More recently though, a handful of cute tote bags celebrities have taken it upon themselves to bring some drama back to the red carpet  most notably, Pose star Billy Porter. The actor has become known for his elaborate red-carpet get-ups  such as a bejewelled catsuit with 10ft-high wings at the Met Gala (where he was carried in by six shirtless men). At the 2019 Oscars, he grabbed attention with a full-skirted Christian Siriano tuxedo gown and, last year, a bespoke gold and printed Giles Deacon creation inspired by Kensington Palace.

If Billy Porter's theatrical looks recall the spirit of Björk's egg-laying Oscar appearance, it's no coincidence  his stylist, Sam Ratelle, cites the swan dress as a huge influence. "It's one of the first fashion moments that I ever experienced that left a mark in me," he tells BBC Culture. "I grew up in a religious cult called Branhamism, and I wasn't allowed to watch television or have any sort of media. No internet, no cell phone, no tabloids or magazines. But I did go to public mens tote bag school, and I just remember everybody at school freaking out about the dress."

Due to Covid, the past year has seen awards ceremonies  and the red carpet  largely played out virtually. Some celebrities have taken this as a cue to dress down  see Jodie Foster in her pyjamas for  the Golden Globes. But thirty one lunch bags others, perhaps due to a pent-up desire for glamour, have taken a few more fashion risks than they might usually. For the Golden Globes, Rosamund Pike donned a red Molly Goddard dress with combat boots. The Crown's Emma Corrin wore a Pierrot clown-inspired gown by Miu Miu. For the SAG awards, Leslie Odom Jr wore a technicolour Berluti suit while Kerry Washington posed in a pool in a custom Etro dress and matching sparkling swimming cap.

Breathe in the corset  a garment that is never far from a revival in fashion circles  has been attracting a far wider audience recently. Online searches for the body-sculpting garment have soared, along with demand for four-poster thirty one tote bags beds and wisteria, an interest in all things Regency sparked by the period romance TV series Bridgerton.Set in high-society England of 1813, the bodice-ripping show has attracted record audiences for Netflix  82 million households streamed it in its first month on air  making it the network's biggest series debut. Bridgerton has even spawned its own buzzword, "Regencycore": think sumptuous dresses, satin elbow-length gloves, pearl-encrusted headbands and, of course, corsets  vital to the eye-catching decolletages that feature prominently in the show.

Karolina Laskowska is a British lingerie designer who has been creating hand-made corsets since 2012. Her bespoke pieces cost from £1,000   but they do involve more than 100 hours' work each. She dismisses the idea of the corset as a torture instrument as "a lazy trope   one that harks back to men deciding what women should and shouldn't wear". She refers to Dr Warner who "decided corsets were bad for women, and invented his own 'health corset' [1873], to give women the 'perfect' shape   and made him a fortune by doing so." In her opinion, a well-fitting corset can "take the strain off the shoulders and ribcage, thus being more comfortable than a bra. In fact I've had clients say putting on a bespoke corset feels like having a wonderful hug."

Westwood's corset designs may be "one of her most important contributions to 20th-Century fashion" according to Steele. They are indeed highly prized collectors' items: her corset design printed with 31 tote bags a detail from the 1743 François Boucher painting Daphnis and Chloe resides in the VA. Fans of her Boucher corsets include the model Bella Hadid, and pop stars Miley Cyrus and FKA Twigs. Twigs modelled some of her extensive vintage Westwood collection for her digital zine Avantgarden.As a second series of Bridgerton prepares to start filming in the spring, Mirojnick reflects on the role the show is playing for an ever-growing audience: "It allows our imagination to flourish   and transports you into a place that's fun to watch, especially  given the bleak times we're living in." Corsets and all.