By Jaden Olson, Entertainment Reporter
On Friday, January 9, Womens World Daily hosted its second annual Style Awards during Golden Globe Awards week.
For decades, film and music have formally celebrated creative excellence, while fashion, despite its central role in shaping culture, has largely operated behind the scenes. Wardrobe stylists, makeup artists, and hairstylists – curators of the zeitgeist, have shaped the visual language of pop culture and trickle-down trends with little recognition.
The WWD Style Awards reflect a broader shift: an acknowledgment of the creative forces behind the image, bringing long-overdue visibility to the architects of modern style.
These architects are nothing without the stars that allow for powerful collaboration. Throughout the night, the greatest takeaway was the importance of these creative partnerships.
George Clooney accepted the Red Carpet Visionary Award on behalf of Giorgio Armani. In his speech, he expressed, “If anyone should be up here, it should be Richard Gere, I think the two of them put each other on the map.”
Armani’s fluid tailoring and soft color palette broke from the boxy brown-and-black businesswear that had long dominated menswear. Seen on Gere, those designs allowed men to distinguish themselves from their fathers – a general shift in identity. Armani and Gere’s creative collaboration reflects the kind of essential partnership that shapes culture - the star as a vessel for a visionary.
That dynamic was evident in Jason Bolden’s work styling Tyriq Withers, as well as Brad Goreski’s longtime collaboration with Demi Moore. These relationships reflect a symbiotic exchange—fueled by trust, understanding and a shared enthusiasm to depart form tradition.
The spirit of breaking boundaries was echoed by hairstylist Adir Abergel, who spoke about his partnership with Kristen Stewart. “This is the kind of collaborator that you are in my life,” Abergel said. “You are an absolutely fearless artist and an icon.” He later added that, “In a world that often prescribes norms and conventions, I am inspired daily by those who dare to be different—who embrace their uniqueness and allow their personal style to narrate their stories.” The emotional aspect of style – a feeling rather than costume, surfaced in Withers’s remarks on his work with Bolden. “Fashion is much more than a look,” he said. “It’s how you feel.” At the industry’s core, these are people expressing themselves to maximize expression and confidence.
What distinguishes this moment is visibility. The work that once lived quietly behind closed doors now circulates instantly, credited, shared, and remembered. Through social media and agencies like The Wall Group and A-Frame make it easier for these artists to develop a platform.
Collaboration is no longer invisible; it is authored.
Jaden Olson
SMDP Entertainment Reporter
jaden@smdp.com