Olympics Olivia Newton John Dress 2000

And the winner is Sydney! 2000 was the year that Sydney Australia hosted the international Olympic Games and the race to be the top designer to dress the stars began.

Lisa Ho’s gown took first place and was couture made for the singer Olivia Newton John to wear as she sang to the world on the night of the Opening Ceremony.

A long white dress covered with shimmering silver sequins was the dress of choice for Olivia Newton John. Hanging lines of metallic sequins were draped onto all parts of the dress, loop after loop forming swaths of moving reflections that were to come alive under the stage lights.

I hand stitched these sequin loops to the body of the dress along with hundreds of tiny clear Swarovski crystals onto the front bodice neckline making the gown shimmer like the millions of stars above in the night sky.

It was truly a special opening ceremony, both for its costumes and its performers. It was an event that those Australians who watched it will never forget.