Actor Awards Up Their Fashion Game

The Actor Awards and its red carpet have long played second fiddle (or even fifth or sixth) to the Globes, Oscars, Grammys and Emmys. But for the first time this year, they had a fashion partner — Elle magazine — and a dress code: Reimagining Hollywood Glamour from the 1920s and ’30s. So how did it pan out?

The SAG-AFTRA partnership with the Hearst-owned title was billed as a way to “elevate fashion as a central part of the show’s creative expression,” Jon Brockett, showrunner and executive producer of The Actor Awards, said when the collaboration was announced. “It’s an opportunity to align the red carpet, the show and the culture around it into a single, cohesive moment.”

Elle sponsored the Elle Actors Rising event last weekend and an awards after-party but did not have a presence during the televised red carpet coverage or the show itself, which begs the question: what was the point?

The 1920s and ’30s theme prompted a joke during the telecast from Sterling K. Brown, who said, “With all that’s going on in the world tonight, we thought we’d bring you back to a happier time, the Great Depression.” But Elle was not mentioned.

Nevertheless, the fashion was more elevated, with a noticeably theatrical flavor to many of the looks. That element of role-playing was refreshing and seemed appropriate for an awards show honoring actors.

Setting the tone was lovable red carpet cut-up “Hacks” star Megan Stalter, playing the Old Hollywood bombshell with newly blonde locks, a leopard gown, fur stole, sunglasses and a cigarette, natch.

Teyana Taylor also put on a show with her daughter (or stylist, as she joked), Rue, who stole everyone’s hearts when she knelt down to adjust the train on her mom’s stunning Thom Browne trompe l’oeil “nude” corset gown.

Divas Being Divas

Grande dame Demi Moore was ready for the “Moulin Rouge” in her bird-like Schiaparelli gown, straight off the house’s Paris couture runway with a dramatic tulle tail feather. Special mention goes to Gwyneth Paltrow in black lace Givenchy and Parker Posey in powder-pink, marabou feather-trimmed Gucci — with matching pink eyeshadow.

Balenciaga in the Spotlight

New Dior and new Chanel have grabbed a lot of attention and dressing credits this awards season. Which is why I was so happy to see Balenciaga in the fashion spotlight at the Actor Awards, dressing Jessie Buckley, Sarah Pidgeon and Yerin Ha so beautifully.

At Valentino, where he was the sole creative director for eight years until 2024, Piccioli ushered a grand simplicity into fashion, along with a remarkable sense of color, mega volumes and drama. He carried that over to Balenciaga and to the looks worn Sunday night. Pidgeon’s petal-pink silk gazar balloon gown was a welcome hint of spring, while Buckley’s veiled bustier dress with white silk gazar flourish brought award-winning drama. Ha’s white silk fringe-embroidered crop top was modern and joyful when paired with black pants.

Breakthrough Performance

Speaking of texture and all-out kineticism, Odessa A’Zion, the breakout star of “Marty Supreme” and “I Love L.A.,” nailed it with a multicolored crystal-fringe Giorgio Armani Privé jumpsuit that matched her quirky character on screen and off.

All Sides

We’ve seen breast cleavage and butt cleavage, but at the Actor Awards, side cleavage entered the chat. Exhibit A: Kristen Wiig, who has never looked better, in a daring Christian Cowan black silk gown with sides scooped out. Li Jun Li’s side-slit red sequin gown by British label Aadnevik had playful tulle bows at the bare hips, while Michelle Williams’ pale pink, crystal-studded Prada gown had a more demure, apron-like look.

Character Study

Chase Infiniti had another hit Louis Vuitton moment. The “One Battle After Another” star, who has been wearing custom designs by Nicolas Ghesquière all season, channeled the Jazz Age with her spectacular, figure-hugging, hand-knit, crystallized mermaid gown — complete with one of the best accessories of the night, a matching headpiece.

Razzle Dazzle

Connor Storrie rocked the jewelry trend of the moment, a statement necklace, wearing a Tiffany Victoria mixed-cluster choker, shirtless, with his sleek Saint Laurent suit. He must love the look — he wore a similar Tiffany necklace the night before during his “Saturday Night Live” monologue.

Scene Stealer

And finally, Ethan Hawke was a scene stealer in a delightfully costume-y Dior black velvet waistcoat with Brandenburg embroidery, white silk shirt and black silk tuxedo pants. At the beginning of the broadcast, who could pay attention to Kate Hudson sharing the backstory of her first acting role with the best-dressed Hawke swishing a glass of brown liquor in the chair next to her? Actors will be actors — cheers to that.

Gucci-Maxxing in Milan

The Fall 2026 Milan runway season featured three major designer debuts and several strong takeaways for future dressing, but the main event was Demna’s Gucci.

The former Balenciaga designer took the moment so seriously that Gucci took out full-page ads in The New York Times and other outlets explaining his creative process leading up to the monumentally important collection. (A little much? Perhaps. But the stakes are high for Kering Group’s cash cow, which has been bleeding.)

In sum, Demna’s research led him to understand that Gucci is many things (“a superbrand, a person, a culture”), but above all else, at least in my reading, Gucci is “an emotion.”

This collection certainly prompted plenty of that, generating intense social media reactions, with critics deriding it for being too cheap-looking, too reverential, too Y2K, and on and on.

The show did not have the lush, cinematic seduction of Tom Ford’s day, but it brought some of his iconic pieces into the now, alongside Demna’s always-keen interpretations of what people actually wear on the street every day — good-looking jeans, track pants, trench coats and leather jackets.

The vibe was sexy, but for the 2020s digital-first, slightly sleazy, looksmaxxing era, with satiny suiting, pec-popping latex T-shirts, ultra-low-rise pants, second-skin dresses and more leaving little to the imagination.

The clothes may not scream luxury in the way we’re used to seeing, but they did make you feel something, and that’s more than Gucci has done in a while.

Prada’s Artful Pragmatism

More than a feeling, the stellar Prada collection designed by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons was a prescription for dressing.

The setup was this — 15 models walked four times each, showing multiple looks created with the same pieces, shedding layer after layer, as a woman does over the course of a day — and a life. You can see how it worked by looking at Bella Hadid pictured above.

Considered on their own, the pieces were totally desirable, mixing sport, prep, glam, and color in the way only Prada can, with an added loveworn element in the rips and stains throughout. Plus, there were a million styling ideas to try with your existing wardrobe. A treat for the eyes all the way around.

Welcome to Fend-ior

For those missing the pragmatism of Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior, she’s brought it to her new gig at Fendi. Her debut collection was nearly all black, not-too-fussy, not-too-fashion, just wearable and elegant.

She showed at least one of her Dior signatures: a sheer black lace full skirt, and put her stamp on Fendi’s famous fur with a bohemian twist. And of course, there were Fendi baguettes galore.

Bringing Back That Marni Funk

The cult of Marni has been restored by new designer Meryll Rogge. In her debut collection, she resurrected the artsy-craftsy Italian chic that made the brand a fashion darling in the early Aughts, but filtered it through a young, sporty lens. Time to get that funky jewelry back out.

Armani Through a Female Gaze

Silvana Armani’s first collection as chief designer since her uncle Giorgio Armani’s death carried over his timeless spirit, but with a lighter touch in the styling and accessories, giving the brand new currency and putting it in great stead to compete with The Row, Toteme and other quiet-luxury leaders that have dominated the fashion conversation as of late.

Your Next Netflix Fashion Binge

Status, artifice, counterfeit luxury, and economic disparity intersect in “The Art of Sarah,” which has already rocketed to the top of Netflix’s worldwide rankings for a non-English series and should be the next binge for fashion obsessives.

The South Korean mystery thriller series centers around Sarah Kim (Shin Hye-sun), a con woman who creates a fraudulent luxury handbag brand, Boudoir, and the investigation into her murder, led by detective Park Mu-gyeong (played by the very attractive Lee Jun-hyuk).

Kim’s life unfolds over eight episodes, which follow her through multiple constructed identities. As Mok Ga-hui, she works as a salesperson at a luxury boutique (it resembles Prada), without the dignity of bathroom breaks. She falls into debt when she has to take one, and a shoplifter strikes.

That leads her down the road of reselling designer bags from employee sample sales, turning to prostitution, and more, until she creates the identity of luxury executive Sarah Kim, using social media and rumors to fabricate a century-old backstory for her brand, including a British royal warrant.

But the goods are actually made in China and finished in Korea, which is not so far from the truth of some of the most prestigious European luxury brands, which finish bags in Italy or France but make them elsewhere.

Kim succeeds by employing the psychology of real-world luxury brands, too — limiting access to product, drawing huge lines outside her store, and burning excess stock.

The show’s Korean title is “Lady Doir,” and throughout, real Hermès Birkins and Lady Dior bags — or what appear to be — confer status on the high-society characters, while glimpses of luxury storefronts set the scene.

It must be said, though, that the Boudoir bags themselves are gaudy and not very attractive, which could even be by design, because if you spin a good enough story around them and they are carried by the right people, does it really matter? A question to ponder as fashion month continues in Paris.

Stetson x The Great Launch a Cute Collaboration

It was a match made in Americana. Beloved L.A. fashion brand The Great has created a new capsule collection with OG western wear and hat maker Stetson, and it’s a good one.

The Stetson x The Great lineup of 25 womenswear and accessories styles includes embroidered Western shirts, skirts and shirt dresses; a great riding cardigan; baby blue and red suede floral cowboy boots;  fab Western belts with sculptural silver buckles, and yes, a terrific cowboy hat, all $595 or less.

To celebrate, The Great designers Emily Current and Meritt Elliott gathered friends of the brand — and dressed them in the new collection — for a fun dinner Wednesday night at Marvito in West Hollywood, where tables were set with The Great x Stetson leather coasters; margaritas, ceviche and tacos were on the menu, and everyone was rocking the cowgirl look in their own individual way.

“This is tremendously meaningful to us. Emily and I started our business two-and-a-half decades ago and Stetson was on our mood board,” said Elliott. “We also acknowledge that it’s incredibly meaningful for a heritage brand to collaborate with a woman-owned brand. We are not at fashion week making a big splash but I think this kind of thing really changes the landscape of fashion because it’s what people wear as they move in the world.”

“I grew up in a small town and we had a lot of agriculture and horses and boot and tack shops and Stetson was the quintessential western brand,” said Current of how the brand shaped her aesthetic. “I have boots I have collected for years.” 

The Stetson executives, unmistakable in their 10-gallon cowboy hats, were in from New York for the event. CEO Robert Dundon credited his wife, a fan of The Great’s take on Americana, for suggesting he reach out. Indeed, The Great is rooted in great denim, knits and everyday wear with a romantic nostalgia, and has had some of the most considered collaborations in American fashion in recent years, including with Eddie Bauer, Red Wing and now Stetson.

