Celebrity stylist reveals ‘months of planning’ that goes into red carpet looks
Updated . First published at
Months of meticulous planning and hard work go into making sure a celebrity nails that seamless 30-second walk down a red carpet.
Celebrity stylist Jana Bartolo has lifted the veil on the glitz and glamour of dressing stars for major events, revealing months, and sometimes years, of work can be involved in putting together the perfect outfit.
Months of meticulous planning goes into a red carpet look like this. Getty
Bartolo told nine.com.au her process starts with thinking about the person and how they want to feel on the carpet.
“For me, a great stylist knows creating an elevated look isn’t always just about buying the newest piece or taking from the newest collection,” she said.
“I love to think about what story outfit is going to tell in that photograph, whether it’s the silhouette, the colour, the texture or the accessories, and whether there’s a detail people haven’t seen from that person before.”
This starts well before the red carpet. If the outfit is for a film’s press tour, Bartolo says planning can even start years in advance.
“Say it’s for a red carpet premiere for a particular movie, there’s an ongoing trend of kind of nodding at the film with the styling during that particular press tour. I love [doing] that,” she said.
“[In that case] we might have started something earlier in that year, or if we know something is being filmed with the lead-up for a movie premiere, we might even be preparing that while the movie is being filmed.”
It can take up to two years for a movie to hit theatres after filming.
When it comes to selecting the items for the red carpet moment, Bartolo seeks out pre-loved archival and vintage pieces, as they “stand out” from the crowd.
Celebrity stylist Jana Bartolo shares the reality behind the glitz and glamour of red carpets. Supplied
“I find that using pre-loved items allows me to experiment and play into something a little bit more interesting,” she said.
“It helps me find pieces that are perhaps from different eras, and build a look that doesn’t look like it’s copied straight from a current trend.”
When sourcing archival and vintage pieces for a red carpet, it comes down to a mix of hunting for items online and using her industry connections.
“If we’re looking at something I know [I can get] through my relationships with a fashion house, and I’ve got a certain celebrity that I’m working with, we will have meetings with them,” the stylist said.
Zendaya wearing vintage Roberto Cavalli, styled by Law Roach. Getty
“If that’s not something that we can organise, that’s where I find third-party sites are excellent.
“eBay, for example, can be a brilliant way for finding that individual piece, whether there’s a designer dress or a statement bag.”
Vintage shopping is not only something celebrities and stylists use for red carpets. Data from eBay shows the term “vintage” is searched more than 1200 times a minute.
Other data from the online reselling site shows Aussies earned an average of $300 in the past year from selling their clothes.
Bartolo said the shift towards vintage for consumers and stylists alike comes as personal style is taking the forefront in a world of fast fashion.
Bartolo loves reaching for vintage pieces over brand-new gowns. Supplied
“Perhaps it’s not something currently in season, but you’re not turning up to a red carpet or a party wearing the same outfit as somebody else,” she said.
Celebrities like Zendaya and Kim Kardashian often wear vintage and archival looks to red carpets and press tours. So, in a way... they’re just like us?
