12 Dec Emma Corrin’s Gender-Fluid Style is a Win on the Red Carpet
Emma Corrin’s incredible talent shines through as they effortlessly transition from playing the iconic role of Princess Diana to a 1950s housewife in My Policeman, all while expressing themselves through their unique and inspiring gender-fluid style.
The British non-binary actor Corrin broke out into the industry in 2017, and within two years, they had won the hearts of audiences and the acclaim of reviewers everywhere with their depiction of Diana as the Crown’s fourth season’s central figure. Now, in Corrin’s newest work, My Policeman, they play a less lauded but nonetheless well-recognized role: that of the 1950s housewife.
Prime Video On-Demand and Streaming on Amazon Premiering at TIFF last month and hitting shelves in early November are My Policeman, starring modern-day global superstar Harry Styles as the young policeman Tom. Marion, Styles’s sweet but nave wife, is played by Corrin, who plays the role of an unwitting bystander in the central romantic interaction. Even though Marion and Tom’s relationship isn’t quite love at first sight, the actors are able to hit it off quickly because they had already met through their common stylist, Harry Lambert. Since we were already buddies, it was great, Corrin said over Zoom, which was convenient. Working with folks you get along with is guaranteed to be enjoyable, so I knew we’d have a blast.
It’s interesting to see Corrin and Styles, who are both recognized for their gender-bending sense of style, perform opposite each other in such stereotypically male and female roles and attire. Most of the movie features Marion, a young educator, dressed in period appropriate garments such as cardigan sweaters and skirts that reach just below the knee. Even Nevertheless, Corrin and I were both particularly fond of Marion’s throwback swimsuits. “The outfits are amazing, and we had a great time doing highly collaborative work with the costume department,” they said. At some point in developing a character’s backstory, I find that the outfits are the last touch. Since there were so many extras on the beach dressed for the time period, Brighton itself became a character, adding levity to an otherwise gloomy film.
Corrin’s on-screen persona shifts are simply one way in which their personal style and sense of presentation are influenced by the fashion of the day. In August, Corrin became the first nonbinary person to appear on the cover of Vogue. She did it while sporting a sparkly Louis Vuitton tank dress and a classic New York Yankees baseball cap. Corrin wowed at TIFF in a bikini-cut Miu Miu bodysuit with billowing sleeves, a train, iridescent makeup, and translucent tights (no bottoms). Corrin, the face of the brand in its current advertising campaign, said, “My Miu Miu family is wonderful, and I love the stuff they’re producing.” The new collection is extremely nimble and innovative. Since this is a subject close to my heart, my participation in it makes me very happy.
While Corrin prefers more experimental outfits on the red carpet, they are just as comfortable in the ’70s and ’80s-inspired designs that define their off-duty wardrobe. Corrin proudly displayed an original Harry Lambert design: a graphic sweater featuring a huge snail image. Corrin and Lambert have only worked together since 2020, yet their shared understanding of fashion is already apparent. “[Lambert] and I are really good friends,” Corrin said, “There’s a lot of trusts here, and he really enjoys challenging me to grow, so I just follow him wherever he leads me. However, he is also quite familiar with me. …and that’s a nice way to unwind.”
Corrin is so versatile on the red carpet that they can play anyone from a princess to a housewife. I’m excited to watch where their story goes and how their aesthetic tastes develop.