Stetson was founded in 1865 by John B. Stetson in Philadelphia, and created the “Boss of the Plains” original durable, waterproof cowboy hat designed for the American West, before branching into other styles. Stetson hats, which are manufactured in Texas, have been worn such Hollywood greats as Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Kevin Costner, Lady Gaga, Post Malone and many more icons of stage and screen. In the 1980s, Stetson began to diversify with cologne and more, and currently it produces fragrance, hats, apparel and bourbon.

The brand is seeing The Great partnership as an opportunity to grow its women’s business, both in footwear and apparel.

“Our women’s business really started to come online when Beyoncé started wearing our hats onstage during the Cowboy Carter tour … It made us think maybe there is something there,” said Dundon.

Western wear isn’t just a trend, it’s here to stay, he said. “I always think back to the film ‘Urban Cowboy.’ We had this big peak in our business in 1980 but then it went back to the way it was,” he said of the influence of the romance starring John Travolta. “This time it just keeps going up and up. It’s permeated a lot of culture.”

Stetson x The Great is available at The Great stores, The Great and Stetson websites, and at select wholesale accounts. 

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The post The Actor Awards Got More Than a Name Change, but a Whole Fashion Upgrade appeared first on TheWrap.

Where the A-List Happily Shares the Spotlight

The Costume Designers Guild Awards may be the most underrated of all of Hollywood’s annual awards shows. 

It’s not easy to humble A-listers, but at the CDGA awards last week, the deep love and devotion they expressed for their costume designers was something to behold.

The event celebrated excellence in costume design, with Kate Hawley (Frankenstein), Paul Tazewell (Wicked: For Good), Colleen Atwood (One Battle After Another) and Kameron Lennox (The Studio) taking top honors, alongside stars recognized for their contributions to the field.

Naturally, everyone looked fabulous, whether they were wearing the latest couture, or their grandmother’s vintage pillbox hat. And the Wilshire Ebell Theatre was full of creatives who have influenced style on screen and off in massive ways, from the midcentury menswear of Mad Men (Janie Bryant) to Cher Horowitz’s canary yellow plaid Clueless suit (Mona Mae).

Smartly, Bulgari has supported the guild and the awards from the beginning, 28 years ago, handcrafting The Adrian award statuette –and re-minting it this year – as well as bejeweling honorees and celebrity presenters. Rather than going down the paid placement road, the jeweler believes in relationship building this way, and has other events planned during the year to continue supporting an art and craft that’s not so different from its own.

The dialogue between fashion and costume design was a recurring theme at Thursday’s event, suggesting more fashion brands could and probably should get involved, especially considering how fashion and entertainment have grown ever closer, with Jonathan Anderson now designing for film, and Tiffany & Co. integrating into Frankenstein, as examples. (Bloomingdale’s was also a sponsor of the evening.) 

During her introductory remarks, CDGA President Terry Gordon called out Vogue and Anna Wintour for their “surprising generosity” last year, bringing financial relief to guild members affected by the wildfires. Ticket sales to the Vogue World: Hollywood event, which showed fashion alongside costume design on the runway at Paramount Studios, raised an astounding $4.5 million for the community.

Sharing the stage – both literally and creatively – was a through line in acceptance speeches, which were heartfelt and insightful, perhaps because unlike at televised awards shows, they could be longer than 45 seconds.

While accepting the Vanguard Spotlight Award from Jodie Smith, One Battle After Another Oscar nominee Teyana Taylor praised the artists who help shape how stories are seen before they’re even heard.

The red carpet star of awards show season, stunning in a red Tamara Ralph Couture corset gown, Taylor also spoke to fashion, and how much she enjoys building looks from the ground up. She shouted out many of her collaborators, including Ruth E. Carter. They worked together on Coming 2 America.

Carter also designed Taylor’s red pinstripe Zoot Suit for the 2025 Met Gala, paying homage to the event’s Superfine: Tailoring Black Style theme and Harlem culture. 

“When I got the call about what the theme of the Met Gala was going to be, usually that’s where you go with a fashion designer. But for this one, I said, ‘I need a costume designer. I need a storyteller,'” Taylor said.

Kate Hudson, who received the Spotlight Award from her friend Janelle Monáe, traced her appreciation for costume design all the way back to time spent as a young girl with mom, Goldie Hawn, sitting on the floor “surrounded by every sequin imaginable” in Bob Mackie’s studio.

She remembered that the legendary costume designer made her several sequin hair bows which she treasures to this day. Hudson  touched on the enduring appeal of her iconic Penny Lane coat from Almost Famous, and the yellow Carolina Herrera gown from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days that still influences bridal parties and prom goers 20-plus years later.

Dressed for the event in a beautifully draped purple silk Valentino gown, she also praised Song Sung Blue costume designer Ernesto Martinez for helping her find her character in the film for which she’s Oscar nominated.

“We all know that costume is a collaboration, and finding character happens in these rooms through color palettes and texture. Imagination and what characters look like on set is profoundly important to every story ever told,” Hudson said.

Michelle Cole, creator of the fashion-influential In Living Color Fly Girls looks, as well as costumes for Black-ish, Grown-ish and many more, received the Career Achievement Award, presented by Tracee Ellis Ross, wearing a fabulous peach satin Mugler suit. She credited Cole with creating “the mix of upscale style and streetwear that became the urban aesthetic of the 1990s,” calling her a “giant who has had massive impact for more than three decades of crafting culture-driven style.”

Reflecting on her 43-year career, Cole spoke of wanting to be a costume designer since she was a little girl and first saw the film My Fair Lady. “I just want to thank everyone here for supporting me, loving me and for being able to call on you when there’s a problem,” she said of her colleagues.

Speaking of giants, in a poignant moment, Lennox and co-designer Tyler Kinney paid homage to the late Catherine O’Hara, calling her “a dream to work with” and someone “who understood the power of storytelling in each piece of clothing.” The duo wore some of O’Hara’s jewelry from The Studio while accepting their award for Excellence in Contemporary Television.

At the end of the night, costume designer Deborah L. Scott took to the stage to give her 30-year partner-in-crime, director James Cameron, the Distinguished Collaborator Award, describing him as a world-builder with a remarkable attention to detail.

But he spent his entire acceptance speech heaping praise on her, refusing to let her leave his side. He reminisced about the hours and hours they have spent talking and brainstorming over the years, and how Scott rose to the challenge of creating distinct Indigenous cultures for three Avatar films, and designing reusable costumes for Titanic, because the boat itself sank over and over during the production. 

Of Kate Winslet’s incredible looks in the film, Cameron mused, “When she steps out of that car and her character is revealed for the first time by that hat … That is a piece of cinema that still takes peoples’ breath away after 30 years.”

He wrapped by emphasizing the importance of the handmade, leaving the crowd with one of the most memorable lines of the night: “Honor the artist and human creativity, because you know what, AI don’t sew.”

New York Runways Trend Toward The Familiar

On the other coast, in another sphere of style influence, New York Fashion Week unspooled last week, kicking off the fall 2026 runway season.

There were a couple of newsy shows. Much-lauded Jamaican-American designer Rachel Scott had a strong first runway outing in her role as creative director for consummate New York brand Proenza Schouler. And Italian designer Nicola Brognano brought back Aughts-era low-slung jeans, biker jackets and platform pumps at his first show for 7 for All Mankind, the latest L.A. denim giant with eyes on becoming a lifestyle brand. 

But overall, the calendar was a bit thin – and so were the ideas. Still, there were some trends that emerged, er, re-emerged.

The Must-Have Belted Midi

To-the-knee midi skirts took center stage in a markedly pared-back Marc Jacobs collection. I actually liked the blocky silhouettes, pastel satins, sheer layers and nostalgia for the days before runway theatrics took over fashion, in no small part due to Jacobs’ own meteoric rise.

I also appreciated his transparency into what is a universal truth; every designer looks back. In the show notes, Jacobs cited the Yves Saint Laurent 1965 couture collection and a handful of others as inspiration, including some of his own from the ’90s and early 2000s. 

Tory Burch began showing similar midi-length skirts last season, and the fall versions in slick leather were even more luscious. She accessorized them with an encore of her spring ’26 braided belts that are already It items on Fashion Substack. 

Black and White and Red All Over

Awards season red carpets have already been dominated by black and white, and New York designers hit the classic combo, too, from the sleek white tailoring and black-and-white houndstooth outerwear at Proenza Schouler, to Sergio Hudson’s sexy skirted take on a tuxedo, to Khaite’s ivory ruffle-trimmed black velvet dress and romantic riffs on tuxedo suiting.

Meanwhile, Michael Kors revived the ’90s, sexy classic white tank top for evening over a long black sequin skirt, and painted his runway red, from a pop of red via a crewneck sweater which has been a street style trick for a while now, to a ravishing rose gala gown.

Bringing Back the Brooch

They started appearing last season and boy have they multiplied. In an economy primed for little luxuries, the designer brooch might just be the hottest accessory out there, seen decorating jacket lapels, scarves, sweaters and more on the New York runways.  

Gilded Age

For those feeling more flush, gold is a rich new statement hue, as seen on a gorgeous Kallmeyer Chinoiserie jacket, densely embroidered Ralph Lauren dress, glittery Libertine pants, tunic and evening gloves look, and a very Bronte-core Fforme corset gown.

Calvin, why?

Ryan Murphy’s Love Story dropped right in the middle of New York Fashion Week, but Calvin Klein did nothing to seize the moment, despite the extensive screen time the brand has in the limited FX/Hulu series, and the ’90s fashion nostalgia that could have been mined from the inspiring costumes. 

Inviting star Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Carolyn Bessette, to the Calvin Klein runway show would have been an easy nod to the moment, but she was front row at Khaite instead, which may be for the best as Klein’s fall collection was pretty much universally panned, putting the brand’s current runway revival in question.

Meanwhile, what did come out? A forgettable capsule collection of washable silk slips, camis and shorts that’s a collaboration between Love Story and “restwear” brand Lunya. Missed opportunities all around.

’90s Nostalgia Examined 

Right on time, a new fashion exhibition at ASU/FIDM in downtown L.A. is looking at 1990s nostalgia, and the varied designer visions of style over the decade that is now all the rage with Gen Z and celebrities looking for archival fashion grails.

Taking over the fashion school’s museum space, Obsessed: Fashion and Nostalgia in the ’90s opens by displaying a ’90s John Galliano fitted suit similar to a the rare vintage one worn by Lauren Sanchez at Paris Fashion Week, alongside a Christian Dior haute couture suit from the 1950s that was worn by Marlene Dietrich, suggesting that the allure of nostalgia is a constant, equally dominant in the ’90s as it is today.

