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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 02: Iman and Tamron Hall attend the 2022 Inaugural Fifteen Percent Pledge Benefit Gala on April 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Fifteen Percent Pledge)
I write, “The 15 Percent Pledge is a non-profit organization created by Aurora James that encourages retailers to pledge at least 15 percent of their shelf-space to Black-owned businesses. They held their inaugural gala on April 2nd at the New York Public Library. The dress code called for Black Tie by Black Designers. Now if only celebrities on major red carpets could try to incorporate more black designers into their wardrobes. Or maybe even just 15%! What a wonderfully diverse world it would be.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 02: Claire Sulmers attends The Fifteen Percent Pledge Benefit Gala at New York Public Library on April 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)
After being postponed from it’s usual January slot due to the on-going pandemic, the moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived! Celebrities lined up to parade down the red carpet at 64th annual Grammy Award’s held in Las Vegas. Well-known for being one of the most out-there and daring red carpet events each and every year, 2022 was no exception! The only rule is… there are no rules! See our top 10 picks of the night below!
Tiffany Haddish in custom Prada
Photo: D. Adams
Three words: opulence, dazzle and class! Tiffany Haddish emerged on the scene sporting a custom Prada sequins number styled by the Wayman and Micah duo. She wore Norman Silverman diamonds with hair and by Ray Christopher and makeup by Keita Moore. She did not miss a beat tonight!
Doja Cat in Atelier Versace
Photo: Getty Images
Doja was also dripping in jewels wearing a barely-there, mint-colored, studded Versace dress, platform heels and diamonds by Samer Halimeh, Jacob & Co., Candy Ice, 64Facets and Hueb Jewelry. Her stylist Brett Alan Nelson added a JBL x Disco Daddy Studio bag speaker and Coperni x Heven combo to keep things interesting. Doja’s hair, created by Jared Henderson courtesy of GHD, was giving 90’s pop star realness with an internet-age edge! Her makeup was done by Ernesto Casillas using Pat McGrath, with nails by Saccia.
Saweetie in Valentino
Photo: Getty Images
We loved Saweetie in this shade of Pierpaolo Piccioli pink, wearing a well fitted FW22 Valentino bralette and skirt! Her stylist Timothy Luke truly revolutionized her style in this very moment, and she has never looked better. We stan!
SZA in Jean Paul Gaultier
Photo: Getty Images
The songstress who was won an award alongside Doja Cat stayed true to her garden fairy aesthetics as she made her way down the red carpet in SS06 Jean Paul Gaultier, an excellent occasion to pull out the archives! SZA was styled by Kollin Carter and wore Messika Jewelry.
Jazmine Sullivan in Christian Siriano
Photo: IG/Reproduction
Speaking of award recipients, R&B artist Jazmine Sullivan took home two trophies while stunning in a tribal print Christian Siriano leather suit! The look was finished off with Dena Kemp accessories styled by Zerina Akers.
Snoh Alegra in custom Versace
Photo: Getty Images
Wearing a custom, sleek, strapless silver Versace design, Snoh Alegra shimmered her way down the carpet looking sublime! The gown boasts distressed cutaway slits at the sides with crystal and chain elements – it’s all in the detail!
Billy Porter in Valentino
Photo: Getty Images
You couldn’t miss Billy Porter as he made his entrance wearing a fluorescent pink FW22 Valentino ensemble styled by Ty Hunter and Colin Anderson! The look was accessorized with Jimmy Choo shoes and Kismet by Milka earrings.
Chloe Bailey in Valentino
Photo: Getty Images
The Bailey sister was dressed by Valentino, wearing a silver pailette dress with a matching removable cape. Chloe’s jewels were Tiffany & Co. jewels and her heels were Jimmy Choo. Her beauty team consisted of makeup artist David Velasquez and hair artist Fesa Nu.
Cynthia Erivo in custom Louis Vuitton
Cynthia Erivo wore custom Louis Vuitton to the Grammy’s this year, styled by Jason Bolden! The look was a hit, including makeup by Sam Fine and hair by Nai’vasha.
Kourtney Kardashian in Et Ochs with Travis Barker in Givenchy
Photo: Getty Images
These two were the ultimate cool couple of the night! Kourtney was styled by Dani Michelle wearing FW22 Et Ochs while Travis wore Givenchy.
Gaurav Gupta is the mastermind behind the opulent, gravity-defying looks that are topping the best-dressed lists at our favorite award shows lately! The Central Saint Martins alum has carved an aesthetic of his own, and everyone wants in on the fashion action. Debuting his designer trajectory in his home country, Gupta’s designs have made their way onto the covers of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar India amongst a multitude of additional fashion publications. He has spent the last 15 years dressing India’s elite and is now steadily conquering American fashion! Read on to discover more about who he has dressed and his design style:
Saweetie at the 2020 Grammy Awards
Photo: Courtesy of Gaurav Gupta
One of the earliest moments that we discovered Gaurav Gupta was during the 2020 Grammy Awards when Saweetie would arrive to a pre-party wearing a hypnotic Swirl Sculpture gown that was made to her fit. The look was rare and truly noteworthy!
