Video: Getting ready with Lily-Rose Depp for the London premiere of 'Nosferatu'
We predict that 2025 will see us relish in the revival of gothic romance, and we have Lily-Rose Depp to thank. The actress, who is Bazaar's February cover star, has graced our screens in various projects over the past few years, including The King, in which she starred opposite Timothée Chalamet, and her lead role in the LA-spun series The Idol.
But it's her eerily enchanting depiction of Ellen Hunter in Robert Eggers' latest film, Nosferatu, that has invoked an increased appetite for the horror genre and vampiric style. A remake of the 1922 film of the same name (which itself was an adaptation of the original Dracula story), Nosferatu contains all the great hallmarks of the gothic genre, from possession to obsession, set against a haunting period backdrop.
Hunter represents one of Depp's most complex characters yet, and paired with Eggers' stylistic storytelling and star-studded cast, the film has gained a cult following before it's even left the cinema.
Off the screen, the actress has embraced Nosferatu's gothic glamour for her red-carpet appearances, and she's well-positioned to do so. Her father, Johnny Depp, has starred in countless signature gothic horrors – from Edward Scissorhands to Sleepy Hollow – while she also has had long-entwined history with fashion, stretching back to before she was born. Her mother, Vanessa Paradis, forged a close relationship with Chanel as a model and ambassador for the French fashion house, something that Lily-Rose has continued as long-standing muse and face of the brand. A deep appreciation of style runs in the blood.
"When you're out there representing a project, it's fun to be in-keeping with the tone of it, and it serves as fun inspiration, especially with something like this," she tells Bazaar while getting ready for the Nosferatu London premiere. "I've always loved period movies and there's a bounty of fashion inspiration to be found in that world, so what better time to lean into that?"
This is evident in the looks she's chosen throughout the press tour thus far (and will no doubt continue to do). Her outfits and beauty looks have encompassed an understated approach to method dressing, evoking the subversive and subtly spooky, but in a style that's still quintessentially Depp.
"The physical representation of whatever character you're playing is so important," she says. "It's kind of a way into them, because of course the way that we present ourselves physically says so much about who we are and who we want to be."
For the London premiere, she selected a soft grey silk-taffeta skirt suit by Chanel, a look pulled from its autumn/winter 2020 couture collection. With a romantic ruffled collar and ornamental jewelled cross sat on the bodice, the ensemble notably references Nosferatu's gothic and religious themes while still retaining her authentic style.
"This particular look gives very much that 19th-century vibe, but I think it also feels a bit modern and almost slightly Eighties, and then the hair and make-up is gorgeous Forties glamour," explains her stylist and close friend Spencer Singer.
The Forties have indeed been a focus for Depp; music from the era is providing the soundtrack to the evening's preparations, while she and her team pulled influence from vintage glamour and Hollywood icons for her premiere beauty look. "We're doing a Veronica Lake-inspired look," says Depp of her hairstyle, which was the work of stylist George Northwood. "She's an amazing actress and she's also just a huge beauty inspiration for me. I've always loved her, so we're definitely channelling Veronica with the hair."
Depp's make-up has been done to complement her pewter-grey ensemble, with a cool-toned smokey eye, straight wing and lined lip – courtesy of make-up artist Morgane Martini using Chanel Beauty. It's clear that the relationship between Depp and her team of make-up and hair artists is an open, collaborative one, with the experts referencing elements of her chosen outfit for the evening. She doesn't stray too far from her signature look which she explains would be "a lip liner and a pulled-out wing," which, sure enough, she's sporting that evening. "I never leave the house without a lined lip, that's for sure," she says. "I love a nice cool-toned browny, smudgy lip line."
Les Beiges Eyeshadow Palette
Noir Allure All-in-One Mascara
Rouge Coco Baume
She credits the beauty experts that she's interacted with through her career in fashion and film for allowing her to find her own look. "Being lucky enough to have worked with so many incredible make-up artists over the years, I feel like I've picked up tips and tricks, and my own make-up skills have benefitted from that, which I'm very thankful for," she says.
The best make-up tip she's learnt along the way? "Nina Park taught me about contouring your lips before you do lip liner," Depp shares. "You can use any contour or bronzer and you just put it there and there [signalling to the middle edges of her upper and lower lip] and then you line."
Depp comes across with the depth and experience of an old soul, which is perhaps why it's easy to forget that she's still 25, something we're only reminded of when she recalls growing up in the golden years of beauty vloggers. "I'm a YouTube beauty guru generation kind of girl," she says. "I grew up watching all of the iconic beauty gurus of the 2010s and they taught me so much."
Indeed, her lack of pretence and the openness to which she embraces the high-low of life is part of what makes Depp so endearing. "When do I feel most beautiful? I really feel like I wish that I could say when I'm just bare-faced, but honestly I feel most beautiful with a gorgeous full beat," she says, laughing. "If I'm being honest."
Find more insights into Depp's getting-ready process, her relationship with Chanel and her love of dressing up in the full video above.
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