Dua Lipa Paid Tribute To Amy Winehouse And Geri Halliwell At The BRIT Awards

Girl power.

Dua Lipa holding her two awards at last night's BRIT Awards

by Natalie Hammond |
Published on

A great red carpet look used to just be about a megawatt dress and diamonds. Nowadays, things are a little more interesting, with onlookers wanting to be told some kind of story, whether it's about supporting sustainability (Cate Blanchett rewearing some of her most iconic red carpet outfits at last year's Venice Film Festival), championing young design talent (Beyoncé posting about Charlotte Knowles) or using fashion as a weapon of protest (2018's Golden Globes, where attendees exclusively wore black as a show of solidarity with #TimesUp). At yesterday's BRIT Awards, Dua Lipa delivered, paying homage to icons of this country's music scene with her custom-made outfits from Vivienne Westwood.

Dua Lipa on the red carpet at 2021's Brit Awards
Dua Lipa arriving at last night's BRIT Awards ©Getty

Arriving at the O2 Arena, Lipa backed the corset trend with a minidress in mustard yellow silk. Westwood signature punk stamp was seen in the combination of suspender tights, lace-up platforms and a three-strand pearl choker, but it was the singer's choice of hairstyle, Winehouse's signature backcombed beehive, that prompted a moment of nostalgia. In fact, Lipa would go on to win the same award, British Female Solo Artist, later that night as Winehouse, who took home the gong in 2007.

Dua Lipa performing at last night's BRIT Awards
Dua Lipa performing at last night's BRIT Awards ©Getty

But that wasn't her only trip down memory lane. Taking to the stage to perform a mash-up of songs from Future Nostalgia, which won her British Album, Lipa revealed she was wearing what is surely the ultimate fashion throwback in pop, a chain-embellished blazer dress that had been hand-painted with the Union Jack. Of course she was referencing Geri Haliwell, who wore the itsy-bitsy minidress to 1997's BRIT Awards.

Haliwell was clearly ticked by the tribute, posting on Instagram: 'Girl Power at the @brits last night. Thanks and congratulations @littlemix and wow @dualipa you wore it well!' Mel C also chimed in, commenting below the post: 'Amazing women.'

Gallery

SEE: Corsets: A History In Pictures

Marylin Monroe1 of 13
CREDIT: Getty Images

Marylin Monroe

Diamonds might have been her best friend, but Marilyn Monroe - here in 1958 - was also closely acquainted with the corset.

Victoria Beckham2 of 13
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Victoria Beckham

She prefers a more undone glamour today, but back in 2005 Victoria Beckham was a nip-it, tuck-it corset devotee.

Sophia Loren3 of 13
CREDIT: Getty Images

Sophia Loren

Now this is how you wear a corset. In 1960's The Millionairess, Sophia Loren serves up a masterclass in bombshell appeal. We bow down.

Dita Von Teese4 of 13
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Dita Von Teese

Come to think of it, have you ever seen Dita Von Teese in anything other than a corset? The burlesque superstar always knows how to wow.

Glenn Close5 of 13
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Glenn Close

In the 1988 adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons, Glenn Close shows its full swoon-appeal.

Lady Gaga6 of 13
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Lady Gaga

At the 2016 Met Gala - theme: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology - Lady Gaga opted proved the corset didn't have to be a thing of the past in futuristic Versace.

John Galliano Corset7 of 13
CREDIT: Getty Images

John Galliano Corset

You might think this look is all about the hair, but you'd be wrong. Helena Christensen wears a corset in John Galliano's SS93 show.

Madonna8 of 13
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Madonna

Madonna made Jean Paul Gaultier's conical bra corset iconic on her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour.

Lizzo9 of 13
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Lizzo

Mic drop moment. At a post-Brit Awards party in February 2019, Lizzo was looking Good As Hell in a patent red corset.

Vivienne Westwood Corset10 of 13
CREDIT: Getty Images

Vivienne Westwood Corset

Vivienne Westwood is the corset's catwalk queen. Here a look from her AW98/99 collection proves exactly why.

Bella Hadid11 of 13
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Bella Hadid

In Paris in 2019, Bella Hadid proves that a corset can be (whisper it) understated.

Kim Kardashian12 of 13
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Kim Kardashian

If you already think double-denim is scary, look away now. Kim Kardashian is dedicated to the corset cause. Here she wears a puff-sleeved denim design, custom-made for her by Burberry's Riccardo Tisci, with leather chaps.

Maria Grazia Chiuri Corset13 of 13
CREDIT: Getty Images

Maria Grazia Chiuri Corset

The corset is here to stay, at least according to Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri, who showed them in her Resort 2021 collection.

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