There are still 37 days left in 2022, but it appears the fashion world is getting a head start on the ‘new year, new me’ concept.
From big changes happening at Gucci with the departure of longtime creative director Alessandro Michele to Chanel ambassador Margot Robbie spreading her wings sartorially, those in the know seemed to have had the same thought: it’s time for a re-brand.
Keep scrolling to enjoy our favourite ensembles and re-inventions over the past seven days.
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* This week’s best celebrity looks come straight from New York
* Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele is exiting the brand
Best tribute to an icon
This is a serve that I did not expect: P!nk wearing Cher’s literal Bob Mackie pieces at the American Music Awards. The singer is not someone I look to for fashion (and that’s OK, not everyone wants to or needs to be a style icon), but she absolutely nailed it with two vintage looks designed by one of fashion’s most talented designers, borrowed from the wardrobe of the musical icon.
The first was a dress from 1987 called the ‘Earthquake dress’, and the second, to perform onstage, a pink feathered gown that references Cher’s iconic Time cover and look from the 1974 Met Gala.
Mackie has worked with Cher for years, creating many of her most memorable looks, and can also be a bit of a snob when it comes to who he deems worthy of wearing his designs. He works with icons only: Cher, Dolly, Elton, Diana, Beyoncé, RuPaul. And now, P!nk. – Zoe Walker Ahwa
Best consistently cool
Cate doesn’t show up on too many red carpets but when she does, she makes it worth it. One of the few true movie stars who is still holding out on Instagram (I bet she has a finsta to follow her children), a decision that only adds to our thirst for her.
The 2022 Oscars Governors Ball held this week marked the official kick-off of awards season and generated a plethora of amazing content for fashion lovers. Among them, the always reliable Cate in – wait for it – recycled Alexander McQueen. Not vintage. Recycled. In fact, she first wore this dress just two years ago.
Her stylist Elizabeth Stewart explained that one of the many sustainably-minded reasons for this was the shipping.
“We are borrowing one of a kind runway samples and accessories that are sent all over for magazine shoots, sales appointments, and fittings like ours. Since fashion is international, a typical fitting can have looks from Paris, London, Milan, New York, Los Angeles, Lebanon, Japan, Berlin, Stockholm, Dubai…
“It takes planes, trains, and automobiles for almost any look… and all the environmental impact and carbon footprint that entails, in getting all the parts together needed for any major fitting… If we can avoid most of that by simply re-wearing an incredibly great look (like the whole rest of the world does every day) and therefore do just one more small part to protect our planet and our future, well then, we are going to do it dammit!” – Rebecca Wadey
Best seachange
Over on fashion TikTok there has been wild and loud speculation that we’re witnessing a new era of Margot Robbie’s sartorial life dawn in front of our very (critical) eyes. Robbie has been a Chanel brand ambassador for the past six years and fans of the Aussie actor have been vocally censorious of the looks the French fashion house and stylist Kate Young have dressed Robbie in.
It’s unclear whether Robbie’s exclusive Chanel contract has officially lapsed but this Grecian inspired dress that she wore to the Governors Ball is certainly a departure from the frou frou numbers we’ve come to expect her in.
The emerald gown is from Bottega Venetta’s Resort 2023 Collection and Robbie was seen in an off-duty blazer from the Italian brand earlier in the week too. Last week Robbie donned a tailored pant and jacket outfit by Los Angeles brand Aya Muse for a screening of her new film Babylon. Whatever’s going on behind the scenes, the Barbie star is outwardly trying something new, and I’m here for it. – Tyson Beckett
Second-best tribute to an icon
On one hand, this is hideous – the type of dirty wash, studded denim that haunted the early noughties. On the other, it’s a perfect pop star look that harks back to the chaotic red carpets of that time, before stylists and celebrities being locked into roles as luxury brand ambassadors.
The reason singer Kim Petras’ denim ensemble by Blumarine is on this list? It’s a tribute to Britney’s legendary denim MTV look, and that deserves acknowledgement. (Fellow pop star Dua Lipa wore the same dress this week, too, but I prefer Kim’s messiness) – ZWA
Best sunshine and fun
Cate Blanchett’s stylist Elizabeth Stewart also dresses Viola Davis, who was also re-wearing a dress. This Christopher John Rogers number is pure joy and sunshine and quite frankly what I needed to see this week. The styling details, particularly the earrings and her glorious natural hair exude the kind of energy red carpets could do with more of. – RW
Best women’s breakthrough rugby player of the year
Dave Rogers/Getty Images
Ruby Tui is winner of the World Rugby Women’s Breakthrough Player of the Year.
My favourite sportsperson and most likely yours, Ruby Tui took home Women’s Breakthrough Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards this week. The award rightfully recognises her sporting contribution, but the bright red outfit she chose for the event was pitch perfect and deserves some additional attention too
Tui is, as one person in her Instagram comments said, “an absolute vibe of a person” and the same can be said of the red suit she wore to the glitzy awards in Monaco.
I can’t tell who it’s by because she didn’t respond to my inquisitive DM, but I can say that like the woman wearing it, it’s bold, joyful and triumphant. – TB
Best dress I need
Gabrielle Union wore a very fun, very fashion red and white striped dress with puffy balls along the hem earlier this week and unsurprisingly, that got most of the attention.
But this adorable little black dress with flower appliqués and puff-sleeves is the one that I want in my own wardrobe (I found out later that it is, unsurprisingly, by one of my favourite brands, Batsheva). I like how she’s grounded it with a pair of stonking patent mules, to prevent the look from being too twee. – ZWA
Best dark and creepy
When you’re promoting a series that’s ‘creepy and it’s spooky’, it’s hard to dress the part without coming across full costume Morticia vibes. Christina Ricci has breathtakingly nailed the brief in custom Rodarte.
The signature intricate sheer, sequin and lace detailing is complimented by a spider web that I would now like to buy on one of their hoodies, please.
Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy always seem to design with joy and love for their clientele and somehow, this creepy cool gown demonstrates that. – RW