.jpg)
Supermodel, singer, actor, and businesswoman Naomi Campbell now has another title under her belt: creative director. Days before New York Fashion Week officially kicks off, Campbell and designers Edvin Thompson of Theophilio and Victor Anate of Vicnate took over Cipriani’s to showcase a 70-piece collection of mesh minidresses, faux-fur coats, sleek pantsuits, and sparkly accessories. If New York seems like an unusual city to hold the inaugural fashion show for the British model and company, Campbell claims she’s a Brit by birth but a New Yorker at heart.
“PrettyLittleThing is a company that’s reached an audience worldwide. With streaming, you can also show wherever you want these days. And besides, I’ve lived in New York most of my life, even though I’m a Brit,” Campbell said. To celebrate her creative directorial debut, she invited prominent figures from New York’s fashion scene, including Bethann Hardison, Patti Wilson, Alton Mason, and Julia Fox.
When it was first announced in June, the collection was met with mixed reactions from fashion and sustainability enthusiasts who questioned the supermodel’s decision to partner with fast-fashion company PrettyLittleThing. But Campbell sees PLT’s immense reach—the brand has 18.1 million Instagram users worldwide—as crucial for spreading the word about on-the-rise talents like Thompson and Anate. “I met Umar Kamani [cofounder of PrettyLittleThing], and I loved that he embraced that I wanted to work with young emerging talent and share the platform. So here we are!” proclaimed Campbell. Prices for the PLT collaboration start as low as $10.
For Campbell, being on the other side of the runway was an unfamiliar experience. Instead of sitting in the makeup chair, Campbell spent the hours before the show making sure all the models were prepped and ready to go. “It was nerve-racking,” said Campbell. “I was worried. I just kept running back and forth, making sure their shoes were comfortable and that their hair was right.” Naturally, Campbell closed the show, giving the crowd what they came for.