Today I want to talk about my job and in particular how to become an image consultant.

PASSION, BUT NOT ONLY

To put it in mathematical terms, the passion for fashion is “a necessary condition, but not enough”. Obviously there must be a natural inclination to certain topics, but as for any profession, professional training is required.

CAN YOU BUY TALENT?

There are certain innate qualities: intuition, color sensitivity, sense of proportion, … But you can refine it with study and technique. By making an example out of context: even Mina, with her magnificent voice, took singing classes!

COURSES TO BECOME AN IMAGE CONSULTANT

The training offer to become an image consultant is quite vast. But besides taking informations about the school, you should first have informations about the teacher. The only way to learn is to learn from who (really) does it. Everything else is just bulls**t!

EMPATHY

Lately it has become a little inflationary word, but in this work it is crucial. Enter the lives of people with delicacy; Face small or great insecurities without judging; Give advice without ever appearing smatterer. That’s all!

EXPERIENCE AND WORK

To work, you have to have experience. But to have experience, you have to work. So how do you do it? After training to become an image consultant, train as much as you can with relatives, friends, and volunteers. Only when you feel ready, you can make it as your job.

YOU ARE YOUR FIRST CLIENT

Working on your image is an absolute priority! It serves as a (good) example of the benefits of having an image consulting, such as a living catalog. But it also serves to gain credibility, otherwise no one will be tempted to ask for advice (not even for free!).

TARGET AND STANDARD

Think strategically and set the target market you want / you can address. Then, set your standard, which will have to be consistent for: quality of services, communication, personal image, collaborators, suppliers, and everything that you somehow represents.

FIND YOUR IDENTITY

The target and standard differentiation segmented the image consultants market, with very different figures. The only way to emerge is to find your own identity: emulating other people will condemn us to anonymity or, worse, to someone else’s copy.

ARE THERE A LOT OF CLIENTS FOR THIS JOB?

Absolutely yes! In the US, the Image Consulting was born in the 30s with Hollywood costumes, but the popularity among ordinary people dates back to the ’80s. In Italy it comes a bit later, but this is the right time and the big cities are spreading slowly even in the province.

HOW TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU

Surely Socials Media offer huge opportunities at almost (zero) cost. But be careful how you use them, because wrong communication can turn into a bad boomerang. For this reason, an accurate personal and online branding strategy needs to be studied.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS

Valid for any job, and it is my personal mantra: before knowing how to work, there is the ability to live. This is a small world and the only way to succeed is to stick to the principles of honesty, loyalty, education, respect, fairness, and integrity.

Yes, I’m lucky. This is a really great job!

Rossella Migliaccio
Image Consultant