If you thought the vintage fashion craze was just a passing trend, you were, frankly, mistaken. For years, archival pieces have taken over the red carpet—and 2024 was no different. Once again, stars and stylists proved their ability to pull looks of yore, stepping out in decades-old Balmain, Versace, and more. It was Givenchy that got the most play this year, with celebrities wearing designs from both John Galliano and Alexander McQueen’s respective eras with the brand. Zendaya, of course, led the way, showing off numerous pre-loved ensembles throughout her many press tours and award show appearances. Kendall Jenner, meanwhile, brought not one, but two archival pieces to the Met Gala, and Miley Cyrus took a Bob Mackie onstage at the Grammys. But there were many more moments worth remembering, so keep scrolling for the best vintage fashion worn by the stars in 2024.
Zendaya in Mugler Couture
Of course, we have to start off with what was undoubtedly the biggest vintage (if not overall fashion) moment of the year: when Zendaya stepped out at the London premiere of Dune: Part Two in the “Machinenmensch” robot suit from Thierry Mugler’s fall/winter 1995 couture collection. “It’s like Elizabeth Hurley’s Versace dress, Celine Dion’s backward suit at the Oscars, and Björk with the swan dress,” Zendaya’s stylist, Law Roach, told W about the moment. “Even if you’re not in fashion, it’s just burned into your memory.”
Elle Fanning in Balmain
Elle Fanning loves to embrace the classic, old-Hollywood look, so it’s no surprise that she nabbed this gorgeous, ivory dress designed by Pierre Balmain himself for the Golden Globes in January.
Rihanna in Christian Lacroix Couture
A$AP Rocky may have been the one honored at The Fashion Awards in December, but Rihanna took the event’s red carpet as an opportunity to prove the title could have easily gone to her. The singer supported her boyfriend in a blue fur look from Christian Lacroix’s fall 2002 couture runway, complete with the matching hat.
Caroline Polachek in Olivier Theyskens
There is something so different about the Olivier Theyskens fall 1998 dress Caroline Polachek wore to the Grammys this year. It is romantic but dark and dramatic, and completely unexpected in the sea of sparkles and skin that otherwise takes over the Grammys red carpet.
Naomi Campbell in Chanel Haute Couture
If this dress looks familiar, it’s because Naomi Campbell already wore it, 28 years ago, when she modeled the design as part of the Chanel fall 1996 haute couture collection. Campbell brought it back—with some help from Roach—for the Furiousa premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
Jennifer Lawrence in Givenchy Haute Couture
While Jennifer Lawrence wore a more understated dress to the 2024 Oscars, she pulled out all the stops for the after party, attending in a gorgeous, sheer Givenchy fall 1996 haute couture dress featuring an empire waist and a matching cropped bolero.
Anya Taylor-Joy in Paco Rabanne Couture
Anya Taylor-Joy made quite the statement at the Australia premiere of Furiosa in March, attending the event in a dress that doubled as a weapon. Courtesy of Paco Rabanne’s spring 1996 couture collection, the design boasted Rabanne’s signature chainmail technique, adorned with arrow-like hat pins. A matching headpiece, featuring the same porcupine-esque additions, completed the ensemble.
Zendaya in Givenchy Couture and Philip Treacy
Zendaya pulled out two looks for her gig as a co-host of the 2024 Met Gala. The first was a custom Maison Margiela gown by John Galliano, while the second was an archival pull from Galliano’s spring 1996 couture collection for Givenchy. Zendaya topped the ensemble with a Philip Treacy-designed headpiece, originally created for an Alexander McQueen collection in 2007.
Months later, Galliano revealed that when Zendaya and Roach attended the fitting for the Margiela dress, they surprised the designer with the Givenchy pull. “I hadn’t seen this dress since I’d shown it on Veronica [Webb],” he said of the gown. “[I was] speechless, like, ‘Where did you get that from?’ She bought it.”
