This Week, the Best Dressed Stars Dipped Into the Archives 

Though its status as fashion’s biggest night remains unquestioned, the Met isn’t the only game in town. Last week, black tie events filled the social calendar and brought out top-tier talent who adhered to dress codes by finding pieces with history. At the lavish Prince’s Trust Gala, Bella Hadid swanned into Cipriani in a vintage Christian Dior cocktail look from 1959. Sourced from Los Angeles’ Aralda Vintage, the tea-length black satin dress was fit for Audrey Hepburn and worlds away from Hadid’s usual style. While the look’s overarching mood was prim and proper, Hadid and stylist Law Roach couldn’t help spicing things up with the addition of sheer black opera gloves and a bevy of Chopard jewels. 

Back in Hollywood, Elle Fanning was busy pulling out the vintage haute couture. The Girl from Plainville star headed to the premiere of her Hulu miniseries in a piece from Yves Saint Laurent’s spring 1987 collectsion for Givenchy. A pastel dream plucked from Shrimpton Couture, it featured stripes of lavender, green, gold, and pink, all embroidered with delicate gold accents. The look could have been worn with feathered hair by Cornelia Guest and her ilk in the eighties, but Fanning opted for a sleek center-parted chignon and a single gold Beladora cuff. 

Even the outfits that didn’t emerge from the archives kept with the week’s retro spirit. Through thoughtful styling, stars accentuated the classicism found in pieces by some of the industry’s most innovative talents. Amal Clooney returned to the spotlight in a bombshell-worthy from Sukeina’s spring 2022 collectsion, its pencil skirt embellished with layers of crimson fringe. The shimmering custom Balenciaga look Kim Kardashian selected for the White House Correspondents Association dinner was equally effective. A singularly elegant creation, it was the perfect choice for the return of Washington D.C.’s “nerd prom” and the red carpet debut of the reality star’s romance with comedian Pete Davidson.