“I was supposed to start my gap year this year and go to Japan two weeks after lockdown started in March,” Iris Law explains to Vogue via Zoom from her London home. Like many of us, her plans were halted due to COVID-19, so the model daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost decided to dedicate her time to raising funds for frontline workers instead.
During quarantine with her boyfriend Jyrrel Roberts and close friend Lila Moss, Law created a virtual cookbook—freshly made beetroot spaghetti, floral decorated biscuits and glazed doughnuts are her specialty—sold online with all proceeds going to the charity Meals for the NHS. At the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in June, she followed up with another instalment, sharing her recipes with those who donated to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
It’s been five years since Law made her first foray into modelling for London-based brand Illustrated People and she’s steadily begun to redefine the era of the model for gen Z. Her charity work is a prime example of how multifaceted her interests are off the catwalk. While waiting to start university—“I was really excited to go back to education,” she says—the 20-year-old experimented with recipes for her cookbook. Now, she’s knee-deep into her virtual first term, and her chosen course of textiles is a natural fit for the star who, since finishing her A-levels in June 2019, has dabbled in making DIY swimsuits and working with naturally dyed accessories.
Following in the footsteps of her godmother Kate Moss, Law made her Paris Fashion Week debut in March, walking for Miu Miu AW20. Draped in a 1980s black appliqué and yellow overlay dress, her hair in light finger waves, she told Vogue of the experience: “Miu Miu has always inspired me as a brand, and the pieces I’ve worn from there have definitely impacted the growth of my personal style.” A longstanding Jonathan Anderson fan, she was also approached by Spanish house Loewe in October to do a self-shoot, interpreting her idea of creativity in fashion.
Scrolling through her Instagram feed, it’s clear to see why a revolving door of luxury brands have Law’s agent on speed dial. Expect to see her posting cool wardrobe staples—think British designer Emma Brewin’s cult tangerine faux-fur hat or Charlotte Knowles’ slate-grey corset and flares—for her 356k followers.
Here, Vogue speaks to Iris Law about her whirlwind year, the importance of being comfortable with personal style, sustainability in fashion, and how lockdown forced her to get creative.
How have you been coping during lockdown?
I’ve largely remained hopeful and positive because I’ve spent a great deal of time with my family—everyone found out who their closest loved ones were, who they want to spend time with and who their truest friends are this year.
Normally, I’m used to checking my phone, replying to emails and Instagram, but I’ve been using that time to do things for myself and extending my self-care routine. I’m enjoying cooking with my boyfriend and making our space a sacred place, taking care of our plants.
You often share your homemade recipes on Instagram—has cooking become your solace?
Finding recipes I can share with people is what I really enjoy; my favourite thing to make is raw cacao snack balls from dates, almonds and pistachios.
During lockdown, I decided to focus on making all the recipes I had always wanted to learn. At the height [of the UK’s first Covid-19 wave] in May, I wanted to help the NHS in any way possible. I tend to write recipes down as I go, so I thought it would be cool to turn my makeshift recipes into a cookbook to help raise money for the NHS and I ended up raising more than £3,000.
You starred in the Heaven by Marc Jacobs campaign recently. What was it like working with the legendary designer?
Expressing myself through clothes excites me the most, and Zoom shoots have really pushed me to be more creative with my photography.
Working with Marc Jacobs on the Heaven campaign shoot felt surreal—the images felt hugely archival and the concept was so nostalgic—down to the events surrounding the launch, such as the drive-in cinema night. The project felt as though it was something that would be looked back on fondly in 20 years. I could also imagine a younger me loving the design and concept, too.
What excites you the most in fashion?
Fashion is something that I’ve always been hugely interested in since I was younger and it’s an important part of my family. My dad always encouraged me and my siblings to express ourselves through our clothes and choose what we liked. I had a phase where I just wore smart trousers tucked into cowboy boots. Making my own clothes was super interesting for me—I used to get my grandma to help me print images on to silk and then plaster them on handbags or vests.
As I’m getting older, I’m becoming more comfortable with myself and what I like—it’s easy in this time of Instagram to subconsciously be told what to like. I enjoy putting outfits together and wearing bright clothing.
My favourite bag at the moment is the luminous Loewe x Smiley bag. Even if I’m in loungewear with an oversized coat, that bag just makes all my outfits feel like more of an outfit. There’s also a jewellery designer called Beepy Bella who makes cute necklaces and earrings made from clay and glass—it’s so fun.
You’re a fan of creating DIY pieces—how can younger generations best practise sustainability?
It’s important to find love in your clothing. Once people have seen me wearing something on Instagram, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t wear it again. It’s encouraging that a lot of young people are buying vintage now—you should be buying things that are special because of the craftsmanship and the story behind it. I wear my shoes until they completely fall apart. In my day-to-day life, I like to rotate my favourite clothes and I find real comfort in doing that.
I buy a lot of my vintage clothing from Etsy and Vestiaire Collective, but if I’m in Soho, London, for meetings, I’ll pop into a great store called Reign. At the moment, my mind is focused on working with sustainable designers on projects that feel most authentic to me—it connects my love for fashion with sustainability and allows me to use my platform to vocalise an important cause dear to my heart.
