As avid fans of both Empire and its trendsetting star Cookie Lyon, we were thrilled at the opportunity to chat with costume designer Paolo Nieddu. The stylist earned an Emmy nomination for his work on the show's pilot, and now he's bringing his sartorial eye back to the set for season two.
This time around, you can expect everything from bold colors to straight-from-the-runway ensembles to plenty of droolworthy accessories. And while Cookie's style is only getting more fabulous, you'll be surprised by the one signature look you'll be seeing less of this season. Read on for seven on-set style secrets from Paolo that will fuel your Cookie addiction, sweet tooth or not.
"I don't like to base the characters off of any one current celebrity. I look more to the designer brands that fit the essence of that woman."
"The characters are staying true to who they really are, their style DNA. But, since it's the second season, we want to do bigger and bolder."
"Rihanna was wearing a pair of shoes that I had gotten for Cookie. They were featured in Cookie's closet — fuchsia and orange suede lace-up sandals by Pierre Hardy."
"We're doing a show that's so contemporary and current, and we have to be mindful of that. I'm trying to see what are the upcoming trends designers are putting out there and how I can apply them to the characters."
"I do fittings based on each script. We try everything on, and if it looks good and the actor likes it, then that's something that we'll move forward with. You never want to put your actor in something that they're unhappy wearing because then it's not fun."
"I'm definitely trying to scale back with things in leopard print. It's definitely something that is her signature, and it's in her DNA; it's her essence."