In today’s world, the term “influencer” is associated with hundreds of thousands if not millions of followers across social media. But in the fashion world, true influence comes from behind the scenes. Celebrity stylists shape the trends we will see everywhere this holiday season from the red carpet to intimate holiday gatherings.
Several of these top stylists call Beverly Hills their home and credit the city with influencing their outlook on fashion. We’ve chronicled their journeys to discover how these stylists are exerting their fashion influence through Beverly Hills and beyond. From bold statement pieces to effortlessly chic essentials, discover the creative forces shaping Beverly Hills fashion and their must-have style tips for the holidays.
Anya Sarre
A celebrity stylist and TV fashion expert, Anya Sarre’s love for fashion started at a young age. “It must have been innate,” she told the Courier.
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Sarre moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California before earning her graduate degree from the Parsons School of Design. Since then, Sarre has become an internationally recognized fashion tastemaker, brand influencer and celebrity stylist. Through her business “Styled by Anya Inc.,” Sarre has dressed some of the biggest names in the world for award shows such as the Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes and Oscars, and features frequently as a style expert on KTLA5.
Sarre’s influence on the style choices of others reaches far beyond social media. “It’s no different whether you’re influencing millions of people on TV every day, or just your neighbors—oftentimes people ask me where I got something, and to me, that suggests a certain level of influence,” she noted.
It’s this influence that shapes how Sarre styles her celebrity clients. “I look at each client like a blank slate, but I like to always keep things classic with a hint of trend,” she said.
After decades in the fashion industry, Sarre developed a patented styling questionnaire, which means she can now dress people “sight unseen.” Regardless of who she is styling, one thing remains the same: style is as much about the emotional as it is the physical.
“If you feel great, you look great, and if you look great, you feel great. So, it’s really about me figuring out what makes people feel comfortable, and then dressing them based on that,” she said.
One of the biggest challenges Sarre faces in her career is in styling a big event. She most recently styled for the Emmys and said clients are on “the quest for perfection,” more than ever for a televised awards ceremony—a quest that often leads to them second-guessing if they’ve found the right outfit, with decisions not made until the last moment. “It’s such a big decision. For some, this could be one of the biggest nights of their lives,” Sarre said. “It’s very different to styling someone for everyday looks.”
It’s these events that have some of the biggest names in Beverly Hills calling upon Sarre for her fashion influence and expertise. But beyond her strong client base, Beverly Hills has influenced Sarre’s approach to fashion as much as she has influenced trends in the city.
For Sarre, Beverly Hills is incomparable to other fashion capitals like New York, Paris or London because it leads more on reputation rather than trend. “Beverly Hills is just the ultimate fashion destination,” she said. “What makes it different than other fashion capitals is simple: it’s iconic.”
“There’s no other city in the world that has as much brand recognition as Beverly Hills. There is so much significance behind what fashion in Beverly Hills means. It’s a lot to live up to, but for me and my clients, it’s always lived up to the expectation,” she said.
The city’s reputation as an iconic fashion destination is exactly why Sarre chose to host her holiday shopping event at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills last year. It’s an event for celebrities, VIPs and Sarre’s most exclusive friends to do some holiday shopping and see the newest trends of the season. “It took months of planning and curation, but there is nowhere else I’d ever throw an event like this. It’s Beverly Hills, always,” Sarre said.
And when it comes to what’s in style this holiday season, Sarre is conclusive. “White, white and white!”
“Doing a white, cream or winter-neutrals theme is the ‘in’ thing for the holidays this year. If you’re attending a cocktail party or holiday event, show up in winter white neutrals. I guarantee you will look the chicest in the room,” she said.
For this year, Sarre encourages clients to prioritize the emotional over the physical when it comes to gifting. “It’s all about the experience rather than the tangible gift,” Sarre said. “Gifting someone a meaningful experience means so much, especially in a city like Beverly Hills where so many of us already own so many physical items as is.”
And Sarre shared some recommendations for those searching for last-minute holiday gift ideas.
