London, June 18 — Long before social media could amplify a fashion moment into global virality, Elizabeth Hurley managed it with a single dress. The British model and actress, who turned 60 this month, has spent decades as a style icon—but her career-defining moment came at the 1994 premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral, a film she didn’t even star in.
Hurley, then 29 and best known as Hugh Grant’s girlfriend, arrived at the event in a jaw-dropping black Versace gown held together by oversized gold safety pins. The dress, with its daring slits and plunging neckline, instantly overshadowed the film itself—despite its Oscar nomination and record-breaking box office success.
At the time, Hurley was far from a household name. Her most notable role had been a minor part in the forgettable action film Passenger 57, and designers initially dismissed her requests to borrow an outfit. “Poor Elizabeth rang some top designers, and they all said, ‘No, who are you?’” Grant recalled in a 2019 BBC documentary. Versace, however, agreed—offering her a sample dress that happened to be the last one available in their press office.
The gamble paid off. The gown, a mix of Lycra and silk, was both scandalous and sophisticated, with Hurley’s confident demeanor elevating it from provocative to legendary. Paparazzi frenzy ensued, and the next day, her image dominated headlines worldwide.
The dress didn’t just make Hurley famous—it reshaped red-carpet fashion. In an era when Hollywood premieres favored conservative elegance, Hurley’s look reclaimed boldness as power. It paved the way for future iconic moments, from Jennifer Lopez’s green Versace Grammys dress in 2000 to Halle Berry’s sheer Oscar gown in 2002.
Versace, too, reaped the rewards. The brand became synonymous with fearless, body-celebrating glamour—a reputation it still holds today.
Three decades later, Hurley’s dress remains the reference point for celebrity fashion shocks. Google “that dress,” and her Versace moment still outranks even the internet’s infamous 2015 “blue vs. gold” debate.
As Hurley herself quipped in a 1994 Tatler interview: “Only in England could a saucy dress have such an astounding effect.”
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