A notable trend is emerging on red carpets and during promotional tours: young stars are breathing new life into iconic gowns from the 1990s and early 2000s, drawing attention with pieces that hold significant fashion history.
Lili Reinhart recently garnered attention for her press tour for the film "The Love Hypothesis," paying homage to romantic comedy leading ladies. She wore a recreation of the yellow silk gown famously worn by Kate Hudson's character, Andie Anderson, in the 2003 movie "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." Reinhart's stylist, Ib Abdel Nasser, confirmed the dress was a 2000s Caché replica of the original, which was a custom Carolina Herrera creation designed in collaboration with the film's costume designer. Nasser indicated that this was one of several planned homages to iconic female characters from romantic films.
Gigi Hadid recently paid tribute to Elizabeth Hurley by modeling Hurley's iconic black Versace dress, held together by safety pins, on the cover of 72 magazine. Hurley first wore the striking dress in 1994 to the premiere of "Four Weddings and a Funeral," at a time when she was largely unknown. The dress, reportedly costing £3,000, was a risky choice that garnered significant media attention. Hadid's styling included sky-high heels and a deliberately disheveled look.
Other stars have also recreated this memorable Versace moment. Maya Jama wore a similar safety-pin detailed dress to the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Maisie Williams, who stars as Sandra Bullock's daughter in the upcoming "Practical Magic 2," has also drawn inspiration from Bullock's past red carpet appearances. For the film's London premiere, Williams wore a black off-the-shoulder dress that mirrored one Bullock wore to the 2006 premiere of "Infamous." Another promotional look for Williams was a custom Ellie Misner gown referencing Bullock's red carpet style from the 1999 film "Forces of Nature."
Zendaya has also been a prominent figure in this trend, notably at the 2026 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards. She wore a vintage one-shouldered Caché dress that bore a strong resemblance to a gown worn by Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw in the 2008 "Sex and the City" movie. This Caché design is itself a replica of a 1987 Eugene Alexander gown worn by Whitney Houston for the cover of Life magazine.
Sydney Sweeney emulated Angelina Jolie's iconic look from the 2004 Academy Awards at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Sweeney replicated the plunging halter-neck Marc Bouwer cream gown, complete with a matching shawl and layered pendant necklaces, twenty years after Jolie's original appearance.
Fashion experts suggest the appeal of '90s and early '00s fashion for younger generations lies in nostalgia and the opportunity to reinterpret styles that feel both familiar and fresh. This era is also seen as a time when personal style was prioritized over fleeting trends, offering a contrast to the rapid pace of contemporary fashion consumption.
This trend extends to the children of celebrities, who are also donning their mothers' vintage pieces. Carys Douglas wore a slip dress previously worn by her mother, Catherine Zeta-Jones, to her 21st birthday. Similarly, Valentina Paloma Pinault attended the Oscars in 2023 in a red Isaac Mizrahi gown first worn by her mother, Salma Hayek.
