Lily James stars in a new editorial for Defined Magazine that departs from the actor's customary ladylike image, posing in a series of lingerie and couture looks described by the magazine as avant‑garde. The 36‑year‑old appears in PVC pants, silk underwear, corsets and a range of dramatic accessories in photographs published Sept. 8, 2025.
The shoot includes a mix of traditional lingerie and more provocative styling: white silk underwear paired with PVC bottoms, a black corset with suspenders, a leather trench worn over a boost‑busting corset, a cream fur coat draped over the head, and a spray‑on corset top accessorised in one image with emerald earrings positioned over the chest. The images also show sculptural additions such as a triangular hat and scenes shot in unconventional locations including a drab car park.
Alongside the photographs, James has been candid in recent interviews about her personal life and priorities. In a conversation with Who What Wear, she said she is not a fan of dating apps and described feeling "a bit self‑conscious" about using them. "I was always in relationships when the [dating] apps started. Now, I just don't know," she said. "I try to stay really private, as private as I can. To be on a dating app feels a bit counterintuitive to that desire."
James also reflected on ageing and changes in her priorities during her thirties, saying the biggest shift has been an awareness that "life is finite." "I only want to do stuff that I really care about," she said, adding that she wants "to spend time with the people I love" and to focus on work she values.
The actor, known for roles in the television series Downton Abbey and the film Tom & Pammy, spent the summer in Europe before returning to Britain for the shoot. The Defined Magazine images mark a stylistic departure from the more restrained red‑carpet and period looks for which she has become known.
James was last publicly linked to musician Michael Shuman in late 2023; she has generally sought to keep her private life out of the spotlight. The new editorial, which mixes classic lingerie silhouettes with provocative, experimental touches, accompanies a period in which the actor has spoken openly about creative choices and personal boundaries.
The magazine spread joins a string of recent celebrity editorials that blend fashion, art direction and publicity, and it is likely to generate further discussion about the intersection of celebrity, image and personal disclosure. Defined Magazine published the photographs and accompanying interview material on Sept. 8, 2025.