Law Roach Says Bella Hadid Came to Him For His Vintage Talents

When you let go of the comparison game, you’ll realize that everyone else has their own identity, so there really is no point in comparing. You will start to celebrate what makes you different rather than strive to fit in. You will learn that good style is a myth, and that the only thing that truly exists is personal style. And remember, you can’t please everyone. Instead of worrying about what other people think, focus on what you have to say.

Constantly comparing oneself to others, especially on social media where you have no context, can lead to feelings of inadequacy or inferiority. The pressure to meet these false standards set by others can be overwhelming, causing unnecessary stress. Embracing your individuality and unique qualities is truly the best antidote for comparison. You’re already on your own path, doing your own thing. Focus on your own goals and self-discovery so that there is no time to worry about what anyone else is doing.

For me, because of my own gateway into fashion, it could have been easy to compare myself to every other stylist. I could have wallowed in not having connections with major fashion houses. I could have complained about people telling us no because I represented a lot of Black girls or women who weren’t sample size. But instead, I embraced it all and used it to push my success.

If big names weren’t going to lend clothes to me, I had no problem in sourcing exciting young designers to put on my clients. It’s the same thing I did at Deliciously Vintage—if it was a show-stopping look, who cared who the designer was? And better yet, it was an opportunity to share our platform with a community of creatives and help boost their businesses. Before we knew it, everyone wanted to know about this new, young designer who made these looks.

I also found myself going back to my vintage roots. I say this as humbly as possible, but no working stylist was putting vintage garments on the red carpet like I was. No one. I’ve been putting my clients in vintage since the very beginning of my career, a lot of it out of my own personal archive. In an industry that’s constantly talking about how to be more sustainable, this seemed to me to be the ultimate in sustainability.

In 2022, I did some work with the global supermodel Bella Hadid—I think she actually came to me because she saw my talents pulling from the archives. Most of what I put her in for and around Cannes that year was vintage: a 1959 dress by Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior; a black gown from Gianni Versace’s Spring 1987 collection; a gorgeous, slinky gown from Donatella’s Fall 2001 Versace collection for a Chopard event; as well as a fun black-and-white look from Karl Lagerfeld’s Fall 1986 Chanel collection. While it’s more

common to see young designers or vintage looks on the red carpet these days, I started doing it because those were my own personal skills. This is what made me an individual and unique from other stylists at the time.