The Stunning Style Transformation Of Shakira

Ever since Shakira broke onto the music scene, it was clear that her name would become known across the globe. With her undeniable talent in songwriting and performing, the "Can't Remember to Forget You" performer helped popularize Latin pop music across the world and become a household name in the world of entertainment. "Yo soy una fusion. I am a fusion," Shakira told Time Magazine in 2001. "That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures — between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music."

And that fusion is prominent in Shakira's fashion choices just as much as it is in her art. From swapping her rockstar style to that of a Y2K pop princess, Shakira's fashion journey over the years has been a fusion of colors, patterns, and textures, all of which have been deliberately chosen to serve a purpose, from enhancing her curves to dancing along with every move she makes.

Prior to Shakira's international breakthrough in the early aughts, the "She Wolf" singer was already popular in Latin America. By 1998, she had already released several studio albums, and her songs were known for their signature pop-rock sound. In fact, she was even called the "Latin Alanis Morissette" at the time, with folks comparing Shakira to the Canadian alternative and indie-pop musician. Shakira, who turned 20 in 1997, was also known for her dark tresses and edgy rock-chic fashion at the time, a look that was distinctively different from the style that made her famous later.

However, by 2000, Shakira's hair color and fashion choices changed, as she dyed her curls blond and embraced a more figure-hugging wardrobe. Thanks to her father, who is Lebanese, Shakira developed a love for Middle-Eastern music and belly dance from an early age, and throughout the course of her career, the dance influenced her fashion choices in noticeable ways. For instance, at the first Latin Grammy Awards in 2000, the pop star wore an all-red outfit that she accessorized with a coin shawl around her hips.

With the release of her first international hit, "Whenever, Wherever," in 2001, Shakira's path toward global stardom began, and the musician quickly became known for her boho fashion and breathtaking dance moves. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly at the time, Shakira opened up about the struggles of being compared to other pop stars. "People are a little confused because they find similarities in my style to Alanis Morissette, but they think I'm under [Britney Spears'] wig," the singer said. "Eventually I'm going to earn my own place, so for now I can accept it as part of a natural process." Shakira also revealed that she was ready for a change, and dyeing her hair blond seemed like the perfect answer.

Despite changing her image, the artist revealed that she doesn't really like shopping. "I'm not the type of girl who loves shopping," Shakira told PopEntertainment. "I have no patience for shopping. I don't think in terms of fashion, really." However, her fashion was always impeccable, undermining the fact that Shakira had a signature style that helped her stand out among the sea of Y2K pop princesses. For the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, the musician found inspiration in "Xena: Warrior Princess." 

"What am I wearing? A top covered in feathers and a tiara and some leather pants that I think I had made myself. I designed them," the star revealed about the iconic look two decades later in a Spanish-language feature for Vogue México y Latinoamérica (via ET). "Sometimes I design my own things to get myself out of a tight spot. When I can't find what I want, it's down to me," she added.

With the release of the albums "Fijación Oral, Vol. 1" and "Oral Fixation, Vol. 2" in 2005, Shakira established herself as one of the most well-known Latin artists in the world. Together with her music, she was also at the forefront of beauty standards, which were shifting away from trends like "heroin chic" to a curvier silhouette. She became known for her body, and years later, in 2016, she asked for her "Zootopia" character, Gazelle, to have a body shape that reflected her signature hips, which were on show in the 2005 hit "Hips Don't Lie."

As body positivity became a major part of Shakira's influence, the pop star also embraced a more natural look, often forgoing makeup (or wearing very little of it). Her style continued to be fun and bohemian, and the body-hugging silhouettes she reached for often accentuated her dance moves on stage.

After almost a decade in the global spotlight, Shakira was known for her unwavering confidence. However, the star admitted that she also struggles with feeling in touch with herself. "Every day now I discover something new," she revealed to The Guardian in 2009. "Go through phases in which I feel much more in touch with my feminine side, in ways I never thought possible. I'm letting the woman inside of me speak, the desires of this woman, speak as loud as they can."

