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Some Designers Pay Celebs $250,000 To Wear Their Outfits, And 24 Other Secrets From Red Carpet Stylists Stylists

The world of celebrity red carpet fashion is magnetic yet elusive, but the true magic workers are the stylists who make everything happen.

Law Roach dressed as Fairy Godmother while his client Zendaya is Cinderella at the Met Gala
Gotham / GC Images / Via Getty

The celebrities walking the red carpet can tell you which designer they're wearing or why they choose a certain outfit, but only the stylists can tell you how much work truly went into bringing each look to life.

VH1 / Via giphy.com

So, without further ado, here are 25 interesting behind-the-scenes facts straight from red carpet stylists themselves:

1.Often, the outfits are on loan from designers, and they have to be returned quickly after the event.

Constance Wu poses in a gauzy, bold gown

2.There's a hierarchy to how designer outfits are loaned out: nominees get first dibs, then presenters, then everyone else.

Barbara Streisand presenting Kathryn Bigelow with an award

3.Often, celebrities choose to wear designers they have established relationships with, so their stylists will reach out several weeks before nominations are announced.

Naomi Watts wears a ballgown at the Emmys

4.Whenever a stylist reaches out to a designer, the answer they receive may be based on a list of preapproved celebs.

Zooey Deschanel at the Emmys

5.Sometimes, stylists collaborate with designers to create custom pieces, down to the jewelry and shoes.

Lupita Nyong'o wears a custom gown at the 2014 Oscars

6.Designers will occasionally gift an outfit to the celeb who wore it, but it's rare.

Glenn Close's metallic Oscars gown with a long train

7.During awards season, jewelry is flown in from all across the globe and escorted by private guards.

Meryl Streep wearing a very fancy necklace

8.Sometimes, celebrities are paid upward of $250,000 to wear a certain designer on the red carpet.

Rachel McAdams wears an "Atonement"-esque dress to the Oscars

9.From 1920 to 1950 — the early days of the Oscars — celebrities actually bought their own outfits to walk the red carpet.

Audrey Hepburn showing off her Oscar

10.When a celebrity enters a brand partnership with a specific designer, they aren't required to wear that designer to events, but they're expected to do so for the Oscars.

She switched from a long, lacey gown, to s sleek two-piece set

11.To make sure the outfit looks exactly the way they envisioned it, stylists photograph their clients from every angle during fittings.

Allison Janney

12.Most red carpet outfits aren't just pulled straight from the runway; they're tailored to fit the celeb wearing them.

Alessandra Ambrosio wears a fitted gown the Vanity Fair party

13.Celebs don't always wear high-end labels — in 2015, Sarah Jessica Parker attended the Met Gala in a custom H&M gown.

the gown was designed to fit the theme "China Through the Looking Glass"

14.Even with months of planning, the final decision on an outfit or accessories might not be made until the day of the event.

she wore a bold halter gown with a matching clutch

15.Stylists often have a backup plan in case of any last-minute hiccups, such as finding out another star is wearing something similar.

Emily Ratajkowski wears a lacy, layered gown to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party

16.Some stylists put a scarf over a client's head before they get dressed to prevent makeup from getting on their clothes.

Barbie Ferreira wears a latex cocktail dress and a bold makeup look at the MTV Movie and TV Awards

17.Instead of pulling on a tight zipper, stylists will run a bar of soap over it to ease the friction.

Ashley Graham wearing a dress that zips in the front

18.Some stylists use tape to create "natural" cleavage.

Ariana Grande in a sleeveless Grammys gown

19.Sometimes, when wearing normal underwear isn't possible, celebs wear stick-on underwear and they "have a buddy to help them go to the bathroom."

Olivia Culpo wearing a see-through dress at Cannes

20.Celebs sometimes wear shoes that are a size too big to help prevent blisters.

Kristen Stewart wears shoes that are a size too big

Their feet tend to swell on the red carpet, so they'll go up a shoe size or two.

Jim Spellman / WireImage / Via Getty

21.Some stylists use spray deodorant to help their clients' shoes fit more comfortably.

Taylor Swift wore platforms with no heel to the 2015 Grammys

22.Some stylists put sandpaper on the bottom of their clients' shoes to keep them from slipping.

Kristen Stewart taking off her uncomfortable shoes at Cannes

23.The hefty cost of a Met Gala ticket can be covered by a brand that invites a celebrity to sit at its table, but they'll be expected to wear a design from that label.

Harry Styles wearing Gucci to the Met Gala

24.During the COVID-19 pandemic, stylists have been more focused on crafting looks that fit within a Zoom frame, opting for bold colors and interesting necklines.

Leslie Odom Jr speaking at an event via Zoom

25.And finally, the same stylists who dress celebs for major events often help them style their day-to-day outfits as well.

Gigi Hadid on the red carpet versus street style