Emma D’Arcy’s red-carpet fashion moodboards look a little different to your average Hollywoodite’s. The star’s world is built on underground club references – leather palaces from the ’70s are currently piquing their interest – along with pictures of alt-rock goddess Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe’s provocative photographs. “They just get it right away,” says D’Arcy’s stylist Rose Ford of the abstract storytelling she and her client feed off.
Hours before the UK premiere of season two of the prequel, Forde is texting D’Arcy images of Jean Reno in the ’90s psycho thriller . “This is the vibe!” reads the text exchange accompanying the devilishly stylish shots of the quintessential baddie in action. “It’s a scary realm to be in as an actor,” says Forde of equipping her stars with the tools to brave the step-and-repeat.
“You’re so used to not being yourself and then having to be yourself on the red carpet is a lot. I try to make it an interesting creative collaboration rather than just grabbing attention.” If this makes Forde sound like an emotional support coach shrouding actors – CC: Cillian Murphy, Matt Smith and Jessie Buckley – in looks that play it safe, then that belies Rose’s wicked way with tailoring.
The directional black and white suit D’Arcy wore to take on London’s Leicester Square (no mean feat) comes from young Albanian-Italian brand Çanaku, which has only been presenting its androgynous, postmodern separ.