Taste-makers

You're an ad exec who needs to make sure the celebrity you've hired to endorse your product is wearing flattering, up-to-the-minute gear. Who you gonna call? A top-notch stylist, that's who. Same goes for magazine editors who have pages to fill with the latest looks and fashion designers who need somebody with excellent taste to tell them which pieces to match with one another for their shows.

It's quite astounding just how many of these clothing coordinators Japan Inc. supports. Industry insiders claim there are as many as 300 of them in Tokyo alone, and those with a modicum of fame command astronomical fees.