“I like those Balenciagas, the ones that look like socks,” rapped Cardi B in “I Like It,” her 2018 hit collaboration with Bad Bunny and J. Balvin. On Saturday afternoon, the rap superstar and fashion devotee sported a version of the infamous footwear as she made her runway debut, strutting for Balenciaga’s Fall ‘24 presentation in Los Angeles.
Taking place on a residential street in the city’s well-heeled Hancock Park neighborhood against the backdrop of the Hollywood sign, the Demna-led luxury label staged a high-fashion homage to L.A.
As reported by Fashionista, this season’s collection included campy takes on athleisure and the celebutante culture of the early aughts — think Juicy Couture, Barbie pink and UGGs — cheekily accessorized with sunglasses, yoga mats, Balenciaga-branded water bottles, cellphones, to-go coffee cups, and an already-coveted collaborative handbag inspired by the bags of the region’s upscale grocery chain, Erewhon.
However, the presentation wasn’t short on glamour. The wearable daytime apparel soon gave way to more luxe looks — appropriate for a star-studded list of attendees, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Lil Wayne, and frequent Balenciaga muse Kim Kardashian. Models wearing more upscale looks included Cardi, who sported a sleek parted ponytail with pencil-thin, old-Hollywood brows and oxblood lips. The “Up” rapper was dressed in a voluminous furry blue coat worn off-the-shoulder over the label’s all-in-one “Bustier Pantabodysuit.”
Via Instagram, Cardi gushed about her runway debut, tagging Balenciaga as she thanked Demna, Balenciaga and her styling team, writing: “Yesterday was a dream! I had too much fun storming your runway! Thank you to @Balenciaga @Demnagram @johanfleury and the entire team, you all are always so amazing to work with! Thank you to my team @kollincarter_ @tokyostylez @erikalapearl @juanmarioortiz. DARE TO BE DIFFERENT.”
However, while it may have been her debut, Cardi isn’t the first in her family to walk the runway for Balenciaga. As previously reported by theGrio, husband Offset was the first to storm the label’s runway for its Spring-Summer ‘22 show during Paris Fashion Week.
“So proud of my husband @offsetrn who walked the show!” Cardi wrote at the time.
No doubt the family pride was mutual, but Offset (given name Kiari Kendrell Cephus) wasn’t on-site for Cardi’s debut on Saturday. The rapper and philanthropist was in his native Georgia handing out toys for the Ann Cephus Family Foundation’s annual “Toys 4 the Nawf” event.
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