There was buzz behind the scenes at the American Music Awards that lifetime-achievement award winner Diana Ross was a supreme fashion diva — but a top stylist who met with her says it was a dream come true.
Ross consulted with one of the music world’s most of-the-moment stylists, we hear, for the AMAs — Zendaya and Demi Lovato style guru and “America’s Next Top Model” judge Law Roach — but decided instead to go with her own looks, landing her on endless worst-dressed lists.
“With her busy schedule, rehearsals and just the ‘Diana-ness’ of it all . . . fittings were pushed off until [the] day of the AMAs,” an insider said, adding, “Roach was hard at work pulling in dresses, having couture ateliers alter or create custom pieces, selecting accessories to pair with each look . . . Doing what he does best.”
But, “Ross refused look after look,” the spy said. “After hours . . . they agreed to disagree . . . and Dame Diana was left to her own devices.”
However, Roach told us that Ross was always meant to wear her own gear, and, of any alleged diva behavior, “It’s not true . . . Everybody knows Diana Ross dresses herself. We met to talk about options and to introduce her to new designers. I knew 100 percent she’d probably wear her own clothes. It was just getting to know her.”
He added, “She was so nice and gracious. She was not a diva at all. She is an icon and a reference . . . I could barely breathe or talk in her presence.” Another source says that Roach may still dress her in the future. “It’s a ‘dating process.’ ”
A source close to Ross explained that the star “always styles herself and personally designs her own pieces for each performance and appearance. Many individuals, accessory companies and designers submitted pieces and ideas for consideration. No one was commissioned to style her. [She] chose what she had originally planned to wear and thanked everyone for their interest.”
Ross brought down the house, but fashion glossy Cosmo summed up: “When you’re Diana Ross, you can wear whatever you want. Even if this is what you want.”
