style spotlight: Law roach
By Nneoma Iloeje
`11 / 21 / 2022
Law Roach. The man, the myth, the legend. Popularly known as Luxury Law on his social media handles, the stylist to the stars recently made fashion history at the recent Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Awards. On Monday night, Roach received the “Stylist of the Year” Award, making him the first ever recipient of the brand new award, and setting the bar extremely high for any other stylists who will follow him. As the first recipient and the first black recipient, Roach has effectively cemented himself in fashion history as a tour de force. A name to be known, heard, listened to, and remembered.
If you are not familiar with his name, there is no doubt that you are familiar with his work. Frequently credited with Celine Dion’s extravagant fashion transformation, Roach has worked alongside his longtime client and close friend Zendaya, as well as TikTok star Addison Rae, actress Anya Taylor Joy, supermodel Bella Hadid, and many more notable names in the entertainment industry.
Although it may seem hard to believe, Roach, who now boasts numerous accolades and upwards of 1.2 million followers across his social media accounts, did not always have a stylist career in mind. His fashion career began in his hometown of Chicago, with him selling clothing items second-hand to his friends. This hobby then developed into him opening his own vintage clothing store appropriately named: Deliciously Vintage. When Kanye West made a chance visit to the store in 2009, it drew the attention of paparazzi and fashion insiders from around the world. This was Roach’s first experience in the world of styling.
“We started receiving all these calls from stylists and it was all around the world,” Roach said in an interview with CNN. “I was just so impressed that so many people had this job.” With this newfound success, Roach moved to Los Angeles where he was introduced to a then 14-year old Zendaya, making her his first major client. The pair took Hollywood by storm. Their creative partnership and close friendship led to major success both on and off the red carpet, in person and on social media, making Zendaya and Roach a style duo to be feared and respected.
Zendaya herself became the youngest recipient to receive the Style Icon award at the CFDA Awards in 2021. As Roach is the only stylist that she has ever worked with, it’s truly a testament to their hard work and sets an example for what a client and stylist relationship should look like. Together they have delivered countless looks, some fresh off the runway (like Zendaya’s Loewe Spring Summer 22 look that she donned for the 2021 Women in Film Awards just six days after it debuted on the runway), and some archival (like the 1998 Bob Mackie dress that she wore to the 2022 “Time” 100 Gala). With Roach’s incredible pull and immaculate taste, it’s no surprise that Zendaya has become the fashion icon that she is today.
Roach is especially loved because, even though it is easy for stylists to hide behind their work, he has become a celebrity in his own right. In 2016, Roach made his television debut as a judge for cycle 23 of America’s Next Top Model, alongside fellow celebrity judges Ashley Graham, Drew Elliot, and Rita Ora. He then went on to become the first African American stylist to grace the cover of the annual The Hollywood Reporter’s Stylist & Stars Issue, where he was joined by Zendaya and Celine Dion. Further adding to his ever growing celebrity status, in 2019, Roach had the coveted opportunity to attend the Met Gala not only as a stylist, but as a guest. Currently Roach is serving as a judge for the HBO Max show “Legendary”.
The self dubbed “image architect”, Roach has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most wanted stylists, and honestly, as expected. With his clients, it’s not simply just an act of dressing them. “I think that what separates me from other [stylists] is that I really work hard to find who the person is. I don’t want to ever change that; I just want to help elevate it; for them to be the best version of themselves.”