Genesis Webb is the visionary stylist behind Chappell Roan, the rising Midwest pop sensation known for her genre-defying music and bold, theatrical aesthetics. Born in Phoenix, Webb's early forays into the fashion world sparked by the eclectic and gothic undercurrents of online spaces like Tumblr, where she quickly gained recognition at 14. Now, her work spans platforms such as Vogue, New York Times, Paper, NME, Billboard, Nylon, and Glamcult, establishing her as a key figure in contemporary styling.
Her signature lies in her fusion of high-gothic aesthetics, mediaeval iconography, and a nod to dungeon-esque grandeur, where velveteen textures meet metallic accents, weapons and silks, interweaving nostalgia and futurism. Her evocative work for Roan has captivated audiences, a reflection of Webb’s unique ability to bridge the fantastical within the current world.
METAL speaks exclusively to Genesis on being Chappell Roan’s stylist, dark-aesthetica and the art of styling.
How did you start working with Chappell Roan?
We met on a V Magazine shoot in December of 2022 that I was assisting on, and she hired me directly after for her Red Wine Supernova single cover.
You’ve worked on some of Roan's most iconic looks, from bedazzled butterfly, Chloë Sevigny’s yellow latex nurse outfit from Party Monster, red feathered star-studded corsets — what are your primary inspirations for these looks?
Primarily, 90s club kids. The butterfly is a direct replica of a Lady Miss Kier stage costume she wore that was designed by Mr. Pearl – there were probably two photos of it on the Internet in total, and I just thought it was too beautiful of a costume to not have another moment!
Could you tell us more about your inspirations, the iconic mediaeval VMA’s looks, from the chain-mail Joan of Arc look, to the sword adorning, crushed velvet dress?
Chappell envisioned a knight theme for the VMAs, and with three looks lined up for the night, I wanted to have a story through each transformation. The evening opens with her red carpet moment: a regal velvet mediaeval robe layered over a burgundy Y/Project gown that flows like liquid fabric. In this moment, she embodied the damsel, accompanied by a knight in leather armour — his look mirroring the ones from her VMA performance, rolling out an authentic historical rug for her grand entrance, passing her his sword. Every detail of this look teased the next transformation –– her second look being a complete metamorphosis, where she stepped into the role of the knight herself, leading her male counterparts to victory during the performance — casting off the damsel persona and embracing her inner warrior. The finale, reserved for her award moment, was a [Paco] Rabanne runway look I had been holding onto for months. This gown married the best of both worlds: sleek, sharp metal detailing fused with feminine elegance in a full-length silhouette. To me, it whispered the message that power and femininity don’t have to be at odds — she was powerful from the start, and this final look merely seals that truth.
Chappell has noted the influence of the queer and drag scene in her work, is this important to the looks you create for her?
Of course, there’s a standard that has been set by the queer community for generations when it comes to self-expression and artistic freedom that I feel very strongly about meeting. There are many icons to make proud that have had a more difficult time expressing themselves before us. They paved the way for this to even get to the level of popularity it has. It would be impossible to find influences that didn’t somehow go back to the community; Art would be drab without queer people. I don’t even know if it would exist.
What does your creative process typically look like?
Procrastinating until I am in a space of total chaos –– it’s different for everything; having a muse or working with another artist makes it easier to have a set structure to mould from. It creates barriers that are then meant to be broken. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately as I start to plan some personal projects. It’s interesting, when you don’t have the initial guideline, you feel more vulnerable. It’s just you, it's a lot quieter, and the pressure is only on you. I think taking in art, in all ways, even during downtime, is important for the process. You have to go outside of your own art form to create space within it, or you’ll just regurgitate the same things over and over. I'm excited to be able to work on other projects that can fulfil my creative soul in a different way, a more personal way, where I think I’ll have a different set of rituals.
Who are your style icons, dead or alive, real or fictional?
