“It feels cool,” Grammy-winning musician Lil Nas X said of his first-ever New York Fashion Week appearance. “I’ve never been able to go in the past because my schedule never worked out.”
Despite his rookie status, Lil Nas X entered New York Fashion Week with ease. On Monday, he made his fashion show debut for Coach, walking in their spring 2023 show. Lil Nas X’s appearance in a Rick James-style braid, distressed tank top, shorts and jelly sandals was a standout moment in the leather-heavy show. (It feels like a natural progression for a brand that’s partnered with queer leather bar The Eagle this summer.) To prove his naturalistic acting skills, Lil Nas X wasn’t intimidated. “Actually, I’m not that nervous when I’m performing,” he said. “Compared to a live show – singing and dancing or something – it’s not too nerve-wracking.”
Lil Nas X appeared just days after his debut show . On the Montero world tour, he wore a custom Coach look. They include a leathery finish to a denim denim suit with plenty of straps and buckles. There was also a cut paired with low-rise, sequined, slightly baggy pants that subtly used metallic shades of pink and green, and was in keeping with the concert’s butterfly theme. “Touring was a lot of fun!” says Rinas X. “I love meeting and seeing all my fans and showing them everything I’ve been working on to give them the best show ever.”
Lil Nas X says he really likes creative director Stuart Vevers’ tribute to American style. “I think Coach and I stand for a lot of the same things – self-expression, innovation and rewriting the rules of fashion,” says Lil Nas X. “I also love them because they really believe in me and they make so many amazing outfits for me and my tour.”
Seeing American heritage brands like Coach Feeling excited to work with one of the most exciting new voices in pop culture. The Lil Nas X x Coach look is sure to continue; the rapper is now the face of the brand.
Once the Coach runway was over, Lil Nas X had to fly to the Vogue World runway event and fashion show, where he performed his hit “Industry Baby” in a different A custom Coach look that includes a metallic crop top and slouchy space-age trousers. His date night? Slush the Husky, a plush toy.
Below, see behind-the-scenes photos of Lil Nas X’s runway debut at Coach and his Vogue World performance.