Bianca Censori walked into a downtown Los Angeles courtroomon Thursday dressed nothing like the woman the internet has spent two years scrutinising. Gone were the sheer bodysuits and barely-there outfits. In their place: a long black satin skirt, a buttoned-up black cardigan, glasses, her hair slicked back into a tight bun.
The 31-year-old then spent the entire day on the witness stand testifying on behalf of her husband, Kanye West, in a civil trial over the gutting of his $57 million (£46 million) Malibu mansion,TMZ reported.
She did not speak to reporters on her way in.
The subdued look came afterJudge Brock T. Hammond laid down a warning ahead of the trial. He told all parties in February they 'must comply with the basic dress code of the court,' banning sunglasses, hats and any 'drama' from proceedings,according to The Mirror.
An observer inside the courtroom described Bianca as a “chocolate covered razor blade” and stated that she was the “most calculated, composed, and confident woman” the trial has seen. The observer said it was like watching Black Swan 😂 with Bianca never giving more information…https://t.co/ClqkKf7Z71
Inside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Censori smiled at the jury as she took her seat. She answered most questions with single-word replies,Rolling Stone reported. Courtroom sketch artist Mona Shafer Edwards drew her looking focused and serious throughout.
Social media accounts that posted footage from outside the courthouse described Censori as composed, with some claiming her demeanour unsettled the plaintiff's legal team. That characterisation circulated on X and Instagram but could not be independently verified.
The trial centres on Tony Saxon, a former project manager suing Westfor more than $1 million (£810,000). Saxon alleges he was hired in 2021 to oversee renovations at the beachfront property, known as the Ando House. He says West promised him $20,000 (£16,200) per week but only ever paid him once, and fired him after roughly seven weeks for raising safety concerns,ABC7 reported.
Censori told the court she holds degrees in architecture and served as lead architect on the Malibu project in 2021, working on it briefly before Saxon came on board.
She testified that she asked Saxon whether he held a contractor's licence and that he told her he did,Courthouse News reported. West's legal team argues Saxon was unlicensed, which under California law could bar him from suing for unpaid wages. Saxon has maintained he was always upfront about not having one.
Source: International Business Times UK
