The music industry hit the red blue carpet last night in Las Vegas for the Billboard Music Awards. We suspect the location may have affected many stars’ choice of outfits, because there were a whole lot of sheer and slashed looks–not to mention a serious lack of pants. Also side ass is back! Thanks Ke$ha!
Last night Versace and H&M pulled out all the stops–and we mean all of them–to put on a runway show and party to celebrate their collaboration, which hits stores on November 19. Pier 57 was transformed into “Versace Hall” complete with a mirror-walled cocktail lounge (made to resemble Versace’s show space in Milan) and a wood paneled runway in a pattern that seemed to mimic Versace’s Greek fret motif (and also ensured everyone got a front row seat).
Everyone except Anna Wintour was there (and maybe she was and we just didn’t see her?): performers Prince and Nicki Minaj (wearing an enormous green wig and sequined Versace for H&M) sat to watch the show; celebs, all dressed in h-to-t Versace for H&M, included Blake Lively, Uma Thurman, Jessica Alba, Chace Crawford, Chloe Moretz, Jennifer Hudson and Alan Cumming; there were designers aplenty from Joseph Altuzarra to Alexander Wang to Christopher Kane; in keeping with the collection’s ’90s theme, ’90s supermodels Linda Evangelista and Helena Christensen were there; and there were too many stylists and editors and socialites to count.
“It looks good,” Minaj told us about the collection as she walked the red carpet. “All the stuff they brought to my room today I was like, ‘I’m keeping that!’ Minaj confessed that she fell in her platform Versaces during the filming for her Superbass video but she said, “I’m not taking them off, fashion is pain, and I’m keeping them on, and Superbass went on to be such a big song, so maybe Versace’s good luck.”
It’s less than two weeks until the Versace for H&M collection hits stores on November 19, but the party to introduce the collection officially kicks off tonight. Donatella Versace is here in New York prepping for tonight’s epic runway show and party, and WWD caught up with the designer to talk about the collection and what we can expect from tonight’s Prince and Nicki Minaj and celeb-filled spectacular.
Versace for H&M hype may be reaching fever pitch now, but the collab almost didn’t happen.
Donatella Versace is bringing out the big guns when it comes to the NYC launch party of her new Versace for H&M collection. And by big guns we mean Prince and Nicki Minaj. Yes, you read that right: Prince. And Nicki Minaj. Performing. We think our heads just exploded.
WWD reports that both of the singers are set to perform after the Versace for H&M fashion show wraps. Of the all-star act, Donatella told the industry newspaper, “To have my friend, the great, the amazing, the one and only Prince, and the extraordinary Nicki Minaj both perform at the event, will create exactly the feeling of joy and glamour I want this partnership to express.” We wholeheartedly agree with her.
PARIS–The Paris fashion crew isn’t as excited about Kanye West’s debut fashion show as we are aux États-Unis. Still, buzz is building for the rapper’s October 1 show, which he’s set to present at 9:30 p.m. And we’re guessing that buzz will reach fever pitch if the guest list is as star-studded as we’re hearing.
We’ve heard from a few sources that Jay-Z and Beyoncé will be attending (that means Beyoncé will have hit up New York, London and Paris fashion weeks). Ditto Ciara, who has already made an appearance at Barbara Bui (look for her to be the Sophia Bush of Paris Fashion Week). And the latest totally unconfirmed speculation about who will be in Kanye’s coveted front row?
One of the people Lady Gaga just name checked as a seminal “author in the library of pop culture” hosted a book signing last night. No, it wasn’t Prince, Cindy Crawford, Marilyn Monroe, or Francis Bacon (Gaga’s words, not ours).
It was Maripol, stylist to ’80s statement-makers Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Cher, and Madonna. Steven Meisel may have shot that iconic Like A Virgin album cover, but Maripol’s the one who slipped Madonna into the rubber bracelets and crucifix jewelry that sparked a trillion copycats. So, yah, we’d say Gaga gushing over Maripol’s cultural legacy is pretty on point.
While Maripol certainly had a heavy hand in fashion history, the woman’s still very much relevant today. Last year, she designed neon t-shirts and rubber jewelry for Marc by Marc; last night, she continued her latest moment in the sun (or torrential downpour, as luck would have it) with a jam-packed signing of her Little Red Riding Hood.
As much as pop culture invades every part of fashion these days, we’re not usually the go-to site for MTV coverage. But this WWD retrospective got me thinking about all the fashion-y things I’ve loved and lost on the once very stylin’ network over the years. Of course, there were the awesome first two incarnations Read more →
