Grace Jones Wore a Shrub on the Red Carpet and Pulled It Off, as Only Grace Jones Can
Grace Jones showed up in a Philip Treacy-designed shrub hat at the London premiere of her new documentary.
If Cher wrote volume one of the “How To Be a Modern Pop Star” handbook, Grace Jones wrote volume two. And everyone from Madonna to Björk to Beyoncé to Lady Gaga has taken more than a few pages from her playbook over the year.
Amongst Jones’s many innovations? Her bold fashion sense, which doesn’t stop at show-stopping costumes and includes the subversive, the artsy, the unsettling or sometimes the just downright weird. Yet, she always makes it look good.
On Wednesday night, at the British premiere of her new, critically adored documentary Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami, Jones hit the red carpet wearing a veil that resembled a shrub (a nod to her 1978 recording of “Autumn Leaves,” perhaps?). Jones paired the statement piece with a long black gown, black gloves, black heels, and, occasionally, black sunglasses. The look actually proved versatile as, at one point, she flipped the black shrubbery back and the veil pulled double duty as something of a headpiece.
Jones’s veil also served a very poignant reason. The 69-year-old superstar’s mother Marjorie passed away earlier this month, and Jones is only now returning to the public spotlight to promote her documentary after having stayed at her mother’s bed side.
“I need a sort of mourning, but not mourning outfit, so I didn’t have to show my eyes because I’ve been crying a lot,” she told the Associated Press. “And my mom loved to dress up, so I’m doing this for her.”
So legendary milliner and Jones’ close friend Philip Treacy, who was also on hand for the premiere last night, whipped up the one-of-a-kind creation for the artist’s big, but difficult night.
Related: Grace Jones: How a Diva Does a Book Signing
A Look Back at the “Anti-Studio 54” with Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, and More of the Mudd Club’s Famous Regulars
Maripol, Deborah Harry in the Loft, 1980.
Allan Tannenbaum, Grace Jones, 1978.
Roxanne Lowit, Jerry Only and Maria Duval at Mudd Club, 1979.
Marcia Resnick, William Burroughs, 1980.
Anton Perich, Iggy Pop, 1973.
Allan Tannenbaum, Lene Lovich, MoMA, NYC, 1979.
Roberta Bayley, Joey Ramone and Debbie Harry, 1977.
Janette Beckman, Keith Haring In His Studio (Blue Edition), 1985.
Edo Bertoglio, Evan and John Lurie, NY, 1979.
Kate Simon, Jackie Curtis, NYC, In The Bath, 1977.
David Godlis, Sylvia Reed and Anya Phillips, Bowery 1976, 1981.
Marcia Resnick, Chuck Berry, 1980.
Marcia Resnick, John Belushi, 1981.
Bradley Cooper Thought Grace Jones Was Hot in James Bond:
