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CNN
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Kim Kardashian and the checkered history of celebrity courtroom dressing
Kim Kardashian arrived at the courthouse in central Paris earlier this month composed, collected, and dripping in an estimated $8 million worth of jewelry. The ensemble was a bold choice, considering she was appearing at her own robbery trial, over one of the most audacious celebrity heists in modern history. She arrived alongside her mother Kris Jenner to testify against the so-called 'grandpa robbers' (some suspects in their 60s and 70s, one of which died before the case went to trial, while another developed Alzheimer's and was deemed unfit to stand), who are facing charges for armed robbery, kidnapping and conspiracy after allegedly stealing $10 million worth of cash and jewelry from the A-lister, who was held at gunpoint, during a trip to Paris in October 2016. At the trial, Kardashian was bespectacled in Alaïa sunglasses, her form accentuated in a vintage John Galliano black skirt-suit with a plunging neckline and sizeable side-slit. Kardashian's neck alone was encircled with over 52 carats — courtesy of a tear-drop-shaped necklace from Samer Halimeh — which she paired with diamond earrings, a 4.55 carat Repossi diamond over-the-ear cuff and a white gold and diamond pavé version by Briony Raymond. The striking Halimeh piece felt like a revenge necklace signalling Kardashian's unique ability to easily replace millions of dollars' worth of precious jewels. To some on social media, this served as a gauché reminder of seemingly bottomless wealth. But for NYU fashion law professor and 'The Laws of Style' author Douglas Hand, it was a symbol of defiance. 'Her choice of jewelry really underscored the fact that she wants to announce that she's reclaiming her power after this traumatic event,' Hand told CNN over the phone. 'If I were advising her from both a business perspective and a legal perspective, I think you'd want to signal that you are a survivor.' The power of a carefully considered courtroom outfit should never be underestimated. In 2023, when Gwyneth Paltrow was taken to court for a personal injury claim over a skiing accident, she wore a series of understated, luxurious looks — including a loden coat from The Row, pants by Proenza Schouler, boots by Celine and a number of her own branded sweaters — that swayed the online demographic in her favor. Several fans took to social media to rate her looks out of ten, while some even sought to recreate them at home. What could have easily become a brand-damaging episode — Paltrow's expensive taste in ski instructors and her decision to have a post-crash massage were key elements of the prosecution — surprisingly became a masterclass in the soft power of fashion. Ultimately, the jury unanimously sided with Paltrow and found her not liable. Similarly, when author E. Jean Carroll appeared in court to testify against US President Trump in 2023, accusing him of sexually abusing her in a Bergdorf Goodman store in 1996, the writer curated a series of decorous earth-toned tailored dresses, smart jackets and off-white overcoats, which presented her as the antithesis of the 'whack job' Trump had tried to label her. Despite denying the allegations and publicly insulting Carroll for making the claim, Trump was found liable for sexual assault battery and Carroll received $5 million in damages. (A year later, she was awarded another $83.3 million for defamation.) Elsewhere, celebrities including Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B have enlisted their regular red carpet stylists to help create courtroom looks that still feel authentic to them: sharp tailored suits (worn shirtless, however) with hair cut into razor-sharp bobs. According to Hand, the consideration that goes into courtroom clothes isn't merely an exercise in vanity. '(These outfits) are pretty choreographed by any well-advised litigant,' he said. 'For high profile litigants, courtroom dress is usually an attempt to dispel any appearance of wrongdoing, whether you're charged with a crime or you're embroiled in some dispute or a nasty divorce.' The right ensemble can also help promise 'some degree of credibility,' added Hand. This seems to be the strategy of music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who during his ongoing trial on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering has avoided all iterations of masculine power-suiting and instead opted for soft sweaters, glasses and undyed grey hair. The result, some argue, is a curated image that seems like a far cry from the alleged crimes. 