The Stunning Style Transformation Of Lily Collins

Whether you know her as Emily Cooper from the Netflix hit "Emily in Paris" or as Snow White from the movie "Mirror Mirror," Lily Collins has undoubtedly made a name for herself over the past almost two decades in Hollywood. And when we say a name for herself, we certainly mean it — living in the shadow of her famous father, musician Phil Collins, is something only other Hollywood kids can relate to. We don't doubt for a second that it comes with a plethora of self-worth and identity issues. However, that's a topic for another day. Today, it's all about Lily Collins' fashion evolution.

Since her childhood, Collins' style has been a major part of her identity. "My style has definitely evolved over the years, but fashion has always been something constant," Collins told Coveteur in 2020. "For me, fashion designers are artists, and sometimes I get so overwhelmed meeting them, more so than other actors. It's such a fascinating craft, and their mind works in ways that I deeply admire." Of course, having chosen the career that she did, Collins was able to experience the fashion industry firsthand — something for which she is incredibly grateful. "I feel very fortunate that my job allows me to experiment with fashion in different ways," she added. "It's definitely something that I always wanted to tap into." And after a quick journey down memory lane, we have to conclude that Collins didn't only tap into fashion — she became one with it!

While Lily Collins had small acting jobs in the early '90s, her career in the entertainment industry really began when she was a teen in the late 2000s. What many may not know is that prior to her work as an actor, Collins was actually pursuing a career in fashion by working as a model. "I think I've been brought up very well by both my parents. I am very cautious and I think I'm now fit for the world I'm in," Collins revealed about her parents in 2007 (via Daily Mail). "They're very much behind my modeling and very supportive. Modeling is not my passion or my number one goal," the young star added. "It's just something I'm doing on the side now for fun and for some extra money. My parents are okay with it because they know I'm not giving myself over to the industry."

At the time, Collins was the epitome of classic beauty, with long locks, doe eyes, and a charming personality. For her first red-carpet appearances, she often opted for on-trend A-line dresses, avoiding anything skin-tight. Her hair was usually styled in loose waves, and Collins kept accessories to a minimum, always striving for simplicity and sophistication. And we have to admit, compared to that of plenty of other teen stars at the time, Lily Collins' style has aged beautifully — in fact, we could totally imagine her rocking these dresses today!

In 2009, Lily Collins had her major acting breakthrough thanks to her role in the movie "The Blind Side." With this, her style became a bit braver and edgier, but Collins was still mostly playing it safe. Minidresses with funky patterns, bright colors, and mesh inserts (which became the new sheer in 2024) became the actor's favorite red-carpet attire.

For Teen Vogue, Collins even revealed that most of the time, she is her own glam team for industry events. "I can do it quickly, plus I'd rather save money," she said in 2009. And frankly, this is certainly impressive, as not many of her peers could have had such stunning results by being their own stylists, makeup artists, and hairdressers. Her fashion may have been simple and safe, but there's no denying that Lily Collins was slowly headed toward becoming fashion royalty.

Now in her early 20s, Lily Collins was finally ready to shed some of her signature teen style and embrace a bit of moodiness and darkness. The biggest change in her look was, of course, the darker hair color, and with it, it seemed as if Collins' style also shifted toward darker makeup and clothes. Even though we adored the darker colors on the fashionista, Collins still embraced lighter and brighter shades, too, except now she carried them with the confidence of a Hollywood star. One of our favorite looks from this era is undoubtedly the Monique Lhuillier gown covered in blue lace, which she wore to the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.

For Fashion Magazine, Collins revealed that her mother Jill Tavelman is the reason she adores flea markets. "In the '80s, she wore Yohji Yamamoto and Vivienne Westwood, and then she mixed it with vintage and she'd throw in Alaïa. She taught me that it's all about the thrill of the hunt," Collins gushed in 2012. "If you don't want to look through that pile, probably nobody else has, so the coolest thing is in that pile." The star also added that brands like Marchesa, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, and Stella McCartney are amongst her favorites.

In 2013 and 2014, Lily Collins ditched the light and bright colors for sultry and dark hues. Her red-carpet attire often exuded a retro-glam and mysterious vibe, and lace and sequins were often part of her look. At the 2013 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Collins took our breath away in an intricate navy-blue Zuhair Murad gown.

If it hadn't been clear by then, now it certainly was: Lily Collins was ditching her teen image, and she was ready to take over the title of Hollywood's fashion "it girl," one dress at a time. In 2013, Collins gushed to Emirates Woman about her love for fashion. "I love fashion! I think it's art and while I don't have to own everything, it's lovely to look at," the actor said.

