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updated 23 Oct 2012, 18:09
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Thu, Jul 26, 2012
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Born to be an Amy Winehouse copycat?
by Jeanmarie Tan

There's a new music style icon and it's none other than American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, whose infamous Saturday Night Live performance was widely ridiculed earlier this year.

But the pouty 26-year-old, whose hits include Video Games and Born To Die, has silenced her critics ever since. Her latest coup?

High street giant H&M has chosen Del Rey as the face of its upcoming campaign, for which she recorded the song Blue Velvet.

Before that, she was the inspiration behind Mulberry's much-coveted Del Rey satchel (one of the "It" bags of the season) and Jimmy Choo's foldable sunglasses.

So why are the big brands having a crush on the sultry songbird? Perhaps the secret lies in her retro goddess styling and hairdo - the bigger and higher, the better.

Over the months, Del Rey's mane of glossy cascading side-parted auburn waves has morphed into a signature bouffant, complete with winged eyeliner and scarlet lips.

Her whole look is immediately reminiscent of the late Amy Winehouse - something that has divided opinion.

Whether she's a copycat or not, you can't deny that the gravity-defying do is helping Del Rey reach greater heights.

At the Met Gala in New York in May, she was the guest of designer Joseph Altuzarra and wore his custom glittering silver sequined spaghetti- strap gown.

The theatrical floor-length black cape and dark gothic lips were very fitting for the somewhat mysterious, moody and vampish chanteuse.

She opted for black again at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet a week later, this time appearing in a slightly forgettable minimalist strapless gown with peaked detail on the bodice by Alberta Ferretti.

But it's on stage that Del Rey really brings on the drama - and the beehive.

At the Isle Of Wight Festival last month in southern England, the combination of denim shorts, fringed purple cropped T-shirt and beige Hogan Rebel wedge trainers shouldn't work on paper - but did on her.

And for the Hackney Weekender festival in east London a few days later, she channelled vintage glamour in a sleeveless red gathered mini-dress with puffball skirt paired with black Mary Jane heels.

Whether you love her or hate her, this woman is going to stick around for a while, so get used to it.

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