Couture, Chaos And Coffee: Inside The Lives Of The Stressed Stylists

I’m a stylist writing about stressed stylists — and yes, the irony isn’t lost on me. In an industry where pressure is routine, this high-paced job isn’t for the faint-hearted. On a good day, you’re channelling a marathon runner and a magician in equal parts. And there’s still this strange, almost mystical enigma around what we actually do.

Take my grandmother, for example. Our calls always wrap up with the usual small talk: weather updates, when I’m visiting her next, and the one question that never fails to resurface: “Wait, why don’t these people dress themselves? They’re celebrities, right?” And now by the hundredth round of this conversation, I’ve learned to cut her some slack.

Truth is, people my age don’t really know what I do for a living either. So, this is me attempting to demystify my profession in a sense. I also hope it serves as a reality check for many wide-eyed students eager to dive into the industry, their gaze fixed solely on the glamour, ignoring the grind behind it.

For the inside scoop, I spoke with some of the busiest names in the business, ones that have learnt to take fashion weeks and the occasional wardrobe malfunction in their stride. Between fittings and last-minute client calls, they sat down to generously offer insight into their working life.

DIVYAK D’SOUZA, CELEBRITY STYLIST

“What folks need to realise is, I don’t have a magical sewing machine. What looks like a simple look is actually the result of admin work, emails to PRs, and my Type-A personality trying to figure out all the logistics.” For D’Souza, the approach is refreshingly straightforward. “A job is a job — I do it for the money, obviously.” 

According to him, what is often overlooked is how physically demanding it can be. “To constantly communicate and engage with so many people. On set, it can be 450 people — directors, agencies, celebrities, hair and makeup artists, assistants, dressmen, vendors — it takes a whole village. I’m an introvert, so that’s exhausting.”

DOLLA BARUAH, CELEBRITY STYLIST & DESIGNER

When asked about the most stressful part of the job, Baruah doesn’t hesitate: “Dodging unsolicited opinions. By the time everyone’s ‘added a little input,’ the look has been Frankensteined into something I’d never post, but here I am, smiling for BTS.” 

She continues, “Everyone suddenly becomes a stylist on set. The intern has ideas, the photographer’s cousin has ideas. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to keep the look intact.” As for emergencies? In styling, it is just another Tuesday. “Outfits don’t fit, the right shoe disappears, and clients change their minds 30 seconds before the camera rolls.”

AASTHA SHARMA, CELEBRITY & COSTUME STYLIST

“I once had a celebrity’s entire dress zip rip open minutes before she was about to go on stage for a dance performance. We didn’t even have time to get it fixed by the tailor. I hand-sewed it back into place while she stood in heels, arms up, and her team panicking around us.” 

It is hard not to talk about the direction and management bit of the process, “From prepping looks, checking every detail, adjusting last-minute fittings, coordinating with artists, to making sure every outfit tells the right story — it’s a full-time job within a job.”

SHAEROY CHINOY, FASHION EDITOR AT ELLE INDIA

“After a decade in the industry, I can tell you I am constantly juggling creativity and chaos. Deadlines, last-minute calls, and managing meltdowns with a poker face are all part of the job,” he says. Chinoy recalls the eerie calm before the storm when a massive project is about to drop.

“I once had to style six celebrities in 48 hours. I was practically sleeping in a sea of lehengas. Ask me my own measurements and I’d have no clue. But theirs? Etched into my brain. That’s the level of immersion needed — classic Virgo energy.”

So, why do we do it? Why throw ourselves headfirst into a job that rarely gets the credit, where our work lives in the shadows? The answer is simple: that moment when someone looks in the mirror and says, ‘Damn, I look good’, to see your vision unfold into beautiful imagery. That is enough to power us through 15-hour work days and the endless chaos that comes with it.

Find ELLE’s latest issue on stands or download your digital copy here.