We’ve become huge fans of the Hollywood Reporter over the last few months, mostly due to Janice Min’s excellent makeover of the trade publication. Staffer Merle Ginsberg navigates the LA fashion scene with an entertaining mix of gossip, insider news, and general knowledge that is not only rare for the West Coast, but rare for fashion writing in general.
So we were thrilled to see Ginsberg’s list of the 25 most powerful stylists in Hollywood covering this week’s issue. Rachel Zoe obviously ranks number one, with names like Nicole Chavez, Annabel Tollman, Brad Goreski, Leslie Fremar, and Kate Young rounding it out. See the full list below, and read the Zoe cover story here.
1. Rachel Zoe
Styles: Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Garner, Cameron Diaz
Why She’s Powerful: Duh. She’s made a multi-million dollar business out of dressing people up.
2. Kate Young
Styles: Natalie Portman
Why She’s Powerful: Young brings cool to the red carpet. Plus, she’s dressing who is currently the most celebrated actress in the world.
3. Petra Flannery
Styles: Zoe Saldana, Emma Stone
Why She’s Powerful: The red carpet is all about ingenues right now, and neither of these ladies has made a blunder.
4. Jen Rade
Styles: Angelina Jolie, Pink, Cher, Jenna Fischer
Why She’s Powerful: Not only has Rade styled some of the biggest stars in the world, she’s also the consummate professional. People like working with her.
5. Anna Bingeman
Styles: Claire Danes, Naomi Watts, Gwyneth Paltrow
Why She’s Powerful: Bingeman gives slick blonds the kick they need: Whether that’s Danes in a shocking pink Calvin Klein or Paltrow in a mini.
6. Cristina Ehrlich
Styles: Julianna Margulies, Kyra Sedgwick, Amy Adams, Penelope Cruz
Why She’s Powerful: Ehrlich’s look is a mix of old Hollywood glamor and utter modernity.
7. Deborah Waknin
Styles: Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock
Why She’s Powerful: The women are photographed constantly, so they have to work with someone they really trust.
8. Elizabeth Stewart
Styles: Cate Blanchett, Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer Lawrence
Why She’s Powerful: Stewart’s been around for a long time, and she knows how to style different types of women and bodies.
9. Leslie Fremar
Styles: Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, Charlize Theron
Why She’s Powerful: Her fashion industry connections mean that Fremar’s girls always wear the hottest designers.
10. Jeanne Yang
Styles: Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise, Melissa Leo, Christian Bale
Why She’s Powerful: She styles Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.
11. Leith Clark
Styles: Michelle Williams, Keira Knightly
Why She’s Powerful: The Lula editor isn’t as well known for red carpet work as she is for her editorial and commercial spreads. But when you’re dressing two of the most important actresses of their generation, who needs more clients?
12. Estee Stanley
Styles: Jessica Biel, Lea Michelle, the Olsen Twins (well, at least she used to style the Olsen Twins)
Why She’s Powerful: Stanley thinks editorially when she dresses her clients. Lea Michelle is a princess, so she dresses her like a princess. Biel is powerful, so she puts her sexy Versace.
13. L’Wren Scott
Styles: Nicole Kidman
Why She’s Powerful: The stylist-turned-designer’s collection of dresses is beloved by her clients, and the clients of other stylists.
14. Jessica Paster
Styles: Annette Bening, Emily Blunt
Why She’s Powerful: Who doesn’t want to be either of those ladies? Case closed.
15. Rob Zangardi & Mariel Haenn
Styles: Willow Smith, Rihanna, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Lopez
Why They’re Powerful: This roster is wayyyy intimidating.
16. Maryann Malakpour
Styles: Heidi Klum, Courtney Cox, The Rolling Stones
Why She’s Powerful: Um, because she beat out L’Wren Scott as the stylist to The Rolling Stones?
17. Tanya Gill
Styles: Hillary Swank, Jane Fonda, (formerly) Kate Winslet
Why She’s Powerful: These red carpet regulars get plenty of exposure.
18. Tiina Laakonen
Styles: Carey Mulligan
Why She’s Powerful: Because Carey Mulligan is IT right now.
19. George Kotsiopoulos
Styles: Katy Perry, Kerry Washington, Kathryn Bigelow, Kristen Stewart
Why He’s Powerful: Kotsiopoulos has certainly dressed a unique mix of women.
20. Nicole Chavez
Styles: Rachel Bilson, Kristen Bell, Katherine Heigl, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Scarlett Johansson
Why She’s Powerful: Chavez deserves to be further up on this list. Not only does she dress some of the biggest stars in the world, she’s responsible for catapulting Bilson into the fashion stratosphere.
21. Annabel Tollman
Styles: Jessica Simpson, Cynthia Nixon, (formerly) ScarJo
Why She’s Powerful: She does a ton of work outside of the red carpet, and made ScarJo the sex bomb that she is.
22. Brad Goreski
Styles: Jessica Alba
Why He’s Powerful: Because he’s Brad! Also, because he’s incredibly talented.