Cardi B’s ‘No Love’ Music Video
Photo: IG/Reproduction
Most recently, Cardi B wore Gupta’s Amorphous Shapeshifter Sculptural Outfit for her music video for ‘No Love’ styled by Kollin Carter! His signature sculpting technique immediately tells us that this is a Gupta creation.
Megan Thee Stallion at the 2022 Oscar’s
Photo: Getty Images
Megan Thee Stallion looked poised as she posed on the recent Oscar’s red carpet laced in Gupta Gaurav. Many thought the look to be a big style moment for Thee Stallion! Styled by Eric Archibald, the sculptured, crystal-encrusted, strapless gown with train and took more than 1500 hours to create.
Jennifer Hudson at the Producer’s Guild Awards 2022
Photo: IG/Reproduction
Jennifer Hudson attended the 2022 Producer’s Guild Awards wearing a custom gold Gaurav Gupta Couture gown that was styled by Jeremy Frierson. Gupta is known for his meticulous glass bead work that bring life to every garment.
Lyric Nicole Ross at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards
Photo: Courtesy of Gaurav Gupta
‘This Is Us’ Actress also blessed the red carpet in a unique Gaurav Gupta design at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards!
What say you?
Main Image: Courtesy of Gaurav Gupta + IG/Reproduction + Getty Images
Trina graced our Instagram timeline and looked absolutely Bomb! Stylist La’Tara Deshazior came through with the flirty look for Trina and gave her a beautiful full beat as well. “The baddest” female rapper wore a $980 AREApink bow, slit mini dress.
Images: IG/Reproduction
The garment is a sleeveless brushed cotton and nylon-blend tweed dress in pink. It has a square neck collar and an adjustable spaghetti shoulder straps with crystal-cut and gunmetal-tone hardware trim, bow detailing with crystal-cut and gunmetal-tone hardware at front.
Images: IG/Reproduction
She completed the look with a pair of luminous heels!
The superstar gave us a cute baby doll look for her hairstyle. This look was styled by Laura Love.
Images: IG/Reproduction
If you’re loving this look, you can purchase the mini dress here.
Karyl L. Truesdale writes, “Claire Siobhan Sulmers. An innovator, Author, Harvard graduate and CEO of the popular fashion blog The Fashion Bomb Daily, Sulmers is a fashion industry force. She’s a Black girl magic success story. Comfort, ease, and privilege did not catapult her into this career. It was quite the opposite, and her determination prevailed. Sulmers is a quintessential wild card, as she did not study fashion at her prestigious Ivy League alma mater. French and African American Studies was in her curriculum, and her astute disposition and sagacious business acumen shaped the trailblazer she has become. Today, she counts over 2 million followers on social media, which is testament to the 15 years she has been building her media empire. Sulmers is by nature down to earth, and unflinchingly wants to remain inclusive and diverse in an industry that is working towards long overdue change.“
He completed his look with a $2,000 LV shirt and $2,400 Rimowa x Dior Cigar case.
Both his shirt and jacket are the creations of the late, great Virgil Abloh, who said while designing the collection, “I feel like I’m writing a book with these collections. It’s one continuous logic about diversity and design…I’ve started to let my imagination run wild.”
He continued, “I try to create the world as I would like to see it in real life. Having something that’s pop culture and fashion, that’s an education and maybe opens minds. To me, that’s the North Star.”
His cigar case is actually a collaboration between Dior and Rimowa. Featuring Dior print across the signature hard-case silhouettes, the cigar case is apart of a range that consists of clutches, shoulder bags, and full-sized luggage.
In addition to Broken Land debuting their couture denim collaboration with Nordstrom, the event also stood as a showcase for other black female owned brands you should know!
If you’re not familiar with Broken Land, where have you been? The brand was founded by a lawyer, Janai Jackson (middle) , who wanted to reimagine denim in a couture way (read more about her here). Broken Land offers denim jackets, skirts, jeans, and now coats with pleating, fun patterns, and new silhouettes. It’s the bomb! While I have worn many pieces by the brand before, for the event, I opted for a few new items, including their dotted blouse and tiered mini skirt.
I also said hey to Samantha Black, a Jamaican American ready to wear designer, whose pieces have been spied on Gabrielle Union, Wendy Williams, and so many more.
Other brands in the building included Lasette__, a lingerie brand and Aura by Jewel, a line of chic statement earrings. If your line was showing at the event, please leave your info in the comments!
It was a fun time and a wonderful way to support black female designers.
