sterling Style Academy. There are different brands for different style types and tastes. Explore your options today at the Sterling Style Academy, make new friends or enlist with your best friend, while receiving an education in personal styling and personal shopping.
If you are interested in learning how to build your business upon completing the 3-Day Short Certification Course, our graduates are offered our Sales, Marketing, Business Brand Identity Launch Kit at a special student rate of US$597 to jump start your career.
About the Sterling Style Academy
The Sterling Style Academy trains and certifies prospective and aspiring image consultants, personal stylists, and personal shoppers to pursue the career of their dreams. With 10 annual training courses held throughout the year in New York, London, Dubai, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Sydney, Miami, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, as well as Online Training, Teleclasses, and Short eCourses, the Sterling Style Academy prepares you to become a top notch pioneer in the image consulting, personal shopping, and personal styling industry. Master the art of image, fashion and style to become a fashion styling expert. Contact the Sterling Style Academy today to learn how we can help you start a career you are passionate about – shopping and styling! Like us or become our BFF on Facebook.
Other countries with a growing interest in color consultations, image consulting, personal shopping, and personal styling are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The emerging market country indices included are: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Angola, Congo, Bangladesh, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Peru.
Meet the New Certified Personal Shopper Graduates from Sterling Style Academy San Francisco and Dubai
The Sterling Style Academy attracts aspiring personal shoppers from around the globe and a variety of backgrounds. We’re very excited to watch the most recent graduates of the Sterling Style Academy San Francisco and Dubai launch and grow their businesses in 2011! These Certified Personal Shoppers and Stylists are from Brazil, Peru, Saudi Arabia, India, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Philippines and come from backgrounds including publishing, makeup and beauty, event planning, diplomacy, and full-time motherhood. Read below to learn first hand the goals of these Certified Personal Shoppers and why they enrolled in the Sterling Style Academy.
Career Goals of our Personal Stylist and Personal Shopper Graduates from the Sterling Style Academy:
- To learn and polish my own personal image and style and take it to a professional level so I can teach other’s how to look and feel good about themselves.
- I hope to fully understand the colors that suit different skin tones particularly the Asian brown skin. I want to learn how to bring out the best in the Filipino skin and make them proud that they look good by being tanned or brown.
- I want to help people change their lives, especially women, by helping them buy the right clothes, use the right make up and accessories and project the right image without spending lots of money.
- I want to learn age appropriate clothes and make up for men and women.
- I am a working mother and I want to have the choice to live and work with flexibility and freedom wherever my family goes.
- My long term goal will be that in a few years I would like to go back to the Philippines and establish my own Image Consulting Company . I would like to conduct trainings to corporate clients, Institutions, schools, Sales people , women who have a sudden lifestyle change through mixed marriages and even overseas workers to prepare them to the social challenges of the outside world.
- I can see that the career opportunities of an Image Consultant are plenty and that you can take the job wherever you go.
- Ultimate goal is – I want to continue to earn a good income doing what I love to do- in style – become an Image Consultant.
- Work with men and women who desire to improve their personal image both in appearance as well as social skills.
- Provide products and services that will help clients to look and feel fantastic.
- Provide solutions to your personal image dilemmas.
- Fine tune your personal appearance and social skills so that you appear self assured, polished, refined and professional in the eyes of your clients, fellow co-workers, business associates and personal friends.
- Help to project a confident, powerful, and favorable first impression.
- Help to reflect a scrupulous and credible reputation that precedes and follows you in all business and social encounters.
- Create a personal image that instills trust and respect and also produces the desired competitive edge.
- Respond to a growing interest in the practical benefits of being well-dressed (as evidenced by TV shows such as “What Not to Wear”)
- Learn basic knowledge of style and image components in both the business and fashion industry
- Learn theoretical knowledge of Image Consulting so that I can apply for international certification (AICI)
- Get practical educational experiences in this field through case study requirements
- Identify and accurately assess body types.
