Zoe’s fashion choices were a huge part of Hathaway’s transformation from plucky teen star of The Princess Diaries to Oscar award-winning actress. After starring in The Devil Wears Prada in 2006, Hathaway commented that fashion was something she “still couldn’t get right,” so her dynamic red carpet appearances in the last few years are proof of Zoe’s influence. A head-turner was Hathaway’s look at the 2011 White Fairy Ball, where she took the theme to heart in an ethereal white Valentino gown and tiara. In 2005, Zoe told the New York Times, “I’m not trying to make people look like me, but when you spend a lot of time with someone, you rub off on each other.” Maybe that had something to do with the icy blonde ‘do that Hathaway debuted at the 2013 Met Gala and was still rocking at the Tate Americas Foundation Artists Dinner where Zoe put her in a directional petal pink Givenchy mini dress.
Later that year, Hathaway returned to her roots hair-wise, but took a dramatic turn with her footwear at the Les Miserables premiere where she took a style step forward in out-of-character Tom Ford bondage boots that could’ve only been selected by Zoe. And perhaps the duo’s grande finale together was the pale pink Prada gown Hathaway wore at last year’s Oscars that wasn’t quite *ahem* on-point (and for which she later had to apologize). Over the course of the decade, Zoe gave Hathaway a signature style that was often soft and feminine, with unexpected moments of edginess.
Hathaway’s first appearance in a Lovell look was at the Sundance Film Festival premiere of her indie film Song One. The actress took an androgynous turn in a slouchy hunter green suit with boots and a feather lapel accent, a marked departure from some of her sweeter looks with Zoe. For the Hollywood Stands Up to Cancer event, Lovell selected another menswear-inspired look with a Viktor & Rolf silk jacket and trousers. The polka dot Paule Ka jumpsuit that Lovell put her in at the Reel Stories, Reel Lives event had laid-back-chic written all over it, a theme that seems to be emerging for the actress. The cream Chloe trousers and jacket which she wore for an interview with filmmaker Ang Lee followed suit.
But it hasn’t all been borrowed from the boys with Lovell. She styled the actress in an appropriately colorful Roksanda Ilincic dress for the Rio 2 premiere, and dug into the archives to turn up a vintage Chanel “No Smoking” blouse and maxi skirt for Hathaway to wear at a recent screening of the movie. Some might have been waiting for Hathaway to make another blunder at this year’s Academy Awards, but Lovell made sure that Hathaway was camera-ready in a glamorous Gucci halter gown with a heavily embellished top. And we have to wonder whether it was Lovell’s connections that got Hathaway into a custom Viktor & Rolf monochromatic gown for the Vanity Fair after party.
So far, Hathaway’s new style with Lovell is relatively understated and laid-back with tomboy notes and hints at a more playful direction, though we have yet to see any real exclamation points from the pairing. We look forward to seeing how Hathaway’s look will evolve with Lovell’s influence. Lovell told Harper’s Bazaar, “I always give my clients this advice: Feel happy in your look! Nothing looks or photographs worse than someone who looks uncomfortable or like they’re in pain.” Hathaway’s mega-watt smiles suggest that she’s happy with her new look.
