Camille Rowe Is a “Big Denim Human” With a Strict Daily Uniform

Camille Rowe has kept the first pair of skinny jeans she ever bought 11 years ago in top condition. She still wears them to this day. The model, who was raised in Paris before moving to New York City in 2010, laughs as she recalls the story—how she arrived on the East Coast as a 20-year-old and immediately purchased the super-tight pair of pants. They were by Seven For All Mankind—a serendipitous coincidence, since Rowe is now the face of the brand’s latest campaign, which was shot in Los Angeles by photographer Dan Martensen. Rowe, who says she was lucky enough to go back to France “for a minute” over the summer and during the holidays, has spent the entirety of the pandemic in Los Angeles, after plans to film a job in New York were postponed. “I was on my way to the airport right when things were starting to get scary,” she remembers. “I got a phone call 10 minutes before getting to LAX being like, ‘Production’s postponed.’ So I turned right around and stayed in LA.”

Since then, she’s began working with Seven, a company that, as she tells it, is right in line with her stylistic sensibilities; jeans are a large part of her regimented daily uniform, which consists of pants and a cashmere sweater. (She sticks to it religiously.) “I am a big denim human,” she states. In her Style Notes interview, Rowe discusses wearing tortoiseshell glasses as a child, her deep love of Faye Dunaway’s fashion sense, and why she saved up to buy a house rather than splurging on extravagant clothing.

Tell me about shooting the Seven For All Mankind campaign. Was it done remotely?

No, the photoshoot took place in person—obviously, everybody was Covid test prior, and there are a ton of safety measures in place. But I’ve enjoyed shooting again in person. We were shooting kind of in the middle of nowhere, about an hour from where I am now in LA. I'm good friends with Dan Martensen, and I've been shooting with him since I was a teenager, so it felt like buddies hanging out.

Do you have a favorite pair of jeans that have stuck with you throughout your life?

A few pairs. The denim I have, I've had for a long time. I'm always looking for another perfect pair, but I think if you find a good vintage cut that’s right for you, you’ll keep it forever. Denim really does mold to your body—the longer you have it, the more special it becomes. So I’ve held on to my jeans for a long time.

What is your go-to outfit for a day off?

I like pants more than anything—so either some good denim, or a pair of slacks. I really like men’s trousers. I run on the cold side, so I'm always in a sweater, and like a nice cashmere.

Describe your style in three words.

Oh boy. My style in three words...Fuck. Oh, excuse me. I would say “timeless,” but I don't want to sound pretentious—but really, I don't like anything too trendy. And I want to say “comfort,” but I don't necessarily think you should always be comfortable in your jeans...and I feel like saying “chic,” but that’s not it—more elevated, if that makes sense.

What was the last fashion purchase you made?

I bought a black cashmere sweater from The Row. I wear the same sweater until it needs to be retired, and then buy another one.

What is the best fashion tip that you've picked up on set?

Layering was never something I would think about: a pop of shirt peeking out from the bottom of a sweater, or some color from a pair of socks. But stylists on set showed me the different ways to wear clothing, which made me start thinking about the layering aspect. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have thought of it.

Do you have a favorite fashion moment from pop culture?

My biggest inspiration in terms of clothes, a lot of the time, are from movies. I especially love Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair. Actually, her in anything: Network, Chinatown, Bonnie and Clyde. Musicians are also a huge inspiration to me: whether it's The Factory and the Velvet Underground or David Bowie or Mick Jagger. And not that I was around when they were dating, but Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston, their attitude together.

What was your style like as a teenager?

Honestly, not too far from how it is right now. My dad's a big vintage fanatic, so he really enjoyed dressing his daughters up. We always wore vintage Levi's and a lot of Army shirts. I remember when I needed to get glasses, my dad was like, “Oh, we're going to get you these cool, tortoise shell, big, oversize glasses”—which, I'm like 13 years old, and people are like, “What’s your deal?” At the time, I was like, these suck—but I looked really fucking cool! And even though I wear a lot of slacks now, I feel a little bit more feminine today than I was as a teenager.

What were the other kids wearing when you were growing up?

They were wearing a lot of Miss Sixty. And Avril Lavigne was popular, so I saw a bunch of people in neckties and white tank tops. I also remember one friend of mine wore these little pink ballet flats with cherries on them with huge bell bottoms.

Honestly, that sounds really chic.

I think we did sort of okay. At least when it came to my buddies, I wasn’t too shocked about what people were wearing. Maybe I just wasn't thinking about it.

Which friend or designer’s style do you most admire?

I think my girlfriends and I have really different styles. Generally speaking, I admire someone who just sticks to their thing—I'm really happy with a uniform. I guess my friend Brett, he dresses nice.

What does he wear?

Jeans and a t-shirt [laughs]. But you know what? He’ll rock a Western suit, which I think is pretty strong. For someone whose life is not that put together, he looks really put together, and I respect that.

Do you remember what your first major fashion purchase was?

I bought a vintage Chanel purse, and that was a big deal. But honestly, I was good with money—I saved up and bought an apartment, not too much expensive clothing or luxury goods. But I do remember it being a big deal that I bought a vintage Chanel. I still have it, it's burgundy and gold. It's really big—I don't wear it that much, it's a bit loud.

What is your biggest fashion regret?

I don't have too many regrets. I think if anything, I've always played it safe. I was a little bit louder when I lived in New York just because my friends and I were out and about so much, always doing things. Since I moved to LA, I just don't do as much as I used to. Maybe that's also because I'm older; I don't have that many excuses to wear an extravagant outfit. So maybe I just regret time passing me by.