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From Gaga to Cardi: Designer Christian Cowan on his greatest celebrity hits

What do Girl Gaga, Cardi B, Beyoncé, Paris Hilton and Lil Nas X have in widespread — apart from their celebrity standing, that’s?

All of them flip to 25-year-old Christian Cowan for outfits which can be, in his phrases, “optimistic, enjoyable, adventurous and further.”

“Style is remedy. And if I can simply make ladies world wide — and males, and whoever — simply snort and smile whereas sporting my garments, that’s the purpose for me,” the British designer instructed Web page Six Type.

Cowan’s cheery strategy to garments clearly resonates with celebs; for proof, look no additional than his star-studded Fall 2021 vogue movie that includes “RHONY” star Dorinda Medley, “SNL” actors Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang, Aquaria and Paris Hilton — the latter of whom makes a cameo on an up to date model of the bedazzled Motorola Razr cellphone she made essential within the 2000s.

“The Motorola Razr is a cellphone I died over having after I was a young person; I felt like the good child in class,” Cowan recalled. “So after I was doing a marketing campaign and assortment impressed by that period, it felt like an important ingredient.”

Beneath, the style protégé tells us about his most memorable celebrity-dressing moments to date, and divulges the sudden star he’d love to work with subsequent. (Belief us: You’ll by no means guess who it’s.)

Girl Gaga (2014)

Singer Lady Gaga is seen on March 24, 2014 in New York City.
GC Photos

“This may at all times have a particular place in my coronary heart, as a result of it was the primary time {that a} celebrity of any type had worn one thing of mine — and out of everybody, it was my icon and idol, Girl Gaga! I keep in mind, I did this horrible little assortment, and I didn’t know the way to sew again then; this was after I was beginning college. So I put all of it collectively by doing dots of superglue. It was rubbish.

By some means, her group noticed it on-line — nonetheless not fairly positive to this present day [how] — after which she wore it in New York, and I acquired a textual content congratulating me about it. That can at all times be such a particular second, as a result of it was so pure; I used to be only a actual excited teenager who was dressing their idol. An all-time second for me.”

Paris Hilton (2017)

Paris Hilton models the finale dress in the Christian Cowan Fall/Winter '17 fashion show.
Getty Photos

“I had met Paris Hilton at a Paper journal get together, and I had requested for her quantity and she or he was simply, like, ‘Positive!’ So then when the time [for my first-ever runway show] got here, I used to be like, ‘In case you don’t ask, you don’t get, so I’ll simply textual content Paris Hilton and see what she says.’ She was like, ‘When and the place?!’

I made this ridiculous costume with small sequins that saved rising and rising [toward the hem], acquired this huge tiara made, and she or he simply turned it out. I like her a lot; she’s certainly one of my favourite individuals within the trade.”

Miley Cyrus (2017)

Miley Cyrus attends the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena on September 23, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Gabe Ginsberg

“I used to be actually impressed by Valentine’s Day on the time; type of at all times have been. I just like the cheesiness of it, but in addition the actual romantic-ness. I did a lace look, and we hooked up these little velvet hearts, which took without end.

I had simply began working with Miley on the time. She was so enjoyable to work with, as a result of she was down for no matter I got here up with. And likewise, she would utterly embody the design each time. It by no means felt prefer it was sporting her. She was simply so cool in it.”

Cardi B (2018)

Cardi B's "Invasion of Privacy" album cover
Atlantic

“I liked Cardi and had been dressing her for a minute, for performances and all that jazz. After which Kollin [Carter], her stylist, had seen on my runway that I’d performed all these checkerboard appears to be like. They simply requested for it — didn’t actually say what it was for — after which they ship me a video from set of her within the look, like, ‘That is going to be her [“Invasion of Privacy”] album cowl!’

I like how they styled it; I like the yellow finger wave from [hairstylist] Tokyo Stylez. It was all so proper. We’ve acquired an enormous framed [version] within the workplace, and it’s at all times going to be certainly one of our favourite moments.”

“Cash” single paintings

Cardi B's "Money" single art
Atlantic

“So the watch gloves have an illustrious historical past. They have been initially meant to be for Beyoncé, and we have been going to make them with all actual Rolexes. I keep in mind Beyoncé’s group was scouring for any discounted Rolex watches; clearly that they had to purchase 30 of them, after all, as a result of I used to be like, ‘I can not pay that invoice!’ That didn’t work out.

Then we despatched them to Rihanna, and one other star — who I received’t title — had utterly destroyed them simply earlier than, and had reduce them via to attempt to get them to match. So it didn’t work. So we made them once more, and it labored out for Cardi!”

Paris Style Week

Cardi B performs during the ETAM show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2019 on September 25, 2018 in Paris, France.
Corbis through Getty Photos

“She was a little bit hen of paradise in that outfit. It was in my runway present, and it was certainly one of my favourite appears to be like. I texted Kollin instantly, like, ‘Do you want something?’ It was the night time of the present, and he was like, ‘Sure, we’d like it on a flight.’

They despatched somebody on a flight with it to Paris, and she or he wore it the subsequent day, the total look. I like that she was in an outfit from New York Style Week at Paris Style Week the subsequent day.”

Lil Nas X (2019)

Lil Nas X attends the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on August 26, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey.
Getty Photos

“So ‘Outdated City Street’ was smashing it [at the time], and I noticed this man and was like, ‘Maintain on. He’s rap, he’s nation, and he’s queer? That is all the things that we love in a single.’ And so I reached out to his group; I don’t normally attain out, however I used to be like, ‘We now have to work with him.’

I spoke to Nas and we instantly had chemistry. His stylist, Hodo [Musa], was like, ‘Let’s do Prince.’ We don’t do a lot menswear, and it was enjoyable to have the option to do one thing that was flamboyant however had masculinity to it, and paid homage to somebody everyone knows and love. And I went to the VMAs with them and had the funnest time.”

Jennifer Lopez (2019)

“J.Lo, in my eyes, is just like the supreme pop star. So after they requested for the costume, I used to be so excited. After which by some bizarre chain of occasions that have been out of my management, by some means Mariah Carey additionally wore the identical costume!

It was this wild second, to have each of them put on it, however I used to be so honored and flattered. It’s so thrilling if you get that seal of approval from an icon you liked in your childhood and your grownup years. Like, my subsequent dream is that I would like to work with David Attenborough; that may make my life. My two childhood icons: J.Lo and David Attenborough.”

Marc Jacobs (2020)

“He is without doubt one of the greatest dwelling vogue designers; he made ready-to-wear at Louis Vuitton and did all these iconic moments. I acquired a message from a well-known journal editor telling me that Marc had instructed them about me — I used to be so excited.

So I simply messaged him asking, ‘Would you need to be in my Lil Nas X collaboration marketing campaign?’ And shockingly, he was like, ‘Yeah, simply inform me the place.’ I simply had to type out just a few COVID checks for him, and he turned up! That was certainly one of my favourite moments ever, as a result of whereas I’m so fortunate to have all these musicians put on our stuff, to have an icon in your personal trade offer you that seal of approval … it was simply all the things I wanted.”

About the author

Tina Sanders

Tina is the mind behind Gruntstuff.com, and she ideated it when she was working for an online magazine company where she used to cover US-based headlines news. She holds a degree in journalism and has more than 4.5 years of experience in an online magazine company. She had the idea while working there but when she was quite sure about starting something on her own, she took the risk and left the job to start Gruntstuff. Since then she added a few team members, and along with them, she creates General US news content on the site.

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