Some weeks, celebrities aim for elegance, others for impact. The last seven days have fallen into the latter category. Across the globe, stars craved the spotlight and found clothes—coats, gowns, halter tops—that granted them with all the attention they could handle.
Among the performers leaning into fashion’s extroverted side was Chinese pop star Li Yuchun aka Chris Lee, who dazzled in a Demna designed Balenciaga look from the brand’s spring 2022 collection. The appropriately named “drama gown” made Li the standout from the Spring Festival Gala. Its red velvet texture and mermaid silhouette allowed the perennially glamorous star to do what she does best: command the spotlight.
The statement outerwear brigade was led by Jennifer Lopez, who, while promoting her latest romantic comedy, Marry Me, wore an array of over-the-top coats bursting with pattern. The best among them, a marble print midi-length topper, came straight from Kim Jones Fendi resort lookbook. Though its swirls of blue and gold could have been lifted from a quarry, the plush velvet fabric made the ultra-luxury look seem cozy. Paired with Fendi’s peekaboo tote and a matching dress, it managed to stand out, even among the other over-the-top pieces within Lopez’s jam-packed press tour wardrobe.
The one person who could rival Lopez for fashion moments this week was British actress Lily James. She underwent an extraordinary transformation to play Baywatch star Pamela Anderson in Hulu’s Pam and Tommy, and has infused her recent outfits with a bit of the slinky adventurousness Anderson mastered in the ’90s. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, James shared the stage with co-star Sebastian Stan while wearing Magda Butrym’s ruffled halter top and a pair of high-waisted trousers. Circa 1995, Anderson might have worn Butrym’s top with PVC pants and clear platforms. While James could have gone in that direction, her subtle version of sexiness felt modern and effortlessly cool.
