Inside Vogue World: Hollywood as Anna Wintour and Friends Celebrate Film, Fashion and Fun (Finally!)
After every crew member, model and actor moonlighting as a model disappeared inside Stage 18 on the Paramount Pictures lot to close Vogue World: Hollywood on Sunday, Kathryn Hahn got out of her seat and tried to wrap her head around the right words to describe what she and 400 others had just experienced during a 45-minute show.
âI am so overwhelmed,â said the actress, in a sleeveless wine-colored Lanvin that wouldnât have been out of place on the concrete runway she was standing on. âGoing to my first fitting with the costume design team always feels like Christmas morning. Itâs when the magic happens. To be here witnessing so much beauty, so much history and so much reverence for filmmaking, fashion and costume design is so moving. I just feel so charged by this evening.â
Hahn nailed it: As Los Angeles events go, this was by far one of the more electric as Anna Wintour and her CondĂ© Nast comrades brought their Vogue World franchise to Hollywood after previous iterations in New York, London and Paris. A-list guests were everywhere, and it helped that the intimate affair was free of entourages, plus-ones and the typical crush of most industry events. Miley Cyrus was seated 30 minutes before showtime. BTS member V posed for photos in front of a Starbucks pop-up, one of several corporate sponsors who supported the show along with eBay. Dakota Johnson caught up with Demi Lovato. Tracee Ellis Ross turned heads in a blonde wig and an oversized trench. Machine Gun Kelly held court with Taika Waititi and Rita Ora. Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz-Beckham traded content on their phones. Jennifer Connelly kept close to Nicolas Ghesquiere. CAAâs Bryan Lourd, in a blue velvet tuxedo, stopped by Wintourâs seat to offer congratulations before Governor Gavin Newsom took one next to Wintour with Casey Wasserman not far away.
Vogue World launched as a mission-driven live event, and itâs always been a mouthful to describe. Wintour once said it best: âVogue World is a party, a runway show and a cultural happening all rolled into one.â Plans had been in the works to bring it to L.A. since last fall to help revitalize the industry in the wake of labor strikes. Catastrophe struck again with Januaryâs wildfires so they pivoted to make it a benefit for costume designers that lost homes. (At a March event at Chateau Marmont at which insiders revealed the first wave of details, Oscar winning costume designer Colleen Atwood brought her charred Oscar, a devastating symbol of what was lost.) They recruited two born-and-bred L.A. singers that just so happen to be music superstars to perform: Doja Cat and Gracie Abrams.
âMixing fashion and the arts and culture in the center of a city, and by raising funds for a vital cause, Vogue World has become a runway show as a rallying cry, a way to fix the attention of a huge global audience, to bring awareness and sound and unmistakable notes of positivity, creativity and hope,â Wintour explained earlier this year. Sunday nightâs show raised an impressive $4.5 million that will benefit the Entertainment Community Fund.
While the funds are necessary, Hollywood desperately needed the fun. Between cutbacks, layoffs, consolidation and an ongoing production exodus, the blows have felt constant. Having the chance to sit back, relax and enjoy a show, especially one mounted on the iconic Paramount lot (change in ownership and momentary layoffs aside), delivered welcome good vibes.
âOften, everyone feels so anxious and self-conscious when theyâre at any industry event, and this was an event where everyone was smiling, people were dancing, people were laughing, everyone was having a great time together,â explained Jay Shetty to The Hollywood Reporter. âIt felt like a celebration of the arts, a celebration of film, a celebration of costume design and a little drama. I had the best night.â
Same for Demi Lovato. âI donât even know how to describe it. I was dancing, I was cheering on the models, cheering on the artists,â she said name checking the nightâs performers Gracie Abrams and Doja Cat. âThey absolutely smashed it and I had the best time. I grew up on sound stages, so it felt like coming home for me. To bring fashion into it was inspiring and creative.â
Vogue World: Hollywood was separated into seven acts with each act defined by a collaboration between a costume designer and a creative director from a top fashion house, and each one infused by a surprising showing of movie stars and major models. Costume designer Catherine Martin and Miuccia Prada teamed for âAct 1: Hollywood Glamourâ to honor Hollywoodâs Golden Age; âAct 2: The Renegadesâ paired Colleen Atwood and McQueenâs SeĂĄn McGirr; âAct 3: Historical Heroinesâ brought together Milena Canonero and Louis Vuittonâs Nicolas GhesquiĂšre; âAct 4: Summer of Loveâ featured costume designer Arianne Phillips and Marc Jacobs; âAct 5: Avant-Gardeâ married costume designer Sandy Powell and Valentinoâs Alessandro Michele; âAct 6: Afrofuturismâ paired Ruth E. Carter and Balmainâs Olivier Rousteing; and âAct 7: New Worldâ brought together costume designer Jacqueline West with AlaĂŻaâs Pieter Mulier.
