Tiffany Haddish knows how to deliver the laughs, but there’s one part of her getting-ready routine that she says is essential to get into the right headspace.
“It’s my personal feel-good music,” Haddish, 45, told Us Weekly at FGI’s 29th Annual Rising Star Awards in New York City. “Not even my team hears it. It’s in my AirPods.”
So, what’s on the top secret playlist? “None of your business!” the Girls Trip star quipped before spilling the real surprise. “It’s basically Hz tones — 420, 480, 550.”
Haddish, who hosted the Rising Star Awards ceremony, says it typically takes her two hours to get ready to emcee a high-profile event — and that’s with a team handling hair, makeup and wardrobe.
“A lot of people will be pulling on you, and you need to be in a good space mentally and spiritually in order to handle that,” she explained. “Especially on those lady days! You really just want to fight people because you’re dying. There’s a funeral happening, and nobody knows but you!”
FGI’s star-studded luncheon honored rising talents in fashion, beauty, accessories and fine jewelry. Among them was Texas-born designer Lee Evans Lee, founder of Mrs Momma Bear, a brand redefining modern workwear with a blend of ranch-ready durability and runway-inspired style. A fifth-generation West Texas rancher, Lee transitioned from life on the ranch to the fashion world, creating a line that combines the comfort of activewear with the elegance of high fashion.
“I’m actually here to promote dreamers, creativity, and working together,” Lee said. “The core of the brand is reaching a hand down and lifting everybody up. My brand statement is we’re with love. So everything I do is with love.”
This year’s ceremony drew a stylish crowd of designers, executives, and tastemakers, including Elie Tahari, Dennis Basso, Fern Mallis, Gary and Cole Wassner, Cyril Verdavainne, Frederick Anderson, Jonathan Cohen, Ken Downing, James Aguiar, Joanna Coles, Micaela Erlanger, NJ Falk and many others.
Robert Chavez, former president and CEO of Hermès Americas, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. With over 45 years of experience in the retail industry, including 24 years leading Hermès Americas, Chavez highlighted how the fashion industry’s ability to adapt and pivot during changing times has been crucial to enduring success.
“Whatever’s on the horizon, they’re always looking at that horizon and saying, ‘OK, so this is changing, that’s changing,’” Chavez said. “If you look at what’s happened over the decades, brands that have popped up were created for a reason. It’s still happening today — and that’s what this business is all about. And it’s very inspiring to see how quickly people can adapt and pivot.”
