The Dress: A rosy-pink corset gown with spiral bra over a sheer collared shirt from Jean Paul Gaultier’s spring 2017 Couture collection.
The Wearer: Anna Cleveland, model and daughter of 1970s fashion icon Pat Cleveland.
The Event: Thursday’s amfAR Gala, an annual fundraising event held in support of the Foundation for AIDS Research programs, during the Cannes Film Festival at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France.
Why It Matters: As expected, there was no shortage of sequins, feathers or thigh-high slits at this year’s grand soiree, making Cleveland’s gown a sophisticated standout from the nearly-naked fray. The spiral bra cups harken back to the iconic cone bra that Gaultier designed for Madonna’s Blond Ambition tour in the 1990s, decades before women were wearing boob T-shirts and talking about freeing the nipple. To glam it up, Cleveland swapped the straw hat from the runway for a diamond choker.
Cleveland has walked Gaultier’s runway shows before, and in choosing to wear his design at the gala, she paid homage to the designer who is a longtime supporter in helping amfAR raise money to fight HIV/AIDS. In 1992 alone, Gaultier raised more than $700,000 with a Los Angeles fashion show that was chaired by Madonna and the late photographer Herb Ritts, who died from HIV complications in 2002. Gaultier, who also attended Thursday’s gala, was honored by the non-profit organization in 2010. Fashion for good, indeed.
