Revisiting Annie Lennox’s cult 80s style

Not only is Annie Lennox a musical icon, she is also widely-recognised as a tireless ambassador for HIV charities. This week saw the Scottish star perform and host an exclusive event for mothers2mothers, a charity undertaking vital work in sub-Saharan Africa to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The event was supported by fashion behemoths such as M·A·C Cosmetics (who have been a leading light in the field since establishing their own AIDS fund in 1994) proving that the singer is just as imperative to the fashion world as she is to those of music and philanthropy. In celebration of the Eurythmics’ frontwoman, we take a look back at some of her greatest style moments over the last few decades. 

BECOMING A SHOWGIRL FOR “WHY” (1992)

Released in 1992 as the debut single from her solo album Diva, “Why” was the mainstream public’s first taste of Annie Lennox, the artist. In the now-iconic video we first see Lennox fresh-faced, her close-cropped hair gelled back as she begins to ‘drag up’. The video charts Lennox’s visual transformation from androgynous beauty to over-the-top showgirl – perhaps a knowing nod to the album’s title, Lennox almost parodies the cosmetic ideal of a diva with a bold pink lip and a mountain of feathers.

FLEXING HER MUSCLES ON THE “TOUCH” COVER (1983)

With her dominatrix-style leather eye mask and her muscles flexed, this image it’s easy to see why Lennox is so often referenced as an androgynous style icon. With her eye fixed on the camera in a steely glare for the cover of Eurhythmics’ platinum-selling Touch (1983) album, Lennox created an unforgettable look that would later go on to be featured on the cover of cult magazine The Face.

DONNING A LEATHER CATSUIT FOR THE “MISSIONARY MAN” VIDEO (1986)

Set in a scientist’s lab, Eurythmics’ “Missionary Man” video sees a wax reconstruction of Lennox’s face come to life via stop-motion animation techniques. Once fully-formed, Lennox appears in a full-length leather catsuit complete with studded belt and a fistful of rings. The video also marks an iconic beauty look for the singer – the peroxide pixie cut and pillarbox red lipstick combination later went on to feature on the cover of the band’s 1986 Revenge album. 

IMMORTALISING THE RED CROP IN “SWEET DREAMS” (1983)

It’s ironic that Lennox’s most iconic look is arguably her most simple. In the video for Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”, Lennox is shown wearing a tailored men’s suit, a classic white shirt, black gloves and a grey tie. Her trademark red crop adds a pop of colour to the look, which Lennox explains was borne of the desire to create a look that was “edgy and distinctly me.. it was saying that appearance is temporary and I want to be as strong as a man.” She nailed it, creating an aesthetic so memorable that it was picked up as reference imagery for Jean Paul Gaultier’s AW13 collection, cementing her fashion credentials.

PAYING HOMAGE TO DRAG BALLET IN “NO MORE I LOVE YOU’S” (1995)

Elbow-length gloves? Check. Embellished choker? Check. “No More I Love You’s” (1995) sees Lennox playing dress up as a French courtesan in a floor-length gown consisting of purple satin bodice, rose-covered shoulder straps and a matching velvet shawl. Even better is the fact that she’s surrounded by a cast of burly young men in frothy white tutus – a deliberate reference to the all-male drag ballet group ‘Les Ballets Trockaderos de Monte Carlo’. It's hard to deny that this is Lennox at her gender-bending best.