Chris James Sundance 2026 Styling
Styled for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival ‘give me the ball’ Premiere
For Chris, preparing for Sundance began as a conversation about intention - not just what to wear, but how he wanted to show up across the full arc of the festival for a film rooted in archival storytelling and a distinct era.
What followed was not a single outfit, but a considered range of looks - from the premiere to press and in-between moments - each one designed to feel cohesive, era-aware, and aligned with both the film and the festival environment. We sourced distinctive vintage pieces, introduced modern elements, refined tailoring, and built outfits that felt intentional without feeling overworked.
A defining part of the experience was holding the final styling session in Alexandra’s studio in Williamsburg. The space itself set the tone, immersive and thoughtfully curated, allowing us to see the full range of looks together and refine them with clarity. Alexandra joined as a creative consultant in that session, offering perspective and helping sharpen final styling decisions while keeping the broader narrative in view.
Throughout the entire process, my assistant India was an essential support. She was a thoughtful sounding board and steady presence - offering perspective, reinforcing key decisions, and complementing what I needed at every stage.
To ensure the wardrobe felt seamless once he arrived in Park City, Chris left with a detailed lookbook and clothing passport - a visual reference outlining each outfit by day - along with context for the pieces, including the history behind select vintage finds. The goal was simple: to remove guesswork from getting dressed so he could focus fully on the film and the moment at hand.
His words below reflect that experience:
“I can’t adequately convey how grateful I am to Rachel Beth Anderson for her styling services in the lead-up to my film’s premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Several weeks before heading off to Park City I knew I needed help for my premiere look, so I set up a coffee meeting with Rachel where we were able to talk about my goals for what I wanted. I sent her screenshots from Google/Getty Images of references for outfits that I wanted to try and emulate; but I truly had no idea how to do this affordably.
Rachel came over to my apartment and we did an inventory of what I already own, which was super helpful. She then took me shopping to an incredible vintage suiting store in Brooklyn -- We landed on two UNIQUELY special suits that I would’ve never been able to find myself.
Rachel then took care of all the follow up tailoring appointments and coordinated everything -- including pickup and delivery. Additionally Rachel found a new pair of shoes for me and took care of all the accessorizing: from a new watch, to a sleek gold broach, two different belts, and a beautiful scarf. These are things that quite frankly I never, ever, think about, and these thoughtful details brought together my outfit so wonderfully.
The documentary I produced is an archivally-driven film with a lot of 1970s footage, so I wanted my vintage outfit at the premiere to feel of that particular time -- and I am so glad with the way it turned out.
The best part about this process was that it was also fun! Rachel has an infectiously positive and radiant spirit. She’s one of those creative people you just want to be around. I loved knowing that she had my back and I felt very taken care of -- from start to finish. She even had her assistant drop off a travel steamer for me before my flight when she discovered that I didn’t have one!
Working with Rachel has taught me a lot - both about honing my own style and also about how great it feels to wear an outfit that you’ve put some effort into creating. Usually before an event I’m scrambling around feeling insecure about my choices but before the premiere I could focus on all the other things that I needed to do. The premiere pictures will live on forever, and I am filled with gratitude for Rachel’s invaluable help in executing my vision. I will absolutely be working with her again for future events!”
Chris James, Prooducer ‘Give me the ball’
