Fashion

It's California love for L.A. Rams star DeSean Jackson this season -- 'cause the WR just copped a bunch of custom cleats reppin' legends from The Golden State, including Kobe Bryant, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and more.

TMZ Sports has learned the Rams receiver wanted a ton of options for feet heat this season ... so he hit up cleat artist Joe Castro.

DeSean's idea was to have each pair have its own LA theme ... and Castro delivered with four amazing pairs of spikes.

The first set is a nod to Kobe -- featuring a portrait of the Lakers legend on both cleats along with an inspirational Black Mamba quote.

The next pair features rap legends Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Eazy-E ... with Castro telling us Jackson picked those specific rappers because they are all a "huge part of LA culture."

Jackson also got some cleats made with the skyline of downtown L.A. on them ... plus another pair featuring his motto, "One Of One."

Castro tells us out of all of them, the hip-hop set took the longest to prepare (12 hours) ... but he ain't done designing cleats for Jackson just yet.

Castro says he still has 5 more pairs of cleats to make for the wide receiver!

Amari Cooper is one of the best route runners in the NFL ... and now the Dallas Cowboys star has a chain to prove it, copping an incredible diamond piece worth $300k!!!

The 27-year-old wideout recently created a new Instagram page that focuses on his fascinating route running ability ... called, you guessed it, "The Route Runner."

To celebrate the launch, AC hit up Gabriel The Jeweler -- go-to guy for some of the biggest sports stars in the world -- for a truly incredible chain.

We're told the pendant has 170 carats of VVS diamonds ... and the chain is just one of four Gabriel's ever done!

Put that all together, and the piece is valued at around $300k!!!

But, don't worry, Cooper is doing pretty well financially -- he is in the middle of a 5-year, $100 million deal.

As we previously reported, Cooper's gone to Gabriel in the past ... including an epic Cowboys jersey chain, as well as a piece repping his hometown!!!

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Met Gala dress looks like a carbon copy of one designer's own brand -- at least according to the designer, but she doesn't want a fight ... just a collab.

An IG user who goes by the Velvet Bandit posted photos of AOC in her "Tax the Rich" dress stacked up against some artwork she claims to have designed ... and says something looks a little too familiar. Specifically, she's talking about the font and typeface of the words themselves.

VB writes, "@AOC stepped out at the Met Gala wearing a dress designed by @aurorajames that looks hella similar to my design. 😳"

Velvet continues by saying her own "Tax the Rich" thing went viral on TikTok after putting her work up all around Sausalito, CA, and she adds ... "This dress bears the same likeness as my handwriting." Sounds ominous, but she simmers down.

The street artist doesn't seem particularly litigious ... saying she admires both AOC and the designer of her dress, Aurora James, and would like nothing more than to work with them.

She says she's a lunch lady and a single mom, and doesn't have the time or influence to try to reach out to famous people for gigs.

Instead, she's asking people to tag and/or share this with the congresswoman and her designer, adding ... "They need a female street artist working on their team, dontcha think? It would be an honor. Obviously they have fabulous taste." Well ... (de)escalated quickly. 😅

The Met Gala chef curator is defending the quality of the food served at the ritzy shindig ... this after Keke Palmer posted pics of the grub that seemed reminiscent of the Fyre Festival.

Marcus Samuelsson -- the restaurateur/chef who helped select the 10 up-and-coming chefs who created the Met Gala menu -- tells TMZ ... for starters, yes, Keke's picture is in fact some of what was served at the $30k-$50k per ticket soiree.

As for Keke's plate, Marcus tells us it was barley topped with roasted mushrooms, tomato salad with corn and zucchini slices. Marcus says food, like anything, is a matter of taste, and it tasted plenty good.

Marcus says the 3-course meal was delicious ... and the feedback he got has been incredible.

Marcus, in collaboration with Bon Appétit, selected and then challenged 10 NY chefs to create a sustainable, plant-based menu ... hence all the fruits and veggies. However ... Keke's pic, which was displaying the entree, had just about everyone talking smack on social media.