Grunge looks by Anna Sui, Christian Francis Roth and Marc Jacobs share space with differing approaches to tailoring from Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood and Yohji Yamamoto, conceptual Japanese fashion by Issey Miyake and Comme des Garcons, and Carolyn Bessette-style American minimalism from Calvin Klein.

“That’s one of the points of exhibition, you get all of these different aesthetics,” curator Christina Frank told me. “It was really about individualism more than any one trend or style.”

Clothing and accessories are contextualized with ’90s printed matter, which is finding its own nostalgic audience in the digital age, including a full run of Visionaire magazines.

Nostalgia is often heightened in periods of change and uncertainty as people look to the comfort of a real or imagined past. “A lot feels charged right now so it’s nice to look back and imagine it was a simpler time. But our research found that contemporary fashion press in the 1990s didn’t seem that relaxed either,” Frank explained.

“They were contending with the changes of fashion being covered by TV and becoming part of mass culture. And there are some great quotes from designers who were feeling like it was going to change fashion.” Oh how it did.

Obsessed: Fashion and Nostalgia in the ’90s, Feb. 19 to June 27, ASU FIDM Museum, 919 S. Grand St, Los Angeles. Opening reception, Feb. 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m..

Nahmias Reigns Supreme 

Worn by Kylie Jenner, Tom Brady and of course, Timothée Chalamet, the Marty Supreme jacket was the Internet-breaking fashion item of 2025 and a game-changer for Doni Nahmias, the L.A. designer who made the windbreaker as cult movie merch in collaboration with the Oscar nominee, stylist Taylor McNeil and A24. 

Now, Nahmias is center stage at L.A.’s Maxfield, with a takeover of the boutique’s Jean Prouvé space. The pop-up (titled Daydreaming) is perfectly on-theme for the sunny, sporty California brand. (Nahmias grew up in the Summerland area south of Santa Barbara and interned with Mike Amiri before launching his own luxury men’s collection in 2018, including the Summerland T-shirts that were his first bestsellers.)

Oversized knit flowers hang from the ceiling with their shoelace pistils dangling while white supersized beads dot the floor referencing the friendship bracelet beads in the brand’s new Puma collaborative sneaker. 

The pop-up, which is open through Saturday, has a handful of pieces – color blocked suede jackets, trucker hats, Aloha shirts, crochet dog keychains and the new Puma X Nahmias suede kicks.

But there’s more inside the Maxfield store proper, which has been a big Nahmias supporter from the beginning and even has its own Nahmias x Maxfield merch. There are also pieces from the recently shown Nahmias fall 2026 runway collection.

You’ll want see the vending machine that only operates by way of a special limited-edition Nahmias x Maxfield coin that customers earn by spending at least $1,000 on Nahmias or buy for $100. Dropping the coin in the machine and turning the knob vends a Nahmias collectible – most likely a keychain or bracelet. But also perhaps something a little more … memorable.

“There’s one of those Marty Supreme windbreakers in the mix,” an employee pointed out during a Wednesday morning visit, “and to the best of my knowledge no one has gotten it yet.” 

Maxfield x Nahmias Daydreaming Pop-Up, 8825 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood.

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Last Chance to See Mr Brainwash in Beverly Hills

The Mr Brainwash Art Museum, which has occupied the former Paley Center for Media on Beverly Drive for the past six years with its colorful, Instagrammable collection, is hosting its final exhibition before Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy breaks ground on a new 100,000-square-foot campus that will include a Louis Vuitton store, museum and restaurant which will be the late Frank Gehry’s final project.

French-born pop artist Mr Brainwash (no period after Mr. in his case), aka Thierry Guetta, known for his cheeky fusions of pop culture icons and Old Masters, has collaborated with Disney on a show that makes for a fun holiday shopping diversion for visitors of all ages.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said during a preview of the artworks inspired by “Disney & Friends.” “It’s the kid in me.”

The rooftop has been wholly dedicated to the “Dreams Come True” exhibition, open through January (there’s no definitive end date yet), and it’s a riot of Disney-fied color and interactive opportunities worthy of a theme park. Visitors emerge onto the roof through what turns out to be a billboard-sized version of Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks,” with Goofy, Mickey and Minnie providing an instantly identifiable counterpoint to the anonymous diner denizens.

A photo op lets visitors momentarily step into a Disney-embellished version of Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” or strut through the famous crosswalk plucked from the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album cover. In between, there’s a faux brick wall with a gaping space shaped like the iconic Mickey ears, and a painted view of the Beverly Hills crest in the background.

Elsewhere, chalk-drawn Mickeys are paired with Mr Brainwash’s oft-repeated mantra, “Life Is Beautiful,” alongside sculptural homages to the bucket-carrying Magic Brooms from Disney’s animated masterpiece “Fantasia,” morphed into color-splattered paint brushes — a fitting metaphor for what Guetta brings to others’ artwork.

The metaphorical visual magic continues when visitors approach what appears to be an immense cartoon television set, only to discover it is actually a portal into the indoor gallery, where the heart of the collaboration is on display across more than 40 silkscreens and canvases.

“Nothing was here three days ago. Everything came together really quick, which is how I work,” said the artist, paint still on his hands, before reflecting on moving out of his Beverly Hills museum home. “I got this space for one year and thanks to LVMH they took me under their wing and for six years I was here.”

“I’m the first artist in the world to open his own museum because someone told me, ‘You’re going to get a museum after you die.’ And I wanted to do it when I was alive,” he added.

​​​​​​​The Mr Brainwash Art Museum is eyeing Las Vegas for a new space, which seems like a no-brainer.

The Kid Stays in the Frame

Jacques Marie Mage, the status eyewear brand du jour, has collaborated with Maxfield on an exclusive pair of frames available for the holidays, and they’re pretty fab.

The Evans Sunglasses are a limited-edition, 1960s-inspired frame named for legendary Hollywood player Robert Evans, producer of “Chinatown,” “The Godfather” and “Love Story,” among many others; author of the seminal autobiography “The Kid Stays in the Picture”; and an enthusiastic glasses wearer.

The frames are polished black acetate with amber lenses, and each pair comes in the L.A. luxury brand’s silk-fabric-wrapped monograph box. They include a handcrafted Italian leather envelope case, a Maxfield commemorative cleaning cloth and a letterpress authenticity card signed by the Japanese craftsmen who made them, along with a hand-written limited-edition serial number. The frames are priced at $1,050 and limited to an edition of 50, so you’d better hurry.

Those lucky enough to be flying in or out of the glorious PS (The Private Suite) at LAX this holiday season will have some new retail to explore while they wait.

CS for PS (Cio Soler for The Private Suite) is popping up through Jan. 11 at the luxury private airport terminal, featuring the sharp curation of gifts and goodies that fans of Soler’s Sita 1910 store at the Peninsula Hotel and The Vault by Sita 1910 at the Beverly Hills Hotel have come to love.

Soler, a former designer and creative director who opened her first by-appointment multi-brand retail store on Lasky Drive in 2022, established herself by stocking under-the-radar designers from around the world. She sells colorful knitwear by French brand Letanne, fringe jackets by British designer Tim Ryan, reworked vintage T-shirts by Newport Beach-based Yokishop, Olympia Le-Tan and Judith Leiber bags, one-of-a-kind bedazzled coffee table books, chain-stitched denim, hand-painted vintage bags, and more.

Soler became acquainted with PS founder and CEO Amina Belouizdad Porter while helping her replenish her wardrobe after she lost her home in the Palisades Fire.

A PS member herself, Soler suggested trying retail in the luxe terminal space, where travelers could already get their nails and hair done while waiting for flights. This led to the holiday pop-up, featuring an edit of travel-friendly pieces including cashmere sweats, stroller blankets, customized vintage travel bags like a Louis Vuitton painted with Snoopy, vintage leather flight jackets with aviation patches and embroidered souvenir L.A. T-shirts.

“We also offer personal gifting, so when they leave for a trip, and see something they like, we can have it all ready by the time they’re back,” Soler, who hopes to continue to work with The Private Suites as they expand to other cities, said. “We’ve really created a brand that’s niche to a very discerning client who kind of has everything.”

Awards Season Fashion’s New Darling

Chase Infiniti has emerged as the new darling of this Hollywood awards season, and the fashion industry has taken notice.

The “One Battle After Another” talent has been signed as the newest Louis Vuitton brand ambassador. She has already worn the French luxury house on several red carpets, including the Gotham Awards, where she was recognized in the breakthrough category.

Infiniti has received Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations. She is being styled by Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald, who also work with Teyana Taylor, another fashion standout to watch during the 2026 awards season.

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He Came, He Saw, He Conquered

Italian designer Brunello Cucinelli premiered his legacy-defining documentary feature film “Brunello: The Gracious Visionary” in the eternal city of Rome last week, with an epic Cinecittà Studios screening and black tie gala that elevated the fashion film genre to new heights.

Hollywood stars Jessica Chastain, Jeff Goldblum, Chris Pine, Ava DuVernay, Jonathan Bailey, Édgar Ramírez, Kyle MacLachlan and more walked the Brunello-beige carpet, joining hundreds of friends of the house at the studio where “La Dolce Vita,” “Roman Holiday,” “Cleopatra” and many other famous films were shot.

Cucinelli, 72, who has spent the last 47 years growing a small collection of colorful cashmere sweaters into a publicly traded, multibillion-dollar luxury brand, commissioned the film about his life and philosophy of humanistic capitalism, tapping Oscar-winning “Cinema Paradiso” director Giuseppe Tornatore and Oscar-winning composer Nicola Piovani.

They worked on it over three years, and the result is a hybrid documentary/scripted film. Cucinelli himself appears as an onlooker throughout, while actors reenact chapters of his life, starting with his upbringing in a poor but loving rural farming family near Solomeo in Umbria, Italy, without electricity or running water and often lacking enough food. (During filming, he bought the property featured in the film where his family worked as tenant farmers so it could be used for the production.)

Interspersed throughout is interview footage from high-powered friends including Oprah and Patrick Dempsey, family members, priests, company executives and fashion industry insiders.

Card playing is used as a storytelling device to take viewers on the journey with Cucinelli—playing the game, learning how to read people, work with numbers, find luck and gamble, which he did a lot on Scopa at the local bar before he got a real job.

Of course, those skills were also useful in business. And even though Cucinelli didn’t have much interest in college, he became a self-taught student of philosophy who still peppers his speech with the wisdom of the ancients. He also became a bibliophile and is currently building a Universal Library at his company campus in Solomeo with half a million volumes.

