Beyoncé’s newest world tour almost went without her to-die-for opening-night outfit. A one-legged jumpsuit in silvery cobra. No fittings. New York designer Rubin Singer locates special rare skins in Europe and Asia, then moulds and fashions them himself. In his workplace. On her mannequin.
Her Eighth army of stylists, scouring America and abroad for top couture, discovered this Russian-born genius whose father, Alik, designed for the Bolshoi, whose grandfather whatever-his-name-was outfitted the royal family. It’s in his DNA. The talent’s in Rubin’s jeans.
European customs and paperwork heart-stoppingly blocked Beyoncé’s priceless one-of-a-kind handmade outfit. Why, who knows? If lost or shanghai’d, it couldn’t fit another performer like, say, for instance, Björk — and yet en route European entry was refused. Everyone went nuts until it arrived.
So after she moves, gyrates, jumps or sweats in it, what happens to it subsequently? After the One Big Night, she maybe doesn’t even wear the thing again. Few have desperate need for a one-legged shiny cobra jumpsuit. Maybe it’s hacked down to a onesie for Baby Blue Ivy.
As for Rubin Singer, he’s running hot. At a recent Paris showing, he sold $200,000 in wardrobe.
Keeping track of tube watching
Airing in April, Marilu Henner plays Robin Williams’ ex-wife on his CBS-TV thing “The Crazy Ones” . . . “Glee” co-opted Serendipity for a future episode. “Gleeks,” or fans, watched owner Stephen Bruce grab a role . . . On Lex in the 60s, Katie Holmes filmed an ABC pilot for a “Dangerous Liaisons”-esque high-society drama . . . May not come up in conversation, but this date in 1820 Anne Brontë’s born. Anne, Emily, Charlotte’s sisterly poems were published under pseudonyms.
Buying bulk
PEOPLE read mechanically. The economy’s not glossy. Paper magazines aren’t turning a page. Downtown Utahns aren’t unloading $5 to slaver over $5,000 handbags. Delivered cheaply via a wholesaler, the bulk is newsstand sales. Mailed subscriptions are costly. Fat Kim, of sex tape fame, and foulmouthed Kanye will cause canceled subscriptions, but Vogue’s skinny-ass editor wins. The issue will sell on newsstands.
Life goes on
Dubya’s out of work, Bloomy’s out of mayoring, Quinn’s out of City Hall, Kelly’s out of police headquarters. Mama Bear Barbara Bush: “Everybody should stop whining if they’re out of whatever. Life doesn’t end after a job does. People still attend your charity events. Still kind and nice on the streets. My only complaint’s that I can’t mingle in stores and be a private person.”
Odds & ends
Rivals bleat CBS has elderly viewers. No. Although I hear Ch. 2’s eye may be off the screen a day while they remove a cataract . . . HOW Chrissy Teigen winds down before bed: “With red wine and Bravo!”. . . Sting: “Yoga’s great. It’s like music. There’s no end to it.”. . . NEXT month Christie’s auctions the estate of Kenneth Battelle, whose once famous salon Kenneth’s did Jackie, Marilyn, Streisand’s hairs.
Last week, cutting me off, an aged, overweight white-haired lady rode past. She was bundled in a long, expensive dark ranch mink coat, hem flaps tucked underneath the butt. Her route? 57th and Park heading uptown. On the sidewalk. Pedaling a Citi Bike.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.