Katy Perry channeled Audrey Hepburn for her evening inauguration look
Katy Perry celebrated the inauguration of a new president Wednesday night with a performance on the National Mall. But there was something old to be seen during her tribute to Joe Biden, too.
During the entertainment-packed “Celebrating America” special that aired at the end of the day’s festivities, the pop star belted out her hit “Firework” while wearing a sleek, white ensemble from designer Thom Browne — a look that harked all the way back to one of Audrey Hepburn’s most iconic fashion statements from the 1950s.
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Perry’s gown wasn’t really a gown at all but rather a set of three separates — a cashmere topper, a silk-satin corset and a long skirt — that were punctuated with rows of navy and red buttons. But if you look past the buttons and corset, it’s easy to see how the structured piece from the New York designer bears a strong resemblance to a two-piece Givenchy gown Hepburn wore in the film “Funny Face.”
Couturier Hubert de Givenchy designed several custom pieces for Hepburn to showcase in the fashion-heavy film, and the elegant column gown she modeled, that came with a familiar-looking top piece, was one of the show-stopping dresses.
And while Browne’s design for Perry differed when it came to the details, the classic shape shines through.
And Perry wasn’t the only one who looked sartorially picture-perfect for Inauguration Day. While her partner, fiancé Orlando Bloom, didn’t appear to be channeling any major movie looks, he certainly made an impression with his Thom Browne cropped-leg navy suit with a red, white and blue tie.
Perry, who welcomed her first child with Bloom almost five months ago, shared a photo of their inaugural looks side by side on her Instagram page after the show ended.
The singer’s choice of a Hepburn-like outfit for the big event isn’t surprising. The late actor, who died on Inauguration Day in 1993, remains a fashion icon, and “Funny Face” features some of her most enduring dresses.
In fact, just last January when Zoe Kravitz said her “I do's” with now-estranged husband Karl Glusman, she did so in a wedding dress that looked almost identical to Hepburn's bridal gown from the same movie.
Because some things never go out of style.