Kylie Jenner is tapping into a fresh—and foolproof—red carpet formula
Call the phenomenon what you want—rebrand, makeover, or vibe shift—but 2022 has been the year of it, particularly when it comes to celebrity style. Stars establish signature looks, which helps them stand out. In the torrents of fame, that’s an invaluable thing. But fame is also fickle and hungers for newness; hence, the fashion overhaul. Take it from celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Joey King, Taylor Russell and Michelle Yeoh: switching up your sartorial idenтιтy is a great way to spark conversation, and of course, stay afloat of the Hollywood machine.
Another celebutante who’s turned a new red carpet leaf? Reality television star and beauty mogul Kylie Jenner, who has spent the last months dressing with startling panache. The minute she stepped out in Schiaparelli at Paris Fashion Week—strapless, midnight blue, with a glistening anatomical heart dangling from her choker—the mood felt different. Here was an ensemble with all the Jenner hallmarks (Body-first? You bet) but the elements were elevated, less her usual brand of utilitarian chic and more gothic haute.
It was at last week’s CFDA Fashion Awards that Jenner brought her new look home, wearing archival Mugler. The black dress, plucked from the designer’s haute couture autumn/winter ’99 collection, was a testament to simplicity. Stylists Alexandra and Mackenzie Grandquist paired the gown with minimal jewellery, letting its one-shouldered silhouette and velvet skirt do all the talking.
Kylie Jenner in Mulger at the CFDA Fashion Awards. Image credit: Getty Images
It was a refreshingly classic appearance from Jenner, who has gravitated in the past to louder, skin-tight designs; mind you, Coperni latex and Dolce & Gabbana pin-up florals were still her bread-and-ʙuттer circa April. Perhaps to ᴀssure onlookers that her minimalist Mugler moment was a precedent and not an anomaly, Jenner materialised, mere days later, at the 2022 Baby2Baby Gala, in a Loewe gown. The formula was the same, down to the Grecian pleats on the bodice: black, floor-sweeping, with a slit racing up the skirt. Again, Jenner pared back her accessories and kept her hair up. It was elegant and not overly modern—strikingly subdued.
Kylie Jenner attends the 2022 Baby2Baby Gala in Loewe. Image credit: Getty Images
Kylie Jenner attends the 2022 Baby2Baby Gala in Loewe. Image credit: Getty Images
And though ‘subdued’ might not be the best term for her most recent LBD, ‘striking’ remains apt. It was vintage Mugler again for Jenner, sported this time at the opening of Brooklyn Museum’s Thierry Mugler: Couturissme exhibition. She paired her corseted gown with ostrich-feather gloves and a fantastical crystal headpiece. Her second look for the evening was equally witchy: a sheer, veined bodysuit donned under a satin cloak.
Kylie Jenner attends the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibition in archival Mugler. Image credit: Getty Images
Where will Jenner take her new wardrobe next? Only time will tell. We’re just thankful that she’s putting the ‘vamp’ in ‘revamp’. Black has never been better.
