Fashion, Directed by PR

A dress isn't a dress anymore. It's a plot teaser, and a conversation starter that does the job of a multimillion-dollar ad campaign. only prettier. Well, this is called method dressing

Method dressing is not artistry, its promotion in disguise. It turns actors into walking billboards, and press tours into mini movies. The most evident example is Barbie pink. Barbie pink wasn't even a thing before Barbie was released, it's just one of the biggest global PR domination. 

Margorate Robbie did not wear couture gowns to promote Barbie, she simply wore all of Barbie's iconic outfits throughout the movie’s journey. From the iconic 1960s striped swimsuit to the magenta skirt. And suddenly Barbie core wasn't just a trend, it was an economy, every look becoming viral and viral, gaining more and more money for the film. And Blake Lively’s method dressing for the It Ends With Us promo tour is impossible to miss. She leaned into the book-to-film narrative with literal florals (she literally looked like book cover), visually selling the character Lily Bloom. Andddd all of a sudden, florals were the trend of the year.

 

Even though we have seen so much method dressing throughout the past 4-5 years, no one has done it like Zendaya. Her Dune playbook was a masterpiece, they were futuristic, archival, and reimagined. They weren't random outfits pulls, they were curated carefully. She was in dramatic gowns, heavy texture clashes, and intricate draping. What's more unforgettable than the archival Thierry Mugler robot suit, that made her look like she walked straight out of Arrakis. Then came the Challengers, crisp whites, pleated skirts, pin stripes, and gowns that nodded to athleticism. Dune to challengers might be an immediate shift, but it was definitely a striking and an impressive shift that captured the spirit of character. What's behind this genius method dressing streak? The styling super power, Law Roach. He’s turned every press tour into a glimpse of the narrative.

If Zendaya is the face of method dressing and Law Roach is the styling superpower, what about the designing superpower? I can talk about this man all day long (honestly, he needs a separate blog), designers provide celebs with a “look”, but this man gives them a role. Jonathan Anderson, Loewe’s former creative director, the man behind JW Anderson and Dior’s creative director for Women’s wear, Men’s wear and Haute Couture (he is making history). While working with Loewe he designs had turned into the unofficial uniform for method dressing. Lets take challengers, He not only designed costumes for the film, but also styled Zendaya's “screenshotable” promo looks. When stars wear Loewe or JW Anderson for press tours, they aren't just endorsing a brand, they are telling a story.

Well, from now on the behind the scenes of your looks not only include you stylists, designer, makeup artists, hair stylists, but also your PR team, marketing team, and story tellers. 

Stay tuned for more fashion news!