“I told myself I was never going to wear white until my wedding,” Liza Koshy tells me from her glam chair, “but I let that go.” It’s amazing what the right dress can make you do. The actress and TV personality attended her first CFDA Awards last night on the arm of Emerging Designer of the Year Nominee Bach Mai, ensconced in the milky froth of a dress from his recently debuted Spring ‘24 collection.
The two creative forces connected via Koshy’s stylist Jacqueline Zenere, and subsequently discovered a slew of commonalities. As children of immigrants, both grew up in Houston and count themselves fans of their hometown’s Viet-Cajun cuisine. “I think he’s my brother,” Koshy laughs. “I love being able to take a little piece of my home and represent it proudly on the carpet tonight.”
Propped up by 8-inch platform heels (we’re not exaggerating), Koshy looks like an ethereal statue in the floral-appliqued bodice and draped ivory skirt. The angelic quality is not purely aesthetic in intention; Mai designed this as a tribute to the father he lost four months prior. The elegance of the dress contrasts both her super-sized stiletto boots and her relaxed, jubilant attitude for the night ahead. Set to the tune of “Cobra” by Megan Thee Stallion, Koshy took us along on her seemingly chaotic yet surprisingly tame getting-ready regimen, from shopping for bras at Target to a glass of Moët & Chandon in the car to grabbing post-award-show snacks with the designer.
