Shannon Thornton Source: Rodin Eckenroth / Getty
Stylist Mickey Boom has been helping Shannon Thornton slay red carpets since 2018. The fashionable pair have forged a friendship that has gifted us some of our favorite red carpet rundown moments. This duo plays with themes, textures, and eras to tell stories with heaps of inclusion. They turn to independent designers and Black accessory makers to elevate their moments.
“I appreciate her for just trusting me,” he said about his connection to Thornton. Their relationship goes beyond just a client and a stylist. He was actually with her when she learned she booked P-Valley. “I was with her when she got the call,” he shared.
A Fashionable Friendship
The pair works together closely. He describes her as someone “truly committed to the craft and the art of fashion storytelling.”
Source: Steve Granitz / Getty
“As time went on, she kind of found her voice creatively and in the fashion world and so it kind of became a collaboration,” she said.
Fashion collaborative duos are all the rage at the moment. Law Roach and Zendaya and Keke and Sergio Hudson are two examples of stylish partnerships.
Mickey Boom is known for greeting his clients with a signature fur coat and a smile. One of the most innovative stylists on the carpet today, he is helping to usher in a new generation of Black talent by dressing them like the rising stars they are. He works with emerging musicians, restaurant moguls, and screen sirens.
Research is a huge part of his process. “I do a lot of my research late at night, like when I’m in bed,” he said. Even when they’re not actively pulling for events, he sits up at all hours of the night perusing looks for his clients. “I’ve loved fashion since I was a kid. It’s a part of me,” he continued.
We asked the stylist about some of his inspirations for our favorite looks from the duo.
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1. Floating Florals
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Some might be reluctant to rock a full body floral jumpsuit but Thornton is fearless.
“Shannon gets it. She’s open. She’s a risk taker,” said Mickey. “She creates that atmosphere where she allows me to have fun,” he said.
She wore a sequined Naeem Khann number to the pink carpet premiere of P-Valley’s second season. Saturated jewel tones kept everything fresh the way the pair intended.
2. Gold Liquid Heat
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Thornton arrived at the premiere of Tyler Perry’s Mea Culpa, looking like a gilded statuette. The look was a result of Mickey’s longing to find the perfect poured metal moment for the star. “I was intentional about that,” he said. He started by placing her in a golden breastplate for a W magazine shoot in 2022. This look upped the ante in a major way.
“I just knew her walking into her premiere for Mea Culpa in this liquid metal moment. I just knew it would scream trophy,” he added. “It was her moment to shine, so I just wanted her to shine in that way.”
3. Lilac Cloud (?)
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Mickey infused Shannon’s look with a dose of intergalactic glamor for this year’s ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood event. He knew she would be open to the “three-dimensional, futuristic design aesthetics” created by Albina Dyla.
The confusion surrounding the ambiguous shape in the center of the gown made it more fun. Mickey described it as “weird” but “beautiful.”
“You can see like the silver metallic beading that goes through the cloud,” he said. “It kind of just protrudes out of the dress in such an elegant way.”
“I loved it,” he added.
4. Black Swan
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The Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty is one of the fashion tentpoles of awards season. Thornton attended wearing a Bronx and Banco gown. The label is one of Mickey’s favorites.
He wanted to present the “opulence” of “old Hollywood” with a modern twist.
“I wanted to do something old Hollywood but make it young and fresh. So when I saw that piece, I was like, you know what? Let’s do black,” he said. The cascade of feathers complimented the dramatic slit perfectly.
Texture is a staple in his choices. He applies it differently depending on who the client is, but it is always present. “I’m obsessed with texture,” he revealed.
5. Snatched Plum
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Thornton attended the 32nd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Party in a youthful gown from Retrofête. The deep purple and sheer corset were accentuated with a stack of silver bracelets and an edgy ear cuff from Laurel DeWitt. The result was an afrofuturist masterpiece.
“That was a one-of-one,” Mickey told HelloBeautiful. “It was a special piece only for Shannon. So, I was happy about that.”
6. Suited Up
Source:Andrea Fremiotti
Mickey placed Thornton in a series of suits that excluded beauty and power. She often looked like an off-duty runway stalker skipping to a casting. “I know her body, I know her style, I knew how she wants to look, and when I look at her, I’m very inspired by the 90s supermodel,” he revealed.
7. A Jeweled Affair
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The pair picked a golden dress with a dramatic neckline for the Ebony Magazine Power 100 event. The top of the dress gave elegant Tinkerbell energy. A pair of chandelier earrings helped the look stand out. “She loves jewelry in general, specifically chunky earrings,” revealed Mickey.
