To celebrate the release of the film Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, in which a fashion designer creates a comeback dress for a pop star, we rank the best performative stage looks.
Lily Allen’s ‘revenge dress’ – worn in Chicago earlier this year while performing a track from her breakup album West End Girl – is printed with enlarged images of receipts, linked by fans to an alleged affair by her ex-husband. Created with co-creative director Anna Fleische and stylist Mel Ottenberg, it features credit card transactions and texts, a piece of pop performance art from the singer known for her mid-2000s ensembles of gold hoops and Nike high-tops.
Harry Styles subverted gender stereotypes at ‘Harryween’ in 2021, wearing a bespoke blue and white gingham dress by Gucci as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, accessorised with ruby slippers and a stuffed Toto. The look marked his long-term collaboration with the brand and was lighthearted, giving fans what they wanted.
PJ Harvey’s gothic, avian-like dress by Ann Demeulemeester for her 2016 Brixton performance of The Hope Six Demolition Project was described as “dressed like a fabulously turned-out carrion crow”. Harvey called the clothes “a second skin” and “protection”, a departure from her earlier Spice Girls co-ords and hot-pink catsuits.
Joni Mitchell’s marigold-orange dress with turquoise jewellery for her 1970 Isle of Wight festival performance – which she later called “a bit of a disaster” – helped her win over a rowdy crowd. The pared-down but vivid look was a departure from her usual boho aesthetic.
Geri Horner’s Union Jack dress from 1997 – a black Gucci number by Tom Ford with a tea towel sewn on the front – became shorthand for a camper side of Britpop. It was later auctioned for £41,000 to the Hard Rock Cafe and resurrected by Roberto Cavalli for the Spice Girls’ 2007 comeback tour.