- Describe the relationship between image and personal development.
- Perform a detailed assessment, develop tools and skills for personal development, and show basic proficiency in grooming, wellness, self-esteem and personal presentation.
- Identify the optimal colors for wardrobe, hair and make-up based on complexion assessment.
- Develop wardrobe and shopping management strategies for efficiency and impact.
Achieving these specific goals are the reasons our latest graduates enrolled in the Sterling Style Academy. Do you have career and personal shopping training goals similar to those of our graduates? If so, then the Sterling Style Academy could be the right personal stylist training program for you – learn more about each of our personal shopper training courses in 2011.
Read more about where our graduates are from and what various backgrounds they have:
Marcela Fontenoy, Certified Image Consultant and Personal Shopper from the San Francisco course is from Peru and comes from an acclaimed background in publishing and fashion editorial. She launched two fashion and lifestyle publications in Peru which were later bought by Editorial Televisa in Mexico. She was chosen by the Hearst Corporation to lead the newly launched Cosmopolitan edition for Peru and soon after relocated to Spain where she worked with the Peruvian Embassy in diplomatic relations and charitable projects. Her experience as an editor in chief, her protocol and public relations performance as a diplomat, and her Business Administration degree leads Ms. Fontenoy to share her experiences and knowledge as an image consultant with people who need such advice in her country.
“I am sure that with my editorial and diplomatic experience added to the technical knowledge that I expect to achieve in this course, I will be able to start an image consulting business for people that need help to improve their personal an professional image.”
Alia Al Idrissi, Certified Personal Stylist and Personal Shopper from the Dubai course is originally from Saudi Arabia and has lived in Canada, Egypt and Dubai. “Living in different environments has helped me immensely to develop a sensitive eye to fashion and culture.” She studied beauty therapy and later switched careers to event management, where she worked with the Dubai International Financial Center, “where I used my skills and cultural awareness of the market to gulf people and corporate clients operating globally.”
“My first love for fashion and makeup was born at the tender age of four when I first discovered my mom’s closet and a huge Dior makeup bag… Just like many of us, I got distracted from my true passion somewhere along the way, maybe due to my parents wanting me to be an interior designer, banker or other careers that they found suitable for me. So, I tried all those things and, believe me, I did my best but the shoe would just not fit, as I kept feeling empty.”
“One day, I had an epiphany. I had finally awakened and was able to see that my true purpose in life was to share my passion by helping people express them through clothing & makeup. That when my journey as a successful and fulfilled image consultant began.”
“I’m extremely grateful to have a career that I truly love and enjoy that also allows me to help numerous clients realize their potential, gain confidence and improve the quality of their life; the best part of being an image consultant is seeing the transformation of my clients, as their true potential shine through. Luckily, I realize that clothes makeup are not everything. Communication and etiquette are the extras required for leadership and success. I can help with that too.”
Nidhi Singh, Certified Image Consultant and Personal Shopper from the Dubai Course is from New Delhi, India. Ms. Singh has the goal to launch Fashionablers. “Fashionablers is a premium fashion styling consultancy where it is our mission to enable the inner fashionista in you to come out in its full splendor. We show you how to dress according to your own unique body structure , personality and life goals. Our services will help you turn heads and feel great while at the same time saving tons of money on clothes.”
“So no more “I don’t have anything to wear” and being stuck in the same style rut for ages. We are here to put an end to all the frustrations , worry and disappointments in your fashion choices with fashionable services!”
Fashionablers will offers services including: Wardrobe Audit and Makeover, Special Occasion Styling, Personal Shopping and Styling, Color Analysis, Total Image Makeover, Trend Update, Style Update.
“My goal for taking up this course is to arm myself with all the technical knowledge required for this industry.”
“Dubai is a shoppers paradise with the biggest and the grandest malls all stocked with the best of brands which cater to all the different economic strata of of the society. Being based in dubai which has two shopping festivals in a year and a thriving tourism industry I see a lot of scope and potential for this business of image consultancy and personal shopping.”