“Head over to Kitson on Beverly Drive. You can always find a unique gift there, especially for the kids in your life. For the adults, you can’t go wrong with an Erewhon gift card. I’d recommend Stefano Ricci for men; they make the best ties. And if you want to talk jewelry, I would race down to XIV Karats. They have every gift you could ever want for the holidays,” Sarre said.
Photos by Maiwenn Raoult
Nicole Pollard Bayme
“I was always captivated by how fashion goes beyond clothing—it’s a language, a tool for self-expression and a catalyst for transformation,” said Nicole Pollard Bayme.
Born and raised in Santa Monica, Pollard Bayme founded her styling firm Lalaluxe in Beverly Hills in 2005 and now provides fashion styling services for world leaders, visionaries and trailblazers. “Beverly Hills launched my career with stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue and other Rodeo Drive boutiques rolling out the red carpet for me. This city supported me in building Lalaluxe into what it is today,” she told the Courier.
Describing her style as “luxurious and intentional,” Pollard Bayme’s captivating and unique approach has seen her win numerous accolades. She was named “L.A.’s Best Personal Stylist” by CBS Los Angeles and frequently hosts fashion events across the globe.
“Style, for me, is about how clothing makes me feel—aligned, powerful and free. This ethos guides how I style my clients. It’s not about following trends but about curating a wardrobe that truly reflects who they are at their core,” she said.
For Pollard Bayme, true influence is at the heart of what fashion stylists do. “My influence happens behind the scenes—guiding clients to feel fully seen and aligned through what they wear. Real influence isn’t about numbers or the algorithm; it’s about genuine transformation. That’s what my work is about, and it’s where my impact lies.”
The common thread throughout Pollard Bayme’s styling career has been using fashion as a tool to exhibit her clients’ personalities. “My goal is to help them create a relationship with fashion that feels personal, meaningful and lasting,” she said. “Trends are always evolving, but I focus on creating a timeless foundation.”
Pollard Bayme recommends thinking about pieces that are aligned with who you are as a person when deciding what to buy or wear. She helps her clients look beyond fashion trends to discover a more soulful, aligned sense of style. “One of the biggest challenges has been shifting my clients’ mindset from seeing fashion as merely external to understanding it as a reflection of their inner world,” she said.
“Additionally, balancing the fast pace of the fashion industry with the need for deeper, more lasting impact is something I always navigate. I bring joy and heart to an industry that can sometimes feel closed off or inaccessible, and I lead with that intention when working with top designers and haute couture houses.”
Pollard Bayme’s approach to personal transformation through style has been strongly influenced by the city of Beverly Hills. “Beverly Hills is where luxury meets individuality,” she explained. “My company partners with every five-star hotel in Beverly Hills, curating VIP shopping experiences for their guests. The city has been instrumental in my success.”
A recent event in Beverly Hills saw Pollard Bayme style a Silicon Valley CEO with a blend of “tech innovation and luxury.” She utilized pieces that reflected both his visionary leadership and the glamour of Beverly Hills, resulting in a wardrobe that felt both innovative and elevated.
This, she said, is what style in Beverly Hills means to her. “It offers a balance—combining California’s laid-back vibe with refined, effortless glamour. It’s all about looking polished, but in a way that feels easy and natural.”
According to Pollard Bayme, craftsmanship and quality are hallmarks that guide fashion in this city. “It’s not about showing off, but about wearing pieces that are carefully curated and deeply intentional. Someone who embodies Beverly Hills style understands the power of subtlety—effortless glamour that looks natural and timeless.”
Pollard Bayme thinks style this holiday season will be all about the statement pieces. “Think luxe velvet, jewel tones and oversized outerwear with dramatic silhouettes.”
She also advised paying close attention to jewelry choices this season. “High jewelry from houses such as Tiffany, Van Cleef and Arpels, Harry Winston and Louis Vuitton has made a major comeback, as people want to celebrate in style while investing in something that holds long-term value,” she said.
