According To Kendall Jenner, The Golden Age Of Hollywood Is Back In The Spotlight
Few things fascinate us quite like fame and the famous, and it seems as if designers and modern day celebrities are no exception. Celebrity culture, old and new, reached a catwalk climax for AW24, as numerous creative directors took inspiration from the stars of stage and screen, paying considerable attention to the wardrobes of female legends of the performing arts, while in recent weeks red-carpet darlings have been paying homage to those who came before them. Consider Kendall Jenner's Marilyn-lite peroxide pin curls.
At Erdem, Maria Callas – who will be portrayed by Angelina Jolie in a new biopic, out in 2025 – was the collection’s singular muse. ‘She was uncompromising and, as a result, is still the most celebrated opera singer in the world: a diva in the truest sense of the word,’ the London-based designer says of the soprano. ‘Her own life was full of tragedy, and the boundaries between on- and off-stage became less clear. I wanted the feeling of blurred lines between person and persona to be evident in the collection. There are beautifully embroidered satin pyjamas that could have been worn in her dressing room; hand-painted looks that mimic the graphic lines of her Medea costumes; and then, you see her in her embroidered opera coat, but her wig cap remains exposed.’
Miuccia Prada was also fascinated by icons this season. Pieces synonymous with the mid-century ideal of glamour – satin shifts, elbow-length gloves, strands of pearls and brooches – were out in force at Miu Miu. Model Hilary Rhoda summoned the spirit of Elizabeth Taylor in a floor-sweeping faux-fur coat (save for the brogues). Taylor was also the muse for Marc Jacobs’ SS24 show, though the designer has now moved on to Monroe for AW24, with the opening look a clear, thoroughly modern homage to her windswept white dress in The Seven Year Itch.
Meanwhile, Marc Jacobs has looked to another screen legend to turn fantasy into reality. In celebration of The Wizard Of Oz's 85th birthday, he has taken iconic (sorry, but for once the word deserves to be used and used here) images from the motion picture, like Judy Garland's Dorothy Gale and the Yellow Brick Road and transposed them onto the icons of his own offering, like the beloved Tote Bag and the newer Sack Bag. The result is a fashion and film obsessive's dream and offers a subtle, albeit campy nod to the classic movie. In a sea of [insert every brand] x Wicked merch, be a Marc Jacobs x The Wizard of Oz woman.
Designers aren't just limiting themselves to Hollywood’s Golden Age, however. Ralph Lauren and Gucci both showed slinky, sparkling gowns reminiscent of the Noughties – the decade that saw a redux in celebrity fascination. Arguably the most wearable moment of A-list-inspired fashion came courtesy of emerging London designer Aaron Esh. Pulling us back to the paparazzi flashbulbs of the late 2000s, the Central Saint Martins graduate’s show featured bug-eye sunglasses, super-skinny trousers and jumpers with huge hoods pulled up over the models’ heads – in much the same way the new generation of starlets is wont to do.
And it is starlets that have been most exemplar in applying and confirming this as a new-season trend to note. Leo Woodall, Bridget Jones' new beau, spells it out plainly in a 'Hollywood' logo T-shirt in Loewe's latest campaign, for example, emulating Taylor Russell's same move at the brand's show. Yet, in a fashion full circle, it's on the red carpet that trend has set fastest in motion.
Rising stars gaining their own Tinseltown momentum have been not only been getting the part but dressing for it, too. Take Bottoms star Rachel Sennott, for instance. Her sartorial approach from the beginning has riffed on the classic ideal of Hollywood style. It's not tropey or fancy dress, but relies on signifiers synonymous with classic film star dressing like a deep hair parting and flick, worn with an hourglass-sinching gown and a camera-ready pose to boot. Sennott is not alone. Her BFF and frequent collaborator Ayo Edebiri is into it too, as are newcomer-to-watch Mikey Madison and Sydney Sweeney. What came first, the star or the starry wardrobe?
However, for those of us not stepping on a red carpet anytime soon but wanting to get in on this trend and dress like a celebrity right now, let it be known that the most convincing approach is to step away from the bells and whistles of flashy red-carpet styling and simply pull on a hoodie, lift up the hood and never remove your sunglasses. Get ready to be asked for a selfie.
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