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Is disruption and dissatisfaction in the creative industries reaching a tipping point?
As the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes continue, a group of UK stylists have formed the Celebrity Stylist Union, a branch of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (Bectu), to push back against low wages, poor working conditions and a lack of industry-wide standardisation and transparency. It may be the start of a mass movement, with other factions within the industry following suit.
“We’re trying to create more structure, more regulation and make it safer and happier for celebrity stylists to turn up to do their job, because most of us don’t even want to be there anymore. We don’t have the money to foot up all the expenses ourselves,” says stylist Michael Miller, who founded the union. “We’re asking people to understand what we do, how long it takes, the costs involved and why what we’re given isn’t workable. We’re not trying to be greedy or difficult. We’re asking for our basic needs to be met and treated fairly.”
In the process of forming the union, Miller has developed a framework for groups such as photographers, hair stylists, makeup artists and PR agents within the British fashion industry to unionise under Bectu, developing a Fashion UK branch – meaning there’s space for more working groups. He’s also been having conversations with several high-profile celebrity stylists in the US who are in discussions with theatre group IATSE and the Costume Designers Guild to develop the same structure – including contracts and terms of services – across the board. The long-term vision is to incite change across the whole industry. “We’re hoping the fashion industry will begin to reform,” says Miller. Stylists can join via the Celebrity Stylist Union newsletter or by reaching out to the union via Instagram.
“What [the Celebrity Stylist Union] is doing is so brilliant because [styling] is so unregulated. When you’re a creative, it’s hard to put boundaries on that and know where to place worth and value. And there’s nowhere to go if you’re having a problem,” says British celebrity stylist Alex Longmore, who has styled Jerry Hall, Twiggy, Claudia Schiffer, Dannii Minogue and Little Mix. “There needs to be some structure in place so everyone knows where they’re at financially and it’s much more transparent where you feel like you’re looked after rather than taken advantage of.”
With actors on strike, most public appearances are off the table, as union terms restrict members from promoting their projects. While many stylists stand with the actors and writers striking in Hollywood, this puts them largely out of work and without the protections of a union or the assurance that they’ll be considered at negotiation tables.
Amid the SAG-AFTRA actor’s strike, stylists and makeup artists are finding themselves out of work, while emerging designers find ways to keep momentum going without big red carpet moments.
“When the writers start striking, then things aren’t clear for production, then the stylist and hair and makeup artists don’t get paid. It’s like a jigsaw, and there has to be more nuts and bolts in place for it to work as a system,” says Longmore.
The Hollywood strikes gave a platform to conversations Miller says he’s been having for two years now. “I brought it to a group of celebrity stylists a year ago when I had reached breaking point. I poured my heart out in an email and said this is not good enough. None of us talk to each other, there is no camaraderie, there is no community spirit and we are routinely taken advantage of, so what are we going to do about it?” From there the committee mobilised, and it now counts 35 of the 100 celebrity stylists Miller reached out to as members. He suspects some in less powerful positions may have reservations around unionising, at least early on.
Miller is also rallying for fashion professionals in other fields to go through a similar process with colleagues, understanding shared challenges and frustrations before unionising and developing solutions through collective action.
The rise of social media and consumers’ subsequent desire for constant newness has put more pressure on stylists and hair and makeup artists to keep up. Stylists say there’s a lack of industry-wide structure that would prevent exploitative work and pay conditions, leaving it up to individuals to fend for themselves, while briefs have gotten longer and expectations have risen at the same time. Often, only those who are already well established in the industry are able to set boundaries successfully.
“There’s this idea that you’re lucky to have the job, so you feel like you can’t negotiate because people won’t want to work with you next time,” says Siân Gabari, who works with celebrity clients including Bollywood star Deepika Padukone and model Ikram Abdi Omar and also works in costume design for films. Gabari says that she’d love to see more transparency about contracts, rates and payment terms among the top ranks. “The stylists [with the biggest profiles] are often quite discreet about their rates, but they’re the ones with the power to influence brands.” Gabari and Longmore have not yet joined the union, which is in its early stages.
The union’s demands
At the core of the union is a call for more regulation, transparency and benchmarks.
Stylists often work on a freelance basis and face long hours and low wages. They’re also usually expected to pay for overhead fees such as shipping, travel, tailoring and prep-work. “We shouldn’t have to pay to go to work,” says Miller.
The union is demanding higher rates for work done during off-hours or on the weekend, last minute requests and an end to delayed payments. It’s also proposing a rate card that would clearly demonstrate the minimum fixed costs, such as shipping and travel, so that stylists aren’t paying out of their own pockets. That card would be based on the stylist’s experience, resources, relationships and what value they bring to the job, and would be adjusted based on what costs the client’s brief requires.
Gabari says one of the biggest issues stylists face is the payment structure: celebrity stylists are usually paid for the look that the celebrity ends up wearing, but that doesn’t take into account the many other looks they pulled as options, and if the celebrity doesn’t end up attending the event, the stylist won’t be paid at all. “Most of the time there aren’t proper contracts or insurance,” she says. On top of that, stylists have often paid out of pocket for those looks if brands aren’t willing to lend them, or if the talent is not sample size. Gabari says she would like to see clauses in contracts implemented to avoid this and reimburse stylists for such out of pocket expenses. The Celebrity Stylist Union is looking into developing a payment structure that combines being paid by look and being paid a day-rate into a new structure.
The union also hopes to join forces with actors and celebrities (particularly bigger names with more sway) to include stylists in their contracts so that when an actor agrees to do press, it’s also agreed that their stylist will be paid for the job in addition to expenses like tailoring, assistance, couriers, shipping and travel.
This involvement would bolster workers’ protections. Longmore says celebrity styling lacks boundaries in a way that advertisement styling doesn’t, because brand and agency involvement often leads to better pay and more clarity regarding the expectations for timeframes and budgets. “There’s not a massive understanding of what celebrity styling entails – briefs are [last-minute] for a huge production, and there are often unrealistic expectations because a celebrity is involved,” she says. Non-famous VIP clients also often pay better and in a fairer way, adds Gabari, who says her VIP styling often helps fund her celebrity work. “In [the VIP clients ] industries [better pay] is the standard – not getting paid nothing and being told you should be grateful for [an Instagram post].”
Miller suggests that celebrity stylists communicate with each other and with their clients to begin conversations that will lead to collective action. “We’ve been asking our stylists to talk to their talent, publicists, actors and agents and tell them the situation you’re in,” says Miller. “Explain very clearly – we’re not trying to be difficult or put you through the wringer, but this is what we’re being given, this is what we need, and if we don’t get what we need we can’t give you what you want.”
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