L'HISTOIRE: Christina Aguilera's Versace Chainmail Butterfly Dress at the 2000 Grammys

L'HISTOIRE explores fashion history moments you should know, from what actors wore on a red carpet to celebrities who made cameos on the runway. Some are unsung, and some are better known. Each is part of the fabric of today’s fashion world, be it barrier breakers or culture makers.

The early aughts may be one of the most singular eras in fashion, filled with iconic styles and aesthetics that contemporary fashion trends continually turn to for inspiration. One of the style icons born from that time is Christina Aguilera, whose outfits have withstood the test of time. The Staten Island-born singer embraced the Y2K look to the fullest with her love of low-rise pants, micro skirts, and the signature chunky highlights she sported. Her Dirty Era inspired street style, and her glamorous red carpet moments also cemented her as a household name: Her 2000 Grammy Awards outfit is in this lane.

She wore a butterfly-plastered Versace chainmail dress to the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, and it's still considered one of the best looks from the early aughts. She paired the Spring/Summer1999 number with hot pink and pastel sandals, a diamond bracelet, bleach blonde tresses, and blue-tinted eye makeup (very '90s of her). The then 19-year-old's shimmering number represents one of Versace's most iconic signatures, its mesh-like Orton textile. She wore the now-classic frock while winning Best New Artist; other nominees included Macy Gray, Susan Tedeschi, Kid Rock, and Britney Spears. (Her hit song "Genie in a Bottle" was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance that year, though she didn't win that Grammy award.)

Naomi Campbell, a longtime friend of the late Gianni Versace and the brand, donned the dress in 1999 alongside Kate Moss, setting the stage of Aguilera's red carpet moment. Other celebrities during that epoch also hopped on the chainmail trend, with Paris Hilton wearing a high-slit dress in 2002 (albeit, not by Versace). And since the early aughts, other celebrities have since paid homage to the Versace chainmail butterfly dress, like Dua Lipa at the 2021 Grammy Awards.

To recreate a fashion moment inspired by the Grammy-winning singer, opt for a chainmail butterfly dress like Anna Sui's Impressionism Butterfly Chainmail Dress. Complete the look with a pair of Jimmy Choo's Skye 70 rose vintage metallic leather sandals. Add an elegant touch to the dress with the Tiffany & Co. Cluster Tennis Bracelet. Keep it simple with side part and blue eyeshadow. The singer's vocal range isn't the only thing that made her an icon; her style also sets her apart from other Y2K princesses.