vintage fashion

Zendaya. Photo: Getty
What’s old is new again—just look at the red carpets this awards season. Hunter Schafer, Zendaya, Cate Blanchett, and more used the red carpet as an opportunity to showcase vintage fashion at the BAFTAs, NAACP Image Awards, Oscars, and more. Many of the gowns and ensembles were from the recent past by designers like Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, and more. One particularly popular era: 1995-2005 (which, coincidentally, encompasses some of the years Gen-Zers were born.)
And the looks feel remarkably of the moment. Take, for example, Olivia Rodrigo. The pop star, with the help of stylist Danielle Goldberg, wore horse-printed Chloé pants from Stella McCartney’s tenure at the brand on the red carpet. With a flared leg and low-slung waist, the pants, incredibly, hit multiple quadrants on the trendiness chart. While vintage Versace—namely the 90s— has been worn to events by Zendaya, Dua Lipa, and Bella Hadid. It’s fashion so good, it demands to be worn twice.
Vintage taps into the ever-growing desire for sustainability within fashion. Why make an entirely new dress when there are plenty of great ones waiting to be reworn? And the looks do not have to feel overly rooted in the past either. Popular archival shops such as Tab Vintage, Pechuga Vintage, and Shrimpton Couture have emerged as reliable go-to’s for remarkably curated and of-the-moment vintage fashion for celebrities and fashion enthusiasts.
And then there is Cate Blanchett, who has not only reworn looks from previous red carpets but also reworked garments into entirely new creations. An Alexander McQueen gown becomes a fitted top; repurposed lace from the Armani workshops is used for a new gown. Blanchett showcases that vintage fashion can be utilized in multiple and myriad ways.

Below, check out some of the best vintage fashion moments from this past awards season.
Cate Blanchett rewears her 2015 Oscars Margiela dress to the 2023 BAFTAs. Photo: Getty
Olivia Rodrigo in Chloé Spring 2001 at Billboard Women in Music 2023. Photo: Getty
Winnie Harlow in Armani Haute Couture Spring 2005 at the Academy Awards. Photo: Getty
Kendall Jenner in Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2008 Couture at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. Photo: Getty
Bella Hadid in 1987 Versace at Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Getty
Jurnee Smollett in 1996 Nina Ricci Haute Couture at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. Photo: Getty
Gabrielle Union in 1989 Versace at the 54th NAACP Image Awards. Photo: Getty
Vanessa Hudgens in vintage Chanel at the Academy Awards. Photo: Getty
Laura Dern in Armani Privé Spring 2006 at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. Photo: Getty
Laverne Cox in vintage John Galliano at the Golden Globes Awards. Photo: Getty
Rooney Mara in vintage Alexander McQueen at the Academy Awards. Photo: Getty
Jenna Ortega in Versace Fall 1994 at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Photo: Getty
Zendaya in Versace Spring 2002 at the 54th NAACP Image Awards. Photo: Getty
Megan Stalter in Vivienne Westwood Spring 2004 at the Scren Actors Guild Awards. Photo: Getty
Rooney Mara in Givenchy Spring 1997 at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Photo: Getty
Originally published in Vogue.com
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It’s no secret that fast fashion has overtaken the fashion industry over the last decade. With trends constantly changing, the demand for new, mainstream pieces has skyrocketed, resulting in record-breaking material production and waste that takes an irreversible toll on the environment and garment workers.
Fortunately, there’s been a widespread rise in ethical consciousness to combat mass production. Ethical consumers are looking for ways to sidestep the fast fashion phenomenon and opt for more sustainable alternatives. One of the many solutions? Vintage fashion.
Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of vintage fashion and how it can positively impact your closet, the industry, and the planet.

What is vintage fashion?
Vintage clothing refers to pieces that were manufactured multiple decades ago. Vintage garments are also known to feature premium quality to withstand many years.
How old should clothing be to be considered vintage?
Opinions often differ on vintage qualifications; however, anything made over 25 years ago is fair game. So, your velour tracksuits from the early 2000s still have a ways to go before you can deem them vintage!
A few benefits of vintage fashion 
It’s sustainable
One of the strongest benefits of investing in vintage clothing is its eco-friendly status. Recycling and reusing pre-loved pieces reduce carbon emissions and preserve water, energy, and other resources. Plus, it prevents more garments from winding up in landfills and reduces manual labor, where employees are subjected to unfair working conditions and minimal pay.
It allows a deeper engagement with history
Vintage clothing is an excellent way to honor history. Wearing these pieces enables you to feel more connected to the people of the past, granting you an opportunity to be a time traveler and weave your own stories.
The search for vintage clothing yields hundreds of fun finds, from a pair of ’70s sky-high platforms and an early 20th-century corset to ’30s high-waisted sailor pants and full-skirted tea dresses from the ’50s. You can pair these garments with more modern pieces in your collection, opening the door for endless styling possibilities that pay homage to other eras.

It ensures a unique style and improved quality
You don’t have to sacrifice style when shopping vintage. On the contrary, vintage pieces allow you to adopt a one-of-a-kind look, taking self-expression to a whole new level. Additionally, their quality is often far superior to today’s fast fashion, as they’re made to last.
Not to mention, vintage clothing is extremely rare, meaning your wardrobe will be unique and individual to you. With these pieces, you don’t have to worry about arriving somewhere in the same outfit as someone else!
If you’re considering hopping off the fast fashion bandwagon, investing in vintage pieces is a can’t-go-wrong alternative to practice fashion sustainability. Whether you’re buying pre-worn clothing or giving new vintage pieces a try, they’ll allow you to reduce your carbon footprint while making a unique statement nonetheless. So, give vintage pieces new life by adopting them to your own style — your closet and the environment will thank you for it!

Lakkis in Max Mara and Valentino. Photo: Leen Lakkis
In a heartfelt narration of a mother’s admiration for fashion, stylist Leen Lakkis has formulated a visual eulogy for her mother, who passed away six years ago from cancer, through a campaign named ‘Femme en Movement’. Translating to “woman on the move,” the campaign spotlights some of Lakkis’s mother’s most cherished vintage staples, which she frequently wore during her travels for treatment. The wardrobe highlights her changing approach to fashion, which was influenced by different cultural exposures. And most would agree that nothing keeps a loved one’s spirit alive more than their clothing, which carries their scent, stories, and memories.
Chanel shoes. Photo: Photo: Leen Lakkis
Also featuring portraits of Lakkis’s mother in her favorite garments, the campaign praises bold color combinations and out-of-the-box designs created by the industry’s greatest icons, including Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Saint Laurent, Chanel, MiuMiu, and Valentino. “Through Femme En Mouvement, I was able to revive the early 2000s from my late mother’s unique pieces, all while optimistically looking at the present moment,” Lakkis elaborates.
Without having to express herself through words, Femme en Movement honours Lakkis’s mother using timeless, much-loved pieces that promise to forever make a statement. Lakkis’s mother communicated her love for fashion by purchasing pieces she hoped her children would one day wear with pride, and this photo series brings her vision to life. “My mother is my everyday muse,” Lakkis says. “Her endless love and evolving taste in fashion left a huge mark in my everyday life. She’s my inspiration behind everything I do, and all what I want in the world.”
Photo: Leen Lakkis
Through this campaign, Lakkis hopes to portray her mother’s restless dedication to fashion and her belief in its power to uplift one’s spirits. She released it in October 2021, coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and hopes to echo the importance of early prevention. “The cause has always meant a lot to me and my surroundings, so I took this opportunity to express my unlimited love to my late mother along with the fight towards awareness for sancer in general,” Lakki says.
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