Olivia Rodrigo buys Meg White's Elephant dress but holds it back over heat

Olivia Rodrigo now owns the dress on the cover of Elephant.

The singer bought the vintage Gunne Sax maxi dress worn by Meg White on the White Stripes' 2003 album cover, Rolling Stone reported on 7 October. It is a full-length, high-necked design. White wore it for the stark red-and-white portrait that became one of rock's most recognised sleeves.

Rodrigo paid well over the estimate. Julien's Auctions had valued the dress at between $4,000 and $6,000. It sold for $25,600. The lot also included a copy of Elephant on CD.

She had planned to give the dress a second outing on stage. Rodrigo wanted to wear it at Daisy Chain Fields, the festival she founded and headlined in Irvine, California. The show took place on 29 August at Great Park in Irvine.

The weather changed the plan. The forecast for the sold-out festival was too hot for the heavy vintage fabric, so Rodrigo left the dress backstage. Heat had been a concern in the days before the event, with local reports warning ticketholders to prepare for high temperatures. KTLA reported on both the sellout and the heat concerns.

Instead she performed in a white lace dress. Billboard listed Rodrigo as both founder and headliner of the inaugural edition.

The festival also carried a large charitable total. Daisy Chain Fields donated $10 million in net earnings to nonprofits supporting women and girls. Melinda French Gates matched that sum, bringing the total raised to $20 million.

What makes this stand out is the direct link between generations. White's dress sat in storage for more than two decades. Rodrigo, who was born the year Elephant was released, has now added it to her own stage wardrobe.

For fans, this means the dress may still appear live. Rodrigo has kept it, just not worn it yet.