Book Review: Intern to Stylist by Charlene Campbell

In a volume slim enough to fit into the latest clutch, Charlene Campbell dispenses matter-of-fact advice to beginning stylists in Intern to Stylist (£9.99, Style News).  Campbell, an experienced industry professional who herself started off as a personal stylist and shopper, writes with concision about what she calls the “five pillars” of styling: contacts, shows, trends, photo shoots and credits.

While handy in its brevity, this guide is best suited for someone who has already secured a coveted internship spot, and not the reader who may have picked up the book with hopes of learning how to break into fashion in the first place.  Campbell helpfully includes a template e-mail that can be used in requesting samples for editorial shoots and a glossary of terms that one would come across with relative frequency while on the job (including definitions for “Princess line” and “Smoking jacket”).  The book has a bit of an instruction-manual feel overall, which is not a bad thing for a fresh graduate who needs guidance.

However, the usefulness of Intern to Stylist only goes so far, geographically speaking, as it is heavily UK-centric.  The book’s glossary of style icons contains mainly British players such as Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue; and Pixie Geldof, a model and socialite.  Resources listed at the back of the book include primarily UK-based public relations, stylist, model and photography agencies.  While some New York addresses are present as well – and industry processes as described are universal – non-UK-based novice stylists can best use the book for when their careers take them to London…or when their editors demand that they pull a sample from there.

Intern to Stylist is currently being sold at Topshop and on Amazon.com.