When she's not stealing scenes in Hollywood, it's Chase Sui Wonders's part-time job to make fashion girls jealous. On December 9, the actor outdid herself in a 11-year-old Prada coat straight from Rihanna's personal archive.
New York City's The Breuer welcomed Wonders at Sotheby's Creators and Collectors Dinner—her first festive soirée of the season. Her look was nowhere near your average holiday party outfit, but a piece of pop star history. Stylist Thomas Carter Phillips helped her track down a shearling-embellished hero piece from Prada's Fall 2014 collection. Teddy bear-ish fur was an overarching motif throughout the 40-look line, but this leather duffle coat stood out for its two-tone trim.
Tan shearling decorated each statement lapel, before turning blood red atop The Studio star's cuffs, patch pockets, and thigh-grazing hem. Wonders proved the "coat is the outfit" claim correct, just as Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Lawrence, Taylor Swift, and even Rihanna have this month. Still, her fuzzy V-neck sweater and matching skirt deserve honorable mentions.
Were it not for the coat's eye-catching fur, the revival might've slipped under Marie Claire's radar. But nearly 12 years ago, Rihanna styled Wonders's exact Prada piece at Miu Miu's Fall 2014 show.
It must've caught her eye on Prada's runway, which debuted just two weeks before Miu Miu. Before finding her seat in the front row, RiRi gave the yellow-and-red fur a proper close-up. Its button-less closure revealed a plunging V-neck sweater dress underneath—another Prada Fall 2014 pick.
Nowadays, she would've used the open neckline to her advantage and frost herself in five-figure necklaces aplenty. In March 2014, the Grammy winner pulled off a purple satin neckerchief instead. Over-the-knee socks made Rihanna's platform ankle-strap pumps—also in black—almost invisible. The combination mirrored Balenciaga's pantaboots, which at the time, Demna hadn't invented yet.
Neither Wonders nor Rihanna took direct styling cues from the runway. Originally, the model stacked the shearling coat atop a purple satin slip, plus a black neck scarf. Strappy patent leather sandals ended the Fall 2014 outfit on a surprisingly unseasonal note.
Rihanna is everyone's fashion blueprint, even up-and-coming It girls like Wonders. Earlier this week, Tyla took a page from RiRi's look book: She carried a limited-edition Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Speedy 30 to the airport. The "Umbrella" singer owns the same top-handle tote, except in black with multi-color monogram. Now, Wonders just needs a rare purse to complete her Rihanna homage.