His wife, Federica Benda, is the comic relief in the film, teasing about how her husband always gets his way and how her parents were not on board with her dating a deadbeat who pursued her on his motorcycle.

Cucinelli may not have had TV as a child, but he is a natural performer with a healthy sense of himself — enough so that he relished playing Jesus Christ in the local passion play as a twentysomething. (The production team tracked down a local blacksmith’s ’70s-era camera footage to prove it.)

“We were acting always at the bar, and it’s an Italian thing to be a performer,” Cucinelli said, explaining that his first fashion trade show in Germany involved quite a lot of performing, faking demand until he created it, selling 11,800 cashmere sweaters on his first day.

New York was key to the success of Cucinelli’s brand with Barney Pressman picking up the line early for Barneys New York, and the Italian designer opening his first standalone store there.

As his career developed, so did his thinking about the dignity of work. Seeing firsthand his father and brother demeaned in factory work during their lives, he set out to build his company with people in mind, paying them above market wages, and giving back by transforming Solomeo into a cultural eden with his largesse.

“I always believe the worker needs better workplaces, better wages and they also need to be treated as thinking souls,” Cucinelli said of his philosophy of conscientious capitalism.

It’s a flattering portrait, but the designer didn’t intrude on the filmmaking process, and actually didn’t change a thing once he saw the final cut, Tornatore said. 

After the screening, guests strolled to dinner through Cinecittà’s Ancient Rome set, which recreates the Roman Forum and temples. Under the classically decorated tent, 100,000 books were brought in as set pieces, referencing a shot from the film poster. Bowls of paccheri and other Italian delights were enjoyed by all.

The film is out this week in Italy and will be released in the U.S. sometime next year, following premieres in New York and L.A. It’s TBD whether they’ll bring the Roman Forum set with them.

Miu Miu Has Its Own Film Legacy

Meanwhile, in other fashion-film news, Miu Miu sponsored the New York premiere of “Atropia,” the feature adaptation of director Hailey Gates’ 2019 short “Shako Mako.”

It’s a triumph for Miuccia Prada’s Italian label because the film was originally part of Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales, the longest-running commissioning program for female-led short films. In other words, Prada has been in the game of supporting film since 2011, and don’t you forget it.

The cast includes Alia Shawkat, Chloë Sevigny and Callum Turner, so of course his fiancée Dua Lipa was there, along with an extended NYC cool-kid crowd, including artist Rama Duwaji, who is married to New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

In “Atropia,” Shawkat plays an overcommitted actress caught in a military-run simulation of a Middle Eastern village. The premiere after-party was a quirky-stylish recreation of that world, including a step-and-repeat in front of a Porta Potty (you’ll have to watch the movie to see why), Middle Eastern food and music.

The film took home the U.S. Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and will be in limited release starting Dec. 12.

Uniqlo Lands on 3rd Street Promenade

Back in L.A., Third Street Promenade has not been in the fashion conversation for ages, but Uniqlo is changing that.

The Japanese retailer teamed up with filmmaker and photographer Luke Gilford to toast the opening of its newest Uniqlo store on the Santa Monica shopping thoroughfare, with a celebratory dinner at Rustic Canyon last week. 

In addition to the brand’s simple and chic clothing for men, women, and children—including artist-designed tees, flannels, and Pufftech jackets—the store features a Re.Uniqlo in-store clothing collection program, allowing customers to bring in and donate gently used clothing for people experiencing homelessness in the community. Clothing collected from the store will be donated to the Los Angeles Mission.

It also has a Re.Uniqlo Studio, offering on-site repairs to Uniqlo clothes, as well as customizable embroidery and monogramming, including some L.A.-exclusive embroidery designs.

Uniqlo, 1431 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, California 90401

Match Your Sweats to Your Lip Butter

Continuing its streak of collaborating with buzzy brands, Gap is pairing with cult-favorite L.A. beauty purveyor Summer Fridays on an apparel collection of cozy essentials just in time for holiday sloth season.

The 20-piece collection includes a Summer Fridays logo hoodie, soft fleece sets, matching pajamas and giftable accessories like CashSoft socks and headbands “designed to celebrate everyday self-care as the ultimate form of self-expression.” The pieces come in Summer Fridays’ signature Lip Butter hues – Pink Sugar, Cherry, and Vanilla – as well as the iconic Jet Lag Mask blue.

Actor and model Barbie Ferreira stars in a campaign film cleverly reimagining the act of getting ready—to stay at home. The collab launches Dec. 12 at noon on Gap.com and in select Gap stores across the U.S. and Canada. It also feels like a teaser for Gap’s own beauty brand, coming in 2026.

To celebrate the collaboration, the Gap store at The Grove will transform into a gifting pop-up on launch day, with sweet treats, custom embroidery, an interactive charm bar and an appearance from campaign star Ferreira. You’ll have to come out to get outfitted to stay in.

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Chanel Hits the NYC Subway for Métiers d’art Show

A revolution is definitely afoot at Chanel, where a model in blue jeans and a camel-hued, zip-front sweatshirt opened the luxury brand’s latest demi-couture fashion show. Quelle surprise!

Less than two months after debuting his first ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week, new Chanel creative director Matthieu Blazy followed it up with another blockbuster showing in New York City on Tuesday night, this one celebrating the house’s Métiers d’Art artisan workshops for embroidery, feathers, stones and more.

Exquisite details were on display, but the delicate touch didn’t stop Blazy from bringing a new, relatable cool to Chanel.

He turned the New York subway into a runway, with models arriving like commuters on their way to work, weaving around the platform of the abandoned Bowery Street station as guests Teyana Taylor, A$AP Rocky, Jon Bon Jovi, Bowen Yang, Sofia Coppola and others looked on.

The collection was inspired by the city’s colorful cast of characters, with Blazy leaning into individual looks rather than suggesting a prevailing trend. And indeed, he showed something for almost everyone, if price was no object.

Blazy has loosened the house’s design codes and created a more inclusive vision, challenging the idea that there is any one Chanel woman or Chanel uniform.

He’s still referencing the house’s heritage pieces but in less rigid ways, and he’s tempering the fantasy with true everyday wear, which was a huge part of Coco Chanel’s early legacy as an innovator in jersey.

The iconic Chanel suit was on the move, of course, but worn with a bedazzled “I Love NY” T-shirt or rendered in a taxi cab-yellow and red squiggle pattern that brought to mind graffiti.

A faded blue seed bead–embroidered button-down shirt paired with matching embroidered jeans as a set instead of a suit looked modern, as did a sturdy flannel shirt (done here in bouclé) standing in for a jacket over a tweed skirt.

Following the much-buzzed-about use of Charvet men’s button-down shirts in his first show, Blazy is continuing to give women styling tricks to emulate, making Chanel relatable as a way of dressing even to those who can’t afford the clothing.

Whimsical touches abounded — shimmery doggies on a lady suit, a snowy countryside scenic sweater styled atop a sequin skirt, and jaunty hats galore, including one worn by Ayo Edebiri in the front row. And the eveningwear was seriously sumptuous, from flapper dresses nodding to the independent spirit of Coco’s day to a chevron-beaded, ribbon-tied slip dress with a skirt of pale green feathers worn over crisp khaki pants that looked like the red carpet of the future — once again keeping comfort and freedom in mind. Can’t wait to see who wears that one first … which will be in record time, no doubt.

Power Looks at TheWrap Power Women Summit

Hollywood doesn’t just follow culture, it shapes it, and Hollywood women are redefining what power looks like on screen and off including on “Hacks” and “All’s Fair.” That was the topic of the style-focused panel, “The New Power Women: On Screen and in the Wild,” presented by South Coast Plaza, at TheWrap’s 2025 Power Women Summit on Tuesday at the Maybourne in Beverly Hills.

Panelists included “All’s Fair” actress Judith Light, “Hacks” costume designer Kathleen Felix-Hager, stylist Kelsey Brosi — who works with Khloé Kardashian, among others, and is part of South Coast Plaza’s Stylist Program — and “Insecure” actress, comedian and author Yvonne Orji. Mikimoto was the exclusive jewelry sponsor of the day’s events, with select talent, VIPs, and South Coast Plaza panelists styled by Mikimoto and Balmain, and beauty touch-ups provided by Prada Beauty.

Moderated by Bronwyn Newport, a fashion historian, archivist and a new cast member on “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” the conversation covered how women can use fashion to command attention and as a means of empowerment. Among the tips: making sure to have a great tailor in your arsenal and investing in elevated accessories, outerwear and a statement jacket.

“A lot of times, when I put on the shoes, that makes a huge, huge difference,” Light said of how costumes help her find power in her characters, adding that her personal love of fashion goes all the way back to her days shopping the racks of Loehmann’s (she still has her gold card to prove it, though the retailer is long gone).

“The thing that really makes me feel good is any outfit where I don’t have to wear a bra,” Orji deadpanned. “That’s my power moment … Free Willy!”

“It’s liberating that we can all have ideas and there is no wrong answer,” Felix-Hager said of how fashion, and in many ways contemporary costume, have let go of traditional rules. “I could costume design a show and it would look a certain way, and you could do one and it would look totally different.” 

A Ralph Lauren Christmas Arrives in L.A. for Festive Weekend Pop-Up

Dark wood, deep red and green velvet, tartan plaids, brass accents, lush trees, pinecones and garlands. You can picture a Ralph Lauren Christmas before you even see it, which may be why the trend has taken over TikTok this season, driven by a craving for cozy nostalgia.

Well, Ralph Lauren showed us how it’s done IRL in L.A. this weekend with an immersive outdoor pop-up off Melrose Alley in West Hollywood.

The experience included an RL67 selection of vintage Ralph Lauren holiday sweaters and classic denim; an RL Workshop customization station with complimentary embroidery and hand painting; a Ralph’s Coffee cart with festive libations; a tree farm (100% of proceeds from sales will go to the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center), plus live music and visits with Polo Bear for kiddos.

Kim Kardashian and Skims Try Livestream Shopping With “Kimsmas Live!”

‘Tis the season for holiday shopping — and entertainment. Kim Kardashian combined both in “Kimsmas Live!,” a 45-minute livestream special showcasing her brand Skims Wednesday night on TikTok Shop. She created the project with OBB Media, the studio behind “A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter” for Netflix.

It felt like a cross between HSN, with Kardashian hosting and selling (“These are amazing prices you guys,” she said of a cami and pants bundle), and a variety show. There were fun animations, glimpses of her holiday-decorated home with 17,000 flocked trees, appearances by Kris Jenner, Kylie Richards, “Love Island” hunk Nicholas Van Steenberg and Snoop Dogg in a red check Skims robe sharing his favorite holiday cocktail recipe.

