While Adam Selman may not be as familiar as the likes of Marc Jacobs or other New York Fashion Week stalwarts, his designs certainly are. And, this is all to do with his muse: Rihanna. For it was Selman who dressed the singer in 2014 her infamous near-naked Swarovski crystal-encrusted CFDA dress and it was this Texan-born designer’s pink handkerchief-hemmed slip she recently performed in at the Grammys. Since his breakout moment with* that *hand-embellished gown, it’s been Selman Rihanna needs to make a sartorial statement.
Selman’s first look at his autumn/winter 2018 collection featured tight, shiny cornflower blue trousers, white pointed toe boots and a sassy oversized shirt printed with the taut bottom of a Cheyco Leidmann artwork. The model’s hair was slicked back with enough oil to make a monster truck slip over and her lips were painted the same scarlet shade as her sharp blusher strokes. This look set the tone for the camp, kitschy collection. Frothing over with ‘80s references, from Paper Moon Graphics to Debbie Harry via glam-rock and madcap clubwear, it celebrated the wacky and absurd. Yet, it was still super sexy.
Bold and a bit dom, PVC mounted an offensive with Selman as it’s mouthpiece. In letterbox red, it came in the form of a skirt suit and a two-piece trouser and jacket set, which was sweetened by the edition of heart belt rings. Zebra print in oranges, cobalt and monochrome also danced with the wild side. The myriad of 80s allusions worked because of the continuity of the styling of coloured tights and pointy boots, greased hair and diamante tassels at the collar, thick waist bells and spotted tulle headbands.
Will we be seeing Rihanna in these pieces soon? Undoubtedly.
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.