One of the musician's most memorable fashion moments of the late 2000s was undoubtedly the black, leather minidress from Balmain that she rocked to the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards (and Pink wore the exact same dress directly after her, so we knew it had to be a great dress). The look was edgy yet fun, subtly paying homage to the rockstar aesthetic Shakira was known for at the beginning of her career.

In 2010, Shakira released her ninth studio album, "Sale el Sol," and she wasn't slowing down anytime soon. Hits like "Loca" and "Rabiosa" were worldwide hits, and Shakira continued paving the way for women who wanted to feel sexy and empowered. "I think my image is one of being powerful, in control," she told the Daily Mail in 2010. "I am totally pro-women. I know it's critical to invest in girls' education, because educating girls means educating future mothers ... Women reinvest their education. I know it because I've seen it, because I grew up in the developing world, because I see how education has a transformational power, you know: it changes the lives of so many people."

Shakira's fashion choices continued serving as a tool for expression. On stage, the musician often wore clothing items with frills that enhanced every movement she made. However, one of her best looks from the early 2010s was at the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards red carpet, where Shakira walked in a golden, breathtaking strapless gown that featured a corset top covered in jewels. Pairing the look with a slightly messy updo and statement earrings once again proved that Shakira is a serious style maven.

In 2013, Shakira joined the singing competition show "The Voice" as a judge, which allowed her fans to get to know not only the musician's personality better but also her style. From quirky and sophisticated ensembles to more laid-back fashion, each episode allowed Shakira to showcase her fashion sense in a more personal way. Shakira also continued promoting body positivity and self-love, telling Self at the time, "I don't obsess over my flaws, because I see my body as a whole."

One thing we noticed during this period is that Shakira loved fashion that sparkles, whether she was dressing for a fancy red carpet or attending a more casual industry event. One of our personal favorites is the fun, bedazzled minidress by Furne One that the pop star wore to the 2012 NRJ Music Awards. The silhouette hugged her curves perfectly, and the sparkly heels and purse were great additions to the look.

Shakira first became a mother in 2013, and two years later, she welcomed her second child. The star opened up to Hello! Magazine about how her pregnancy changed her body and her relationship with fashion. "For a while I could only wear sweat pants because I was that intermediate size that you're not a small, you're not a large," she admitted. "But right now I'm back in my jeans which is good news! But only from two weeks ago I got back in my jeans. Before it was quite sad, I couldn't even get in past my knees."

The musician also admitted that while she loves fashion, she prefers comfort. "If it was up to me I would just wear jeans and T-shirts, even to red carpets, but then no-one would photograph me so that would make me very sad," she told the outlet. "So you know, I've gotta keep up with the rest of the female population and sometimes try a little harder." 

In the mid-2010s, Shakira was at the forefront of the edgy dress trend, one that often featured cutouts, mesh, and lace. In 2014, she attended the Billboard Music Awards in a long-sleeved, knee-length metallic blue dress by Julien Macdonald, and for the Echo Awards that year, she opted for a similar style by Zuhair Murad, this time in maxi dress form with a nude illusion that ultimately gave us an iconic celebrity naked-dress moment.

In 2016, Shakira expanded her career by lending her voice to pop-star Gazelle in Disney's "Zootopia," an animated film set in an all-animal world. "She's very opinionated like me," Shakira said of the character on "Good Morning America" (via ABC News). "And she feels a social responsibility. She feels responsible for her people."

For the red-carpet premieres of "Zootopia," the "Try Everything" singer embraced a slightly preppier style than her usual bodycon dresses. In fact, the looks Shakira wore to the movie's premieres seemingly had the same formula: an A-line minidress (which came back in fashion in 2024) paired with a Peter Pan collar — a Tumblr twee style trend that was very popular at the time. Even though this style wasn't the musician's signature look, she definitely pulled it off.

