Even with NYFW2023 happening an ocean away, the 2023 Brit Awards still managed to make an exclamation point in the world of fashion, with stars showing up in a cocktail mix of potent individuality and glamour.
While Harry Styles took home four wins, including Artist of the Year, stars such as Lizzo and Shania Twain garnered plenty of attention and accolades.
Nominated for Best International Artist and International Song of the Year (two prizes that Beyonce won, the latter with "Break My Soul"), Lizzo nevertheless hit the red carpet and the stage, owning both. She arrived in a sculpted copper and bronze manifestation by Robert Wun. The dress was Vegas-style decadence thanks to a pleated ruff that accented the sides and worked its way to a high collar at her back, making her body look cinched in melted metal.
For her stage performance, she kept the eccentricity going, wearing a bubblegum pink dress that screamed "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend", which included a fluffy high back and an adorable '60s flip to her hair. Performing in a space where the light show made it seem as though she was enchanting us from inside a prism, she performed a medley of songs - "Special", "2 Be Loved (Am I Ready" and "About Damn Time" - accompanied by her trusty flute.
Sam Smith also defied expectations of the outrageous when he arrived in a futuristic latex outfit designed by HARRI. To create a misshapen silhouette, the sculpted material overemphasized a muscular chest and inflatable limbs, taking the look to the edge of cartoonish and back again.
Kim Petras took the 'Little Black Dress' archetype and gave it a decidedly Wednesday edge. Complete with a hood and elbow-length gloves with claws, the patterned tights and high heel Mary Janes introduced just enough of the schoolgirl element to let us know that stereotypes were being manipulated for the sake of fashion irony.
Salema Hayek seemed to take the biker chick chic look to a level of pagan empowerment, wearing a leather bustier with a sheer upper layer and an asymmetrical leather skirt that showed off her combat boots. The ensemble was courtesy of Alexander McQueen.
Amid the black costumes, Shania Twain was a burst of sunshine in a Yves Saint Laurent gown from the ready-to-wear collection 2023. The high neck number had a grecian silhouette, negating the need for accessories - save for a few well-placed diamonds - allowing her to wear her hair down in an uninhibited way.
Harry Styles has always known how to turn the basic into the flamboyant, and his suit was no exception. Wearing a velvet tux that was outfitted with a full peplum, satin lapels, and a massive black rose corsage at the neck, he was essentially the belle of the ball in this Nina Ricci number.
Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo seemed to be channeling the revenge vibes of Princess Di's more liberated '90s in a black mini dress that flaunted a flirtatious amount of décolleté and a cathedral-length train.
Jessie J flaunted her baby bump in a vermillion cropped lace top that came with operatic tulle sleeves.
Other stars in attendance were Charli XCX, Jodie Turner-Smith, Ellie Goulding, Eliza Rose, Leomie Anderson and the Nova Twins.
~ By Erin Moonyeen Haley