{"id":458050,"date":"2026-02-04T15:08:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T15:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/458050\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T15:08:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T15:08:14","slug":"hollywoods-power-shoppers-know-what-the-rich-want-and-theyll-do-anything-to-get-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/458050\/","title":{"rendered":"Hollywood\u2019s power shoppers know what the rich want and they\u2019ll do anything to get it"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Back in 2019, Gab Waller would never have expected that her first client as a personal shopper would be the English model and actor Rosie Huntington-Whitely. Based in Australia and working for the local government at the time, Waller couldn\u2019t have been further away from the world of high fashion that she wanted to break into.\n <\/p>\n

\n The turning point came when Huntington-Whiteley posted on Instagram that she was looking for a particular Celine coat. \u201cI had spoken to a boutique in Denmark a week prior who had the coat. I messaged them straight away asking if they still had it, and they said yes, but I wondered how I could possibly get in touch with Rosie,\u201d said Waller, noting it was unlikely the celebrity would see, let alone respond, to her message.\n <\/p>\n

\n But that didn\u2019t stop her, and a few days later Waller was able to make contact with Huntington-Whiteley through another fashion influencer on Instagram \u2013 and the designer coat was successfully acquired. \u201cShe paid full price,\u201d said Waller. \u201cAnd she did a 10-part Instagram Story telling her followers that I had found it. It was truly like an overnight explosion \u2013 the immediate influx of requests and demands and everything in-between. Not only did she put my name in the spotlight, but also the role of fashion sourcing. People were like \u2018oh wow, there is a girl that can find you things that are sold out.\u2019\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\"Gab<\/p>\n

\n For the rich and famous, getting dressed can be risky business. A single look can elevate one\u2019s social and professional status, or put them on the path of viral meme infamy. Then there\u2019s the growing public fascination with how the ultra-wealthy are spending their money (remember the frenzy around the $50 million Bezos wedding<\/a>?) \u2013 and social media\u2019s \u201crich people who rich right\u201d sub-genre.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe had to wake up the hanky person in Switzerland.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Catherine Bloom, director of luxury styling at Nordstrom\n <\/p>\n

\n The job of dedicated luxury shoppers like Waller is two-fold: make specific product recommendations, and source those impossible-to-get-your-hands on items (for example, a rare piece of vintage or a very limited edition luxury bag). Today, Waller is based in Los Angeles and works as a personal shopper for clients including Hailey Bieber, Lori Harvey, Sofia Richie Grainge, Sabrina Elba, and the Kardashians. And she isn\u2019t operating alone in this space.\n <\/p>\n

\"Waller<\/p>\n

\n Catherine Bloom is a personal shopper so well known among Hollywood stars and top-level executives that they often just refer to her by first name. She\u2019s also been dubbed the \u201cMichael Jordan of personal styling\u201d at Nordstrom, the upscale American department store she joined in 2025 as the first-ever director of luxury styling, after a decades-long tenure at fellow luxury retailer Neiman Marcus.\n <\/p>\n

\n Elsewhere, Marci Hirshleifer-Penn is the personal shopping director of her family\u2019s Long Island luxury boutique, Hirshleifers, which has been in business for over a century, carrying designer labels like Chanel, Kith and Saint Laurent. On her personal Instagram and TikTok accounts, Hirshleifer-Penn often shares her own designer outfits and must-have items, a Celine calfskin midi skirt with a gourmette chain fastening one day, a military-green Saint Laurent jacket with a stand collar the next. With a knack for securing the most covetable pieces, she\u2019s also a fashion whisperer of sorts who sources rare Chanel, Herm\u00e8s and Alaia pieces for the 1%.\n <\/p>\n

\"Fashion<\/p>\n

\n More than ever, these personal shoppers\u2019 purchases \u2013 on behalf of their ultra-wealthy clients \u2013 are crucial to brands. While the middle class is stalling, to put it mildly, the irredeemably rich appear to be getting even richer. In late 2025, the top wealthiest 1% of Americans controlled almost 32% of the nation\u2019s wealth \u2013 to the tune of $55 trillion \u2013 the highest since World War II, according to Federal Reserve data.\n <\/p>\n

\n And while the global luxury sector contracted in 2025, it was predominantly due to a pullback from aspirational shoppers, according to management consulting firm Bain & Company. Very Important Customers (known as VICs) represent just over 2% of the total customer base but account for 45% of luxury purchases worldwide and are continuing to \u201csustain demand,\u201d Bain said.\n <\/p>\n

