Bombshell (1933) Jean Harlow ascended to her throne as the original blonde bombshell in this screwball comedy about disillusioned actress Lola Burns and her attempts at living a "normal" life. Spoiler: doesn't work out for her.

Gilda (1946) Put the blame on Rita Hayworth, as the sexy, seductive and ultimately dangerous Gilda who comes between two friends. Not only a bombshell, Gilda is also a femme fatale and thus someone has to die at the end.

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) "Sweater Girl" Lana Turner was at her best and sultriest as Cora Smith, a dissatisfied housewife who manipulates a drifter into murdering her husband. No one said being a bombshell was safe, kids.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) What would this list be without the ultimate bombshell, Marilyn Monroe? With fellow explosive lady Jane Russell, Marilyn steams up the screen while befriending diamonds and sugar daddies.

Carmen Jones (1954) Dorothy Dandridge was a rarity in the 50s -- a blacktress who wasn't resigned to roles as domestics. In this all black adaptation of Bizet's opera, Dandridge broke all the rules -- and earned an Oscar nomination (the first Lead Actress nom for an African American, #nbd) -- as the unapologetically sexy title anti-heroine -- though this one ends with death also. I'm sensing a theme...

The Seven Year Itch (1955) Marilyn returns to the list with perhaps her most iconic role and one of the sexiest moments in cinematic history. Since she stood over that subway grate, the world's never been the same.

The Girl Can't Help It (1956) Following the popularity of Seven Year Itch and the blonde bombshell archetype, Hollywood did what it did best and bled a trend for all its worth. Enter Jayne Mansfield and her hypnotizing curves -- which, as the title suggests, she can't help.

...And God Created Woman (1956) Brigitte Bardot, France's answer to Monroe, stars as a highly sexual orphan who takes up with pretty much every man in town; a role which subsequently -- and unsurprisingly -- shot her to overnight stardom and bona fide sex symbol status.

Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) While there's a whole backstory involving cannibalism, lobotomy and homosexuality -- as well as Katharine Hepburn just generally shutting shit down -- the most indelible image from this classic is a buxom Elizabeth Taylor practically sewn into her white swimsuit.

Marriage Italian Style (1964) Sophia Loren scored her second Oscar nomination -- she won in 1962 for Two Women -- as Filumena, a resourceful prostitute determined above anything to get her man. And I mean anything; faking a terminal illness is just the tip of the iceberg.

One Million Years B.C. (1966) Though she only had three lines in the film, Raquel Welch's fur bikini spoke volumes and launched a new age of bombshell.

Barbarella (1968) Along with a scantily-clad Welch, a scantily-clad Jane Fonda (wearing, when she was wearing anything, Paco Rabane, thank you very much) defined the late-60s sexpot and brought a generation of science fiction nerds successfully through puberty.

When I interviewed him over a week ago, Richie Rich said that he wanted to his show to be “like a rock concert” and he certainly delivered with a grand spectacle featuring a harpist, an opera singer, an interpretive dancer, the Harlem James Gang and even a performance by Richie himself.

The collection, divided into two sections, stayed true to Richie’s club kid days while benefiting from design director Angelo Lambrou‘s refinement. The first section mixed Jean Harlow-inspired gowns flaunting slits well past the thigh and some 40s noir-ish silhouettes with sexy sheer tops, micro mini skirts and neon leggings.

The second section, however, was all lingerie, attitude and practically naked boys covered in glitter. The only thing missing was a disco ball dropping from the ceiling of the Hammerstein Ballroom. However, there were enough sequins in the audience to provide a similar effect.

Overall, this was the most fun fashion show I’ve been to in a while.  Richie remarked that he hoped to let “people in who never really get a chance to go to a fashion show.” Well, for those first-timers, this was an experience they won’t soon forget. That is, unless they went to the after party, in which case they probably don’t remember much of anything.

Photos: Christopher Hall

Link: NY Mag