Photo:Ali Wonderly
Ali Wonderly
WhenJordan Rothreceived an invite to judge the costume contest atNew York Restoration Project’s27th annual Hulaween Gala, the 47-year-old theater producer knew what he wanted to be — and who he would call to bring his look to life.
This year’s theme,“Once Upon a Hulaween: Scarytales and Deadtime Stories," instantly clicked for the visionary.
“As soon as they said that, I thought, ‘I’m doingSnow Whiteand the Seven Circles of Hell,’” Roth told PEOPLE exclusively. “That means I’m the witch and wearing this manifestation of the circles of hell that she is fantasizing about in her mirror. Moments later, I was on the phone with my dearZac Posen.”
Bryan Bedder/WWD via Getty
Roth’s judging criteria for the contestants’ spooky attire was simple — go big or go home.
“I want to be knocked over,” theAngels in Americaproducer said. “I’m looking for the gasp-inducing, holy-sh*t costume.”
Those are the same qualities he sought to embody with his own costume. “My theory is, if you’re going to judge the contest, you better show up as though you would’ve won it,” he added.
Roth and Posen’s friendship has led to iconic collaborations like the hand-embroidered cape Posen designed forRoth’s Moulin Rouge premiere outfitand the three-piece suit for theFrozen premiere. Posen, who is best known for his glamorous evening gowns and dresses, has been a longtime red carpet go-to for celebrities such asSarah Jessica Parker,Katie HolmesandCoco Rocha. Looking ahead, he’s gearing up to design The Swans’ black and white ball gowns for an episode inRyan Murphy’supcomingdocudrama series,Feud.
So whenthe formerProject Runwayjudge, 43, received the call from Roth, his imagination “started going wild” with the “delicious opportunity” to work not only with an “incredible friend,” but link fashion couture with the “most iconic villain in history” from Disney’s first animated feature,Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
“It’s the first time there was really a glamorous, animated character, and she’s definitely the height of fashion,” Posen said of the villain. “She’s terrifying in her evilness, and there’s all these ideas about her power and jealousy within beauty.”
After going into “deep research” on the original creators and drawings of the character’s costume evolution, Posen’s inspiration evolved into an idea of an “evil queen floating on top of a beautiful, nebulous, magical, evil green Disney mist.”
The high-concept costume, which took a month to create, was brought to life in layers consisting of a velvet black cape, a dramatic white collar and a “nebulous cloud” skirt. The larger-than-life look also featured an extended golden crown, several rings and a bejeweled poisonous apple to complete the vision.
“It’s challenging and fun, but I wouldn’t have it any other way," Posen said of the design process.
“It became very nuanced, playing with couture techniques, playing with a very dramatic, extended long velvet black cape – definitely the longest cape I have ever made in my career,” the designer added.
Both Posen and Roth also experimented with technical elements that played with light, such as a holographic mirror as a base layer for the skirt.
“When you imagine the animated queen, that collar that defies the laws of physics and the cape and the draping of her arms are almost like wings that couldn’t actually live in physical space,” Roth said. “What’s so amazing about what Zac has created and the team who are executing it is exactly that – figuring out how to make that boundless imagination live in reality, in the physical on the body.”
Posen noted how a “technical wizard” would design the mirror in a way that would allow camera lights and flash to “find [their] way into the infinity.”
“It becomes Jordan not only as an amazing art piece as a fashion judge, but it becomes like an art installation in itself in the most beautiful way to entertain, to enchant, to scare and entertain everybody for Halloween,” Posen said.
The holiday has always been an opportunity for self-expression for the fashionable duo since their childhood days growing up in New York City.
“Halloween was always the day of freedom and permission,” Roth said. “It was this opportunity to be whoever and however I wanted — an ethos that I now try very deliberately to pull into my everyday life. Because once you realize that, we can give ourselves freedom and permission every day.”
“Even the joke of being a sexy cat and a sexy mouse – that’s also about permission to be as sexy and sensual as you want to feel, and sometimes feel inhibited to be,” Roth continued.
The spirit of endless possibility is what brings Posen and Roth together time and time again when creating awe-inspiring garments.
Posen said he can “see it in the glimmer in his eye” when they’re both inspired. That synergy comes naturally from the “great deal of trust” between the friends.
“For Jordan, there’s a performance aspect of wearing great couture,” Posen shared. “Jordan is collecting and building and treating fashion as an art form. I think that’s really rare and really cool –he’s like the Peggy Guggenheim of fashion.”
Roth likens the collaboration process with Posen to an acting improv practice.
“Being in a room and fitting and imagination space with Zac is a world of yes, and,” Roth explained. “Yes, evil queen. Yes, floating on smoke. Yes, lights in the dress. Yes, a skirt of mirror. You want that feeling of boundless possibility, and when you have that experience, you want that experience again and again and again.”
Roth judged the best-in-show costumes on Friday’s charity gala, which celebrated the NYRP’s commitment to environmental justice and the creation and preservation of New York City’s green spaces.
The gala took place just three days after Posen celebrated his 43rd birthday at theAmerican Ballet Theatre Galawith his fiancé,Harrison Ball.
“It was a fun one. And Jordan was there looking gorgeous in a very azure blue,” Posen recalled. “It was a wonderful cozy night.”
Posen announced hisengagement with Ball in an Instagram postback in August 2023. He also took to the photosharing app in April 2021 when he publicly announcedhis relationship with the ballet dancer.
As for any future marriage plans in store? They are “TBD” according to Posen.
“Probably something very private and small,” Posen mused.
“Zac and Harrison have a standing invitation to get married in my garden,” Roth chimed in with a laugh.
source: people.com