\n So, apart from fateful connections on Instagram, how do you become a personal shopper to the world\u2019s VICs? For Bloom, it was her grandmother who first ignited her interest in fashion as a child living in Seattle. At 18 she moved to Los Angeles, enrolling at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (where she majored in merchandising and retail) while simultaneously working at Neiman Marcus. Over many years, Bloom worked her way up to become an in-demand personal shopper, where no ask was insurmountable.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cI once got a call in the middle of the night that someone had passed away, and they needed 500 black handkerchiefs in Indonesia,\u201d she recalled. \u201cWe had to wake up the hanky person in Switzerland \u2013 and we were able to do it.\u201d It might sound like an odd request, but, as Bloom noted, \u201cWe get all kinds of requests, so nothing really is unusual to us. We just figure it out and make it happen.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\"Catherine<\/p>\n

\n Bloom has a reputation for being acutely aware of what looks good on her clients. This \u2013 along with memorizing their individual preferences and an eye for spotting the next big thing in fashion \u2013 has cemented her name in a highly competitive industry. \u201cThe thing about fashion is that you have to be on it,\u201d said Bloom, whose clients range from pre-tweens and their parents to octogenarians. \u201cYou can\u2019t just like the new because it\u2019s new, but because there\u2019s a reason it applies to the lifestyles of those you are helping.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Having a good read of people is also important to Marci Hirshleifer-Penn, who spends as much time on the shop floor as on social media. \u201cI like to learn what the client wants or what they\u2019re asking for,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can see where they go, how they dress, what they like\u2026 there\u2019s a lot of guidance and educating people to be more comfortable and confident with how they look and what they wear.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\"Some<\/p>\n

\n Her family business drew her to fashion at an early age. A fifth-generation Hirshleifer, she was born in Boston, Massachusetts and lived in New Jersey for a brief, few years. Her knowledge of fashion and clienteling stems from her vast experience in retail. After completing cosmetology school and deciding it wasn\u2019t for her, Hirshleifer-Penn had stints at Henri Bendel and other smaller boutiques, before returning to her family\u2019s boutique in Long Island, where she worked across various roles. \u201cI definitely learned all aspects of the business,\u201d she said.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cI have always loved the hunt, the finding the needle in the haystack.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Gab Waller, personal shopper\n <\/p>\n

\n Her responsibilities at Hirschleifers expanded into personal shopping when the Covid-19 pandemic restricted stores from opening. \u201cWe had to close the door, but the store phone was still on, so they all went to my cell,\u201d said Hirshleifer-Penn. \u201cWe were the only game in town, I\u2019d say, that could still get your Chanel classic. So, at that point, people were just reaching out and that\u2019s when my Instagram grew a tremendous amount and I made relationships with certain clients.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n According to Hirshleifer-Penn, those clients include celebrities, influencers, and NFL players. While she doesn\u2019t provide specific names, a scan of her social media accounts reveals one unexpected video with the likes of American actor Tracee Ellis Ross, indicating the caliber of stars turning to her for help. Also often featured in her videos is her aunt, Lori Hirshleifer, who is the buyer and co-CEO of the family-run store.\n <\/p>\n

@marcihirshleifer<\/a> <\/p>\n

Oh just a little #ootd<\/a> with THEEE @Tracee Ellis Ross \ud83d\udc85\ud83c\udffc @lorihirshleifer \u2764\ufe0f <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound – Marci Hirshleifer Penn<\/a> <\/p>\n

\n Similarly, Waller explored different jobs within fashion, including PR, styling and buying, before finding her calling. Born in Rockhampton, in central Queensland, Australia, her first job was working for the Australian government in compliance, across Brisbane and Sydney. It was in the latter city that she made her career transition when she realized fashion stores internationally were \u201cgetting a lot more stock than Australia did,\u201d she said. \u201cI started wondering if there was a way I could procure pieces for the Australian market.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Six months later, Waller had accrued a predominantly local client base, and by 2021 she had relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career as an independent personal shopper. Unlike some of her peers, she doesn\u2019t work on commission but charges a flat-rate sourcing fee of $320. \u201cThere\u2019s transparency and my clients know that every time they submit a request they\u2019re not going to be surprised at the end of it,\u201d she said.\n <\/p>\n

