Michaela Coel was a complete stunner last night (Sept. 19) at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards. Before making history as the first Black woman to take home the award for outstanding writing in a limited or anthology series or movie, she posed it up in a custom two-piece gown crafted by Black designer Christopher John Rogers.
The vibrant look, styled by Zekina Akers, featured a neon yellow tea-length column skirt and bralette in cotton twill and wrapped in silk organza. The organza was also used to transform her bralette into a floor-grazing bow train for added drama.
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She completed the look with neon yellow pumps and graphic neon eyeliner. Rogers called Coel his “personal icon.”
“Thank you to my FABULOUS team for turning this out impeccably!” he wrote on Instagram.
Coel’s win for her HBO show I May Destroy You was not only historic, but also personal after her battle to even get the show picked up and produced. It was reported last year that she turned down a Netflix deal after the streaming services refused to allow her to retain any percentage of the show’s copyright (that she had conceived and written based on her personal story of sexual assault).
Coel was only one of two Black actors who took home an award last night. (RuPaul also won for his RuPaul’s Drag Race competition show).
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She encouraged writers to own their voice in her acceptance speech before dedicating her win to all survivors of sexual assault.
“Write the tale that scares you, that makes you feel uncertain, that is uncomfortable. I dare you. In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us determine how we feel about ourselves, and see in turn still the need to be constantly visible, for visibility these days seems to show equate to success,” she said. “Do not be afraid to disappear, from it, from us, for a while and see what comes to you in the silence.”
Stephenetta Harmon is a Black beauty editor, curator, and digital media and communications expert who builds platforms to celebrate the power, impact, and business of Black beauty. Prior to founding Sadiaa Black Beauty Guide, she served as editor-in-chief for the MN Spokesman-Recorder and digital media director for Hype Hair. Find her at stephenetta.com.