Mel B and the story behind her ‘sequel wedding' dress

Telegraph

a day ago

For her second trip down the aisle, however, Brown chose a gown that was more 'club' than 'cathedral'. Designed by US-based designer Justin Alexander, her sheer, fit-and-flare gown was hand beaded with red crystals and bugle beads to create a 'floating' effect, a task that took six artisans over 850 hours to complete.
While the gown's plunging sweetheart neckline and daring side slit would have raised eyebrows at St Paul's, there were no such sensitivities in Marrakech, allowing the ebullient, body-positive style that is Brown's trademark to reach its fullest expression. A lace-up corset and a cascading godet completed the look, the latter flowing into a dramatic, cathedral-length train, despite there being nary a cathedral in sight.
If the singer's first gown reflected her British roots, her second captured her time in America, where she lived for 15 years between 2004 and 2019, and is currently continuing her stint as a judge on America's Got Talent. 'Mel loved the idea of a red dress – something bold, with lots and lots of shimmer, that also felt light and easy to move in,' says Caroline Black, owner of bridal boutique Evelie, in South Kensington, London. 'She had such a strong sense of what she wanted.'
What she really, really wanted, one imagines, was the blessing of her four former bandmates. Despite telling Hello magazine in 2022 that the other Spice Girls 'like Rory so much… they've never liked any of my boyfriends and they've been quite clear about that,' only Emma Bunton attended the couple's July nuptials at St Paul's Cathedral, with Victoria Beckham, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Horner remaining absent due to travel and work commitments. Nor did they attend a subsequent £28,000 party at Shangri-La in The Shard.
While photographic evidence is yet to surface, Brown's Instagram account seems to confirm that Mel C, at least, was on hand to witness the sequel. 'What a weekend! So happy we got to share it with you,' Chisholm posted, underneath a photo of the happy pair, in which the groom wore a cropped white jacket and black trousers by Alexander McQueen.
While their Moroccan nuptials may have been a sequel, Mel B fans will be fervently hoping that this is the final instalment. The singer's first marriage, to Dutch backing dancer Jimmy Gulzar in 1998, lasted 16 months, while her second marriage, to businessman Stephen Belafonte in 2007, ended in acrimony in 2017, with Brown accusing Belafonte of emotional and physical abuse. In 2018, she became a patron for Women's Aid, the charity that helps survivors of domestic violence. She received an MBE in 2022 for her services to charitable causes.
With an estimated net worth of £4.7 million, a costly divorce has left Brown as the least wealthy of the Spice Girls. Sizeable as her fortune may be, it's fairly modest for a woman who comprised one fifth of the best-selling girl group of all time. Since bursting onto the music scene in 1996 with their hit single Wannabe, the group has sold over 100 million records worldwide. And while rumours of a Spice Girls reunion may be unfounded, let's hope Mel B continues to make sweet music with her latest husband, at least.