On the heels of her “White Lotus” buzz, actress Haley Lu Richardson is clocking a few notable firsts.
“This is my first fashion week event I’ve ever been to in my life,” said Richardson on Friday morning at the Kate Spade presentation at the Whitney Museum. The actress’ next stop is Milan Fashion Week, followed by a trip to Las Vegas to meet the Jonas Brothers and catch them in concert.
“That’s kind of the biggest thing for me right now,” said Richardson, who self-describes as Nick Jonas’ biggest fan. “I’ve literally been an actor and been in L.A. for 11 years, and I haven’t once been at the same event as them or in the same room. And that was literally one of my goals of being an actor, to meet them. So now it’s finally happening over a decade later.”
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While Kate Spade marks Richardson’s first fashion week moment, she was already a longtime fan of the brand.
“My first wallet ever was a Kate Spade wallet,” she said. “It was the first thing I owned that made me feel womanly and mature and adult. When I think of Kate Spade, I think of that wallet and how it made me feel. It went through a lot of phases, but for the longest time in high school I had it on a lanyard. I don’t know if that’s the most fashionable, but I was in eighth grade.”
Richardson also credited the brand’s new collection for uplifting her early morning mood. Dressed in sunny Kate Spade yellow, the actress was in bright spirits. “Honestly, I was feeling a little bit cranky this morning because I was PMSing. And then I saw all the pretty colors in there, and it made me feel happier, genuinely.”
Other VIP guests checking out Kate Spade’s latest wares included Lana Condor, Emma Roberts, Ziwe, and Quinta Brunson.
“There’s a little purse that says ‘love’ on it and a matching sweater that I saw that I’m really hoping to get my hands on,” enthused Condor after stepping out of the presentation.
The actress, donning a colorful two-piece Kate Spade tweed set, described her off-duty style as “Comfort over all things. I just love to be cozy,” she said. “And I’ve been loving super oversized big jackets, because I feel so strong and powerful.”
Condor, who lives in L.A. and is currently in the middle of renovating her house, plans to catch a few other fashion shows while she’s in town. “I love fashion, and I want to see whats up,” added Condor. “But then I have some downtime, and I’m going to see the Knicks — I’m not a basketball fan, but I am going to see them. I’m going to be like, ‘good job! Make that shot!'”
Later this spring, Condor is heading to Serbia to film her next project. “It’s called ‘Ballerina Overdrive.’ It’s a ballet action movie,” said Condor. “I was a dancer before I became an actor, so I’m excited to see if I can do both.”
