With 9 recent Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical Revival, it’s undeniable that ‘Cabaret’ at The Kit Kat Club is the show to watch this season. So much so that the Broadway show, which stars Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin, kicked off its opening night with a rare, two-night celebration at the August Wilson Theatre. In attendance, Jordan Roth appeared in two show-stopping looks, and V got a behind-the-scenes look of how Roth prepared to appear in serious style.

“A two-night opening is a rarity on Broadway, so when Cabaret decided to go for it, so did I! Two looks in conversation with one another, designed by the brilliant Dilara Findikoglu and styled by my longtime collaborator Michael Philouze. The first inspired by generations of Emcees who have Wilkommened so many to this legendary musical. The second inspired by my fantasy of Sally Bowles’ fantasy of herself,” explains Roth to V about the process behind the looks.

“To bring these looks to life, Dilara found an antique chandelier from the 1920/30s, when the show takes place, and reconstructed it into body jewelry for both looks. Because Cabaret’s extraordinary design and construction team did such a transformative renovation to turn the August Wilson Theatre into the famed Kit Kat Club, my story is there was a chandelier at the club that broke, and the Emcee and Sally ransacked it to turn it into looks for themselves. Fashion dramaturgy! Dilara’s sketches for these looks imagined intricate headwear, and we turned to my dear Stephen Jones to work his magnificent magic. Brent Lawler created two dazzling head looks to make both headpieces literally shine, and Sil Bruinsma created two makeup look to evoke the world of these pieces as translated through my face and heart.”

Discover the full getting-ready diary, below!

“To complete the illusion of the floating flower in Stephen Jones’ translucent bowler, Brent Lawler created these crystal hair nets to layer on the head.”

“Like a galaxy for the head being carefully lowered by Jade Staton, while Sil Bruinsma finishes the lip. We went back to a smaller Cupid lip as a nod to the Cabaret world.”

“Shirt & tie are not my thing anymore, but add a corset and I’m in.”

“Finishing (with) the hat. I always love living under Stephen Jones’ fantastical imagination.”

“Wilkommen.”

“After the show, Baz Luhrmann told me it was in his top 10 theatre experiences of all time!”

“Designer Tom Scutt has fabulously transformed the August Wilson theatre into the Kit Kat Club with so many delicious corners of mystery and seduction.”

“To visually extend the Stephen Jones headpiece, Brent Lawler gold leafed my forehead. The grey ribbon is the line the headpiece will take.”

“The foundation of both looks was the corset, a signature of designer Dilara Findikoglu. First night’s was over the shirt, second night was under.”

“Dilara found antique gold lamé from the 1920/30’s, the time when Cabaret takes place, to create this top. And all the embellishments are from an antique chandelier from the same time period that she turned into the body jewelry.”

“Mata Hari me.”