'The First Thing I Never Borrowed': Elizabeth Hurley Opens up About Iconic Safety Pin Gown

Elizabeth Hurley has opened up about the iconic Versace safety-pin gown that transformed her into a global fashion sensation, revealing that she had no idea the daring dress would become one of the most memorable red-carpet looks of the 1990s.

The actress, 60, discussed the famous gown during an appearance on ITV's 'This Morning' on 7 October, where she also spoke about her work supporting breast cancer research. Hurley appeared on the programme alongside hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, but much of the conversation turned to the outfit that has remained closely associated with her career more than three decades after she first wore it.

The Legendary Safety Pin Gown That Turned Liz Hurley Into a Fashion Icon

The black Versace dress, held together with oversized gold safety pins, was worn by Hurley at the London premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994. She attended the event with her then-boyfriend, actor Hugh Grant.

With its plunging neckline and dramatic thigh-high split, the gown immediately attracted attention from photographers and became one of the defining fashion moments of the decade.

Elizabeth Hurley Didn't Expect the Dress To Become Iconic

Speaking about the gown on 'This Morning', Hurley admitted she could not have predicted the impact it would have. She said she was 'nearly 30' at the time and reflected on how remarkable it was that people still remembered and talked about the dress more than 30 years later.

'It's fashion, but fashion means something to some people so I get it,' Hurley said, explaining why she understands the continued fascination with the outfit. When asked whether she had realised the significance of the dress when she first saw it, Hurley revealed that she had no idea she was about to make fashion history.

'I really didn't,' she said. 'It was the first thing I never borrowed. We didn't even have a full-length mirror in our flat, I didn't actually see it until it was in the papers the next day.'

The revelation highlights just how unexpectedly the dress became a phenomenon. Hurley was still relatively early in her career, and the gown quickly turned her appearance at the film premiere into an international talking point.

The Safety-Pin Dress Became a Fashion Landmark

The Versace creation has remained one of the most recognisable red-carpet dresses in modern fashion. The gown's combination of black fabric, revealing cut-outs and strategically placed gold safety pins created a look that was considered exceptionally daring in 1994. Its influence has endured, with later celebrities adopting variations on the safety-pin aesthetic and similarly revealing red-carpet designs.

Hurley has previously spoken about how little she understood the fashion industry's red-carpet expectations at the time. She was not yet the household name she would become.

Elizabeth Hurley Reflects on a Career-Defining Moment

Although Hurley has worn countless glamorous outfits throughout her career, the safety-pin dress remains the look most frequently associated with her. Her appearance on 'This Morning' also showed how enduring its impact has been. More than 30 years after the premiere, Hurley continues to be asked about the gown and the extraordinary attention it generated.

She has previously described the dress as something that looked extremely daring while actually being carefully constructed and secure. Today, the gown is widely regarded as one of the most important celebrity fashion moments of the 1990s.

For Hurley, however, the story remains surprisingly simple. She wore a dress to a film premiere without realising she was creating a fashion moment that would continue to attract attention decades later. And while she may not have anticipated the reaction, her safety-pin Versace gown has undoubtedly become one of the outfits that helped define an era of red-carpet fashion.