What makes as style star within a year filled with rapid fire trends cycling in and out? Authenticity. Rather than letting the clothes wear them, the 10 women we’ve selected have been donning runway and custom looks for a myriad of occasions with an air of distinction and grace. Stylists such as Jaheel Weaver, the duo Micah McDonald and Wayman Bannerman, and Jason Bolden, to name a few, have spearheaded these memorable looks.
This list is a wide array of women from celebrities to athletes to internet personalities. Tennis champ Naomi Osaka who threw us for a loop (in a good way) with her 2024 Paris Olympics looks. The pleasant surprise was a constant for last year’s “It” Girl Rihanna, who stunned at the 2024 British Fashion Awards in an archival Christian Lacroix ensemble. Meanwhile, actress and singer Cynthia Erivo embodied her Wicked character Elphaba with the help of her stylist, Bolden. Her green looks weren’t redundant at all, instead we found them refreshing.
Nara Smith is another deserving fashion connoisseur who has been on our radar for quite some time. Her soothing voice paired with runway looks as she creates foods and the like from scratch in her viral videos are both cheeky and original. While many might not enjoy the act of getting dressed just to stay home, Smith brings an amusing component to it in her content. Supermodel Anok Yai’s red carpet looks which ranged from edgy to elegant with ease granted her a spot alongside actress Sheryl Lee Ralph who’s been working with her daughter, Ivy Coco Maurice to create red carpet moments that are just as unforgettable.
Keep scrolling to see who else made it to our ESSENCE “Style Star” superlative of 2024.
Vice President Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris had a presidential run that was filled with style. While keeping it professional she brought us fashion moments that the internet couldn’t even ignore. From her tan Chloé suit that might have been a call back to former President Barack Obama’s tan suit during a briefing that received a negative reaction to other key moments, Mrs. Harris was unafraid to take a few departures from her regular attire. Harris’s uniform this year largely consisted of suits in hues of deep navy, red, tan, and black from brands like Christopher John Rogers, Sergio Hudson, and Pyer Moss, styled by the duo Matthew and Reginald Reisman. Those suits will always be remembered as a symbol of a powerful woman.
Rihanna
This year and every year before the singer and entrepreneur has been on “Best Dressed” lists galore. Rihanna is a fashion maven. In 2024, due to her longtime stylist and creative director Jaheel Weaver she wore looks from Bottega Veneta plus Alaïa. She also arrived in an eloquent Christian Lacroix archival look for this year’s 2024 British Fashion Awards. The feathery blue ensemble was striking as it stole the show, and she wasn’t even nominated. From her pregnancy style elevating the scene for other upcoming mothers to her always sensual yet effortless boundary-pushing looks, it’s always safe to say she always keeps everyone on their toes.
Danielle Deadwyler
This year The Piano Lesson actress Danielle Deadwyer was off to the races with Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald. Many of her looks in 2024 were show-stopping and they served as enthralling moments that showcased her versatility.
A chocolate brown halter style Gucci dress with gold accents which she wore for a Netflix film premiere stood out to us. Deadwyler donned looks that were experimental from her Academy Awards red carpet appearance in an iridescent strapless Giorgio Armani gown to a black Prada dress with silver adornments offering another décolletage moment. Every single one of her red carpet moments this year were top tier.
Jodie Turner-Smith
Actress Jodie Turner-Smith hasn’t had a miss once this year. Her black plunging neckline gown from Gucci at the Vanity Fair Oscars after party to her cream lace gown designed by Daniel Lee for Burberry for the Met Gala, and her Burberry crystal-covered gown paired with a brown textured fur coat solidified her best dressed status. She’s been styled mostly by the duo Micah McDonald and Wayman Bannerman this year. Turner-Smith dresses in a way that is authentic to her personal style which reads as playful and sensual. The actress isn’t one to shy away from a bold shade or intricate shape which proves that she is a fashion lover worth paying attention to.
Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo’s Wicked press run has brought out looks we haven’t stopped thinking about. She wears green hues to stay on theme. She wore a number of memorable green looks including a floral Valentino ensemble with touches of green and purple, a neon green Carolina Herrara strapless gown embellished with crystals and a puff sleeve cape that cascaded to the ground. Not to be forgotten was a Louis Vuitton two-piece designed in a luxe satin texture. This year she also wore another green Louis Vuitton gown with a cutout and a fringe covered cape in the same hue. Her stylist Jason Bolden created expansive style moments for Erivo that will forever be remembered.
Anok Yai
Very rarely do you see a model captivate photographers on a celebrity filled red carpet, but Yai has solidified her prowess as such. She wore a Galliano look to the King’s Trust Gala that conveyed utter opulence with a jacquard print in a sheen material and fringe throughout her dress. Her all-black look by John Galliano at the the 2024 British Awards to her off-duty looks where she casually wears runway Ferragamo on the way to an event or dinner, Yai sticks out in a sea of supermodels who often choose to go for off-duty looks inspired by the 1990s.
Nara Smith
Nara Smith has worn a number of runway pieces like a pink and black Chanel suit. She’s also been spotted in a pink mock neck Miu Miu set, a luxe red textured ensemble from Seleeza London, a baby pink Prada lace and pearl dress with a matching hat, another textured purple dress from Cult Gaia, and a stunning white halter style, and form-fitting dresses in her videos in the past. Smith’s viral videos led the model to becoming someone who frequents star-studded red carpets. At the 2024 CFDA Awards she was seen in head-to-toe Ralph Lauren look consisting of a back cutout dress. While at the 2024 British Fashion Awards she wore a drop waist sparkling gown from H&M studio. Her darling Bottega Veneta dress that was reminiscent of styles from the 1950s with its three quarter puff sleeves was equally stunning.
Naomi Osaka
Tennis star Naomi Osaka has been stepping up her game in more ways than one. Her pink Lirika Matoshi mini dress she posted on Instagram channeled her inner Barbie. She was seen in a Western-inspired black and white ensemble complete with a cowboy hat and tie for a GQ event this year. Another notable moment? Her textured Louis Vuitton gown with deconstructed fringe and a structured hemline for the 2024 Baby2Baby Gala. Next, her Paris Olympics look was stunning from her very first match wearing a neon green bow on the back of her Nike shirt and ruffles underneath her tennis skirt. She took fashion to the tennis court much like her iconic predecessors. The chic looks from Osaka this year felt like a natural progression and elevation simultaneously.
Angel Reese
WNBA star Angel Reese shows up and shows out in the tunnel and on the red carpet. Reese’s personal style has been blooming all year long. Her latest outing at this year’s Footwear News Achievement Awards which she attended in a sheer corset and black suit by Area was a hit all over the internet. At a recent basketball game she wore a white Prada button down paired with a black fur coat, a mini red Chanel bag and angular burgundy heels. The red Diotima dress she wore to th2 2024 Victoria’s Secret runway show was a signifier that she’s leaning into more polished ensembles.
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph has been tugging on our hearts with her smile on Abbott Elementary and her style moments have kept us tuned in. Her daughter Ivy Coco Maurice has been styling Ralph for each of her appearances all year long. However, this year Ivy’s styling has reigned supreme with Ralph looking incredible with every appearance. For instance, Sheryl donned a cream strapless Sophie Couture gown at the Academy Museum Gala and a custom Versace black halter dress for this year’s Emmys. A vintage 1990’s Tadashi Shoji dress paired with a Valentino coat for Jimmy Kimmel Live! was another stellar moment.
Throughout the year we’ve seen her dressed in brands like Sergio Hudson, Jacquemus, Christopher Siriano for the Emmys, and CD Green for the Critic’s Choice Awards. Ivy’s execution has been incredibly intentional with attention to detail.
