CELINE Is Pushing Lamar Johnson Out of His Comfort Zone
There’s something so luxurious about walking around the Design District in Miami. Multi-level designer storefronts, well-dressed shoppers, lush green foliage, and of course, tropical Miami heat (even in January, somehow).
The CELINE store fits in nicely here. The sparkling glass and marble storefront beckons shoppers in, and I, personally, cannot resist. The newly renovated interior mixes stone and gold metal detailing with naturalistic furnishings. Wooden benches, woven lampshades, oversized contemporary artworks– the mix feels unexpected but creates a feeling of warmth in a luxury space.
It’s a style that’s been adopted in CELINE’s storefronts since 2019 along with the appointment of Hedi Silmane, the label’s creative director. His touch is clearly felt, both in the grander design of the space down to the curated stacks of coffee table books dotted around the store.
It is here in this shiny store that we meet Lamar Johnson. You may know him from his most recent role as Henry Burrell in The Last of Us, starring alongside Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. Though Henry was most comfortable in his well-worn survival-wear, Lamar’s personal style is the opposite. Today, sitting across from me on a leather bench that is particularly low to the ground, Lamar is outfitted in head-to-toe CELINE. A subtle snake-print shirt peeks out from under his rhinestone detailed leather jacket, paired with brown flared pants. He’s a vision of Slimane’s biker-rock chic, and he looks quite comfortable.
Later, when I ask him about the outfit, he admits to me that, historically, it’s not his go-to style. “It is an expression of my own [style] but in the same breath, it elevates what I normally do. I love that it pushed me,” he remarks. It’s an approach he’s taking beyond fashion in 2024: “I feel like leaning into a challenge is my thing this year. I want to continue to challenge myself, whether it be in fashion, whether it be in my craft. I want to constantly challenge myself and think outside the box, be outside the box.”
You were recently nominated for an Emmy, congratulations! How are you feeling about that?
Everything is great, this year has started off really great, I'm very happy. Thank you so much. It's still very surreal.
The ceremony was on Saturday, for the Creative Arts Emmys, andI think it didn't really hit me until I was actually there in the room. I got just a little emotional for a second because I just thought about my younger self not even being able to fathom that I’d be there. I started off as a dancer so acting was foreign to me– I didn't even know that I was going to be an actor or transition into acting. I’m just really grateful that the work that I put in is being recognized.
It must be interesting to attend award ceremonies where you have to dress up. Do you feel like your fashion taste changes when you go to these events?
Everything I wear and I put on has to speak to me in some type of way. I don't and I wouldn't wear something if I was uncomfortable, or it didn't feel like it connected to me. I love getting dressed up and going to award shows and feeling good in my clothes. My personal style is really important to me. Generally, style and fashion are things that are synonymous with “Lamar”.
How would you describe your personal style?
I really love to play with silhouettes and shapes. That's what's really important to me. I don't really do a lot of logos just because I feel like it's really loud. I really like an understated, quiet, elevated moment.
I feel like CELINE fits into that quite well. Speaking of, how has it been working with the brand?
It's been amazing. CELINE is a heritage brand, so the fact that I’m working with them and am here in this store in Miami– I’m just really grateful to be here and be able to see everything and work with Celine and the team and Hedi [Silmane]. I've been following Hedi for quite some years, even when he was at Saint Laurent. He's amazing. It's a dream come true, really.
Has your partnership influenced your personal style at all?
It definitely has elevated my personal style. I take what Hedi does and use it as a tool to communicate whatever it is that I'm trying to express. I just really love the cuts, really love the shapes.
I'm sort of in a space where I wear a lot of oversized [clothing] so it’s really great to wear things that are actually a lot more form fitting and accentuate my figure and my body. My physique is something that's important to me and I think [the partnership] allowed me an opportunity to show that.
It sounds like it pushed you a bit out of your comfort zone.
Yeah, because it is an expression of my own [style], but also in the same breath, it elevates what I normally do. I love that it pushed me.
It seems like you have a really big connection with fashion and style.
Absolutely, yeah.I think fashion and style are two very different things. When I was younger, style was just really important to me– before I was even part of the fashion [world]. Style and the way that you put something together is also really important because I feel like the way that you wear clothes is a conversation. I always wanted the clothes that I wear to be a representation of the kind of person I am or at least the character that I'm trying to be in that moment.
I can't remember who said this, but– and I may be misquoting– but it's something like, ‘When I put on clothes, it feels like armor.’ [editor’s note: the quote has been attributed to, among others, designer Yohji Yamamoto] It feels like I'm putting on my armor, my suit. When you put on clothes I feel like you embody what that look makes you feel. You can tell when someone's uncomfortable in something that they're wearing. You can also tell when someone feels extremely confident in what they're wearing. It's in their walk, it's in the way that they move, it's in the way that they speak.
And my last question, and I just have to ask, do you have any upcoming projects that you’re excited about?
Yes, I do, actually. But I can't speak on it yet! It hasn't been announced, but it should be announced very soon. I'm very, very excited for it. It is something very different. But I love to challenge myself because on the other side of a challenge is growth. I always want to do things that might be a little daunting to me at first, but then step into it wholeheartedly and be like, “Okay, I'm here. I'm present, I'm going to do the best that I possibly can.”
The Last of Us was very similar to that. I had to learn sign language. I did not know ASL prior to me getting the job, and it was pretty much a crash course. But, they gave me all the right tools: I had a director of ASL, I had multiple interpreters that were there on set to help me and it got me an Emmy. So, I feel like just leaning into a challenge is my thing this year. I want to continue to challenge myself, whether it be in fashion, whether it be in my craft. I want to constantly challenge myself and think outside the box, be outside the box.
