FASHION

Naomi Campbell Goes for an Old Favorite to Celebrate Legendary Drag Queen RuPaul

The supermodel wore Azzedine Alaïa to the Time 100 gala, where her friend RuPaul was among the honorees.

by Katherine Cusumano

Each year, Time magazine compiles a list—the Time 100—of the most influential individuals across arts, sports, politics, tech, and media, assembling a who’s-who of personalities with glowing mini essays by friends and collaborators. This year, iconic drag queen RuPaul—he of Drag Race and “Supermodel (You Better Work)”—was featured among the hundred, profiled in brief by his close friend Naomi Campbell, whom he met in the ’90s in New York.

“It’s incredible what he’s done for the drag queens who compete on that show—bringing them out, introducing them to a mainstream audience and letting them be proud of who they are and what they want to be,” Campbell wrote. (Her lovely homage to the drag queen left us wondering: When will Campbell guest-judge Drag Race?)

On Tuesday evening, many among the Time 100 gathered in real life, Campbell included, to toast this year’s luminaries. Campbell and Ru made an immaculate couple on the red carpet, he in a cabernet-colored plaid suit and his trademark black-framed glasses and she in a black and red Azzedine Alaïa dress. Just like her friendship with Ru, Campbell and Alaïa go way back.

Naomi Campbell in Azzedine Alaïa at the Time 100 gala at Lincoln Center in New York, New York, April 2017.

Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

Who: Naomi Campbell.

When: Tuesday, April 25.

Where: The Time 100 gala at Lincoln Center in New York, New York.

What: A black and red ankle-length dress by Azzedine Alaïa with black sandals and shiny center-parted hair.

Why: Campbell has been among Alaïa’s favorite models since her ’90s heyday, and she regularly selects his looks for red carpet occasions. His dresses exude a classic elegance—always one to play by his own rules, the designer rarely pursues the latest trend and shows his collections on his own schedule—with a mod playfulness. A drop waist and strong shoulders show off Alaïa’s trademark knack for designing the most flattering silhouettes for all occasions.

Our Favorite Celebrity Looks of All Time

Emily Ratajkowski in Jonathan Simkhai with a Tory Burch bag in Paris, France, March 2017.

Marc Piasecki

Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Oscar De La Renta at the premiere of Beauty and the Beast in Los Angeles, California, March 2017.

Jeffrey Mayer

Solange Knowles in Chloé at the Chloé Fall 2017 show in Paris, France, March 2017.

Peter White/Getty Images

Brie Larson in Ralph & Russo couture at the premiere of Kong Skull Island in London, England, February 2017.

Samir Hussein/Getty Images

Bella Hadid in Area in Paris, France, February 2017.

Marc Piasecki/Getty Images

Emma Stone in custom Givenchy couture at the 89th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, February 2017.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Bella Hadid in Alexandre Vauthier at the Bulgari dinner party in Milan, Italy, February 2017.

Venturelli/Getty Images

Kiernan Shipka in Prada at the launch of the Mad Men book in Beverly Hills, California, February 2017.

Frazer Harrison

Katy Perry in Adam Selman at the Brit Awards afterparty in London, England, February 2017.

David M. Benett/Getty Images

Céline Dion in Schiaparelli couture at the launch of Céline Dion Collection in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 2017.

Denise Truscello/Getty Images

Suki Waterhouse, in La Perla and Burberry, at the Burberry Spring 2017 show in London, England, February 2017.

Mike Marsland/Getty Images

Frances Bean Cobain in Marc Jacobs at the Marc Jacobs Fall 2017 show in New York, New York, February 2017.

Jamie McCarthy

Lottie Moss in Marc Jacobs at the Marc Jacobs Beauty party celebrating Kaia Gerber in New York, New York, February 2017.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Hanne Gaby Odiele in Proenza Schouler at the Proenza Schouler Fall 2017 show in New York, New York, February 2017.

Gilbert Carrasquillo

Kate Bosworth in Calvin Klein for the Calvin Klein Fall 2017 show in New York, New York, February 2017.

Raymond Hall/Getty Images

Selena Gomez in Proenza Schouler in New York, New York, February 2017.

Robert Kamau/Getty Images

Lady Gaga in Gigi x Tommy at the Tommy Hilfiger ‘TommyLand’ Spring 2017 show in Venice, California.

Jeff Kravitz

Hari Nef in Alexander McQueen with a J.W. Anderson bag and Tiffany jewels at the Tiffany HardWear preview party in New York, New York, February 2017.

Angela Pham/BFA.com

Ruth Negga in Miu Miu at the nominees’ luncheon for the 69th annual Academy Awards in Beverly Hills, California, February 2017.

MARK RALSTON/Getty Images

Dakota Johnson in Valentino at the premiere of 50 Shades Darker in Los Angeles, California, February 2017.

Gregg DeGuire

Lady Gaga in Versace at a press conference for the Super Bowl in Houston, Texas, February 2017.

Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

Leelee Sobieski, in Raf Simons, at the designer’s Fall 2017 show in New York, New York, February 2017.

Jared Siskin

Dakota Johnson in Gucci on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, January 2017.

NBC

Natalie Portman in Proenza Schouler at Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Los Angeles, California, January 2017.

PG/Bauer-Griffin

Kerry Washington in Rodarte at the 28th annual Producers’ Guild Awards in Beverly Hills, California, January 2017.

Todd Williamson/Getty Images

Elle Fanning in Lanvin at the premiere of Sidney Hall at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

C Flanigan/Getty Images

Lily-Rose Depp in Chanel at the Sidaction gala dinner in Paris, France, January 2017.

Dominique Charriau/Getty Images

Isabelle Huppert in Armani at the Armani Privé Spring 2017 show in Paris, France, January 2017.

Dominique Charriau

Bella Hadid in Dior at the Christian Dior Haute Couture Spring Summer 2017 Bal Masqué during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, France, January 2017.

Getty Images for Dior

Thandie Newton in Schiaparelli at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring 2017 show in Paris, France, January 2017.

Getty Images
1/30

Naomi Campbell stars in Edward Enninful’s Seven Deadly Sins: