Please read the following sentence to answer the question: "I was born to flex (Yes) / Diamonds on my neck / I like boardin' jets, I like mornin' sex (Woo!) / But nothing in this world that I like more than checks." Is there anything more aspirational in the English language than these four lines by Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar? The correct answer is no and you can call her Cardi B.
We digress.
On Friday, the Bronx rapper dropped her 'Money' music video and, as expected, B did not hold back — especially when it came to what she wore. She turned several looks, included an embroidered breast-feeding friendly, couture-worthy evening gown, and even brought back some of her iconic red carpet looks to put on display.
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But it was British designer Christian Cowan's creation that stole the show: an outfit made entirely of gold watches. The designer, who has dressed B a dozen times throughout her career and designed the look she wore on the single's artwork gave us the rundown on the accessory that the singer presented in the video as a museum piece. Fun fact: Rihanna once passed on it for a shoot for British Vogue and called it "the most ghetto shit" that she's "ever seen in her life" (which sounds like a compliment to us).
"The watch concept was inspired by social media and how it's become this platform to show off wealth for so many," Cowan told Refinery29, exclusively. "It's all about parodying the culture of showing off your watch and wealth on Instagram. It’s a concept I’ve been wanting to do for ages — from my Giuseppe Zanotti line to when Rihanna set the internet alight with her comments about the initial gloves — so I was happy I got to continue this with Cardi."
Cowan, who has dressed everyone from B to Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Rihanna herself and recently competed in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, also detailed just went in to the making of the look.
90 watches were used to create the bodysuit and Nefertiti-style hat, with most of them actually ticking and others made from intricate beadwork to resemble an actual watch. The designer claimed it was hard to create and expensive to transport due to its weight, which Cowan estimates to be around 15 lbs. But it's clear that didn't stop B from making it work, and well, getting that money.
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