You've no doubt noticed the influx of vintage gowns making their way on to red carpets over the last few years with events like the Oscars, Met Gala, and Cannes Film Festival providing the perfect backdrop for zeitgeist-y starlets to reimagine iconic looks from decades past. While the trend of wearing vintage fashion is something we're all about (obvs), it also begs the question; if the original gown is damaged when reworn, was it worth it?
One of the biggest benefits of celebs donning vintage pieces is the promotion of sustainable fashion. It's no secret that the fashion industry is incredibly wasteful, with millions of tons of clothing ending up in landfill each year, so surely when an of-the-moment celeb shines their light on secondhand fashion by choosing a pre-loved look, it's a good thing. Right? Well, yes. Kinda.
It-girls like Florence Pugh, Emma Stone, and Rihanna have all been spotted wearing pieces from decades past, sending a powerful message about the importance of sustainability - or the circular nature of trends (who knows!) - either way, by choosing to wear vintage, these stars help normalise the idea of buying and wearing pre-loved clothing. Huzzah!
However, there is a downside. Fabric is by nature delicate and as it ages it becomes more and more fragile and prone to damage with each wear. This issue was brought to a head when Kim Kardashian wore Marilyn Monroe’s famous "Happy Birthday" dress, which had been carefully preserved for decades, to the 2022 Met Gala. Unfortunately, despite the considerable care taken while handling and wearing it, it was reported that the dress came off a little worse for wear after its outing, with the fabric stretching and sequins falling off. Although we get that Kim's 'Marilyn Moment' introduced the iconic late actresses glamorous Hollywood style to a new generation, it came at a cost and tbh we're not sure it was worth it.
Similarly, when Sabrina Carpenter wore Madonna’s Bob Mackie 1991 Oscars gown to this year's MTV Video Music Awards, it sparked chatter online about the ethics of wearing such a significant piece of fashion history. The gown, which was custom-made for Madge, is a symbol of both her boldness and the era's couture artistry. While Sabrina's choice was a nod to the 'Material Girl's' legacy, the dress is over 30 years old, making it officially 'vintage' and fashion historians and conservationists have often discussed the toll that repeated handling, wearing, and even dry cleaning can take on older garments (especially those that were never meant to be worn on repeat).
We're all for promoting vintage fashion - heck, it's kinda our thing - but we're also fashion nerds and hate the idea of important pieces being damaged in pursuit of creating online buzz. To find a happy medium, a more thoughtful, preservation-conscious approach is needed when celebs choose to pre-loved - one that strikes a balance between celebrating fashion’s past and safeguarding it for future fashion lovers.