“‘Kismas Live!’ is an opportunity for us to deepen the way we engage our customers,” Jens Grede, co-founder and CEO of Skims, said. “Livestreaming allows us to meet our community where they already are-in real time–and partnering with OBB Media and TikTok lets us build an experience that’s both entertaining and highly shoppable for the holiday season.”

While live shopping has been slower to take off in Western markets, there have been indications that the format is growing. Whatnot, the California startup, reached an $11.5 billion valuation after its latest round of funding, with women’s apparel, primarily sold by independent sellers, as its biggest category. It tripled Black Friday sales this year, reaching $75 million. 

The more curated “Covet by Christos,” which L.A.-based resale impresario Christos Garkinos launched on Instagram Live in 2020 just after the pandemic forced stores to shut down, has generated $200 million in sales to date of new and resale goods, with some customers spending up to $2 million per year on a rare $160,000 Hermès Himalayan Birkin, new-with-tags pieces from Phoebe Philo’s Celine, pricey haircare products by Hollywood stylist Chris McMillan, skincare from Dr. Diamond’s Metacine and Favorite Daughter sportswear by Erin and Sara Foster.

Meanwhile, despite the social media platform’s still unresolved U.S. ownership status, TikTok Shop has emerged as a force this year, crossing half a billion dollars in U.S. sales over the four-day holiday period between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to the company, with brands like Ralph Lauren, Disney — and now Skims — joining the TikTok chorus. Kardashian is really perfect for the medium, and if she pulls in even a fraction of those viewers of “All’s Fair,” it will be a Merry Kimsmas all around.

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Mackie Designs for Cher, Tina Turner, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hit the Auction Block

‘Tis the season for auctions. Following the record-setting $236.4 million sale of a Gustav Klimt painting and a Titanic passenger’s pocket watch selling for $2.3 million, a Bob Mackie record might be next.

On Dec. 3 at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, Julien’s Auctions is selling some of the California designer’s iconic pieces, including Cher’s nude-illusion look from a 1978 ABC TV special seen above, a gold and silver chain fringe bodysuit with pleated gold lamé wings worn by Tina Turner at her 1977 Caesars Palace residency in Las Vegas and a black sequin strip dress from the 1970s worn by Sabrina Carpenter for her debut at the Grand Ole Opry, and by Ann-Margret years before that.

“When we put things up for auction we try to pick things that would amuse people to own,” Mackie told me when I interviewed him recently for a C Magazine story. “So many people want to own something that a person has worn and performed in — it becomes very special. And it isn’t just girls. There are a lot of men out there with mannequins in their living rooms.”

Mackie’s career has spanned an astounding 60-plus years, from Hollywood’s golden age to the social media age, and he continues to be in the conversation, with Swarovski’s recent “Masters of Light Hollywood” exhibition featuring three Mackie creations, including the original nude-illusion gown he created for Marilyn Monroe with designer Jean Louis.

Next-gen celebrity fans have been gravitating to his archival costumes and fashion for a few years now.

In the past two months alone, there have been two high-profile moments: Ariana Grande wore a strapless, champagne-colored Mackie gown from the designer’s Fall 1997 collection on NBC’s “Wicked: One Wonderful Night,” and Taylor Swift introduced her “The Life of a Showgirl” era in Mackie’s silver-spangled Las Vegas “Jubilee” look.

Mackie credits stylists like Law Roach, who also works with Grande, for bringing his designs back to the red carpet. “Law came to us for Zendaya,” he recalled. “In the beginning, I told him she was too young for the more outrageous things. We loaned her a ball gown — she wore it to the Time 100 Gala in 2022. Then two years later, when she was inducting Cher into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she called and said, ‘Am I old enough now?’ When Cher saw Zendaya’s bugle-beaded, bare midriff crisscrossing look onstage, she said, ‘What’s she doing in my dress?’’’

Mackie has hundreds of pieces in his archive, and the ones that have made it to the auction block have continued to increase in value, with a Cher look from last year’s sale fetching $101,600, more than 20 times the estimated price.

“A lot of people are wanting to create their own archive of vintage fashion. It could be a personality or celebrity, it could be a stylist, it could even be a production studio wanting to have it,” said Michael Amato, senior fashion specialist at Julien’s Auctions, adding that the value of Mackie costumes has gone up overall because of his association with Hollywood tastemakers like Swift and Miley Cyrus. (Touring for screenings and Q&As with his fabulous 2024 documentary, “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” has also put the designer back in the spotlight.) 

Cyrus really courted him before he agreed to lend her the 2002 archival dress she performed in at the 2024 Grammys, Mackie told me, adding that she came to the studio and showed him her choreography so he could fit it just right.

During his brief career showing runway collections in New York, Mackie was largely derided by the fashion industry as “Mr. Hollywood,” and his clothes were deemed too flashy. But look at the runways now, full of theatrical clothes made to pop on social media and destined for red carpets, and it’s clear Mr. Hollywood was just ahead of his time.

Online bidding has already started for Julien’s Auctions’ “Bob Mackie: Stage Glamour and the Couture Edit,” and there are some great runway gowns among the 50 styles on offer that would kill it at a New Year’s Eve party.

New Luxe Flagships Bow in SoCal

Manolo Blahnik has landed in California, opening its first West Coast boutique at South Coast Plaza.

It’s been a long time coming for the brand beloved by Princess Diana, Rihanna and Sarah Jessica Parker, who famously said in “Sex and the City,” “I’m getting married. To myself. And I’m registered at Manolo Blahnik.”

It’s easy to see why. With silk brocades, jeweled buckles and sculptural heels, Blahnik’s designs blend old-world sophistication with fantasy, with influences ranging from the Rococo and Regency eras to Surrealism and modern prep.  

The store is conceived as a living gallery and carries both the men’s and women’s collections. “The most important part is that there is constant dynamism in the display,” CEO Kristina Blahnik, who has led her uncle’s business since 2013, said. “So wherever possible, we don’t use shelves, but folding slats that support one shoe facing forward. It allows us to tell stories differently, like a musical score with rhythm and pace.”

She sees the design not just as retail, but as storytelling, letting the customer discover the craftsmanship of a crystal-dusted satin Carolyne slingback ready for a holiday soirée, or red suede Alo mules with artful knitted details. “By creating these dynamic spaces I feel that we’re doing the best service to Manolo’s babies.”

Manolo Blahnik, 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, California 92626

Bulgari jewelry has appeared in more than 40 films, and has had ties to Hollywood since the 1950s and ’60s, when Rome became a hub for international filmmaking. When American productions like “Cleopatra” and “Roman Holiday” shot at Cinecittà Studios, stars flocked to Bulgari’s flagship store on Via dei Condotti.

Now they have a destination closer to home worthy of the same adoration. The new Bulgari flagship on Rodeo Drive has a stunning exterior façade composed of handcrafted glass in a motif drawn from the clasp of a heritage bracelet from the 1930s, and it shines like a jewel at night. Inside, a show stopping staircase with a curtain created by Venini draws inspiration from Italian and Californian sunsets, and is composed of over 1,400 Murano glass elements. Travertine columns and fluted walls recall an ancient colonnade, while a Roman-inspired terrace, Bulgari’s first in North America, is the perfect setting for entertaining VIPs. 

The store showcases the brand’s iconic collections including Serpenti, Divas’ Dream, Tubogas, B.Zero1 and Octo, as well as a selection of high jewelry from the latest Polychroma collection featuring colorful pieces that bring to mind a famous suite owned by Elizabeth Taylor, one of the house’s early (unofficial) Hollywood ambassadors. “The only word she knows in Italian is Bulgari,” Richard Burton once said. “I introduced Liz to beer and she introduced me to Bulgari.” 

Bulgari, 401 N. Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, California 90210.

Chan Luu’s Chic Friendsgiving 

Vietnamese-American accessories designer Chan Luu was a mainstay of the L.A. fashion scene in the early aughts, building a multi-category business on the success of her much-imitated leather wrap bracelets made with precious and semi-precious stones. And now the brand is experiencing a renaissance under the leadership of her niece, CEO and creative director Tessa Tran.

Chan Luu’s of-the-moment toe rings were featured in the New York Times, Vogue and numerous other publications this summer, and the ready-to-wear — including the Pinch Waist fleece cardigans and Techno Taffeta barrel-leg pants — has been a hit on fashion Substack and is becoming a bigger part of overall sales.

“We launched it two years ago and the idea was to treat it like an accessory,” Tran said of the vision, which continues her aunt’s legacy of partnering with artisan communities in Vietnam, India, Kenya, Haiti and Inner Mongolia who receive fair pay and a safe, healthy work environment. “Everything has an element of the handmade and hand-touched.”

And at an appealing price point, too, with many pieces under $400.

Tran’s holiday collection was on full display when she hosted a Friendsgiving at Jar restaurant for her chic supporters, including Laurel Pantin, Marlien Rentmeester and Gabriella Gofis putting their own spins on her chandelier crystal-dotted paper trenches, sheer sequin tunics, pearl tassel necklaces and cascading abalone earrings.

It sparked lots of holiday gifting ideas, from pomegranate-printed cotton lounge sets to hand-embroidered ornaments made from fabric remnants. One for you, one for me …

Context and Scale Explored in Two Blockbuster L.A. Shows

Downtown L.A. is playing host to two must-see art shows that explore the context and scale of objects in different ways.

“Robert Therrien: This is a Story,” on view through April 5 at The Broad,  is the largest museum exhibition of the late L.A. artist’s work to date. The installation chronicles the origins of Therrien’s personal lexicon of images and symbols, and their power to morph from something serious to something fun, from everyday kitchen objects becoming monumental sculpture, to the devil logo from Underwood canned ham becoming a decorative element on a wall.

Also on view are the enormous tables, chairs, dishes and beards representing his interest in scale, and how encountering an object that is bigger or smaller can challenge one’s assumptions and open up new meaning.

On view through May 3 at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA and The Brick, “Monuments” reconsiders the power and perception of very different objects, juxtaposing decommissioned monuments, many of them Confederate, with works by contemporary artists.

Monument building in the U.S. peaked between the 1890s and 1920s — long after the Civil War — while removals began in 2017, following the racially motivated mass shooting at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Charleston, South Carolina two years earlier. 

Toppled in 2020, a Jefferson Davis monument from Richmond, Virginia’s Monument Avenue looks like a discarded piece of trash, displayed on its side with pink graffiti intact, but it shares gallery space with Andres Serrano’s haunting The Klan (1990) portraits of hooded members of the Ku Klux Klan, contrasting a fallen symbol of the Lost Cause myth with the enduring imprint of racist regalia.

