While the unexpected news of Tina Turner’s passing immediately evokes thoughts of her impeccable music career, birthing such legendary anthems as “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” and “Proud Mary,” we’d be remiss to glance over her iconic style. Throughout her almost-seven-decade-long career, the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll proved her sartorial supremacy as she appeared in tons of showstopping ensembles that matched her mesmerizing performances.
Formfitting gowns with scoop necklines helped to define Turner’s early days with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, but she quickly graduated to skin-baring silhouettes, especially naked dresses. During her partnership with designer Bob Mackie, she cemented herself as the queen of minidresses when she wore a gold-and-silver tiered number while performing in New York City in 1969. Turner’s affinity for alluring clothing reached new heights when she wore the infamous red-and-gold flame dress complete with an orange feathered backpiece for a Paris nightclub show. She also collaborated with late designer Azzedine Alaïa for many looks and famously attended his 1989 fashion show in an enticing, cutout black revenge dress.
The late singer also proved fashion has no age limits, as she continued to rock sultry pieces well into her later years. In 1996, Turner wore her signature silver minidress while performing in Belgium, and in 2008, she sported a sparkly red minidress with high-cut slits for her 50th Anniversary Tour, reminiscent of the garment she wore for the 1985 Grammys. Furthermore, she appeared in a silver, skintight jumpsuit during an unforgettable duet with Beyoncé at the award show in 2008.
From her gold-and-silver fringe minidress glory days of the ’60s to her denim era of the ’80s, let’s look back at some of Turner’s most memorable fashion moments ahead.