From the red carpet to carefully curated street style, celebrity outfits often end up the catalyst of consumer fashion trends and even the inspiration points for designers. Behind the scenes, though, there’s an entire glam deserving of accolades and a stylist whose job it is to create those showstopping looks. As far as game changing celebrity stylists go, the Chicago-born self-proclaimed “image architect” Law Roach ranks high as one to watch, though with the star-studded client roster he’s racked up, you’ve probably already been paying attention.
Before becoming an industry mogul, Roach first ran his own vintage boutique, where, he told Fashionista, a customer would serendipitously lead him to meet the person who would become his biggest styling client, a then 14-year-old Zendaya. Fast forward 10 years, and Roach’s relationship with the actor is still going strong. “You come in knowing your value and you do a good job, and you’re kind to people,” Roach told POPSUGAR when we caught up with him at Fashion Week, where he was judging the Supima Design Competition. “It’s passion. When you’re passionate, it outshines everything else.” Over time, he has also worked extensively with the likes of Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Priyanka Chopra, Tiffany Haddish, and more. The stylist is even credited with revamping Celine Dion’s image. “I don’t do a lot of street style,” Law says, reflecting on the variety of outfits Dion donned during 2016 Paris Haute Couture Fashion week, “but I invented street style out in Paris with Celine Dion.”
These days, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a high-profile magazine absent of Law Roach’s work as he’s styled everything from Zendaya’s British Vogue cover, to Halsey for Allure, to Christian Serratos for Elle. Long story short, the Chicagoan has styled over 12 magazine covers just this year, and if we’re talking impressive accomplishments, he also styled a total of 10 clients in one night for this year’s Met Gala. As we saw, none of them were Zendaya, who opted out of the annual event this year, but Law teased that fans would see a couple of new faces he’d be styling. Moreover, Law’s talents have pushed him beyond his styling role. He sat alongside Ashley Graham and Rita Ora as a judge on Cycle 23 of America’s Next Top Model, and currently remains a judge on HBO Max’s Legendary. In 2016, Roach added “designer” to his resume, joining Zendaya as co-creative director of her now-shuddered shoe and clothing line, Daya by Zendaya, before later working alongside the actor to help design her Fall 2019 Zendaya x Tommy Hilfiger collab collection.
With the recognition Roach has amassed comes access, so it’s not uncommon to see his clients strolling in fresh-off-the-runway pieces (see: Zendaya’s recent Alaïa moment), but with Roach being an avowed lover of vintage, you may just well find them in hard-to-find archive pieces, oftentimes from his own stash. It’s this mix that keeps each look of his looks feeling fresh and exciting, and it’s no wonder Law’s clients trust him enough to take fashion risks. Ahead, here’s a trip down memory lane of some of the best ensembles Roach has created, from last week’s Met Gala to moments from the 2010s you’ll thank us for pulling out of the archives.
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Hunter Schafer, Met Gala, September 2021
Roach took this Prada skirt set and made what could have been just another jeweled ensemble feel spacey, techy and somewhat spider-girl, yet simultaneously glam, and this is why we stan.
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Jaime Xie, 78th Venice International Film Festival, September 2021
Posting a photo of Jaime Xie wearing Spring 2005 Roberto Cavalli to his Instagram, the stylist called the Bling Empire star the Queen of Archive. It looks like she’s found herself in the right hands with Roach, who – we’ll just say it – is the King of Archive.
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Zendaya, 78th Venice International Film Festival, September 2021
Does anyone else remember what happened at the Venice International Film Festival this year except Roach styled Zendaya in this Balmain look?
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Zendaya, 78th Venice International Film Festival, September 2021
Fans on Instagram speculated on which Hollywood stylist would secure this Alaïa set first – of course Roach won the race.
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Anya Taylor-Joy, 78th Venice International Film Festival, September 2021
Let’s all take a moment for Anya Taylor-Joy in Dior haute couture. This isn’t your average Barbie pink attire.
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Anya Taylor-Joy, 78th Venice International Film Festival, September 2021
Hear us out – We’re not saying Roach invented orange monochrome, but we’re not saying he didn’t, either. Just take a look at this Dice Kayek number and do the judging.
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Zendaya, BET Awards, June 2021
Beyonce famously had this ’03 era Versace dress customized into a mini for her 2003 B.E.T. Awards performance, and in a referential move, Roach whipped out the original for Zendaya this year.
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Anya Taylor-Joy, Good Morning America, February 2020
Should you ever be so lucky for Roach to personally recommend you wear leopard print leggings with your new LBD (and even luckier if it’s Halpern like Anya’s), just trust him.
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Kerry Washington, Vanity Fair Oscar Party, February 2020
From the looks of this Zuhair Murad ensemble for Kerry Washington, Roach has a thing for two pieces, and they work every time.
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Ariana Grande, 62nd Annual Grammys Awards, January 2020
Has Ariana Grande ever looked more Ariana Grande than when Roach styled her in a giant Giambattista Valli princess gown?
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Zendaya, 25th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards, January 2020
Of course, risk-taking Roach would go for this Tom Ford breastplate. According to Zendaya, achieving the look did involve the brand’s team scanning her bust in the middle of her living room with a high-tech device for moulding purposes, but wearing the plate didn’t result in the boob sweat one may have thought – and that’s what matters.
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Jameela Jamila, Glamour Women Of The Years Awards, November 2019
Roach geniusly paired this Balmain dress with subtly printed tights for that extra zhuzh.
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Gwen Stefani, SiriusXM, September 2019
Yes, even queen Gwen Stefani has walked through Roach’s sartorial doors – wearing Phillip Plein, nonetheless.
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Zendaya, The Late Night Show With Stephen Colbert, June 2019
Remember that thing we said about Roach and orange monochrome? This Carolina Herrera number started it all.
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Tiffany Haddish, 70th Emmy Awards, September 2018
It’s not often you see this much color on the red carpet, but with Roach and with Prabal Gurung, there are no rules.
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Celine Dion, Airport, July 2018
Perks of having Law Roach as your stylist include, but are not limited to, this Alberta Ferretti sequin tracksuit.
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Ariana Grande, Met Gala, May 2018
If there’s one thing Roach will do, it’s nail a Met Gala theme, all the way down to this Sistine Chapel printed Vera Wang dress.
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Zendaya, Met Gala, May 2018
That one time Roach pulled inspo from Joan of Arc for Zendaya’s Met Gala look. And yes, according to the actor, the metallic Versace gown is as heavy as it looks.
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Ariana Grande, Oscar Party, March 2018
It isn’t often we see Roach go with the simplicity of a little black dress, but when it happens, it’s Saint Laurent and it’s doused in feathers.
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Zendaya, Vanity Fair and Lancome Paris Toast Women In Hollywood, March 2018
With Roach’s versatility, the impeccable styling doesn’t stop at slinky dresses or billowy gowns.His partnership with Zendaya works so well that even this unexpected Marc Jacobs suit made headlines.
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Mary J. Blige, 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, January 2018
Law went for a Black Swan approach for Mary J. Blige for an awards show in 2018 – and nailed it with this Jean-Louis Sabaji dress.
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Ruby Rose, MTV EMA’s, October 2015
Let’s talk Ruby Rose in Armani Privé. If there’s one thing Law does just as well as a gown, it’s a suit.
