Christian Louboutin’s First Trip to Nashville Included Dinner With Dolly and a Blowout Party

An instantly recognizable signifier of fabulosity, Christian Louboutin’s iconic red-soled heels have traveled the world. Now the designer himself is making an epic journey—he’s determined to discover the United States one state at a time. Last week he traveled to Nashville, home to many of his most ardent fans and a thriving fashion scene. The destination was ideal for the designer who made the trip with Nordstrom for a party thrown in his honor hosted by Karen Fairchild of the Grammy-winning band Little Big Town.

From the start, Louboutin aimed to make the most of his time in country music’s capital. First on the agenda: a private dinner with Dolly Parton at the music legend’s home in Brentwood. Then it was off to the famed Gibson guitar factory for a special tour. A vintage aficionado, Louboutin hit up a slew of local shops in walking distance from the stately Hermitage Hotel in search of authentic cowboy boots and Western fare before heading to the bash.

The event featured a mini concert led by emerging local acts Fancy, The Brummies, and Lucie Silvas. Attended by a slew of country luminaries—Martina McBride, Jessie James Decker, and Kellie Pickler among them—it was a night filled with good music, good friends, and Southern hospitality. Here, the designer gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what happens when red soles meet Tennessee soul.

Rihanna Made a Fierce Fashion Statement at Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Secret Oscars Party

Leave it to Rihanna to upstage some of Hollywood’s best dressed stars on Oscar night. The singer attended Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s super-secret post-awards-show party last night (it took place in the parking garage of the Chateau Marmont), making a fierce fashion statement in a piece off the runway: a ruffled leopard-print design from Alexandre Vauthier’s Spring 2019 Couture collection. Of course, the bad gal pulled off the OTT dress better than most, accessorizing with simple black stilettos, black tights, a matching clutch, and a wrist full of chunky bangles. Rihanna honored this big fashion win with a trio of Instagrams posted to her account today, no captions necessary.

Not much is known about Bey and Jay’s apparently gold-theme soiree, other than Rihanna’s wild ensemble and a few other major names on the guest list, including Drake, Adele, J-Rod, and newly engaged couple Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom. Rih might not have been present for the awards ceremony, but she sure did shut it down in the late hours once all of the accolades were handed out. One can only imagine the partying that went on inside Sunday’s most covert celebration, but no doubt Rihanna and her fierce couture had a ball.

Why I Love the New Kate Moss So Much Better Than the ’90s Waif

Kate Moss has been looking great lately. This past month, she celebrated her birthday in London with her longtime friend Stella McCartney and wore a black minidress with her signature monkey-fur chubby. (That same night, she stepped out on the arm of her hot boyfriend Count Nikolai von Bismarck.) Later that week in Paris, she was spotted with another old friend, Sadie Frost, and wore a cinched velvet jacket with a peekaboo leopard-print shirt. At 45, the supermodel has never looked so bright nor so put-together.

It’s radically different from the hard-partying Moss who I fell in love with when I was a teenager in the early ’00s. That was the second coming of Kate, about a decade after she had her mercurial rise as the infamous waif. I discovered Moss in this form on a French Vogue cover tucked away in the international magazine aisle of a Barnes & Noble. In the November 2004 issue, Moss wore a ridiculous green fur coat on top of a Nike sports bra and a pair of short white gym shorts. Maybe the image was so out of my world that I became transfixed. Or maybe it was because she was super flat-chested—just like me at the time!—yet had an electrifying confidence. (I was very insecure about my nonexistent bra size.) That cover gave me hope, a curious peek into another dimension.

