Dess Dior certainly knows how to put a fashion ensemble together — she has amassed a cult following for her flossy looks, fun bops, and her candid girl’s girl online personality. Yet, her most cherished part of the day is when she has time for herself to feel peace and collect herself before a wild day ahead. “Mornings are sacred to me,” Dior says. “I wake up early, journal, and take at least 10 minutes before fully getting into the swing of things. I make sure to hydrate, turn on good music to set the mood, and take my time with my skincare routine. After that, glam starts. But that moment of stillness before the chaos is what really keeps me centered.
As of recently, Dess has been having a ball at NYFW with her girlfriends Jayda Cheaves and BJRNCK. Donning luxe looks while strutting down New York City’s Chinatown to make it to Alexander Wang’s latest NYFW runway show, Dess Dior is busier than ever as she gears up to release new music and show out in even more jaw-dropping fits.
“I was super excited for Alexander Wang,” Dess Dior tells Essence GU after the show wrapped on September 11th. “That was actually the first show I attended this NYFW. It really set the tone for the whole week. The energy was bold and unapologetic, and the collection had this edgy confidence that I love. Being at that show reminded me why I fell in love with fashion in the first place.”
The 26-year-old hailing from St. Louis is making big waves in the fashion industry as she sways between the upper-echelon of high fashion to the music industry. Her most streamed hits, “Stone Cold” with Mariah The Scientist and “Favourite Girl” featuring Darkoo illustrates how Dess Dior can be playful yet hard-hitting simultaneously — owning a sort of artistic duality that produces heavyweights in the rap game. “Fashion has always been a way I express what words can’t. That energy definitely spills into my music,” Dior lets us in on her creative process. “I write songs like I’m styling a look. It’s all about balance, emotion, confidence, and detail. Just like an outfit, my music needs to feel right, not just sound right. Being tapped into both lanes helps me create full experiences.
Dess Dior maintains a gravitational feeling of coolness that is magnetic everytime she steps into a room. Her outfits uphold chicness and extentuate the woman figure with class and power. For Alexander Wang, Dior opted for an all-black structural suit combo that has cut outs to reveal legs and midriff. “Every look I wear is a mood,” Dess describes to me. “I don’t just throw things on. I make sure the fit aligns with how I’m feeling and the message I want to send. This season, I wanted pieces that felt strong, feminine, and luxurious.”
Alexander Wang’s latest collection featured similar pant suits, faux fur-lined jackets and mini skirts where the main show attraction of every look was to compliment the feminine anatomy, every model breezed down the runway. Dess Dior’s garb echoed the same style sentiments with her adding her own personal touches with tinted-black sunnies and a free-falling platinum chain. For the rest of her NYFW schedule, she has designers Kim Shui, Who Decides War, and Off-White on her docket.
Although, Dess Dior’s tasteful fashion wardrobe is exciting to experience in real-time. Her soon-to-be-released music is what will keep all eyes on her as she is prepared to drop a project that is reflective of her summer sound while also showcasing more vulnerability. “I want people to hear my music and realize there are layers to me. Yes, I love glam and fashion, but I’ve also put in work, I’ve overcome, I’ve evolved. This new project is about showcasing Dess the boss and the human.”