October 6, 2026

Cellotape Talks with Olivia Grant

Even today we still value that flash bulb moment, where banks of photographers seize that split second and focus on the star as they appear, thought the doors, across the red carpet or sliding out of a huge black car. In the same way the pop of a flash in the studio records that split second when the pose is perfect, where the entire team is watching their work as the focus from everyone in that space. The photographer may be speaking; offering prompts to the model or suggesting a slight shift in the pose, but it’s that flash, that explosion that used to be bulbs but today is digital. The image is frozen; the repeated moves are recorded and later the perfect out of so many “perfects” will be selected.

Olivia Grant talks to Cellotape magazine about some of those “flash” moments as well as being the focus of our fashion teams’ interest. In the story you see it’s all about making her the centre of attention.

Acting for the fashion business is as much a role for someone like Olivia as it is on screen or on stage. The direct gaze, the pose, the clothes which may or may not be a personal choice, the hair and makeup; they all demand a performance, and boy, do we get it with this power dressing story.

Broad shoulders, hard and sharp black, glittering metallics, corsetry, and killer heels. The winged eyes, or the opaque shades, a sprawling seductive pose or a hands on hips defiance, it’s all about attitude and confidence. When you read Olivia’s notes and her fashion and style preferences you can see the actress responding to the shoot narrative, her engagement with the drama the creative team have whipped up and her performance at the heart of the images.

Do read Olivia’s really great interview because her replies to the questions are brilliant, explaining much of her work, her approach to it and how costume, clothes, and fashion interrelate to her career, both professional and private. It’s all part of being a creative performer that today we must communicate, talk, explain and answer questions. Olivia demonstrates that insights into the business of acting can be about anything from dealing with straight hair to why shoes are important. It also reveals her personal style preferences as opposed to those selected for an occasion or by others.

So, enjoy our centre stage leading lady, our star, in the fashion story invented by the creative team. Watch as an actress turns on the star power to grab the flash, to sparkle and shine at the heart of the proceedings, and you decide if she is the villain or the success story. Did she murder in that look, or command the New York boardroom, has she disposed of the gun or purchased a company with millions of bitcoins? Whatever she’s done, it has got our full attention, it’s certainly one hell of a performance and deserves every flash.

Words by Tony Glenville

Above; Corset: AMPLITUDA DESIGN, Leggings: Elissa Poppy, Heeled Boots: Stylist Own

Cellotape: In your private life are you a dress down or dress up person?

Olivia: I’m a big fan of a dress and heels. I’m actually pretty short at 5’5 but think of myself as 5’8 which, sadly, necessitates wearing heels quite a lot to achieve.

Cellotape: What fashion pieces do you return to? Dresses, trousers, t shirts or blouses, jackets etc?

Olivia: I have a fair amount of period-looking cotton and chiffon blouses which are a mixture of vintage finds and then brands like ‘Ghost’, which I love for their period copies. They’re fun to pair with a trusty pair of wide-leg Zara jeans and a suede cowboy boot. I would say that’s an Autumn/Winter staple of mine.

Left; Corset: AMPLITUDA DESIGN, Right; Sunglasses: MONCLER, Corset: AMPLITUDA DESIGN

Cellotape: What’s the key thing that changes how you feel for a role? Wig, clothes, shoes, etc?

Olivia: Shoes are big. Shoes are a real help for some reason. Ideally the more transformation the better. I did a stint learning under the late Philippe Gaulier and his big thing was that the “game’ of acting was essentially ‘Mummy you can’t see me!”. Once you can plug into your toddler self playing dress up, everything becomes much less exposing.

Cellotape: Any period or historical dress style you hate or one you love?

Olivia: I’ve done a fair amount of twenties and early thirties, and despite endless hours in the make-up chair, my hair resolutely refuses to do a finger wave. Many hair artists have been broken by my furiously straight, waist-length hair, which has meant that I’ve ended up slightly dreading this period, as wigs – even half-wigs – seem to lead to a hugely long make-up call every morning.

Left; Blazer Dress: A-JANE, Necklace: Smiling Rocks, Boots: Casadei, Right; Corset: AMPLITUDA DESIGN, Trousers: SKIIM Paris and Shoes: Stylists Own

Cellotape: With your ballet background do you still exercise and stay healthy through dance or barre exercises?

Olivia: I really don’t do any form of dance anymore, which is a tad sad and should probably be remedied. In terms of exercise, I’m currently doing about fifteen minutes of some kind of Tai Chi- inspired exercises that I’ve copied from a fitness influencer on Instagram, combined with weighted squats and dead lifts, which my doctor said would stop my bones from crumbling. It’s a bit haphazard, which I think happens when you have a marauding toddler in the house. Any time on a yoga matt feels like a considerable win at the moment.

Cellotape: Awards, promotions, red carpets, interviews, do you have a wardrobe formula or any rules for these things?

Olivia: I’m a big fan of feminine dresses and feel a bit like I’m doing some form of cosplay in a suit. Favourite designers of mine for big red-carpet moments have been Jenny Packham and Alice Temperley. Anything diaphanous or corseted, ideally with some embellishments, and I’m pretty happy.

Left; Corset: AMPLITUDA DESIGN, Leggings: Elissa Poppy, Right; Blazer Dress: A-JANE, Necklace: Smiling Rocks, Boots: CASADEI

Cellotape: In modern and contemporary roles do you have a vision or idea for the dressing of your character?

Olivia: I’ve been lucky that most costume designers I’ve worked with have been willing to be collaborate. I tend mainly to have ideas about colour palette and texture and leave everything else to them. It’s a great feeling when designers can pull things you’d never think of, or you would never wear yourself, and it becomes the defining piece of clothing for your character. That’s a real skill that I’m always endlessly impressed by.

Cellotape: If you had endless budget, is there one designer you’d love to buy a lot of pieces from?

Olivia: Probably Zimmermann for the ultimate holiday wardrobe, and Khaite for the ultimate city wardrobe.

Above, Trenchcoat: SKIIM PARIS, Boots: CASADEI

Cellotape: Is there a role or a play or a story you’d love to take on as a role/tell as a director?

Olivia: I want to continue to tell stories that really delve into women’s interiority and present that on screen. I’ve just written and directed a film called ‘The Two Week Wait’ starring Jessica Brown Findlay and Daniel Ings that explores a woman’s deteriorating mental health during IVF in which my wonderful DP, Nanu Segal, and I try to represent the internal struggles and mental torment that can accompany infertility. The feature we’re shooting next year, ‘Baby Mine,’ also seeks to tap into the earthy, sticky experience of female friendship and sexuality. I feel like there is still a lot to mine in terms of the idiosyncratic landscape of the internal female experience.

Cellotape: Fashion and you, how would you describe your “relationship” with fashion across the years?

Olivia: I feel like I’ve always appreciated fashion, but I’ve only really started to enjoy it more recently. One of the nice things about getting older is that you can throw off those quiet, gnawing body insecurities of your twenties and enjoy experimenting a bit more.

Now I like to find statement pieces that will hopefully stay in my wardrobe forever; YSL costume jewellery from The RealReal or a silk tea dress from a vintage store that can be thrown on for any occasion. I also like buying something from wherever I’m lucky enough to travel, so that my wardrobe reflects my adventures.