One person wrote, "This was clearly a 'eat before you get there' type of thing." Someone else said, "They feeding y'all like it's Fyre Festival."

Some of the fare included 6 hors d'oeuvres and a watermelon pumpkin salad.

Dessert included an apple topped with chocolate mousse ... because this event's about as boujee as it gets.

Fat Joe and Ja Rule went head-to-head at their highly anticipated "Verzuz," but the women they brought on stage might have come out on top of what turned out to be more of a love-in than a battle.

The 2 rappers squared off for 20 rounds at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night, playing almost all of their major hits, but at one point Joe stopped the show to present gifts to a couple of their special guests -- Ashanti and Remy Ma.

The ladies guested on both of the guys' tracks, and are credited with elevating the show beyond the back-and-forth barbs and posturing ... and Joe rewarded them with Hermes handbags.

Other big names who joined in on the "Verzuz" fun included Nelly, Lil Mo, Vita, and Dre from Cool & Dre ... but, there was also one notable absence -- 50 Cent.

As you know ... Ja and Fiddy have had beef for decades, so fans were hoping for a surprise showdown, but it didn't happen -- much like Ja Rule suggested it wouldn't.

The Met Gala's the time of the year when celebrities dress up like royalty and whisk past their subjects to party the night together in elite fashion ... and this year did not disappoint.

Kim Kardashian showed up to the Balenciaga bash in a superhero-looking outfit Monday night at Cathedrale Restaurant in NYC. It's a Balenciaga getup that seems inspired by Kanye. We got her stepping out of her SUV looking like the lead in Marvel's next blockbuster.

Justin and Hailey Bieber followed. The Biebs is the poster boy for Balenciaga, so it kinda makes sense he hosted the party.

Machine Gun Kelly showed up in a black jacket with roses on his shoulders, and GF Megan Fox looked her typical amazing self in a red dress.

Kid Cudi boldly went where no man has gone before at the 2021 Met Gala ... with damn near a couple million in bling hanging from his neck!!!

The "Man On the Moon" artist was decked out in a vibrant Louis Vitton getup for the event, but the centerpiece of the look was his not-so-little man on the moon ... an opulent, one-of-a-kind piece designed by Ben Baller and KAWS.

We're told the chain and pendant -- museum quality diamond work titled "SPACE" -- is a whopping $1,600,000 piece ... featuring more than 24,000 clarity E color diamonds, and more than a kilo in 18k rose gold.

The celeb jeweler says, "This is the most detailed and intricate piece of jewelry I’ve ever created in my entire career," adding that he had to shut down his entire factory for 3 months to focus on completing it.

The piece is a miniature take on Kaws' famous "Holiday Space" astronaut figure, and Baller says the pendant's backpack has a secret compartment where Cudi can keep weed -- or other small stuff -- in it.

Billie Eilish had just one condition if she was going to wear an Oscar de la Renta gown to the Met Gala ... the company had to stop selling fur. And, it obliged.

The "Happier Than Ever" singer gave the company a shout-out for the "BEAUTIFUL dress" she wore to Monday's highly-anticipated event in NYC. She particularly thanked ODLR for "bringing my ideas and vision to life."

Those ideas and vision? She wanted the brand to ditch fur -- not just for her gown, but for the whole label. She said, "It was an honor to wear this dress knowing that going forward oscar de la renta will be completely fur-free!!!!"

She added, "I am beyond thrilled that ... the entire team heard me on this issue, and have now made a change that makes an impact for the greater good, not only for animals but also for our planet and environment too. i'm honored to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on this matter."

Billie, who is vegan and an animal rights activist, reportedly had a meeting with the label about all of this and, in the end, the company's chief executive, Alex Bolen, agreed.

It should be noted ... the company hasn't used fur for its runway designs for years but fur products were still available in stores. According to the New York Times, de la Renta's own widow, Annette, has said the practice of selling fur products is "barbaric."

Ciara wore something Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber and Grimes couldn't get their hands on for the Met Gala -- a Super Bowl ring, courtesy of Russell Wilson!!