'Your apparel choices speak before you do,' Hand added. 'That's incredibly important, particularly in a high stakes situation like a court of law.' For almost as long as celebrities have been breaking the law, they have at least been dressing for the occasion. In 2002, Winona Ryder arrived at her shoplifting trial (she was accused of stealing more than $5,500 of designer goods from Saks Fifth Avenue) dressed in a Marc Jacobs trompe l'oeil knit dress that has since gone down in fashion history. Her sartorial strategy was clear: midi-skirts and dresses that were elegant, prim and demure, worn with headbands for a youthful earnestness. 'How nice to see a defendant rise above the tried-and-true dark suit and opt for a more fashionable facade,' wrote Robin Givhan at the time, in a tongue-in-cheek report for the Washington Post. Unfortunately, no matter how much her hemline communicated sweetness and light, Ryder was still found guilty and sentenced to 480 hours of community service, a $3,700 fine and 36 months of probation. When rapper Lil' Kim was on trial for perjury in 2004, she coordinated her tailored pinstripe suit vest and slacks with those worn by her attorney Mel Sachs. In fact, several of her courtroom looks were reportedly personally gifted by Marc Jacobs — a close friend of the musician — who provided her with modest sandy-colored suits and bouclé twin-sets. But too heavy an emphasis on fashion can also backfire. When Martha Stewart was brought to trial for insider trading in 2004, her choice to wear a mink stole and chestnut-colored Hermés Birkin bag sparked controversy. 'The Birkin did little to promote the image of an approachable woman who has struggled up from humble roots,' wrote the New York Times that same year. 'Instead, it cemented an image of her as a pampered fat cat seemingly willing to snatch money from an Average Joe Stockholder.' Meanwhile, when Michael Jackson arrived at court in 2005 after being accused of child molestation (he was later acquitted), the pop star showed up dressed in flamboyant brocaded vests and dazzling waistcoat jewelry — much like what he wore on stage. Ideally, said Hand, celebrities want to aim for a 'sober' outfit that feels 'conservative to emphasize trustworthiness.' Anything else risks sending a message of flagrance, which can sour jurors fast. Earlier this year, the realms of fashion and law enforcement intertwined even further when rapper A$AP Rocky appeared in a Los Angeles court facing charges of two counts of felony assault, one with a firearm. Rocky, who recently co-chaired the 2025 Met Gala, arrived at his trial looking strikingly dapper. His gabardine trench coat, wool chiné pants and striped satin shirt worn with sunglasses was a sophisticated, stylish take on courtroom dressing. Upon first glance, it looked like the type of paparazzi-style campaign Rocky has starred in for Italian luxury label Bottega Veneta. A few days later, a press blast distributed to journalists confirmed that Rocky had been kitted out head-to-toe in Saint Laurent. When the media alert was sent, Rocky — who has now been acquitted on all charges — was still the lead suspect in an ongoing criminal trial. But Saint Laurent was not deterred by the questionable backdrop, continuing to send multiple releases after each new courtroom appearance. It surprised even a senior fashion public relations executive in London, who said they would advise PRs to avoid sharing outfit details and shopping links when pieces have been worn to sensitive events. 'It's not appropriate to be shouting about them wearing your brand in those contexts,' they said. 'It's tacky.' (Saint Laurent did not respond to requests from CNN for comment.) But the French luxury house isn't the only brand hoping to captialize on the free press that comes with highly publicized lawsuits. In 2024, Anna Delvey — the 'fake heiress' who was found guilty of grand larceny, among other financial crimes, in 2019 — used one of her immigration court appearances to promote emerging fashion label Shao New York by wearing a custom outfit by the brand (the designer is a client of the OutLaw Agency, a venture Delvey began with publicisit Kelly Cutrone in 2023). In Kardashian's case, she was not appearing as a person convicted of a crime but rather a veritable victim. 'The appearance of wrongdoing was not anything that she needed to address,' said Hand. Instead of sending a message to the judge and jury, as is usually the goal of a celebrity courtroom outfit, Kardashian's diamonds spoke directly to the public. What they were really intended to say, however, isn't crystal clear.
New York Times
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Why Are Women Drawn to These ‘Unflattering' Pants?