As the 2010s were coming to an end, Shakira was known as one of the most influential artists of her generation, and not just because of her music. "Shakira is bold, powerful and very rock 'n' roll, so her wardrobe always reflects that," the musician's stylist, Marjan Malakpour, told WWD. "We first met in the Bahamas to shoot an album cover and we instantly hit it off," Malakpour revealed to People (via Yahoo! Entertainment). "We've been working together ever since," the stylist said, adding that Shakira "definitely knows what she likes and doesn't like" and that the two have "developed such a great working relationship" over the past decade.

In 2020, the pop star performed at the Super Bowl alongside fellow musician and fashionista Jennifer Lopez, whose Met Gala looks we simply can't get enough of. For the big performance, Shakira's fashion was carefully thought out to accentuate just how fabulous her carer has been thus far. "The looks were inspired by Shakira herself and her music. Dundas World is about making you feel your absolute best because you look your best," designer Peter Dundas said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). "Onstage, Shak is like a musical force field; an amazon warrior goddess. I wanted to show her strength, her raw sexuality, her physical almost athletic dance performance and synchronize it with our brand codes like the cropped bustier, the embellishments and the fringes tailored to Shakira and her show." And while there are always numerous worst-dressed celebs at the Super Bowl (that was especially true in 2025), it's safe to say that Shakira's 2020 looks have gone down in history as some of the best fashion moments of the event.

By the time the 2020s kicked off, Shakira was in her early 40s and looking better than ever. The star's style took a subtle turn toward more monochromatic looks, giving her a sophisticated yet sultry allure. In particular, the star wowed everyone when she showed up to the premiere of the biopic "Elvis" at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival in an asymmetrical Monot dress with a risky high slit. The star looked glamorous and sophisticated, yet the slit and sheer gloves made the look modern and fun.

In 2022, Shakira became the ambassador for the luxury fashion brand Burberry, a role that she was very excited about. "I'm honestly so thrilled about it — it's the first time I've done a fashion campaign like this and Burberry is such an iconic brand," the musician revealed to Vogue. "To me, Burberry is elegance personified, and timeless — fashion is such an ever-changing world, always evolving. Burberry manages to evolve with the time but always keeps its distinctive, classy style," she added. While Shakira's career continued thriving, the same sadly couldn't be said for the musician's personal life. After rumors of her husband's infidelity, the two announced in June 2022 that they were separating.

Shakira kicked off 2023 with the fierce "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53," a diss track aimed at her ex-husband. Now single, Shakira's style also became even fiercer and more dramatic, with the "Hips Don't Lie" singer embracing red-carpet gowns that left us speechless. For the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, the pop star wore a gold, floor-length Versace gown styled by Nicolas Bru. The dress' sequins and bare back made the musician look like a Greek goddess.

Shakira is also no stranger to the Met Gala, the fashion event of the year. To 2024's big night, she donned a red Carolina Herrera gown that featured a high slight, puffy sleeves, and a dramatic cape, all of which perfectly matched the night's theme, "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." "

It's really about making Shakira feel like the best version of Shakira," Wes Gordon, the brand's creative director, told Vogue. "She was incredibly focused on the tiny details of the cutouts — where things are hitting, as well as the neckline. It's amazing to work and do fittings with someone who's a physical performer, because her sensitivity to movement and body awareness is really extraordinary."

Shakira might be in her late 40s, but the pop star is nowhere close to being done. With influence in music and fashion — and incredibly loyal fans — the star's future has plenty to offer. Just take her 2025 tour, the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, as a perfect example. From the jump, it was clear that fashion was going to play a big role in her tour performances.

"We started the conversation about tour looks almost a year ago, when we knew that she was going to tour following the release of the album," stylist Nicolas Bru revealed to Harper's Bazaar. "We discussed what songs would be featured and what the overall tone of the tour would be, and we really looked at essentially her career as a whole to figure out what the tone of the show would be and come up with a narrative thread of what the wardrobe would be and how we would enhance and accompany the visual world." Sure enough, Shakira has been wearing stunning dresses that shine, hug her perfectly, and make her like ethereal.

As Shakira continues to leave her mark on the world, we're excited to see where her fashion journey takes her next. Meanwhile, make sure you take a look at the stunning style transformation of another Colombian beauty: Sofía Vergara.