Meanwhile, Hank Willis Thomas’ “A Suspension of Hostilities” (2019), a replica of the “General Lee” car from “The Dukes of Hazzard” standing on its end, confronts the normalization of Confederate symbols in popular entertainment. It is displayed alongside an imposing equestrian monument of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, installed in 1947, dedicated in 1984 while the TV show was still on the air, and removed by the Baltimore City Council in 2017.

It’s a stirring exhibition that culminates in Kara Walker’s hacked apart and remade statue of Jackson at The Brick on Western Avenue. Titled “Unmanned Drone,” it’s an appropriately monstrous dissection of the centerpiece of Charlottesville, Virginia’s deadly 2017 Ku Klux Klan rally, and a reminder that meaning is never fixed.

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A Luxury Brand Film Integration With the Impact of a Super Bowl Ad on Repeat

“Frankenstein” has been a hit in more ways than one.

Drawing nearly 63 million views globally since its premiere, the movie also features one of the most high-profile film-fashion tie-ins of the year — a rare case in which the unlikely integration of luxury jewelry into a creature feature has been a net win for everyone involved.

Not only did Tiffany & Co. lend jewels to Guillermo del Toro’s production, the luxury brand also helped advance Netflix’s prestige play by lending its heritage and savoir-faire.

Unlike the summer blockbuster “F1,” which brought in a reported $40 million from brand integrations from Mercedes-Benz, Expensify and IWC Schaffhausen among others, no money changed hands between Tiffany and Netflix for including 27 pieces of archival and contemporary high jewelry on screen.

And that’s been the case with a lot of luxury fashion integrations, including the high-profile ones on Apple TV’s “Your Friends & Neighbors,” I found while researching a recent story for TheWrapBook. 

The “Frankenstein” partnership was put together by Kathryn Vanderveen. Her L.A.-based agency Createology represents luxury brands in the entertainment space, including Dior for the upcoming film “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

“’The Great Gatsby’ was a benchmark,” Vanderveen, who also worked on the 2013 Baz Luhrmann film with Tiffany, said. “Before that, luxury brands didn’t really understand how they could be integrated, because their label or logo wouldn’t be automatically seen as it would be with spirits or a car.”

“Frankenstein” wasn’t an easy sell either. Christopher Young, vice president of creative visual merchandising, events and the Tiffany Archives, was skeptical. “My imagination was filled with visions of earlier monster interpretations,” he said via email, noting that Tiffany receives a steady stream of partnership ideas from friends-of-friends and agencies like Createology, but engages in very few of them.

But he became convinced that the American house’s archives would work in the film after seeing costume designer Kate Hawley’s sketches, hearing about her character studies and noticing parallels between the history of Tiffany and the storyline of Elizabeth, played by Mia Goth.

“Through Tiffany’s historical fascination with nature — particularly insects and scarabs, much like Elizabeth herself — we reflected Louis Comfort Tiffany’s own experiments with natural forms and color,” he said.

“It wasn’t about brand, it was about a moment that matched artistic aspiration with heritage and storytelling,” Hawley, who also worked with Tiffany to design contemporary pieces for the film, said.  “It didn’t feel like anyone was selling anything.”

Unlike with “Gatsby” and Tiffany, there was no product spinoff. But there was a joint promotional campaign led by Netflix and Tiffany that included custom content, events, window displays designed by Del Toro for the Tiffany Landmark store in New York and a costume exhibition that debuted at Selfridges in London and will travel to Los Angeles. Goth has also worn Tiffany at multiple red carpet events for the film.

What did all that amount to? Using her own analytics, Vanderveen has calculated a media impact value similar to a “Super Bowl ad on repeat.”

To find out how she got there, and how the landscape of brand integration is changing, I chatted with Vanderveen. Our conversation was edited for brevity and clarity.

There are product placement firms, the talent agencies are doing it, and many luxury brands have their own people working on entertainment partnerships. What is Createology’s point of differentiation?

Kathryn Vanderveen: We have deep contacts with filmmakers, producers, costume designers, writers and the entire studio, streaming network infrastructure. I know what projects are going to be cultural moments, how to work within the structures to advocate for my clients, and that luxury needs to be treated differently, not like a mandatory media overlay with Kellogg’s. 

You’ve been working with Tiffany since 2008, what’s the relationship like?

KV: I work with Christopher Young, who oversees the archives but also creative visual merchandising. And I feel like those two areas for any luxury brand is really the sweet spot for these integrations and entertainment.

I will bring projects to his attention that might make sense for what Tiffany’s messaging is through the next year or two years. If it’s a film project, you’ve got to have a two or three year timeframe mindset. If it’s television, it’s quite a bit quicker. And if he likes it, he’ll take it from there internally.

Why “Frankenstein”?

KV: It was brought to me by Steven Newman at Netflix in early 2024. He had been talking to the costume designer, and she said she needed great jewelry. The film was set in the original timeframe, or close to the original timeframe of the Gothic Romantic era that Mary Shelley wrote it in. I thought, this could be an amazing way to highlight the Tiffany archives in the romantic era of the 1840s and ’50s. When I texted Christopher over the weekend, my text said something like, “Please don’t stop reading.”

What did you need to show to Tiffany to convince them?

We set up a conversation with Kate Hawley. She was already shooting the film in Edinburgh, far along in production. But there were scenes with Elizabeth, played by Mia Goth, coming up. So we had this incredible timing. And Christopher and Kate just synced. 

We shared key images with top management at Tiffany throughout to keep them involved, but as soon as they started to see the spectacular jewel toned costumes and the feathers, it was just so obvious that this was meant to be. When you are an almost 200-year-old heritage luxury brand, you become part of the mind vault and it’s really important to shock the system. 

How did it work on the business side?

KV: There was no integration fee. But there was a relationship of how Tiffany could support the film, support Guillermo’s vision and how then, in a circular motion, the film would shine a light on the Tiffany archives.

The brand integrations into the film “F1” were such significant amounts of money that they actually offset production costs. Is that where you see this going, or is that not what you do exactly?

KV: “F1” is the perfect vehicle, no pun intended, for that type of activation and the model of heightened product placement, which is an important element in the business.

But I tend to work in the luxury and lifestyle sector in a more artistic, cultural way that helps to elevate. I like storyline integration or at least being deeply integrated into the look of the costume design. But I do think in the business, there are a lot of things changing.

You have luxury brands interested in supporting productions that they’re not in, but they see as an important artistic and cinematic expression of art, maybe telling a story that they think is valuable. And more filmmakers are interested in finding an organic way that they can work with brands and their stories. This is going to be really evident with “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” which we’re also working on. It’s becoming a lot more niche and directed by what the brand’s needs are and the filmmakers’ needs are.

You also have brands making their own films, whether its Saint Laurent Productions, or the upcoming Brunello Cucinelli-produced biopic, “Brunello: The Gracious Visionary.” What were the benefits for Netflix and for Tiffany?

KV: For Netflix, they had to kind of level up to doing this, because it was far different than let’s say, doing something with McDonald’s, where you have a giant ad agency working with you, there’s an electronic media quarterly budget you can roll in, and you have product initiatives that you might be focusing on. But as Netflix moves into prestige film, which is a very important initiative for them, and obviously Guillermo is a very important director for them, this opened up a new world.

You had the store windows in New York, the collaborative public relations and content creation effort, the events, so it was those layers that you’re adding to the project.

From Tiffany’s point of view, speaking solely from me, when you’re a heritage brand and you allow yourself to think outside of the box, what is initially unexpected becomes obvious.

But there is always a risk for brands, right? That viewers will not respond favorably?

KV: It’s a consideration. But brands have to awaken and invite people back continually, so from that point of view, some risk is warranted. It’s the same with the red carpet, you’ll be on the best dressed or the worst dressed or no one will mention it at all, but you have to do it. And the brand that will be remembered and get ahead will support cinema because it moves culture.

Next time will Netflix be charging money for this integration?

KV: The industry is changing from a revenue point of view. There are advertising overlays happening across the board. There’s a shift in the revenue streams and how they value brand integration as part of that. I hope that we have been able to make the case that luxury is a different animal. Luxury provides something very special and very unique to the right entertainment projects. It adds a gravitas.

Tiffany and Netflix wouldn’t share numbers with me, but how do you measure success?

KV: Obviously, Tiffany has their analytics, Netflix has theirs and we have our own looking at what these partnerships are doing for both the brand and the film, and how they are supporting and elevating each other.

Between Oct. 6 and Nov. 6, the partnership had 800 million impressions. We are estimating the Netflix on-platform viewership to eventually increase the total impressions to 1.5 billion. We use a moderate blended CPM to calculate the data, hard numbers from Netflix such as global household reach and a formula to assess viewer awareness of the brand to film association.

For those “Frankenstein” viewers who are aware of the Tiffany archival jewelry supported in the press, social, digital, event and image campaigns, the significant film time for the archival jewelry has the impact of a Super Bowl 30-second spot on repeat. 

Currently, we are projecting an earned media equivalent valuation shared by Netflix and Tiffany of between $65  and $75 million. Honestly, I would not be surprised if we exceed that after we see Netflix quarterly reports on hours viewed and the awards campaign where Kate Hawley and Tiffany’s jewelry will be front and center.

“Frankenstein” is No. 1 on Netflix’s global streaming chart, with a global reach to 350 million households. All of this in October, normally a luxury retail dead space but now a pre-pre holiday retail call to action.

Governors Awards Ups Fashion Game

Fashion isn’t slowing down for the holidays just yet. Last weekend, Hollywood turned out for the Governors Awards, an early awards season stop that is becoming a major red carpet.

In the mega brand category, Louis Vuitton has been upstaged in recent weeks by luxury peers with new creative directors, but dressed its ambassadors really well Saturday night. I loved Chase Infiniti’s white tulle confection, Jeremy Allen White’s sexy take on a tuxedo and Emma Stone’s sleek and dramatic LBD.

Bottega Veneta ambassador Jacob Elordi looked mighty fine, while Dior face Mia Goth’s pale blue satin deconstructed bow gown was her best look from the brand yet.

Because the Governors Awards is a smaller event with less at stake, some celebrity brand ambassadors don’t have it written into their dressing contracts, which made for surprises, like Dior ambassador Anya Taylor-Joy in a ghostly white corseted Maison Margiela gown. She went without the runway mask, unlike Kim Kardashian who hid behind one from the same Spring 2026 Margiela couture collection at the Academy Gala.

Edgier looks were also in the mix from brands whose pay-for-play pockets don’t run quite as deep, perhaps, but who got an entrance here. I loved Hailee Steinfeld’s swirling gray Stéphane Rolland couture look resembling a sea creature and Isabela Merced’s Gothic glam hooded black corseted dress by up-and-coming Turkish-British designer Dilara Findikoglu.