They billow like paper lanterns. They can reach the ankles, or cinch into two large puffballs around the upper thighs. They may not be sexy to anyone but the person who's wearing them — and that's sort of the point. 'It's a bit of a rebellious thing,' said Charlie Hourston, the founder of the Los Angeles-based label Charlie Beads, which has sold more than 2,000 of these pants, known as bloomers, in the last 18 months. Ms. Hourston's designs ($68) are made of fabrics like French terry, pinstripe cotton and gingham and are of the shorter, Lolita-esque variety. Other riffs on the hot-pant-like shape include a terry-cloth bloomer by Suzie Kondi and a cut in velvet by Colleen Allen, two New York City labels. Customers often note that their romantic partners probably won't understand the look or may even find it unappealing, Ms. Hourston, 25, said. She considers that to be one of the design's selling points: 'Even if they're not flattering, they're empowering.' Divisive though they may be, bloomers have reached a new saturation point this season, hitting racks at mall chain stores, rippling down high-fashion runways and cropping up on the social media feeds of independent clothing labels like Lauren Manoogian and Chelsea Mak. They can range in price from $30, as is the case with a butter-yellow pair from Urban Outfitters, to more than $6,000 — the price tag on Alaïa's most expensive take on the silhouette. Much like the wearers of winter's oversize sweaters, many of the women drawn to these pants say they are in search of a post-male gaze femininity. Some are looking to telegraph a certain intellectual outlook on fashion. 'They have more personality than something that is minimal or pretty,' said Gaia Repossi, the creative director of the fine jewelry label Repossi. In January, Ms. Repossi, 39, wore a pair of Alaïa's voluminous trousers ($6,400) to a dinner hosted by the brand. On a recent scroll through social media, Sandeep Salter, 37, was surprised to see a fast-fashion version of bloomers flash across her screen. The style was familiar to Ms. Salter, an owner of Salter House, a Brooklyn boutique that sells housewares and clothes that have come to define a certain urban Bo Peep aesthetic. Since 2021, her store has turned out poufy bloomer pants that nip at the ankles as part of its in-house fashion label. That design has become popular with workers at Stissing House, a Hudson Valley restaurant with a similar cottage-chic sensibility. Kaitlin Pearce, the restaurant's director of feasts, wears hers multiple times a week for dinner service and said they can evoke an unexpected mix of emotions — making her feel both like an American Girl doll and an arbiter of social defiance. 'I am a lesbian woman who likes tomboy clothes, but at work I like to wear frilly clothes,' she said. For Ms. Pearce, 35, the pants have added appeal because of their feminist history. While the shape is derived from Ottoman-era şalvar pants, which in the mid-19th century became fashionable among European women, in the United States the garment is most closely associated with the suffragist Amelia Bloomer, said Matthew Yokobosky, the senior curator of fashion and material culture at the Brooklyn Museum. Inspired by Ms. Bloomer, women began wearing the pants underneath short skirts during the suffrage movement as a means to escape the long crinolines that were a norm. 'They were looking for more equality and somehow started associating freedom of clothing with freedom of choice,' Mr. Yokobosky said. He acknowledged the style as among the first feminist designs. The most dramatic of today's bloomers closely resemble those worn by Ms. Bloomer herself. Often referred to as balloon pants, the giant bottoms plume with excessive quantities of fabric to create an exaggerated silhouette that was last popular in the 1980s. The Alaïa designer Pieter Mulier is responsible for the most extreme balloon pants, presented as part of the brand's spring 2025 runway show. Many of them were paired with cropped tube tops and minimal makeup — putting the spotlight almost solely on Mr. Mulier's giant pant designs. At Nordstrom, taffeta versions of the French label's balloon pants, priced at $2,150, are quickly selling out. Rickie De Sole, the store's vice president, fashion director, said customers were drawn to their novelty, which 'gets you talking.' The shape can also be purchased at more approachable price points from brands like Free People and Anthropologie, which share a parent company. At the former, sales of the brand's antique-y Forever Young bloomer pants have 'exploded,' according to Ana Hartl, the company's chief creative officer. First introduced last year, the design is now available in some half-dozen colors. Chelsea Mak, whose namesake brand is based in Los Angeles, calls her take on the style 'rain joggers.' Ms. Mak says she finds the pants appealing because they are visually akin to ankle-grazing skirts but offer more comfort and ease of movement. 'In my own twisted, modern way I wanted to look feminine like wearing a big skirt but needed the mobility of a pant,' said Ms. Mak, 40. 'It's bohemian and feminine without stepping into a big prairie skirt.' The ethics behind our shopping reporting. When Times reporters write about products, they never accept merchandise, money or favors from the brands. We do not earn a commission on purchases made from this article.
