New York City’s Javits Center played host to a dazzling array of Hollywood talent this weekend as New York Comic Con drew massive crowds and heavy-hitting stars to Manhattan. Among the high-profile attendees were cinematic icons and television favorites ranging from Sarah Paulson to Nicolas Cage. Yet, one of the most anticipated events on the weekend’s bustling schedule was the spotlight panel for the upcoming Prime Video miniseries Blade Runner 2099. Gathering on stage yesterday to discuss the secretive and highly anticipated sci-fi project was a powerhouse ensemble cast featuring Michelle Yeoh, Matthew Needham, Dimitri Abold, and Hunter Schafer.
While the panel offered eager fans rare insights into the mood and scale of the new television continuation of the legendary cyberpunk franchise, it also delivered a major moment for fashion enthusiasts. Hunter Schafer, an actor whose boundary-pushing red carpet and convention appearances are closely watched by the industry, proved once again why she is considered a modern style icon. Known for bringing stellar looks to fan conventions—including her widely praised Marc Jacobs ensemble at San Diego Comic Con this past summer—Schafer elevated convention style to haute couture heights. For her appearance in Manhattan, she stepped out in a striking Prada look pulled straight from the runway in Milan just weeks after its official debut.
The fashion world has been abuzz since Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons debuted their spring collection in Milan, with critics and consumers alike obsessing over the design duo’s vibrant, zingy assortment of skirts and contemporary silhouettes. Securing a garment from such an influential collection immediately after its debut is no small feat, but it comes as little surprise that a dedicated Prada muse like Schafer was among the first to wear it. Working closely with her stylist, Dara Allen, Schafer selected Look 35 from the runway lineup: a graphic pink and black pencil skirt paired dynamically with a minty green and black tube top. Staying faithful to the original styling seen on the Milan runway, she completed the ensemble with patent mule stilettos that lent the entire outfit an effortless, slightly nostalgic 1990s aesthetic.
It is certainly common practice for major actors to wear fresh-off-the-runway designer garments while embarking on high-profile press tours for upcoming films and television series. However, securing pieces from the absolute defining show of the season while attending a comic and pop culture convention remains an impressive coup. For Schafer, whose creative and professional relationship with Prada spans years of campaigns and red-carpet appearances, premiering some of the fashion house’s most coveted new designs is a natural extension of her partnership with the brand. As anticipation continues to build for the release of Blade Runner 2099, Schafer’s latest sartorial statement ensures that the series is making waves in the worlds of both science fiction and high fashion well before it hits television screens.