A celebrity stepping onto the red carpet can make haute couture look completely effortless.
But long before the cameras flash and social media dissects every seam, a high-stakes, behind-the-scenes negotiation takes place between stylists, designers and stars.
From moodboards and custom fabric sourcing to strict loan contracts and financial risks, creating an iconic look is a complex business built on strategic relationships.
Top South African stylists and designers pull back the curtain on how red carpet fashion really works, who pays for the clothes, and what actually happens when a borrowed gown gets ruined.
Fashion cultural strategist and curator Thobeka Mbane, who has styled celebrities including DBN Gogo, Nomzamo Mbatha and Zozibini Tunzi, says the process starts with understanding the person wearing the clothes.
“The first step is moodboarding and understanding what the celebrity likes, their personal style and what they want to communicate. From there, we narrow down a list of designers and looks that could work for the occasion,” Mbane explains.
For celebrity stylist and creative consultant Obakeng Rantlhane, whose clients have included Nomuzi "Moozlie" Mabena, Bonang Matheba and Shudufhadzo Musida, the work starts even before the first fitting.
“It’s the pre-production. You see what the idea is, what the client is comfortable with, what the theme is, what the event is and then from there it is having to identify the idea,” he says.
It is more than just borrowing clothes
While the finished look may appear to be a simple collaboration between a celebrity and designer, the relationship between the stylist and fashion house can be equally important.
“The only way a relationship between a designer and stylist works is through fairness and trust. Whatever decision you make as a stylist needs to be fair to the designer, and you have to be someone they can trust,” Mbane says.
Rantlhane says he also considers whether a brand’s identity aligns with his own before entering into a partnership.
“What the brand is willing to benefit from my partnership with them, so I always try to align all of those brand qualities and see if it matches my brand image,” he explains.
Fashion designer and founder of Alex Tailored, Ndumiso Dlamini, says working with celebrities can also allow designers to introduce their work to a much wider audience.
Who pays for the look?
According to Mbane, celebrities pay stylists, but garment payment arrangements vary.
“Clients buy pieces all the time, mostly because there is often a need to. There simply isn’t always something available. Designers who make couture dresses can’t afford to produce and keep multiple couture pieces in their studios.
“They usually have to create the pieces specifically for each person. If there is a collaboration, however, the designer can decide how they want that arrangement to work,” Mbane explains.
Rantlhane says the arrangement can also depend on whether he is working directly with a celebrity or through a production company or agency.
“If the agency has the budget to be able to purchase an item, then of course we do purchase it, especially if it’s custom-made and it’s only made for the actual celebrity, then we do purchase it,” he says.
For designers, Dlamini says agreements can also differ depending on whether they are working with a brand or an individual.
“Agreement with brands works differently compared to celebrities; brands often rent tailored garments while celebrities often buy the garments,” he explains.
What happens when a designer loans a look
When a fashion house loans a piece, it is usually done with an understanding of what the designer will receive in return.
“They usually either rent or loan the piece as part of a collaboration. In some cases, the celebrity may tag the designer on Instagram or provide other exposure as part of a PR exchange,” Mbane says.
Rantlhane explains that some arrangements involve the celebrity covering the cost of the fabric while the designer creates the garment in exchange for publicity.
“They pay for the fabric, and then they make the garment and then from that they get media, whether it’s coverage from magazines, coverage from social media and a credit,” he says.
Other designers may offer a fresh runway look for hire without additional fees, although Rantlhane adds that these arrangements vary.
According to Dlamini, agreements are generally formalised around practical considerations such as the period of work, payment and public credit.
Once the red carpet is over, what happens to the clothes depends largely on the arrangement.
Mbane says her clients will generally keep their accessories, while borrowed garments remain subject to the terms agreed upon with the designer.
“Yes, mistakes happen all the time and accidents happen. But ultimately, if a borrowed piece is damaged, you either have to pay for the damage or replace the item,” Mbane says.
Rantlhane adds that the celebs pay for the damage, but the responsibility can sometimes fall on the stylist.
Securing that coveted look
Getting hold of a highly sought-after or limited-edition piece can also require direct communication with the designer.
Interestingly, she says the competition for the same couture piece is not necessarily as intense in South Africa as people might imagine.
“Luckily, that’s barely ever the case in South Africa. Designers don’t usually have many couture pieces sitting in their studios.
“They often create pieces specifically for each person because couture doesn’t really exist here beyond the red carpet and weddings,” she says.
For Rantlhane, convincing a designer that a particular celebrity is right for a look can be part of the negotiation.
“It’s selling the idea to the designer that this is the celebrity for this look because of the body proportions, because of the complexion, because of the colours maybe,” he says.
He adds that the stylist’s job is to understand why a certain garment works for one person and not necessarily another.
“Celebrities are human beings, so they obviously have different characters and different personalities, so it’s very important for a stylist to be able to tell which look will suit that person,” Rantlhane explains.
Behind every look is a network of people
Dlamini also gives a glimpse into the work that happens on the designer’s side, including sourcing the materials needed to bring a concept to life.
“We source fabrics and pieces at different factories. Usually it depends on the theme that we are working on with the celebrity/brand,” he says.
For Mbane, the biggest lesson about the business is simple: relationships matter.
“It only works if you’re nice to people and have good relationships. Relationships are everything in this business,” she says.
kamogelo.makhura@nationalmg.co.za