Awards season kicked off with WWD’s inaugural Model Awards on Friday evening on the 4 Seasons Resort Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, honoring the style visionaries and wonder leaders who craft iconic pink carpet moments, from the celebrities themselves to the glam groups behind them.
“Public Tracee was within the closet,” Tracee Ellis Ross mentioned of returning to a social affair after the vacation break. “I shook her out. I put her within the bathe, and I used to be like, ‘We’ve obtained to dress.’” She was honored with the Vogue Trailblazer award.
Friends who got here out for the ceremony included Nicholas Hoult, Elizabeth Olsen, Justine Lupe, Christian Louboutin, Jonathan Simkhai, Kathy Hilton and Nicky Hilton Rothschild.
“I’m at all times tickled, tickled, tickled,” Ross mentioned of the popularity, “Principally as a result of I feel it justifies the purchasing behavior,” she laughed. “It tells the little individual in me who received’t cease purchasing that it’s price it.”
Her final splurge was a Balenciaga tote: “It’s a extremely massive one. It’s known as the Bel Air, and I obtained the extra-large.”
She had on an Alaïa jumpsuit for the event, with an identical belt and bag, Saint Laurent heels and Phoebe Philo earrings. Whereas she usually works with stylist Karla Welch, who was additionally in attendance, Ross dressed herself.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 03: Tracee Ellis Ross attends 2025 Golden Globes WWD Model Awards at 4 Seasons Resort Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 03, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photograph by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Pictures)
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“It’s out of my closet this night, stuff you guys have seen me in,” she mentioned. “I’ve fairly a beautiful journey will Karla and all of the glam of us. At first I needed to do all of it myself for therefore lengthy. I additionally was a stylist, so I do know what the job is — it’s quite a lot of schlepping,” she smiled.
How has she seen the job evolve? “The pink carpet is now an trade.”
Chris Appleton — who took residence Greatest Hairstylist — is aware of a factor or two concerning the affect of a pink carpet second, working with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian.
“There’s a few issues that folks at all times carry as much as me,” he mentioned of his creations. “More often than not, it’s Jlo’s hair, massive, attractive hair, like on the Tremendous Bowl. It by no means actually goes out of vogue. Kim’s Met ball seems, the one within the Mugler gown with the moist waves. I feel as a result of it informed a narrative. It regarded like she was getting out of the water, together with her hair moist.”
What’s subsequent in hair?
“I really feel like we’re in a special house, which I’m actually enthusiastic about,” he mentioned of present tendencies. “I really feel like for the longest time, folks obtained labeled. I don’t assume it’s nice that folks get put in bins, and other people love to do this. Fascinated by eras, the 60s was the bouffant, the 90s was the Jennifer Aniston haircut. Now it’s all about change on the flick of a finger. Somebody has quick hair, lengthy hair, then they’ve obtained bangs however then the bangs are gone. Individuals need to know extra about altering up their type on the each day. What’s on the forecast is change.”
“My prediction is that this, we’re going to see extra extremes,” mentioned hairstylist and TV character Jonathan Van Ness. “I feel we’re going to see extra expression with hair. When Republicans are within the White Home and there’s conservative governments in energy, folks have a tendency to precise themselves by their type extra.”
For make-up artist Patrick Ta, “It’s all concerning the stained bitten lips, a pleasant flesh of colour cheek, actually preserving it minimal.”
On the Golden Globes on Sunday, he’ll be working with Sara Foster, producer of Netflix’s hit “No one Desires This.” They met by her former half-sister, Gigi Hadid — Ta’s longtime consumer.
“That is going to be my eleventh Golden Globes,” mentioned Ta, explaining the glam for the day. “I really feel like recent pores and skin is at all times the best way to go, one thing understated, not an excessive amount of, actually exhibiting your true magnificence.”
Naturally, he’s rooting for “No one Desires This,” nominated for Greatest Musical or Comedy TV Collection, together with Greatest Actor and Greatest Actress within the class for leads Adam Brody and Kristen Bell.
“That TV present was so humorous,” mentioned Ta. “I binged the whole season in a day.”
“I actually beloved ‘Higher Man,’ the Michael Gracey film,” mentioned actress Kathryn Newton. The movie is up for Greatest Authentic Track for “Forbidden Highway” by Robbie Williams, who stars within the biopic and is portrayed as a chimpanzee with CGI. “I used to be touched by his use of a monkey. The monkey had me have empathy differently. I feel if Robbie Williams was only a human, I wouldn’t have felt as dangerous for him. I actually appreciated it.”
For designer Wes Gordon, who was awarded Pink Carpet Visionary on the Model Awards, “Anora” is a standout. The movie is nominated for Greatest Musical or Comedy Movement Image and Greatest Actress for its star, Mikey Madison. “I used to be blown away.”
“‘Anora’ is up there for me,” chimed in actress and “Abbott Elementary” creator Quinta Brunson. No stranger to an award present, Brunson is nominated but once more for her ABC hit. “Additionally, and he or she’s in my class, however I assumed Kathryn Hahn was unbelievable in ‘Agatha All Alongside.’ I used to be actually excited to see her get nominated. I’m simply at all times rooting for her. She’s a beautiful lady, and I might by no means be upset at dropping an award to her.”
Standing alongside Gordon, Brunson was in one in every of his Carolina Herrera designs.
“Initially, I simply love the colour,” she mentioned of her cobalt blue robe. “That is in all probability one in every of my favourite shades. After I noticed it are available in, I used to be simply over the moon to have the ability to put on it. Like most of his designs, it really works very effectively with me. The wrestle is commonly selecting a gown, as a result of I’ve so many choices.”
Whereas the 2 have been working collectively for a number of months, it was their first time assembly.
“We’ve had a long-distance relationship,” joked Gordon. “That is her fourth second lately in Herrera. She at all times seems so stunning. I’m so grateful. I feel on the finish of the day, the attire are simply material. It takes a tremendous lady to show it into one thing particular.”
Of his WWD honor, he mentioned: “I owe an enormous because of everybody who’s concerned in making these pink carpet moments potential, as a result of it’s not simply me. It’s the stylists, the publicists, the expertise themselves. It’s a village.”
Additionally among the many WWD honorees had been vogue stylist Kate Younger, make-up artist Pati Dubroff, males’s groomer Jamie Taylor, celeb facialist Iván Pol, who acquired the Pores and skin Savior recognition, and Shōgun actress Anna Sawai, awarded Vogue Newcomer. She, too, wore cobalt blue. Working with Welch, they opted for a customized Louis Vuitton two-piece.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 03: Anna Sawai attends the 2025 WWD Model Awards, Golden Globes at 4 Seasons Resort Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 03, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photograph by Phillip Faraone/WWD through Getty Pictures)
WWD through Getty Pictures
“We tried on a few outfits as we speak, and after I wore this, I used to be like, ‘Executed. I find it irresistible,” she continued.
It’ll be her first time attending the Globes for Shōgun, which swept the Emmys with 18 wins.
“For the Emmys, I used to be crying all day,” mentioned Sawai. “I used to be assembly folks that I didn’t assume I might ever meet, and I used to be so emotional. So, this time, [at the Globes], I simply need to be joyful and say hello to everybody, all smiles and simply have enjoyable.”