About the Sterling Style Academy
The Sterling Style Academy trains and certifies prospective and aspiring image consultants, personal stylists, and personal shoppers to pursue the career of their dreams. With 10 annual training courses held throughout the year in New York, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Sydney, Miami, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, as well as Online Training, Teleclasses, and Short eCourses, the Sterling Style Academy prepares you to become a top notch pioneer in the image consulting, personal shopping, and personal styling industry. Master the art of image, fashion and style to become a fashion styling expert. Contact the Sterling Style Academy today to learn how we can help you start a career you are passionate about – shopping and styling!
Certified Personal Shopper Salary and Personal Stylist Salary – What to Expect as You Launch Your Personal Shopping and Personal Styling Career
Many people seek higher education upon graduating from college or university to become further marketable. This is also true in the personal styling and personal shopping industry. Credibility is based on education and experience, and when you seek out certified personal stylist or personal shopper training, you’re further educating yourself to become a highly desirable commodity. Often business people seek a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) to become even more credible business professionals. When you seek higher education in the personal shopper or personal stylist industry, you are showing your commitment, dedication, and credibility within the industry to become a top-notch personal shopping and personal styling professional who gives scientifically based advice regarding the art of styling.
As a Certified Personal Shopper, you are able to bill clients a higher hourly or daily rate than non-certified personal shoppers or stylists. And your clients will be eager to pay, because they trust that you have truly mastered the principles of image and style, and they know that their image goals will be achieved under your guidance.
In many mid-sized to major cities (in the US, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia), a personal shopper without professional training who is launching her business can realistically look to secure clients at an hourly rate equivalent to $20-$30 USD per hour. However, if you add the credibility of professional training, your starting hourly rate can range from the equivalent of $50 – $100 USD per hour, depending upon your market and your target clientele. Within your first 3 years, you will be able to raise your asking price to $100-$150 USD per hour because now you have training and experience.
During your first year of professional personal styling, you can realistically expect to work with an average of three clients per month depending upon how aggressively your pursue clients and how well you utilize your network. Given an 8 hour personal styling and personal shopping session – this means that as a non-certified personal stylist, you can expect an income from $480-$720 USD per month.
A Certified Personal Shopper who launches her business working with an average of 3 clients per month at 8 hours per session can expect to earn from $1200-$2400 USD per month. As you can see, because you have invested in professional training, you are already on your way to seeing a real, lucrative income from personal styling and personal shopping become a reality within the next 2-3 years.
During your first 1-2 years as a professional personal shopper, you will most likely need to seek an additional source of income in order to sustain your living expenses, or be supplemented by your partner, spouse or family. But as you will learn below, if you continue to actively pursue your new career, you will be enjoying a full-time, lucrative income through your personal styling business within 3 years!
During your second and third years as a professional personal stylist, as a non-certified personal shopper, you will be able to raise your hourly rate to $30-$50 USD. With dedication to your business, you can also expect to double your client load to an average of 6 clients per month. Given an 8 hour session per client, a non-certified personal stylists can expect to earn from $1440 – $2400 per month, equivalent to $17,000 – $25,000 per year. Based on these numbers, you can see that a Certified Personal Stylist worked half as much and earned the same income during her first year as a non-certified personal stylist earned working twice as much in her second or third year.
As a Certified Personal Shopper, you can expect to raise your hourly rate to $75-$150 per hour during your second or third year and can also realistically double your client load to 6 clients per month. By investing in Personal Shopper Training now, in two-three years you can expect to earn from $3600-$7200 USD per month. That’s a yearly income of $43,000 – $86000 achieved during your second or third year as a Certified Personal Shopper! Obviously, it goes without saying that these numbers are achievable through hard work and dedication to actively seeking clients and consistently building your network. However being your own boss also has it advantages and provides you with more flexibility and freedom than working in a retail establishment or for a company.