23. June Ambrose
Styles: Diddy, Jay Z, Mariah Carey
Why She’s Powerful: Diddy, Jay Z, Mariah Carey
24. Samantha McMillen
Styles: Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfieffer
Why She’s Powerful: She styles powerful actors.
25. Simone Harouche
Styles: Nicole Richie, Miley Cyrus, Christinia Aguilera
Why She’s Powerful: Richie went to Harouche after splitting from Zoe.
Stylists we were disappointed to see left off of the list: Kemal & Karla (who style the incredible Hailee Steinfeld), and Emily Current and Merritt Elliott (who style Emma Roberts and happen to be the founders/designers of Current Elliott)
Tags: Amanda Seyfried, Amy Adams, Anna Bingeman, Annabel Tollman, Anne Hathaway, Annette Bening, Brad Goreski, Cameron Diaz, Carey Mulligan, Cate Blanchett, Catherine Zeta Jones, Charlize Theron, Christian Bale, Christina Ehrlich, Christinia Aguilera, Claire Danes, Courtney Cox, Cynthia Nixon, Deborah Waknin, Diddy, Elizabeth Stewart, Emily Blunt, Emma Stone, Estee Stanley, George Kotsiopoulos, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hailee Steinfeld, Halle Berry, Heidi Klum, Hillary Swank, Hollywood Reporter, Jane Fonda, Jay-Z, Jeanne Yang, Jen Rade, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Biel, Jessica Paster, Jessica Simpson, Johnny Depp, Julianna Margulies, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Kate Young, Katherine Heigl, Kathryn Bigelow, Katie Holmes, Katy Perry, Keira Knightly, Kerry Washington, Kristen Bell, Kristen Stewart, Kyra Sedgwick, Lea Michelle, Leith Clark, Leslie Fremar, L’Wren Scott, Mariah Carey, Maryann Malakpour, Melissa Leo, Merle Ginsberg, Michelle Pfieffer, Michelle Williams, Miley Cyrus, Naomi Watts, Natalie Portman, Nicole Chavez, Nicole Kidman, Nicole Richie, Penelope Cruz, Petra Flannery, Rachel Bilson, Rachel McAdams, Rachel Zoe, Reese Witherspoon, Rihanna, Sandra Bullock, Scarlett Johansson, Simone Harouche, Tanya Gill, The Rolling Stones, Tiina Laakonen, Tom Cruise, Willow Smith
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No matter what people say, I love Leighton Meester’s stylist. She’s fun… that’s all that matters.
I agree, she seems to make a conscious effort to be way more fun and even more fashion forward than her character on the show.
I find this Hollywood stylist stuff so fascinating even if I’m sick of hearing about Rachel Zoe and Brad. It’s weird to see which stars share the same stylist. This website also gives the lowdown on who styles who: http://www.thestylistsite.com.
Did Simone Harouche put Miley in those Jenny Packham dresses and Christina in that Anne Klein lookin pantsuit at the Superbowl? Painful stuff.
I think that Anda and Masha do a nice job with Drew Barrymore too
Agleed!
This has always intrigued me, finding out who styles the best dressed stars…why it even matters to me I am not sure, but thanks for the info.
Since most everything else gets a ranking treatment, its time for stylists to get theirs. It is definitely an interesting list…I have been here in LA and working in the industry for over ten years now and am pleased to see many of my compatriots, co-workers, bosses, colleagues, and clients on the list. I have been privileged to work with many of them in many various capacities and I can say that ALL the hard work exceeds any ranking system out there: everyone is a star!
I would have liked to have seen other names, since here in LA it is not just fashion and image stylists who dress these noted clients (wardrobe/costume designers, PR style houses, personal consultants, etc)…its a vast and wide network of many of us here who do it for the sheer joy, love, creativity, and look of, ultimately and most importantly, our client.
-fggofstyle
http://feelgoodgurustyle.blogspot.com
What about Nicola Formechetti?
Isnt Gaga the biggest celebrity-know-for-her-fashion right now?
Totally agree–I think that this was more about who’s a big player in Hollywood. Formichetti is a big player in fashion, and just happens to style Gaga.
I feel like, fine, Rachel Zoe at one makes sense. But the rest of the ranking seems completely arbitrary to me. Does Merle Ginsberg disclose her methodology at all?
I feel like, fine, Rachel Zoe at one makes sense. But the rest of the ranking seems completely arbitrary to me. Does Merle Ginsberg disclose her methodology at all?
I find L’Wren Scott so fascinating, but more as a designer. She designs like a stylist though – pieces that no one else is doing but which are so dramtic and designed to flatter – dramatic necklines, killer boots. I really love her design ethos.
Am I the only one that thinks June Ambrose should be right up there with Rachel? I mean, c’mon, she’s been styling for probably 20 years! She should not be below Brad!!!!
No Taylor Jacobsen?
Anna Bingemann – double “n” please.