During a monthlong stay in Berlin earlier this year, opera singer Deborah Voigt barely had a moment to spare between recitals and a recurring role in "Die Frau Ohne Schatten." But after her final performance, the soprano threw a lavish reception for local cultural mavens in an intimate dining room at the Kempinski Hotel Bristol.

As guests dined on "strudel of turbot" to the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, the hostess strode past rose bouquets in a designer gown of burgundy silk with a beaded shrug. How in the world did Ms. Voigt pull this all together?

She didn't. It was the work of a "lifestyle designer" she flew in from New York.

In a world where people are finding no end to the pressure to be stylish, the booming market for upscale personal services has spawned a new, even more rarefied creature: the self-described lifestyle designer.

Not to be confused with butlers, personal concierges or even image consultants, these advisers consider themselves general contractors of good taste. For as much as $450 an hour, they will insert themselves into a client's life and begin parsing everything from wardrobe and home decor to party planning, gift-giving and picking out the perfect car. About the only thing they won't do is run errands.

The appearance of these high-priced Pygmalions comes at a time when sales of lifestyle goods like jewelry and home furnishings are growing by 9 percent a year and now amount to about $2.6 trillion, the Commerce Department says. Meanwhile, the airwaves are thick with shows like "Queer Eye" that warn viewers about the horrors of tackiness and promote the idea that it's a social obligation to learn the rudiments of style.

Of course, lifestyle design is a small and relatively new field. Phillippe Starck, a leading French style maven, only recently adopted the label, describing himself in marketing materials as an "internationally renowned lifestyle designer." For Mark Gill, the decision to become a lifestyle designer came to him while working at Banana Republic in Chicago, where he was one of the chain's top salespeople. He noticed that some rich clients had questions that went beyond clothing and nobody to answer them. Today he has a driver, a standard rate of $350 an hour and 30 clients including Nancy Yacyshyn, whose family owns a Chicago adhesive manufacturing company.

When Ms. Yacyshyn's daughter got married in California, Mr. Gill ferried her to a custom printer in New York to find the perfect invitations, rented a house on a cliff in Malibu for the ceremony and dressed the mother of the bride in a Calvin Klein dress with a Prada jacket. Ms. Yacyshyn talks to Mr. Gill three or four times a week, often responding to suggestions he's sent from his camera phone. She's so reliant on his counsel that she keeps him on a $60,000 annual retainer. "He has a fantastic flair," she says.

In Atlanta, B.A. Albert, the busy owner of an advertising agency, wanted to project a more "carefree" image. So she turned to lifestyle designer Robanne Schulman, who made a few tweaks. Soon, Ms. Albert was tooling around town in a turquoise 1955 Ford Thunderbird wearing matching cowboy boots, vintage sunglasses and a bright red scarf. Not a week passes without Ms. Schulman presenting her with some accessory or party plan that would make her the talk of the neighborhood. "She's a lot like the devil," Ms. Albert says. "She brings temptation by."

Designers say the fastest-growing group of customers is people who've made unexpected business fortunes and don't have the time or natural inclination to conquer the basics of gracious living. Seattle lifestyle designer Kelly L. Moore launched her business when she realized that many of the region's new technology millionaires needed a style reboot. In one case, Ms. Moore was paid $5,000 to help a woman from the technology sector throw a "welcome summer" party. After selecting a Polynesian theme, constructing a bamboo bar, choosing the calypso music and preparing gift bags with tiki dolls, Ms. Moore even dressed the hostess in khaki shorts and a tropical shirt.

"Pulling it all together can be intimidating for some people," she says.

In some ways, the phrase "lifestyle designer" is more of a marketing gimmick than a rigid distinction. Though they focus more on career advancement, so-called image consultants perform many of the same acts of sprucing. For a lot less money (typically about $65 to $100 an hour) a personal "concierge" can run complex errands and make travel and party arrangements. And if you're looking for someone to help you build self-esteem and set personal goals, you'd be better off hiring a "life coach."

Nevertheless, the pressure to be stylish has reached a point where even some ordinary working professionals are hiring designers. When Fredy Kaplan, now a New York City Councilman, wanted to throw a party to launch his candidacy for a judgeship, he hired Michael Biondo, the lifestyle designer who works for Ms. Voigt, the opera singer. Mr. Biondo booked the Pen and Brush Club in Manhattan and dressed his client for the party in a conservative blue suit. But he didn't hold back on the amenities. "It was amazing," Mr. Kaplan recalls. "The decor, the food, white tablecloths, candles galore and a piano player!" While he lost the election, Mr. Kaplan says he'll never forget the party. "To this day people are still talking about it."

The barrier to entering the field of lifestyle design is relatively low. Some have degrees in fashion or the arts, but many don't, and their backgrounds range from bankers to former swimsuit models. In any case, they often need to develop thick skin when clients trample on their hard work. When one Manhattan customer of Mr. Biondo's said she was wowed by a rare multicolored Italian crystal chandelier he'd found, he says, "her boyfriend made a comment that it was gaudy, so it had to be returned."

Some people who work in the upscale personal service industry think the whole concept is a bit much. "I consider myself a facilitator," says New York style guru Jack Anderson.

The job is not always glamorous. When Atlanta developer Charlie Hendon asked his designer, Ms. Schulman, to organize a party for an acquaintance who's considered a ladies' man, she ordered a cake shaped like a woman's torso. "Sometimes this job is like a sitcom," she says.

Television producers are taking notice. Ms. Moore and Ms. Schulman do occasional segments on local TV and are developing shows. Last year, Mr. Biondo was approached to host a reality show, "Mondo Biondo," in which he would drive around in a limo, cocktail in hand, rescuing the lifestyle-challenged. (He declined.)

As for Ms. Voigt, she remains a satisfied customer. She credits Mr. Biondo for introducing her to the stylish woman she'd always wanted to be, even if she balks at the occasional suggestion. "I'm not sure he's convinced me that three-inch heels are the way to go," she says.

Assistance Plans

For people who need "lifestyle" help but don't necessarily want to pay a premium for advice, there are many upscale "concierge" services that will run personal errands and even make restaurant suggestions. Here's a sample.

COMPANY: Concierge at Large San Diego, Calif.
HOURLY RATE: From $65 to $100
COMMENTS: Primarily travel-related -- it books airport limos and hotel rooms, makes restaurant reservations. Also provides services to large residential buildings.

COMPANY: Corporate Concierge Services Chicago
HOURLY RATE: Contracts are negotiated individually
COMMENTS: Works with corporations or residential buildings, allowing customers or tenants to order services on a Web site. Company offers an e-mail "reminder service" for important dates.

COMPANY: Cross It Off Your List New York
HOURLY RATE: $65 for personal assistant service to $85 for relocation
COMMENTS: Firm offers a de-cluttering service, helps with relocation and offers "lifestyle management," through personal assistants on call. Business has grown 30 percent in the last two years, says owner and founder Linda Rothschild.

COMPANY: Jacksonville Concierge Services Jacksonville, Fla.
HOURLY RATE: $75 plus service fee
COMMENTS: The company, which mainly serves residential properties, offers top-to-bottom travel services from flights to theater tickets as well as arranging pet-sitting and massages.

COMPANY: Ambassador's Touch Sterling, Va.
HOURLY RATE: Rates determined by package, no hourly fee
COMMENTS: Works with corporate and personal clients. Packages include a "new mother" plan, which offers housecleaning, laundry and grocery delivery for mothers returning from the hospital.