Getting Dressed With Laura Herrier

Laura Harrier is having a moment, both on and off screen. The 27 year-old actress has her first bona fide hit with Spider-Man: Homecoming, in which she stars as Liz Allan, the titular character’s love interest and high school classmate. In real life, the Chicago native has become something of a fashion world darling for her eclectic-yet-classic red carpet looks. Radiant in Rosie Assoulin at the CFDA Fashion Awards. Edgy in a crop top at Louis Vuitton’s Kyoto Cruise show. Playful in neon separates for a Brazil photo call. Some of the credit belongs to Harrier’s stylist, the brilliant Danielle Nachmani. But as Nachmani is quick to note, “Laura and I work together in a super collaborative way. She has a really strong aesthetic, I’m just here to educate her a bit about the world of fashion and the designers that are available to her.”

VIOLET GREY joined Harrier and her team for a Migos-soundtracked evening before the Los Angeles premiere of Spiderman: Homecoming, during which she opened up about everything from portraying a modern superhero’s girlfriend, to the facial spray that’ll make you feel pretty super-powered too.

SUBJECT: Laura Harrier | @lauraharrier
OCCUPATION: Actress
OCCASION: Los Angeles premiere of Spider-Man: Homecoming
TEAM: Lottie S (makeup), Teddi Cranford (hair), Danielle Nachmani (styling), Michelle Saunders (nails)
VENUE: Chateau Marmont
THE LOOK: Dress by Calvin Klein By Appointment, jewelry by Bulgari, shoes by Manolo Blahnik.

THE LOOK
“[Laura’s dress] is Calvin Klein by Appointment by Raf Simons. We worked directly with the Calvin Klein team on this piece. They showed us a bunch of options, but it was a no-brainer. When we walked in, they said, we already know which dress is the dress. I really wanted Laura to have a moment that glamorous without taking away from her overall aesthetic, which is very simple, cool and timeless. This was going glamorous for the premiere but in a way that felt very us. It’s red, it’s daring—it’s velvet in June!

We’re pairing it with Bulgari jewels: diamond serpent earrings with ruby eyes and a lot of diamond rings. And a pair of Manolo Blahnik champagne satin heels. Super classic. Super timeless. And I feel like it will be a moment for Laura to stand out in a way she really deserves and, I don’t know, just feel like a million bucks [laughs]!”—DANIELLE NACHMANI

THE MAKEUP
“After looking at the dress, Danielle and I decided that we wanted to stay away from color, because it’s a statement. It’s very red. So we did really glowy skin and a clean-but-smoky eye with bronzes, golds and shimmery taupes. Like a wash of a smoky eye. The outer corners are lined for definition and then pulled out, smudged out.

I’m using mostly NARS eyeshadows—I really love them and they work well with [this look]. We used the Dual-Intensity Shadows in Himalia and Ursa Major. And of course it’s all about her skin, because she has beautiful skin. I used all Caudalie skin care—their Beauty Elixir and Premier Cru The Cream—and that’s mostly all that is on her skin. I didn’t use foundation, only a bit of NARS concealer in Ginger sheered out with a little moisturizer. Just a fresh, simple vibe.”—LOTTIE S

THE HAIR
“So, you’ve seen the dress: very low neck, really nice shoulders. Plus, she’s wearing all this gorgeous jewelry. So the hair isn’t the showstopper, it’s supporting the rest of the look. We’re doing a low, loose ponytail with some texture. It’s super simple.

I used Oribe Mousse to blow out her hair and to give it a little bit of a grip. With the blowout, I’m being mindful of the fact I’m putting it back behind her shoulders and bringing everything down. I always love the Tigi Bed Head spray but sometimes it can make the hair look a little dry, so I use a bit of Bumble & Bumble Invisible Oil after I blow it out. There’s a fine line between texture and frizzy—for the red carpet, you want that cool girl vibe, but with polish. And I’m eyeballing it with the Dry Texturizing Spray by Oribe, just to support the pony and make sure it stays as-is. That’s the thing with undone hair. People think it’s so simple, but, from the very beginning, every product and every technique is a set-up to the end.

Laura and I have been working together since the beginning—we met through a friend and I started cutting her hair. And I remember the day she came to Los Angeles to do a casting [for the film]. And a month later she came back and casually said, “I got Spider-Man.” I’m like, holy crap, that’s awesome. She’s a dream client because she can really carry a look. I just want my clients to look like the best versions of themselves. That could mean super-polished and sleek, that could mean 1940s-inspired, that could mean Kate Moss vibes. I feel like we work really well together, because even if it’s a full look, she still looks like Laura. Nothing is wearing her. And I’m really mindful of that.” — TEDDI CRANFORD

THE NAILS
“On her hands, we have the exact same color as her beautiful Manolos. It’s called Cocktails and Coconuts by essie. It’s a neutral sandy beige with a hint of sheen, as if we were replicating the satin in her shoes. And we used A+ by Essie on her toes—it’s the perfect red-blue for this dress. I find more and more, especially when I do red carpet, that everyone wants [their nails] to match their outfit. It’s tonal, which I think is more elegant for the red carpet. And the nail length is what I like to call an ‘active beauty length,’ meaning it’s still a soft almond shape, but not too long. I always say that nail shape and length has to do with your lifestyle. So if you can rock a long nail, I say go for it, but most of us are really busy with our hands [laughs]!” — MICHELLE SAUNDERS