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With repeat clients like Blake Lively and Beyoncé — and his styles popping up everywhere from “Real Housewives” to the White House — Sergio Hudson has never been hotter.
“My inspiration always comes from women, from women that I’ve known in my life to iconic women in pop culture,” the fashion designer tells Page Six Style.
“They’re usually confident, powerful and fabulous.”
While he’s now dressed stars for everything from the Met Gala — which he also attended alongside Keke Palmer this year — to the Tony Awards, it all started with “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum Lisa Wu, who came across his page on “a site called Model Mayhem” more than a decade ago, he tells us.
“It really made me feel seen and validated that someone would not only want to wear the clothes, but also want to purchase them.”
And while he’s since racked up a huge celebrity following, you don’t need a Hollywood-sized paycheck to pick up one of his most iconic pieces: the Signature Belt (from $118), which is stocked on Hudson’s Amazon Luxury Store and has been spotted on the likes of Lively, Rachel Brosnahan and former first lady Michelle Obama.
“I think that being polished and tailored is the main difference between when a celebrity wears something versus a standard consumer, and that’s why I love the belts,” he explains.
“Celebrities are real women and real people, just with better tailoring.”
Beyond buckles and bright colors, however, Hudson’s designs are rooted in something deeper: a love for the women for whom he designs.
“I think that my love of women and the desire to make them feel happy and beautiful is what they feel through the clothing,” he shares.
Below, the fashion fixture tells us about some of his most memorable celebrity moments to date — from the red carpet to the silver screen.
“When I designed this dress we were mid-pandemic. I wanted my customer to still look and feel their best in such an uncertain time.
“A lot of that collection was inspired by iconic and powerful female TV characters from my childhood, so when I got the call about ‘Citadel’ and Priyanka’s character, this particular dress felt perfect even though it was a couple of seasons old.”
Sergio Hudson Nadia Cutout Midi Dress ($1,995)
“This was very special to me because even though I dressed Keke for the Met Gala in 2021, this was my first time attending and going with her so I felt like the pressure was on.
“I wanted to show off our skills as a brand and show what we could do, but still wanted to represent the ethos of the Sergio Hudson aesthetic. It’s up there as one of my most favorite things I’ve ever made for sure.”
“Blake always looks so fabulous. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say when she wore the purple suit and bodysuit. There was something very striking and sexy about how she wore the suit and bodysuit underneath. She has a great way of seeing a designer’s vision and making it work for her with her own style; she’s really good at that.”
Shop styles selected by Page Six Style:
Sergio Hudson High Waist Signature Pant ($598)
Sergio Hudson Double Breasted Blazer ($898)
“That happened on a whim. I was showing her stylist sketches for my next collection and was discussing what I was thinking of doing, and she wanted it for Beyoncé immediately. We actually made it for her before we made it for the collection. The crystals were Swarovski, and each crystal was hand-sewn by us, in house.”
“I had dressed Mrs. Obama a few times, so when her stylist contacted us about the inauguration it happened so seamlessly. They loved a look from the collection I had just shown in September, but with pants.
“They wanted her to look nice, of course — but it was also a huge moment for the Vice President [Kamala Harris], who we were also dressing that weekend, so it was kind of a shock when it turned out to be such a standout moment.”
Shop similar styles selected by Page Six Style:
Sergio Hudson Signature Belt ($118, originally $295)
Sergio Hudson Boucle Coat ($1,498)
“One of my favorites was the jumpsuit I did for Kendall Jenner’s 20th birthday. It was the first moment where we received a lot of attention from fashion press.”
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