Emma Roberts is one of Hollywood's spookiest actresses - thanks to her starring role in the American Horror Story series. We caught up with her earlier this year to talk about her collaboration with Diane von Furstenberg's 'Journey of a Dress' film series...
Emma Roberts in her Diane Von Furstenberg Wrap Dress
The first thing that strikes when you talk to Emma Roberts is this is a girl who really likes clothes. She’s niece to Julia Roberts, star of fashion’s favourite cult TV series American Horror Story and one of young Hollywood’s most in-demand actresses. The 23-year-old has been carving a career for herself ever since she bagged the part of Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz’s daughter in Blow a decade ago. But as an archetypical girl’s girl, all she wants to do it talk shoes.
'I was always into clothes. Even as a kid I would change five times a day,' she laughs. Though she was born in New York and grew up in Los Angeles, her first fashion icon, she explains, hailed from this side of the Atlantic. ‘I loved The Spice Girls growing up, I wore little dresses and big shoes so I could look like Baby Spice.’ Perhaps fortunately for Emma’s Best Dressed List rankings, her tastes evolved, arriving today at her highly coveted look – a mash up of low-key Coachella-ready cool for day and flawless red-carpet elegance courtesy of brands including Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and Balenciaga for night.
Emma is a big fan of Instagram
It’s this fashion savvy – as well as her 2.8 Twitter and 1.6 million Instagram followers - that have made her designer catnip, with brands angling to get a hit of the Roberts 2.0 magic and megawatt smile. Her most recent project is with Diane von Furstenberg, part of that label’s ‘Journey of a Dress’ series of short films. Emma has a strong relationship with the brand – she was Diane’s guest at last year’s Met Ball – and picked up her first iconic DVF ‘wrap dress’ when she was just a teenager. ‘I can remember seeing all my older friends wearing them and wanting one so badly. Her dresses suit everyone – big boobs, small boobs, tall or short,’ she says. At 5ft 2in Emma is put-her-in-your-pocket-tiny something she says she is always conscious of, so she suggests going for maxi length wrap dresses with heels as it ‘gives the illusion of me being much taller!’
Emma Roberts on the Red Carpet, Getty
As a red carpet pro and an eager starlet, Ms Roberts’ tips are worth listening to. ‘I love getting dressed up – the red carpet is basically a chance to play dress up. You get your hair and make-up done, all the outfits are there to try on and your friends come over and drink champagne with you. It’s sometimes kind of surreal because there will be these designers you have loved for years and years and suddenly they are giving you dresses to wear – like at the Golden Globes I got to wear this gorgeous Lanvin dress. I just couldn’t believe they were giving it to me to wear.’
Despite her diminutive stature, away from the paparazzi flashbulbs she says stilettos are now off the menu, ‘I used to be a major shoe girl, but I’m always on a flight or running to or from set. I literally now just have three pairs of shoes – Converse, a Chloe boot and a black wedge.’ But her heel diet hasn’t curbed her healthy retail habit. ‘I am definitely guilty of spending too much time online shopping. I just got back to my apartment and there was this pile of packages blocking the door – I love Etsy, SSENSE and Nasty Gal… and I’m a big fan of Gilt.com too.’
Emma Roberts, Getty
As a strong believer in the high/low mix, she’s also constantly being papped coming out of LA’s Topshop outpost. Little wonder then, she says she, ‘still hasn’t mastered the art of packing. I am the worst overpacker. If I’m going away for four days I’ll fill two cases, which I know is ridiculous.’ Emma also recommends scrolling Instagram for shopping inspiration. ‘I follow a lot of fashion bloggers, stores and designers and so often I'll order a dress after seeing it on one of their feeds – it’s such a fun way to find new wardrobe staples. I mean everything looks so much better with a filter, right? My friends and I are always joking that we’d like to put a filter over our entire lives.’ With accolades for her recent role in Gia Coppola’s Palo Alto alongside James Franco pouring in, a rumoured engagement to long-term boyfriend and co-star Evan Peters and a filming schedule which includes a new series of* AHS* and a role opposite Mickey Rourke, we reckon Emma’s real life is looking pretty good as it is #nofilter.