Laurel DeWitt

Laurel DeWitt is a Los Angeles-based Designer known as the Metal and Chain Queen. She is best known for her extravagant crowns and custom pieces for Grammy Award Winning Artists. She specializes in Metal Couture, with her garments and accessories almost exclusively made of metal and chain. Her pieces have been worn by Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion|Megan thee Stallion, Saweetie and Cardi B, Jay-Z, Kris Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Amber Rose, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Madonna, and many others.. Her work has been featured in top fashion publications, featured in film and TV, and placed in art galleries. 
== Early Career ==
After graduating from Pratt Institute in 2005, DeWitt stayed in New York designing handbags for brands such as Kenneth Cole (designer)|Kenneth Cole Reaction, Juicy Couture, Macy's|Macy’s, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, and Oscar de la Renta Intimate Apparel. DeWitt was also working on her own brand, LaureLuxe which became Laurel DeWitt Inc. in 2014. Her 2015 New York Fashion Week show became popular in the media due to the location and Amber Rose walking the runway.
== Career and Notable Moments ==
DeWitt made the move from NYC to Los Angeles where she has found more opportunities for Celebrity, TV, and Film features. She has a showroom with over 1000 unique pieces, and is Hollywood's go-to for custom work. 
=== Museums ===
DeWitt's is known for being an artist as much as a designer, and her pieces have been placed in the Brooklyn Museum, Madam Tussauds Las Vegas, Joseph Gross Gallery, and the Smithsonian Institute of African Art. The Brooklyn Museum displayed a statue of Cardi B as an honor from Spotify, the statue wears Laurel DeWitt arm cuffs and crown. Nicki Minaj's wax figure Madam Tussauds Las Vegas is wearing the Laurel DeWitt top Minaj wore in the Anaconda Music Video.
=== Film and TV ===
DeWitt's work has been featured in Ru Paul's Drag Race, Legendary on HBO Max, Beyonce's Black is King, HBO's Empire, The Voice, Insecure, Hustlers, Dancing with the Stars, and Coming 2 America. Tyra Banks dressed as Nicki Minaj and wore wore custom Laurel DeWitt armor set on Dancing with the Stars (American TV series)|Dancing with the Stars Season 29.
The Costume Designer for Coming 2 America, Ruth E. Carter, told Insider that DeWitt created all the crowns featured in the film. Teyana Taylor as Bopoto wore a Laurel DeWitt set including a gold bra, skirt, and headpiece in a major scene in the film.
=== Celebrity and Music ===
====== Amber Rose ======
* August 2014, Amber Rose wore a Laurel DeWitt dress to the VMA's with Wiz Khalifa.
* February 2015, Amber Rose walked in the iconic Laurel DeWitt NYFW runway show that look place inside a Church.
====== Beyoncé ======
* January 2016, Beyoncé wore a Custom crown in her Hymn for the Weekend Music Video with Coldplay.
* August 2020, Beyoncé released her Black Is King film which featured a number of Laurel DeWitt pieces, including the pearl headdress, crystal glittering turban, crystal rope hip piece and choker set, blue chain jumper, select crowns in the live chess board scene, and more. DeWitt is known to be one of the go-to artists for the film.
====== Bebe Rexha ======
* November 2020, Bebe Rexha wore custom Laurel DeWitt bone crown at the American Music Awards.
====== Cardi B ======
* October 2017, Cardi B wore a Laurel DeWitt gown to the BET Hip Hop Awards where she won "Hustler of the Year.
* April 2018, Cardi B wore gold custom Laurel Dewitt body chains during her performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. A special weekend where Cardi B hosted SNL, was the first ever Co-Host of The Tonight Show, and announced the pregnancy of her first child with Offset, Kulture Kiari Cephus. The Laurel Dewitt custom chains were inspired by Linda Evangelista’s Chanel campaign and made to accentuated Cardi's baby bump.
* October 2018, Cardi B released Money (Cardi B song), her first single since her Debut Album, Invasion of Privacy (album). In the Music Video she wore Custom looking in 2 scenes. The iconic hat Cardi wore with only gloves and heals, and the ruby and gold set that featured bra, panties, belt, neck piece, and headdress were all custom Laurel DeWitt. The looks were inspired by what Lil' Kim wore onstage at 1997 MTV Video Music Awards .
* October 2018, Cardi wore Laurel DeWitt leopard metal mesh loincloth with a matching bra, headdress, and gold belt to Quavo|Quavo's album release party.
* January 2019, Cardi B released the Twerk Music Video with the City Girls, where Cardi wore a Laurel DeWitt set including a bra, panties, and accessories in a clip seen throughout the video.
* Halloween 2020, Cardi B dressed as Medusa wearing custom Laurel Dewitt bra, panties, arm pieces, hand pieces, and neck piece.
* February 2021, Cardi wore Laurel DeWitt choker in the Up (Cardi B song)|UP Music Video, and a custom Laurel Dewitt look in the single's cover art .
* August 2021, Laurel Dewitt custom body chains were worn by Cardi B in the Lizzo and Cardi B highly anticipated Rumors Music Video. The Laurel Dewitt custom chains were made to accentuate Cardi's baby bump for her second Child.
====== Chloe x Halle Bailey ======
* August 2020, Chloe x Halle released their Ungodly Hour|Ungoldy Hour Music Video which featured both women in Laurel DeWitt accessories and Halle in a Laurel DeWitt headpiece.
* August 2020, Chloe and Halle Bailey wore Laurel DeWitt accessories that featured the brands logo during their MTV VMA's performance.
