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At last night’s Emmy Awards, Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox hit the red carpet in a frothy Monsoori gown with tiered tulle—but all eyes were on what she was carrying. The trans actor used her moment in the spotlight to support LGBTQ rights, carrying a custom Edie Parker clutch that raised awareness about an upcoming Supreme Court hearing, which will decide if anti-LGBTQ employment discrimination qualifies as sex discrimination. “This current administration is telling the Supreme Court to make discrimination against LGBTQ people legal,” Cox told Vogue. “Very few people are talking about this crucial case. I hope this will get people talking about the implications for LGBTQ people and beyond.”
The handbag, specially designed by Cox, featured the transgender community’s flag on one side and the LGBTQ rainbow on the other, with lettering that reads, “Oct 8, Title VII, Supreme Court.” October 8 is the date when the Supreme Court will hear a case about whether LGBTQ workers are protected by the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law that “prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.”
In a photo diary made exclusively for Vogue, Cox documented how she prepared her political fashion statement by partnering with her longtime stylist Christina Joy Pacelli.
The process began with the duo collaborating with Edie Parker on the special clutch. Then, for the red carpet dress, the pair sought “opulence and volume”—which explains why they ultimately chose a look from Monsoori’s Spring 2019 collectsion. “We held several fittings for her Emmys look starting six weeks prior to the event, and ultimately selected the gown the morning of the red carpet,” said Pacelli. “It came down to two gowns and we decided on the winning look a few hours before she went into glam.”
With her glam team, Cox wanted to channel a certain supermodel. “I am forever inspired by the Atelier Versace Fall/Winter 1999/2000 runway show,” Cox said. “I have been wanting to do my version of the hair from that show for 20 years, particularly Naomi Campbell’s hair.” After she was given a pulled-back hairstyle and smoky purple eye, Cox received the finishing touch: sparkling jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz. The result perfectly captured her style, said Pacelli: “sophisticated, sexy, edgy, rock and roll, and elegant."
Below, see Cox’s photo diary.
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Photo: Tyren Redd3/12I am forever inspired by the Atelier Versace Fall/Winter 1999/2000 runway show. I have been wanting to do my version of the hair from that show for 20 years, particularly Naomi Campbell’s hair in that show. We didn’t do the bangs as to not compete with the dress, but this is my hairstylist Kiyah Wright’s take on the classic look.
Photo: Tyren Redd4/12We collaborated with Lorraine Schwartz to create a jewelry story that perfectly complemented the silhouette and colors of the gown. The inspiration for the jewelry was a flower blossom.
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Photo: Tyren Redd6/12My stylist Christina Joy Pacelli, along with Kelly Johnson and I, worked on custom concepts for this year’s carpet, but ultimately went with a gown from Middle Eastern designer Monsoori’s Spring 2019 collectsion. The gown had a vintage, editorial feel while being soft and romantic. The look was a full fantasy suited for a runway, and so beautifully photographed on a red carpet.
Photo: Tyren Redd7/12It came down to two gowns, and I decided on which to wear a few hours before starting glam on Sunday morning. It came down to the wire—we had beautiful gowns to choose between, but I chose this because I felt comfortable and like myself in this look.
Photo: Tyren Redd8/12I was feeling opulence and volume for this year’s carpet. The tulle in the skirt with the shoulder detail felt like such a wow moment.
Photo: Tyren Redd9/12I wanted to seize the opportunity to make a statement about the Title VII hearing in the Supreme Court on October 8 with this year’s red carpet fashion. It’s perhaps the most important LGBTQ civil rights Supreme Court case in my lifetime. This current administration is telling the Supreme Court to make discrimination against LGBTQ people legal. Very few people are talking about this crucial case. I hope this will get people talking about the implications for LGBTQ people and beyond.
Photo: Tyren Redd10/12Christina came up with the idea of a clutch that could visually convey the message. She enlisted Edie Parker to design it, and this is the result.
Photo: Tyren Redd11/12Chase Strangio is a staff attorney for the ACLU. He has been working tirelessly as part of Aimee Stephen’s defense team. Aimee, after years of struggling with her gender identity, could no longer live a lie. So she wrote a heartfelt letter to her employer telling them that she is transgender, needed to transition, and would be returning to work as her authentic self. She was then fired by her employer. This administration wants to makes this kind of discrimination the law of the land through the Supreme Court. We must let the administration, the Supreme Court, and our fellow citizens know that this is not who we are as Americans.
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