Inside Usher’s ‘Past Present Future’ Tour Looks | Vogue

Until I see you sugar, you know who you are. So many shows, wherever I go, I'm going to keep on looking. I was just playing. See, you guys are, did you leave me in the room with the clothes? I'm going to try everything on. Hershey, baby. Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the wonderful world of you. I'm your usher for this evening. Smart piece. Sorry. We're never going to get there, son. You got to drop an octave down for Marquise. So we're going to get into alter egos and tons of other things. Motivation around the madness of making past, present, future. The two we're going to have some fittings today. We're going to have a conversation about fashion. Two incredible editors, stylists, Jan and Michael Kwame and Joshua Simmons. We were out shopping the other day and we were like looking at references. We had pulled up an album cover and like Jan zooms in and she goes, are these goggles a product? And we would like to ask you, were they products? Yeah, of course they were products. We were trying to figure out like the thing to be known for. Like, you know, because every artist has this one thing that other people can admire. For Michael Jackson, it was a glove. For some people, it was a pair of glasses. It could have been a jacket. I wasn't raised, you know, around top designers. I'm from Chattanooga, Tennessee. So, you know, we were kind of taking bits and pieces from what we saw on television. When I got the opportunity to go to the table, as I didn't really have a budget. It's like, I like those glasses. I like those goggles. Joshua and I are both from New York. That album cover was a cultural moment for New Yorkers. I think you might have gotten it from New Yorkers. Yeah. I'm not sure if it's chicken, egg or egg chicken. Chicken, yeah. OK. Goggles on top of our scullies. Scullies are beanies. That's it, scullies. You said it. Believe it or not, we called it toboggans. Never heard of that. We called it toboggans. The first time I was ever introduced to fashion was Versace. This was an opportunity for me to say, all right, I not only understand fashion, but I'm reaching to try and have some identity. As it relates to the fashion, I want to know how were you guys able to really tell the story and what was the approach? I'm very decisive. I'm like, boom, boom, boom. And Yoshua challenges me a lot to think a little bit deeper and further. I think it was really important for us as a practice, you know, to really marry costume and fashion and thinking about what does that look like on stage. That's a balance, you know. It was extremely important to Yosh and I to work with, like, POC designers. We have designers from China, Europe, New York, all over the globe. And I think that is also past, present, and future to the T. A lot of the designers that we decided to work with, it wasn't just only because they were a minority, because they were great at what they do, actually could supply what's needed for the conversation that has to happen outside of what I do theatrically as a performer. I guess I'm the most rigid about the story. No, no, no, this is a moment and this jacket is kind of explaining the purpose and point of it. There's a bit of fantasy that happens here. You know, I think that we need to push the limit a little bit more. I edit them. They're the editors, but I'm kind of like editing and moving things around and challenging, trying to do things that haven't been done on stage. Which is also a good conversation because it is his baby. It's like his brainchild. It's a 30-year career, man. No, of course. So, you know, he's true to that, but we'll push too and be like, maybe this is a new way to imagine it, but the nuance is still there. I'm like, you don't want to be an alien? And they'll push me and push me. No, no, no. And so I'll put it on, I'm like, OK, yeah, this works. When we're trying on something in our fittings, how do you know it's it? Like, when do you step into the artist and not the dad and the husband? So the moment that I put on the outfit, I look at it like a skin. You know, video gaming is the way this kind of generation works, right? They're skins in Call of Duty that you put on, right? I look at it in a similar manner. It's the curious kid who was running through my grandparents' home and grabbing all of the things that I saw. My grandma was like, why you got his fur coat on? Because I actually think it's cool, but it's dragging the floor. I was always searching. I was like looking for this definition with the access that I had. Same way, putting on this this armor, you know, just gives me a little bit of my superpower. I have a question. Yep. What's the name of your alter ego? Ursha, baby. You know what's funny? I have a couple. Jude Matskiewicz is a guy who I play sometimes. Sorry. Who's he? This is a guy like you right now. Oh. Right? There's this guy Marquise. He's about two octaves down. Oh. Yeah. I'm just Josh. What's your favorite look? Wait, don't ask me first. I literally don't know. My favorite look is custom Louis