Pyer Moss Pays Homage to Black American Inventions with Sleek Cornrows and Ice-Cream-Sprinkle Nails
It was fitting that Kerby Jean-Raymond would debut his first couture collection for Pyer Moss—themed around historic Black inventions—at Villa Lewaro, the estate of pioneering self-made millionaire Madam C.J. Walker. “These are inventions by Black people and I wanted to reintroduce them to Black people, reverse the erasure that may exist—and to troll a little bit, too,” Jean-Raymond explained after the show.
History was intricately woven throughout both the stunning designs (a lavender wide-brimmed hat draped in crystals to resemble a chandelier, a Super Soaker-inspired blazer) as well as the beauty details chosen for each look. Backstage, models had their hair carefully parted and braided down while elongated press-ons with telephone decals and real ice cream sprinkles were applied to their nails. (Granville T. Woods invented a hybrid of the telegraph and telephone in 1887, allowing messages to be sent and received quicker, whereas ice cream maker and confectioner Augustus Jackson was referred to as the “father” of the summer frozen treat.)
Emily Rudman, founder of Emilie Heathe, has developed the nail art for every Pyer Moss show to date. She partnered with lead artist Gina Edwards to create designs that would complement and extend the bold, sometimes tongue-in-cheek looks that were seen on the runway. For the nail base, Rudman and Edwards carefully layered a mix of fan favorite shades such as Billions and The Perfect Red, as well as custom blends. Then they added accessories to match each look. “For the lamp, which has been reinterpreted as a dangling chandelier, we added Swarovski crystals to the nails, and for the Super Soaker look we created a custom decal,” Rudman explained. “We were really inspired by the looks themselves.”
For hair, stylist Jawara oversaw impeccably crisp cornrows, ensuring each model’s hair was not only well coifed but full of luster.
The makeup payed homage to the sexy, cool neutral look that took over the ’90s with lined lips and a subtle bronze. Using Bobbi Brown Brown’s Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation and lip color from the Crushed Lip line, makeup artist and Bobbi Brown Global Artist in Residence Mali Magic wanted to recreate the confidence that Black women have always exuded. “I just thought about how powerful we were and still are,” she said backstage. “I feel like the looks in the nineties were so bold and unapologetic and I wanted to keep that same essence.”
Originally Appeared on Vogue
