Image source: Getty / Cindy Ord
Whether it’s dressing Judy Turner Smith in a custom Gucci outfit for the Met Gala, making Tessa Thompson wear architectural biker shorts to the Vanity Fair Oscars, or working with Tracee Ellis Ross and Marsai Martin on their ebony wrap, designers Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald made fashion moments that change the narrative.
The Los Angeles-based duo’s clientele is known as Wayman + Micah, as are Hollywood characters: Regina King, Tiffany Haddish and the aforementioned stars Turner-Smith and Thompson, to name a few. They’ve built a reputation for letting their clients’ personalities shine, while still taking risks with design now and then.
Moreover, the diversity of their clients reflects their desire to broaden the definition of what – and who – constitutes “best looks”. “we [work with] Women from different backgrounds and different cultures [to] Show the world how they can be represented and how they can also feel beauty, luxury, drama, and elegance,” Bannerman says.
For MacDonald, this latest red-carpet run, like the 2022 Met Gala, “felt like such a revival” with a return to in-person events having become virtual due to the pandemic. “[There’s] Really just a level of gratitude that we should be able to do our jobs and bring such joy into the lives of our customers and others,” he says.
“We work with women from different backgrounds and different cultures to show the world how they can be represented and how they can also feel beautiful, luxurious, dramatic and elegant.”
Having been in the scene for nearly a decade, they have witnessed the triumphs of fashion and experimentation alike. They reveal that the best way to be confident on the red carpet is to have your ensemble tailored to perfection. “Good sewing requires a good outfit and makes it great,” MacDonald says. “We are very specific about how things fit and how they move.”
They also pay special attention to their fit when it comes to sunglasses. MacDonald explains that while an accessory may seem like it falls into the one-size-fits-all category, there really is a nuance in choosing the right pair. “We wear a lot of women of many different races, and we know that sometimes the bridge of the nose is wider for some than it is for others. Putting things on the cheek depends on people’s background, nationality, and race.”
Image source: Getty / Amy Sussman
This process inspired their latest collaboration with Foster Grant, an eyewear brand that designs glasses for people with different face shapes. They have identified styles like Dubai and San Jose as the options to choose for their clients. “It’s really cool that they focused on fitness as much as they did [we] Do,” says MacDonald, acknowledging that the brand is one of the few that caters to a comprehensive range of face shapes.
Bannerman hopes to see more inclusive representation on the red carpet, too. “It seems the red carpet is no longer just a certain look,” he says. “Now, there is a range of things that you can do and things that are acceptable because we are now learning to respect and accept each other’s individuality, as well as respect each other’s cultures and backgrounds. It’s a beautiful place to keep moving in with intention.”
