The legacy of Law Roach - From Zendaya to Celine Dion

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If you didn't immediately google who Celine Dion's stylist was after she performed "My Heart Will Go On" during the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, then the self-proclaimed image-architect and stylist behind the era of Dion's couture comeback will tell you. His name is Law Roach.

"That is probably one my career-defining moments. I had never received so many texts and emails and DMs on social media from other stylist and my peers. I still get chills every time I think about it. It was such an emotional moment for me to part of that. She’s celebrating this song that literally is so important to her career and it was the 20th year anniversary of the 'Titanic.' There were so many things that lead up to it and it was the only time so far that I literally cried," Roach told AOL exclusively during an NYFW Disney celebration for Minnie Mouse’s 90th year anniversary.

"When that chandelier came up I just bursted out into tears and then I looked around the room and everyone was crying - rappers were crying! It was the voice, the women and the legend and the song and that dress. It was super, super powerful to be a part of that."

That dress Roach speaks of was a white haute couture gown by Stephane Rolland, a designer he's never worked with before. The importance of working with newer brands and emerging talent is crucial to Law's success.

The 40-year-old stylist with a tight roster, including Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato, is most famous for his work with Zendaya and Celine. In 2014 Zendaya and Law went people watching outside Lincoln Center during New York Fashion Week, where he threw on a bold yellow and cobalt coat (by an unfamiliar designer, MIUNIKU) over her simple jeans and white tee outfit. That was the first time Zendaya experienced a swarm of photographers. The outfit generated major street style buzz, putting Law on the fashion map for the first time.

Law, who recently made history as the first African American stylist to cover The Hollywood Reporters 25 most powerful stylist issue, has proved that his styling talents have exceeded far beyond street style. When I asked him why it's still important to keep young designers on his radar, he recalled that iconic Zendaya moment.

"I think that’s why you do it because anytime you have the ability to change someone’s life for the better, you should it. I think sometimes people get really caught up on working with established designers but the people that are coming up are the next Marc Jacobs or Michael Kors or whatever. It’s so important to support young talent and I kind of built my career on doing that. Like that MIUNIKU coat that you mentioned, they went on to compete for the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers. It’s those types of things where you build this relationship and it becomes part of your legacy too. In a selfish way, you do it for that. I was new talent and people supported me."

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