Where Were All the American Designers at Super Bowl 50?

Few things at last night’s Super Bowl were more patriotic than Lady Gaga singing—nay, belting out—the national anthem in a glittering red suit, her nails painted Old Glory blue, and her shoes a mix of stripes (right foot) and sparkles (left one). Gaga’s American-inspired ensemble paired nicely with the Blue Angels flyover and the large flag unfurled behind her, though one aspect left this writer questioning: The look was custom designed by Alessandro Michele for Gucci. Curious that Lady Gaga and her stylist, Brandon Maxwell, would ask an Italian brand to create a look that screams “Americana!”—especially when you consider Gaga’s longstanding relationship with Marc Jacobs, whose Spring 2019 collection might be the most American-influenced show in history.

The Italian takeover continued later in the evening. Bruno Mars and his dancers sported Run-D.M.C.-inspired black leather tops and trousers designed by Versace, whose Greco wave pattern ran around each outfit’s cuffs. Beyoncé chose Dsquared2, a Milan-based brand helmed by Canadian designers, for her onstage look, a leather jacket and leotard that paid homage to Michael Jackson’s Super Bowl XXVII ensemble.

So where were the Americans? You’d have to look down to see them. Coldplay’s Chris Martin wore Jordan Spizike sneakers, while Mars sported black Nike Cortez kicks.