FASHION & DESIGN
Renowned for his creative twist and inspired storytelling, stylist Harry Lambert leads the fash pack — and our Fashion and Design category. Here, he talks about creating looks for the likes of Harry Styles and The Crown’s Emma Corrin
Stylist Harry Lambert works with some of the biggest stars (oh hey, Hazza Styles) and revels in pushing the boundaries.
“I like to build a story or character for my shoots. It makes the styling authentic”
Success is always sweeter when it happens to someone who is a genuinely fantastic person, and that’s undoubtedly the case with Londonbased stylist Harry Lambert. Blessed with a wicked sense of humour (and a great cackle), a passion for Julia Davis’s Nighty Night (“How many of those have you had, Sue?”) and boundless enthusiasm for a foray around the gay Marais district during Paris Fashion Week, Lambert has always been a friendly, welcoming energy in fashion (something that can be hard to come by in this industry). As talented as he is fun, Lambert’s rise has been meteoric. He’s currently styling two of the world’s hottest stars: musician and actor, Harry Styles, and Emma Corrin, who has captivated viewers with her portrayal of Princess Diana in Netflix’s The Crown.
Lambert creates moments of wonder with his styling and creative. Across both celebrity and fashion projects, his talents lie in storytelling, and in a world of fast fashion and shrinking budgets and publications, he wows us with romanticised, beautiful and often whimsical fashion stories that transport you to another world — something which is sorely needed right now.
Lambert has worked with fashion’s bighitters, such as Tim Walker, Dave Meyers, and 10 Magazine, as well as newly established fashion trailblazers including Harris Reed. Often collaborating with LGBTQ+ design graduates who go on to become stars of the fashion universe, he straddles working with bright young things and experienced titans such as Alessandro Michele of Gucci with aplomb, never shying away from sexuality and blurring gender boundaries in his photoshoots. His output always gets people talking — see his iconic Margaret Atwood shoot with Tim Walker for the Sunday Times’ Style section. He often champions LGBTQ+ designers, and enjoys playing with society’s perceptions of masculinity and femininity with every cleverly thought-out look.
In his work with Harry Styles, Lambert loves to have fun with fashion, pushing boundaries with, quite frankly, joyous results. It’s an undisputed fact that Styles is one of the world’s best-dressed men. He’s just become the first man to grace a solo cover for US Vogue (in a dress, no less) and Styles has had so many iconic sartorial moments, it’s hard to think of any other celebrity serving us so many looks. In his Vogue feature, Lambert is credited for bringing out the carefree, experimental side of the One Direction alumni.
When styling Emma Corrin, Lambert likes to tell stories through her wardrobe, oscillating from super-high fashion, to playing with androgynous aesthetics or even a complete narrative fantasy, such as when he recently styled Corrin as Oscar Wilde for Buffalozine.
Whether he’s working with models for editorial shoots, or with celebrities, Lambert’s styling evokes a very welcome, more playful, gender-fluid style of dressing, inspiring us all to salvage the long-lost art of storytelling through fashion.
We spoke to Harry about how he got into the industry and the highs and the lows of being in the fashion world.
How did you get started in styling?
I was always a fan of clothes when I was a child. I never knew styling could be a career, but I spent my time obsessed with what I was wearing. When I was 16, I got a job at River Island; I wasn’t cool enough for Topman — I would eventually go on to style for them [laughs]. At River Island, on the weekends, the manager used to let me dress the mannequins, which led me to believe I would become a visual merchandiser. I went to university to study photography and quickly became
friends with the design students and a fellow photographer interested in fashion — we would shoot the design students’ collections. I knew early on that photography was not for me, and in breaks from uni, I would travel to London to intern with magazines and stylists. It was then that I knew what I wanted to be.
Can you remember your first fashion moment, as a child?
Watching Madonna’s music videos on tape — specifically, the Like A Prayer video!
Where do you get your inspiration from when creating a shoot?
I like to build a story or character for my shoots. This makes it easier for me to create the world, and make the styling feel authentic. Even if the audience never understands the story, I like to. I used to go to drama youth theatre from the age of eight and I think that still influences my work.
When did you start working with Harry Styles?
Around seven years ago, most noticeably for the Steal My Girl video.
Is it invigorating to work with such a big star, who is willing to be more creative with their dressing?
We have a lot of fun!
Who do you think are the most progressive and exciting designers working in the industry at the moment?
I work with Harris Reed, who is currently designing their new collection. Harris is an exciting talent that I have the most pleasure and joy working with. Next year is going to be a big year for them, creating beautiful, fluid designs.
I also love S.S. Daley, who works with upcycled fabrics. I also have the privilege to be helping him on his first collection post-university — there are so many exciting young designers working hard in today’s uncertain environment.
What’s your favourite photoshoot you have done in your career?
Harry Styles’ Fine Line campaign with Tim Walker.
Do you have any favourite up-and-coming or new LGBTQ+ designers that you like to work with?
S.S. Daley, Harris Reed, Maximilian [Davis].
Have you had any mishaps or horror shoots that stick in your mind?
My very first womenswear editorial. I was totally not prepared for it in terms of experience. I wanted the world to eat me up afterwards. I rushed into it early on in my career.
Emma Corrin loves to be creative and also androgynous in her dressing. How would you describe her current style?
I am very lucky to work with Emma. She loves to experiment with fashion, which makes my job so much fun and easier. I don’t know how to describe her style as together we are still in a stage of evolution, but she is confident, experimental and fun.