Behind the Glamour: Benjamin Holtrop on Crafting Iconic Looks
- Staff Writer
- Aug 29
- 2 min read
Benjamin Holtrop is a Los Angeles-based celebrity fashion stylist and art director. Benjamin approaches his creative work with an elevated aesthetic eye, inspired by form and function alike. His work has been featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair Italy, Schon, and Fault. Benjamin has contributed to brands including Net-a-Porter, 7 for All Mankind, Anthropologie, Naadam, Janessa Leone, Kinlo, and Abercrombie. Holtrop also works a robust celebrity clientele list for red carpets & press.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Tell us about your journey. How did you get started?
I actually came to fashion unintentionally. I studied photography and sculpture at university, so my world was all about composition, light, and form. To make my shoots feel cohesive, I styled them myself without realizing "fashion styling” was its own profession. Photographer friends started asking who my stylist was on fashion images I was posting, and when they discovered it was me, they began hiring me to be their stylist for their work. Before long I pivoted fully from photographer to fashion stylist & eight years later, I find that fashion styling is the perfect intersection of image-making and sculpture.
What’s it like working with celebrities and influencers?
Every client has a different sartorial point of view and personal fit needs. Some love to be deep in the process texting runway clips and inspiration images back and forth while others hand me the reins and let me craft a narrative. Either way, trust and communication are key. I start with a long conversation, build out a style direction, and keep the feedback loop open so they always feel heard. That collaboration is what turns a look into a fashion moment.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
Styling my client Lilly Singh for my 1st Vanity Fair Oscar Party Carpet is still a pinch-me memory. We built a story that felt fresh yet classic, and the fashion press agreed she landed on every best-dressed list that night. More importantly, the look came from a place of real creative trust between us, which is always the ultimate win.
How do you manage the hustle and stay grounded?
I keep a few anchors outside fashion. Cooking is my laboratory for flavor and texture; it lets me create with an entirely different toolkit and reminds me that good things take time. Interior design is another outlet I’m constantly redesigning my home with my partner Levi, hunting for sculptural furniture, or thrifting vintage pieces. On off-days, you’ll find me at The Getty, LACMA, or just driving out to the desert for a reset.
What’s the best part of working behind the scenes and using your talent to bring visions to life?
I love that moment when a concept on a mood board becomes real in front of the camera or on the red carpet when fabric, light, and personality click into place and the client sees a version of themselves that is fully realized and the best version of themselves. Styling is quiet authorship; you’re shaping the narrative but letting someone else take center stage. For me, it’s the perfect blend of the hands-on aspect of sculpture, my creative aesthetic eye, and the ability to tell narratives thru the medium of fashion.
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/benjaminholtrop/
