Cynthia Erivo looks stunning in a vintage design. Photo: AFP
Celebrities are opting for "old" dresses when it comes to stepping out onto the red carpet.
They are digging into the fashion archives of brands, which can be seen as a way of promoting some form of sustainable dressing.
At this week's Screen Actors Guild Awards, actress Cynthia Erivo wore a Givenchy haute couture design from the Autumn/Winter 1997 season.
This dress is from the fashion house's Alexander McQueen era (the former creative director died in 2010). It is in silver and made from raffia, with a fringed neckline and sleeves.
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Earlier in the month, singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo walked the Grammy Awards red carpet in a Spring/Summer 2000 Versace gown.
Jennifer Lopez’s famous plunging green silk chiffon dress (2000 Grammys) came from the same collection.
Last year, actresses Claire Danes and Margot Robbie wore vintage designs to awards shows too.
Danes' was a pink Balmain gown, which captured attention at the Emmy Awards. It hailed all the way from the Spring/Summer 1990 season.
Robbie chose a Thierry Mugler corset ensemble for the Oscars after party. This Spring/Summer 1996 design was accessorised with just a shawl and heels.
Film premieres are also being given the vintage fashion treatment. Actress Zendaya has been parading numerous looks from past fashion decades.
At a Challengers event in London, she chose a Vivienne Westwood vest and matching miniskirt. These came from the Spring/Summer 1994 Cafe Society collection.
Zendaya has also turned heads in vintage outfits from labels such as Roberto Cavalli, Valentino, Bob Mackie and lots more.
In recent years, celebrities are being encouraged to go "green" with their red carpet choices.
While a few have re-worn clothes that they have worn in past events, others are opting for vintage designs.
The idea is that wearing vintage can reintroduce excitement for preloved things.
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It takes away the stigma that re-wearing something old for the red carpet is to be embarrassed about.
This can also reduce the demand for new clothing production, lessening the industry's environmental impact.
Younger fashion lovers are also increasingly taken in by vintage. In 2023, the hashtag #vintagehaul exploded on TikTok.
Gen-Z shoppers, in particular, are believed to have no qualms about buying secondhand clothes – a big change of the previous "that's so last season" thinking.
Vintage fashion
Cynthia Erivo looks stunning in a vintage design. Photo: AFP
Zendaya has frequently been seen in outfits from past fashion collections. Photo: Instagram/Challengers
Olivia Rodrigo shows that bringing back old looks is not something to be embarrassed about. Photo: Reuters
Claire Danes' gown from the 1990 is certainly timeless. Photo: Balmain
Margot Robbie shows off a vintage corset design at a red carpet party. Photo: Thierry Mugler
