Lauren Edelstein: Turning Tiny Icons into Big Expression

Rihanna’s belly button, hedgehog beards, and empanada hair: Welcome to Lauren Edelstein’s joyfully absurd emoji universe.

FALL 2025

WORDS Rach Albright
PHOTOGRAPHY Ashley Batz

RACH: Hi Lauren, tell us who you are.

LAUREN EDELSTEIN: I’m Lauren Edelstein. I’m a fashion stylist and an emoji artist.

R: How did the emoji art start? Were you literally just at home on your phone like the rest of the world during the pandemic?

LE: I was just at home on my phone but the emoji art actually started two years before the pandemic. I noticed some of the emojis I was texting (☂️🐥👛) matched a vintage ski jacket I was wearing and I decided to recreate my look by dragging them together in an Instagram story. It started as a funny little series where I emojied my outfits, and somehow it’s grown into full on art shows. Proof that boredom can be productive!

TRENCH LaQuan Smith, BOOTS Paul Andrew
SKIRT Wanda Nylon, RINGS Stylist’s Own

TRENCH LaQuan Smith, BOOTS Paul Andrew
SKIRT Wanda Nylon, RINGS Stylist’s Own

Pool Boy (Peter Getting Out of Nick’s Pool)

DETAIL Pool Boy ( Peter Getting Out Of Nick’s Pool)

DETAIL Pool Boy ( Peter Getting Out Of Nick’s Pool)

RA: There is such a clear use of color in both your art and your personal style — can you tell us more about your perspective on color? How do you use it intentionally and what does it make you feel?

LE: Bright colors have always energized me. My first car was a yellow Ford Escape (Iconic. Obsessed. Would absolutely buy again.) When I first moved to New York, I painted my entire room neon green, ceiling included. (Completely psychotic.) In my art, I treat emojis as colors, almost like pigments of paint, and I use them to bring that same vibrancy into my work.

RA: You’ve always been such a force in the fashion world, how has that experience led you to where you are now?

LE: Thank you!! 🥹🥹 (cutest emoji face!) Styling requires me to be obsessed with the smallest details, and it’s a skill that translates well to my art. I once spent seven hours on a flight back from Paris staring at a photo of Rihanna’s belly button so I could recreate it perfectly. Really freaked my seatmate out, but the piece turned out great.

TRENCH Magda Butrym,
BOOTS Pierre Hardy

Shrimp & Cash (Orange, Red, Yellow)

DETAIL Shrimp & Cash (Orange, Red, Yellow)

DETAIL Shrimp & Cash (Orange, Red, Yellow)

SWEATER SET LaQuan Smith, BOOTS Pierre Hardy,
HEELS Proenza Schouler, RINGS Stylist’s Own

RA: Fashion and pop culture are intrinsically related, and a lot of your work focuses on pop culture.. Can you speak to that connection or why you’re interested in these worlds?

LE: The amount of times I’ve been on set analyzing some Real Housewives moment… I love that it’s this shorthand we all understand. I feel the same way about emojis. They’re a universal language that everyone gets, and there’s something special and instantly connective in that.

JACKET Sies Marjan, GLOVES Alexandre Vauthier

Dating in New York City (The Scream)

DETAIL Dating in New York City (The Scream)

PROCESS Dating in New York City (The Scream)

DETAIL Dating in New York City (The Scream)

RA: You are known for having such a positive and joyful perspective on everyday life — how does that parlay into your fun and bright work?

LE: Connecting with other people is the best part of life. I think my art has a natural way of creating that connection. They spark joy right away, even in the moment of just discovering what a piece is made of. I love when someone lights up because they notice, like, an earring made out of a green bean.

SUIT Balenciaga, COAT Gucci, SHOES Pierre Hardy

John Mayer (The Old Guitarist)

DETAIL John Mayer (The Old Guitarist)

DETAIL John Mayer (The Old Guitarist)

RA: How long does it ACTUALLY take to make one of your emoji masterpieces? And do you need a chiropractor?

LE: It’s less chiropractor and more Lasik! These pieces are definitely not quick and my screen time is scary. In the beginning, it was literally just me on my phone, dragging each tiny emoji one by one. That’s still where every piece starts, but over time I’ve built more of a process to take them from the phone into large-scale physical artwork.

SUIT Gucci, Loafers Prada, JEWELRY Stylist’s Own

PROCESS Don’t Tell Me To Smile (Mona Lisa)

DETAIL Don’t Tell Me To Smile (Mona Lisa)

DETAIL Don’t Tell Me To Smile (Mona Lisa)

RA: What draws you to a specific piece of work to recreate? How do you choose your next subject?

LE: I love things that feel familiar—a celebrity, a classic artwork, or, like, a box of Pop Tarts. I once went up to Action Bronson in a Miami hotel lobby and was like, “Hi, can I emoji you?” He said yes. (I made his beard out of hedgehogs and his sneakers out of sponges and worms.)

SWEATER Jonathan Simkhai, PANTS LaQuan Smith, BOOTS Alexandre Vauthier, JEWELRY Stylist’s Own

Flower (Grey Lines with Black, Blue, & Yellow)

DETAIL Flower (Grey Lines with Black, Blue, & Yellow)

DETAIL Flower (Grey Lines with Black, Blue, & Yellow)

RA: HOW do you know when to use certain emojis over others? How do you make the decision between a purple devil face and crab, or apple and ping pong paddle?

LE: It’s really all about color and texture, but also what feels funny or surprising. I’ll see someone’s hair and immediately know I can get the perfect waves by layering empanadas. Cactus emojis at the right angles can mimic a green mohair sweater. I’m still not over how perfectly the tops of two bald men’s heads became Britney Spears’ boobs. It’s also fun to work in emojis I’ve never used before. Currently searching for a home for the little petri dish! 🧫