By the mid-aughts, it appeared as if Moss had come into her own. I wasn’t so much a fan of her now immortalized ’90s wardrobe, like the sheer slip dress that she wore with Naomi Campbell or the matchy-matchy grunge-inflected outfits she wore with Johnny Depp. She seemed too quiet back then, too young. I liked her noughties energy. (Watch this grainy cut of Primal Scream’s “Some Velvet Morning” to get a visual feel). Plus, in 2005, she carved out a new name for herself in the fashion-verse. Moss had just begun a relationship with Libertines front man Pete Doherty. Her style became wild, bad-to-the-bone English rock ’n’ roll. She’d attend Glastonbury hanging off the arm of Doherty in tiny dresses with mud-caked Wellies and a cigarette dangling from her lips. On a regular day in London, she was effortlessly cool in a pair of black skinny jeans, ankle boots, a leather jacket or army jacket, and a skull-print Alexander McQueen scarf. Even if she wore these outfits in the back of a car, half asleep after a rough night out, I thought she looked amazing.

I gravitated toward her not only because her getups appeared easy and attainable but because she wore her out-of-control behavior well. At the time, I was a teenager with problems at home and school. Moss’s blasé, even tumultuous attitude resonated with me. I tried to re-create her style. I still have a tiny black dress from American Apparel and a low-slung, circular medallion belt floating around my parents’ house. I even wore ballet flats, as an ode to her Repettos. I also scooped up a pair of rosary beads, like Moss had worn in 2005 at Glastonbury with a vest and short shorts. (Fun fact: I’m not even Catholic.) And somewhere in my childhood bedroom shoved in the back of a bookshelf, there is a half-smoked pack of Marlboro Lights.

Then, Moss went to rehab. Soon after, I slowly started to grow out of my bad-teenager phase. Toward the end of the late 2000s, she dropped off of my radar. It felt as if she had lost her mojo. Years later, in 2015, she was photographed while playing a caricature of herself in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. She was waist-deep wading out of the River Thames wearing a body-skimming sparkling aquamarine dress with a glass of Champagne and a cigarette. And though it was an act, the image simply seemed too real.

And yet, suddenly this past month, Moss has come back on my radar. It’s not for falling on her knees exiting the club or zonking out on the seat of a black car. In recent weeks, she has really hit her stride, whether she was celebrating her 45th birthday or at Paris Fashion Week. The newswires show her looking incredibly chic and put-together. After all, she isn’t only a model but owns a modeling agency now and is dressing the elevated part of someone who makes decisions. Think: all-black everything, like a wide-leg pleated trouser that is polished or a velvet jumpsuit with a silk placket. She is glowing. It is almost as if she wants people to see the new her.

Coincidently, I have taken on a similar uniform in my own life, along with a more responsible attitude. There’s no more drinking, going out late, and, funny enough, no more sloppy outfits. (Though, I admit I never could pull of a chicly disheveled look à la Moss in her party years.) The other day I joked to my friend that even though I am not as fun because I go out less and that I dress like I’m attending a funeral in head-to-toe dark colors, I have never felt or looked better. I actually, probably like Moss now, thoughtfully consider what I am going to wear for a day at work or to a dinner. Do I sometimes miss those paparazzi images of Moss perpetually with a cigarette in her mouth, hanging out of a window at a party, or simply hanging off of Doherty while wearing something so down-to-earth and yet effortlessly fantastic? And do I miss my own crazy moments? Of course. But we all have to grow up at some point. So why not make it look good?

All That Glitters: 2018’s Most Dazzling Jewels, Bags, and Shoes to Inspire Your New Year’s Eve Look

We’re not in the business of mandating dress codes here at Vogue, but if we had to apply a rule for New Year’s Eve, it would be sparkle. Crazy sparkle. When else do you get the chance to wear a lamé minidress, glitter eye shadow, and bedazzled boots all at the same time?

Of course, it helps that there are so many ways to sparkle in 2018; the runways have been caked in glitter for a few seasons now, from Saint Laurent (in an ultra-sexy, ’80s-ish way) to Simone Rocha (a quirkier kind of shine). If you’re pressed for time—or just can’t justify head-to-toe metallics—a light-reflecting accessory can get the job done, too. On the jewelry front, there are Dries Van Noten’s stacked-up cocktail rings, Ralph Lauren’s layered heirloom necklaces, and Gucci’s nipple-grazing earrings—or consider a glitzy boot, like Christopher Kane’s crystal-studded pair or Miu Miu’s party heels. Celine and Rodarte made the case for sparkling veils and hair accessories, too.

Above, we’ve pulled 20 of the year’s best, flashiest accessories to inspire your New Year’s Eve look. With extras this dazzling, no one will even notice you’re wearing last year’s dress.

Meet the Thai Superstar Who Stole the Show at Valentino’s Pre-Fall Extravaganza in Tokyo

Valentino’s star-studded Tokyo Pre-Fall show brought out a well dressed crowd of international celebrities, but no one stood out quite like Nittha Jirayungyurn, aka Mew. The Thai actress arrived at Terrada Warehouse in one of Pierpaolo Piccioli’s frothy pink, sequin-butterfly-covered creations for the Italian house. Unapologetically feminine, the off-the-shoulder gown was a dreamy moment of fantasy that capped off Mew’s 48-hour whirlwind trip. Since arriving in the Japanese capital earlier this week, she has worn everything from a logo-covered Valentino capelet to one of the brand’s elegant floral cocktail dresses, completing each outfit with her signature dark waves and bright red lips. An official Valentino ambassador, she flaunts Piccioli’s designs with ease. That said, the rising star is hardly limited to a singular aesthetic. A luxury aficionado with a taste for Chanel, Dior, and Proenza Schouler, Mew is certainly not shy about sharing her expansive closet and exceptional good taste on Instagram.

As it happens, the 28-year-old actress’s love of clothing runs deeper than mere gossamer silk. A graduate of Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, she received her bachelor’s in fashion design. Though acting remains her primary focus, with roles in films and on the wildly popular lakorn series—the high drama Thai equivalent to telenovelas—style still plays an important part in her life. Whether she’s sitting front row, posing for an editorial, or snapping a behind-the-scenes photo with Pharrell, Mew keeps her fashion interests in the frame.

The actress has no trouble leaning into a bold fashion moment—see the transparent crimson Dior look with oversize belt that she wore to the Headlines Person of the Year ceremony in Bangkok earlier this fall, for example. Though she’ll just as easily go classic, as she did elegantly dressed in all black at the OK! Awards just a few weeks later. Her off-day wardrobe is laced with luxurious fashion, too: When it came to getting dressed for Sam Smith’s concert at the Impact Arena in Bangkok only a plunging Chanel jumpsuit would do. And even lazy-afternoon selfies are totally chic in her hands: Picture the gorgeous young starlet lounging on a sofa—not in sweats, but a sleek navy and red midi dress.

How a Farm Girl From Sweden Became One of the Season’s Biggest Models

If you followed the Spring 2019 fashion shows through New York, London, Milan, and Paris, you saw the rise of Sara Eirud. The 22-year-old Swedish newcomer was front and center at the season’s most significant collections, rubbing shoulders with seasoned runway stars at Calvin Klein, Prada, Valentino, and Dior among others. Like many budding models, Eirud lived a life far removed from the world of high fashion before she was discovered. “[I] had never even tried on a pair of heels!” says Eirud, a competitive rider back home in Sweden, who was approached by scouts at an equestrian event in 2013. “I was never a girly girl; I was a horse girl—but after thinking about it for a long time I decided that I should at least try [modeling].”

Eirud spent her teenage years surrounded by animals on her parent’s expansive farm in Sala, a picturesque region of the Scandinavian country. “I pretty much grew up in the stables with the horses—at one point we had 10 at the same time,” she says. “We’ve had dogs, cats, hens, turkeys, goats, and rabbits too! So yes, I’m a farm girl!” Proud of her agrarian roots and passionate about animal rights, Eirud still rides in her downtime. “Since I was 3 most of my free time has been dedicated to being in the stable. Whether I was injured or not, that’s where you would find me,” she says. “Growing up like I have, seeing animals have a great life, it is impossible not to care.”

