From sleek Prada columns, to Schiaparelli couture and custom Loewe, we map the Dazed cover star’s style trajectory
Of the countless Taylors that have entered into pop culture over the past few decades – think Lautner, Momsen, even Swift – none have captured the imagination of the fashion world quite like Dazed cover star Taylor Russell. The rising actor first rose to prominence in Trey Edward Shults’ 2019 film Waves, garnering critical acclaim for her performance as troubled teen Emily Williams, and has since gone on to become the Taylor supreme.
Though Russell has always been “in awe of the artistry in the world of fashion,“ telling British Vogue that “it’s incredible to be part of its history,” it’s only been in recent months that we’ve seen her sartorial credentials skyrocket – due in large part to her relationship with stylist Ryan Hastings, who outfitted her entire festival run while she promoted Luca Guadagnino’s cannibal movie Bones and All. Known for his work with Mia Goth, Rooney Mara, and Anya Taylor-Joy, Hastings has built a business on constructing the identities of cult ingénues ever since he dressed Carey Mulligan in custom Dior for her Great Gatsby press tour.
Now, as Russell steps into the spotlight, so too has her style. She was selected by Jonathan Anderson to open Loewe at the SS23 edition of Paris Fashion Week, and just last month she was officially named a global ambassador for the brand. That kinship is just another example of the long-held tradition of major fashion houses locking down and raising the profile of shiny new actors – but if anyone can pull off a full-look policy... it’s Taylor Russell. Below, we trace Russell’s sudden ascendancy to fashion favourite: from sleek Prada columns, to Schiaparelli couture, and custom Loewe.
PRADA
In search of an understated elegance, celebs have often turned to Miuccia Prada. For the US premiere of Bones and All, the actress embodied the brand's off-kilter cool in a crystal-bodiced black column, complete with a diamond halo headpiece. According to the actor, the look takes inspiration from film and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn and it perfectly captures Russell’s obsessive approach to red carpet dressing – compulsively clean lines and not a single hair out of place – casting the star in an other-worldly, near-angelic realm.
MODEL’S-OWN
Considering the strength of Russell’s red carpet looks, it’s no surprise that her off-duty offerings are just as covetable. Last March, during Paris Fashion Week, Russell was papped arriving at the Bourse de Commerce in a busted brown leather jacket, scarf, and shades. Chances are the pieces are all secondhand – Russell once said in an interview with British Vogue that she “rarely buy[s] new clothes, as I invest in a lot of pieces from vintage dealers”. Sustainable!! Surely her hottest accessory, though, is BFF Alexa Demie, who she’s been pals ever since they starred opposite each other in Waves. Just one queen coming across another queen, discussing how best to maximise their joint slay.
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
On October 15, all the darlings of the film industry gathered for the annual Academy Museum Gala in LA. As one of its muses, Russell wore bespoke Alexander McQueen, fresh from the SS23 runway. The dress itself is a reference to an earlier McQueen collection from 1999, with Russell going as far to mirror Esther Cañadas’ exact pose from that season’s catwalk. Clearly, Russell is unafraid to place herself within fashion history, committed to doing the research and paying homage to that which has come before her – as @thekimbino herself put it: “Homework was done. Assignments were turned in. Grades were excelled.”
Taylor Russell in Gucci by Tom Ford SS 2004 fur bolero pic.twitter.com/gJ6YSsdtK3
— Future Rockstar GF (@fendifaguette) November 29, 2022
ARCHIVAL TOM FORD-ERA GUCCI
Most of Russell’s red carpet looks are often so refined that they border on costume, however this archival Gucci by Tom Ford moment at the 2022 Gotham Awards proves she can take it down a notch. It’s part Michelle Williams in “Lose My Breath”, part jeans and a nice top. And if she’s planning on mining the Destiny’s Child archive, too, let’s hope she goes full “Survivor” camo next. Once again, it’s Taylor’s willingness to reference past fashion moments, but reconfigure them to suit her own style, which is the key to her red carpet panache.
SCHIAPARELLI COUTURE
For the London premiere of Bones and All, Russell opted for Schiaparelli couture by Daniel Roseberry. With a look consisting of a boned (get it?) champagne corset, an embroidered cropped jacket, a drapey black skirt and a wide-brimmed hat, Taylor’s matador-goth moment came off the back of a series of stand-out premiere looks. Once again accompanied by her trusty twink, Taylor is statuesque in Schiap, perfectly encapsulating Roseberry’s strength and poise.
LOEWE
Last but not least, there’s the Dazed’s winter 2022 Issue, in which Russell wears Loewe SS23. The collection, which debuted this past fashion month in Paris, explored themes of corporeality and artificiality, both in our onlines lives and the natural world. Here, Taylor is swathed in Anderson’s maximalist rendering of a ruby red anthurium lily – a natural phenomenon known to look so perfect that it’s often mistaken to be unreal. And that’s now something the fully-fledged Loewe girl can add to her resume, too. Read the full interview here.