Bella Hadid in Yves Saint Laurent Couture
Not all great vintage finds its way onto a red carpet—sometimes we only get a peek of it on the way to a night out. Case in point: the ethereal Yves Saint Laurent spring 1999 couture dress Bella Hadid sourced from Tab Vintage and wore to an event for her fragrance line, Ôrəbella, in May.
Kaia Gerber in Givenchy Haute Couture
Kaia Gerber embodied Audrey Hepburn in a beaded, empire waist Givenchy fall 1997 haute couture gown at the Academy Gala in October.
Miley Cyrus in Bob Mackie
The known Bob Mackie fan wore a silver dress from the designer’s fall/winter 2002 collection, “To Broadway With Love,” at the Grammys in February. The piece was the perfect choice for the evening, as the beaded fringe danced around Miley Cyrus’ legs while she performed her hit song, “Flowers.”
Zendaya in Givenchy
As if Zendaya’s Mugler robot suit wasn’t enough, the actress then followed it up with a circuitry-inspired suit from Alexander McQueen’s fall 1999 collection for Givenchy.
Kendall Jenner in Givenchy Couture
Kendall Jenner’s look for the 2024 Met Gala was slightly controversial. It came from Alexander McQueen’s 1999 couture collection for Givenchy, which was only ever showcased on mannequins, not models. Because of that, Jenner claimed she was the first person to ever wear it, but Internet sleuths pointed out that Winona Ryder seemed to have donned the design in a 1999 issue of Flaunt Magazine. A source told E! News Ryder’s dress was a replica, but the actress herself commented on the situation to Harper’s Bazaar in July 2024. “I did wear it,” Ryder said of the dress. “I have pictures.” We still don’t know the truth, but either way, it’s a great look.
Kendall Jenner in Givenchy
Jenner kept the theme of McQueen’s Givenchy going throughout the evening of the Met Gala. Following the red carpet, she changed into a white, angel-inspired spring/summer 1997 dress for the after parties.
Blake Lively in Versace
While Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us press tour was a knotty one, the colorful Versace fall 2002 dress she wore to the movie’s New York premiere was undoubtedly its best moment. It was nice to see the return of this design, which Britney Spears originally wore to Versace’s spring 2003 show in October 2002.
Tyla in Gucci
The fashion world can never get enough of Tom Ford’s Gucci, so Tyla’s look for the CFDA Awards in October was obviously a fun one. But the lace mini dress, which hailed from Ford’s spring 1996 collection for the brand, also felt like a natural choice for the South African singer.
Bella Hadid in Atelier Versace
The Queen of Cannes returned to the Film Festival’s beachside red carpet in a corseted Atelier Versace dress from the brand’s spring 2001 collection.
Zendaya in Roberto Cavalli
Many might claim that Zendaya’s bohemian Roberto Cavalli fringe dress isn’t technically vintage since it’s from the brand’s spring 2011 collection, but it was too fun not to include in this round-up.
Nicole Kidman in Dolce & Gabbana
Nicole Kidman celebrated the beginning of awards season at the Gotham Awards in a column dress with a painted floral motif from Dolce & Gabbana’s fall 1998 collection.
Laverne Cox in Mugler
In case you didn’t know, Laverne Cox has one of the best archives in Hollywood (though if you tune in to any red carpet coverage, you are likely very aware of this fact). Throughout 2024, the actress showed off many of her unique looks at a variety of events—but our favorite has to be the Alexander McQueen fall 2009 suit dress she wore to the InStyle Imagemaker Awards in October.
Sabrina Carpenter in Chanel
A last-minute submission came from Sabrina Carpenter, who followed up news of her latest breakup by stepping out in a full look from Chanel’s fall 1994 collection. The fuzzy, faux-fur set—sourced by Aralda Vintage—was originally worn by Naomi Campbell on the runway (though Carpenter decided to ditch the matching hat). Call it her “revenge dress” or the perfect ensemble to celebrate her new Netflix Christmas special, but either way, it’s undeniable eye candy.