ESSENCE.com was front row and center at one of the hottest celebrity runway shows, The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection. The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease, the number one killer of women. Twenty A-list celebrities walked the catwalk in support of the cause including, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Cicely Tyson, Tori Spelling, Hilary Duff, Daisy Fuentes, Katie Couric and more.
By Qianna Smith
“My grandfather died of heart disease, so I am here to create heart and health awareness,” dishes the lovely Nia Long backstage as she gets her hair and makeup done before the show.
Celebrity hairstylist Andrea, who’s work as been featured not only on the runway, but in Vogue, Vibe and Shape magazines, lent her magic touch to Nia Long’s tresses and created soft, long, ringlet curls for the star to give her look a touch of romance.
“We know in the African-American community heart disease is very prevalent, especially once you get 40. You need to watch our blood pressure and watch what you eat. We need our ladies around,” shares Vivica A. Fox, pictured backstage with J Alexander, runway expert and judge on “America’s Next Top Model.”
This is the sixth annual Red Dress Collection Fashion Show, and Nia Long was getting primped backstage with Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. She chatted with ESSENCE.com about the importance of younger women getting serious about their heart health. Women of color continue to have higher rates of some risk factors for heart disease and are more likely to die of the disease.
Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actress Cicely Tyson was backstage with designer b. michael, who created this one-of-a-kind couture gown for the star.
The legendary Cicely Tyson is hardly shy of the catwalk. Tyson began her career as a model before her stage debut in the 1950’s production “Dark of the Moon.”
February is American Heart Month and this year’s Heart Truth runway show featured designs by America’s top designers for women’s heart health. Nia Long works the runway wearing a strapless Tracy Reese dress designed especially for the show.
“I love Jenny Packman; she represents red hot and wet, the way I like to represent on the red carpet. She knows how to dress a woman, and a woman with curves, and I’m just happy she loaned me the dress for this wonderful event. Jenny has done a lot of my fashions. She designed for my fashion show Glam God and said I could alter the dress; I could do whatever I wanted to it. So you know Vivica has to add a little slit—BAM,” says the star with a laugh.
The crowd went wild when a glam Vivica A. Fox appeared on the runway brimming with self-confidence and sex appeal. Our favorite foxy lady wore a Jenny Packman design. This year, Fox will host the TV Land reality show “The Cougar.”