Costume Institute Sings the Body Electric

Vogue and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute announced the exhibition that will be at the center of the next Met Gala on May 4, 2026. Titled “Costume Art,” it will examine the concept of the dressed body across 5,000 years of Western art and fashion history.

Featuring 200 pieces of art and 200 historical and contemporary pieces of fashion, the exhibition will be organized around the themes “Naked Body,” “Classical Body,” “Pregnant Body,” “Aging Body,” “Anatomical Body” and the “Mortal Body.”

The show, which runs May 10, 2026 to Jan. 10, 2027, will also mark the opening of a new 12,000-square foot permanent space for the Costume Institute, adjacent to the Great Hall, and named the Condé  M. Nast Galleries–after the founder of the media empire. 

In true Vogue form, the whole affair is already generating controversy over the year’s lead Met Gala sponsors, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez-Bezos, which seems a bit silly. They have been laying the groundwork for this for months.

Gird Your Loins for Backlash

Anna Wintour’s “The Devil Wears Prada 2” onscreen alter ego, Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly, and her devilish Rockstud Valentino pumps as seen in the first teaser trailer for the film, caused a kerfuffle with fashion insiders.

The placement — gird your loins, there are going to be lots of them in the film — disappointed some, who felt the shoe was dated. (The first Valentino Rockstud collection came out in 2010, and the style was a major trend in the early Aughts.)

It’s worth pointing out that Wintour herself does not wear flashy shoes; in fact, she’s usually in Manolo Blahnik boots or sandals, depending on the season. But the film is a work of fiction, and costume designer Patricia Field is creating a heightened reality, but also a reality that the real world, not just insiders, can relate to and buy as fierce glamour.

In that context, the shoes work. They also happen to be the only recognizable Valentino shoe style there is, and the Rockstud collection has carried over for 15 years and is still selling. So it’s a win for the brand to get the exposure. The trailer was released last week and racked up a whopping 185 million views the first 24 hours.

The film opens May 1, 2026 — and of course will have a Met Gala scene. Wonder if the Bezoses will make a cameo.

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Runway to Red Carpet Rush

The rush from runway to red carpet has never been faster than it is now, when a record number of luxury houses have new creative directors looking to Hollywood to spin new images for their brands.

We saw Jonathan Anderson’s Dior debut runway looks on Greta Lee and Mia Goth at dueling film premieres the same night, just five days after the collection was shown at Paris Fashion Week, and even a few weeks before on some attendees of the Venice Film Festival red carpet. Lee and Goth are both Dior ambassadors, so they are literally paid to wear the clothes on the red carpet.

But other celebrities are free agents, and it’s a flex when they and their stylists — Karla Welch has been the queen of this in recent weeks — can score these coveted runway looks before anyone else, and months before they land in stores for the end consumer. It’s also an attention-grabbing strategy for stars who might not yet have a lucrative fashion ambassadorship, to audition for the part.

During the press tour for “All’s Fair,” we’ve seen Sarah Paulson (styled by Welch and not an ambassador for any brand) debuting Spring 2026 runway looks from Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli and Celine.

Promoting “One Battle After Another,” Teyana Taylor (styled by Wayman and Micah and my pick for the season’s breakout fashion star) has stunned in a Spring 2026 Tom Ford thong dress, and a fresh-off-the-runway Schiaparelli metallic mesh wonder.

But perhaps the highest-profile placement yet was on Michelle Obama, who, during her tour to promote her new book “The Look: Glamour, Style, and the Hidden Power of Fashion,” debuted look No. 1 from Matthieu Blazy’s debut Chanel collection. That came after she wore look No. 51, a color-paneled dress, from Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s first Loewe collection.

Obama wasn’t campaigning in the suit, of course, she was promoting a fashion book. And she is one of the most visible women in the world, likely to draw many more eyeballs than the runway shows, which have a very niche audience. 

But she is polarizing nevertheless, and Chanel and Loewe must have considered the risk that her politics might not align with some of their customers. 

There’s great potential for reward among fans who look up to certain stars, love these new looks, and may not even know who the designers are. But there’s also a risk if the first impression doesn’t land. And with so many runway pieces debuting on celebrities, one wonders whether the few women who can actually afford them will still want something that’s already had so much exposure.

But the reality is that the bulk of luxury sales are not from runway clothing, not by a mile. They’re from accessories, fragrance and beauty. Plus, news and images move fast. For many, it’s a blip and then it’s onto the next.

These runway-to-red carpet moments may actually be doing something more subliminal, akin to product placement in film. You see a Pepsi can out of the corner of your eye on screen, and the next time you are at the grocery store, you take a second look at Pepsi. You see Michelle Obama wearing Chanel while scrolling your feed, and the next time you stroll into Sephora, you notice the Chanel makeup counter you didn’t before, without even knowing why.

Khaite’s L.A. Splash

Khaite designer Cate Holstein’s brand continues to rise. She recently got Anna Wintour’s stamp of approval when the editor wore a custom Khaite look for Vogue World: Hollywood, and opened her first L.A. store in the coveted retail space at the intersection of Melrose Ave. and Melrose Place. But when it comes to celebrating, Holstein prefers to keep things private.

Last week, to mark the opening of the store, she transformed Dan Tana’s into Khaite’s, even adding the name to the old Hollywood haunt’s iconic neon sign. It was only the second time the restaurant has ever been rented out for a private event, so the story goes. The first time was by George Clooney, so she’s in good company.

No detail was spared – there were Khaite’s branded cigarettes, lighters, pony beers served with tequila shots, naturally, and T-shirts that were parting gifts. 

I saw Emma Roberts, Justine Lupe, Lisa Rinna and Kaitlyn Dever, along with stylists Petra Flannery and Rebecca Ramsey, who has known Holstein since they worked together at the Gap. Holstein’s husband, Griffin Frazen, an architect who designs all of Khaite’s retail and runway spaces, grew up in L.A., and many of the couple’s Hollywood friends were there, too.

It was a welcome break from the same-old, same-old store-opening formula. People hit the cocktails hard, which was fun; the chicken parm was as good as ever; and in true Khaite form, the event was controlled, with no outside media coverage. Hence the absence of photos, except for a few shared by guests on Instagram.

From The Den to Galerie

Sydney Sweeney, Lewis Hamilton, Diplo and Willow Smith are just a few of the boldfacers who have been to Galerie since it opened in the old Den spot on Sunset Boulevard, which, in the 1960s, was London Fog, where The Doors had their first residency.

A stone’s throw from the Chateau Marmont, Galerie is a cozy indoor-outdoor space with a burgundy and white checkered patio and bar that makes you want to stay awhile, plus fun extras like a photo booth for when the party gets going. It’s helmed by executive chef Gabriel Lindsey and his partner (and Harrison Ford’s son), chef Ben Ford.

The cuisine is classic fare with a California twist — delicious shrimp cocktail seasoned with garlic, soy, and ponzu, served with caper rémoulade; grilled Japanese sweet potatoes with chile maple butter; a cucumber Caesar with sourdough croutons; a burger with gruyère French onion sauce; and roast chicken. There’s weekly live jazz, and a rotating lineup of guest music and art curators.

The cocktail program by Dushan Zarić, co-founder of Employees Only — one of the world’s 50 Best Bars — is still coming together. For now, there are basics like a Gibson, Negroni and Old Fashioned, but more exotic concoctions are coming, including the Double Take, a butterfly pea flower–infused mezcal cocktail layered over elderflower, passionfruit and amaro that changes color as it is stirred.

Galerie, 8226 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046.

Casablanca Arrives in L.A.

French-Moroccan designer Charaf Tajer’s luxe leisurewear brand may be named Casablanca, but his heart has always been in L.A.

Now, he has opened his second store in the world here, showcasing his full range of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, including a newly dropped ski capsule collection and exclusive L.A. T-shirt that reads, “Happiness is California.”

“When I was younger, I’d go to L.A. and be quite obsessed by its many cultures, from skateboarding, cinema, music, the Chicano culture, the architecture and design movements. All of these meeting points create the juxtapositions of L.A. The city is a living paradox. It’s a sunny place by the sea, but it can also be tough and extreme,” said Tajer, who is based in Paris but in recent years has strengthened his brand ties to L.A. — and to local celebrity fans LeBron James, Doechii, Justin Bieber and others — by creating a smoothie for Erewhon and a Coachella collection for Maxfield.

Located in a former bank building at the corner of Little Santa Monica and Canon Drive in Beverly Hills, the airy store houses maximalist silk-print shirts and shorts, court-style sportswear and sunny beachwear that evoke the seven-year-old brand’s alluring vision of life on a permanent vacation.

Casablanca, 469 N Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

A Dose of Fruit and Fiber

New York artist Kathleen Ryan’s famous monumental-sized, bejeweled sculptures of rotting fruit in precious malachite, lapis lazuli, quartz, coral and other precious stones are both glitzy and grotesque, something L.A. knows a bit about.

Her latest show “Souvenir,” at Karma in West Hollywood through Dec. 20, features the juicy new work above titled “Dreamhouse,” that’s roughly the size of a minivan. Other pieces mark an evolution in materials, including cast-concrete peaches with car engines for pits, and supersized children’s plastic toy rings made from soda cans and bowling balls, playing with the many facets of jewelry’s value.

Meanwhile, at Lisson Gallery on Sycamore Avenue, trailblazing nonagenarian fiber artist Olga de Amaral is having her first solo exhibition in L.A. in nearly a decade, following her inclusion in “Woven Histories” at LACMA and recent retrospectives at ICA Miami and Fondation Cartier in Paris.

Spanning from the early 1970s through 2018, the exhibition open Nov. 14 to Jan. 17, explores how her work blurred the lines between weaving, painting and sculpture, to create a language all her own and elevate fiber art to fine art. In linen, wool, horsehair, Japanese paper, acrylic and precious metals, the landmark works demonstrate how her textiles are not just decorative backdrops but monuments themselves.

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Demna’s Gucci Hollywood Red Carpet Debut

Saturday’s LACMA Art+Film Gala was a Hollywood coming-out of sorts for lead sponsor Gucci’s new artistic director, Demna, who dressed 40 guests. The designer made his own statement on the red carpet, standing out from the mostly traditional black-tie crowd in tinted glasses, an oversized leather jacket and pants pooling over square-toed Gucci loafers.

This gala came up quickly for Gucci. Demna had just debuted his first collection, “La Famiglia,” in Milan in late September, accompanied by a star-studded, 33-minute film titled “The Tiger” that featured many of the collection’s looks, all of which were named after archetypes.