Emirates Woman
09-03-2025
- Business
- Emirates Woman
Repossi x Invisible Collection unveil "Jewels for the Home"
Life by Camille Macawili 26 seconds ago Anne de Vergeron, CEO of Repossi and Isabelle Dubern Mallevays, Co-Founder of Invisible Collection discuss exploring artistic potential to create 'Jewels for the Home' – a capsule collection of home decor firmly rooted in Repossi's avant-garde design codes. Repossi stands out in its own domain in the jewellery space. How were the key pillars of Repossi translated into this collection? Anne de Vergeron (ADV): Unlike other jewellery houses, Repossi has always been the most avant-garde Maison on Place Vendôme, rethinking jewellery design and reinventing its codes for almost 70 years. Our primary sources of inspiration stem from both contemporary and ancient forms of art, architecture, and design in its broadest sense. This year, we continue our artistic dialogue – initiated with MoMA in 2020 and Centre Pompidou last year – by partnering with a collectible design brand to create a capsule collection of home décor. Four designers from The Invisible Collection were invited to explore our universe of iconic creations, drawing inspiration and transposing their essence into furniture and objects. You've collaborated with star talents from Invisible Collection's impressive roster. What's been the key in creating this collection? ADV: Our approach was rooted in a shared passion for creativity, superior craftsmanship and harmonious working process with Isabelle Dubern and the genius talents working with the Invisible Collection. At Repossi, we believe that the fusion of diverse creative minds leads to extraordinary results. Dubern has a unique understanding of Repossi jewellery and the brand's DNA. Each artist brought its unique vision and expertise, translating the four Repossi key collections – Antifer, Serti sur Vide, Blast and Berbere – in a different dimension of design and craftsmanship. This synergy enabled us to explore new concepts resulting in a collection that is truly unique. What were the influences and inspiration behind the 'Jewels for the Home' pieces – what makes them unique? Isabelle Dubern Mallevays (IDM): The collaboration stems from a shared passion for the arts décoratifs and its unique aesthetic. Each designer from Invisible Collection found inspiration from Repossi's emblematic collections to create four exceptional pieces. What makes them truly special and unique is that they are original works, each conceived specifically for this collaboration, and reflecting both Repossi's DNA and the designer's signature style and taste. What hurdles did you encounter when you launched, and how did you overcome them? IDM: Frankly, this has been one of the smoothest collaborations ever, there was so much enthusiasm and willingness from everyone involved including artists and ateliers. So, if there were any hurdles, they were most logistical, such as lead times. For instance, the Martini tables were not finished on time because the glass masters in Venice took longer than expected. However, in the end, this only added to the excitement, as we couldn't wait to see this beautiful design come to life. Alternatively, what have been the learnings? IDM: Every encounter, every collaboration, is a learning opportunity – both personally and professionally. In this case, I realised the importance of shared values and passions, which made the entire process much smoother. And I was deeply moved by Anne de Vergeron's kindness and vision, which for me means a lot in this world. This special collaboration bridges between different creative practices. What do you think is the value of this collaboration to both brands? ADV: The collaboration between Repossi and the Invisible Collection has highlighted the versatility of the arts, demonstrating their ability to excel across different creative disciplines. Its value lies in the synergy it creates, allowing us to explore new horizons of our respective fields. Collaborating with the exceptional talents from the Invisible Collection has provided an opportunity to infuse our Maison with diverse perspectives and reaffirm our unwavering dedication to the worlds of art, architecture, and design. The four-piece capsule has been unveiled in Paris. How was it received? ADV: The collection was met with great enthusiasm from our partners, clients and friends of the House. The craftsmanship details, an exquisite design, and sophisticated aesthetics resonated deeply with our audience, highlighting the successful fusion of diverse creative practices. The collection was particularly recognised for capturing the essence of both Repossi's avant-garde spirit and the Invisible Collection's artistic flair. These home objects will be travelling as well to the Repossi boutique in Dubai. Why is the Middle East market important for Repossi? ADV: In the Middle East market, we observe a deep appreciation for contemporary art, artistic expression and craftsmanship, which aligns perfectly with the core values of Repossi. The recent opening of the Museum of Diriyah Art Futures exemplifies this cultural affinity. Our audience in the Middle East share our passion for creativity and the preservation of heritage, making our brand highly resonant in this region. Our collaboration with the Invisible Collection and the introduction of these unique design objects are set to bring a fresh perspective and unparalleled craftsmanship to the Middle Eastern market, enriching its vibrant landscape of art and design. This is The Resilience Issue. How do you tap into resilience during testing times? IDM: Right now, so many people around the world are enduring unimaginable pain and destruction – wars, climate catastrophes, famine, and human rights violations – that I would feel embarrassed to speak about resilience in comparison. When I look at my own life, I realise how blessed I am. As long as my children are healthy, and I can continue making a living from my passion, I'm just thankful. ADV: Hope and resilience will be paramount for many people around the world in the coming years. During challenging times, I must remember how fortunate I am to be surrounded by my family and to hold such a fulfilling role at Repossi. – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram March's – The Resilience Issue – Download Now Images: Supplied
