Despite arriving straight from a 2020s runway, Kaia Gerber’s latest red carpet mini dress looked straight out of the 1920s. The model and actress hit the step and repeat last night in a bejeweled Art Deco confection from Alessandro Michele’s debut Valentino catwalk presentation. All paired with some coquette, throwback footwear, no less.
Gerber donned an embellished cape and matching strapless dress to The Hollywood Reporter Next Gen event. Both of her pieces were blinged-out with baubles of ornate gold and silver paillettes and pearl edging along the hemline. This ’20s-inspired cape and dress combination was a focal point of Michele’s spring Valentino collection, and it looks as though fashion girls are catching on. Elle Fanning just wore a similar look compared to Gerber’s, albeit in a dazzling sea-foam green color, during the 2024 Governor Awards on Sunday evening.
It wasn’t just Gerber’s flapper-esque mini dress making an impact, though. The model and actress tapped into the coquette trend by slipping into a pair of bow-trimmed Grandma heels. She paired her blush pink wedges with knee-high lace socks for the ultimate schoolgirl touch.
Michele, who signed on as Valentino’s creative director this spring, has transported his eccentric “more is more” aesthetic to the storied Roman house. Many of Michele’s Gucci muses—Harry Styles, Florence Pugh, Jared Leto—were present for his debut show in September where the designer presented a myriad of looks inspired by various points throughout the 20th century. There were ’60s and ’70s influences, the excess of the ’80s, and references to the ’20s à la Gerber’s mini dress.
Michele’s Valentino feels like a perfect fit Gerber. As someone who has a knack for channeling the glamour of bygone eras (often in choice vintage), this capelet and matching dress feel like a natural fit within her personal style. Even if they are current season and not actual vintage.
