Emma Chamberlain: ‘I like that I get to play with fashion’

In 2022, Emma Chamberlain went on her very first talk show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. At the start of the interview, Fallon asked Chamberlain, “What’s your secret? Why do people just love you?” Chamberlain struggled to respond, but Fallon quickly came up with an answer: “I think you’re honest and real. I also think you’re so charming.” Fallon (whom I rarely agree with) was right. I only had 15 minutes with Chamberlain, and without her camera even being on, she charmed my socks off.

Renowned for her candid authenticity, unfiltered vlogs, and refreshing take on the everyday, Chamberlain has managed to capture and sustain the admiration of millions. While her rise to fame largely stems from her YouTube channel, her influence extends far beyond it. Today, she runs her own coffee brand, Chamberlain Coffee, has a Spotify exclusive podcast called Anything Goes, and is the ambassador of multiple fashion and beauty brands, such as Lancôme, Cartier and Louis Vuitton.

Her latest project is with long-term collaborator Levi’s, with the launch of its holiday campaign ‘It’s Giving Season’, which came on Monday (October 30). In this campaign, Chamberlain expanded her role from brand ambassador to contributing creative director and helped to create the campaign, along with her own gift guide. Chamberlain’s style, known for being loud, bright and kitschy, has become more minimalistic and dark over the last year. In her most recent podcast episode titled “Fashion Identity Crisis”, she reflected on her fashion and remarked that as she’s growing up, so is her style.

“I’m starting to feel like an adult, and I want my clothing to express that. I want to put outfits together that won’t make me cringe in 30 years. I want to create a wardrobe that is timeless.” This desire for timelessness is reflected in the collaborative collection, with Levi's new 70s heritage Ribcage Bell jeans and classic white Betty cardigan. Chamberlain aimed to put emphasis on basic fashion items in this campaign, telling Dazed, “[This is] what I wanted to put forth for the remainder of the collection, how we can appreciate the basics and dress for comfort.”

The social media star spoke to Dazed about her latest campaign with Levi’s, how to style denim jeans in the winter and the best gift she ever gave her parents.  

Hi Emma!

Emma Chamberlain: Hi! How are you? 

I’m fine, thank you. How are you? 

Emma Chamberlain: I’m so good. Sorry, I’m off-camera. I’m literally anti-Zoom camera. I can’t do it. 

No worries, dude. I had the craziest experience today. I have to tell you about it. 

Emma Chamberlain: OK, spill.

I’ve just got in from watching the Taylor Swift movie with my little brother, and it was the craziest experience of my life. I was in a dark room for almost three hours with a bunch of women (and my brother) who were crying and screaming. The whole experience was so scary. 

Emma Chamberlain: The impact that Taylor Swift has on society is going to be studied in about 50 years.

No, literally. To Taylor Swift’s fans, she is Princess Diana. Who is your Princess Diana? 

Emma Chamberlain: You know, I’ve been pondering this a lot recently. 

Have you actually? 

Emma Chamberlain: Kind of. Everybody is always asking me who my style icon is or who I’m obsessed with, and for me, it’s definitely Helena Bonham Carter.

I love that answer. 

Emma Chamberlain: OMG. I’m obsessed with her. I’m also obsessed with Shelley Duvall, but Helena Bonham Carter is everything to me. I’m not a diehard fan. I don’t know where she lives or what she has for breakfast, but when I think of who my icon is, it’s her. 

So you’re Levi’s brand ambassador, but your role expanded with the launch of the ‘It’s Giving Season’ holiday campaign to contributing creative director. What was the most exciting part of your new role on this campaign? 

Emma Chamberlain: I really enjoyed making the gift guide. It was only a portion of the campaign, but it was so fun to pick my favourite Levi’s pieces that I would genuinely gift, not only to myself, but also to my loved ones. I feel like I picked things that were timeless and versatile. I didn’t want the stuff I chose to be gifts that would collect dust in someone’s closet, and I loved that challenge. Regarding the rest of the campaign, it’s Levi’s collection that they created. I got to go in and style it in a way that felt reminiscent of what the holidays are for me, which is all about being cosy and comfortable in grandma’s house but with an elegant twist.  

What season do you prefer to dress for? 

