Smartphones and social media did not exist in 1997, so opportunities to extend and build upon the album’s visual codes were obviously more limited. But images of Jackson at various release parties for The Velvet Rope feel like a fabulous portrait of ’90s style. At the LA celebration, Jackson sports loose trousers and a see-through crocheted cardigan with bouncy red curls. One can easily imagine spotting the look on an off-duty model strolling through the Lower East Side.
Remarkably, Jackson adopted a radically contrasting look for 2001’s All for You, the follow-up album to The Velvet Rope. Then, the singer rocked revealing, midriff-baring looks similar to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the time. But over the years, the undeniable impact of The Velvet Rope has shown itself. Singer Normani, a self-admitted ’90s enthusiast, seemed to lean into “I Get Lonely”–flavored sensuality for her hit video “Wild Side” last year. SZA carried on the legacy of soul-baring, navel-gazing alternative R&B with her acclaimed 2017 album CTRL.
And recently, Jackson herself has provided meaningful nods and commemorations to one of her most celebrated musical—and style—eras. Earlier this year, the singer donned a very Velvet Rope-esque suit and top hat, designed by CFDA chairman Thom Browne, to the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. And while in Europe for fashion month, Jackson visited fan-organized 25th anniversary parties. Of course, though, it will be impossible to recreate the magic of the album’s original release in 1997. As Jackson told us, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”
Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images
Source: Vogue