Personal Shopper and Personal Stylist Salaries Across the Globe Range From:
Dubai Personal Shoppers: 350 – 550 AED per hour based on their experience and training
London Personal Shoppers: £ 30 – 45 without training and £ 50 – 80 on average with training
Australian Personal Shoppers: $100 – 175 per hour in a major metropolitan city such as Sydney or Melbourne
European Personal Shoppers: € 55 – 90 per hour on average in a fashion capital, based on credibility and training
Hong Kong Personal Shoppers: HK$ 550 – 1250 per hour depending on experience, training and target demographic
Nigerian Personal Shoppers: ₦ 15175 – 22750 based on target demographic and personal stylist training
The personal shopper and personal stylist industries are growing rapidly in countries including: Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, France, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Poland, Australia, Hong Kong and China, Singapore, Shanghai, Taiwan, Malaysia, Korea, The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, Nigeria, South Africa, and across Africa. With the US Dollar currently weaker in value against the Euro, now is the time for aspiring personal stylists from Europe and Asia to invest in the Sterling Style Academy’s World Traveler Training Programs, 2.5 Week Training Programs, New York 4 Week Training Program, and our at home training products.
Imagine launching your business as a Certified Personal Stylist and earning a salary equivalent to your friends in the corporate, cubicle world of 9-5 in less than 3 years. Imagine earning an income that increases by 50%-100% each year based on your own hard work and merit. In no time at all, you’ll be enjoying the life and career of your dreams!
Through personal shopper training in 10 cities around the world, online training, at home training products, and the Sterling Style Academy Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit, your goals of creating a full-time personal shopper and personal styling business can be achieved! Making an investment in yourself is making an investment in your business.
About the Sterling Style Academy
The Sterling Style Academy trains and certifies prospective and aspiring image consultants, personal stylists, and personal shoppers to pursue the career of their dreams. With 10 annual training courses held throughout the year in New York, London, Dubai, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Sydney, Miami, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, as well as Online Training, Teleclasses, and Short eCourses, the Sterling Style Academy prepares you to become a top notch pioneer in the image consulting, personal shopping, and personal styling industry. Master the art of image, fashion and style to become a fashion styling expert. Contact the Sterling Style Academy today to learn how we can help you start a career you are passionate about – shopping and styling! Like us or become our friend on Facebook.
Networking in Your First Year as Certified Image Consultant, Your New Life as the Go-To Fashion Expert
Your life as a professional image consultant or personal shopper begins at the Sterling Style Academy. When you train at one of our 10 personal shopper training classes in New York, Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Dubai, you graduate with a global network of personal stylist peers who are as eager as you to launch their image consulting business. Your new professional network includes fellow personal stylists from Africa, Europe, Australia, Middle East, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, India, South America and/or North America, so you’ll never be alone or without support as a Sterling Style Academy Alumni.
Once you graduate as a Certified Image Consultant and head back to your home city, your life as a professional personal shopper begins. Especially during your first year, and throughout your career as a whole, you can definitely count on networking. As a personal stylist, networking includes mingling with high profile individuals and trend setters of your community. You should be attending highly publicized parties hosted by your city’s fashionable magazines, the latest art gallery openings, department store special events, and designer fashion shows. A hired photographer will be present at each of these events so ensure your photo is taken every chance you get. As glamorous as it is, being your own publicist and being seen at the most fashionable events serves as a huge key to your visibility as a professional personal stylist.
These are the events at which you will meet your area’s fashion press and industry bloggers. At this point, you’ll need to consider your marketing plan, and the Sterling Style Academy can equip you with a complete Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit to ensure you always convey the right message. It goes without saying that you will need professional quality business cards and well-written marketing collateral including press releases. Our Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit includes sample marketing and business plans, 10 press release templates, 4 marketing collateral templates, and industry proven text to position your services to your target audience. Since you will speak to the fashion industry press like a seasoned expert, the press will position you to the public as a seasoned personal stylist, thus increasing your client portfolio.