\n And for Waller, no request is too challenging. \u201cI do strongly believe that every item does exist out there. It\u2019s really about finding it, whether it\u2019s directly from the brand, or a multi-brand store and the piece is in their warehouse, or it could be a private, preloved situation where it\u2019s sitting in one of my client\u2019s wardrobes and I\u2019ll message them asking if they\u2019re willing to sell it.\u201d She continued: \u201cI have always loved the hunt, the finding the needle in the haystack.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n So, what are people asking for? \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of daytime dressing that travels well,\u201d said Bloom. \u201cIt used to feel like people didn\u2019t really dress up during the day. Now, people really want to. People are also traveling much more. Everyone wants to be in on this kind of cool, casual dress that doesn\u2019t look like you\u2019re trying too hard.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n When it comes to specific brands, the most frequently requested is Chanel, according to both Waller and Hirshleifer-Penn. \u201cChanel is absolutely number one, year-over-year, consistently,\u201d Waller continued. \u201cI have even said to myself, I don\u2019t think it could get any bigger, but with (creative director) Matthieu Blazy coming in, it\u2019s just truly going to go to another level. I\u2019ve already started to see that with the amount of pre-order interest for his collections.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n She added that Dior, too, was rising in popularity again, noting that \u201cthere were many years with no requests\u201d from clients for the brand. \u201cMaybe one here or there. And I was sad to see that because I love Dior.\u201d Now, with recently appointed creative director Jonathan Anderson, \u201cI\u2019m not only receiving requests for Dior, but it\u2019s converting to sales and orders,\u201d Hirshleifer-Penn said.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cPeople can spend their money wherever and however they want, so you have to make it special and give them a reason to come back to you,\u201d said Hirshleifer-Penn, who in December brought a client with her to attend the Chanel 2026 M\u00e9tiers d\u2019art show in New York<\/a>. For Hirshleifer-Penn, it was an opportune moment. \u201cIt\u2019s not always the easiest; it depends on the season and where the show is and the timing. In this case, she\u2019s a longtime friend and client of the store. She loves Chanel. And it was unbelievable that it was held in New York, so that was a pretty spectacular experience.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n A new generation of VICs are now also looking for deep, emotional and experiential involvement in the luxury world.\n <\/p>\n

\"Last<\/p>\n

\n Indeed, beyond mere transactions, VICs now seek to become part of a brand\u2019s inner circle through exclusive experiences \u2013 whether it\u2019s Louis Vuitton closing its public arts and culture center, the Fondation Louis Vuitton, to host tours and exclusive events for top clients, or Chanel organizing a trip to Grasse in southeastern France, where a curated group of VICs and industry insiders explored the fields and laboratories that produces its signature fragrance, Chanel N\u00b05. For years now, luxury retailer Mytheresa has partnered with high-end brands, from Moncler to Roger Vivier to Pucci, to stage exclusive, experiential trips for their top customers in locations like Oslo, Dubai and Capri. These aren\u2019t shopping events but private, educational outings for their most valued customers.\n <\/p>\n

\n As China struggles with a prolonged economic slump, and the US has emerged with the highest number of billionaires in the world, with over 900 (up from 813 in 2024), more splashy events in the country will follow. Louis Vuitton and Gucci are set to present their cruise 2027 collections in New York this May, while Dior has opted for Los Angeles. Last week, Moncler Grenoble unveiled its Fall 2026 collection in Aspen, Colorado, marking the first American ski destination show for the Italian brand.\n <\/p>\n

\n Some of Waller\u2019s clients already attend the shows on their own accord. \u201cThey are at that level with the brand, so I don\u2019t personally travel with them, but I\u2019ve certainly met them there. Sometimes, we might have lunch or even go to the show together,\u201d she said.\n <\/p>\n

\"Becca<\/p>\n

\n With brands now readily holding their doors open to VICs, one might question if there is still a need for personal shoppers.\n <\/p>\n

\n Waller points to the rise in demand for vintage styles, where sourcing certain products requires insider knowledge and relationships with specific dealers. The trouble, sometimes, isn\u2019t locating the product, but finding enough of it, she added. Indeed, the homogenization of taste, caused in part by streaming platforms, social media feeds and online algorithms, means that people \u2013 even VICs, for all their wealth \u2013 often want the same things.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cI often deal with highly requested, trending pieces,\u201d explained Waller. \u201cI can usually get two or three of those handbags, but when 10 or more clients want the same style, that\u2019s where it gets really challenging. And the way to get through that is really having eyes and ears globally, because it may be sold out in the US, but it\u2019s readily available in Dubai.\u201d In the coming year, she plans to spend more time in South Korea and Japan, to unlock potential new markets, she said.\n <\/p>\n

\n Hirshleifer-Penn shared a similar view: \u201cThere are times that it\u2019s not a collection that we even carry, but because of my relationship with the client, I will find it for them. Part of the fun is the hunt.\u201d\n <\/p>\n