Olivia Dean Puts a Twist on Pop Princess Fashion
What’s a better way to see the movement of clothes than on the runway? On a concert stage!
Olivia Dean, an English neo-soul and acoustic pop singer, is no exception to this argument. Her name has recently appeared in headlines due to her spottings with fellow British artist Harry Styles, at Five Guys to a Sam Smith set at a music festival.
What’s truly notable is her fashion, which is just as spectacular as her songs. Her unique stage presence is like no other, allowing her to showcase her incredible style.
One of her recent looks was a stunning custom Chopova Lowena dress that she wore for her performance at the iconic Glastonbury Festival. The London brand focuses on sustainability and uses recycled folkloric and deadstock fabrics. These unique materials are paired with silver grommets, chains, buckles, and colored studs. The red plaid bubble skirt with bows on the sides gives it a feminine but ‘90s grunge touch. These little unique details made her stand out among fellow performers’ fashion.
Image Courtesy: Oliva Dean via Instagram; @danikm
The most special element is the photo of her grandmother in the middle of the studded heart. She has paid homage to her through this outfit and in her newest studio album, Messy. Non-fans might have heard of the single “Dive” on the radio or blasting in a store. When listening to her music, one can see the same energy reflected in her wardrobe.
Even off stage, she is seen in various flowy maxi skirts, and the bubble skirt is a staple for her. Recently, she has worn the puffy style with ruffles in three colors for her shows at the Apollo Theatre in London. She has also worn custom outfits by Parnell Mooney in pink, red, and yellow.
Image Courtesy: @danikm and @paigee
The unique feature is that the shiny taffeta fabric can be torn away to reveal a sleek mini skirt. The movement is reminiscent of the outfit reveals Cher performed during her entrances on The Sonny & Cher Show. It also highlights Dean’s versatility in both her clothing and music.
At first, the outfit gives her a whimsical silhouette as she stands at a mic. Then, when she bursts out in dance, the ripping away of the fabric allows her more mobility and highlights her playful style.
Image Courtesy: @danikm and @paigee
Her energy radiates effortlessly cool, allowing her to wear her clothes, not vice versa. These looks are thanks to her stylist Simone Beyene, who has put her in various styles, from pop princess to ‘70s singer.
Recently she covered “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes, and her voice fit the song perfectly. This era of the ‘60s and ‘70s is seen through a bigger theme of pieces that her stylist has pulled.
In early August, she was styled in a look from KNWLS London’s fall/winter 2024 collection at Lollapalooza. She wore a khaki-colored dress and big brown shearling boots. The fluffy boots juxtaposed the light material of the dress and gave her a dreamy Daisy Jones look. It was a retro rockstar look that paired perfectly with the Chicago festival.
Adding to the theme of the ‘70s singer, she wore a crochet dress from Kenzo’s spring/summer 2025 collection. The halter top and mesh maxi skirt both featured intricate green flowers. It was especially significant that she wore this look at her concert in Japan since the collection was building a bridge between its French and Japanese roots. They collaborated with VERDY, a Japanese graphic artist who featured the country’s boke flower in the set that Dean wore. The look played into her bohemian style that can be seen in her streetwear at times, but also her sleek silhouettes on stage.
Image Courtesy: Oliva Dean via Instagram; @paigee
She also often plays with colors and textures in her outfits. For instance, at the Osheaga Music Festival in Canada, she wore a printed fringe slip dress from Etro. The piece features multiple colorful mixed prints with a feathery fringe, returning to Cher’s fashion.
Dean never fails to look dreamy in custom looks. One is another dress from Parnell Mooney that she wore while performing at the British Fashion Awards. It was a sheer purple dress with a plethora of pink hand-tied bows with matching long gloves. The silhouette was feminine and almost fairy-like.
Image Courtesy: Oliva Dean via Instagram; @paigee
Another was a custom mini dress from Miu Miu that she wore when she headlined the Love Supreme Festival. It had intricate beading that was equally as sparkling and stunning. The accessories were paired with a satin bow belt and the iconic Miu Miu moto boots.
Image Courtesy: Simone Beyene via Instagram
Dean is unafraid to play with multiple aesthetics and gracefully pulls off each look. Due to this ability and her heart-warming music, her rapid rise in popularity is deserved. There is no question that she will go down as an icon for both her songs and fashion. For now, we can only sit back and appreciate her performances
Strike Out,
Kim Nguyen
Boca Raton
Kim Nguyen is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. When not overthinking, this fangirl is either consuming romance media, Vietnamese coffee, or Beyoncé's discography. You can reach her by email at kimvunguyen14@gmail.com or on Instagram @kimnguyen1_.