As for the best holiday gift for the fashion lover in your life, Pollard Bayme is resolute in the power of a beautifully crafted statement piece with a twist. “Think a Hermes leather bag, Louis Vuitton luggage or a pair of Tod’s crocodile driving moccasins that have been personalized with a mantra or uplifting phrase,” she suggested. “These are timeless, luxurious items that become uniquely meaningful, making them something the recipient will treasure for years to come.”
In the end, it all comes down to influence. “People want to make an impact while creating a legacy,” she said.
Photo by yesi fortuna
Diamond Mahone
For celebrity stylist Diamond Mahone, style is an individual matter.
“Personal style is just that: so personal. It’s knowing what you feel most comfortable in and expanding on that,” Mahone told the Courier.
Mahone knows the fashion industry inside-out, having worked her way up from retail to now styling a cascade of celebrity clients—including STYLE cover star Candace Parker.
“Candace allows so much leniency when we collaborate. There’s a level of trust there—and I think that’s also very affirming to the work that I do,” said Mahone.
Mahone credits her success as a personal stylist to much of what she learned during those early days of her career. “Working in the luxury retail space gave me an insight into the human behavior of fashion—knowing how different things work with different people and learning what makes them feel most confident.”
As Mahone’s prominence in the fashion industry grew, she began to work with a range of high-profile clients, styling celebrities like Parker and singer Erykah Badu alongside corporate professionals.
But regardless of who she’s styling, Mahone’s grounding principle remains the same: fashion should be rooted in comfort.
“I never impose my personal style on my clients. I always go back to what the client feels they’re best in, and I just try to bring that out,” Mahone said.
When it comes to balancing trends with timelessness, Mahone is resolute in her stance. “I always want to be at the forefront of refining and elevating, but also still staying true to the one thing that feels most authentic for any individual.”
According to Mahone, it would be remiss to deny the level of influence stylists hold in helping define what is fashionable over time. “It’s more of a different lens to look at fashion. I not only think about who the client is and who I am, but I also think about my audience response—I want to create something they can relate to and feel like they can see themselves in.”
“For fashion in America, outside of New York, you think of LA as a celebrity center, and so much of fashion in LA is influenced by trends in Beverly Hills.”
Despite Mahone’s zest for all things fashion, she believes there is still progress that needs to be taken when it comes to sizing in particular. “Luxury fashion panders to a specific size group,” she explained, “but it’s a huge, missed opportunity to not have a broader size range to account for differences in height, body type—you name it.”
Now based in Mexico City, she splits her time between styling clients in Los Angeles and New York, but always comes back to Beverly Hills because of its strong influence on the fashion world. “It’s such a huge epicenter of luxury fashion.”
Describing Beverly Hills style as aspirational yet relatable, Mahone thinks Beverly Hills is particularly unique in its approach. “For fashion in America, outside of New York, you think of LA as a celebrity center, and so much of fashion in LA is influenced by trends in Beverly Hills.”
The city’s take on trends is something that resonates with Mahone’s own conception of making style work for you. “I think of trends so differently because I think of them so personally, like how do we interpret what is happening on the runway into real life?” Mahone said. “So, there’s this fun mix of relatability here, where you see people style things that feel very decadent and dressed up but in a more toned-down, everyday way.”
This mosaic approach to fashion is also what Mahone thinks will be big over the upcoming holiday season. “Taking something that feels a little more glitzy or glam and pairing that with a cool sweatshirt, T-shirt or some fun cowboy boots will be a great way to show how the mix of different things can exist together.”
Speaking on her decision to style Candace in a white suit for the cover of this edition of STYLE, Mahone added, “White is going to be huge this season. Expect to see a lot of it.”
Mahone’s commitment to making fashion a personal endeavor also translates to her approach to gift-giving. “I always love a personalized gift. So, anything that is personalized with something that feels true to your relationship to the person you’re gifting—whether it be a quote, a euphemism, something that maybe you say to the person or their name, I think all of those things are very special.”
A lasting impression is the most powerful gift one can give, Mahone concluded. “I just love something that will last through the test of time, whether it is glassware or whether it’s something that has to do with the home.”
