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Taylor Hill/FilmMagicJanelle Monáe is known as one of music’s most fashionable stars. But while accepting the prestigious CFDA Fashion Icon Award last night in New York City, the singer and actress looked back at her humble beginnings as a working-class kid who “had to get creative” with her clothing.
Speaking to PeopleStyle, Janelle explained, “As a kid I had to get very creative because my parents could not afford the latest fashion…my mother was a janitor, my father was a trash collector, and my stepfather, just like my Dad, worked at the post office.”
She added, “They worked really hard to provide for my sister and me and they wore those uniforms proudly, they helped build this country.”
Janelle, who always wears black and white as a tribute to her parents’ uniforms, explains, “For me, my fashion and my style is connected to my philanthropy and my community. I honor my working class family through it.”
At the event, Janelle wore a black-and-white Christian Siriano jumpsuit.
On the acting front, Monáe is confirmed to star in two forthcoming projects: the Steve Carrell-fronted film Marwencol and the anthology series Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, which set to air on Amazon Prime later this year.
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Accepts award family fashion Janelle monae tribute working-class
