Many celebrities walked the 2017 Met Gala carpet earlier this year in outlandish styles, but only Celine Dion used the moment to propel her transformation into a fashion maven.
While shesa国际传媒檚 been the queen of Quebecois music for decades, the sa国际传媒淢y Heart Will Go Onsa国际传媒� powerhouse strutted onto the New York fashion scene in May with surprising confidence and swagger. Dressed in an Atelier Versace gown, she mugged with hip hop trio Migos and slinked like a lioness across the floor for Voguesa国际传媒檚 popular Instagram sa国际传媒減hoto booth.sa国际传媒�
She also yanked off her high heel and pretended to use it as a phone. Everything she did pulsated with vibrancy sa国际传媒� and a touch of silliness sa国际传媒� at an event where attendees often take themselves too seriously.
Not long afterwards, some voices in the fashion industry started proclaiming 2017 as sa国际传媒渢he year of Celine Dion,sa国际传媒� as the Met photos went viral and sent gossip pages into a tizzy.
The Met Gala also proved the 49-year-old performer wasnsa国际传媒檛 defeated by the events of 2016, an emotionally draining year that saw her lose both husband and manager Rene Angelil as well as her brother Daniel to cancer sa国际传媒� within the course of a week.
The deaths left a void in her life but also convinced Dion to forge ahead, suggests Alison Eastwood, editor-in-chief at Hello Canada.
sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 really wanted to pour her heart and soul sa国际传媒� into something shesa国际传媒檚 passionate about sa国际传媒� and that is fashion,sa国际传媒� Eastwood says.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 part of her re-emergence as an independent woman.sa国际传媒�
Searching for inspiration in the world of haute couture sa国际传媒� the glamorous looks that grace runways sa国际传媒� isnsa国际传媒檛 entirely foreign to Dion. In recent years, she slipped into designer threads as part of her flashy Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace.
But getting credit as a fashion influencer was mostly new territory for the singer in 2017.
Years ago, Dion was better known for her clothing missteps, like the backwards pantsuit she wore to the Oscars in 1999 which divided critics. Other clothing choices were less inspired and sometimes called safe and undistinguished.
It wasnsa国际传媒檛 until the performer strolled onto the streets of Paris in the summer of 2016 that heads really started to turn. Her outfit that made a statement: a Vetements hoodie bearing images from the 1997 blockbuster sa国际传媒淭itanic,sa国际传媒� coupled with distressed jeans and Gucci sandals.
sa国际传媒淚t was hailed by many as her official debut in the world of fashion or certainly current fashion,sa国际传媒� Eastwood says.
The concept was imagined by Law Roach, the sa国际传媒渋mage architectsa国际传媒� who has played a key role in helping Dion enter the fashion world. As the story goes, Dion first noticed Roachsa国际传媒檚 styling on young actress Zendaya Coleman, who was stealing attention on awards show red carpets.
Roach ran into Dion at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards and they hit it off instantly. Within a couple of days, the pair was collaborating on big ideas, like putting her into the now famous hoodie.
sa国际传媒淚 had it for a while but I didnsa国际传媒檛 show it to her because I thought she would think it was corny,sa国际传媒� Roach says, adding Dion was instantly attracted to the kitsch and insisted on wearing it immediately.
sa国际传媒淎s the days went on I started to introduce her to new brands sa国际传媒� and one day I mustered up the courage and showed it to her.sa国际传媒�
By 2017, the partnership between Roach and Dion had really clicked. Paparazzi and fashion magazines documented her every move as she began stepping out at Parisian hotels draped in show-stopping designs.
Dion ignited chatter by wearing a white Ralph & Russo cape and matching pantsuit topped with a wide-brimmed hat, and she also won praises for coupling a Dice Kayek blouse detailed with a giant black bow with high-waisted pants and Tom Ford heels.
Many of the looks were coupled with handbags from the sa国际传媒淐eline Dionsa国际传媒� branded collection she began selling this summer.
Afiya Francisco, a Toronto-based style expert, compliments Roach for enhancing Dionsa国际传媒檚 fashion sense.
sa国际传媒淚t showed that she was adventurous,sa国际传媒� she says. sa国际传媒淚f you donsa国际传媒檛 have the attitude sometimes that can really fall flat.sa国际传媒�
The singer has described her foray into haute couture as a source of joy after the death of her husband. Shesa国际传媒檚 also credited Roach with inspiring her creativity.
sa国际传媒淭o me, that was the ultimate payoff, to have such a small part in the healing,sa国际传媒� says Roach.
sa国际传媒淪he was with Rene for so long and loved him so much that she will never ever not mourn (him). But the fact she credited (our work) in Paris that summer as part of the healing process was so overwhelming to me.sa国际传媒�
Roach says Dionsa国际传媒檚 vast knowledge of the industry often astounds him.
sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 also a bit of a fashion historian,sa国际传媒� he says.
sa国际传媒淭he things she can reference and pull up. Shesa国际传媒檚 like, sa国际传媒楪ive me a minute, I know I have it.sa国际传媒� And shesa国际传媒檒l go through like books of tear sheets (from old magazines)sa国际传媒�. She knows what she wants and what she likes, but shesa国际传媒檚 also very open to learning new things.sa国际传媒�
Dionsa国际传媒檚 move into the fashion industry could also give her pop music career a boost. Itsa国际传媒檚 been rumoured she could release new English-language material in 2018.
Eastwood rebuffs suggestions that Dion has simply been trying to stoke buzz for a new album and her fashion lines. She says after interviewing the singer a number of times, shesa国际传媒檚 confident Dion is simply tapping into another outlet for her own happiness.
sa国际传媒淚 can guarantee you that she couldnsa国际传媒檛 care less personally about making an impact on social media,sa国际传媒� she says.
sa国际传媒淚t doesnsa国际传媒檛 feel like shesa国际传媒檚 trying too hardsa国际传媒�. It may have a different audience paying attention to what shesa国际传媒檚 doing now, (but) thatsa国际传媒檚 the power fashion and style has.sa国际传媒�
Eastwood also predicts that Dion is only getting started with her grand aspirations and could surprise the world by stepping onto a catwalk during Milan Fashion Week in February.
Whatever is next for Dion, Francisco expects her style choices will continue to work in her favour in the coming months.
sa国际传媒淔ashion, nowadays, absolutely has the ability to define a career sa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 really important and part of the package,sa国际传媒� she says.
sa国际传媒淚f a new album were to drop, she has everybodysa国际传媒檚 attention already.sa国际传媒�
David Friend, The Canadian Press
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