Designers Phillipe and David Blond’s big break came when Beyoncé selected their diamond corset for her 2007 “Upgrade U” music video. Since then, the New York-based pair have dressed everyone from Rihanna (who performed at the 2008 American Music Awards wearing their spiked leather corset) to Lady Gaga (who donned their armourinspired garment in her “Paparazzi” short film). Recently, they created three limited-edition Barbie dolls for Mattel’s “Blonde” collection. And every New York Fashion Week, The Blonds present a corset-filled collection adorned with sequins, spikes and over-the-top embellishments. The Blonds’ custom-made corsets and dresses are available at theblondsnewyork.com.

FIRST FASHION MEMORY…

Phillipe “When I was a kid, my dad took me to see Who Framed Roger Rabbit. There’s a part when the curtains open slightly and Jessica Rabbit’s legs stick out; her high heels are the first thing you see—I died. Jessica Rabbit has a special place in my heart.”

David “One of the reasons Phillipe and I connected was because we both used to play with Barbie dolls when we were little kids.”
THEIR PERSONAL STYLE IS...

David “I think I’m a little more classic, with a twist; Phillipe is more out there than I am. We work well together in that way.”
BLOND BEGINNINGS…

Phillipe “We used to go out partying all the time, and David would make me something to wear every night. Eventually our friend Patricia Field [costume designer for Sex and the City] noticed our clothing and started borrowing stuff.”
HOW THEIR RED DRESS ENDED UP IN SEX AND THE CITY 2…

Phillipe “It was my birthday party and I had nothing to wear. And David said ‘You’re going to wear red!’ And I was like ‘Add spikes on the shoulders and chains and crystals!’”

David “He just kept putting more and more on.”

Phillipe “And I went to my birthday party, and Pat [Field] was there. She said ‘I need that! That’s perfect for Samantha!’ The impact of that movie, and the whole series, has been huge. We’ve gotten calls from all over the world for that red dress.”
CORSET CRUSH…

David “We love how corsets exaggerate the female form. Because of the structure, you can go crazy—we obviously like to use a lot of heavy embellishments, so it’s necessary to have a good base piece to work with. We also love to have women accentuate their femininity, to bring it out and have fun with it.”
REEL INSPIRATION…

Phillipe “All About Eve.”

David “We love films. We put on classic films all the time while we’re working. We’re big Bette Davis fans.”
DREAM CLIENT…

Phillipe “I got stopped in my tracks the other day by Willow Smith’s ‘Whip My Hair’ video. We would love to work with her at some point and get her into a tiny little corset.”

David “I love how children are so creative; whatever they dream up flows easily. It’s really hard to hold on to that.”