Law Roach has the industry in a frenzy after announcing his retirement in an Instagram post on Tuesday. The 44-year-old celebrity stylist - who refers to himself as an "image architect" - is the mastermind behind some of the most viral fashion moments in recent years and is perhaps best known for his long-time partnership with Zendaya, though he has also worked with Tom Holland, Celine Dion, Kanye West, Ariana Grande and Kerry Washington. The news is particularly shocking given the Met Gala is mere weeks away.
The caption of his post reads: "My Cup is empty….. thank you to everyone who’ve supported me and my career over the years. Every person that trusted me with their image, I’m so grateful for you all. If this business was just about the clothes I would do it for the rest of my life but unfortunately it’s not! The politics , the lies and false narratives finally got me! You win … I’m out."
Celebrities, designers and creatives flooded the comments section with words of encouragement, as well as to voice their disbelief. "Law I won't let you!" wrote Naomi Campbell. "We don't quit... strived too hard." Zuhair Murad wrote "We love you" alongside three heart emojis, while designer Christian Siriano expressed his shock with a simple "Absolutely not." Pierpaolo Piccioli, Giambattista Valli, Herve Leger, Brandon Blackwood and countless celebrity stylists also commented on the post.
The word on the (virtual) street? Netizens are speculating reasons for Law's departure, one theory being his snub at the recent Louis Vuitton Paris Fashion Week show, where he was denied a front-row seat alongside Zendaya - who is the House's latest ambassador - despite being a FROW frequenter. Others suggest he is retiring as his work for high-fashion Houses often goes uncredited.
I’m crying at this <a href="https://t.co/ZIYUgDQCiq">pic.twitter.com/ZIYUgDQCiq</a>
Whether the retirement will stick or is the result of a spur-of-the-moment decision remains to be seen.
