There’s been plenty of famous red dresses throughout cinema history. Audrey Hepburn’s strapless ensemble in Funny Face, Gone with the Wind and Scarlett O’Hara, Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!, and of course, Jessica Rabbit. But you’ll be hard pressed to find another as vital to a film’s narrative as Julia Roberts’ Pretty Woman red ball gown.
The ensemble was worn by Roberts’ character, Vivian Ward, a prostitute who seduces a millionaire Edward Lewis (played by Richard Gere). It transformed the on-screen couple’s relationship from merely a casual exchange to the heights of formality—Roberts wore the dress to catch a private plane before heading to the opera.
It’s designer, Marilyn Vance, was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 1990 for her design. And the dress is so defining that in 2014, it was exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. But now, over two decades after its debut, the piece has reached its latest pinnacle: Paris Fashion Week.
Down to the white opera-style gloves and heart-shaped diamond choker, Vetements’ spring/summer 2024 collection featured a look entirely inspired by Roberts’. It followed a similar silhouette to the original, fitting the top half of the body tightly and then forming a train around the feet. Though the brand did show their collection on mannequins so, really, they had no feet.
Despite the presentation, the dress came to life with ruched detailing at the bodice and a plunging neckline. There was gathering at the waist like the original dress, however it was moved to the side rather than centered in the front.
Yes, this is the same Vetements that designed those DHL shirts in the late-2010s and staged a rogue fashion show at a Paris McDonald’s. The brand’s creative director Guram Gvasalia (the brother of Balenciaga designer Demna) often references elements of pop-culture, so the Pretty Woman nod may not be the most surprising, after all. He says this collection in particular was inspired by the value of workmanship amidst the advances of AI.
The dress is so iconic, in part, because it led Roberts’ character to shed much of her hesitancies and confess her love for Edward. And while the palette is now so vital to its notoriety, Vance originally designed the piece in just about every color except red.
“Before the decision was made, we ended up creating three different dresses,” the designer told Vogue France. “Poor Julia had to endure so many photos, color testing for this dress. Finally, I was able to find the right shade and convince everyone to follow my directions.”