Picture vivid, jungle-themed, leafy folds, painted delicately on the one and only Jennifer Lopez at Milan Fashion Week. And it’s pure marketing genius: a celebratory fusion of fashion, with the birth of Google Images, that nearly broke the internet back in 2000. Part profitable PR stunt, part recreation of iconic design, or part celebration of two industries commemorating their success? Arguably, it’s a combination of all three.
Image source: @versace (Instagram)
A rewind to the '02 Grammy Awards remembers J-Lo sporting that same glorious gown. Her appearance on the runway this year was a brilliant ploy, plotted for a bewitching comeback. But what Donatella Versace did was - quite literally - repeat that revamping of a dress that was originally marketed at approximately $15,000, nearly two decades later.
The Versace show screamed sultry, simple, yet classic. Dotted amongst monochrome tones on jet-black blazers and golden jewels, were splashes of bright greens and rich hues of bright colour. These details - spattered amongst sprinkles of vivid emeralds -were a playful tease toward J-Lo's surprising re-appearance. Her fiery finale was matched with Versace's voice echoing across the stage “Okay Google. Now, show me the real jungle dress”. In collaboration with head of Google in Italy, J-Lo’s return was an ode to the most popular search query ever seen in 2002. So highly spoken of, that it launched the worldwide platform most ubiquitous in our current culture: Google Images.
The reproduced version of the dress has raked up a remarkable $31.8 million in online impact value, (again) stirring endless chit chat. Featuring sleeveless shoulders and basked in shimmering layers of green sequins, it’s a grandiose way to commemorate a culturally iconic creation, both in fashion and tech.
Image source: @HuffPost (Twitter)
Image source: @AmondoHQ (Twitter)
Despite the current rise of social media and Google-owned image platforms being available at our fingertips, it’s obvious that J-Lo’s walk on Versace’s show was a ruse to remember that gorgeous, green coloured glory - perpetuated by Google – decades ago. Without a doubt, the fashion industry is continually able to rework styles and reproduce unique moments. And now, you won’t be surprised to see that the (SS 20/20 version) dress is currently available to pre-order for a whopping £8,178.
Not only that, but with the rapid use of online fashion, it’s no shock to see online retailers creating replicas of a dress that was - and yet again - is all the talk in fashion and (Google) history.
