20 years on and Jennifer Lopez’s 2000 Grammys look is still making waves. Credited as the original breaker of the internet and the reason Google Image Search was created, the green Versace jungle print dress is making a comeback.
In commemoration of the dress’ 20th anniversary and JLo’s fast-approaching 50th birthday, Versace is gifting us with a wearable version of the navel-baring, palm-print chiffon gown.
The Italian fashion house has joined forces with sneakerhead-approved clothing label Concepts to reimagine the iconic gown that turned JLo into a fashion icon overnight. Despite being fairly new to the sneaker game, the collaboration sees the dress recreated as a shoe. The archival print has been replicated on a durable nylon and matched with a nude leather tongue, representing the plunging neckline. The shoe features a quilted lining and rubber outsole. It also includes the word “love” written on the toe of the shoe in braille, and Versace’s signature Greek meander pattern.
Creative director of Concepts Deon Point spoke to Footwear News about the inspiration behind the collaboration,
“I think Versace is synonymous with that dress. That was the first time I think the brand got global recognition. Obviously, they were around but that got so much love and then [later with the launch of] Google Images, I thought, ‘This is so cool.’ I started going down a rabbit hole [online] and I decided to do it.
“About a year and a half ago or a little longer, Salehe [Bembury], the footwear designer at Versace, and I talked about doing it. I just needed to figure out a way to fit in the Concepts aesthetic — it should be luxury or sport, the two lanes we stay in. Once I found that left lane I was like, ‘This is a go.’ And the JLo thing was cool because it was a huge moment in pop culture, it was 20 years ago to the year. So it made sense to do it now.”
While the limited-edition of Versace’s ‘Chain Reaction’ sneaker is far more wearable and versatile than the famous belly button exposing dress, its retail price is around $1530 AUD.