The cast didnât just walk, they worked the runway, often flanked by crew members carrying props, costume racks and other pieces that reflected a true working set. Julia Garner, in an ensemble from Sofia Coppolaâs Marie Antoinette, lit up the runway with a gleeful sprint. Anok Yai captivated as Edward Scissorhands. Hunter Schafer ate an apple while wearing an original costume from Sally Potterâs Orlando. Teyana Taylor and Danai Gurira drew cheers and wild applause in original looks from Black Panther, complete with weapons and a slew of backup dancers, before making way for Angela Bassett who brought guest Brian Tyree Henry to his feet.
âSuch an undertaking and a lot of work,â said Black Panther Oscar winning costume designer and Vogue World participant Carter. âBut tell me first of all, the electricity tonight was on another level. And the support! The support we got was unbelievable. I was especially excited to see the crew intermingling with these beautiful costumes as they went down the runway. It was a real snapshot of what itâs like to be on a movie set. It was so glamorous; Hollywood glamour at its best.â
Speaking of work, the showâs movement director Stephen Galloway, who just launched his own agency to support the art form, said they rehearsed for three days. âIt was all evolving with changing looks, different passages, new additions. It felt like live TV for three straight days,â he said with a post-show glow. âIâm a huge lover of film and a huge lover of fashion so it was this incredible mirage of mixing these two things we love so much. I really wanted to figure out a way to make actors, who are on the runway not necessarily in a specific role, to feel as fabulous as they could be and help the models feel like they were in the film world.â
Some, like Nicole Kidman, looked right at home doing both. The Oscar winner was tasked with opening the show with her longtime friend and Moulin Rouge! collaborator Baz Luhrmann. âReverse tracking, reverse tracking. Keep the focus!â Luhrmann yelled out as Kidman emerged from behind a white screen. As she took direction â âShe rejects. She sees her future, hold the thoughtâ â Kidman paused in the middle of the runway until Luhrmann yelled âcut!â
He then turned his attention to the audience by saying, âWeâre paying you guys in the front row double time. This is not a normal fashion parade. Energy, cheering,â he said. âPlease give me more!â
See more below.
Kidman opens the show.
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Jenner
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Miley Cyrus, Hailey Bieber and Anthony Vaccarello
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Gavin Newsom and Anna Wintour
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Doja Cat in a chainmail dress inspired by Tina Turnerâs look in 1985â Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Gracie Abrams in Chanel fresh from the houseâs most recent runway presentation.
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Gwyneth Paltrow and Sandy Powell
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Danai Gurira and Teyana Taylor
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Jodie Turner-Smith
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Models attend Vogue World: Hollywood
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Grace Elizabeth
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Tracee Ellis Ross
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
V
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Jacob Rott
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Marilou York and Mark Hamill
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
MGK
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Lizzo and Tyler Perry
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Rita Ora and Taika Waititi
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Emma Chamberlain
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Tommy Hilfiger, Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger, Sofia Richie Grainge and Elliot Grainge
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
sombr and Yasmin Wijnaldum
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
LaKeith Stanfield
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Elizabeth Debicki
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Demi Lovato
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Vanity Fairâs Mark Guiducci and The New York Timesâ Shawn McCreesh
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Chance the Rapper, Jesse Williams and Mike Amiri
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
DaâVine Joy Randolph and Ruth E. Carter
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Julia Garner works the runway
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Hilary Duff and Camila Cabello
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Lisa Love who served as creative and event director.
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Riverdale reunion: Madelaine Petsch and Camila Mendes
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Mindy Kaling and Cynthia Erivo
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Kathryn Hahn
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Angela Bassett
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Brian Tyree Henry, Victoria Monét and Sloane Stephens
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Tyriq Withers
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Stephen Galloway and Jennifer Hudson
(Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Vogue)
Karol G and Yseult
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
Last looks: Models close the show. The creative team included Fatima Robinson on choreography; Aron Forbes and Derek Renfroe of Sounds We Feel on music; Jess Gonchor on set design; Marie Julie Craeymeersch of Mode and the Moon on event production; Jen Green of Genevieve Productions as run-of-show producer; Pepe Avila del Pino as consulting cinematographer; and Galloway as movement director, Pat McGrath Labs as official backstage makeup brand, hair styling by Jimmy Paul with KĂ©rastase as the official hair partner, and Deborah Lippmann on nails.
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vogue)
