What do Janet Jackson, Laura Linney, Laverne Cox, Sia, Quinta Brunson, Kesha, Avril Lavigne, and Alicia Silverstone have in common? On a hot and rainy Friday afternoon, they gathered at the Pierre Hotel for Christian Siriano’s 15th anniversary runway show. And what a sight it was to see the stars in the front row, taking videos of Coco Rocha posing up a storm while Sia sang “shine bright like a diamond” in the background. How often do you see that kind of celebrity at New York Fashion Week anymore?
Siriano was inspired by ballet, which he studied as a child. Specifically, he channeled the excitement of being backstage and watching a show live. “That’s when I fell in love with eveningwear and fantasy and seeing sugarplum fairies come to life,” he said. The opening section was filled with all-black outfits, corsets, and tailoring, which gradually gave way to pure opulence. (The true dividing line between the collection was look 37, a Versailles-ish cornflower blue and gold dress with a bustle.) You couldn’t miss the theme: It was evident in the ribbons, the tulle so plentiful it could outfit the American Ballet Theatre, and the lush pointe-shoe pink. It all looked more like the costumes a dancer would wear rather than the everyday rehearsal attire that #Balletcore appropriates—again, more fantasy than reality.
For her surprise performance, Sia wore a pink tulle dress with a hefty train that matched her signature blunt bob wig and oversized hair bow. All eyes were on her as she started to sing “Chandelier” while models kept walking past. You have to admire Siriano’s commitment to delivering a show rather than a mere march of outfits. His panache extends out of the clothes and into the venue, models, presentation, and, of course, the guest list.
