For her first Vogue Italia cover, Dua Lipa leaned into high-drama glamor with a series of striking looks for the magazine’s September 2026 issue. One outfit in particular played with the line between ready-to-wear and lingerie. It paired a sculptural Balmain cutout dress with a deliberately exposed bra underneath.
Dua Lipa gives a cheeky peek at Fleur du Mal bra through Balmain cutout dress for Vogue Italia
Dua Lipa wore a structured black velvet dress from Balmain’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection. The floor-length number featured long sleeves, defined shoulders, and a dramatic diamond-shaped cutout that stretched across the center of her torso.
Rather than leaving the plunging opening bare, the styling put Lipa’s lingerie front and center. According to The Dua Lipa Closet, the singer wore Fleur du Mal’s black lily-embroidered bra, which retails for $138.
The sheer bra featured delicate floral embroidery across its cups. It created a softer contrast against the heavier black velvet surrounding it. Its placement meant the lingerie was clearly visible through the upper portion of the dress’s cutout, while the lower opening revealed Lipa’s midriff. The styling also closely echoed Balmain’s original runway presentation, where the cutout dress was similarly shown with a bra exposed underneath.
For the editorial, however, Lipa’s look received several additional dramatic touches. Behind-the-scenes images show her wearing a sheer black netted veil over her face and hair, along with lace gloves. A statement accessory featuring vivid red and orange feathers brought a flash of color to the head-to-toe black look.
Vogue Italia shared footage from the September cover shoot on Instagram, identifying Carlijn Jacobs as the photographer and Imruh Asha as the stylist. For the shoot, her hair was left messy and undone. Her makeup featured a coral lip, glowing skin, and defined eyes.
Between Balmain’s sweeping velvet silhouette with the oversized cutout and the Fleur du Mal bra, Lipa’s look made the lingerie as intentional as the dress itself.
Originally reported by Viha Shah on The Fashion Spot.
