CELEBRITY CLOSETS

VINTAGE ARTICLE!! MARY J. BLIGE

IN THIS FEATURE: VINTAGE Mary J. Fashion Focus Biography

yCloset.com:

Who are some of your favorite designers?

MJB: CATHERINE MALANDRINO IS DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITE DESIGNERS. MICHAEL KORS. CAVALLI IS ANOTHER ONE AND J MENDEL, ABSOLUTELY. THEY DON’T OVERDO. OF COURSE GUCCI. GUCCI IS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES AND PUCCI. THEY ARE NOT OVERBEARING. YOU CAN DEAL WITH LOOKING AT THEM.

Similarly to how you’ve transformed in musical styles, you seem like a woman who can pull off a mix. Do you prefer prints?

MJB: IT DEPENDS. IF IT’S A PUCCI. THEIR PRINTS WORK FOR ME SO I CAN WEAR IT. IF IT DOESN’T WORK FOR ME, I’M NOT GOING TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH IT. I’M A LESS IS MORE GIRL.

So, what doesn’t work for you, what’s in your closet that’s all wrong?

MJB: THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY SHINY.
AND I DON’T LIKE SHOES THAT DON’T FIT. WE MAKE THOSE MISTAKES BECAUSE WE WANT THOSE SHOES AND WE FORCE OUR FEET IN THEM ANYWAY. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT JUST CAN’T BE. THE CLOSET IS TOO CROWDED.

Favorite shoe designers?

MJB: PRADA RIGHT NOW IS DOING REALLY GOOD THINGS. I WANT SOME LAMB SHOES THAT I’M LOVING RIGHT NOW FROM HER NEW COLLECTION. GIUSEPPE’S DOING GREAT SHOES. CHLOE’S DOING GREAT SHOES. AND I HAVE ALL OF THEM TOO. I HAVE AROUND 1,000 PAIRS OF SHOES.

I LOVE THE WEDGE THAT CHLOE DID WITH THE LEATHER SHOES. AND I LOVE THE THICK HEEL THAT THEY’RE DOING. I LOVE THE WEDGE AND THE HEEL THAT GUCCI’S DOING RIGHT NOW. IT’S A CLOSED IN KIND OF LOOK, YOU KNOW. YVES ST. LAURENT HAS DONE SOME AMAZING PLATFORMS.

What do you hate about your closet?

MJB: NOT ENOUGH ROOM.

What’s your policy about what stays and what gets chucked?

MJB: I DON’T REALLY THROW THINGS OUT. I GIVE THINGS AWAY IF I HAVEN’T WORN IT IN PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR YEARS.

Who are your fashion icons?

MJB: I THINK DIANA ROSS DOING HER MAHOGANY MOVIE DAYS AND LADY SINGS WELL NO, MOSTLY “MAHOGANY.” ALL OF HER STYLE WAS GREAT. AUDREY HEPBURN. AND FAYE DUNAWAY IN “BONNIE AND CLYDE” AND ANOTHER MOVIE THAT SHE DID WHEN SHE HAD THIS BIG GIANT HAT ON. I LOVE HATS.

How many hats do you have in your closet?

MJB: I DON’T KNOW MAN. A LOT.