To those who know her, Lily Collins' love for fashion doesn't come as a surprise. In fact, it was sort of written in her genes. "It's funny because I also have fashion in my blood," she admitted to Harper's Bazaar in 2016. "My mother's family owned a shop called Tavelman's on Wilshire Boulevard. They designed suits and clothing for so many actors here in town, starting in the 1930s ... it's nice to share these passions with my family."

After changing her haircut by getting bangs, Collins acknowledged just how quickly trends in the world of fashion and beauty evolve. "One person's change can make an entire change in fashion, which is crazy to me," she told WWD in 2016. "When someone comes out with a new look it really sets the trends." The star also admitted that fellow actor and style icon Zoë Kravitz (who's had a stunning hair transformation) is one of her style inspirations, adding that she likes "things that have a sheer factor, that are also risqué, a bit more badass. I'm trying to insert a bit more of that in myself," Collins added. And her mid-2010s fashion was certainly that. Sheer materials with eye-catching details and often deep necklines became a red-carpet staple for the star, who was now more confident than ever — and her fashion choices perfectly reflected that.

By the late 2010s, Lily Collins was a well-known name in the fashion community, and a seat was always reserved for her at the most prestigious runway shows. This gave Collins additional power that she was determined to use positively. In 2017, she spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about her hopes for size inclusivity when it came to the fashion industry, particularly runway shows. "But then you do watch fashion shows and you do see extremely small girls walking down the runway, and a lot of them are really young and haven't become women yet," Collins said. "It's like their body shape hasn't changed. Some girls look like they're about to pass out. I think there's still a conversation to be had there about runway sizes."

At the time, Collins switched with ease between dark and almost gothic-like styles and light, floral fashion. Even though her style has always remained sophisticated and classy, the actor has proved that there is plenty of variety in that fashion genre. And for the 2018 Met Gala — fashion's biggest annual night — the star stunned in a look by Givenchy that undoubtedly cemented her place in the world of fashion.

The start of a new decade, 2020 marked a major year for Lily Collins as the Netflix hit show "Emily in Paris" premiered. In it, Collins portrays a stylish American working abroad in Paris, France, and the show quickly garnered fans across the globe thanks to its unapologetic fashion. Thanks to the character she was playing, Collins had to explore more colorful patterns and bold materials — something she quickly grew fond of and began incorporating into her own looks. In an interview with Coveteur in 2020, Collins reflected on her fashion journey. "I've been a fashion lover since I could put clothes on. My mom tells me stories about how I would have such a specific point of view on what I wanted to wear," she revealed. And not much has changed since then.

For Vogue, Collins shared her five favorite clothing items, and the list consisted of her high-school peer-support zip-up hoodie, a pair of Levi's jeans which she wore to a Karl Lagerfeld show ("I love the idea of mixing jeans with an incredibly detailed shirt," she admitted), a suede jacket, a pair of shoes by Chanel, and last but certainly not least, the crown she wore to the 2018 Met Gala. 

By 2022, Emily (from Paris) became as much of a pop culture style icon as Lily Collins herself was, and for fans worldwide, it became difficult to distinguish the character from the actor. However, while Emily was about dramatic patterns and unusual combinations, Collins' style became more refined and authentic as the star balanced vintage styles and modern silhouettes with ease.

For the 2023 Met Gala, Collins opted to go with a beautiful black-and-white Vera Wang gown that perfectly balanced that retro and modern combination she pulls off so well. For Refinery29, the actor admitted that her fashion is constantly changing. "I get inspired by the characters I play. Through acting, I find out what colors and shapes work for me," she told the outlet in 2023. "But as I've gotten older, comfort is more important to me. When I was younger, I was like, I don't want to be comfortable, I want to be cute. I've been bringing the two together more recently. I've been wearing a lot of sneakers. I have a bunch of different color New Balances."

In the mid-2020s, Lily Collins is as fashionable as ever. The star has grown from a trendy teen into a multifaceted fashion icon, and her influence in the industry is undeniable. In 2024, Collins opened up to InStyle about the impact her character in "Emily in Paris" had on her personal style. "Emily, in a lovely way, takes up so much space," Collins said. "Mixing patterns and prints, textures, styles in a way that was foreign to me, I started to realize that I didn't have to be afraid of color anymore."

While it was clear since Season 1 that Collins' style would be affected by the Netflix hit, we applaud the actor's decision to embrace many of her character's fashion choices in real life. Collins has always been authentic in everything she does, and her honest approach to fashion has been incredibly inspiring. The star has always allowed for change and growth — and not putting any limits on her fashion choices has allowed her to become one of the biggest fashion "it girls" of her generation.