The singer showed up to the big event Monday night channeling her hubby's day job -- decked out in a sparkly green dress resembling Wilson's #3 Seahawks jersey, which was designed by Peter Dundas.

Ciara also held a bedazzled mini football clutch ... just to make sure everyone knew the theme she was going for.

But, to complete the look, Ciara pulled out quite possibly the biggest flex of all-time -- Wilson's Super Bowl XLVIII ring he won in 2014!!!

"My Hubby’s color rush Seahawks jersey transformed into a dress + His Super Bowl XLVIII ring = EVERYTHING!" Ciara posted on Instagram.

So, where was Russ?? The Seattle superstar was busy bro'ing out with Peyton and Eli Manning during their "Monday Night Football" broadcast ... but don't worry, he was sure to shower her with compliments in the comment section.

"My queen. My Everything," Wilson said.

What celebs wear is only half the Met Gala game, the other half is how they party -- and Alicia Keys' post-gala event had plenty of that ... with the biggest names.

The singer threw a bash at Casa Cipriani in lower Manhattan late Monday night, and along with performing ... she played host to the likes of Michael Jordan ... who's still so damn popular, he seemed cornered by crowds at times.

Leonardo DiCaprio was in attendance in his going-out baseball cap, and Elon Musk was rocking a white suit to stand out even more.

Zoe Kravitz and Channing Tatum had folks sounding the new couple alert as they hit the dance floor when the DJ dropped "Poison." Vanessa Bryant and her daughter, Natalia, got some dancing in too.

Finally ... we're wondering if Serena Williams ever got on that elevator??? Watch the video, maybe you've got a guess.

As we reported ... a slew of stars put on their most eye-popping and extravagant outfits for the 2021 Met Gala, and did not disappoint as they arrived in style for the first time since 2019.

Of course, the event was canceled last year due to the pandemic. This year, all gala attendees had to be vaccinated.

Frank Ocean might be thinking 'bout you -- but all anyone can think about is that weird-ass baby doll he brought with him to the Met Gala ... which looked more alien than human.

You probably saw this Monday as A-listers made their way into the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the high-fashion event -- FO touched down with what appeared to be an infant cradled in his arms. As it turns out, though, it wasn't a kid ... it wasn't even alive either.

Frank had some sort of a robot with him -- which moved and blinked (and maybe even cooed?) like it was the real deal, but very much so wasn't ... on account of its slime green skin tone, among other tell-tale AI signs. It was weird -- but very on-brand for Mr. Ocean.

Dude's pretty enigmatic as an artist -- so him walking out with this machine in hand isn't all that nuts if you think about it. It was actually more of a shock just to see him there at all.

He hardly ever goes out ... but when he does, it's always a scene. As for what he himself was wearing, Frank had on a black Prada suit, accompanied by a custom cap, jewelry he reportedly had designed by his own line, Homer ... and, of course, his highlighter hairdo.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are turning the Met Gala into the make out gala ... and they're not letting COVID protocols stop them from packing on the PDA.

Ben and Jen were together Monday at the Met Gala in New York City, where they were locking arms, hugging and kissing through their face masks.

J Lo wore a brown ensemble complete with a plunging dress and a long train, plus a hat, necklace, and a feather boa. She's also got an interesting accessory around her neck, something like a big choker.

Ben, meanwhile, went with a more classic look in his tuxedo ... kinda like he did last week at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, when they went to their first showbiz event together since reuniting.

Kim Kardashian West is already turning heads on her way to the Met Gala -- this time, without even showing her face -- and it's all thanks to a look from Balenciaga and inspiration from her estranged hubby.

Kim just left her hotel in NYC wearing the custom outfit designed by Demna Gvasalia, the creative director of Balenciaga. The look includes a curve T-shirt under a T-shirt dress with an incorporated bodysuit, completed with jersey boots Pantaleggings, jersey gloves and a mask hiding her whole face.

