Chacon said the fallout from the Hollywood strike could hit those in lower-paying jobs more severely. “[These workers] have all lost an income from these promotional trips, these editorials, promotional articles in magazines, these red carpet events, tours and festivals,” she argued. “
Frustration for celebrity stylists
Workloads could plummet as focus shifts to non-movie-related events like Fashion Week. At this point, stylists are supposed to be working closely with clients as they prepare for the Venice Film Festival, but they say the strike is somewhat reminiscent of a pandemic, where work has come to a complete halt.
“My schedule is pretty full (next month), but it’s all been deleted now. It’s gone. Actors aren’t allowed to do any press conferences, and that’s what I do,” says stylist Young. Fashion stylist Maeve Riley, who has worked with celebrities including Megan Fox, Lori Harvey and Hailey Bieber, thinks the same.
“[As] we’ve seen with the pandemic, we can find other ways to continue to be creative,” she said. “A lot of my [clients] work with brands on a day-to-day basis, so unlike the red carpet, there’s still an opportunity.” This includes working with brands on other projects, such as ad campaigns, consulting projects, and cast outfits for other big events like fashion shows. However, red carpet events remain a significant source of income for stylists.
“The red carpet and premiere get so much attention from the audience, they create a very powerful moment for the brand and the industry,” Reilly added. “Unfortunately, due to uncertainty about how long this will last, this basically puts my work as a stylist on hold until further notice.”
With no clear end date, stylists are unsure when business will return to normal, as the Toronto Film Festival kicks off Sept. 7 at the conclusion of the Venice Film Festival, where a similar situation could play out. “Part of me was that a month off would be fine, but if it was three to six months, I definitely had to find a way to keep busy,” Yang said. “How am I supposed to pass the time? How else am I going to work? If there’s no press and no awards shows, the pace feels good.”
