The 17 Best Vintage Fashion Moments of 2023
The fashion world’s obsession with vintage showed no signs of stopping in 2023. Over the past 12 months, the red carpets and streets filled with pre-worn clothes as celebrities flexed their access (and sometimes their own impressive archives) at everything from star-studded events to nights at the bar. Once again, we saw big names like Kylie Jenner and Olivia Rodrigo donning pieces that first debuted years before they were even born. Rooney Mara, Calista Flockhart, and Cate Blanchett proved that great clothes can have fruitful second lives. The ’90s remained a popular decade to pull from this year, though we’re starting to see pieces from the 2010s sneak in (they’re not yet considered vintage, but sustainably secondhand? Absolutely). While the Chanel archives were raided for this year’s Met Gala, creating some knockout vintage moments, the first Monday of May wasn’t the only time celebs pulled out Karl Lagerfeld’s designs for a wear—that was happening more or less throughout the year. In case you missed some of the best vintage moments of 2023 the first time around, we’ve put together a list of all the sustainable looks worth remembering—from street style to Academy Awards gowns.
Over the past few years, Zendaya has situated herself at the forefront of vintage fashion, gaining access to some of the best designer archives, thanks in part to her stylist-turned-fashion-curator Law Roach. While Zendaya walked significantly fewer red carpets this year, she made an impact with each and every one. Like the NAACP Image Awards, for example, which she attended in a black and green gown from Versace’s spring/summer 2002 couture collection, a gorgeous piece with ribbing details, a high slit, and low-cut neckline.
It’s not uncommon for the 20-year-old singer to wear pieces of clothing older than her. Olivia Rodrigo loves to dip into fashion history not only for red carpets, but for more casual events as well. When celebrating the release of her sophomore album, Guts, Rodrigo stepped out in cropped button-down shirt paired with an orange sequined mini skirt. Both pieces came from Todd Oldham’s spring 1995 collection, and were originally modeled on the runway by Shalom Harlow and Amber Valletta, respectively.
Zendaya wasn’t the only one who brought a show-stopping, archival Versace look to the 2023 NAACP Image Awards. Gabrielle Union got the memo as well. The actress arrived to the event in Gianni Versace’s “Circus” gown, from the late designer’s 1989 couture collection. The dress really is a work of art, covered in colorful beads depicting various shapes, animals, and lettering—which, according to 1st Dibs, has resulted in the dress’ hefty 15-pound weight.
Yes, it is very exciting when a young celebrity gains access to exclusive archives, but there is just something special about a star who keeps their best looks for years, only to pull them out for a red carpet decades after their original debut. At the premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Calista Flockhart did just that—and looked no further than her own closet when getting dressed. The actress wore a canary yellow Ralph Lauren maxi skirt that may look familiar to anyone who remembers the 1999 Emmy Awards. It was almost 25 years ago when Flockhart first donned the piece—that time, with a white button-down tied up to reveal her waist.
The Chanel archives opened wide for the 2023 Met Gala honoring Karl Lagerfeld, and as a longtime brand ambassador and gala co-chair, Penélope Cruz clearly got a first-round pick. The actress wore a hooded Chanel spring 1988 haute couture bridal gown, originally modeled by Lagerfeld’s close friend and muse, Inés de la Fressange.
When Kylie Jenner attended Prada’s spring/summer 2024 presentation in a Swarovski crystal chandelier skirt from the brand’s spring/summer 2010 collection, it was impressive. Little did we know, Jenner wasn’t done showing off archival Prada looks. Later that same day, she shared photos of another vintage Prada piece on Instagram—a floral appliqué-covered mini dress from the spring/summer 1992 collection.
Kim Kardashian and her mini me, North West, were on quite the vintage Chanel kick this year. Ahead of the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala, the pair showed off many of the late designer’s old looks, including a pair of chain sunglasses from 1992. The mother-daughter duo’s best vintage Chanel moment of the year, though, came much later—specifically in September, at Kourtney Kardashian’s baby shower, which Kim and West attended in coordinating cropped sweaters from the brand’s spring 1995 collection.
Rihanna’s personal fashion archive is absolutely unbeatable, and basically every time she steps outside, she does so in another piece of fashion history. Because of that, it’s hard to choose her best vintage moment from the year—but this look she wore in Beverly Hills in November, featuring a Dolce & Gabbana spring/summer 1996 mini dress topped with a Roberto Cavalli fall/winter 1999 fur coat, might just be our favorite.
Yes, Elle Fanning did shut down the Cannes Film Festival red carpet in a custom Alexander McQueen dress, but that wasn’t the only awe-inspiring look she brought with her to Europe this spring. Just days after her Cannes appearance, the actress traveled to Florence, where she attended a Cartier High Jewelry event in an Oscar de la Renta gown from spring 1993, sourced by Shrimpton Couture.
Black and white took over the Met Gala red carpet this year as attendees honored Lagerfeld, who was known to appreciate the simple color combination. That’s why it was such a delight to see Naomi Campbell, a longtime friend of the designer, bring some color to the red carpet in the form of a pink Chanel spring 2010 haute couture dress with Grecian draping detail.
Kendall Jenner’s street style in 2023 absolutely blew us away. Almost every time the model stepped outside, she was wearing a chic look that either came straight off the runway or from the annals of fashion history. Back in June, the model was seen in Paris wearing a piece from the latter category—an Alaïa spring/summer 1988 mini dress, sourced by Aralda Vintage.
Sometimes, the best looks are rooted in simplicity. Rooney Mara attended the 2023 Oscars in a gorgeous white Alexander McQueen fall 2008 dress which she topped with a ring master-style red coat from the brand’s spring 2016 collection for the Vanity Fair after party—a piece she first wore at the Governors Awards back in 2015.
This Versace spring 1994 dress featuring an asymmetric neckline and high slit fit perfectly into the Wednesday Addams aesthetic Jenna Ortega embraced wholeheartedly this year.
It wouldn’t be a proper secondhand style list without the queen of rewears, Cate Blanchett. Now, the actress had many great sustainable moments throughout the year, but the Maison Margiela couture gown she wore to the BAFTAs may be our favorite. Blanchett debuted the dress at the Oscars in 2014, but she added more structure to the shoulders for the second time around.
Lately, many celebrity moms have been passing some of their best looks of yore down to their lucky offspring. At the 2023 Oscars, Salma Hayek’s 16-year-old daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault, had the pleasure of wearing a red strapless Isaac Mizrahi dress that Hayek originally debuted at the 1997 Fire & Ice Ball, 10 years before Pinault was even born.
Tom Ford’s Gucci holds a special place in the heart of fashion fanatics, alongside creative director/house pairs like John Galliano and Dior and Phoebe Philo and Celine. Decades after Ford left his post at Gucci, pieces from his time there continue to pop up everywhere. At the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards in Milan, Italian fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni wore one of the designer’s most favored looks: a simple and sleek white dress with a large chest cutout and a metal belt from the brand’s fall/winter 1996 collection.
It was quite the welcome surprise when Zendaya appeared on stage during Labrinth’s set at Coachella. What made the surprise even greater was the pink, leather Roberto Cavalli 2004 mini dress she wore during her performance.