Sources connected tell us that while Kanye won't be at the Met in person, he gave Kim the courage to push the envelope with creativity and people's imagination through art.

We're told Kanye was also the one who introduced Kim to Demna -- who will join her at the Gala -- so he's a big reason the look came together in the first place.

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker were also spotted leaving the same hotel as Kim, but both were dressed down and likely headed to dinner ... no Gala.

We saw Kim rocking another head/face mask over the weekend in the Big Apple -- a head-to-toe black leather getup.

As you know ... Kanye's been all about the full head wraps lately too, and it sure looked like Kim might've taken a cue from him for the ensemble -- which appears to have been from the Spring 2019 Vetements collection.

The ensemble tonight is also a complete departure from what Kim's worn during past Met Galas -- especially over the last handful of years when her dresses were bright, shiny and sleek. She's rocked gowns designed by Thierry Mugler, Versace, Balmain and Vivienne Westwood -- just to name a few.

Now, she's going the Balenciaga route, and still looking incredible.

The Met Gala is back after a year off due to COVID, and it looks like the stars were chomping at the bit to put on their best suits and dresses in a return to normalcy.

This year's hosts include Keke Palmer, Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman, Timothee Chalamet and Naomi Osaka -- and they've already arrived in with their own getups ... which were eye-popping and extravagant.

Some of the stars expected to show include Rihanna, J Lo, Kim K, Emily Ratajkowski, Camila Cabello, Lupita N'yongo, Beyonce, Addison Rae and more. This year's theme is "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" -- so we'll see wears to rep that.

We know what you're thinking ... what about the Delta variant? There are strict protocols in place to help mitigate that -- including requirements for proof of vaccination prior to showing up, not to mention a negative COVID test as well. Masks indoors are also required.

Remember -- last year's Met Gala got scrapped altogether due to the pandemic ... so, it's been a year-plus since folks have been able to flex their fashion muscles anew.

Stefon Diggs paid a special tribute to the late Michael K. Williams during the Bills' season opener on Sunday ... rockin' some incredible "The Wire" tribute cleats while on the field.

The heat feet were white and black with blue laces ... and they featured painted-on characters from "The Wire," including Williams' iconic Omar Little.

On one of the spikes, the cleat artist -- Mache -- also painted on the words "A Man Must Have A Code" ... which, of course, was a famous line Williams' character used often during the ultra-popular series.

On the other cleat, the words "The Wire" were written on the outer part of the shoe.

As we previously reported, Williams was tragically found dead in his Brooklyn apartment earlier this month after an apparent overdose. He was just 54 years old.

Baltimore Orioles announcer, Kevin Brown, also recently honored MKW ... quoting another iconic line during a home run call last week.

Kid Cudi is back to wearing dress-like garments, but a new fella has emerged in something similar ... an NBA player who's kinda considered a man's man, which is a huge statement.

Russell Westbrook posted photos this weekend of himself in the Big Apple for NYFW -- and he was wearing none other than a skirt (or a kilt, perhaps) underneath a cardigan sweater. He also had some black boots to offset the cream color scheme ... not to mention blue hair.

His caption referenced lyrics from Kendrick Lamar's verse on Baby Keem's new single, "Family Ties" ... "'Don’t address me unless it’s with four letters' @kendricklamar"

RW is wearing Thom Browne here -- which is definitely all about the Scottish kilt look.

In any case ... Cudi wore something similar himself for the fashion event of the week -- rocking what appeared to be way more of a traditional skirt under a Nirvana long-sleeve T-shirt. He, too, was sporting blue hair ... makes ya wonder if they were in on this together.

No shame for either of these dudes, but of course ... some folks online were expressing their disapproval, for a myriad of reasons.

Some folks are showing their homophobic colors outright, and others are invoking conspiracy theories ... talking about the emasculation of men, etc. And then, there are those who absolutely love this -- so a mixed bag of reactions here. All the same, Russ and Kid are owning it.

KC's been in a full-blown dress before -- wearing one on 'SNL' earlier this year to honor the late Kurt Cobain, who wore something similar in his day.