Anyone with even a soupçon of knowledge about the fashion industry has probably heard Law Roach’s name. The Chicago native has worked with celebrities such as Celine Dion and Kerry Washington but is probably best known for his longtime creative relationship with award-winning actress Zendaya.
Before a Sept. 29 appearance at Thalia Hall connected with the Chicago Humanities Festival and his new book, How to Build a Fashion Icon: Notes on Confidence from the World’s Only Image Architect (out Oct. 1), Roach talked with Windy City Times about queerness, retirement, Zendaya—and, of course, fashion.
NOTE: This conversation was edited for clarity and length.
Windy City Times: For some reason, I associate you with New York City. I didn’t know that you grew up in Chicago. What was that like?
Law Roach: First of all, everybody thinks that I grew up in New York or that I’m from New York. But, no—I grew up on the South Side of Chicago. I was there until I made my move to L.A. in 2014. I do think that if you grow up in Chicago you have a certain hustle, for lack of a better word. Chicago has go-getters. If you have a goal, you set your mind to doing everything to achieve that goal. And some of the most stylish people are Chicago people, so I think I got a lot of that from them as well.
WCT: I also wanted to ask you a general question: Can anything really prepare you for fame?
LR: I think, in my circumstance, I would say “yes.’ Over the last decade, I’ve worked with some of the most famous people in the world. I think seeing the positive and negative things they dealt with helped prepare me a little bit. I always say that my media training came from Zendaya—watching her do interviews and photo shoots. So I do think I had a little preparation.
Sometimes, there are places where the negative things can seep in. But I think becoming who I am happened at the exact moment it was supposed to, so I feel very prepared.
WCT: From what I’ve seen and heard, fame can be a mixed bag—but it seems like you’ve learned how to handle it.
LR: I hope so. I hope I’m able to handle it with some self-respect, grace and gratitude. That’s what I wake up every morning, look at myself and walk into the day with.
WCT: You mentioned Zendaya. Can you give me two or three of your favorites?
LR: What are your favorites?
WCT: Well, I actually liked what she wore this year while promoting Dune 2. I also liked when she promoted Challengers—especially those shoes with the tennis-ball heels.
LR: Mmm-hmmm… I think you chose two eras that are my favorites. The robot suit from [Thierry] Mugler that she wore to the London premiere was absolutely iconic, if I may say that about my work. And I liked the look with the tennis-ball shoes that you mentioned. I think those are two really beautiful eras. And every time she goes to the Met Gala, I think that those looks stick out, as well. Those are my favorite moments.
WCT: How would you differentiate style from fashion?
LR: I think style is inherent, right? I think you’re born with style, and I think it can change and mature. I think fashion is more of a business that relies heavily on trends, and it’s not as individual as style.
WCT: Could you tell our readers about what’s in How to Build a Fashion Icon?
LR: Of course! The title is a bit deceptive. The book is meant to give you tips so that you can become your own fashion icon—whatever your profession is. You can become an icon to yourself. Once we’re able to achieve that for ourselves, then I think everyone around us takes notice of that. So the book is about confidence.
WCT: I was just about to say that one thing you would seem to need is a sense of self.
LR: Yeah—absolutely. It’s the only thing that really matters. When you have.a strong sense of self, you can reach the pinnacle of confidence and not really care what people think about you or what you’re wearing—or anything else.
WCT: Not too long ago, I was watching an old episode of Project Runway when the designers were asked what fashion trend they’d like to see gone. They all said, “Leggings as pants.” That was in 2014. So I’m curious: What fashion trend would you like to see go away right now and what would you like to see come back?
LR: I think what I’d like to see go away is society thinking we can’t rewear our clothes. I think we’ve been conditioned to think that once you’ve taken a picture in something on social media, then that item is disposable. I want people to be able to spend their money on things that they love and to keep giving those things life over and over again. If people want to wear leggings as pants, they should be able to wear leggings as pants if that’s what they want to do.
WCT: When you announced last year that you were retiring from being a stylist, you basically assessed your life and priorities. What were one or two priorities that you [took into consideration] in making that announcement?
LR: I needed to learn how to love myself—genuinely. And I needed to find what really made my happy outside of the work. I think that retirement gave me the opportunity to put things into perspective. And I allowed me to claim my own power. Some people have said, “Oh, it wasn’t really a retirement”—but it was whatever I chose to call it. Whether it was for 24 hours or 24 months, it was for where I was at that moment. And it actually gave me a lot of time, because I don’t think I did anything for seven eight months.
Now I get to say “yes” to things I really want to do and I get to say “no” to the things I don’t. And I don’t think—in the decade I’ve had my career—that I ever had that power. And I don’t think I’ve been as happy in my entire life as I am right now. So that one little message on Instagram really changed my life for the better.
WCT: Asking something I’ve asked several people over the past year, what is like for you to be part of the queer community in today’s America?
LR: I was born into the community, and the intersection of me being queer and Black is something that I carry proudly every single day. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I weren’t a proud part of the community. I couldn’t imagine my life any other way.
WCT: Is there anything you wanted to add about your life or book?
LR: I just really, really hope that people who read this book can walk away feeling empowered, reaching the pinnacle of confidence.
As glamorous as people want to portray being a stylist, it still is part of the service industry. I want to remain in the service industry—but I want to be of service to people in a different way. I want to empower people from the lessons I’ve learned in my career. I want to take the tricks I’ve instilled in the powerful women I’ve worked with and give them to everyday [people]; I hope to help them live better lives.
“Law Roach: How to Build a Fashion Icon” will take place Sunday, Sept. 29, 12-1 p.m., at Thalia Hall. Tickets and information are at this link.