Demi Moore starred in the brand film, which apparently cost five times as much as producing a runway show. She was center stage again at the gala, where the verdict on the designer’s evening wear was mixed. For women there was … sparkle, a lot of it, a conventional choice. While many of the men, including Charlie Hunnam, looked more casual, cool and directional, fashion-wise, like Demna himself.

Gucci dressed a slightly smaller number of people than usual, and it was a challenge with only one Demna collection so far. Many styles were custom made or adapted from those first collection looks. 

For his part, Demna, who grew up in Soviet Georgia and now lives between Milan and L.A., is perhaps best known for making oversized streetwear high fashion, first at his own label, Vetements. At Balenciaga, where he served as creative director for a decade, he also created striking, sculptural couture. He counted many celebrities among his muses, most notably Kim Kardashian, who did not attend this year’s LACMA gala.

Moore was the best-dressed Gucci guest in a spectacular Gucci Flora sequin-embroidered gown that harkened back to one of her costumes in “The Tiger.”

Best dressed Gucci duo? Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber, obviously. They managed to steal the spotlight under Chris Burden’s iconic “Urban Light” installation of street lamps. I liked the texture of Crawford’s dress, as well as Tessa Thompson’s silver foiled lace and Angela Bassett’s electric chartreuse fringe.

Of the non Gucci-garbed guests, Kerry Washington looked smart in Thom Browne’s Fall 2025 pleated, tailored and twisted gown, while Cynthia Erivo was eye candy in Schiaparelli, working her dress for photographers like only a diva of the stage and screen can do.

The 2025 Art+Film gala honored “Sinners” filmmaker Ryan Coogler and artist Mary Corse, and raised a record $6.5 million for the museum.

Van Cleef & Arpels’ World Series Win

Saturday night also belonged to the L.A. Dodgers, of course, who won their second consecutive World Series title in a gripping Game 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The fashion angle here was Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas hitting a clutch home run in the ninth inning, while wearing his lucky charm: Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra four-leaf clover necklace.

While NBA basketball stars wear plenty of jewelry during tunnel walks, league rules prohibit them from wearing it on the court. Same thing for pro soccer, the most watched sport in the world. But Major League Baseball permits players to wear jewelry as long as it’s not distracting, with some team exceptions.

Rojas has been wearing the necklace all season, in several colors, giving major screen time — and a new face — to the French fine jewelry brand beloved by grande dames like Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Queen Camilla, Catherine, Princess of Wales and many more.

Four-leaf clovers first appeared in Van Cleef creations as early as 1906, alongside other symbols of good luck. In 1968, the maison created the first Alhambra long necklace, with 20 clover-shaped motifs in gold. 

The one worn by Rojas on Saturday has 10 clovers in blue agate and gold. The Alhambra collection has since expanded into other styles, including earrings, which he also has worn.

While other MLB players have also embraced the Alhambra collection on the field this season, none have been as prominent as Rojas. Following luxury fashion’s ongoing obsession with sports and its stars, it would seem like a prime marketing opportunity for the Richemont-owned brand. When I reached out, they had no comment. 

Max Mara x Women In Film, Ahead of Their Time

Now 20 years old, the Women in Film Max Mara Face of the Future Award was celebrating Hollywood, fashion and female empowerment long before such initiatives became part of every luxury brand playbook.

Created in partnership with the nonprofit advocacy organization Women in Film, the honor recognizes an actress whose career, style and social impact signal her as a rising force — not only on screen, but in the broader cultural conversation.

For Max Mara, being part of the annual Women In Film Awards has always been about more than red-carpet glamour, though that was on display at Wednesday night’s cocktail party celebrating this year’s honoree, Maude Apatow. It has embodied the Italian brand’s decades-long dialogue with professional women.

Known for impeccable tailoring and classic outerwear that was quiet luxury before it was called that, Max Mara’s design POV is substance over spectacle — a philosophy mirrored in the award’s recipients over the years, including Emily Blunt, Zoey Deutch, Elizabeth Debicki and Gemma Chan.

“For us, it was Women In Film being a platform with an interesting purpose that was already visionary in promoting women’s talents, and not just actresses, but also writers and directors,” Max Mara brand ambassador Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti said of the origins of the partnership. “Women’s empowerment, not just giving them a beautiful look but also a voice, is such an important part of the DNA of our brand. Of course, the way women dress has changed — to dress professionally 20 years ago was more rigorous, where today demonstrating power is more relaxed, comfortable or feminine. That’s a victory.” 

Max Mara’s Face of the Future Award has become a bellwether for Hollywood talent on the brink of a breakout. But in many ways, Apatow, who was dressed for the cocktail soirée in a playful Max Mara pink tulle skirt and black crop top, is already there. She started acting in father Judd Apatow’s films when she was a child, before landing standout roles in “The King of Staten Island” alongside Pete Davidson, Netflix’s “Hollywood” and HBO’s “Euphoria.”

Her family came out to toast her at the Chateau Marmont ahead of Thursday night’s awards ceremony, along with Sarah Paulson, Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts, Maria Bello and many more. “Maria Giulia is such a powerhouse,” Apatow said. “And I’m so honored to be spoken about in the same sentence as the other honorees. I’m overwhelmed, like … is this really happening?”

Apatow has also had success behind the camera. She made her feature directorial debut this year with the college-set comedy “Poetic License,” starring her mother, Leslie Mann. And she has three projects in development with her new production company, Jewelbox Pictures.

Founded in 1973, Women in Film supports women in all creative roles, from directors and writers to cinematographers and producers, through career programs, networking and advocacy for systemic change and better representation. The 2025 Women in Film (WIF) honorees include Jamie Lee Curtis, Tessa Thompson, Regina King, Kristen Wiig and Apatow, and the awards will be presented Thursday.

Marilyn Minter Returns to L.A.

Fresh off the debut of her documentary film, “Pretty Dirty: The Life and Times of Marilyn Minter” at the Hamptons International Film Festival last month, the artist is returning to Regen Projects with her fourth solo exhibition opening Thursday. 

The lush exploration of beauty, power and art history’s entrenched hierarchies features large-scale portraits, “Odalisque” and “After Guston” series works, and her signature close-ups of mouths. 

Minter’s enamel-on-metal portraits, perfected over decades, give subjects Nick Cave, Jane Fonda, Cindy Sherman and Jeff Koons a cinematic gleam that is both celebratory and irreverent.  

In her “Odalisque” series, Minter reclaims the art history trope of the reclining nude as passive object. “Lizzo Odalisque” reframes the subject as self-possessed and self-aware — the singer, in heels and lingerie, wields her iPhone as both mirror and weapon of control. 

The “After Guston” paintings shift the conversation inward, with Minter speaking directly to her artistic forebears. Bringing artist Philip Guston’s cigarette, hood and lightbulb motifs into her own work, she links his mid-century political commentary to contemporary MAGA-era iconography. Polished but pointed, glamorous but gritty, Minter’s work reminds us that beauty cannot exist without scrutiny.

There’s an opening reception Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and the exhibition runs until Dec. 20.

A Stroke of Magic for the Eyes 

Minter uses makeup as a central theme in her work, with hyperreal close-ups of colorful, shimmery eyes and lips.

Launching Thursday from cult French girl brand Violette_FR, the Lune Liner achieves a similarly glamorous effect.

The liquid multichrome eyeliner is formulated with color-shifting pigments, designed to evoke lightning bolts, glowing metals and ultraviolet rays on the lids, and last up to 16 hours. It comes in four shades, $34 each, and has an ultra-fine applicator that makes it almost impossible to miss the lash line. 

The brand was founded in 2021 by award-winning French makeup artist, Violette Serrat, who has also perfected a very Minter-like red lip with her Petal Bouche Matte Lipstick. While pregnant with her daughter, she dreamed of her as a golden moon—announcing that her name would be Lune. That vision became the starting point for the new product, a stroke of magic for the eyes.

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This year’s event honored artist Mary Corse, known for her six-decade exploration of light and perception, and “Black Panther” and “Sinners” filmmaker Ryan Coogler.

Museum trustee Eva Chow and actor Leonardo DiCaprio served again as co-chairs for the annual event, which once more this year was presented by Gucci.

Proceeds from the gala support LACMA’s film initiatives, including exhibitions, acquisitions and education programs, as well as the museum’s broader mission to integrate film into its curatorial program.

The Art+Film Gala has become one of Los Angeles’ most prominent cultural events, celebrating the intersection of visual art and cinema while raising funds for the museum’s programs and future exhibitions.

Past honorees of the Art+Film Gala include artists Simone Leigh, Judy Baca, Helen Pashgian, Kehinde Wiley, Amy Sherald, Betye Saar, Catherine Opie, Mark Bradford, Robert Irwin, James Turrell, Barbara Kruger, David Hockney, Ed Ruscha, and John Baldessari, and filmmakers Baz Luhrmann, David Fincher, Park Chan-wook, Steven Spielberg, Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, George Lucas, Kathryn Bigelow, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, and Clint Eastwood, according to the LACMA website.

Attendees included Elle Fanning, Cynthia Erivo, Demi Moore, Kathryn Hahn, Salma Hayek Pinault, Quinta Brunson and many more.

For a complete look at the stellar fashions from the evening, scroll below for TheWrap red carpet photo gallery.

Zinzi Coogler and Honoree Ryan Coogler, both wearing Gucci

Kaia Gerber, wearing Gucci and Cindy Crawford, wearing Gucci

Elle Fanning, wearing Gucci

Cynthia Erivo

Cindy Crawford

Kathryn Hahn

Zoey Deutch

Salma Hayek-Pinault, wearing Gucci and jewelry by Boucheron

Kaia Gerber

Quinta Brunson

Kerry Washington, wearing jewelry by Boucheron

LACMA Trustee Paris Hilton, wearing Gucci

Demi Lovato

Edward Norton and Shauna Robertson, both wearing Gucci

Ludwig Göransson

Doja Cat, wearing Gucci

Cristin Milioti

Demi Moore, wearing Gucci

Emma Roberts

Kristen Wiig

Beck

Tallulah Willis

Sev Ohanian

Charlie Hunnam

Salma Hayek-Pinault, wearing Gucci and jewelry by Boucheron, and François-Henri Pinault

Édgar Ramírez

Jon M. Chu

Billy Zane

Ryan Destiny

Angela Bassett

Cynthia Bailey

Justine Lupe

Nadia Lee Cohen

Lizzy Greene

Soo-Joo Park

Ava Duvernay

Patrick Ta

Michael Govan, CEO, LACMA, wearing Gucci and Eva Chow

The post LACMA’s 2025 Art + Film Gala Red Carpet: Ryan Coogler, Kerry Washington, Elle Fanning and More | Photos appeared first on TheWrap.