Parlay your press, fashionable photos and the trends you spot into your own personal styling blog. Publishing your own fashion advice in a well written, stylized blog format will further establish you as a local fashion expert as your new contacts can read all about your services and personal styling skills after you’ve met. This is also the best way to received web-based inquiries regarding your services from potential clients you’ve never even met!
Now you have the press, the photos, and the blog to prove you are a fashion expert! This builds credibility that every entrepreneur needs when just starting out. Touch base with your fellow Sterling Style Academy Alumni often through our new Facebook group to brainstorm new ideas to secure more clients and to keep each other inspired. What works in one country may never have been tried in another and that may be just the tool you are looking for!
About Sterling Style Academy
The Sterling Style Academy trains prospective and aspiring personal shoppers, personal stylists, and image consultants to launch the career of their dreams. With training courses held 10 times per year in major cities around the globe such as Hong Kong, Sydney, London, New York and Dubai, plus online training, and at-home training products – you will begin your personal shopping career as a Certified Image Consultant. Master the principles of image, fashion and style to become a fashion styling expert. Contact the Sterling Style Academy today to learn how we can help you start earning an income doing what you are passionate about – SHOPPING and STYLING!
You Are the Go-To Fashion Expert Among Your Peers – Learn How to Start Making Money Being a Fashionista
Everyone asks you for fashion advice. You can take a $10 tee-shirt, pair it with designer boots, a shrunken blazer, layer on jewelry and you’ve just made a million-dollar look. You know the difference between J Brand and Ben Sherman Jeans and can spot Louis Vuitton’s latest release from a mile away.
You know who you are – and we know why you’re reading our blog right now. It’s time you start making money at what you are REALLY good at – SHOPPING AND STYLING! Your friends have already asked you, “When are you going to quit your job and become a Personal Shopper?” Well? When?
The Sterling Style Academy, is now offering 3-day courses in New York, London, and Dubai on color analysis, fashion styling, and personal shopping. As New York, London, and Dubai are the “IT” places for high street to up-market fashion and shopping in the US, Europe, and the Middle East respectively, the Sterling Style Academy is offering a unique opportunity to learn how to become a fashion consultant and personal shopper in this 3 day interactive program. Not only will you learn valuable information that will make it easier for you to shop for yourself and for others, you will also be able to implement knowledge and skills you gain from our course in fabulous cities like New York, London or Dubai.
In our 3 Day Short Course program, you will learn the following:
- Day 1: Color Analysis – Learn the theory behind color, how to evaluate individuals based on their personal coloring, and how to select the appropriate colors for an individual
- Day 2: Fashion Styling – Learn the theory behind the different types of fashion styles, how to determine an individual’s fashion style, and how to select the appropriate clothing based on an individual’s fashion style
- Day 3: Personal Shopping – Learn the ins and outs of efficiently and effectively personal shopping for yourself and others, how to work with men and women, and how to work with stores from start to finish
New York: April 18 – 20, 2011 | Registration close: March 28, 2011
Dubai: May 1 – 3, 2011 | Registration close: April 11, 2011
London: June 1 – 3, 2011 | Registration close: May 11, 2011
New Student Tuition Fee: USD $2497 (Currency Conversion)
Returning Student Tuition Fee: USD $1947
Daily Program Schedule: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. with assignments to be completed in the evenings.
To register and make your investment today, please click here.
Upon receipt of your registration form, we will send you a Welcome Package outlining the logistics of the training program, suggestions on where to stay, a detailed agenda, and much more. Your investment does not include air fare, lodging, transportation, personal expenses, school supplies or meals.
