Stars in vintage dresses on the red carpet. new snobbery or ecological gesture?

Make the red carpet greener. This is the ambition of more and more stars and their stylists during their appearances at major events. The recent Oscar ceremony also clearly demonstrated this eco-responsible goal. On March 12, Hollywood movie stars were invited to walk the red carpet of the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, wearing vintage creations that have already been worn on other occasions, rented or borrowed from the archives of fashion houses. Either adopt clothing that comes from recycling or favor textiles from natural sources such as linen, hemp, wool or any other bio-based materials made from plants.

While many celebrities wore brand new models from the fall-winter 2023-2024 collections of the biggest names in couture, others were able to play the “sustainable fashion” game. Examples. American actress Vanessa Hudgens revived Audrey Hepburn in a vintage black and white Chanel dress; Model Kendall Jenner made the photographers’ flashes crackleafter party, vintage Jean Paul Gaultier in mermaid case; Rooney Mara stood out in an empire waist from Alexander McQueen’s Fall-Winter 2008-2009 collection and Bailey Bass, who plays Cyreia in the new saga. avatar, By James Cameron, in a Zac Posen creation made from Tencel, an eco-friendly material produced from timber from sustainable forests.

Second hand noble letters

At a time when authenticity is more popular than ever, and when ecology has become a major issue, red carpet vintage has become a new battle. very hip celebrities? It’s the “Archive” view fashion statement of the moment, confirms Marie Dupin, fashion business director and lifestyle From Nellie Rodi’s trendy office. Aside from wanting to stand out in a unique dress, choosing a vintage piece is a way for a VIP to show that they have a stylish personality that goes beyond the trip. We feel that they want to build cultural and intellectual knowledge of fashion. Thanks to the meticulous work of their stylist, they also realized that the beautiful fabrics of the past tell a piece of fashion history, while highlighting the talent and genius of legendary designers such as Thierry Mugler, Paco Rabanne or Jean Paul Gaultier.

A feeling shared by the greatest French collector of haute couture, Didier Ludo, whose shop in the Palais-Royal in Paris is famous all over the world. “I am a scientist, I have knowledge and knowledge, and I show it to you.” Therefore, in 2023, the ultimate luxury will no longer be wearing a preview of a dress seen on the catwalk. A designer (and not yet in store) or custom piece pictured just for you, but ending up in a room that’s already glowing.

Vestiaire Collective’s 2022 Impact Report found that more than 33 million people bought their first used clothing in 2020, and the resale segment is expected to grow eleven times faster than traditional new clothing. The vintage race is therefore accelerating. Could this new celebrity obsession with archival documents be a way to prove that they don’t live in an ivory tower completely turned off by social issues and the routine of Madame Tutt-le-Monde? “To feel more connected to their fans, especially young people, and to be concerned about the future of the planet, some VIPs play their role as public figures by multiplying vintage outfits,” affirms Marie Dupin.

And the queen of recycling (and the pioneer in this field) is undoubtedly Cate Blanchett. With the talents of her celebrity stylist Elizabeth Stewart (whose clients also include Julia Roberts, Amanda Seyfried, Gal Gadot and Jessica Chastain), the Aussie actress has made iterating clothes her fashion signature. The proof. She wore a striking vintage Louis Vuitton blouse at the last Oscars, and before that, on February 6th, on the occasion of her 43rd birthday.^e London Critics Circle Film Awards edition, she appeared in an Alexander McQueen suit, which she already had at the 2019 premiere in New York. She also wore her look from Cannes 2018 (a Givenchy dress) again at the Berlinale this year. “It’s a luxury to repeat yourself,” Elizabeth Stewart posted on Instagram during the 2020 Venice Film Festival.

A rare piece for the desire to be unique

A whole young generation of actresses is following this path. From superstar Zendaya, who has long been dressed by stylist Lou Roach and who recently made an impression in a Versace evening dress from 2002, to Jenna Ortega in a sheath dress by the same brand from 1999. shines brighter than its competition, all the reasons are good to (re)live pieces of the past, notes Didier Ludo. Vintage is great green deposit, and this new craze for the old, whether haute couture or not, whether it’s an ethical and ecological imperative or just a pleasure, to rescue fabulous and well-made pieces, sleeping on thrift store shelves or forgotten. too long on the floor of his mother’s or grandmother’s closets. The power of the past is very emotional, hopeful and above all so uplifting.” Just ten years ago, wearing clothes from the previous season was considered a faux pas worth promoting fashion font and immediately moved to “worst dressed” lists.

In 2023, vintage fashion seems to be the perfect ally to avoid style mistakes. This is evidenced by the anecdote told by fashion antiques dealer Didier Ludo. “2005 In December, a woman came into the store wearing a 1957 Dior dress that belonged to her mother. It was a majestic piece, completely hand-embroidered. I go to him and immediately put him near the window. Two days later, a team of American stylists come and tell me that they want to buy it for a famous Oscar-nominated actress. It was Reese Witherspoon. She absolutely wanted a vintage evening gown, and the reason was simple… Six months ago, she had shown herself in a Chanel creation that had already been worn by another celebrity some time before. As a result, journalists mocked him for a long time. She therefore grudgingly told herself that wearing a vintage piece from across the Atlantic, no other woman would own the same outfit. She got on the plane, tried it on, and not only did the dress fit her perfectly, but she was lucky enough to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as June Carter, the wife of singer Johnny Cash in the film. Walk the line.»

Vintage, business and creative challenge

As far as stylists to the stars are concerned, the race for a throwaway hat has never been more urgent. Their secret weapon. Archives of fashion houses, auctions (digital or physical) dedicated to fashion designers, organized by Christie’s, Sotheby’s or Artcurial, as well as and above all for small boutiques of fashion collectors, giving preference to those with a front on the street. Lily et Cie, a very popular Beverly Hills boutique (Jennifer Aniston and the Olsen sisters are longtime customers), Tab Vintage (address of the 1980s-era Thierry Mugler little black dress worn by Kourtney Kardashian at the 2022 Oscars), Aralda Vintage, In Los Angeles (where stylist Lou Roach discovered the Dior gown created by Yves Saint Laurent in 1959 worn by Bella Hadid in April 2022 at the Prince’s Trust Gala in New York), Shrimpton Couture In Toronto… These brands (and many more) are the holy grails of vintage haute couture for wardrobe gurus. “The profession of stylist has a new taste, confirms Marie Dupin. The world of vintage is a wonderful creative playground, and searching for the most beautiful period piece for the muse of the future is a far less easy exercise than choosing a new creation on a designer catwalk.”

In this race for exclusive creations, celebrities and their stylists will soon be able to engage in a new media battle; On May 16, the Cannes Film Festival will begin and it will climb the ranks to become one of the most photographed and filmed in the world. . Before that, many people visited 1^eh at the 2023 MET Gala in New York in May. An exclusive red carpet… and definitely vintage, as this year the evening paid tribute to Karl Lagerfeld, four years after his death. “We had many phone calls for this event,” emphasized Didier Ludo. Stylists were looking for creations from German couture to dress the invited celebrities.” Gianni Versace said: “You have to be very deep to be superficial. And to appreciate beautiful things, you need to know how they changed the course of history.”