100 outfits, filming until dawn and hidden messages: What it’s like to work as Caroline Flack’s stylist on Love Island

Love Island 2019 has captivated the nation. Katie O’Malley speaks to stylist Nisha Grewal to find out what it’s like to work on one of most popular programmes in British television history

“I’m pretty tired”, says Nisha Grewal apologetically over the phone from Mallorca. “We were up until 5am filming the final dumping so we’re all a bit knackered. But we’ve not got long to go now”.

Grewal is looking forward to a few days of rest after finishing up on her recent job. For the past three months, the 37-year-old has been flying back and forth between the UK and Spain to be on hand as Caroline Flack’s personal stylist during her time filming ITV’s hit dating show Love Island.

Over the last eight weeks, viewers have been glued to their television screens come 9pm, six days a week, to catch up on the drama inside the villa. Office water cooler chat has revolved around re-couplings and cheating scandals, and public transport, bars and hair salons from Land's End to John o' Groats have been abuzz with Britons discussing who they think will win the show's £50,000 cash prize. But for Grewal, the last two months have involved her being ready at a moment’s notice to pack a suitcase, jump on a flight to Spain and be ready to style Flack for her appearance on the show.

“Caroline’s walk-ins – when she is filmed in slow motion walking into the villa to deliver news to the islanders – are always reactive to what happens in the show”, Grewal explains. “There have been times when I’ve been flown to Mallorca for an evening of filming – which usually starts around midnight – and then flown back the next day for an episode of Aftersun.”

Unsurprisingly, Grewal’s gruelling schedule on Love Island makes it hard for her to do much else. “It takes over your life,” she admits. “It’s pretty hard to make plans when you’re working on the show, or to commit to other jobs because you don’t know when you’ll be needed. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Born in St Albans, the stylist started working in the fashion industry aged 22 when she interned at a weekend colour supplement. She went onto land a job working in the fashion cupboard at Harper’s Bazaar magazine before becoming a full-time stylist. Over the last 15 years, the London-based fashion expert has styled numerous celebrities including Girls Aloud and actors Rose Leslie, Jodie Comer, and Eleanor Tomlinson. However, it was during a styling job for You Magazine in 2016 with Flack that the stylist became interested in working with the television presenter for Love Island. “Every time she does a walk-in, it’s like a mini catwalk for her,” she says. “It’s a great opportunity to push the boundaries of fashion and experiment with her style.”

For most Love Island fans, the excitement in the lead up to the show starts with ITV’s first announcement of its return in May. But Grewal’s involvement in the programme starts long before buzz surrounding the show builds. “Months before we start filming, I’ll be searching for inspiration for Caroline’s look on the show, sourcing new brands, creating mood boards and shopping for certain looks,” Grewall explains.

In total, the stylist estimates that she will have sourced approximately 100 looks by the end of the series for Flack to wear. However, the total number will have been whittled down to just 40 options for the pair to choose from for filming. While Grewal admits she’d love to plan every outfit for the presenter to wear for each episode, the majority of outfits that make the final cut depend on how she and the presenter feel on the day of shooting.

We were up until 5am filming the final dumping so we’re all a bit knackered

“I fly out to Mallorca with every outfit I’ve curated for the series and gone through with Caroline during styling sessions months before we start filming,” the stylist says. “However, we are quite reactive with what we choose and will interchange some outfits at the last minute, depending on whether Caroline is filming a villa walk-in, Aftersun, promotional footage, or what style she’s wanting to go with that day. You have to constantly be ready with alternatives which makes working on the programme all the more exciting.”

When Grewal isn’t researching and calling in new looks for the show, she’s standing metres away from Flack during filming, ensuring that each outfit translates perfectly on camera. “While she’s filming, I’m walking alongside the cameraman checking how the outfit moves on screen,” she says, noting that she’s instantly recognisable on set by her sparkly bum bag in which she caries countless safety pins, sewing kits, and nipple covers. “Once Caroline steps foot in the villa to talk to islanders, I’ll rush over to the producer’s cabin to watch the monitors and check all the different angles to see how the outfits move.”

In recent weeks, Flack has worn dresses by some of Grewal’s favourite brands including Michelle Mason, MSGM, Zimmermann, Self Portrait, Silk Fred, and Caroline Constas. Half way through the interview, she gets a call from British designer HenryHolland. “He’s designed Caroline’s final look,” the stylist lets slip. When it comes to choosing her favourite look during this year’s series, Grewal says it’s hard to pick one but says Flack’s outfit on Sunday night – a baby pink tiered halterneck midi dress with a bow by Belgium-based label Essentiel Antwerp – might be her top choice. She says: “I’m always trying to achieve an outfit that’s fun but also luxurious. It’s about striking the perfect balance between the two.”

With Flack now being one of the most popular television presenter’s in the UK, Grewal must ensure she combines both high street and luxury fashion in her outfit selections to suit fans’ ranging budgets. “I try to inject a good amount of high street brands into Caroline’s outfits on Love Island so there are a lot of accessible options for viewers to shop”, she says. “Caroline is such a lovely and relatable person to so many people so I don’t want all the pieces she wears on the show to be out of people’s budgets.”

I fly out to Mallorca with every outfit I’ve curated for the series

Last year, the stylist told Fabulous magazine how she often includes love-related symbols in Caroline’s outfits during the show. During last year's series, the presenter wore a pair of Dune heels with the word “love” written along the side and a diamond encrusted “loved” charm necklace from Lola Rose. “I don’t think it was a conscious decision,” she says of the hidden symbolism in the outfits. “However, when you’re working on a show about love, it’s hard not to choose prints with hearts and palm trees and work them into Caroline’s wardrobe. I’ve done it again this year”, she says.

With the power to make several brands sell out of designs worn by Caroline on the show, Grewal says it’s hard to come to terms with just how influential her choices can be for the fashion industry and viewers’ shopping habits, alike. Noting sell-out designs including the Christopher Kane denim sweetheart-neckline dress Flack wore for the first episode of this year’s series, Grewal says it “blows her mind” when she overhears people talking about Flack’s style. “It’s so easy to get engrossed in the job I’m doing that I forget how the clothes we choose for Caroline to wear affect other people,” she says. “I sometimes hear people talking about Caroline’s clothes when I’m in a café – I never get used to it. It’s so nice to hear when people have gone out to buy an outfit she’s worn.”

When she’s not filming with Caroline, Grewal says the pair are usually enjoying some down-time in Spain with the rest of the presenter’s styling team, including her hairstylist and make-up artist. “We’re together the majority of the time so if we’ve had a late night filming or have day off, we’ll wake up slightly later the next day and go down to breakfast together and enjoy a day by the pool”, she says. “We’ve become a little family.”

With Love Island 2019 now coming to an end, Grewal says she’s looking forward to celebrating with those working on the show. “You end on a real high when filming finishes”, she says, adding that the final weekend working in Mallorca is when everyone gets the chance to let their hair down. “It’s always so fun and there’s a big party afterwards.” Although the team don’t have too long to praise their efforts on the show, with filming for the reunion show beginning just days later.

“It comes to a gradual halt which is a relief,” she says. Hours after our interview, Grewal posts several videos of herself at dinner with with Flack and members of the show’s production team, toasting the final days working on the programme. “Everyone is in such a great mood come the end of the show but yes, we’re all desperate for some sleep,” she says.

With Love Island recently announced to return for not one but two series next year, Grewal will need all the rest she can get.