09 Nov Versace For H&M: Inside The Runway Show, Red Carpet And After Party With Prince & Nicki Minaj

Versace for H&M mania has officially taken over NYC, thanks to last night’s star-studded launch party which included a runway show, shopping event and musical performances by Nicki Minaj and Prince. The walls were covered in Versace’s famous palm fronds (think: J-Lo at the Grammys in 2000) and just about everyone – including tons of our favorite fashion designers, models and celebs – pretty much lost their you-know-what during the performances. It was sweaty. There were disco balls. I’m pretty sure some of us (me, standing next to a speaker) lost partial hearing. Come see for yourself…

The night started with the typical red carpet rounds, only this time all our favorite celebs were wearing dresses at a not-so-stratospheric price point. And you know what? Versace for H&M looked fabulous on each and every one of them.

Jessica Alba, Emma Roberts and Jennifer Hudson in Versace for H&M

Selma Blair, Caroline Sieber, Chloe Moretz in Versace for H&M

Then came a real-deal runway show, which included every piece from the men’s and women’s range, including a rainbow spectrum of maxi dresses we weren’t sure we’d even seen yet. By the end of the show, folks were audibly, anxiously expanding their shopping lists.

Then, the after-party began. As if there wasn’t enough of a J-Lo vibe in the room with the palm frond wallpaper, the smoke machines turned on (or was that crowded room-steam?), the disco balls started spinning and – wham! – it was like we were in the music video “Waiting for Tonight“. It was all we could do not to clear the crowd and pretend we were wearing a crystal bodysuit. And when I say we, I mean me.

Then, this happened.

And then folks ransacked the pop-up store, probably buying things they previously thought they could never pull off, thanks to the natural high one gets from watching Prince perform and standing in high heels for four straight hours. Bedazzled trucker hat with matching bomber jacket? I’ll take three.