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The hallmark of a music icon is that their appearance is instantly memorable: whether it’s Elvis Presley with his jet-black quiff and rhinestone jumpsuits, or Kurt Cobain with his mop of blond hair and flannel shirts. Another such artist is Amy Winehouse, whose high beehive, thick winged eyeliner and rockabilly fashion are immediately conjured by her music. And despite more than a decade having passed since her tragic death in 2011, her legacy is still very much present today, and is set to be discussed again thanks to director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s new biography of the star was released this week. , Back to black.
It was during the making of her 2006 album Back to Black that Winehouse showed off the look she first became synonymous with – namely the beehive and eyeliner, as well as ballet pumps, mini dresses and tattoos. Although she always had a vintage inspired dress sense, she often tied silk scarves around her hair during the making of her debut album. Frankit was only during the recording of her sophomore album that she raised the issue.
“Amy took her music and her persona very seriously,” says Priya Khanchandani, who curated the Amy: Beyond the Stage exhibition at the Design Museum in London in 2021. , and did not interfere with the trends of the fashion industry. When she was doing Frank She wore a lot of high street brands, but it was only to be released Back to black that she emerged with a beehive look and a more self-conscious image, which was helped by wearing designer brands introduced to her by stylists.”
Winehouse’s sense of style was an amalgamation of the influences around her: not just the 1950s jazz and 1960s pop she was listening to, and what those artists wore, but also the pub culture of Camden Town to early 2000s. “Amy’s style was very eclectic,” says Khanchandani. “What’s unique about her is how she was able to combine different styles. She drew inspiration from different eras, as well as contemporary fashion, combining the heritage of black female musicians with indie Americana. She even had a recognizable ‘Amy Silhouette’. Not many people have that.”
By the late 2000s the fashion industry had started to take notice of Winehouse. Fendi invited her to sing at a fashion show in 2008, and her creative director Karl Lagerfeld was also inspired by her appearance at his Chanel show, sending models down the runway with beehives and winged eyeliner. “She is a style icon,” Lagerfeld said. “She is a beautiful, talented artist. And I love her hair. Amy is… the new Brigitte [Bardot].” In 2009, LOVE magazine, the passion project of uber-stylist Katie Grand, published images of Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima styled as Winehouse. The following year she released a collection of polo shirts, twin sets, pencil skirts and capri pants with Fred Perry – a collaboration that has been kept alive through its establishment today.
In the years since her death, her style has continued to influence musicians and designers. In 2012, Jean Paul Gaultier dedicated his spring/summer couture collection to the late singer (much to the chagrin of serious fashionistas, who saw Winehouse’s look as too cartoonish to be couture). This year, designer Seán McGirr referenced her at his inaugural show for Alexander McQueen, with a picture of her in a low-cut bustier dress on his mood board. Lana Del Rey loves Winehouse, in her bad girl persona and Americana styling, and at the Brit Awards 2021, Dua Lipa paid tribute to the singer by wearing a yellow dress that was a nod to her look in 2007, when she took her home. the gong for Best British Female Artist.
Like many famous women in the early years of the millennium, the ways in which Winehouse was treated by both the media and the public is being questioned today. This was partly the reason why Khanchandani was inspired to curate the exhibition. “I felt that because there was not much intellectual reflection on her legacy as an artist, it was overshadowed by her troubles,” she says.
As for Winehouse’s influence on the way we dress now, Khanchandani thinks it’s her authenticity that has given her lasting appeal. “I think what resonates with so many people is that she was able to be without Amy’s apology. I think the idea of boldness, authenticity and the ability to express yourself through fashion is her true legacy.”
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