Super stylist Law Roach shocked the fashion world when he announced his sudden retirement from styling names like Zendaya and Megan Thee Stallion. Blaming burnout, he’s enjoying the latest chapter of his life and finally getting some sleep. He tells THE DAILY what he’s up to these days, how he’s feeling about life, and the intriguing next move he’s pondering.
It’s been a few months since you announced your retirement and you have perspective on it. Were you surprised by the reaction?
Yeah. I didn’t know people cared about me so much. It feels great. I didn’t expect that. I didn’t do it for that. I did it because I got to a point where it was too much. I wanted to give myself some breaks.
Did it feel like you were reading your own obituary? I know that sounds extreme!
That’s not a bad description of it. With the retirement came all the stages of grief. When you grieve something, you go through all these emotions. There’s stages to it, and I went through the sadness, the confusion—it took time. I’m so happy to say I’m in a strong place. I’m happy. I had some health issues that I’m working on. It feels good to not have the almost burden of that career. I may choose to come back. I don’t know. I have the option of doing whatever I want to do, which is great.
Who were some of the people who stood by you during all that?
As far as clients, Zendaya is like my family. She was supportive. Megan Thee Stallion has been supportive. She was still going through what she was going through, so I found solace in knowing that she knew what it felt like to go through something in the media. My situation is nowhere as severe or serious or tragic as what she went through, but it felt good to know that if I needed to speak to someone that she was there for me.
Law Roach and Zendaya (Getty Images)
What’s a typical day in the life like for you these days?
Soft. I’m in my soft, light era. I had a few editorials that were booked before the SAG strike happened. I didn’t depart fashion as a whole. The celebrity stylist aspect of it is what I wanted to step away from. I’m doing some stuff for Vogue and British Vogue. I’m still in and out of it, which I’m coming to enjoy. I’m working on some special projects that the world will know about in the next couple of months.
With Edward [Enninful] leaving British Vogue, will you still be working on that?
That’s up in the air. I don’t know yet what position I’ll still hold there.
What did you do this summer for fun?
I went to Thailand for a few weeks. I chilled, gained weight—the food in Thailand is amazing! I slept a lot. Refreshed is the best word!
We recently learned that acting is something you’re thinking of getting into. How are you pursuing that?
It’s a bad time to want to do anything due to the writers and actors strike. I’m a part of SAG and taking that seriously. Acting has kind of been put on hold because you can’t even have conversations during the strike. I respect what’s going on, and it’s needed and overdue. The one that touches home for me the most is the insurance. Having to make $26,000 to keep your health insurance, I’ve had it in between TV things where my health insurance has run out and you have to pay for it yourself, and it’s expensive. I understand the strike and stand in solidarity with everyone else that’s a member of SAG. Acting for me has been put on the back burner, but when everything is right, it’s something I’ll start to chase again.
Do you see yourself as more of a comic or dramatic actor?
I don’t know. I have great comedic timing.
Is there anyone out there whose career you want to emulate?
Not really! There’s no reference point to take the lead on my career and go into something like that. The thing about the acting is that I want to try. I want to try everything I was afraid of or didn’t have time to try over the past nine years. I might suck at it. I don’t know. I want to see what other talents I have other than fashion.
What’s your relationship like with social media these days? Are you on Instagram a lot?
I’m not. Everything I follow is other stylists or the pages that show you what everyone is wearing on the red carpet. I’ve been trying to check out of that for a minute. I haven’t been on social media as much. I was looking at September as a work month for me, so I’ll be heavier on it this month.
We know you love fashion, but what are your other interests in life?
Right now I’m taking the time to relearn myself, so I’m passionate about me right now. I’m interested in me. I’m trying to refall in love with myself. That’s what I’ve been doing. One thing about being a stylist is that people say it’s fun to be creative, but I never looked at myself as a creative. I looked at myself as a businessman. I was good at the business of being a stylist. I think creating other business is something I’m always interested in.
Anything else lined up?
I have a book coming out in the late fall. I can’t give the title of it yet. The book is not a memoir. The memoir is coming soon. I’m afraid to start it! I have some other TV projects in the works. All the announcements will be made!
