New York – It’s official: Janet Jackson is running New York Fashion Week.
On Wednesday night, the renowned singer was in the first row at Christian Siriano, where she was met with flashes of cameras and silent applause. Jackson sat between Elle editor-in-chief Nina Garcia and fashion correspondent Derek Blasberg and took in Siriano’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection at the Elizabeth Collective, the iconic former townhome of another celebrity, Elizabeth Taylor.
Jackson chatted briefly with Garcia and Blasberg near the event’s finale, and when Siriano finished the show with his trademark bound down the runway, he bowed toward the Queen of Pop.
While Siriano had some of his typical celebrity muses in attendace (including Alicia Silverstone, Coco Rocha, and Maye Musk to accent the more subdued front row), Jackson’s presence rendered all additional invites redundant, as Siriano describes.
Siriano remarks somewhat in jest, “Tonight we went pretty simple, we really didn’t invite a lot of people because the lovely Janet Jackson will be here, and there was no one else to invite.”
Siriano claims he crafted the collection with his clients, classic silhouttes, and a “return to glamour” in mind. Pieces include dresses with sequins, sheer panels, and full tulle skirts.
In the pre-show controlled pandemonium, Siriano declares, “It isn’t about a hype look anymore. It’s more about what’s beautiful, classic, timeless, and modern.”
Siriano has stated that the goal of his collection was to “celebrate the body.”
“That was very important for me … to celebrate the shape.”
– Christian Siriano
Star-Studded Fall/Winter 2022 Christian Siriano at New York Fashion Week Brought The “Victorian Matrix” to Life
Perhaps the night’s most eye-catching accessory wasn’t even worn by a model on the catwalk: Jackson held a portable fan, the kind of which only she could make seem stylish, at just the right angle to direct airflow toward her face and help her feel more comfortable in the humid late summer air.
On Tuesday night at Harlem’s Fashion Row’s 15th anniversary fête at The Jazz at Lincoln Center, the crowd erupted in wild applause as Jackson arrived, in sharp contrast to Wednesday’s more subdued gathering.
Just off a flight, Jackson accepted the Icon Award from HFR founder Brandice Daniel at the Harlem after party for the fashion agency’s earlier fashion show and awards ceremony, which took place at General Grant National Memorial despite torrential rain.
“You are greatly appreciated… Please accept my deepest condolences for my tardiness; I have only just arrived from London. “She then thanked a long list of people before posing for photos and moving to a VIP area close to the DJ booth, as Jackson explained.
Other honorees at the anniversary event, which was sponsored by fashion giant LVMH in a first-of-its-kind partnership, were Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion editor Robin Givhan, who was named editor of the year, designer Sergio Hudson, who made Michelle Obama’s 2021 inauguration pantsuit, who was named designer of the year, celebrity stylist Ade Samuel, who has worked with stars like Khalid and the City Girls, who was named stylist of the year, and multihyphenate star Isla Fisher
Jonathan Hayden, Nicole Benefield, and Clarence Ruth all had collections at the HFR fashion show. Model Veronica Webb, stylist Misa Hylton, and designer Dapper Dan also showed up.
