-Tracee Ellis Ross joining me now. We're having a little laugh over here.
-We're having a laugh because I got too close to my friend.
The friend energy was drawing me in and then I just -- I got in trouble.
-Yes, and then you came over and you're like, "What's going on?"
-What's going on? No laughing. This is a very serious day.
-But we figured it out.
-Being an icon is very serious, Giuliana.
-Don't get me started 'cause you know it is for me. You know it. Okay.
This is fashion icon of 2020. Okay. I saw your story today.
First of all, amazing Insta story today.
-I narrowed it down to 99 pictures. -Literally.
-Yeah. -Of your fashion evolution.
-Yes. -Which I love so much.
But you said, "You know what? Getting this, knowing this, talking about fashion, this is a bright spot..."
-Yeah. -"...in an otherwise tough year."
-It's been a tough year. It's also been a beautiful year.
There's been a lot of extraordinary things.
Kamala Harris is our first female VP moving in -- a black woman in the Oval Office in January.
But, um, it's been a really hard time for the world and our country and, um, being named a fashion icon
by the People's Choice Awards has definitely put a big smile on my face.
-So as the fashion icon, tell us about your look this evening.
-Well, I am wearing Schiaparelli and these earrings, as well.
-Yes.
-I've got a nice snake swirl in the hair using some Pattern hair-care products.
-Yes. -I'm the C.E.O. and founder of that company.
-I know you are. I know you are. We love that.
-I've got to change for stage, which is very exciting. -You do?
-Yeah. You know, I am either at home or at work right now.
Work has been joyful, safe place to go.
Coming here, every cell in my body was like, "Whoooo, where are we going?!"
-I love that about you. I love it.
And I know that, and I love that you love that you are feeling the love with your fashion tonight.
You know what I mean? And your love of fashion.
Can you pinpoint the moment you fell in love?
-With clothes? -Yes.
-Oh, as I was coming out of the womb.
I was like, "Where's the sparkles? Where's the feathers?
Give them to me! Fashion, I love fashion!"
-From the very beginning.
-It started very young. I come by it honestly. My mom is Diana Ross.
She's a fashion icon that I actually follow.
And my father has impeccable taste.
It started young. Fashion, in the beginning for me, was armor.
It was a way that I kind of protected myself and made sure that the world was seeing me
the way I wanted to be seen.
And now it's a form of creative expression, and I have to say that clothes fuel me.
And I think that particularly in the time that we're in right now,
finding joy wherever you can find it to fill your well because there's a lot of work to be done,
I think the emotional toll and our nervous systems are really tired, but we have to keep wearing our masks,
keeping our distance, so that we can get a handle on this pandemic and, you know, continue living our lives.
-That's right. Well said, well said.
Okay, you mentioned "Black-ish" for a second. -I did.
-You are back on the air. -We are.
-Look at her. How has it been... -It's been amazing.
-...returning to set? -It is bizarre.
Going back at first was really uncomfortable.
-In this new normal, right?
-Yeah, because it felt like everything that we know, you had to reimagine.
Every industry, everybody that's back at work, if you can,
if you have the ability to be back to work, you have to reimagine it.
And there's a way to do it safely. We've been back three and a half months. We are all fine.
Two and a half months.
And it's joyful to go to work.
Having that sense of community to do something that we love is great.
I've noticed a really interesting thing. I don't know if you noticed this.
That speaking to people, because all you're seeing is eyes, requires a different kind of call for connection.
So I genuinely always say people's names in a way that you might just be like, "Hey, how you doing?"
But like, you really -- like, "How was your weekend? Have a good weekend."
There's, like, a real, genuine thing about that.
-Making sure you're connecting even when this is covered, right?
-It's harder when your mouth is covered. -You're right.
-Yeah. So anyway, but...
-No, thank you for that. I love that.
And, you know, before I let you go... -Okay.
-...because I know you got to go inside, tonight, of course, is all about the --
You make me want to dance.
-You got to dance. -Can you just be here all night with me, please?
-This is my fashion icon shimmy.
-Let's do it, everyone at home.
Tonight's all about the fans. We do have a fan question for you.
-Ooh, I love it. -Okay? This is Chantelle.
-It's always all about the fans.
-You're right, though, it is always all about the fans.
But this is Chantelle from Atlanta.
-Hi! -Hi, Miss Tracee.
From your evolution with style, what have you learned the most about yourself from your relationship with fashion?
-Ooh.
I've learned that fashion is sort of like my superhero cape.
It's my entrance into the room, and it's the way that I make space for transformation, for work, for engagement,
for all of those things, for my social action.
And so I feel like fashion is one of the things that can -- is a way that you wear your insides on the outside.
-I like that. Great answer. -Yeah.
-Tracee, thank you so much. -Thank you so much.
-So nice to see you. -So good to see you.
-Enjoy the night. -I -- I will.
-I know you will. -I will back out of this space.
-Goodbye. -Goodbye. I nod to you.
-Be careful. Be careful. -I will not walk into that. Goodbye.