Fashion Stylist CV example

Stylists might work behind the scenes, but your CV needs to shine in the spotlight. From celebrity clients to e-commerce brands, employers want to see more than a good eye – they want proof of collaboration and creativity.

This guide breaks down everything you need to write a CV that reflects your styling expertise – including content guidance and formatting advice.

Every outfit tells a story – and so should your CV. Your document needs strong structure and effortless readability. Recruiters want to see your creative impact, not scroll through chaos and visual mistakes.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Ensure your name and personal details are easily visible at the top. A photo is optional and depends on the role.
• Profile – Craft a short introduction that showcases your professional background and key accomplishments.
• Core skills – Provide a quick overview of your top skills that show why you’re a great fit.
• Work experience – Outline your career progression in reverse order, emphasising your contributions and successes.
• Education – Provide details on your academic background, including certifications or specialised training.
• Additional info – You can add hobbies or activities here that reflect your enthusiasm for the industry.
  

Use bullet points throughout to keep things easy to scan. Stick to a sleek, professional font and make each section pop with clear headings. White space is your friend, just like negative space in a strong layout. Keep your CV length to two pages max – enough space to showcase your work without losing the reader’s attention halfway through the show. Following these tips for your CV format will help to hold the attention of busy recruiters.

This is the front row of your CV – where you let the reader know your style, your experience, and the type of clients or campaigns you work best with. Focus your CV profile on your creative strengths, but don’t forget the organisational power and commercial awareness behind them.

It’s your chance to explain to recruiters the value you bring to a brand or client, and convince them with just a few lines to continue reading, and eventually offer you that all-important interview.

Include the following:

• Where you worked – Describe the styling environments you’ve worked in – such as editorial, commercial, red carpet, retail, or personal styling.
• Your top qualifications – Mention any fashion-related diplomas or styling courses that show your knowledge of trends, textiles, or visual presentation.
• Essential skills – Highlight your ability to plan, coordinate, and execute cohesive looks across different body types, brand guidelines, or briefs.
• Clients or teams supported – Say who you worked with – from photographers and art directors to private clients and stylists.
• Value delivered – Focus on your creative contribution, time management, problem-solving, or ability to elevate a visual identity.
  

Your core CV skills section should communicate the hard, practical abilities that clients and employers look for in a stylist. These might include anything from visual planning to working under time pressure or sourcing pieces across budgets and locations.

Instead of listing buzzwords, focus on the tasks you’re expected to handle in this job. Tailor this section to match the role you’re applying for – and keep it specific to styling, not general creativity or fashion passion.

Stylists rarely have straightforward 9-to-5s – and your work experience section should reflect that. Whether you’ve worked full-time for a retailer, freelanced for glossy mags, or assisted on campaigns, this section shows how and where you’ve made your mark.

List your most recent work first, with a short intro describing the type of projects and clients you worked with. Use bullet points to show the scope of your work, the tasks you handled, and any creative or logistical achievements.

• Outline – Give a brief overview of your styling work: who you worked with, what kind of styling you did, and in what context (e.g. editorial shoots, commercial campaigns, personal clients).
• Responsibilities – Use action words like “styled” and “coordinated.” For example: “styled weekly editorial features in line with fashion calendar” or “coordinated fittings and alterations for a 10-piece brand lookbook.”
• Achievements – Add in quantifiable impact wherever possible: e.g. “featured in 5 national publications”, “helped increase product engagement through visual merchandising revamp.”

Fashion is visual, but that doesn’t mean your education doesn’t count. Use this section to show that you’ve studied design principles or visual merchandising – or that you’ve taken professional styling courses to sharpen your instincts.

List your qualifications from most recent to earliest. Whether you studied fashion styling at university or completed a diploma from a specialist academy, include it here. Short courses in photography, branding, or trend forecasting can also add value if relevant to your approach.