That’s the question a follower asked me after seeing Laverne Cox in an archival Mugler gown from 1985 at the Oscar’s.Why do celebrities opt for old dresses that have bee see before ? Are they lazy or uncreative? What’s their motivation?
Fascination with the past
These archival pieces appeal to our sense of nostalgia, evoking the lost grandeur of days past. But they also encapsulate our shared history, reflecting the era they were created in. The high-quality materials they were crafted from 50 years ago are no longer available today, meaning it is impossible to recreate the original beauty of an archival piece in spite of technological advancement. The dresses defy even technology, and that is what makes them so uniquely fascinating to us.
The fascination archival pieces hold over us is made evident whenever a celebrity wears one on the red carpet. Success, in the form of millions of likes, reshares , retweets and comments on social media is almost guaranteed, which is why haute couture houses have opened the doors to their historical archives to a very select few ambassadors. While virality may not necessarily convert into sales, it undeniably boosts a brand’s profile and image by reinforcing its prestige and desirability to existing and aspirational customers.
A heavy past
What a lot of people don’t realize is that the majority of these fabulous pieces are either held in museums or in brands’ archives. More often than not, they’re hidden away, sometimes forgotten in private collections gathering dust until the next estate sale.
When a celebrity is lucky enough to wear one them, the whole world benefits from it. Take the Robot Suit designed by Thierry Mugler which Zendaya wore at the premiere for the movie Dune. It hadn’t been seen publicly in more than 30 years and to this day it continues to inspire the work of designers and artists alike. Beyonce wore a recreation of that same suit on her Renaissance Tour in 2023.
We simply cannot get rid of the past. The weight and influence of it is much too great.
Just like Laverne Cox, who’s an avid Mugler collector, why not embrace the past, make it our own and celebrate it ?
