NEW YORK — Hood By Air, the New York-based brand known for its gender-bending, androgynous aesthetic, wowed on Sunday with its ambitious spring 2016 show.
Men strutted down the runway in heels, as if an afterthought; women were brazenly strapped into nipple-grazing leather harnesses; one model wore a barely-there look that cheekily exposed all of her, well, cheeks.
Then there was the boldest item of all: A pillow used as a backpack. At first look, it was an innocuously plush, seemingly random, white cushion. But delving more into the curious item, we discovered its devious backstory.
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"That was the same pillow Cookie used to strangle Luscious in Empire," Shayne Oliver, creative director of the brand, told Mashable.
The designer said he was inspired by the Fox show, which premieres its second season on Sept. 23.
"Empire really sparked something," he said. "It woke television up in a way and set off alarms in society, and did it the right way. There was a lot I identified with." Oliver later hinted that there was "something cooking up in the kitchen" between the brand and the show.
Always beyond proud of this one. Love you Shayne and congratulations to an INCREDIBLE #hoodbyair #HBA show. I'm so happy for you! @hoodbyair #nyfw #fashionweek #mashablefashion A photo posted by David Yi (@seoulcialite) on Sep 13, 2015 at 11:26am PDT
To get more information, we went straight to the source, Lee Daniels, who sat front row at the show, with one of the show's breakout stars, Bryshere Yazshawn "Yazz" Gray, who plays Hakeem Lyon.
[img src="http://admin.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/leedaniels.jpg" caption="Lee Daniels with his son Liam Daniels and actor Bryshere Gray, of "Empire," before the Hood by Air Spring 2016 collection Sept. 13, 2015. " credit="Diane Bondareff" alt="Bryshere Gray, Lee Daniels, Liam Daniels"]
"We're doing a collaboration with them," Daniels confirmed with Mashable. "The backpack with the pillow was based on Cookie, and it's the exact same pillow." The director said he didn't know he'd see it on the runway, but that Oliver had told him in advance to look out for a couple surprises.
"He said he'd sneak up on me, and he did," he said.
Already, Daniels said, Hood By Air will make a prominent cameo in episode one in the second season's opening sequence.
"When something's over my head, like this show was, I know it's for my show," he said. While the men and women were strutting their stuff, Daniels said he turned to Gray and asked if he'd wear any of the looks. "He kept picking out things like this one, that one. Some of the things were a little much for middle America, but there were four pieces I'm definitely using for the show."
As for the men in heels?
"The guys wearing the heels was what I was struggling with," he quipped. "How do we integrate this truth into America to make it the Emperor's New Clothes?"
It's indeed a struggle that Daniels, a prominent LGBT advocate, has been pushing throughout his career. He said he will continue the conversation by adding the transgender story throughout his projects, something he says is his responsibility.
"We have to push the transgender issue," he said. "My new show is called Star. I can't tell you the story but it's about a girl's group. Think: The Supremes, Spice Girls, Dream Girls, all of them. In it, we deal with transgenders."
Major spoiler alert: "We don't find out a girl is a boy until the very end of the show."
As for Empire, Daniels will definitely add transgender voices this season -- but with discretion.
"I don't want to blow my wad there," he said. "We'll do it a little bit...I'm doing it because America is ready for that, don't you think? Caitlyn Jenner prepared America for it and, honey, yes, they are ready."