Law Roach, the famous “image architect” of Zendaya and other stars, is building a new life for himself

The mere mention of Law RoachThe name conjures up some of the most unforgettable fashion moments of recent years. Think about it Zendayas futuristic nostalgia in the Mugler archive for the Dune: Part Two World premiere in London, Naomi Campbell She wore the same Chanel look in Cannes that she first debuted on the runway for the brand's fall 1996 couture show, or the entire time challenger Press tour that hard-launched the now-ubiquitous tenniscore trend.

Roach, who believes fashion is “armor,” has worked with legions of It girls since the late 1970s. In 2006 he co-opened Deliciously Vintage Siobhan Strong in Chicago, long before he left his indelible mark on Hollywood. Now he is stepping away from the shelves for the first time to literally forge a new narrative with his book. How to Build a Fashion Icon: Confidence Advice from the World's Only Image Architect.

“I wanted to give people who supported me and followed my journey, who subscribed to this thing – whatever this thing I'm doing – a part of me that I felt was tangible and relatable and that made me feel like “To be back where I started… with people,” he says of his decision to write a self-help book.

In the book, Roach imparts his wisdom through a series of lessons about the crucial role of clothing in building self-confidence. Each chapter contains raw anecdotes that illuminate his own experiences, from unapologetically discovering his life on the South Side of Chicago to instilling fearlessness in a young Zendaya (who later became the youngest recipient of the CFDA Fashion Icon Award) to shy exposition a Vetements hoodie for an always polished look Celine Dion.

“Someone like Zendaya says that working with me taught her to be confident with fashion, and someone like Celine Dion says that working with me helped her regain her confidence after the loss of her husband when I play a small role in that “I give these women confidence and hope I can do the same for the readers of this book,” he says.

Ahead of the book's release, Roach spoke with Vanity Fair about grieving an old version of yourself, the importance of giving back, and finding joy in pursuing new things.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Vanity Fair: Last year you famously announced your retirement, and I want to know how this book represents the new era in which you find yourself.

The book was actually part of the healing process. A lot of who I was as a person was based on what I did for a living. When I decided to leave, I was completely gone for six or seven months. I went through all stages of grief because I felt like a part of me had died. So I felt guilty. What about all the people who looked up to me? Would they consider me a quitter? Have I disappointed them? And that gave me a bit of depression. I really felt like I was grieving that part of myself, and writing a book and having something else to focus on calmed me down. And as you said, when I wrote these chapters, I was writing chapters of my new life and basically starting a new book.

It was very healing. When I went into it, everyone wanted the memoir. I just didn't want to do it, I wasn't ready for it. As you prepare to write your memoir, you must commit to being vulnerable and extremely transparent. And even though I am those things, I didn't know if I was ready to tell the whole story. And again, I wanted to give something that people could actually use.

I'm sure there will be lessons in my memoir, particularly about things I've been able to overcome in my career and personal life, but with this book the reader can take those lessons immediately and incorporate them into their lives.

Even though you say you weren't ready to fully commit to it, a lot of the book was really honest and raw. So I'm wondering what gave you the courage to go into this a little bit, even if you didn't want to go into it all the way. You were very vulnerable in the book, and I know there's probably a lot more, but as a reader, I want to tell you this.

Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I wrote the book authentically myself. My voice, how I live my life every day, just endured that. I've always been very open and honest about where I come from and how I built my career and life before Hollywood. So that just couldn't change because that's exactly who I am.