Emma Chamberlain: I prefer dressing for fall and winter. I like that I get to layer. I like that I get to play with fashion. I feel like it’s so hot during the summer that you don’t experiment a lot. The most you can do is accessorise. So I love the colder seasons. I like to build outfits that are interesting and fun.

Who’s your favourite person to shop for, apart from yourself? 

Emma Chamberlain: To be honest, I kind of love shopping for my parents. I know their sizes now, so it’s so easy. Beyond that, I love using my dad, in particular, as a canvas. We recently went shopping together, and I helped him pick some new pieces. It was so much fun. We got him sweaters, button-ups, and a new pair of boots. He already has a trillion pairs of Levi’s, so he didn’t need new pants. He is so fun to dress and style because it’s such a different vibe. I get to really experiment with him.

What British icon – living or dead – do you think would wear Levi’s newest home-for-the-holidays styles the best and why?

Emma Chamberlain: OK, great question. This is a hard one. I would love to see Kate Moss today– 

Sorry to interrupt you, but I knew you would say Kate Moss when I wrote these questions.

Emma Chamberlain: [Laughs] No way! OK, let me explain; part of me weirdly wants to say Ringo Star.

OMG. Yes! 

Emma Chamberlain: He would wear Levi’s Ribcage Bell Jeans, and it would look iconic. But I really feel like Kate Moss, now that she’s a mom and she’s so beautiful and classy, she would rock it in a way that only she can. 

Last summer, you made a classic fit (long skirt, scrunched-up socks, pair of loafers and basic tank top) go viral. What is your go-to way to style denim jeans in the winter? We need a head-to-toe description please.

Emma Chamberlain: OK, you got it. It’s got to be a darker wash of jeans. During the winter, I love a medium to dark wash, and then we’re pairing it with a black boot. It could be a heeled boot or more of a flat boot, but it has to be a black black. Then it’s a black belt, with either silver or gold, but you must choose one. You have to be consistent for the rest of that. I’m in a silver phase right now, so let’s say a silver belt. Then it’s a black turtleneck. It’s super chic, but with an edge, because the jeans edge it up. Now, over this black turtleneck, we have some options because we need to layer. We need to build up! 

You could have a button-up, or it could be a chic flannel. Not all flannels are chic, so you have to be careful. You could even put a tank top over your turtleneck. I do it all the time, and it looks cool. Don’t ask me why, but it does. You need something to layer on that turtleneck; it can be anything that adds a pop of colour. Play around, have fun. Lastly, you need the perfect coat. Make sure your top and coat correlate well enough, and you will have something that you’re going to love.

"It’s all fun and games to be fashionable and chic, but what about being comfortable too?" - Emma Chamberlain

How is your personal style reflected in the campaign? 

Emma Chamberlain: Though I think it’s present across the board, I think it’s especially reflected in my gift guide. It really shows the duality of my style. My style is all over the place and is about whatever feels good. There are two different vibes happening in the guide. There’s a more preppy, casual sort of vibe with the rugby top and the jeans and the loafers, but then a chic, modern Western moment happening with the black chaps and the black Western top. They’re two very different vibes, but they’re both very much me, and I was excited to showcase that.

I was also very focused on being comfortable with the outfits I styled. It’s all fun and games to be fashionable and chic, but what about being comfortable too? That’s what I wanted to put forth for the remainder of the collection, like how we can appreciate the basics and dress for comfort. I feel like that’s something we’re all craving, in a way. I know I always am. I’m always thinking about how to make my outfits more comfortable and fit the setting better. 

Fuck the idea that beauty and fashion must be painful. 

Emma Chamberlain: Exactly!

The ‘It’s Giving Season’ campaign celebrates the holiday spirit and the unique joy of giving. What was the last gift you gave someone you were really proud of?

Emma Chamberlain: OMG. This is actually the most insane gift I’ve ever given anyone. It’s really special, and the fact I was able to do this, I don’t have words for it. But I did pay off my parents’ mortgage. 

That’s incredible. 

Emma Chamberlain: It’s honestly the only good gift I’ve ever given. Like every other gift I’ve ever given pales in comparison. I’m a terrible gift-giver, but I can’t have imposter syndrome about my gift-giving with that. It felt so good. I was able to give back to the two people who have taken care of me my whole life. It was a magical feeling, so that’s the winner.