Tems embraces bridal-inspired look as she readies for 2026 BRIT Awards

A glass of cognac, Sade on the speakers and final touches being applied to her hair and make-up - Temilade Openiyi, 30, met ELLE UK in a Manchester hotel room before the 2026 BRIT Awards and announced, "I am a bride tonight. A really cool bride." She stepped out in a white corseted gown by Luis De Javier, noted for its statement sleeves, a look she described as both regal and symbolic of a new beginning.

The dress was the product of a close collaboration with Dunsin Wright, Tems' stylist of five years, and a deliberate stylistic pivot. "I was really leaning into corsets and wanted something a bit regal. I feel that white also marks a new beginning and that's what I wanted to portray," she told ELLE UK. Her make-up brief kept the drama focused on the silhouette - "I’m doing something more laid back with a smoky wing and under eye, and a dark lip," she said, adding, "I think the skin is really important too. Looking after your skin really brings out the make-up."

On the BRITs stage Tems presented the International Artist of the Year award alongside Jade Thirlwall; Rosalía took home the prize. Prior to the ceremony she made a red-carpet appearance in Manchester, joining other global stars at the ceremony and reinforcing the night as both a fashion moment and a music industry milestone.

Getting ready for the show followed a tightly curated ritual. Tems keeps her prep calm and close-knit: "I don't like a lot of people around me in the room," she said, and she conserves her voice by design - "In the morning I’ll have a cup of tea and try not to talk too much so I don’t lose my voice on show days." That morning ritual includes a homemade blend she calls "purple healer" - hibiscus, dried apples, cinnamon, basil and "a couple of spices" - which, she said, "wakes me up, but has no caffeine in it." Her brother, a DJ, sends mixes she plays while getting ready; "There is always music on, I go for high-energy house music on a low volume so that everybody is pumped and ready to go."

The BRITs look is the latest chapter in a visible style evolution. "I'm bolder now and less hesitant to try new things. I also know what I like and don't like," Tems told ELLE UK. She cites 1970s Hollywood glamour among her red-carpet inspirations and still points to a 2025 black feathered vintage Ann Demeulemeester dress worn to an Oscars after-party as a favorite - "I loved the feathers!" she said.

Off-stage, Tems also fronted Hennessy's "Made for More" campaign and was pictured sipping cognac while preparing for the ceremony. "I don’t have a go-to Hennessy cocktail, I think they’re all great so I never stick to one thing and I’m always hopping around," she said, blending the role of performer, style chameleon and brand ambassador. As she posed in white corsetry and statement sleeves, the look read less like a costume and more like a deliberate new chapter in Tems' public style story.