====== Christina Aguilera ======
* July 2021, Christina Aguilera|Aguilera wore a Laurel DeWitt neckpiece during her performance at her Hollywood Bowl show.
====== Gwen Stefani ======
* May 2021, Stefani graced the digital cover of Wonderland (magazine)|Wonderland magazine wearing Laurel Dewitt cuffs throughout the cover shoot.
* May 2021, Stefani wore a Laurel DeWitt bow and gloves in her Paper (magazine)|Paper Mag cover shoot.
====== Jennifer Lopez ======
* April 2018, Jennifer Lopez|J-Lo released her Elanillo Music Video which she wore two Laurel DeWitt crowns, and a Laurel Dewitt dress and cape. 
* April 2018, in J-Lo's performance at the Billboard Latin Music Awards|Latin Billboard Awards her dancers wore Cleopatra inspired Laurel DeWitt headpieces, chain dresses and hand pieces. The garments were worn throughout her Las Vegas Residency.
* March 2021, J-Lo was featured on the cover of Allure magazine wearing Laurel DeWitt arm pieces, bow, and scarfs throughout the shoot.
====== Kelly Rowland ======
* November 2020, Kelly Rowland|Rowland wore Laurel DeWitt custom gold turban headpiece for her Hit Man Music Video.
====== Khloe Kardashian ======
* October 2020, Khloé Kardashian|Khloe wore a Laurel Dewitt for her Cleopatra Halloween costume.
====== Kris Jenner ======
* October 2018, Kris Jenner wore custom Laurel DeWitt Cleopatra costume including a jumper, crown, arm wear and hand wear.
====== Kulture Halloween ======
* July 2020, Kulture wore her custom Laurel DeWitt crown from the Cover of Father of 4 to her 3rd Birthday Party.
* June 2021, Cardi B's pregnancy announcement for her second child featured Kulture wearing custom Laurel DeWitt choker and cuffs.
====== Lady Gaga ======
* Winter 2018, Shoulder piece worn by Gaga and photographed by Daniel Jackson and styled by Nicola Formichetti for Allure (magazine)|Allure and Glamour (magazine)|Glamour magazines
* February 2020, Gaga wore custom Laurel DeWitt Hot Pink Metal Armor for Lady Gaga's album Chromatica promotions and merchandise.
* February 2020, the Hot Pink Armor is also worn by Gaga in her Stupid Love Music Video, the first video from the Chromatica album.
====== LaLa Anthony ======
* June 2021, Anthony wore a Laurel DeWitt belt for her cover shoot with Schon Magazine.
====== Mary J Blige ======
* May 2021 , Blige wore custom Laurel DeWitt metal corset for her Sun Goddess Wines campaign.
* September 2021, more photos were released from the Sun Goddess Wines campaign, where Blige wore little other than Laurel Dewitt body chains.
====== Megan thee Stallion ======
* June 2019, Megan wore a full Laurel Dewitt outfit to the BET Awards.
* June 2019, Megan wore a Laurel Dewitt hat at Summer Jam (festival)|Summer Jam.
* July 2020, Megan wore a custom Laurel DeWitt outfit in Legendary (TV series)|Legendary on HBO
* March 2021, Megan Thee Stallion|Megan wore custom Laurel DeWitt bra, panties, cuffs, and choker for a photoshoot used on her merchandise. 
====== Nicki Minaj ======
* June 2014, Nicki Minaj|Minaj wore Laurel DeWitt top to the 2014 BET Awards while performing Pills and Potions.
* August 2014, Minaj released her Music Video for Anaconda (song)|Anaconda, where she wore a Laurel DeWitt gold chain top.
* December 2020, Minaj wore a custom Laurel DeWitt crystal headpiece for her Christmas photoshoot with her husband Kenneth Petty. The custom headpiece was inspired by a vintage Christian Dior headpiece worn by Lauryn Hill.
====== Normani ======
* January 2020, Normani wore a Laurel DeWitt belt and hand pieces in the Diamonds Music Video with Megan Thee Stallion for Birds of the Prey: Album.
* July 2021, Normani released her Wild Side Music Video which featured her and a dancer wearing matching Laurel DeWitt crystal embellished sets.
* September 2021, Normani wore a number of pieces made from produce assembled by Laurel DeWitt on set for her Allure magazine cover.
====== Offset ======
* December 2018, Offset (rapper)|Offset's birthday party, the Set Gala, he wore Laurel DeWitt custom gold face mask, crown, wings, and belt. His models at the show also wore a number of Laurel DeWitt pieces. Offset wore other crystal encrusted masks by Laurel Dewitt during this time.
* February 2019, Offset released his album, Father of 4|Father Of 4, with the cover art showing off himself and his children all wearing Laurel Dewitt crowns.
* February 2019, Offset wore a Laurel Dewitt headpiece in promotional shoots for his album, Father of 4. 
====== Saweetie ======
* November 2020, Saweetie wore a custom Laurel DeWitt Bra in the Cover Art for her Back to the Streets|Back to The Streets single, and the same bra was featured in the Back to the Streets Music Video with Jhené Aiko|Jhene Aiko.
* January 2021, Saweetie wore Laurel DeWitt top, neck piece, belt, and boots in her Best Friend Music Video with Doja Cat.
====== Tyra Banks ======
* November 2017, Tyra Banks wore a Laurel DeWitt bodysuit for her Paper (magazine)Digital Cover.
Category:Los Angeles Designer
Category:Pratt Institute alumni
Category:Grammy Award winners