D. Javier pants. I was so obsessed with. From day one, by the way. From day one, that I had him do two in a different color way. And we're going to see it here with you guys for the first time, which is actually really exciting. What's your favorite look? Ralph made these like couture hand done crystal and sequin denim jeans that they've never, ever, ever done or shown for a guy before. And then they made this like black faux fur coat that goes on top of it. It's just kind of like sexy and easy and feels very rock and roll. What's your favorite look? David Coma. Everything that we've tried on has been interesting. So I don't know, he's really done his homework. And there's a lot of nostalgia here for me. Storytelling, but also too something that elevates. So when I look at everything that was brought, it kind of represents past, present, future. I think it's interesting what our favorite looks are. I think it says a lot about us. That's right. I like the established. She's like the new kids. And what am I? I'm the futuristic alien for sure. You are. A little bit of everything in the best way. You're the culmination of it all, truly. And that's why it was fun to do this. We are designed by our curiosity and our ability to grow in uncomfortable spaces. Sure as my name is Usher and I didn't have a definition for it when I received it, I built my life the same way before I even decided that this would be my trade. This would be what I sold out to and just said, I'm gonna give everything that I possibly can to this artist that I have made up in my mind. I wanna be captivating, a fantasy, uncomparable, push the envelope, grand. I want people to remember what I did. Let's get into my favorite part. Let's try some clothes on. Are fittings your favorite part? No driving you crazy is my favorite part. Yes. Bring in the stuff. Kevin, you can join us. Thanks for joining. Right, like who are you? This is Robert and he's here. This is his jacket. We just got it. Hey. Hey Robert. Hi, I'm Robert. I know, I can't wait to meet you. We're very excited. It's so good to have you here. Good to have you. Good to see you. Good to see you too. Thank you so much. I think this is actually the first custom we've made out of that design. The first. Very special, yeah. Wow. So you're debuting it on stage. There you go. In London. Uh huh. We love that, don't you? Like it's my handwriting as well. Right? Yeah. How's it fit? And then of course the master of ceremony. Gorgeous. I love that we're looking like at the galaxy. That's literally it. I think it's 48,000 crystals that we've used. 48,000 crystals? Yeah, 48,000 crystals. And there's more than like, I think 50,000 sequences as well. Wow. I'm bringing the entire galaxy with me. Yes. This one is like in the quick thing. When they have it. Oh no, it moves a lot faster, right? Change is a whole other professional expertise. That's a whole other career choice. It's a professional expertise. You want the hardest job? We don't know how to do that. That's the hardest job. That job is harder than what I do on stage. Yeah, they're engineers. This goes back to the days of wearing the toboggan or either skull cap. How are you? Good. Very good. Okay. And we do have to hem this a bit too. Yeah, we want this a little shorter. I just never thought someone would just go for it. Absolutely. Yeah, we love. That was something even more personal. This is so good. So good. Curve ball. I think it needs like a zipper. What if it's a zipper and it just falls down? Just can we say that? It needs like a quick change element so that. It comes down. Yeah. Not taken down. Before you go, let me give you one last look at the full. There we go. With the, yeah, the stats. I love the book actually. All the details, everything is there. Amazing. You killed it. Thank you. Well, thank you so much for coming by. We just need to spend a little time figuring out the headpiece. I do think that that's a good idea to stack. You're just gonna like. Yeah. That's heavy though. Hey. Oh, how are you? What's going on? How are you? Okay, glad to meet you. Pleasure, pleasure. Are you two ready? Well, I'm so excited to be here. What in the world is in that bag? Gosh. Yeah. And then it comes with a belt on top, the waist belt and the gloves. Fabulous. This goes on top. Welcome to quick change. This is quick change. This is the first time we're fitting this as well, so. There we go. Okay. So how many belts are on? Oh my God, it's 11 on each leg. Yeah. And then I think from there up is like 10. And you don't come to bed with this one. You got some work to do to get to it, baby. I would love to see a simplified version where you see more of something here. Yeah, okay. This has been great. Thank you so much. I am really looking forward to seeing this show. I can't wait to see you dancing this. Thank you. See you soon. Good luck with everything. Thank you. What would you call little Afra before being saved by his best friend? No lie. Buckle up. It's a wild ride. Are you taking the piss? I'm not, I'm Sam's. It's perfect. I'll see you guys at the show. Peace.