EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT CL & HER USA TOUR "HELLO BI+CHES"

"HANA, DUL, SET... BITCHES!"

As TIME declares CL as the future of K-Pop in America, we grab our Alexander Wang x Adidas Originals T-shirt and shoes and head outside to channel CL's striking presence.

One of the biggest stars in Asia, THE BADDEST FEMALE has made her first step to conquer USA and to build her kingdom! "The Nicky MInaj" of K-pop as Diplo calls her, has set her mind to break typical Asian-female stereotypes. CL has told Billboard in the past that she wants to "tell the world that there are some BADASS Asian female girls" and that's exactly what she did (and is doing) on her ongoing tour.

After performing at Alexander Wang's after party this year (a rite of passage for any cool rapper) she announced her USA solo tour and we all wondered "Is she going to release new songs? Is she going to sing 2NE1 songs? Will 2NE1 members Park Bom and Dara join her? Sure, she has a few features and solo songs, but will that be it? Surely that is not enough..."

All answers came when she debuted her nine-city tour with a sold-out show in New York (wish I had the time and money to cross the pond to be present at history being made).

The venue was packed with screaming fans proving that she is more than capable of filling Hammerstein Ballroom on her own. Several 2NE1 MV were played before a few videos of CL performing her solo singles. When the show started she surprisingly greeted the crowd saying "I'm CL of 2NE1." ! Yes, CL will forever be CL of 2NE1 and she will never forget her roots.

THE SHOW CONSISTED OF THREE SEGMENTS, WITH THE FIRST TWO BEING ABOUT CL AS PART OF 2NE1.

The show began with a video showing the history of CL and soon after the band began playing "Fire", 2NE1's debut single. For her first segment she wore A long latex coat, black leather leotard and tall black boots. At any moment you would not have been surprised if Dara or Park Bom, or Minzi would join her in on stage.

The second segment was focused on ballads of 2NE1, showing a tender side of her through songs and her attire that consisted of an elegant silvery pantsuit-gown hybrid garment. She ended it with 2NE1's "I love you" during which she showed her fans her emotional side for the last time before moving on to the most anticipated section of the night.

FULL - ON CL TIME

The audience got the best Halloween treat possible - a full-length unreleased video of her "Hello Bitches" song that apparently featured so many different look that even Nicki Minaj would salivate and convert any pop fan into a crazed CL stan in a second. So CL addressed her GBZs now saying "It's our time." Wearing a green camo jacket/dress and thigh-high blue leather cowboy boots, CL smashed the segment. As expected, the entire theater sang along for "Hello Bitches" !

There were flags spinning, there were bitches twerking, there was a video showing behind the scenes moments from producing the show, the audience danced, Dara was dancing on one of the balconies, CL threw a quick shoutout to her, credits rolled on the screen; the segment was the perfect ending to the night!

AMAZING CL FANS

As it was the first time she performed in New York, her fans greeted her with raised white balloons during her performance of "Lifted". (congrats to the fans for pulling it off en mass)

STAGE FASHION

The bitches came and they were wearing Vetements. - New York magazine

In a phone interview for Vogue, Matt Mazur, CL's stylist, talked all about the fresh version of CL signature style — equal parts streetwear, over-the-top glamour, and classic pop-star sexiness - for the tour. Combining pieces from up-and-coming designers with custom items from her favorite houses CL's tour outfits aim to accentuate her body without making it vulgar.

THE THREE LOOKS:

Alyx black patent-leather jacket worn over a custom leather dress with Givenchy heels and Lynn Ban jewelry

Essie Buckman’s Fortie Label created a custom chrome-satin two-piece bustier gown that was actually a jumpsuit

Matthew Adams Dolan camo jacket

(Make sure to check at the end of the article for our photo gallery from CL's concert in NY for a closer look at CL's stage outfits, courtesy of photographer Jack Gorlin.)

ONE THING YOU WILL NEVER SEE CL WEAR ? - PINK

ALEXANDER WANG X ADIDAS ORIGINALS CL STAGE LOOK

We loved CL' look at the after party so when the London drop happened, we were there! Called the enigmatic phone number the day before, had a struggle to understand the robot voice but we got the address right. Waited two hours in the surprising freezing weather on Redchurch Street in Shoreditch that day, totally not street photography ready as we woke up early to be there. I believe I was all black, in a Versus Versace hoodie and classic vans, no match for the Pablo tour merch, Vetements and CDG items our que buddies were wearing. But we managed to get our hands on the most sought after items - the limited eddition shoes and the T-shirt that CL had customised for her stage apearance which you can have a closer look at in the photos below: