Kent Belden, founder and CEO of The Only Agency, has two nonnegotiables when it comes to signing new talent: One, they need a robust portfolio. Two — and he can’t emphasize this enough — they must have a great personality.

“What we do is such a personality-based business,” Belden tells Fashionista of his 10-year-old creative management agency, which represents top celebrity stylists, hairstylists, makeup artists, costume designers, photographers and more. They include major names like Law Roach, Dani Michelle, KJ Moody, Wayman + Micah, Yusef and Nikki Nelms, to name a few.

“It is equal parts artistry and personality because we’re working so closely with people,” he continues. “Our job is not only to make [clients] look good, but to feel good, feel comfortable, feel confident, let them be the best they can be in whatever situation that we’re tasked with helping them with.”

This insight doesn’t come from nowhere. Before starting The Only Agency in 2014, Belden spent years working behind the scenes in the music industry, tasked with hiring stylists, choreographers, video directors and glam teams for music projects. 

Over time, he developed a knack for for spotting potential and pairing creatives with the right clients. Today, The Only Agency applies that expertise to a range of industries: music, film, sports, fashion and beyond.

Getting there wasn’t an effortless endeavor. While Belden had a strong network, it took time to build buzz and attract artists. Two of the agency’s first major clients were Rachel Zoe and Andrea Lieberman.

“Rachel was instrumental in making the business of styling public,” he said of the former. “She paved the way and allowed for so many stylists like Law Roach, Cristina Ehrlich, Maryam Malakpour and B. Akerlund to find space to not only be excellent at their job, but also find other opportunities.”

Nowadays, The Only Agency actively encourages its artists to pursue aspirations beyond their core skill. He points to Alexx Mayo as an example: The makeup artist, who has worked with Lizzo, Tinashe, Mariah Carey and Adut Akech, was interested in starting his own beauty line, Dream Labs. Belden and his team advised Mayo and helped him find the right resources to grow his business.

But for the artists who just want to prioritize their craft, the agency is dedicated to growing their profile, too. When it comes to scouting and signing creatives, Belden’s team takes a personalized tack.

“Every artist that we are admiring or that we think would be a good fit, we tailor a strategy including who’s going to approach and how they’re going to approach to start the conversation,” he explains. “I’d like to think that what we’re doing speaks for itself. So an artist that we may approach will [already] have an idea or some knowledge of who we are and what we do and the areas that we thrive in.”

That, Belden believes, sets The Only Agency apart from other firms. They meet the artist where they are at, identify places they can grow and help achieve that goal. And unsigned creatives are taking note: The agency receives an abundance of cold emails and requests from people all over the world asking to join its roster. 

Belden’s advice for young artists who want to stand out from the masses as they pursue representation? Get some industry experience: “Figure out how you can assist some of the more established artists in whatever your field is,” he says. “This is a job that you will learn if you excel [at] or not with on-the-job experience.” It may not be easy, but paying your dues really can be worth it.

“It’s not a nine-to-five job, it’s a 24/7 job,” he adds. “You have to be willing to do everything that it takes, but the rewards are so great for somebody who has that tenacity and that skillset.”

Such has been the case for Doechii’s stylist, Sam Woolf. The Australian native cut his teeth assisting Doja Cat’s stylist Brett Alan Nelson (also signed by The Only Agency), and now has all the tools needed to handle his growing stardom. Woolf is among the next wave of creatives that The Only Agency has been quick to claim and boost to the upper echelons of the industry. Others include Genesis Webb, Maren Taylor, Danyul Brown, Nichole Goodman and Tabitha Sanchez. 

Looking ahead, Belden is expanding his talent empire. In April, the agency opened its sports division, capitalizing on the growing relationship between athletes, fashion and entertainment.

“We saw a pattern forming with tunnel ‘fits and with sports stars rising to international notoriety,” he says of the decision. The company has already signed stylist Courtney Mays and visual consultant Brittany Hampton underneath the category.

Belden also helps oversee two additional businesses: The Residency Experience, which he co-founded with Akerlund; and School of Style, which is co-run by Roach.

The Residency Experience is a VIP showroom featuring international emerging and established brands, meant to help cool, unique designers land buzzy celebrity and editorial placements (sometimes via stylists on The Only Agency’s roster). The highly curated service reps brands like Seks, Alexis Bittar, Handsome Stockholm, Lily Phellera and Namilia. To date, it’s dressed A-listers like Beyoncé, Jenna Ortega, Blackpink’s Lisa, Tyra Banks, Diana Ross, Tessa Thompson and Lady Gaga.

School of Style, meanwhile, is a digital training ground for aspiring stylists. As its public face, Roach brings a strong sense of legitimacy and visibility to the program. “It is a tech education platform, and it breaks down the barrier to entry for anyone who wants to get into our business,” Belden shares. Graduates of the program have gotten opportunities to assist signed stylists and thus build their portfolios and get hands-on experience. 

In Belden’s view, The Only Agency, The Residency Experience and School of Style work in tandem with one another — they’re “individual parts of one unit,” as he puts it.

“It’s a perfect feeder system,” he continues. “From the School of Style, we’re getting a whole new crop of talent. As a business that represents stylists, we’re also finding the next generation of stylists who are then able to assist the stylists that we’re currently representing, who then can go to a showroom where brands are paying us to expose their fashion and provide access for our stylists. They all really feed each other and work in complete synergy.”

Belden’s approach to expansion speaks to the evolving state of the industry. Thanks to manufactured entertainment like streaming platforms and the influencer business, there’s an endless barrage of red carpets and other publicity opportunities; as a result, demand for stylists and glam teams has never been higher. 

“As that’s grown, our business has grown,” Belden shares. Every day, he and the team are finding ways to adapt to broader shifts, including in technology.

“We have several task forces within the agency, one being AI, that we’re really focused on,” he explains. “We’re seeing how AI will be able to help us, including helping us grow. […] We’re constantly striving to figure out what the next thing that’s going to aid and help us be better representatives to the people who count on us every day.”

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