If you have ever walked into a beautifully styled press event, a trade show stand that felt like a boutique hotel lobby, or a brand activation that stopped you in your tracks, there was almost certainly an event stylist behind it.
But what does an event stylist actually do, and do you need one for your next event? As a freelance interior stylist and event stylist with 27 years of experience, let me walk you through exactly what the job involves and why it could be the best investment your brand makes this year.
1. What is an event stylist?
An event stylist is a creative professional who designs and dresses spaces for brand events, press launches, trade shows, exhibitions and activations. Think of us as the people who make everything look intentional, beautiful and completely on brand, from the table centrepieces to the shelving displays, the colour palette to the props on every surface.
We are not event planners. Event planners manage logistics, guest lists, catering and schedules. Event stylists make the space itself look extraordinary. The two roles work brilliantly together but they are very different disciplines.
2. What types of events need an event stylist?
Almost any event where how the space looks and feels matters to your brand. In my experience the events that benefit most from a stylist are press launches and product events where journalists and editors are forming their first impression of your brand. The styling needs to communicate your brand values instantly and give photographers beautiful images to work with.
Trade shows and exhibitions where you need to stand out from hundreds of competitors in a busy hall. A well styled stand draws people in and makes them want to stay, which is where the real conversations happen.
Brand activations where the space itself is part of the story. Every detail needs to feel considered and completely aligned with what your brand stands for.
Press breakfasts and intimate media events where the atmosphere needs to feel warm, welcoming and special enough that journalists remember it.
3. How does the event styling process work?
Every project starts with a conversation about your brand, your brief and your budget. From there I develop a concept and mood board so you can see exactly how the space will look and feel before anything is sourced or built.
Once the concept is approved I source all the props, furniture, plants, accessories and styling materials, often from a mix of specialist suppliers, vintage markets, garden centres and charity shops depending on the brief. I manage all the logistics including delivery, set up and on the day styling, working closely with set designers, event production teams and venue staff to make sure everything comes together on time.
On the day I am on site from the start, dressing every detail and making sure the space looks perfect before the doors open.
4. Real events I have styled
Kama Ayurveda European Launch, Carousel London
One of my favourite recent projects was styling the European press launch for Kama Ayurveda, a luxury Indian beauty brand launching into Selfridges and Harrods, at Carousel in central London. The event was a press breakfast for national newspaper and magazine editors, hosted with wellness expert Jasmin Hemsley.
The brief was to create a space that reflected Kama Ayurveda’s commitment to natural ingredients, sustainability and conscious beauty. I sourced most of the tabletop accessories from vintage shops in Brighton, dressed the shelves with antique books and apothecary style bottles, and used natural materials throughout including linen, cotton and recycled paper. Every detail told the brand story. The venue later told me they used photos of my styling as an example of their favourite event to show new clients, which I took as a huge compliment.
Last year I transformed a trade show stand for fintech brand Kuba Pay at a major transport industry exhibition at Olympia London. Their brief was to create a stand that felt warm and approachable rather than cold and corporate, somewhere people would actually want to sit down and have a proper conversation.
The concept I landed on was a coffee shop lounge. Rich tan leather sofas, mid century armchairs in rust velvet, sage and terracotta cushions, jute rugs, trailing plants and styled shelving with curated books, ceramics and framed photography of the Kuba Pay team. Every prop was sourced with intention, pieces from Soho Home and La Redoute mixed with plants from the garden centre and accessories from charity shops and flea markets.
The result was a stand that stopped people in their tracks and kept them there. That is exactly what good event styling does.
Press Breakfast for Barclays, London
I also styled an intimate press breakfast for Barclays at a central London venue, creating a warm, considered table setting that felt elevated and special without being overdone. Getting the atmosphere right for a financial brand in a press context requires a careful balance of professionalism and warmth, and that is exactly the kind of creative problem I love solving.
The Dream Home, Ideal Home Show 2024
Styling the Dream Home at the Ideal Home Show is one of the most high profile event styling briefs you can get, a fully dressed show home seen by tens of thousands of visitors over the course of the show. Every room needs to feel aspirational, liveable and completely on trend while also photographing beautifully for the press coverage that follows.
5. How to brief an event stylist
The more information you can give me at the start the better. The things I find most useful to know are your brand values and visual identity, the size and layout of the space, your budget, the date and location, who your audience is and what feeling you want them to walk away with.
You don’t need to have all the answers, that is what I am here for. But the more context you can share the stronger the creative concept will be.
6. How much does event styling cost?
Every event is different so I work on a tailored quote basis depending on the scope of work, the size of the space, the prop budget and the number of days required.
But you’ll need to factor in event hire, staffing, props budget (flowers & decor), food per head, goodie bags, assistants, set up and break down time. It’s not cheap, that is why you need to make sure it looks the best it can by hiring an event stylist.
Get in touch with details of your event and I will come back to you with a clear, transparent quote.
Why hire Maxine Brady as your event stylist?
With 27 years of experience across brand campaigns, magazine shoots, TV productions and live events, I bring an editorial eye and commercial instinct to every project. I understand tight timelines, I work brilliantly with production teams and set designers, and I am completely at home on site at major shows and venues across the UK.
If you are planning a press event, trade show, brand activation or product launch and want it to look extraordinary, I would love to hear from you.
Get in touch to discuss your event here. View my event styling portfolio.
Follow me on instagram at @maxinebradystyling