With her close fashion ties to the House of Gucci and a vice grip on the retro-Americana aesthetic, you wouldn’t know it, but Lana Del Rey never intended to be a style icon.

“My little sister used to say, ‘I swear to God if you become a fashion icon,'” the “Summertime Sadness” singer once told an interviewer. “I never had any fashion sense at all, I wore the same thing every day—which was just lots of denim like jeans and white t-shirts.” She may have doubted her sartorial senses then, but alas, propelled by her Priscilla Presley-esque charm, Old Hollywood appeal and penchant for vintage fashions, a fashion idol was born.

An ethereal vision on every red carpet she graces, Del Rey now knows how to up the ante when the spotlights come out—exchanging her pared-back blue jeans for designer ensembles worthy of the Met Gala red carpet, and the Coachella main stage. Here, we examine her most glamorous looks to date.

1/11

May 2012

Getty

For her Met Gala debut in 2012, Del Rey stunned in a silver floor-length Altuzarra gown trailed by a structured black cape. Dramatizing the look further, the “Young and Beautiful” singer went with a vampy plum lip to complement her then-signature side-swept auburn tresses.

May 2012

Getty

Del Rey arrived at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival dressed in a strapless Alberta Ferretti gown with dazzling Chopard jewelry hanging from her neck. True to her nostalgic aura, she expertly captured the essence of Old Hollywood glamour.

July 2012

Getty

Performing on the Splendour in the Grass stage in 2012, Del Rey’s ’60s bouffant, floral veil and white mini dress still gives us wedding fever to this day. Like the second coming of Priscilla Presley, she brought vintage beauty to the 21st century.

February 2016

Getty

Wearing a shimmering silver Vivienne Westwood gown, Del Rey attended the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Allowing her dress to have its moment, she opted for a classic nude lip and black winged eyeliner liner to give her glam that babydoll look.

May 2017

Getty

Papped on the streets of New York in 2017, the “Brooklyn Baby” performer was feeling the East Coast energy. She paired her patriotic co-ord with Gucci snakeskin slingbacks that featured adorable cherry charms.

January 2018

Getty

A 2018 Grammy nominee, Del Rey walked the Grammy’s Red Carpet that year in a cosmic custom Gucci gown that paid homage to Hollywood icon Hedy Lamarr. Like the angelic being that she is, she topped the ensemble off with a literal halo.

May 2018

Getty

Ethereal as ever, the “Say Yes to Heaven” singer nailed the “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” theme at the 2018 Met Gala. Drawing parallels to Our Lady of Sorrows artwork, her Gucci costume was deserving of its own exhibit at the Met Museum.

December 2018

Getty

Firm in her unwavering loyalty to Gucci, Del Rey wore the Italian fashion house once more. This time, to the 2018 Fashion Awards. Her floor-grazing gown featured a gilded top half with romantic floral detailing on the shoulders.

February 2024

Getty

In the finest display of “funeral fashion,” Del Rey returned to the Grammy’s red carpet this year in a lacy black dress. Accessorized by sheer black gloves, an oversized bow and matching heels, she made a major case for coquette beauty gone dark.

April 2024

Instagram.com/coachella / Julian Bajsel

Going full throttle on the Western wear movement, Del Rey’s final Coachella 2024 look was rife with cowgirl-chic additions (and an on-brand gothic veil). A bejewelled buckled belt that read ‘Lana’ here, fringed leather there. Could she be hinting at her next era of music?

More from Fashion