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Donatella Versace wore the jungle green dress before J Lo at MET Gala 1999
As HT City celebrates its 25th birthday this year, we uncover a fun fact from the world of fashion in 1999
Every fashion enthusiast would know that it was singer Jennifer Lopez who popularised the jungle green dress from Versace when she strutted down the 42nd Grammy Awards blue carpet in 2000.
However, the silk chiffon number with tropical leaf and bamboo prints and featuring a low neckline was first rocked by designer Donatella Versace at the 1999 MET Gala, where the theme for the year was Rock Style. She became the centre of attention with the dress she designed. It was also described as a turning point in Donatella’s career after the death of her brother, Gianni Versace and has been cited, other than actor Elizabeth Hurley's black Versace dress, as one of the most high-profile dresses that made the designer Versace a big name.
In 2019, Lopez, Donatella, and the dress again made headlines after they teamed up for Versace’s Spring/Summer 2020 show in Milan, Itay. At the event, the singer wore a revamp that had the same green palm trees print. A duplicate of the dress is displayed at The Grammy Museum while, Lopez herself still owns the original piece.
