Cult Creators: In Conversation with Photographer Claire Rothstein
Through a lens that celebrates empowerment, artifice and unapologetic attitude, revered photographer and editor Claire Rothstein captures the maximalist mood of our More is More campaign. A sumptuous ode to extravagance and expressive, full-spectrum colour — the series amplifies Claire’s bold, effervescent take on beauty without restrain.
“The holidays are a time to celebrate, indulge in sparkly, colourful maximalist fantasies and just have fun,” she tells us. “More is More is totally my aesthetic; I love hyperreal maximalism, colour, makeup, and keeping things sexy and playful. We wanted the shoot to feel alive and humorous, which I think we achieved.”
Claire spent two decades as a session hairstylist before pivoting into photography, translating her flair for all that’s fun and frivolous into Girls. Girls. Girls, an independent fashion title she founded in 2018. Since then, her muses and heroines – draped in jewels, lips painted with a defiant slash of red, or posed provocatively poolside – capture a decidedly glamorous, high-octane vision of femininity that has animated the pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Tatler and countless others, while earning her a client roster that includes Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Ralph Lauren and Bulgari.
Now dividing her time between London, Paris and the U.S., we caught up with Claire on her maximalist muses, bringing More is More to life and refocusing beauty to the forefront of contemporary fashion photography.
On Her Journey Through Beauty
“My background is deeply rooted in beauty. I spent many years as a session hair stylist, collaborating with makeup artists on editorial shoots before transitioning into photography over a decade ago. Since then, I’ve worked with beauty clients including MAC, Lancôme, Givenchy Beauty, GHD, and others. I’m currently working on SLAP, a maximalist beauty book with Terry Barber — beauty truly is part of my every day.”
On the Spirit of More Is More
“It couldn’t be more my aesthetic – I’m a big fan of hyperreal maximalism. I love colour, make up, and keeping beauty sexy, bold, and fun. I founded my own magazine — Girls. Girls. Girls. — as a platform to truly champion this vision.”
On The Evolution Of Glamour And Beauty
“Growing up in the ’80s, my mum was a model — very glamorous, very Dynasty and very Joan Collins. She loved that unapologetic ’80s glamour, and I rarely saw her without a beautifully applied full face of makeup. This world of beauty and transformation really shaped my aesthetic and nurtured my enduring love of makeup and glamour.
“I think beauty has been played quite safe in recent years, but people are beginning to embrace it with more confidence. I hope more brands follow Cult’s lead and take a bolder, braver and more creative approach to beauty — I believe maximalism, colour, and fun truly resonate with today’s consumers.”
On Her Maximalist Muses
“I’m drawn to glamorous women of the ’80s like Jerry Hall, Kim Cattrall, and Debbie Harry, and women captured in iconic photography, like Helmut Newton’s muses Lisa Taylor and Charlotte Rampling. I love the supermodel era — Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista — women who are sexy and empowered but always carry an air of fun. Of today’s muses, I’m inspired by Georgia May Jagger.”
On Her Signature Holiday Glam
“Red lips with slicked-back hair and big earrings are my go-to look. I might add some gloss over my lip colour or on my eyelids, but I don’t veer off this too much.”
On London’s Hottest Bars And Restaurants
“I have so many favourite restaurants, I don’t even know where to start! I love a crawl around the West End at Christmas – starting with pre-night drinks at Ambassadors Clubhouse, Mountain, or Sabor, followed by a fancy drink across the road at Soma, followed by Soho pubs like The French House or Devonshire, and ending up at my teenage haunt, the Friendly Society.”
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