Capital superstars: the stylists who morph familiar faces into global brands

A far cry from the wardrobe mistresses of yesteryear, whose duties involved stitching up hems and picking out colour schemes, a celebrity stylist must forge long-lasting relationships with designers, seek out potential collaborators and ensure their assigned clotheshorse makes it onto a best-dressed list after every public appearance. In short, they must transform their client from a familiar face into a global brand. Here, we meet the capital's super-stylists, who have dressed everyone from Rihanna to Rosamund Pike.

Andrew Davis, 37

Styles: Tinie Tempah
Wears: Piqué Polo by Lacoste, Stussy cap

Davis started his adult life working as a pastry chef in his native Weaverham, Cheshire. "One day," he says, "I picked up my balloon whisk and hot-footed it to London." On arriving in the capital, Davis studied at Central Saint Martins before scoring a job on style bible The Face.

In the years since, he has worked with everyone from Tom Cruise to Tinie Tempah and counts zipping Mariah Carey into an Alaïa dress at a shoot in Claridge's as one of the high points of his career. While Davis spent last year hard at work with Tempah, who he says is "super-savvy and cool but not that tiny", he is by no means ready for a rest and would love to work with young musicians Azealia Banks and Orlando from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.

Hew Hood, 31

Styles: Rosamund Pike
Wears: Horse and wool jacket by Lacoste and Givenchy shirt and jeans
Hood studied biological science at university before falling into a career in fashion. A student looking for spare cash, he landed a holiday job as a tea boy in a photographer's studio. There, surrounded by fashion editors from Vogue and The Face, Hood began to build up his own portfolio. His first solo shoot was snapped up by the Sunday Times.

Now the "go-to guy" for red-carpet-loving actresses, Hood worked with both Noomi Rapace, star of the Stieg Larsson trilogy, and Rosamund Pike at this year's Baftas. "I'm quite relaxed in my technique when it comes to styling celebrities," says Hood. "It is more about bringing out their personality than just giving them a look. It's about working together."

Aldene Johnson, 33

Styles: Florence Welch
Wears: dress by Vilshenko, glasses by Chloe

South African-born Johnson tried her hand at professional dancing before settling into her role in the image-making industry. The first-ever fashion editor of style magazine Vice, Johnson was asked to work with Florence Welch for the cover of her first album and, she says, "hasn't stopped working with her since".

While shooting with Karl Lagerfeld remains one of her career highlights, the three MTV Video Music Awards she collected for her work with Florence + The Machine also rank highly. Instantly recognisable thanks to her huge glasses, Johnson finds she is pulled towards a certain aesthetic. "I think I live vicariously through
my work," she says. As well as working for Welch and her team, Johnson has styled Kylie Minogue and the catwalk show of budding design talent Georgia Hardinge.

Avigail Claire, 25, and Damian Collins, 30

Styles: Rihanna, Eliza Doolittle and Daisy Lowe
Avigail wears: Dress by Ostwald Helgason, shoes by Nicholas Kirkwood, Sophia Kokosalaki earrings and rings by The Great Frog & Annoushka
Damian wears: Lacoste T-shirt, Sparks jeans, Gourmet shoes and a vintage Rolex

Claire met Collins while studying fashion at Leeds College of Art. Within a few years of dating they collaborated on a unisex range of leather jackets. After spending time in London, where they moved to further their careers, the couple upped sticks for New York, where they met US stylist Mariel Haenn. "She's our guardian angel," says Claire, "the reason we do what we do."

While styling Rihanna for The X Factor stands out in Collins's memory, Claire fondly remembers working with Eliza Doolittle ahead of her appearance on the Jay Leno show. And she loved spending nine days of Paris Fashion Week with Daisy Lowe. "Daisy bakes an incredible chocolate and Guinness cake," says Collins. On the subject of Rihanna, Claire says: "She always takes the piss out of my accent and she loves popcorn."

Boots in the Garden

Nothing is more British than the welly boot but that looks set to change. Hoping to give our beloved Hunters a run for their money, Gallic brand Aigle has been picking up fans on this side of the Channel. Available at a newly opened "Boot Bar" - a pop-up shop which will remain in situ at Covent Garden's Piazza throughout the festive season - Aigle's offerings include this buckle-detail boot in sumptuous tangerine. Pray for snow. (Prices starting from £70, aigle.com) Emma MaCarthy

Shiny money-maker

In the spirit of the sparkly season, Comme des Garçons has given its iconic colour-block wallet a metallic makeover. Bearing a perforated foil finish, the limited edition wallets are available in a wide variety of shapes and shades - including acid green (pictured) and dayglo blue - from Dover Street Market throughout Christmas. (Prices starting from £68, doverstreet market.com) EM