I'm so lucky to have awesome relationships with costume designers, many whom I've worked with for many, many years. It's always thrilling to get a text with a request for a a piece of jewelry from my handmade jewelry Peggy Li Creations. But a few weeks ago, the request was a little different. It was a challenge I did not expect!
Steffany, working on the hit Fox show Empire, texted me this image and the message, "Can you make the charms on this belt?"
Whoa. Prince? Empire planned a special season 4 episode with a tribute to the Purple One, with the Lyon family holding a Prince-themed birthday party for baby Bella. At first, they were asking for just the charms, but over the course of our conversation it became clear they needed the whole belt. And, per usual, they needed it within a week or two!
So I gathered my tools (and my wits) and got to work! First I traced out the shapes I wanted onto paper, which I then cut out. Using a glue stick, I affixed these templates onto my sterling silver sheet. With my trusty GreenLion saw, I set about getting those shapes released!
A few hours of sawing, filing and hammering later, I had a pretty cool collection of oversized Prince-themed charms.
Just bits and pieces of silver and lots of dust.
The finished, assembled belt complete with flower, peace sign, guitar, dove, heart, cross and male/female symbol. Which symbol is your favorite?
One of the iconic Prince looks that inspired the Empire costume department, from his 1989 LoveSexy tour, which supported his album of the same name.
The final product, which aired on the Empire season 4 episode "Bleeding War". Star Jussie Smollett as Jamal Lyon and Bryshere Gray as Hakeem Lyon sing a cover of "Let's Go Crazy" for baby Bella and the Lyon clan. Empire also stars Taraji Henson as Cookie Lyon and Terrence Howard as Lucious Lyon.
More polka dots from Prince. How do you think the Empire crew did? All of the looks at the party were so amazing and on point. It doesn't hurt that an executive producer and show director Sanaa Hamri was a friend of Prince and even worked with him on his music video for "Musicology".
I loved working on this special costume design project and was thrilled to see it come to life on the show. Hope you loved it too! Check out more of the jewelry designs I've made that have been seen on TV back on my website.
xoxo
Peggy
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