Beyoncé was at the WACO Theatre Wearable Art Gala on Saturday and she was the main event, as she always is. She is selective about her appearances, as we know. And her connection to this party, of course, is her mother, Miss Tina. And together they have made the Wearable Art Gala a major stop on the Hollywood calendar, attracting major star power. This red carpet felt like an award show – with some outstanding fashion moments.
It's not just the Met Gala that has a theme, Miss Tina’s night always has a theme too and this year it was Harlem Nights, celebrating the Black excellence of the Harlem Renaissance era which, of course, also works in our current cultural moment as Beyoncé’s latest masterpiece continues to dominate the conversation. The girls are still TikTokking to “Cuff It” and that will only continue as we get deeper into cuffing season.
Back to the fashion though and the Harlem Nights vibes we saw at the Wearable Gala, starting with drama and Kelly Rowland in a voluminous red gown with black opera gloves. It’s a LOT of dress, but it also somehow looks comfortable, right?
For Jurnee Smollett it was the hat. A big round hat over a Dorothy style dress that flares beautifully with movement. There’s Harlem and Halloween energy in her look, and she too dressed it up with black gloves.
Speaking of headpieces though, it really was wearable art on Marsai Martin. This is all the themes – it’s Black excellence in the form of black roses, it’s art and fashion, it’s 1920s made modern by one of the young leaders of Black Hollywood. Her future is drawing from the past and present, it’s an amazing interpretation of the theme.
But it wouldn’t be a fashion roundup without a cape. Today’s cape is brought to you by Andra Day who elevates an ordinary sequined black dress with a sheer attachment flowing behind her. A cape…but also wings.
As for Lori, her dress is exquisite, and there’s a story to it. It’s hard to see from the still photos but the details really come out in the video below. Most of the body of the dress is made of fringe. Held together all that fringe looks like silk. The inspiration here is Lynn Whitfield as Josephine Baker and as I wrote earlier in this post about the Met Gala, the attendees at the Wearable Gala put as much thought into honouring the theme, perhaps even more, than they do for the first Monday in May.
From fringe to feathers, Issa Rae wore a striped sequined cocktail length dress with feather trim that is perfection for the occasion. This is a dress meant to make its way across the dance floor.
If we’re talking feathers though, my favourite feathered look of the night is Quinta Brunson’s. I loooooove her in this short, light green fringe dress with that beaded neckline – it is exquisite. And this headpiece! She’s giving flapper but also Egyptian queen. In my opinion one of the best outfits of the year so far.
