On September 7, 2018, the Harper’s Bazaar Icons Party at New York Fashion Week became the setting for one of the most infamous clashes in modern celebrity culture. A night meant to honor “icons” of fashion and entertainment instead turned into a global spectacle when Cardi B and Nicki Minaj exploded into a physical confrontation that overshadowed every runway, red carpet, and headline that season.
On September 7, 2018, the Harper’s Bazaar Icons Party at New York Fashion Week became the setting for one of the most infamous clashes in modern celebrity culture. A night meant to honor “icons” of fashion and entertainment instead turned into a global spectacle when Cardi B and Nicki Minaj exploded into a physical confrontation that overshadowed every runway, red carpet, and headline that season.
September 7, 2025
On September 7, 2018, the Harper’s Bazaar Icons Party at New York Fashion Week became the setting for one of the most infamous clashes in modern celebrity culture. A night meant to honor “icons” of fashion and entertainment instead turned into a global spectacle when Cardi B and Nicki Minaj exploded into a physical confrontation that overshadowed every runway, red carpet, and headline that season.
Both women arrived dressed to dominate:
Cardi B wore a jaw-dropping Dolce & Gabbana bloody red tulle gown, dramatic, extravagant, and unmistakably hers.
Nicki Minaj stunned in a shimmering Alexandre Vauthier tiger-striped long dress
Their looks alone could have defined the night. Instead, something else did.
Tensions had simmered for months: industry competition, whispered insults, and fan-fueled narratives kept alive by social media. But fashion events, especially during the hyper-dramatic 2010s, were no longer just about clothes, they were living stages for celebrity maneuvering, branding, and power.
That night, the pressure detonated.
When Cardi confronted Nicki over alleged comments about her child, a line she considers sacred, the exchange escalated in seconds. Security intervened. Voices rose. And then came the moment burned into pop culture memory: party-goers were waiting for a performance by Christina Aguilera when Cardi posed for a photo with La La Anthony and Kelly Rowland. Nicki walked by and intentionally stepped on Cardi's gown, causing it to rip. Chaos ensued, with Cardi taking off her shoe and throwing it at Nicki (she missed, though) and Nicki reportedly pulling off Cardi's wig.
What followed was even more brutal, not from the rappers, but from the fashion world.
Days later, supermodel Naomi Campbell delivered one of the coldest, most legendary pieces of shade:
“It was called the Icons Party… but I didn’t see any icons there.”
Her comment didn’t just sting; it highlighted how the fashion world can instantly redraw its boundaries, reminding outsiders that glamour is often protected by quiet hierarchies and unspoken rules. One sentence from Naomi sent shockwaves, reinforcing how powerful, elitist, and unforgiving the industry can be.
The incident revealed a deeper cultural truth: fashion is no longer a sealed-off, polite universe. Celebrity drama, hip-hop rivalry, and high fashion are now inseparably intertwined. The gala was meant to celebrate timeless elegance, but instead it became a symbol of the era where fame, conflict, and couture collide in real time.
And while the feud cooled with time, that night remained a defining moment in pop culture, a chaotic, raw, unforgettable reminder that behind the diamonds and designer gowns, the fashion world still thrives on spectacle, shade, and shockwaves.
