Artists Behind Zara Larsson’s “Midnight Sun” Aesthetic

Over one year ago, Spanish-born stylist Caterina Ospina was brought on to style last-minute festival looks for Larsson, which helped blossom their creative relationship. “From that moment, we didn’t stop,” Ospina says. “She was always bold and colorful. It was just putting all the pieces together and trying to make her pop.” And that pop was heard around the world when Ospina started styling Larsson as Tate McRae‘s Possessive tour opening act.

For Larsson’s current Midnight Sun era, Ospina boils down her aesthetic to a few words: “Dopamine, fairy, powerful, sexy girl.” And we very much agree that it’s dopamine dressing to the max. “If you like Zara’s style, it’s because you like color. She’s all about empowerment. So if you want to wear that, you need to be a very bold and happy person; to be free and yourself and sexy.”

While she makes it clear that Larsson is the big boss, Ospina is the one in charge of research for inspiration (Ex: Winx Club, Bratz, and Hannah Montana) and outreach to costume designers (especially emerging talent, Spanish creatives, and Central Saint Martins college graduates) to help reflect the different “fun fairy vibes” and “hot and sexy” portions of Larsson’s concert performances. “I see something, an element or a color or a shape that I like from them. How can I get this into Zara’s world? How can we merge it and make it magical for Zara?” she explains her thought process.

That’s how Ospina found Irish designer Sorcha O’Raghallaigh, who has previously created custom pieces for pop icons like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna, and Kylie Minogue (and who was actually stepping back from custom design at the time). Her signature element? Flower work, dating back to her CSM graduate collection. “They’ve always been a thread in my work. So I think that’s what drew Caterina to me to develop a special hibiscus,” O’Raghallaigh says, adding: “It’s been a real dream to work with Caterina and Zara, who also appreciate color and texture and sparkle, which is my favorite thing.”

Ospina echoes this, saying: “No one at that point really knew what we were capable of, and with her, it was just the perfect match.” That is, when Larsson stepped out at the 2025 MTV VMAs in a collaborative look from the stylist and costume designer that showed off the singer in a sheer bedazzled mini dress covered in rhinestoned hibiscus flowers, with a hair clip to match. (And if you’re wondering, both Ospina and O’Raghallaigh cite this era-defining and transformative look as their favorite Larsson design to date.)