It seems like everyone is breaking barriers and defying gender norms in 2021- and Kid Cudi is doing it on the red carpet. This week, he turned heads in a custom lace wedding dress at the CFDA fashion awards.
The custom white lace bridal gown was the creation of ERL designer Eli Russell Linnetz, who also accompanied Cudi as his “date” on the red carpet.
Linnetz was attending as a major guest of honor as he was nominated for the CFDA Emerging Artist of the Year. Cudi didn’t stop showing off his taste for fashion and flair with the dress. He donned a full-body lace catsuit under the dress and accessories the look with lace gloves, a cream-colored simple blazer, cream-colored sneakers with a silver accent, a Black Jesus necklace, and like all brides, he wore a veil in his pink hair.
Linnetz reportedly texted the rapper asking him “will you be my bride?” with a picture of the dress.
Cudi obviously said yes and was happy to sing his friend’s praises during the press line before the event. He said, “I trust this man [Linnetz] so I was down to take it wherever his mind went.”
The event was not Linnetz’s first connection with the hip-hop community. In September, he gained attention for designing A$AP Rocky‘s colorful thrifted quilt look ensemble for the 2021 Met Gala.
It is also not Cudi’s first time wearing a wedding dress either. In April, he wore a floral dress while performing “Sad People” on “Saturday Night Live” as part of his tribute to the late Kurt Cobain.
In an interview shortly after his SNL appearance, the hip-hop artist addressed criticism of his outfit choice while doubling down on his desire to disrupt certain social norms. “If this is what I’m supposed to do, then so be it. I want to be a disruptor,” Cudi said. “And it’s cool, because I’m also giving confidence to the kids and telling them to be themselves and do what they want to do.”
And while Linnetz ultimately did not win the award (it went to Edvin Thompson), it still appears that he had a great night to remember- and already likely has brides eagerly awaiting a full wedding collection.
