Model and reality star Coco Austin is bringing her sensual sensibility to the fashion world with her new line Licious, which made its runway debut at the head of New York Fashion Week. Last Thursday evening, her models ripped the runway in Coco’s brightly colored, blinged-out garments that hugged their bodies like fresh paint. Her line of slinky club dresses and bathing suits even had something for the fellas — t-shirts for men emblazoned with her logo. Hey, a girl’s gotta brand! Complemented with 6 inch heels and christened with funky music, every item showcased in her collection screamed Coco’s updbeat, sexy style.
Known for her banging body and over-the-top dress, Coco created her line to cater to the curvaceous woman. Of her aesthetic, Coco’s husband, actor and musician Ice T, told theGrio: “Look — she is delicious, booty-licious, Licious just says what it is.”
TheGrio was in the house as the hip-hop icon’s wife further illustrated what ‘Licious’ really means through her clothes. Reality star Somaya Reece commented after the show, “I am so glad she’s representing for the big girls,” regarding the plus size women on the runway. Reece added that this hit home for her because, “I was a size 16 once, I’m a 10 now, and for that I will forever be grateful.”
In addition, from BET’s Rocsi Diaz to Love and Hip Hop stars Yandy and Erica Mena, many of entertainment’s heavy hitters came out to support.
In an interview with the Grio, Coco and Ice T shared their thoughts on the Licious line, what it’s like being “married” to the hip-hop game, and their future endeavors.
TheGrio: Being shapely, as many black women are, what might make your line something that curvier black women can look forward to as a style option?
Coco: The whole thing about ‘Licious’ is I was wanting to show all body types. There’re skinny girls, there’re big girls, there’re medium girls. Anyone can wear ‘Licious’. Really ‘Licious’ is for the curvy woman because its spandex; it stretches. So you can feel not just sexy, you can feel comfortable in it.
How has your experience in the hip-hop world informed your sense of style?
Coco: Hip-hop fans, I think they’ll love it because of the colors, it has attitude, but really it’s for everybody. I mean really — if you don’t like the color black, you are going to love my line. It’s nothing but colors. The pinks are a signature color. So you have to be a pretty outrageous person to wear my stuff. So really the personality of my clothes has crazy attitude. That’s all I care about.
What were some of your influences in creating this line?
Coco: It’s stuff I actually wear and that I wanted to make for the masses. You know when I walk around, girls are like, “Oh what kind of jeans are you wearing?” So why not make my own stuff and make it for everybody to enjoy, too?
So, how does it feel being married to a hip-hop icon?
Coco: He’s just like an ordinary person to me. I mean we’ve been together almost 12 years now. So we’re just like buddies. We’re like best friends. For me, I don’t really know much about the rap world, so he’s taught me that.
I know you have a shoe fetish. Can we expect a future shoe line from you?
Coco: You know what — a couple times I’ve been wanting to do that, but I want to do it at the right time and I want to do it with the right designers. I’m not just going to do it for the hell of it. It’s going to be the right moment, but you’ll see one.
Ice, what do you think of Coco starting her fashion line?
Ice T: Well you know, when we first got together fans were always so much into how she dresses. She was always over the top. But then she also always had a bunch of girls that were like, “I love how you dress.” She’s that girl that puts it a little over the edge. You know when girls go out to the club they wear it a little tighter, a little sexier, you know, turn it up a notch. And I said, “Coco, you don’t just model your whole life. You model to an end and at some point why not just get off into clothes?” So she had a company that was already giving her free clothes, and she merged with them and she just started designing clothes. They’ve had Licious up on the net for a while.
How’s the line doing so far?
Ice T: Check out Liciousclothing.com – it’s doing well. Everybody was like, “You should do a fashion show for Fashion Week.” She said, “No way, I can’t do it. I’m not.” And I said, “Yes, you can.” So we’re here tonight.
And being that she is shapely, similar to many women of color, is this line going to be an option for black women?
Ice T: The models are all shapes and sizes. We’ve got tall models and slim models. You know — we’ve got plus size models, just everything. The clothes are for everybody. It’s mostly stretchy material, but it’s fun clothes. It’s not Ralph Lauren. It’s kind of like “wow” clothes. And also — it’s got an inexpensive price point. This is not something that’s going to break you. This is like Bebe level. We’re not trying to take out Gucci or nobody. She’s trying to make clothes that she can see girls wearing.
Is this line targeted for the urban market?
Ice T: For everybody. You know when it’s on the website or in the boutiques, you can go in there and buy few outfits. You know what I’m saying. Get dressed.