Her love of the outdoors helped her overcome her greatest obstacle: injuries sustained during a riding accident late last year when she was thrown from her horse. On the cusp of fashion fame, the determined beauty wasn’t about to let anything stop her. “I had my eyes set on modeling and of course being able to ride again,” she says. “I am an incredibly competitive person, something I think is common for all athletes on the serious level, especially in horseback riding. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a rider that has been in a horse accident and didn’t get back up in the saddle.” Though the rehab process was “long, tough, and so painful” for Eirud, it was all worth it. “I just decided I wasn’t going to sit at home—within six months, I was back to competing.”

Perhaps almost as tough as the physical challenges, were the emotional hurdles she faced after ending a serious relationship several months ago. “It wasn’t a bad [relationship], but I wasn’t being myself,” says Eirud. “I was scared to travel; I didn’t want to leave home. I didn’t want to put everything into modeling because I was always thinking about someone else. It sounds crazy but if we hadn’t broken up I don’t think I would have ever attempted Fashion Week.”

Free to do her own thing, Eirud opened herself up to new experiences. When her agents at Mikas Stockholm asked if she felt ready to hit the road for the Spring shows, she didn’t hesitate. “When he asked, it just felt so natural,” she says. “I signed with Next, went to New York, and didn’t look back.” The season that followed was packed with memorable experiences—opening Dries Van Noten, chatting with Victoria’s Secret angels backstage in Milan. The most thrilling aspect of it all? Exploring four major fashion capitals. “You meet so many kind and interesting people and you see places you never thought you would get to go,” she says. “I consider myself really lucky and grateful.” Despite her whirlwind success, Eirud hardly has her head in the clouds. “Before [my grandfather] died, he told me, ‘Sara, stand up for yourself, or someone will stand on you.’ I always have that in that back of my mind now.”

This Paris Runway Will Change the Way You Think About Bangs

“It was a full-on assembly line of models,” laughed Sam McKnight, recalling the scene backstage at the Dries Van Noten show inside the Palais de Tokyo this afternoon.

The hair pro had his work cut out for him: McKnight was tasked with creating 30 individualized styles that hinged, most notably, on customized curtains of rigid trompe l’oeil bangs and a flurry of plume hair pieces in shades of neon cobalt, crimson, and tangerine, as well as deep onyx.

Steering clear of a neat, polished updo, models with long hair had their finger-raked lengths secured into a low, elastic-tied ponytail looped through itself with ends sticking out, almost like a loose post-workout knot. “I wanted the hair to be wispy, echoing the outline of the feathers as they [waft] down the runway,” explained McKnight, who either wove the feathered pieces into the base of the low-slung twists (as seen on auburn-haired Sara Grace, with bursts of matching feathers trailing behind her) or pinned just above one ear. But the plumage was taken to the next level for girls with pixies and buzz cuts, who wore dense, close-cropped crowns of monochrome feathers like modern fascinators—including Adut Akech, whose headpiece was a scene-stealing confection fashioned from bright Yves Klein–blue feathers.

The inspiration behind all McKnight’s imaginative feather adornments? The dainty chapeaus worn by Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor—but with a subversive twist. And that’s where the off-kilter, abbreviated bangs (slightly mussed with mists of McKnight's Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist, which hung above the graphic jet-black eyes by makeup artist Peter Philips, came into play. “We needed a bit of toughness,” he explained of the eye-level punk twists. “I wanted it to look like the girl just hacked off her own bangs.”

Therein, perhaps, lies the true genius of the look, which was enough to inspire even trepidatious types to reach boldly for the shears: “This is a woman who does exactly what she wants,” confirmed McKnight of the idiosyncratic fringe, which encourages imperfections—and rewards a fearless hand. “She doesn’t care what anyone thinks—everything she does is for herself.”