This Week, The Best-Dressed Celebrities Made Opulence Look Easy

Less isn’t always more. At present, every trip outdoors can feel like an occasion, and for celebrities looking to celebrate big wins, the low impact approach just doesn’t cut it. Last week as stars picked up awards and promoted their prestige projects, they sought out pieces with extroverted verve. Guests at the Soul Train Music Awards typically opt for drama, and this year’s virtual ceremony allowed for experimentation. In a metallic mint look from Christopher John Rogers’s fall collection, Tessa Thompson demonstrated why she’s one of the designer’s boldest muses. It takes panache to pull off iridescent ombré or Rogers’ voluminous silhouettes, and Thompson carried off both with ease in his silk taffeta wide-leg pants and swag-sleeved bustier.

The annual Lady of Soul award is only handed out to R&B’s legends, so when it came time for Monica to join the ranks of iconic acts like Jill Scott and SWV, she needed a look worthy of the accomplishment. The body-conscious gowns of Demna Gvasalia’s fall runway proved the perfect choice. Skintight black and seamless from head to toe, the star’s daring ensemble put to rest any lingering queries related to “The Boy is Mine.” Who cares who got the guy in the end! When you’re decked out in Balenciaga and taking home lifetime achievement awards, clearly you’ve won. 

Elsewhere on the fashion front, intrepid choices pushed the needle. At France’s NRJ Music Awards, singer Clara Luciani provided an elevated take on logomania in a gilded Gucci blazer and cropped trousers. Prim yet glitzy, Luciani’s Michele designed separates kept with the elegant, menswear-inspired theme that has run through many of her recent outfits. This year the British Fashion Awards may have been an at-home event, and yet the bow and sequin embellished Christopher Kane dress worn by Alexa Chung was worthy of any red carpet. Kate Moss and daughter Lila-Grace Moss Hack’s mother-daughter style is always appealing, and the matching denim and shearling they wore on the streets of London proved Gen-X and Gen-Z have plenty in common. 

In a social distancing power move, Chanel’s Métiers d’art front row contained only one guest: Kristen Stewart. Forget influencers, socialites, and even other celebrities, the Happiest Season star (and longtime Chanel ambassador) was all anyone needed. Seated in the grand gallery of the Chateau de Chenonceau, Stewart was unquestionably chic in her velvet pants, high boots, and black wool sweater. Still, it was her opulent Chanel High Jewelry necklace that truly completed the look while illustrating why Stewart has become such a fixture within the house: who else could wear 980 brilliant-cut diamonds and 268 Akoya pearls with such ease? Coco would be proud.