About the Sterling Style Academy
The Sterling Style Academy trains and certifies prospective and aspiring image consultants, personal stylists, and personal shoppers to pursue the career of their dreams. With 10 annual training courses held throughout the year in New York, London, Dubai, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Sydney, Miami, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, as well as Online Training, Teleclasses, and Short eCourses, the Sterling Style Academy prepares you to become a top notch pioneer in the image consulting, personal shopping, and personal styling industry. Master the art of image, fashion and style to become a fashion styling expert. Contact the Sterling Style Academy today to learn how we can help you start a career you are passionate about – shopping and styling! Like us or become our friend on Facebook.
Image Consultant Careers According to Michelle T. Sterling, AICI
Listen to Michelle T. Sterling, AICI, Founder and Training Director for the Sterling Style Academy as she speaks candidly about her image consultant career and client success stories as an internationally recognized Image Consultant and Personal Shopper. Ms. Sterling is interviewed by Karri Ann Frerichs, Admissions Director for the Sterling Style Academy.
About the Sterling Style Academy
The Sterling Style Academy trains and certifies prospective and aspiring image consultants, personal stylists, and personal shoppers to pursue the career of their dreams. With 10 annual training courses held throughout the year in New York, London, Dubai, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Sydney, Miami, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, as well as Online Training, Teleclasses, and Short eCourses, the Sterling Style Academy prepares you to become a top notch pioneer in the image consulting, personal shopping, and personal styling industry. Master the art of image, fashion and style to become a fashion styling expert. Contact the Sterling Style Academy today to learn how we can help you start a career you are passionate about – shopping and styling! Like us or become our BFF on Facebook.
The Sterling Style Academy Personal Style Evaluation Book Now Available in Spanish!
The Sterling Style Academy Personal Style Evaluation Book Now Available in Spanish as an added benefit of our course. Students are licensed to keep and utilize our copyrighted image consultant industry materials.
The Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultants receive our valuable and industry-proven Personal Style Evaluation Books to utilize with their clients. It is now available for purchase in Spanish and will be available in additional languages upon request. This benefit is available to Sterling Style Academy Alumni only. Want to learn how to become a member of this elite group? Inquire today.
Purchase the Personal Style Evaluation Book in Spanish for US$147
US$13.50 in shipping and handling will be billed in addition to your investment outlined above. All Sterling Style Academy training programs and consultant resources are non-refundable and billed through Global Image Group. You will receive the package within 10 days of your purchase if in the US or with 2 – 3 weeks internationally.
About the Sterling Style Academy
The Sterling Style Academy trains and certifies prospective and aspiring image consultants, personal stylists, and personal shoppers to pursue the career of their dreams. With 10 annual training courses held throughout the year in New York, London, Dubai, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Sydney, Miami, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, as well as Online Training, Teleclasses, and Short eCourses, the Sterling Style Academy prepares you to become a top notch pioneer in the image consulting, personal shopping, and personal styling industry. Master the art of image, fashion and style to become a fashion styling expert. Contact the Sterling Style Academy today to learn how we can help you start a career you are passionate about – shopping and styling! Like us or become our BFF on Facebook.
Why Should I Hire an Image Consultant?
With the current changes in the global economic climate, corporate environments have become more competitive than ever before. Employees are being judged on more than just their work ethic and performance. A great way to place yourself above the rest is to present your personal image in a confident, approachable and professional manner through dress and behavior.
There are certain non-verbal clues that others pick up about you through your dress and behavior that cause them to make snap judgments. The “rules” about professional behavior and dress are not as clear cut as they used to be and are changing rapidly. This is where the help of an Image Consultant becomes invaluable.
Image Consultants have specialized knowledge and training in matters of dress, etiquette and professional presentation. Starting with your current wardrobe, an Image Consultant will make suggestions on color, fit and additional investment pieces that will help you present yourself in a more confident and successful manner.
Working with an Image Consultant is investing in you. A great personal stylist will take your current challenges and turn them into opportunities with confidence. The return is noticeable, as you will feel more confident and able to present the proper image for any occasion and will save valuable time coordinating and purchasing your wardrobe.
