Across the years, Style Doctors has been asked hundreds of questions such as; Why should someone book with the company as opposed to someone else? How does our service differ from others? How do we go about choosing the right stylists to join our team? Why would someone choose a team of stylists opposed to an individual? Why has Style Doctors remained a market leader over 17 years later?
We spent some time with Style Doctors CEO Elin Mai to find out these questions and more.
With the UK now fully open, does the future look bright for personal styling despite the ever dwindling High Street?
Strangely enough, we’ve seen a big increase in individuals taking short courses to train to become personal stylists during the pandemic.
With people being made redundant and some using the time to explore other avenues, the personal styling market is busier than ever.
With most of the major retailers closing their doors in the UK this year and the high street looking the most bleak it’s ever looked in my lifetime, it’s odd that more people have put themselves out there as personal stylists
The once bustling British High Street is a shadow of its former self and the choice that was once there no longer remains.
Does that have an impact on your styling sessions?
Yes and no. Our stylists could shop in a small market town, a huge mall or even in one department store. It’s all about being able to find a collection of items that work cohesively together to create successful outfits for a particular client.
Why do you think you survived the pandemic?
Let’s begin with the fact that the pandemic is far from over and businesses like ours are still working harder than ever to stay afloat.
We managed to make some quick decisions that helped the business at the start of the pandemic and thus far, that’s seen us through. We also managed to move some of our offline services online which kept up momentum.
Were there times that you thought that it might be the end of Style Doctors?
Without a doubt. That thought never leaves you as a CEO when there are so many uncertainties and obstacles to overcome. Luckily we made it but thousands of other companies unfortunately didn’t.
So why has Style Doctors stood the test of time?
Passion, enthusiasm and the willingness to evolve.
Even though Style Doctors is over 17 years old, we still operate with the passion and dynamics that a start-up would.
That means that we are able to keep up with what our customers want quickly and effectively. We’re the largest styling company in the UK and arguably internationally as well. That means that we know the market better than anyone. This knowledge helps guide us in terms of the future.
What about your team?
This may be a long answer because these are the people that make everything happen. I work closely with our head of creative, business manager and head of operations. These are the women that make Style Doctors run smoothly and they are the heartbeat of the company.
They’re dynamic, forward thinking and understand Style Doctors inside out.
What about the stylists?
These are the ones that make the magic happen. When I started Style Doctors, I always knew that I wanted to grow the company and not just be a single entity. I had big plans from day one. However, when you build a business around your skillset (which is personal styling), it’s not as easy and straightforward as selling a tangible product.
There was an expectation that every style session would be exactly like it would be with Elin.
What do you look for in a personal stylist?
It’s a combination of lots of different things but the main things are; a degree level qualification in a fashion related field, someone that’s worked in retail (at some point in their career), someone that’s confident, someone that has their own unique personal style and someone that I can tell that would be good with people.
That’s quite varied, can you expand?
Training is key. You can’t become a personal stylist and charge lots of money after doing a week-long course. I see it time and time again and styling individuals isn’t something that can be taught on a short course. Whenever I’ve taught anyone wanting to become a stylist, I have then always recommended that they need at least 2 years experience as a stylist before Style Doctors would look at their CV.
Every person you style is different to the next and with each session, you become better at what you do.
Stylists that have a background in garment making, design, psychology and those who’ve experienced working in retail make excellent personal stylists.
Is personal styling the new interior design?
That’s most probably very true. I think people believe that creative jobs are ‘easy’ and that they don’t require much training or qualifications.
That in turn makes it difficult for customers to know who they can trust and by whom they’ll get the right advice.
All of our stylists will have (of course) been interviewed by myself and in most parts, also trained by myself as well.
Do you think having a team of stylists dilutes the service Style Doctors offers in any way?
In fact, I believe it does the opposite. For example, if you were a lone stylist working with clients every day of the week, you’d get very tired and overwhelmed easily. Whereas our stylists have their clients spaced out so they have plenty of time to prepare but also to regroup between sessions. That means, they’re always at their best.
Lastly, why do you think Style Doctors stylists are unique?
Our stylists are unique because they work as part of a team meaning that they’re supported and managed by a team behind the scenes which allows them to get on with what they do best, styling.
Creative jobs aren’t as regulated either so if someone wants to call themselves a stylist or photographer or interior designer, they can. It’s a shame because there are people out there that spend years honing their craft to become the best at what they do.
It seems like the quality of your stylists is important to you?
Yes, incredibly. After a session with one of our stylists, someone should come away with a sense of feeling educated, empowered and confident. It’s not just about buying clothes, it’s about building up that person.
Do you know all of your stylists well?
I’m one person and can’t be present on every styling appointment plus, we have stylists in the UK, USA and the UAE. However, I do try to spend time with our stylists when and where I can.
They’re also all people I’d happily spend hours in their company as they’re fun, interesting and full of energy.
What does the future hold?
Less uncertainty than 2020 and 2021 we hope for growth in new sectors and locations. One thing’s for sure though, with people returning back to work and lives having changed dramatically, there has never been a greater need for people to invest in themselves and that’s where Style Doctors come in!
Find out more about our personal stylists iover on the blog.
