Glam team breakdown
Fans of SZA and Kendrick Lamar have eagerly waited for the Super Bowl performance since the public confirmation on Jan 23. Their performance and their looks did not disappoint the anticipation of their show. Alejandra LaPilusa styled SZA, she has been spotted on other celebrities like Tinashe, Anitta, and Kali Uchis to name a few familiar faces. Her aesthetic is punchy, with a 2000s influence, using elements like jewelry or fur.
On SZA her signature style is instantly seen with the red fur accent and the jewelry used to bring the outfit together. That said, let’s get into the look. According to her posts, there were NFL fashion guidelines, expectations, and a desire to spotlight LA brands, which were elements that framed her choices. The oversized leather jacket was by BORNXRAISED that had the word LANA in the front and CRYBABY in the back to tease her re-release of her deluxe album song “crybaby” with singer Lana Del Rey.
Her sexy lace-up red leather pants were made by Ashton Michael, along with her top, which was a red lace and mesh corset. To pull this look together, SZA wore a custom red fur around her waist, which Kate Broadrick had crafted. All are paired with custom Converse shoes. Let’s not forget about her custom diamond lana necklace, which is by LANAJEWELRY, and red diamond ring stack by Etho Maria. Finally, her hair matched the red outfit, which Devante Turnbull styled, and her makeup was done by none other than Deanna Paley.
This all-red look contrasted beautifully against Kendrick’s blue and white look (for his true outfit breakdown click here), while the dancers took the stage in navy. Aside from the seamless choreography and performance of bangers that we all know and love, the color scheme was a good balance of American patriotism and style.
The power behind fashion
It’s nice to see that within the guidelines and expectations for styling a look, there is still an effort to spotlight up-and-coming creatives. Whether it’s hair, makeup, clothing brands/tailors, or jewelry designers, there is a desire for community support. Clearly, putting a look together is more than just looking good. It’s a network of people and businesses whose craft is a big part of their personal expression and who either make an effort to live off their art or are living off their art.
Milestone moments like the Super Bowl are life-changing moments for people who take part in the performers’ glam team. Every detail counts, and ironically, as much as viewers focus on the artists themselves, spectators – and the performers – focus on the glam team just as much. At the end of the day, performing, fashioning, and looking good is a business. It’s refreshing to see the new people in the glam world make moves with wins like being part of a monumentous event.