The designer Haider Ackermann attracts a certain kind of celebrity client—one looking to project an individual form of glamour instead of simply coopting a by-the-book display of sequins and cleavage. When he presented his spring 2011 collection, just over a year ago, the singer Janet Jackson—with a fresh pixie haircut—turned up in his front row. With a chic, new look, Jackson seemed on the prowl for a different way of defining sexy and cool. She found what she was looking for in Ackermann’s work.
Dressing celebrities for the red carpet is one of fashion’s rituals, but who a designer dresses matters as much as the clothes themselves—and we’re not talking A-list versus D. Some starlets like Jennifer Lopez flit from one of-the-moment brand to another. Others such as Renee Zellweger are loyal to a single label. And then those fabulous few, such as Tilda Swinton, seek out designers with a clear and daring voice. So take note: Swinton has fallen under the spell of Ackermann’s irresistible song.