Inside the unglamorous lives of celebrity stylists after shock Law Roach retirement

Celebrity stylists have revealed what it’s really like to work in the industry after Zendaya’s longtime wardrobe partner Law Roach dropped a retirement bombshell this week after a very successful awards season dressing Hunter Schafer, Kerry Washington and Megan Thee Stallion. .

‘If this business was just for clothes, I would be in it for the rest of my life, but unfortunately it’s not! Politics, lies and false narratives finally got me! You win… I’m leaving,” the 44-year-old wrote in a cryptic Instagram post.

And this shocking news set off a wave of speculation about what led Law to end his highly lauded career that has made him one of the most sought after celebrity hairstylists in Hollywood.

To give you an inside look at the unglamorous lifestyle, FEMAIL spoke to two celebrity stylists who have decades of experience between them, detailing the long hours, “barely bare minimum” pay and lack of appreciation for their work.

A stylist, who did not want to be named, revealed that it was “very, very hard work” with “zero benefits.”

They said celebrity customers believed they were entitled to ‘free stuff’ without understanding the costs of construction of the garment.

“They don’t know that hand-beading a dress overnight costs between $5,000 and $10,000,” the stylist told DailyMail.com.

The stylist once said they had a client who asked them to replicate a Gucci dress, but they didn’t understand that the costs, including fabric and labor, would be no less than going to a store and buying the outfit.

Stylists are the ones who often foster relationships between designers and their clients to help them execute their visions, but sometimes it can turn sour.

A stylist said a designer had set out to work with one of her clients and they had reached a $150,000 red carpet deal.

But then the designer cut the stylist out of the deal and went straight to the client, ruining a decades-long working relationship.

The stylist also revealed that designers were paying celebrities between $25,000 and $100,000 to wear their brands on red carpets.

And one of the challenges stylists faced was getting paid.

‘If you get paid, one of the challenges is that other people are paying… so the designer says the client should pay you. Unless you’re a hired consultant, you’ll barely get 10 percent,” the stylist said.

They continued: “Designers are buying authenticity instead of letting stylists build these relationships.”

The stylist said that they did a press tour for about a year, without assistants or tailors, and worked 10-15 hour days, and depending on the job, it could be more.

“Sometimes it’s 24 hours because you’re up with the client, changing it, doing adjustments and reconditioning,” the stylist said.

“It’s laborious, it takes a lot of production planning, sometimes you switch people in the cars, sometimes they can’t sit in the cars.”

On a press tour, a stylist might be paid $1,000 a look.

The stylist said they would only end up pocketing $500 after paying their agent and other expenses.

And if you’re doing 40 outfits a year, “that’s $20,000…you’re barely making minimum wage,” they explained.

The stylist added: “You’re living your client’s lifestyle, but technically you’re the help.”

Another stylist, who wishes to remain anonymous, told DailyMail.com “what it really comes down to is that the stylist isn’t really given credit for the creation that they make.”

‘Celebrity really isn’t [picking out the outfit]. You have to do a lot of research on what is going to happen,” said the stylist.

‘Every 10 years they will change you. You have to realize that there will be someone else who will take over your work.

‘You’re pulled in multiple directions when you become a star like that.’

The stylist, who uses he/they pronouns, also spoke on the topic of being compensated for work done by a professional.

“With these award ceremonies, these celebrities make half a million dollars for wearing an outfit, and you’re only making a percentage and it’s usually 10 to 20 percent, so maybe you’re making $50,000 for that,” he said.

“But you’re also putting five months of work into that look, so you’re only really making $10,000 a month, and imagine your overhead. That’s the deal and I think that’s where this doesn’t get explored.

‘And also what shoes are going to go with it? Who will be the diamond? Does that designer allow for that cross pollination?

‘Can you do that? People get mad at the smallest things and then you leave… that was the reality I learned.’

The stylist told DailyMail.com they also witnessed “the bigger the client, the more they expected free gifts and wanted to keep the outfit.”

“Sometimes my clients felt like they were the same mega force as Beyoncé and they would make a bit of drama about not wanting to use anything I put out. When this happened, I would call the services of Nordstrom Studio (a clothing rental service for stylists),” she said.

‘If Gucci said no, I could rent at Nordstrom. This Nordstrom service was the trump card, but he would usually have to pay rent to appease the customer.

‘Celebrities may have money, but style is something money can’t buy. Finding harmony with the juxtaposition of garments paired with accenting accessories is what creates memorable looks. To possess this talent you need to be confident in what you’re wearing to make a statement.’

The unexpected news of Law’s retirement rocked the fashion world and had some fans checking the calendar to see if it was an April Fool’s joke.

Others refused to accept her departure from the fashion world and begged her to continue as a stylist.

‘Law I will not leave you!!!! We don’t give up… we try our hardest,’ supermodel Naomi Campbell responded to her post.

“Absolutely not,” commented designer Christian Siriano, while stylist Karla Welch simply wrote: “No.”

‘Don’t do it LAW. We need you!’ hairstylist Brad Gorseki agreed.

After social media users accused Zendaya of ‘rudely’ relegating him to a second-row seat at a fashion show just days before she made her surprise announcement, Law broke his silence to vehemently deny that the actress forced him to quit his job.

‘So you really think I’m breaking up with Z…we are forever!’ she wrote on Twitter, adding in a second post: “She’s my little sister and she’s real love not the fake industry love.”