My first trip to New York in 1994 will forever be linked to the iconic Mary J. Blige and Method Man song ‘All I Need.’ So, seeing Method Man induct the Queen of Soul into the Class of 2024 at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony in Cleveland on Saturday night gave me all the nostalgic feels.
Before Mary received her honour, Dr. Dre introduced her, setting the tone for the evening with heartfelt words: “Let’s face it, you don’t just listen to a Mary album. You feel that in your soul. Every single syllable, her emotional vocals capture the pain and culture, but her messages of resilience, of hope, and light are a pathway towards healing. When you listen to Mary, we’re reminded we’re not alone in heartbreak.” I couldn’t agree more.
While I’ve often said Mary can seem stuck in a ’90s time warp—a testament to her dominance of that era—I was pleasantly surprised by her fresh look. Her trademark blonde hair gave way to a stunning flame-red hue that softens her and takes years off her appearance. The blonde, in comparison, always felt a bit harsh.
As expected, Mary sparkled from head to toe in true diva fashion, wearing a custom Dundas gold halter-neck gown embellished with crystals and featuring a dramatic high slit. While the gown wasn’t a surprise, the cut-outs were. She completed the ensemble with an oversized cream silk taffeta opera coat that trailed behind her. However, the gold leather opera gloves, partially hidden, felt like a mismatch. The look was rounded out by a gold herringbone chain choker and harness body jewelry adorned with Swarovski crystals.
It was undeniably “a lot,” but it was quintessential Mary, and I’m here for all of it—except the gloves.
If you were wondering about her signature over-the-knee boots, she saved them for her performance of ‘My Life.’
For her second custom Dundas look, she wore a bejewelled mesh and leather romper, completely covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals, which she revealed after opening a dramatic croc-embossed sleeveless trench coat. The boots were met with other bold accessories—a giant black patent leather fedora and gloves.
Peter Dundas shared that “the challenge of this intricate outfit was to ensure it adapted to stage movements while maintaining the creative vision.”
More is always more when it comes to Mary J. Blige, and on a night like this, no one would have had it any other way.
Stylist: Maurícía Henry.
Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame / Dundas
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