Miley Cyrus has come a long way since she hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream and cardigan. The “Flowers” singer put it into perspective in a video for Spotify’s “Billionaire’s Club” series. She talks about her meteoric rise in the fashion world which, as she put it, saw her go “from Walmart to Dolce.”
In the clip posted to Instagram on Friday, November 22, Cyrus, 31, recalled how, in 2009, she inked a deal with Walmart to create a junior’s fashion line to get publicity for her music career.
“‘Party in the U.S.A.’ was on an album that was designed around a collection that I had created for Walmart,” she said in the video. “And now I’m the face of Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana.”
She added, “It really shows the evolution of my career.”
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At the time, Cyrus was getting ready to kick off her Wonder World tour, which Walmart agreed to sponsor. She collaborated with Max Azria of BCBGMAXAZRIA to deliver the collection of “rock and roll–influenced” graphic tees, skinny jeans and more styles priced at $20 and under.
But the deal, like the trends, didn’t last. Roughly one year later, Walmart gave Cyrus’ line the ax after a leaked video showing the 17-year-old smoking a bong surfaced in the tabloids. Ten years went by before the pop star finally confirmed what happened via Twitter: “I lost a massive Walmart deal at 17 for ripping a bong.”
Fast-forward to today, Cyrus is the face of multiple major fashion labels and also stars in campaigns for luxury jewelry house Tiffany & Co. On the red carpet, she rarely wears anything made in the past two decades, preferring rare archival pieces from the days of Alexander McQueen, Gianni Versace and Tom Ford–era Gucci — a testament to her sartorial prowess.
Who could forget her Bob Mackie and Gucci wardrobe from the 2024 Grammys? She memorably paired the latter with a Gucci mini bag, carrying it with her on stage to accept the award for record of the year
Cyrus may have Walmart roots, but she knows the power of a transformative fashion statement.
