While fashion has always been an essential ingredient that goes into a film's overall magic - think the shimmering show dresses in Dreamgirls, the cat-eye sunglasses in Carol, the lavender uniforms in The Grand Budapest Hotel - it grew in importance last year. With the world largely on pause, TV shows and movies became many people's only escape into an alternate reality, where we would travel back in time to the golden age of Hollywood (Mank), experience the soaring highs (and rock bottom lows) of first love (Normal People) and get seriously hot under the collar courtesy of a certain romping romance (Bridgerton). And although we hopefully won't need to rely on our screens for quite as much amusement in 2021, the costumes are showing no signs of being any less splendid.
Lee Daniel's The United States Vs Billie Holiday - a biopic which has just dropped on Hulu, and tells the story of how the singer became the target of a state department sting operation after her songs were deemed to be 'provocative' in the context of the civil rights movement - promises to a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.
This is because as well as working with costume director Paolo Nieddu, Daniels also brought in some fashion big guns: Prada. According to an interview with_Vogue_, the collaboration came about after a meeting with none other than Anna Wintour: 'There were a couple of designers I was circling, but then Anna referred me to Miuccia. She knew I couldn’t go wrong with Prada. I was going to throw myself at Miuccia’s feet as she’s a genius, but I didn’t have to. She admired my work, and I am such a fan of hers, so we were excited,' said Daniels.
The nine resulting costumes are a series of magnificent stage outfits for Andra Day, who just won big at the Golden Globes, and range from a snow white silk-satin column dress covered in a swoosh of shimmering crystals to a fabulously flame red gown which perfectly matched her lipstick.
Also speaking to Vogue, Nieddu, who gathered inspiration by painstakingly scrolling through images of every single collection of Prada's, said: 'With all the glamour, the film has the magic of an Old Hollywood picture. I would love to see a new generation fall in love with Billie and discover her music, to see her differently than just as an image of a woman with a gardenia.'
SEE: The Best Dressed Stars From The Golden Globes 2021
1 of 25Viola Davis
Nominated for her role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Viola Davis struck a power pose in her printed dress from Lavie by CK. The Oscar-winning actor took to her feed the night before the ceremony to say #TimesUpGlobes, addressing the fact that out of 87, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association does not have a single Black member. 'The journey of a Black artist is littered with obstacles in creating, developing and being acknowledged for our work. If we continue to keep silent, the younger generation of artists will have the exact same load to carry. No more excuses. #TIMESUPGlobes #TIMESUP.'
2 of 25Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy brought old-world glamour to proceedings, with ice blonde waves and a swooshing emerald gown by Dior Haute Couture.
3 of 25Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo's one of the red carpet's best disruptors - and she didn't disappoint for last night's ceremony, appearing in sculptural and shockingly-bright Valentino Haute Couture, and jewellery from Maria Tash.
4 of 25Elle Fanning
Nominated for The Great, Elle Fanning opted for a liquid silk slip dress from one of her favourite labels, Gucci.
5 of 25Emma Corrin
Emma Corrin 'arrived' with a bang, scooping her first major award for The Crown, and proving that the video call collar is still very much in business.
6 of 25Gillian Anderson
The Iron Lady herself - Gillian Anderson - ditched the skirt suit and pearls for something a little more red carpet-worthy courtesy of Dior Haute Couture.
7 of 25Olivia Coleman
Olivia Coleman stuck to her fashion guns for last night's ceremony with pin-sharp tailoring from Giorgio Armani.
8 of 25Margot Robbie
Chanel's polka dot gown, with its pretty tiered skirt, looked a treat on presenter Margot Robbie.
9 of 25Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett's amethyst-coloured gown from Dolce & Gabbana (complete with a fabulously feathered shoulder) dialled the drama up to 10.
10 of 25Maya Rudolph
Valentino's bold florals were a match made in heaven with Maya Rudolph.
11 of 25Tiffany Haddish
Tiffany Haddish looked like a shimmering statuette in her armour-like gown by Alberta Ferretti.
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12 of 25Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda opted for understated glamour at last night's ceremony with pearl white suiting, and jewellery from Pomellato.
13 of 25Catherine Zeta-Jones
Proving the leg pop isn't quite done, Catherine Zeta-Jones wowed in Dolce & Gabbana.
14 of 25Salma Hayek
Wearing Alexander McQueen, Salma Hayek made a case for dressing to match the carpet.
15 of 25Gal Gadot
Gal Gadot bucked the trend for floor-sweeping gowns with a bright white minidress.
16 of 25January Jones
Last seen at 2011's Golden Globes, January Jones dug this sizzling red number out of her wardrobe for its 10th anniversary on the red carpet.
17 of 25Sarah Paulson
Only Sarah Paulson, nominated for her spine-tingling performance as Nurse Ratched, would be able to swing a custom-made cast by Prada.
18 of 25Lily Collins
Lily Collins channelled Sylvie (Emily in Paris's chicest character in our books) in one-shouldered Saint Laurent.
19 of 25Nicola Coughlan
Nicola Coughlan wore a perfectly puffed prom dress by Molly Goddard, and knock-out jewels by De Beers.
20 of 25Regina King
Another contender for best statuette impersonation, this time Regina King, nominated for One Night In Miami, who worked a balcony shot beforehand in her gilded Louis Vuitton.
21 of 25Rosamund Pike
Molly Goddard's stellar tulle tiers also found their way onto Rosamund Pike.
22 of 25Kaley Cuoco
The award for the best princess dress goes Kaley Cuoco, who dazzled in Oscar de la Renta.
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23 of 25Andra Day
Winning big for The United States Vs Billie Holiday, Andra Day stole the show in Chanel.
24 of 25Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox's whole look, especially the floor-trailing sleeves on her gown by Thai Nguyen, was breath-taking.
25 of 25Susan Kelechi Watson
In one of our favourite looks of the night, Susan Kelechi Watson wore the couture version of a beaded fringe curtain by Georges Hobeika.