Badgley Mischka is sure to see some of its designs show up at the Emmys this weekend, but its star-studded show was a performance in itself, with dueling photographers nearly coming to blows over access to Bebe Neuwirth and Cynthia Nixon in the front row. The Trumps (Blaine, and Donald with Melania) were also in attendance, along with Kelly Klein and Toni Braxton; but the jewels in the crown (and how they sparkled!) were Beyoncé (in a floral-print bustier with rhinestone beading, and chandelier earrings) and Jay-Z (tee, jeans, and Nikes, plus a serious gold watch).
Mark Badgley and James Mischka's inspiration was Maggie, the character played by Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and music producer Javier Peral spliced sound bites from the movie into a mix that also featured Marilyn Manson and Goldfrapp. The clothes, however, seemed more suited for a Russian princess with a fondness for Fabergé, dripping as they were with pearls, beads, sequins, and all matter of glitter—a kind of tribute to craftsmanship over subtlety. Some of the prettiest looks were the most restrained, like a washed chiffon gown in a color described by the program notes as “thistle” and the georgette dresses in Easter-egg hues that closed the show. The stand-out piece was a white frayed chiffon dress that gave the effect of ribbon-like strips woven together by tiny, magic hands.
When Donna Summer's Working the Midnight Shift came on the soundtrack (“I'm just a working girl, just earning a living…working that midnight shift for that extra little something”) it offered a tongue-in-cheek take on a collection aimed at celebrities whose job it is to look good on the red carpet. Nice work if you can get it.
