Born and raised in New York, Brendan Cannon is a fashion editor, creative director, and award-winning celebrity stylist. With his "rock and fashion" taste, he styled iconic musicians like Annie Lennox, Jimmy Page, Cyndi Lauper, and Shirley Manson. In addition to The Rolling Stone, Vogue, and Vanity Fair, he was trusted by several Hollywood legends. At the beginning of a new era in which beauty is fluctuating, he still believes in it. During Fashion Politique’s photoshoot with Albert Watson and Carmen dell'Orefice, Cannon said:
Styling is making your talent feel happy… satisfied… beautiful.
Here is the full interview with Danilo Venturi, Director of IED Firenze and author of Brand Persona: The Four-Step Method.
Brendan Cannon by Lindsay Adler
In your career, you’ve worked with so many celebrities, is there one you particularly enjoy or find challenging?
I always find it interesting to work with a cast. There are so many personalities, and it’s great to see them interact with each other. Annie Lennox (Eurthymics) is still one of my all-time favorites, her commanding presence, grace, and total chicness are unparalleled.
Video didn’t kill the radio stars, but how has the role of celebrities changed over time?
The idea of celebrities is constantly changing. Last night, we saw a Tik-Tok star be one of the hosts on the red carpet. The role of social media is changing what is now needed to keep and fill a fan base, and provide constant content, to keep the fans satisfied. The fans want to know what you eat, where you eat, who you wear and what you’re watching. There are very few stars who can escape this, and all the younger ones know how to do it.
Design, management, and communication are all aspects of styling, but in the end, it may not be any of them. What is styling for you?
Styling is making your talent feel happy… satisfied… beautiful. Introducing them to a designer(s) they may not know, pushing them out of their comfort zone, to create an iconic look and image. This is what styling means to me! The communication and back-end management are not the fun parts of the styling world but, they need to be handled properly, efficiently, and with your stamp of flair on it!
Social media and print magazines: what’s next?
The world of AI. It will be one of the biggest takeovers whether we like it or not. Adjusting to what that is and what it will become will be an interesting challenge to the medium as we know it now.