Nicola Coughlan is having a main-character moment when it comes to her red-carpet style. The actress – who is currently promoting Bridgerton with the help of her stylist Aimée Croysdill – was in Paris this week for the Christian Louboutin show, where she sat front row in a classic black Vivienne Westwood dress from Mytheresa, of course, with shimmering Louboutin accessories.
“Nicola is brilliant,” stylist Croysdill tells me. “She brings film references and iconic moments in pop culture and film, then I pair it with fashion moments, so it’s a beautiful synergy between the two. Both of us will bring ideas for different events and we will just roll with it, it’s such a great relationship.”
The most important thing in the styling process is making Nicola feel comfortable, she says. “I want to make people feel amazing and like themselves, that’s the fundamental core of what I do, to get to know someone’s personality and bring out that individual sense.”
With Yara Shahidi, Christian Louboutin and Zoey Deutch
Below, see what Coughlan had to say about why Louboutin is such a good match for her style, her evolving wardrobe and her ultimate fashion icon.
Please talk us through your look – what drew you to this particular outfit?
“As we wanted to center the look around the amazing Louboutin shoes, we paired a truly iconic French brand with an equally iconic British brand, Vivienne Westwood. Aimme and I love Westwood, so we’ve been looking for an opportunity to wear one of her corseted designs – this totally feels like the perfect time.”
How do you decide which brands you want to work with?
“Aimee and I both keep an eye on things that are happening, without following trends too much. We look for overarching themes in fashion and what will work for the story we want to tell. For example, the Bridgerton press story we’re embarking on at the moment is going to be a month-long thing, so it’s about looking at what you want to put across in previous seasons. In previous seasons, I’ve not been the leading lady in this one, I am so we’re definitely taking it in that direction this time, so it feels like a really fun way to advance it.”
What makes Louboutin such a great fit for you and your personal style?
“Louboutin is such an iconic brand. Everyone knows the red bottom soles, so to have something so recognizable like that is amazing. There are very few brands that have such an incredible calling card – the shoes just elevate any look that you wear them with .”
How involved do you tend to be with the styling process?
“I tend to be quite involved. Aimee and I have such a great relationship so we tend to bounce ideas off each other all the time. We’re constantly sending each other different references and various looks from the runway. The part I enjoy about it is fashion is just a different form of storytelling, so I get a lot of joy from it. The more Aimee and I plan look together, the more I love it.”
How has your style evolved over the years?
“My style has evolved a lot, as when I started going to events or being in the public eye, I used to throw on stuff that didn’t make me feel amazing. I felt so defeatist about the whole thing, which was so silly , as I really love fashion and dressing up, but I was more focused on what being under people’s gaze and being criticized would be like. Then I thought how dumb that was and instead dressed up how I wanted. If you feel good, everything else is completely irrelevant. I always try and take that with me.”
What has been your most memorable fashion moment in recent years and why?
“I really loved the Richard Quinn look I wore to the Met Gala last year, because for me and my team it was all of our first time going to the event. I love sitting at home watching the Met, I’m always very picky when people don’t get the brief right. I felt that Richard Quinn and his team really nailed the brief when we approached them, they pulled it together so quickly, so I always look back on that really fondly.”
Whose style have you always admired and why?
“It’s an obvious answer, but it has to be Zendaya for me. I love her partnership with Law Roach, it’s so exciting to see what they’re going to do next and that they have so much fun with fashion. It’s always so creative and makes sense for whatever project they’re linking it with – the Mugler look she recently wore to the Dune red carpet, you have to be a serious style icon to pull that off and she really did.”
What is your ideal getting-ready set-up?
“I’ll get the playlist going! I like to have drinks and snacks ready for everyone if I’m getting ready at home. I think one glass of champagne before a red carpet is the ideal amount if you can. Just simply have the time to get ready is great, myself and my team all love to have a good chat and gossip about looks we liked and didn’t like, which is all part of the fun of it.”
When do you feel most beautiful?
“I like taking the time to do my own self-care, hair and make-up. I know a lot of people say they feel the most beautiful with no make-up on, but when I do it’s when I’ve really taken care of myself, drank enough water and got enough sleep. Then I can sit down and look at my face, take it all in and just thoughtfully apply my make-up. I really love that process, it’s like a different version of myself than I would present on a red carpet or on screen, it feels like something that belongs to me, I really love those opportunities.”
Fashion has a reputation for being frivolous, but why does what we wear matter?
“Fashion matters because it’s how it makes you feel. I always say to people, that you’ll feel different in a pair of pajamas to a ball gown. When I dress up, it makes me feel more powerful and sometimes sexier, it can make you feel a million different ways. There’s so much power in dressing, if you can utilize it to make you feel your best then that’s a brilliant thing.”
