Samantha bee and the symbol of a structured shoulder – WWD

When Samantha Bee was doing pilot shows for her late-night show, “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,” the Canadian-born satirist, felt pressure to follow nominal precepts. belong to TV embodying glamor, opted for a pattern statement that is the complete opposite of her essence.

“I was ready to wrap myself up in a tube skirt and a pair of high heels,” she recalls. “I was stumbling around the set. The heels are so spiked, they puncture the floor and get stuck.”

Observing this burned wardrobe, network executives gently suggested that she try on what she was wearing in rehearsal: a felt jacket and sneakers.

As anyone who’s watched Bee’s TBS show knows, the sweatshirt looks uncomfortable. And as the show marks its 200th episode on Wednesday, the Bee has continued to transform the once pedestrian men’s essential into a symbol of feminist power. Whether it’s the red of the fire engine for Donald Trump’s floors, the classic black after the Capitol riots on January 6, or the canary yellow to represent corporate America’s record for paid leave. salary, Bee’s coat is a satire for patriarchy.

She said in a phone interview this week from Acela to Washington, DC, where she hopes there’s enough daylight to shoot a segment for the 200th episode.

“It’s like armor against the world,” she added. “It protects but it says something.”

Coco Chanel first recognized the legitimacy of women’s blazers in 1914, when she paired an ankle-length skirt with a tailored jacket. Fifty years later, André Courrèges introduces the first women’s clothing set. The 1970s tunics – bright prints, lace-up belts, bell bottoms – gave way to 1980s padded shoulder pads.

More recently, overalls have undergone a metamorphosis. Hillary Clinton’s more elaborate monochromatic suits have become – to her detractors – a metaphor for her cyborg sham. But in the post-MeToo era, women’s suits have become a symbol of unity and company. Think of the sea of ​​miserable white suits at Donald Trump’s 2019 State of the Union speech.

“It’s a powerful piece,” explains “Full Frontal” costume director Erin Dougherty. “Sam feels good in it. It is located at the waist. It has a shoulder on it. You can feel yourself wearing it. And because of the tailoring and construction, it gives you automatic power. A feeling of confidence. ”

After six seasons, “Full Frontal” had about 100 blazers rotated. Favorite brands include Alexander McQueen, Tibi, Saint Laurent, Rag & Bone, Dries Van Noten, the classic Balmain two-piece and Stella McCartney, for the brand’s sustainable aesthetic and bright colors. There are also occasions that require a private look. Bee wore a custom Altuzarra black and ivory tux for her first Not A White House Correspondent dinner in 2017, which was showcased at the Newseum in Washington, DC. For the 2018 dinner, they ordered a custom coat, made by the show’s tailor Lars Nord. The fabric is an homage to John Galliano’s newsprint dress for Dior (worn by Sarah Jessica Parker famously in the third season of “Sex and the City”).

Bee admits to being somewhat obsessed with his outerwear. “I almost have a photographic memory of coats that have come and gone over the years,” she said. “It’s very strange. It’s like a unique skill for me.”

A few years ago, Dougherty sold about 40 coats (plus a bunch of dresses worn by the Bee in the press schedule) to The RealReal, with the proceeds going to charity. “I probably got rid of too many coats,” she lamented.

That would include a navy blue and white polka dot coat by Akris. Dougherty says, “Sometimes Sam will say, ‘Oh, take that polka dot I like… ‘.

But for the most part, they bonded with “the people you love,” including a burgundy print by Dries Van Noten; a bright yellow Stella McCartney; a Gucci embellished with velvet, crystal (Bee also wore it at last year’s Emmy Awards) and a green Kelly Balmain, which arrives every March. Dougherty commented: “Everything can be reused at the right time and place. “And that is another reason why I cling to things. Everything has some moments. ”

For his part, Bee is enjoying the post-Trump moment — even if it turns out to be just a collective one.

“It was just too much,” she said of doing comedy in such dark and angry times. “It really feels like a bull’s-eye in your face every day. I really regret that we still have to talk about him somewhat, because he is still a looming, stalking presence. But I feel liberated because he’s not president anymore. We are having a lot more fun. We’re living our lives, we can see more of the show. It has really helped us mentally, personally. ”

Bee won’t reveal many details from the 200th episode except maybe she got a tattoo to commemorate the occasion. Season six ends next week; season seven on January 20. Bee has yet to decide what jacket to wear for the December 15 season finale.

“I am really proud and happy to be here,” she said. “There is no way that you launch a TV show and think, Yeah, we’re going to make 200 of these. You just can’t think of those terms at all.

“But I will say, now we have an incredible collection of beautiful coats,” she added. “Even when no one wears them anymore. I will still wear them. I’ll be that little old lady pushing my buggy, and rocking a wonderfully structured shoulder. “