Vintage on the red carpet is still having its moment. Tyla, the South African performer behind hits like the TikTok favorite “Water,” turned up to the 2024 BET Awards last night wearing a dress that debuted when she was only two years old.
The singer hit the blue carpet wearing a black gown from Versace’s fall 2004 ready-to-wear collection. The 20-year-old piece featured a high slit and stud embellishments below the bust and on the choker-style halterneck. The piece also featured a long, belly button-revealing cutout and was lined in a yellow animal print for some extra oomph (and perhaps as a stylistic shout out to her fans, which she calls “Tigers”).
Styled by Katie Quian, the dress previously appeared in a Versace ad campaign. It also was part of a pivotal year for Versace: In 2004, a few months after the range debuted, Donatella Versace admitted herself into rehab. The company had been suffering massive losses since the 1997 murder of her brother, founder Gianni Versace. But post rehab, and with the August 2004 appointment of Giancarlo Di Risio as chief executive officer, the brand began to mount its comeback.
Tyla wears vintage Versace for the 2024 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 30, 2024 in Los Angeles.
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Quian paired the sexy gown with a heeled sandal from Flor de Maria. The shoe features a double wrap at the ankle. It also includes a PVC strap across the cleavage of the toes and one black strap around each big toe.
The look was completed with $230,000 worth of diamonds. Jared Atelier provided morganite and diamond drop earrings, two tennis bracelets, and two rings. One of the bracelets is worth $115,000 and the jewelry as a whole includes 70 carats. The singer wore her hair in her typical style of intricately designed braids with gelled baby hair.
The 22-year-old was a standout of the night both on the red carpet and at the event. She put on a blowout show on the main stage and collected awards as the Best International Act as well as Best New Artist.
A Grammy winner, Tyla has been making her own wave in fashion. Earlier this year, she landed a Gap campaign which was her first major fashion deal. She followed that up in May with a Met Gala debut, dressed by Balmain.
