Sexy. Vibrant. Cool. All the characteristics I think of when I think of Cardi B. She is incredibly authentic, kind, and warm too, so I wanted to make her happy and create the birthday party of her dreams to celebrate her Dirty 30 sponsored by Vitaminwater. We agreed on a gorgeous burlesque theme, and then she set me free to start work on the planning and design concept! I imagined a fiery deep red palette and a mixture of textures to add depth to each space at the property. The all-garnet design turned out dramatic and beautiful, but it was also interesting because of the layers – and, of course, the dancers. One burlesque dancer performed with a bathtub, another with a carousel unicorn, each equally alluring dressed in glimmering beaded attire as they seductively stripteased for guests.

We had held private auditions to locate and secure the best burlesque dancers for the big night and they were nothing short of perfection. The only challenge in regard to the event was that a day before the party, we ultimately decided to change venues from a site in Downtown Los Angeles to Poppy, an intimate gem in West Hollywood. I had to reconfigure the design, but it was well worth it!

As celebrities like YG, Tyga, Chance the Rapper, Tiffany Haddish, Angel Brinks, and Karrueche Tran made their way into the hallway entrance, they were dazzled. It had been draped in deep scarlet velvet fabric complemented with black chandeliers and led to a photo area. The ceiling of the photo area had been bedecked in long-stem roses suspended upside down, so when partygoers gazed up, they were in awe.

Finally, entering the interior of the property, they were met with two burlesque dancers slowly swaying their bodies, putting on the ultimate show of seduction. The rooms were kept very dim, illuminated with only amorous red lighting against the grand red velvet drapery affixed to the walls. The stage boasted additional birthday signage, a confetti canon, and a DJ, ready for Cardi’s big entrance, alongside her husband, rapper Offset.

Cardi danced on that stage alongside her spouse, family, and friends for hours. After midnight, dancers delivered the grand, tiered cake to the birthday girl along with frozen yogurt from Yogurtland. The crowd happily sang “Happy Birthday” then segued into reggae, rap, and other favorites as Cardi joyfully sang along to each song on the playlist. It was such a memorable night, and I hope Cardi enjoyed herself as much as we enjoyed planning this party!