Understand how Jennifer Lopez inspired the creation of Google Images

Singer Jennifer Lopez, who turns 55 this Wednesday (24), was the reason for the creation of Google Images, the North American technology giant’s image search tool.

The trigger was the award ceremony for the 42nd edition of the Grammy Awards, which took place on February 23, 2000, when the singer of “Love Don’t Cost A Thing” and “On The Floor” wore a flowing green dress from the Italian brand Versace. The outfit caused an unprecedented spike in searches that was so impressive that Google decided to create, based on the episode, a search environment for images, which did not yet exist at the time.

J-Lo was at the Grammys that year to present the Best R&B Album category alongside Sean Combs, her boyfriend at the time. She was also nominated for Best Dance Recording for “Love Don’t Cost A Thing.” The following year, she competed in the same category with “Let’s Get Loud”, which marked the last time she appeared on the list of nominees for any edition of the award.

The story was confirmed in 2015, when Eric Schmidt, president of Google at the time, wrote an article for Project Syndicate telling the story of the creation of Google Images.

The piece was also worn by Geri Halliwell, from the Spice Girls, at the January 2020 NRJ Music Awards, in France. The dress, which featured a tropical print, with palm leaves and bamboo, marked a turning point in the career of Donatella Versace, who had taken over the fashion house following the death of Gianni Versace and achieved her first major success there.

In September 2019, Jennifer Lopez wore the dress again during the Versace show at Milan Fashion Week. The original piece remains with the New York singer.

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