Neneh Cherry is the original Buffalo girl. Arriving in London in the late 70s, the Swedish singer fell in with the city’s punk scene, living in squats with members of The Slights and playing in bands like The Cherries, later becoming a central part of designer Ray Petri’s legendary Buffalo crew. From there, she launched a solo career that would become emblematic of the city’s vibrant music and street fashion scenes. Take “Buffalo Stance”, for example, the punchy electro hip-hop hybrid that became a global anthem for an entire generation.
Neneh’s style has been just as influential as her music. The singer met stylist and jewellery designer Judy Blame “on a sweaty dance-floor” in 1985 and, together, the pair came to define the 80s Buffalo look. Think Neneh in gold bomber jackets, bras-as-tops, graphic catsuits, and, of course, her huge door-knocker earrings and massive gold chains. Into the 90s, the singer also played muse to Jean Paul Gaultier, whose AW97 collection drew inspiration from her singular style. Today, Neneh is still at the fore of fashion, fronting campaigns for Bottega Veneta and taking a front-row seat at some of fashion month’s biggest shows. Here, ahead of the 35th anniversary of “Buffalo Stance”, we look back at some of the singer’s most iconic outfits.
For the cover of Raw like Sushi, 1989
After moving through punk bands including The Slits, The Cherries, and Rip Rig + Panic, Neneh launched her solo career in 1982 with protest song “Stop The War” in reaction to the Falklands War. Seven years later, in 1989, she released her first LP, Raw Like Sushi. The album cover was shot by Jean-Baptiste Mondino and styled by Neneh’s friend and long-time collaborator Judy Blame.
Neneh calls the album’s iconic cover look an “accident” and “coincidental,” recalling to The Guardian, “[Judy and I] had done a photo session for my single [“Manchild”] with the boxing bandages and the jewellery, and when we needed to shoot the cover for my debut album, Raw Like Sushi, we thought: ‘Let’s work some more with that.’ We had a bunch of rails with things to wear, but Judy and I had been to Printemps — like a French version of Marks & Spencer — and I had bought a nice bra, and I was wearing leggings, which were from Pineapple or somewhere. I went out to test the light and Mondino was like: “Don’t put anything else on. Maybe some more jewellery.” Then we did the picture that ended up being the album cover.” The rest is history.
Performing at the Diamond Awards Festival, 1989
Neneh wore this iconic dollar-sign catsuit to perform at Antwerp’s Diamond Awards Festival just a few months after the release of her explosive debut record. In 2014, the singer unpacked the tongue-in-cheek look for The Guardian: “This was from Patricia Field’s shop in New York — it’s not by her, it’s by some drag queen designer. I think we ran out of money, spending it on baby clothes, so needed something cheap and cheerful. Those are $7 earrings.”
Performing at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party, 1989
After Raw Like Sushi, lingerie-as-outerwear became one of Neneh’s trademark looks. Here, she wears a white longline bra paired with a fur-trimmed parka and her signature dollar-sign chain.
Performing at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, 1996
Through the 90s, the bra-top gave way to the slip dress in Neneh’s rotation of lingerie-inspired outfits. Here, she performs at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire wearing an iridescent navy slip. Note the blonde hair and blue eyeshadow, two new Neneh hallmarks.
At the MTV Europe Awards, 1996
Off the back of her 1996 album Man, Neneh was nominated for the Best Female artist alongside acts like Björk and Toni Braxton. On the carpet, she twinned with fellow London artist Jamiroquai in black velvet and shiny leather footwear.
Performing at Glastonbury, 1997
For Glastonbury’s 1997 outing, Neneh upped the ante on her signature lingerie-as-outerwear look, pairing her trademark slip dress with a garter belt and thigh-high boots. A look that would be just as on trend in 2023 as it was 26 years prior.
At the Bottega Veneta AW22 show
To this day, Neneh remains a fashion icon, most recently having been a guest of honour at Burberry’s SS24 show before becoming a face of one of Daniel Lee’s iconic campaigns at the house. Here though, she sits front row for Mathieu Blazy’s first ever Bottega Veneta collection, wearing the elevated basics and embodying the understated luxury of the brand’s new era.