Celebrities may get all the glory on the red carpet–but it’s the stylists behind the looks that wield all the power. And for the past few years The Hollywood Reporter had put out a list of the 25 most powerful stylists in Hollywood to celebrate that fact.
This year Leslie Fremar, who is rumored to be starting a denim line with Charlize Theron, overtook Kate Young to nab the number one spot as the most powerful stylist in Hollywood. Young fell three slots in the rankings and came in at number four.
Also of note: Zoe, who was conspicuously absent last year, is back on the list, nabbing the number three slot. Her protégé/frenemy Brad Goreski also made the list at #22.
The magazine has four covers–featuring Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Julianne Moore, and Zoe Saldana and their respective stylists.
Another tidbit to come out of the list: Kim Kardashian has a new stylist–and it’s not Kanye! Styling duo Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn, who work with Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani and Sofia Vergera, will have the honor of dressing America’s most watched baby bump from now on.
Read on for the full list.
1. Leslie Fremar
Clients: Julianne Moore, Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johansson
Why She’s Powerful: After stints at Vogue (first as Anna Wintour’s assistant) and Prada, Fremar comes at the styling game from a fashion insder’s background rather than a Hollywood background. Her low-key attitude has won her a loyal cadre of A-list designers as well as long-term working relationships with sought-after designers like Raf Simons.
2. Petra Flannery
Clients: Emma Stone, Zoe Saldana, Mila Kunis, Megan Fox, Claire Danes
Why She’s Powerful: Flannery has mastered the fresh, young, hip look that the cool girls of Hollywood can’t get enough of.
3. Rachel Zoe
Clients: Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Hudson
Why She’s Powerful: Zoe is arguably the first Hollywood stylist to really wield power in the public’s eye. In recent years, though, styling has seemed to take a backseat to her reality TV and design careers (she was left off the list last year). This year, having dressed two Oscar winners–Hathaway and Lawrence–she’s back in the game big time.
4. Kate Young
Clients: Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Natalie Portman
Why She’s Powerful: Young looks like she might follow in Zoe’s path. She’s repped by talent agency CAA, is launching a line with Target, and continues to style A-listers. Last year she topped THR’s list–perhaps her extracurriculars are responsible for the slight drop.
5. Elizabeth Stewart
Clients: Jessica Chastain, Amanda Seyfried, Cate Blanchett, Frieda Pinto
Why She’s Powerful: Stewart, a former WWD editor and New York Times stylist, proved herself with consistently standout looks from Chastain and Seyfried, regulars on the red carpet circuit this year.
6. Kemal Harris & Karla Welch
Clients: Justin Bieber, Amy Poehler, Olivia Wilde, Pink, Zooey Deschanel, Anna Paquin
Why They’re Powerful: This Canadian-born duo are the rare stylists who can turn out impressive stage outfits as well as red carpet looks.
7. Cristina Ehrlich
Clients: Penelope Cruz, Tina Fey, Allison Williams, Jessica Pare, Amy Adams
Why She’s Powerful: Ehrlich knows how to dress red carpet A-listers like Cruz and Adams–but she’s also got her ear to the ground, careful to cultivate relationships with up-coming It girls like Williams and Pare. Expect her to do big things for both.
8. Rob Zangardi & Mariel Haenn
Clients: Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, Sofia Vergera and–wait for it–Kim Kardashian, who the duo just nabbed.
Why They’re Powerful: They know how to do sultry and glam like no one else–and they’re about to dress America’s most-watched baby bump.
9. Erin Walsh
Clients: Kerry Washington, Kristen Wiig
Why She’s Powerful: This woman is responsible for Washington’s unfailingly fabulous red carpet performances. ‘Nuff said.
10. Jeanann Williams
Clients: Naomi Watts, Emily Mortimer
Why She’s Powerful: Williams might be new to the styling game (she’s only been at it for seven months) but she’s worked in the biz for several years as a high-profile PR rep at KCD–so she definitely knows her stuff. She’s also has a child with Naomi’s brother, photographer Ben Watts, which you know, doesn’t hurt. [ed note: Williams, who I've met through her gig as a PR, has amazing personal style and is gorgeous to boot.]
Click through to see who else made the list.



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