The Fashion Nova collection of Cardi B was sold immediately

Ode to Christian Louboutins of Cardi B, "Bodak Yellow", was his revolutionary single. But last night, when she made her official foray into fashion, shoes were a non-determining factor. Instead, Cardi is associated with the Fashion Nova viral brand to launch his first clothing collection. Feather, crumpled velvet and checked suits inspired by No idea, movie that everyone seems to copy recently, the range was not on sale before midnight Pacific time. Still, all 82 pieces sold in minutes.

So dear to Cardi B, it does not deserve all the credit for the success of this line. Fashion Nova, which veteran retailer Richard Saghian started in 2016 in Los Angeles, has become a highly sought-after brand in recent years, thanks largely to Instagram. Influential personalities such as Teyana Taylor, Blac Chyna, Christina Milian and Kylie Jenner are just a few examples of the long line of celebrities who have published social media images of themselves, wearing the high fashion brand – making Pass Fashion Nova from relative darkness to a huge popularity. .

The retailer now has nearly 14 million followers on Instagram, making it the most popular fashion brand, according to some estimates. Last year, Google announced that Fashion Nova was among its top five most sought-after fashion brands, with Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Supreme and Chanel. But Fashion Nova, said Saghian at the Women's Wear Daily in February, has made no-show achievements, traditional advertising or SEO tips. (Saghian also tends to avoid press interviews, which means that social media almost alone has propelled his company to fame.) And at the launch of the Fashion Nova x Cardi collection on Wednesday night, many influencers Rich and famous have appeared, including Khloe Kardashian, NeNe Leakes, Chanel Iman, Iggy Azalea and Noah Cyrus.

The idea that Fashion Nova would have a sequel to Hollywood seemed probably unimaginable when it started 12 years ago as a physical store in the Panorama Mall in Panorama City, California, in the working class . (The website of Fashion Nova was put online in 2013.) Today, the company owns five brick and mortar stores in the Los Angeles area, but it has never really left its premises. humble roots. He can count among his fans reality TV stars, moguls and actresses, but the prices remain within reach of the general public; most are under $ 50.

Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images

And the tight-fitting styles contrast sharply with the prairie style dresses that keep coming back to the haute couture collections. There is a reason for this: the website of Fashion Nova says he considers the customer as the "star" of his styles rather than his clothes. Thus, the offers, which include everything from sparkling combinations to sparkling dresses fitted to the hips, serve to highlight the silhouette of the wearer. Moreover, unlike the world of high fashion, where slim is the rendezvous, Fashion Nova is imposed among women with wide hips and wider buttocks. In 2016, the brand became even more inclusive by introducing a large size collection, Fashion Nova Curve, with styles ranging up to size 3X.

(In her single "She Bad", Cardi B explains how she prefers the Fashion Nova clothing haircut, she says, "I could buy a designer, but this Fashion Nova haircut is fine.")

Society may be relatively inexpensive and positively bodily, but it has always been controversial. Dozens of complaints about delivery delays have been filed, which Saghian has told WWD since has been resolved. His return to store only credit policy also annoyed some customers.

And the fact that the retailer has managed to channel its success via Instagram is no coincidence: Saghian admits to having paid celebrities to post photos of her bearing the mark. Cardi B specifically stated that she received up to $ 20,000 a month to wear Fashion Nova. And in 2016, Saghian started paying Kylie Jenner to wear label clothing, he told Cut. This led to a big deal for Fashion Nova, considering that a Kylie Jenner job could generate sales of $ 50,000, Saghian said in his interview with Cut. Saghian told WWD that Fashion Nova had grown 600% last year.

Saghian's marketing expertise helped the brand become perhaps the most influential on Instagram, but he credited celebrities such as Cardi B for giving Fashion Nova the ultimate credit for cool kids.

"We were well before Cardi, but it certainly gave us legitimacy," he told WWD. "She is one of our favorite partners because when she talks about Fashion Nova, she speaks with heart."

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