If there’s one thing Dua Lipa knows how to do, then it's turning her wardrobe into a headline. For her early 30th birthday celebrations, the singer chose a custom Jacquemus gown that looked demure from the front, but the back told a very different story.
The all-white, sparkly knit dress hugged her frame with halter straps, falling into an open back that revealed a daring faux thong cut-out. It was a playful nod to the visible thong trend that dominated the early 2000s, once a polarising street style staple, now being reimagined as a high-glamour, birthday dress.
The original iteration of the trend was all about youthful rebellion - visible thongs peeking out from mini skirts, low-rise jeans, and even party dresses. Many thought (or maybe hoped) it was a style statement best left in the past. Yet here we are, with Dua Lipa breathing new life into it.
Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus was also on hand for the celebrations, which took place on what Dua called her ‘favourite island’. She was joined by friends including Mustafa the Poet, GCDS’s Giuliano Calza, and her mother and sister, Anesa and Rina Lipa. Dua herself shared the look on Instagram, writing: ‘Early birthday celebration…with my favourite people wearing the most gorgeous dress Simon made for me... I can’t bloody wait for 30!!!! 🤍🤍🤍’.
It also marks another entry in what’s quietly become Dua’s bridal era. Fresh off her engagement to Callum Turner, the star has been wearing a heck of a lot of white - from bikinis to full blown gown moments, making this backless, bum-baring number her most unconventional wedding dress adjacent look yet.
That being said, this isn’t Dua’s first foray into the thong: in 2023, she launched the La Vacanza collection with Donatella Versace, debuting a black thong dress adorned with the Versace Medusa logo. But this new white version takes it further with more cheek, and more proof that Dua isn't afraid to take sartorial risks.
Whether the peekaboo thong revival is to your liking or not, one thing’s for certain: Dua Lipa’s (birthday) wardrobe is worth watching. And if this was just the pre-party look, the main event might just break the internet.
Renee Washington, Grazia's digital fashion and beauty writer, lives online. With a penchant for wispy lashes and streetwear, she writes about the worlds of fashion and beauty from the viewpoint of the modern fashion girlie..