When Tracee Ellis Ross gets dressed, her outfits frequently function as love letters directed to herself. The actress's wardrobe is not merely a reflection of her love for fashion, but an extension of who she is before she speaks a word. A quick glance at her Instagram offers a glimpse of this: among clips of her in Thailand filming the second season of her Roku series, Solo Travel, and the launch of new products for her expanding hair care line, Pattern, the entrepreneur's documentation of her outfits on Instagram reflects a truly chameleon-like approach to dressing.
It was inevitable, then, that when she embarked on her first Broadway work in New York in July, taking on the role of narrator in Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe—a one-person show, 40 performances—Tracee had already envisioned what her opening night outfit would be. "I wore a ruffled top by Phoebe Philo," she says days after concluding her month of work on stage. A voluminous, soft and backless top by the designer was paired with white jeans and Balenciaga crystal earrings, and marked the beginning of her Broadway run and a new chapter for Tracee.
The play follows a narrator who creates a list of reasons to live, and before the show, Tracee would interact with the audience. "We would find five audience members who were really willing to participate and do certain scenes throughout the show with me," she says. "I think what's most important is that it affirms something I already know and believe, which is that people are incredible."
For Tracee, documenting the experience through her outfits each night became something important. As she shed the unpretentious character on stage and stepped out in outfits that embodied her personal tastes, the contrast between Tracee on and off stage became a vital part of the experience. "I knew that wearing the ruffled top on my first night, and a Balenciaga suit at the end, marked the end and the beginning of this experience for me," she continues. "Finishing the show in an amazing Balenciaga suit that also has so much joy and whimsy, with a comfortable shoe… if I had to tell it in clothes, it would be that with a blank slate in between of who I was on stage."
Part of the appeal of photographing her outfits was that it was "fun for me to come to work as Tracee, strip down, become this kind of neutral palette on stage, and then be able to leave feeling so alive and brilliant and full of sparkle as I had gotten from being on stage, and in my clothes!" she says. Among the standout outfits are the coveted rounded Celine sunglasses and the sought-after dark red Chanel Maxi Flap bag by Matthieu Blazy. There is a sense of functionality in her colourful wardrobe, including a vintage small flower Celine dress, vintage Phoebe Philo ballet flats, a burnt peach-coloured rope jumpsuit from independent brand Electric Feathers, and a sky blue Marni bag.
"Getting dressed for a New York summer is my dream, and it's been fantastic and so much fun," she says. Her outfits are often instinctive, though alongside new season pieces there are living and breathing fashion heirlooms. "This chain link mesh top is a very old Balenciaga," she notes, paired with medium blue RRL jeans and Balenciaga trainers. "It was perhaps from the very beginning of Demna's time at the house. I've had the jeans for almost 20 years, and I wore them during Girlfriends," she says. "I wore the top with trainers and took a selfie in the mirror, and then I wore nice shoes to change into."
In the mix are also a pair of Pieter Mulier Alaïa ballet flats that Tracee has never seen elsewhere. "They were a gift from one of the dinners in Paris, and I don't think they ended up making that orange and black colourway. I wore them one night with an Alaïa jumpsuit, a wrap jacket and Phoebe Philo earrings." Then the conversation turns to the purple Balenciaga suit closure—a long-awaited find and an apt marker for the entire experience. "I got the first jacket that went into production, and I've been holding onto it. I knew there was going to be a moment, and I wasn't going to wear it until I found the pants!"
Ultimately, Tracee attributes her well-worn and well-cared-for wardrobe to words her mother once shared with her. "She said, 'You can spend money on your things if you take care of them,' and I really took that to heart," says Tracee earnestly, describing the importance of her clothing. "I've been collecting treasures my whole life."