When see-through gowns meet Broadway, how does the writer write about female empowerment with fashion?
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal dominated the Broadway stage during the premiere of “Othello” but the real visual feast was a woman dressed in black tulle. Kandi burruss stunned Ethel Barrymore Theater with a custom see through dress by Christian Siriano. But what was hidden behind the dress was her transformation from reality TV star into a Broadway producer.
Kandi’s tulle gown flowed in the spotlight as she stood at the center of the red-carpet. It was a metaphor for the career map that she has mapped out – transparent, but tough, looming, and showing control. Daniel Hawkins’ bold choice is not an accident. The magician who transformed Kandi into a cultural icon used peplum-layered skirts to outline hourglass curves, and halter necklines in order to lock the sexy legacy of Old Hollywood. Who can ignore the way this black woman reconstructs power narrative with her clothes when J.Lo and Biden stop in the same photo?
“Othello’s” box office reached 2.8 million dollars in its first week, breaking Broadway records. What is even more shocking is that Kandi and Todd Tucker are producers. She broke the glass ceiling for “reality show stars” by diversifying her layout. She shook Washington’s hand backstage at Broadway when her peers aired their grievances. Is this rebellious route reshaping Atlanta’s business landscape for black women?
Janel Smith’s fingerlike wavy hairstyle and two-color smokey makeup are more than just a retro tribute. When social media points fingers to “see-through clothing”, the sun-tanned lips are like a quiet declaration. Sexiness doesn’t need to apologize and aging doesn’t need to be hidden.
The light reflected from Kandi’s tulle dress at the premiere seemed to foreshadow that those women who dare to reveal their ambitions will ultimately illuminate the entire theatre.
“The real perspective of the dress is not the mesh, but showing the world that the script has changed when black women are on stage. “
