Sheryl Lee Ralph accepts the Advocate of the Year Award at Out100

Law Roach is so booked and busy, he must have the power to bend space and time. The celebrity stylist and self-described “image architect” is constantly adding to his résumé and A-list clientele. This year at the Met Gala alone, he dressed six luminaries — Zendaya, Jeremy Pope, Angela Bassett, Cardi B, André 3000, and Tyla — and consulted on styling choices for the Burberry table at the annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. On top of his stylist work, Roach has made a name in the television world as a judge on reality show competitions like RuPaul’s Drag Race and HBO’s ballroom show,Legendary. As if he’s not busy enough, the celebrity stylist was announced as a judge on season 21 of Project Runway, which is set to premiere July 31 on Disney+, Freeform, and Hulu.

It is fitting that one of Hollywood’s premier fashion consultants is now a judge on a show centered around finding the next prominent designer — alongside Heidi Klum, Christian Siriano, and Elle’s editor in chief, Nina Garcia. Aside from forming a tight-knit friendship with Siriano and working with Garcia professionally, Roach says he was excited about the opportunity to join the seasoned fashion veterans.

Nina Garcia and Law Roach are judges on Project Runway season 21Disney/Spencer Pazer

“It just felt like the right time to enter a space that felt really familiar because I grew up watching that show,” he says. “I remember watching Christian’s season when he won, so it felt like a full-circle moment to be invited to be a judge.”

Being a stylist is what makes Roach a captivating judge on these panels. But it’s not only his impeccable eye for beauty that makes him a fan favorite; he’s also funny. His critiques aren’t crass or shiftless, and they come with his signature charm. “When I’m on television, I get to show a small part of myself that is quick-witted and sassy, things I don’t do in my professional life,” Roach says. “This gives me a chance to be expressive in a different way.”

Whether it’s critiquing on Project Runway or Drag Race, his approach is the same. “RuPaul’s Drag Race is a talent show that includes fashion, and Project Runway is a fashion show with great talent,” the stylist explains. “What makes me excited about Project Runwayis that I’m looking at the next generation of Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs and being able to meet those talents at the ground level.” The foundation of his career, he says, was built on working with newer talent and emerging brands, so getting to share his experiences and give real-world advice is something he’s proud to do.

EASTON SCHIRRA

The connections Roach has formed over the past decade of working in the fashion industry are why he cut his retirement short. In March 2023, the image architect announced in an Instagram post that he had retired from styling. But at the 2025 Fashion Trust Awards in April, Roach revealed he was making his foray back into styling with his new muse, actress Ryan Destiny.

He’s spoken in various media appearances about his focus on working with his two main clients, Zendaya and Dion. But it was his love for fashion that brought him back to the styling world. “I just had so much FOMO seeing these beautiful new collections by designers that I call my friends,” Roach explains. Not being able to touch, see, or use the clothes outside the fashion shows made him feel like he wasn’t living up to his true potential, using his “only God-given talent.”

With an achievement list as long as his, it’s hard to wonder what else Roach is striving for — but he says there’s still much more he wants to do. One of his biggest goals is doing more scripted television. Earlier this year, he had a cameo as himself in the Kate Hudson Netflix series Running Point, and he says he wants to continue flexing that muscle. As for future celebrity clients, Roach believes the universe determines which people and opportunities come into his life and when, so there’s no point in forcing anything. “Everything happens organically, and I hope to keep it that way.”

This article is part of Out's July/Aug 2025 issue, which hits newsstands July 1. Support queer media and subscribe— or download the issue now through Apple News, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader.