Cardi B is known for bringing runway looks to the red carpet, but on Saturday she made a surprise appearance on the catwalk itself.

Modeling a bold floor-length blue coat and sparkling diamond jewelry, the rapper made her fashion show debut for Balenciaga as the label shut down a stretch of Los Angeles’ South Windsor Boulevard for a star-studded presentation.

“Yesterday was a dream!” she wrote on Instagram on Sunday, addressing the Spanish brand and its creative director Demna Gvasalia.

“I had too much fun storming your runway!” Earlier on X, formerly Twitter, she posted a shot of herself walking the catwalk alongside the pun, “On my way to chic fil A!”

Cardi B was joined on the tree-lined outdoor runway by models including Liu Wen and Mariacarla Boscono, marking the first time the brand has ever held a show in LA.

The rapper, whose second studio album is expected next year, has a reputation for both elegant haute couture and over-the-top fashion statements — such as the vintage oyster-inspired Mugler dress she wore to the Grammys in 2019.

Vogue magazine’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has previously praised the 31-year-old’s style, identifying her burgundy Thom Browne gown as a standout look at that year’s Met Gala.

Priced at $7,950, the faux-fur off-the-shoulder coat she modelled on Saturday is part of Balenciaga’s new pre-fall 2023 collection. Elsewhere, wide-ranging looks spanned baggy, layered “neo-grunge” ensembles and structural evening gowns.

The show signalled a marked move toward activewear — with shorts, bra tops and leggings among the latest offerings — while a “jersey section” took inspiration from 2000s-style velour tracksuits, the label said.

[Source: CNN]