The bewitching Emma
By Elisa Lipsky-karasz |
August 2, 2009, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE "Harry Potter" film series might weave box office magic, but it's hardly the stuff of style trends, unless wizard robes are your thing. That hasn't stopped Emma Watson, who's portrayed character Hermione Granger for nearly a decade, blossoming into a full-fledged fashion industry favorite off-screen.
Shedding Hermione's sensible cardigans, Watson's real-life wardrobe includes frocks from such heavy-hitting labels as Chanel, Proenza Schouler and Burberry, for which she is the latest celebrity face.
It's a surprising transformation for a girl who was fresh off the school field hockey pitch when she started the series, but Watson swears she doesn't want it to distract from any cinematic achievements. "I really don't want fashion to overshadow my career, that's my worst nightmare," she said. "First and foremost, I'm an actress."
Just before "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" opened last week, the 19-year-old Brit sat down to discuss red-carpet choices, celebrity endorsements and her decision to head to college.
On Burberry:
Watson met Creative Director Christopher Bailey at last year's Burberry and Vanity Fair party at London's National Portrait Gallery. "We just really hit it off," remembered Watson of that night. Cut to Bailey calling to ask her to be in the house's latest campaign, shot by Mario Testino.
"I was really excited," she said. "I've done a bit of modeling over the past year so I had practice." "I felt very strongly that she would be perfect to hold the whole campaign," said Bailey, who cast her alongside five boys.
"I loved the idea of Emma being surrounded by these young, cool British guys."
On red carpets:
"You feel like you're gearing up for a marathon," said Watson, who often pulls premiere night looks herself. (The starlet works occasionally with a stylist "friend" whom she declines to name).
"I've really enjoyed having personal relationships with designers. It's amazing to be able to go to them directly," said the actress, who also looks to younger talents like Christopher Kane and Phillip Lim.
Off-duty, she hits high-street brand Reiss to find blazers that "aren't massive on me," which the dainty star pairs with T-shirts, jeans and chunky All Saints lace-up boots.
On celeb fashion brands:
Unlike many of her famous peers, Watson said she had no plans to do her own line.
"I'm really not interested in doing it for my own ego. I'm not a designer," she said matter-of-factly.
"If someone asked me to do something that was beneficial to a cause, then maybe I'd consider it, but not just (to be able to say) 'Look at me! I've got my own line'!"
"(It's) gotten so ridiculous," she continued. "The idea of making my own perfume makes me want to vomit."
On college:
"The whole reason I'm going is to try and be normal for a bit," said Watson, who plans to go to the United States to study English literature or art but won't say where (rumored schools include Yale and Columbia).
Her refusal to divulge where she'll be studying in September has created a minor tabloid frenzy about her usually under-the-radar-life.
"I'm wondering if it was a mistake not to talk about where I'm going," she sighed. "Maybe it would have been better if I'd just said."
Life after Potter:
Only two more installments of "Harry Potter" remain, but Watson, despite having devoted nearly all of her professional acting life to the franchise, isn't worried.
"I'm really relaxed," she said. "I'm not desperate to take on a really adult role. I'm happy to work on whatever comes along."
Besides, she points out, "at college, you get five months off a year. That's loads of time to do projects."
Shedding Hermione's sensible cardigans, Watson's real-life wardrobe includes frocks from such heavy-hitting labels as Chanel, Proenza Schouler and Burberry, for which she is the latest celebrity face.
It's a surprising transformation for a girl who was fresh off the school field hockey pitch when she started the series, but Watson swears she doesn't want it to distract from any cinematic achievements. "I really don't want fashion to overshadow my career, that's my worst nightmare," she said. "First and foremost, I'm an actress."
Just before "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" opened last week, the 19-year-old Brit sat down to discuss red-carpet choices, celebrity endorsements and her decision to head to college.
On Burberry:
Watson met Creative Director Christopher Bailey at last year's Burberry and Vanity Fair party at London's National Portrait Gallery. "We just really hit it off," remembered Watson of that night. Cut to Bailey calling to ask her to be in the house's latest campaign, shot by Mario Testino.
"I was really excited," she said. "I've done a bit of modeling over the past year so I had practice." "I felt very strongly that she would be perfect to hold the whole campaign," said Bailey, who cast her alongside five boys.
"I loved the idea of Emma being surrounded by these young, cool British guys."
On red carpets:
"You feel like you're gearing up for a marathon," said Watson, who often pulls premiere night looks herself. (The starlet works occasionally with a stylist "friend" whom she declines to name).
"I've really enjoyed having personal relationships with designers. It's amazing to be able to go to them directly," said the actress, who also looks to younger talents like Christopher Kane and Phillip Lim.
Off-duty, she hits high-street brand Reiss to find blazers that "aren't massive on me," which the dainty star pairs with T-shirts, jeans and chunky All Saints lace-up boots.
On celeb fashion brands:
Unlike many of her famous peers, Watson said she had no plans to do her own line.
"I'm really not interested in doing it for my own ego. I'm not a designer," she said matter-of-factly.
"If someone asked me to do something that was beneficial to a cause, then maybe I'd consider it, but not just (to be able to say) 'Look at me! I've got my own line'!"
"(It's) gotten so ridiculous," she continued. "The idea of making my own perfume makes me want to vomit."
On college:
"The whole reason I'm going is to try and be normal for a bit," said Watson, who plans to go to the United States to study English literature or art but won't say where (rumored schools include Yale and Columbia).
Her refusal to divulge where she'll be studying in September has created a minor tabloid frenzy about her usually under-the-radar-life.
"I'm wondering if it was a mistake not to talk about where I'm going," she sighed. "Maybe it would have been better if I'd just said."
Life after Potter:
Only two more installments of "Harry Potter" remain, but Watson, despite having devoted nearly all of her professional acting life to the franchise, isn't worried.
"I'm really relaxed," she said. "I'm not desperate to take on a really adult role. I'm happy to work on whatever comes along."
Besides, she points out, "at college, you get five months off a year. That's loads of time to do projects."
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