Dressing the Narrative: Inside Ellie Fleming’s Creative Process

Wardrobe stylist Ellie Fleming rarely starts her day on set. More often than not, it begins with Pilates before she spends hours sourcing clothing from vintage shops and retail stores, searching for exactly what a creative brief demands. By the time cameras start rolling, every piece hanging on her rack has a purpose. Whether she’s styling an outdoor campaign, an e-commerce shoot or a celebrity on the red carpet, Fleming approaches fashion the same way: as a form of storytelling. “It’s never just about the clothes,” Fleming says. “It’s about who we’re speaking to and what story we’re trying to tell.”

The Utah-based freelance stylist has built a career dressing clients ranging from Nike, Amazon, Toyota, Xbox and Free People Movement to television personality Jessi Draper. Yet despite the impressive portfolio, Fleming says the foundation of her work is strategy.

“It’s never just about the clothes. It’s about who we’re speaking to and what story we’re trying to tell.”

A graduate of BYU with a degree in marketing, Fleming’s path into fashion began unexpectedly when she accepted a creative director role at a local boutique. Producing weekly campaigns, managing social media and learning the business side of fashion shaped how she approaches styling today.

Rather than chasing trends, Fleming starts every project with intention. “I always ask who the customer is, where the images are going to live and what they’re supposed to communicate,” she says. “That changes everything.”

That mindset allows Fleming to move seamlessly between commercial work and editorial projects — though she admits each fulfills a different part of her creativity. Commercial styling keeps her analytical, while editorial keeps her inspired. “The artist in me doesn’t get fed every day doing commercial work,” she says. “Editorial lets that creative side take the driver’s seat.”

Those personal editorial shoots have also become her way of strengthening Utah’s creative community. Fleming regularly brings together photographers, models, makeup artists and designers, giving each collaborator room to interpret a shared concept rather than prescribing every detail. “I want everyone to bring their own perspective,” she says. “That’s what makes the story stronger.”

“I always ask who the customer is, where the images are going to live and what they’re supposed to communicate. That changes everything.”

One of her most memorable stories unfolded while styling Jessi Draper for the Grammy Awards. After multiple fittings, countless designer pulls and a last-minute search through Los Angeles fashion archives, Fleming finally found the perfect vintage Roberto Cavalli gown the night before leaving town. “We sat in a pizza place on Hollywood Boulevard and just cried,” she recalls. “It was relief more than anything.” The experience became a milestone in a career built as much on resilience as creativity.

Early on, Fleming was turned down for a position at Free People. Later, she was laid off from an in-house styling role at Backcountry during company restructuring. Instead of stepping away from fashion, she chose to freelance — a decision that led to styling national campaigns and celebrity clients. “Rejection is just redirection,” she says.

“I want everyone to bring their own perspective. That’s what makes the story stronger.”

As her career has grown, Fleming says her greatest takeaway isn’t the brands she’s worked with but the people she’s met. She encourages aspiring creatives to seek mentors, ask thoughtful questions and never be afraid to reach out. “Closed mouths don’t get fed,” she says. “Find people doing what you want to do, ask questions, offer to assist and just get in the room.” A conversation at a coffee shop, a compliment to a Nordstrom employee who later became her assistant or bringing together local photographers, models and designers has become just as meaningful as any campaign. Every interaction is an opportunity to learn, connect and open doors for someone else.

For anyone hoping to build a creative career, Fleming’s advice is simple: stay curious, keep creating and never let rejection be the final answer. “I think fashion sometimes takes itself very seriously,” she says. “But really, it’s a beautiful form of storytelling that you get to do with friends.” And if there’s one lesson her career has reinforced, it’s this: “Be consistent, be persistent and be resilient.”

Read more about the most fashionable personality in Utah:
What’s In My Closet? With Stevie Shock
SLUG Style: Braxtyn Birrell

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