Image via Vogue.com
“Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.”
Despite the famous Devil Wears Prada adage, Taylor Swift managed to make florals look fresh at the 2021 Grammys. Her handmade Oscar de la Renta gown, dubbed “Floral Folklore” by the designer, was something out of our Cottagecore fantasies. Here’s the story behind the dreamy ensemble Taylor wore to pick up six nominations and an Album of the Year award.
The Gown
After four years away, Swift made waves with her re-entry to the Grammys red carpet in a custom Oscar de la Renta dress. The knee-length number had a mock neck and peasant sleeves, with a form-fitting bodice and skirt. But the most striking part of the gown had to be the embroidered flowers. From sunflowers to peonies, the dress consisted of dozens of botanical appliques hand-stitched over beige organza.
While the flowers were not real, they looked as if they might as well have come from a book of hand-pressed spring blooms. The same motifs graced a matching mask, donned while Taylor sat in the audience awaiting her award.
On March 14, the designer posted behind-the-scenes footage to Twitter sharing the process of making the gown. In the video, artisans run the garment through a sewing machine and tack on individual flowers by hand.
In the de la Renta Fall 2021 Look Book, released several weeks before the award show, Candace Swanepoel modeled the elegant dress. The gown was such a red carpet hit that it is now available for preorder on Moda Operandi for a whopping $8,990.
The Mask
Fashionistas and Swift fans are equally obsessed with Taylor’s embroidered evening mask, which was custom-designed to match her gown.
While Taylor’s dress may be available for preorder, the matching mask is currently M.I.A. If you want your own, you’ll need to stitch it by hand – as some fans on Twitter speculated that Swift did.
As much as we’d like to imagine Taylor toiling away by the fire with needle and thread, this theory is wishful thinking. Oscar de la Renta designers Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia are responsible for the mask.
The Shoes
What award show look would be complete without fabulous footwear? Swift’s Grammy showstopper was no exception: she served a pair of pink suede peep-toe Christian Louboutin pumps to finish the look.
The ankle-tie detail on these shoes added a feminine touch that perfectly complemented her fairytale ensemble – and was perhaps a subtle nod to the lyrics of her Folklore song Invisible String? Regardless, the suede offered a welcome contrast to the delicate organza of her dress and mask.
If you’re dying to add these peep-toes to your wardrobe, the rosy Louboutins – dubbed the Rose-Amelie sandal by the designer – retail for $990 at stores like Saks Fifth Avenue.