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According to Fashionista’s 2025 Salary Survey, fashion stylists are quietly taking the top spot as some of the happiest creatives in the industry. They’re not only among the best-paid, but they also report the highest job satisfaction (4.1 out of 5) and the lowest burnout rate in fashion (just 52%).

It’s a shift that reflects how the role of stylist has evolved far beyond fitting celebrities for red carpets. Today’s stylists are shaping brand identities, strategizing digital content, curating e-commerce visuals, and influencing the way fashion is experienced across platforms.

ASU FIDM is tapping into this momentum. Students in the Bachelor of Arts program in fashion now have the opportunity to study styling as part of the Merchandising concentration — an offering that makes ASU one of the few major universities actively investing in this career path. The program brings in faculty with deep industry roots, including stylist and creative director Joe Zee, whose career spans Elle magazine, Yahoo Style and collaborations with leading brands.

“In a world where personal branding, media presence, and visual storytelling are at the forefront of every industry, fashion styling has evolved into one of the most future-proof careers,” says Joe Zee, an ASU FIDM Faculty Associate who teaches popular Fashion Styling courses. “I aim to train our students across every styling discipline — from editorial to Fortune 500 executives, from red carpet to digital content — because the next generation of stylists won’t just dress people or themselves, they’ll shape culture.”

Current students are also seeing the power of styling firsthand. Faith George, a junior who works at the ASU FIDM Museum and hopes to pursue styling and costuming for film and television after graduation, says the practice has opened her eyes to new creative possibilities.

“Styling has allowed me to immerse myself in aesthetic worlds I wouldn’t ordinarily gravitate to, yet have found deeply satisfying to explore,” George says. “As much as I enjoy styling myself, I find even greater fulfillment in helping others use fashion to bring their vision to life.”

For recent graduate Meredith Tyrrell, the choice to focus on styling has already paid off. Just months after finishing her degree, she’s assisting top stylists on editorial shoots in New York City.

“Every day is different,” she says. “You’re picking up looks, pulling from archives and physically hauling garment bags all over Manhattan. It’s demanding — but I love it. I’ve learned more in four months here than I could’ve imagined.”

She credits her early career success to mentorship from ASU FIDM faculty. “I wouldn’t have landed my NYC internship without the help of Professor Lisa Shrigley,” she says. “She connected me to the resources I needed to succeed.”

With industry demand growing, ASU FIDM’s approach to styling education — blending traditional fashion foundations with hands-on experience and mentorship — equips graduates for a wide range of opportunities. From editorial shoots to brand campaigns, stylists are increasingly in the driver’s seat of fashion storytelling.

And if the latest data is any indication, that’s a fulfilling place to be.

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