Last Week, the Best Dressed Stars Craved Summer Cool

The final summer moments offer a final chance to experiment with seasonal trends, and last week, celebrities indulged in looks designed for warm weather. Whether they shined in tropical patterns like Minnie Driver (her Johanna Ortiz palm print shift dress proved a standout when the actress visited Jimmy Kimmel Live), bared their midriffs à la Lorde (she rocked out at Good Morning America’s Summer Concert series in sunny Christopher Esber separates), stars kept the mood light, bright, and festive. 

At the Hollywood premiere of Reminiscence, Thandiwe Newton and daughter Nico Parker dazzled in contrasting versions of the week’s essential look. Newton went for haute couture in a canary yellow fringed number from Atelier Versace’s fall/winter 2020 collectsion. The show-stopping dress had all the glitz and intricate detail Donatella’s designs are known for, but its unique combination of short skirt and lengthy yellow tulle train added a new verve. While her mom went full-glam, Parker opted for pieces that reflected her youthful cool. In a remixed brocade mini dress and matching leggings from the Italian house’s resort 2022 collectsion, Parker offered a playful, Generation-Z appropriate twist on Versace signatures. 

Even off-duty celebrities kept things short and sweet. To make her nightly run to Giorgio Baldi, Rihanna went for the simplicity of a cream Miu Miu slip dress accented by layers of Dior crystal necklaces and a bedazzled clutch. . Between interviews and TV appearances to promote her film, Flag Day with father Sean, Dylan Penn wore one of Valentino’s thigh-grazing minidresses. All black with a transparent mesh beaded top that transitioned perfectly from day to night, the look was an elegant choice worthy of a rising star. 

Even those who eschewed bold color and short skirts found ways to channel a summery vibe. At the premiere of Marvel’s latest Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Jhené Aiko arrived in Iris van Herpen’s gossamer-light haute couture. Hand embroidered with panels of crepe de chine and plissé, Aiko’s ‘Gaia’ gown featured an gradient that went from white to cream. An ethereal fashion interlude on a night dedicated to cinematic fantasy—it was a perfect choice.