You might feel like you’re seeing Andrew Scott everywhere at the moment, and that’s because... you are. The Irish actor was recently on stage for the one-man performance of Anton Chekhov’s Vanya, then went straight into an All Of Us Strangers press tour that’s been plastered across all social media platforms, and as of last week, he's populated best-dressed lists as he undertakes the long and lengthy awards show circuit. Today, you’ll likely see him on your phone and/or computer screen as a front-row guest at yesterday’s Louis Vuitton mens show.
“We've got our movie opening [for All Of Us Strangers] in the UK and Ireland next week,” he tells me over the phone, speaking about his busy schedule from his Paris hotel room. “So I've got a bit more talking to do and then hopefully it will chill out a bit.”
In this instance, our conversation isn’t so much about his past roles (you'll likely know him as the hot priest in critically-acclaimed Fleabag, ditto Sherlock's nemesis, Jim Moriarty, in the hit 2010s TV show) or projects in the pipeline (next up: the lead in the buzzy TV remake Ripley). Instead, we're here to discuss something else that regularly places him in the spotlight: his red-carpet style.
“I really celebrate the fact that menswear has now become so eclectic and so playful. I think it's a really, really good thing, in a particular with formalwear," he says. "We're not scared of colour anymore, and I like the fact that we're breaking boundaries in relation to gender and how we're supposed to where [clothes]. It's exciting and surprising.”
His interest in fashion was birthed from other creative pursuits. “I've always had a really big interest in art and particularly colour,” he explains, mentioning how his mother was an art teacher and that he spent his childhood “drawing and painting”. He was about to start studying at art school when, at 17, he was cast in his first film. It’s hardly surprising then, that his event looks have the colourful range of a painter’s palette.
“I just feel like I've got a strong idea of the colours that I like now,” alluding that it hasn’t always been that way. “I had a grotesque orange denim shirt as a teenager... and nobody needs to see me in that!”
For the Louis Vuitton show, of which Scott is particularly excited for the “theatrics” the brand always brings, he's collaborated with his stylist Warren Alfie Baker to add a vintage twist to his recent ensembles.
“We have worked with a lot of colour on our press tour for All Of Us Strangers,” shares Alfie Baker. “We love fifties style, as well as a cropped sleeve and trousers. This look has a touch of that vibe and feels perfect for the show.”
Off the red-carpet, Scott favours a more subdued approach to his everyday attire by favouring a standard jeans and hoody combo. You may have even seen them as part of his acting uniform.
“There's a chain that I that I wear all the time, I never really take it off except for when I'm when I'm acting. But recently, I've worn it in Vanya, on the West End, and I've worn it in All Of Us Strangers. It’s something that's very personal to me," he reveals. "And it's interesting, when you're wearing something that's your own it can help in some ways and it can hinder in other ways. So much of acting, I think, is about revealing who you are rather than pretending to be someone else. The most important thing the audience is looking for is the actor to be comfortable, and particularly when you're in your own jeans or your own trainers, it's just a natural feeling. It's very hard to fake.”
What does he hope to see more of in the fashion-sphere?
“I really would love if there was a greater trend towards buying older or vintage clothes and tailoring them,” he explains. “For that to become a bit more of an everyday [occurrence] rather than depending on fast fashion. It's only really for the very wealthy or for people that are really fashion-forward, but I think we'd really grow to love our stuff, and it would also be good for the environment. I'd love to see more everyday tailors on the high street being supported.” Much like his outfits, we don't object.
