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 she鈥檚 been the queen of Quebecois music for decades, the 鈥淢y Heart Will Go On鈥� 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 Vogue鈥檚 popular Instagram 鈥減hoto booth.鈥�
She also yanked off her high heel and pretended to use it as a phone. Everything she did pulsated with vibrancy 鈥� and a touch of silliness 鈥� at an event where attendees often take themselves too seriously.
Not long afterwards, some voices in the fashion industry started proclaiming 2017 as 鈥渢he year of Celine Dion,鈥� as the Met photos went viral and sent gossip pages into a tizzy.
The Met Gala also proved the 49-year-old performer wasn鈥檛 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 鈥� 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.
鈥淪he鈥檚 really wanted to pour her heart and soul 鈥� into something she鈥檚 passionate about 鈥� and that is fashion,鈥� Eastwood says.
鈥淚t鈥檚 part of her re-emergence as an independent woman.鈥�
Searching for inspiration in the world of haute couture 鈥� the glamorous looks that grace runways 鈥� isn鈥檛 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 wasn鈥檛 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 鈥淭itanic,鈥� coupled with distressed jeans and Gucci sandals.
鈥淚t was hailed by many as her official debut in the world of fashion or certainly current fashion,鈥� Eastwood says.
The concept was imagined by Law Roach, the 鈥渋mage architect鈥� who has played a key role in helping Dion enter the fashion world. As the story goes, Dion first noticed Roach鈥檚 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.
鈥淚 had it for a while but I didn鈥檛 show it to her because I thought she would think it was corny,鈥� Roach says, adding Dion was instantly attracted to the kitsch and insisted on wearing it immediately.
鈥淎s the days went on I started to introduce her to new brands 鈥� and one day I mustered up the courage and showed it to her.鈥�
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 鈥淐eline Dion鈥� branded collection she began selling this summer.
Afiya Francisco, a Toronto-based style expert, compliments Roach for enhancing Dion鈥檚 fashion sense.
鈥淚t showed that she was adventurous,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have the attitude sometimes that can really fall flat.鈥�
The singer has described her foray into haute couture as a source of joy after the death of her husband. She鈥檚 also credited Roach with inspiring her creativity.
鈥淭o me, that was the ultimate payoff, to have such a small part in the healing,鈥� says Roach.
鈥淪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.鈥�
Roach says Dion鈥檚 vast knowledge of the industry often astounds him.
鈥淪he鈥檚 also a bit of a fashion historian,鈥� he says.
鈥淭he things she can reference and pull up. She鈥檚 like, 鈥楪ive me a minute, I know I have it.鈥� And she鈥檒l go through like books of tear sheets (from old magazines)鈥�. She knows what she wants and what she likes, but she鈥檚 also very open to learning new things.鈥�
Dion鈥檚 move into the fashion industry could also give her pop music career a boost. It鈥檚 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, she鈥檚 confident Dion is simply tapping into another outlet for her own happiness.
鈥淚 can guarantee you that she couldn鈥檛 care less personally about making an impact on social media,鈥� she says.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 feel like she鈥檚 trying too hard鈥�. It may have a different audience paying attention to what she鈥檚 doing now, (but) that鈥檚 the power fashion and style has.鈥�
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.
鈥淔ashion, nowadays, absolutely has the ability to define a career 鈥� it鈥檚 really important and part of the package,鈥� she says.
鈥淚f a new album were to drop, she has everybody鈥檚 attention already.鈥�
David Friend, The Canadian Press
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