Most of our prospective, current and graduated students expressed their personal desire to “Help People” and to parlay their “Natural Talent and Eye for Style and Fashion” into a career. Training sessions are geared to ensure Image Consultants are able to tailor their knowledge and services to fit each client’s specific lifestyle and needs. For further details, please contact the Sterling Style Academy.
Congrats to Our Confessions of a Shopaholic Winner!
Congrats to our winner, Sharon Hope from Los Angeles, who has let us know her thoughts about Confessions of a Shopaholic and if it inspired her as much it did for us.
“Dear Sterling Style Academy,
Thank you so much for the tickets to Confessions of a Shopaholic! The movie was pure eye-candy and really made me think about my wardrobe. I could relate to Rebecca in feeling flustered and overwhelmed with her wardrobe. I laughed to myself because I’ve TOTALLY been there. What I need is to hire a personal stylist to help me get my closet organized and my wardrobe more together. I tend to buy what I like and what is in-trend at the moment. I am left with are pieces that don’t match. I hate to say it, but I have tops in my closet with tags still attached to them because I don’t know what to wear them with. I also, would love to learn what looks best on my body. I want to look like I’ve lost ten pounds without having to jump on the treadmill : ) .
Thanks again for the tickets. Loved it even more second time around.
Sharon Hope”
“Styling Tips and Tricks in a New Economy”
The Fashion Group International, FGI, hosted a panel discussion which featured the top Image Consultants and Stylists in San Francisco Bay Area including Sterling Style Academy founder, Michelle T. Sterling. Audience members asked questions regarding career opportunities in this relatively new industry which, as Ms. Sterling stated, is no more than 20 years old.
“What are the actual job titles a student can expect once they receive the right styling training?” asked one audience member. Jill Siefert, styling instructor at the Art Institute of San Francisco, discussed corporate opportunities including prop stylist, food stylist, location stylist and creative director for major fashion houses. Ms. Sterling further expanded the upon the subject by discussing the many consulting positions available as personal shopper, executive stylist, image consultant and personal stylist. “San Francisco has one of the highest concentrations of stylists in the U.S,” she explained. Ms. Siefert added by stating, “We welcome the competition! There is a client for everyone.”
Each panelist discussed their successes and lessons learned in their careers, which further informed the audience on what to expect in a styling career and how to position yourself according to the clients you want to work with.
Teresa Morisco, owner of Wardrobe 911, described her first “Aha!” moment when working with the wife of a man who called for wardrobe help. She learned that even though some clients express they want change, many aren’t actually ready to adopt needed changes into their wardrobes and, in turn, their lives. “It is so important to express to each client WHY something works or doesn’t work on them in order for them to move beyond their old habits.”
Ms. Siefert shared an experience of setting boundaries when she explained how she was able to develop a needy, time-consuming client who would contact her at all hours of the day into one of her best repeat business clients who has learned to respect the stylist’s terms. “This is someone who was once the joke of the office and is now one of the most respected people in her firm when it comes to style.”
Ms. Sterling discussed the client she consulted with earlier the same day. “He is from Southern California and the CEO of a major swimwear company, and because his background is in corporate finance, he sought out my services because I come from the financial industry as well.” She further explained his interest in locating a nation wide consultant who could offer follow up services in additional cities including Miami, Los Angeles and New York.
Each stylist also explained what they would be doing if they weren’t an image consultant or a stylist. Most agreed with Ms. Sterling when she explained that, “For me, there is no plan B. Failure is not an option. It’s all about making plan A work. If you are passionate about your career then it is within your power to harness your talents and create a profitable business that best suits you.”
For more information on training to become a successful image consultant, contact Sterling Style Academy, info@sterlingstyleacademy.com.
-Karri Ann Frerichs-
Admissions Director, Sterling Style Academy
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