Amber Rose‘s name grew synonymous with the idea of urban avant-garde through her high-profile relationship with rap superstar and self-professed fashion junkie Kanye West. Their many trysts courting the international nightlife opposite the lens of a prying paparazzi catapulted, for once, the silhouette of a true buxom bombshell into the musings of an often curve-intolerant circle of couturiers.
So, when I got the call to dress Amber for an exclusive rolling out cover shoot, I thought to myself, “How can I use fashion to make these photos more than just another fantasy-like sartorial story?” I wanted to speak practically through the clothing, taking advantage of what Amber means to the all-seeing audience of small-waisted, uber-curvy women who have grown to covet not only her body itself, but also every piece of clothing that covers it.
The moment she walked in — sans attitude and entourage — and said to me, “You look interesting,” I knew she’d be down to take the journey with me through chic summer style. The first look we tried, an overly audacious white fur mini-dress by LA designer Mike Vensel, did nothing to accent her figure — a problem that I’m sure often presents itself for a girl of such brick-house proportions. Out of that she slipped and quickly into a body-conscious, hand-painted, Ema Savahl floral number into which we found ourselves pouring her curves. This was the perfect way to start our shoot.
We transitioned from the idea of a sexy summer dress into a silk coral short set. With a belled fit around the thigh and arms and the top tied up, this look was yet another take on balancing chic and summertime sexy. On the heels of her most recent paparazzi appearance with new beau rapper Wiz Khalifa, where she was seen wearing a jeweled headpiece by Parisian designer Anna Rivka, I decided to drape her golden locks in a similar beaded Cleopatra-inspired version from my own vintage collection. We shot, next, in a stiff wool trench, belted at the waist and, last, topless, with a pair of soft black sequin shorts covering her bottom.
Truth be told, I could’ve dressed Amber in a trash bag, and she would have been just as beautiful. But with a brand built on the idea of a perfect reinvention and a fanbase of fashion-conscious women who identify not only with her voluptuous body type, but also the ability she’s had to show it off chicly, I felt the need to give them a well-rounded look at this season’s sassy summer fashions — Amber Rose style. –christopher mannor, style director
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