The more I learn, the more they change. I do have people that I look at, but I also know that there are a lot of people that make it possible for those icons to be that so I tend to look at other stylists or designers themselves as my bigger inspirations. In my opinion, Lisa Jarvis is the best stylist; her eye is just impeccable. Lotta Volkova has impacted fashion and style more than she gets credit for. Rick Owens, of course. He’s more than just a style icon. His entire philosophy for his life is amazing. He’s created this entire world to be able to live in.
You mentioned gaining popularity on Tumblr when you were 14, does the eclectic and nostalgic cyberspace of Tumblr still influence your work today?
The zeitgeist has definitely helped me get to this point, for sure. I’ve always been good at the Internet. It will definitely go away as I’m starting to get past the point of identifying with the youth. Though I'm very, very grateful that I was able to use Tumblr during the peak. Being able to be exposed to more niche influences because of it was something that other people didn’t have.
Your styling feels deeply narrative, each look seems to hold deep meaning, sometimes laced with cultural references and visual or textual traditions. Which forms of media: cinema, literature, visual art, or even historical documentation, inspire your work?
That’s a really kind thing to say. I definitely am most inspired by cinema; I always have been, using it as a medium of escapism. I never did my homework because I would pirate a new downward spiral movie I found on a five-year-old forum after school and just binge-watch. For me, it's easier to conceptualise an outfit when you have the world figured out that it’s in, or maybe the world was created for you by someone else, and you get to live there for a moment. I also love the theatre and theatrical sets.
In what ways do you see your styling as a form of visual storytelling that transcends mere aesthetics, weaving together themes of history, culture, and identity? And how do you approach the narrative aspect of dressing an artist?
I don’t know if I see that much in it (laughs). I am way too self-critical to give it that much power. I just try to add what I think is beautiful into everything, and it all moves so fast. It's more visceral than thoughtful. You don’t have much of a choice.
How do you balance historical references with modern pop culture in your styling work?
Everything that’s created takes something from the past and gives it a new perspective, it's therefore impossible not to modernise something when our modern world is part of our DNA. We’re surrounded with so much information, memes just go into the subconscious abyss at this point.
How do you see the role of a stylist in shaping the visual narrative of an artist’s career, particularly in Chappell’s rise to fame?
Artists get to a point where styling themselves becomes too time-consuming. It would be impossible for them to do it. It’s a lot of trust to give someone to help with such a huge part of the art you’ve created, and I’m very grateful to have that trust. My job is to execute Chappell’s ideas in the best way I know how, organically allowing me to input ideas.
What historical figures, such as royal dressers or stylists, have influenced your understanding of fashion as a form of power and identity?
Luckily, it feels organic, or else I’d feel like I have far too much responsibility, and it would eat me alive. There are a lot of different contemporary ideas of empowerment and identity, but something I’ve always tried to stay away from, that I see often, is selling sex. It’s been an unwritten rule within many different facets of the world that empowerment means being desired, and it's been postered that way to sell things.
I think being thought-provoking, confusing and ugly is more interesting. I think it’s more empowering to be gawked at like you’re a creature in the night. I feel my personal best when I walk into a gas station in the middle of Oklahoma, and everyone stares at me in disgust.
I think being thought-provoking, confusing and ugly is more interesting. I think it’s more empowering to be gawked at like you’re a creature in the night. I feel my personal best when I walk into a gas station in the middle of Oklahoma, and everyone stares at me in disgust.
How do you think LGBTQ+ identity informs and transforms the landscape of fashion today?
The fashion world can do whatever it wants, but that won’t stop artists from being artists. Queer people move the world, so who cares about mainstream inclusion. Inclusion is only beneficial when it isn’t performative — when it is genuine. I think it naturally evolves to its creators in the field. However, that being said, it’s definitely up to the big houses that move the mainstream to be aware that allowing different kinds of people than what has been the standard into positions that move the culture forward is really important.
