Hey, New Yorkers! GRAZIA USA here, sharing all the deets on the Monse fashion show held in New York City last night for the premiere of HBO’s “Gossip Girl” reboot.
Gossip Girl herself disclosed the fall ’21 Monse collection event on Instagram, with an open invite to livestream the runway show at 9:00 pm. The night kicked off showcasing a bold collection that merged Monse’s signature deconstructed aesthetics with the academic ensembles seen at the fictional Constance Billard and Saint Jude’s high schools. Slick Woods opened the show in a standout oversized blue and white-striped shirt, printed with sparkling yellow letters spelling XOXO—sound familiar, anyone?
The Monse runway show featured an array of edgy-meets-preppy pieces, with elements and garments inspired directly from school uniforms, Gossip Girl, and Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia’s own high school outfits. Varsity jackets, collared shirts, knit and pleated skirts, and an array of sweaters boasted gym uniform-esque logos, crests, and patches featuring “MM” lettering (for Monse Maison, of course).
For an edgy twist, Kim and Garcia sent a maxi tartan skirt down the runway, paired pieces with distressed denim, and detailed knitwear with frayed hems—as well as accenting leather pants and jackets with football-esque lacing. One crest-accented sweater dress, which Jordan Alexander (AKA Julien Calloway) wears in the new series, was directly inspired by outfits worn in the original Gossip Girl‘s second season. The duo also tapped into Gen Z’s own fascination with punk rock style and customization, accessorizing models with sleek minimalist silver earrings, layered necklaces, and even an array of pins on one blazer.
“Teaming with Monse for this was incredible. They were inspired by the original Gossip Girl vibes, we were inspired by Monse vibes. #Perfection,” said costume designer Eric Daman after the show, accompanied onstage by the new Gossip Girl‘s creator Joshua Safran.
The electric runway was followed by a screening of the drama’s first episode, “Just Another Girl on the MTA,” which you can watch today on HBO Max. Though I won’t spoil the show’s juicy debut for you, there are numerous Easter eggs for original GG fans and several blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos to look forward to—namely by Mel Ottenberg, Lindsay Peoples Wagner, and Christopher John Rogers. It’s also worth mentioning that the clothes are sleeker and more minimalist compared to their original counterpart, but still steeped in modern fashion goings-on (one clever reference to Sies Marjan, frankly, made me screech).
The evening ended with a splashy cocktail hour overlooking the East River on the Hotel’s rooftop, complete with chic Constance Billard-branded merchandise. Of course, with the main event being a fashion show, the evening drew a stylish crowd of front row regulars. Spotted: Influencers Caroline Vazzana, Ashley Rous, Davis Burleson, Serena Kerrigan, Moti Ankari, and Christian Bendek, documenting the night’s events for social media. Models like Drew Jessup and Alexander Roth mingled with socialite circles that included Nicky Hilton, Ezra J. William, and Kit Keenan. Plus, industry insiders like designer Brandon Blackwood and fashion critics Evan Ross Katz, José Criales-Unzueta, and Luke Meagher (AKA Haute le Mode) were also perched in the crowd, analyzing everyone’s outfits on and off the runway.
Check the gallery below for more standout snaps from the premiere—and, if you’re a dedicated Gossip Girl fan, remember to set your HBO Max alerts to Thursdays when new episodes drop! You know you love us. XOXO…
