Stars Who Swear by Archival
Dozens of red carpets are rolled out every year to celebrate the stars who captivated us all. During award season, glamour abounds as celebrities pass through, showcasing the glitz and glam their stylists have worked hard to curate. There are big expectations within the entertainment industry, and the constant need to outdo themselves.
Stylists and designers look for head-turning outfits, straight from the runway. Some celebrities work with designers to custom-make dresses, making sure they are unreplicable. However, some celebrities take the risk by wearing archival looks. Lately, in Hollywood, it has been all the rage, mixing old with new to create an unforgettable, timeless look.
Whether as a vow of sustainability or a new-age status symbol, these celebrities got it right when choosing vintage at the 2026 awards season.
The Grammys occurred on the first of February this year. It is a celebration of the biggest artists and composers of the year. The impressive turnout of stars draws attention from all over the world, for the music, and to discover what the celebrities agree is chic.
Chappel Roan stepped onto the red carpet in an unforgettable custom, sheer Mugler dress that hung from prosthetic nipple piercings. This choice was followed by mixed criticism from audiences, calling it ‘too much’ but others “iconic”. She received nominations for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for her single "The Subway". The previous year, she was awarded Best New Artist, and she announced this year's award to Olivia Dean.
Whilst presenting, she enchanted audiences by wearing a vintage gown. It was smoky grey, draping from her one shoulder all the way to the floor. Added to the dress were distressed appliqué flowers on her shoulder and waist, framing the cutout that crossed her chest. She was a reminder of Aphrodite, as the dress was paired with her Rapunzel red hair, purple striking eyeshadow and a ruby-infused gold necklace.
The dress itself comes from Rodarte's Fall 2007 runway collection, which feels like beauty in decay. Rather than polished commercial clothing, they experimented with deconstructing, volume and mixing differently to encapsulate a dark but detailed mood.
Tyla also attended the Grammys. She defined African music this year. As she won her second consecutive Grammy, for Best African Music Performance with ‘Push 2 Start’. The win came with copious support from South Africa, where she is from. She was decorated in pride for her country, as well as 116 lab-grown diamonds, on her Pandora choker. This complemented her 2013 Dsquared dress. The champagne coloured dress plunged down with gold beads decorating her neckline and the start of her full, feathered train that glamorously trailed around all night.
She wore her hair in a high ponytail with a sultry wave left out, hanging down the right side of her face. She describes her look as "effortless rich energy”, which we are in agreement with, as it looks minimal but extravagant at the same time.
Tyla’s dress is from the Fall/Winter 2014 Dsquared show. The collection itself isn't too old, but the garments are reflective of sartorial garments, appearing as if they had been taken from the 1940s and tailored to fit into contemporary society. They appeared traditionally masculine tailoring reworked for women , adjusted for female bodies, paired with bright, eye-catching colours and large glitz.
The stars attending the Golden Globes didn’t hesitate to wear dresses from the past. Carrying on with what seemed like an unspoken rule among celebrities attending award shows to dig deep into their closets. The event, presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, happened on the 11th of January, to honour and recognise the excellence of those who worked in international motion picture and television over the year.
30,000 square feet of red carpet is rolled out each year for “Hollywood’s Party of the Year”. It gains viewers from 220 countries and territories worldwide. It makes for a lot of pressure to be the best-dressed.
Kate Hudson received a nomination for Best Performance by a Female Actor in Song Sung Blue. She has long been a fashion icon, as she has been on red carpets since the late 90s. For this appearance, she wore a Giorgio Armani Privé Spring/Summer 2007 dress. The 2007 runway was full of metallic brides with an elevation to South Asia. It is a reminder of a classy wedding with a nod to Kurta shapes.
The dress Kate wore was made from a silver silk that curtained above her waist and hung freely beneath it. The halter neck was unmissable, as it was covered in Swarovski rhinestones, in accordance with her earrings. The dress did all the talking in her look, as she sported a slick low bun and minimal makeup.
Elsewhere on the carpet, Lori Harvey, a model, arrived to support Damson Idris for his role in F1, as the pair are in an on-and-off relationship. Even though she wasn’t there to collect any awards, she stole the show by stepping onto the carpet in her Roberto Cavalli Fall/Winter 2002 gown. The 2002 collection was full of body-hugging silhouettes, loud prints and pencil dresses that all scream attitude mixed in with elegance.
Lori donned a sleek black dress with a plunging neckline with raised texture, adding a touch of flamboyance to her look. There was no need for accessories as the backless look was fierce enough with the enhancements of pointed high heels and slicked back in a bun.
Odessa A’zion is one of Hollywood's newest golden girls. She acted alongside Timothee Chalamet in Marty Supreme, playing the chaotic role of Rachel Mizler. Propelling her into the mainstream and entering several red carpet events this year. Including the 2026 Actor Awards, she was nominated for Outstanding Performance by A Female Actor in a Supporting Role. The award show, which happened on March 1st, exclusively honoured actors for their roles in primetime television and film.
The actor decided to be genuinely herself and style herself for her appearances this year. For the Actor Awards, she chose a Fall/Winter 2015 Giorgio Armani Privé Jumpsuit. It was covered in black, green, blue, and purple silk fringe. The piece featured a dramatic plunging neckline and cut-outs on the thigh, which were revealed whenever she took a step. Odessa’s hair, which captivated the internet's attention, was put up in a cool, high messy bun, with loose strands matching the jumpsuit.
The 2015 Fall/Winter collection appears as if it has taken inspiration from peacocks. There was an embrace of bold colours, feathers and fringe. It was sophisticated silhouettes mixed with radiance, providing a unique evening dress.
Keke Palmer is well- known for her vintage collection, often attending big events in archival clothing. Her stylists did not hold back this year, searching far and wide for her red carpet outfits. She stepped onto the Film Independent Spirit Awards’ red carpet on the 15th of February. The awards celebrate the works of independent filmmakers and films. One of Them Days was an indie hit in 2026, landing Keke Palmer a nomination for Best Lead Performance.
To accolade this nomination, she pulled out a two-piece outfit from the same collection, Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2004. The piece was composed of a champagne halter neck corset top, which was detailed with a lace overlay and keyhole slit in the centre. It was paired with a skirt that featured the same champagne colour lace overlay. With overlapping of white satin that gathered at the front. She matched the outfit with beige high heels and minimal gold jewellery. Her pixie cut featured blonde waves that finished the outfit.
The outfit was perfectly matched, even though it wasn’t set together on the runway. It was full of a mix-match selection of suit silhouettes that had been decorated to make them sexy: mesh lace fabrics, deep necklines, unmissable metallics and unique fur trimmings. The models wore tattoo-printed body stockings that brought the aspired look of rock and roll to life.
Keke kept it up when appearing at Elton John Aids Foundation’s viewing party on the 15th of March. The event is an Academy Awards viewing party that brings together the biggest stars to raise money and awareness about AIDS; this year, it raised $10.6 million.
She wore a Yves Saint Laurent spring/summer 2001 breast plate with plain black trousers and a black beret. The corset was a profile of a woman's front in glossy black. It is topped up with smoky black eye makeup, and her hair is slicked back under the hat. It is cohesive, like her Dior outfit. The 2001 collection was strictly black and white and composed of powerful women in professional, tailored looks, with structured jackets, contoured dresses and uniquely crafted tops. Any office siren would want it.
The stylists (or Odessa herself) definitely defined these red carpets with their choice of garments. Vintage shops all around Los Angeles will hopefully have some pieces left for the rest of us, as the stars rush to get all their looks ready for next year's award season. If this season proved anything, it’s that the most forward-thinking looks aren’t new, they’re remembered.
