CULTURE

Padma Lakshmi Re-Wore a Plunging Red J. Mendel Gown to the 2018 Emmys

Déjà vu.

by Andrea Park

Padma Lakshmi lead
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

There’s a very good reason why the dress Padma Lakshmi wore to the 2018 Emmy Awards on Monday night may have made you do a double-take: You have seen it before, when she attended Vogue India’s 2017 Women of the Year Awards in Mumbai last fall. Though it’s always relatable and refreshing when celebs re-wear outfits, as Lakshmi explained to People ahead of Monday’s star-studded event, there’s an even more important message behind her choice to wear a piece she already owned to the Emmys.

“I’m excited to wear this beautiful J. Mendel dress again,” the Top Chef host said. “I think in this day and age we should stop sending the message to young women and girls that we all have these endless closets of clothes we never wear more than once, especially on a red carpet.” She added, “The hours that it takes, the artisans’ labor, and the gorgeous fabrics all deserve to be worn again and treasured. It seems wasteful not to enjoy these dresses.”

The gorgeous gown in question has a deeply plunging V-neck and a high slit up the left leg. The fiery red bodice features strips of fabric crisscrossing over one another and creating tiny cutouts across Lakshmi’s torso, while the drapey skirt flows all the way to the floor. At the Vogue India event, Lakshmi completed the look with strappy black heels and slicked-back wet hair; at the Emmys, she wore similar shoes in metallic gold, and had her hair styled in a bouncy, side-parted blowout.

Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images
AFP Contributor/Getty Images

Lakshmi went on to tell People that, as much as she enjoys primping for red carpet appearances, “there are more important ways to spend my time than to have hours of fittings for these big events.” She continued, “What matters is the work that got us here to the Emmys. Instead of fretting so much over what to wear, I’d rather go to the park and throw a ball with [my daughter Krishna] or tinker in the kitchen with her, bonding over delicious food. I want to teach her that there is more to life.”

The 25 Best Emmys Red Carpet Dresses of All Time

Jennifer Aniston wearing Chanel at the 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Sandra Oh wearing Vera Wang at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on August 27, 2006. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

SGranitz

Olivia Wilde wearing Reem Acra at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theater on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Christina Hendricks wearing Zac Posen at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 29, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Blake Lively wearing Versace at the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Connie Britton wearing Burberry at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 29, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Nina Dobrev wearing Donna Karan at the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 18, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

January Jones wearing Jason Wu at the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Emilia Clarke wearing Chanel at the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Elisabeth Moss wearing Andrew Gn at the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Rose Byrne wearing Calvin Klein Collection at the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Michelle Dockery wearing Rosie Assoulin at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Lizzy Caplan wearing Donna Karan at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Allison Williams wearing Giambattista Valli at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Kiernan Shipka wearing Dior Couture at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Mark Davis

Lady Gaga wearing Brandon Maxwell at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Kerry Washington wearing Marc Jacobs at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

GEtty

Taraji P. Henson wearing Vera Wang at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Priyanka Chopra wearing Jason Wu at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Getty

Tracee Ellis Ross wearing Chanel Haute Couture at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Nicole Kidman wearing Calvin Klein By Appointment, designed by Raf Simons, to the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Sarah Paulson wearing Carolina Herrera at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Tracee Ellis Ross wearing Valentino Couture at the 70th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

John Shearer

Penelope Cruz wearing Chanel Haute Couture at the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Frazer Harrison

Thandie Newton wearing Brandon Maxwell at the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on September 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Steve Granitz
1/25

[#externallink: /externallinks/5ba03555b344102ced419c53]