Technically, it was a reproduction of the garment worn by actress Rita Hayworth in the 1946 Hollywood film Gilda. Symbolically, it had a different meaning altogether.
When Nicole Kidman took to the catwalk as guest – and model – of honour at a Hollywood-themed Vogue extravaganza on Sunday, it was hard not to interpret her strapless black Chanel gown as a very glamorous revenge dress.
For if living well is the best revenge, dressing well is surely a very close second.
When Princess Diana stepped out in a little black off-shoulder dress by Christina Stambolian on the night that Charles publicly admitted his infidelity, she immediately changed the narrative, going from ‘victim’ to ‘vixen’.
And while there’s no suggestion infidelity is behind the shock split between Kidman, 58, and her husband Keith Urban, also 58, reports that she was ‘blindsided’ have led some to paint her as the ‘victim’.
Despite announcing their separation at the end of September, the former power couple have continued to follow each other on Instagram.
Technically, the dress worn by Nicole Kidman at Vogue World was a reproduction of the garment worn by Rita Hayworth in the film Gilda. Symbolically, it had a different meaning
Hayworth wears an identical gown while starring in the 1946 Hollywood film (pictured)
Nicole currently follows just 372 people on the platform – and Keith remains one of them.
Likewise, the country music star follows only 115 accounts, with Nicole still included among his select list.
Nevertheless, it takes more than a little black dress to fix a marriage – even if that dress is by Chanel.
But as ego boosts go, there could be few as effective, or public, as Kidman’s starring role in Vogue World: Hollywood – she both opened and closed the 30-minute show.
Kendall Jenner was another of the catwalk models, wearing the original costume worn by Kidman’s character, Satine, in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!
The show was also choreographed by the film’s director, Baz Luhrmann. Now in its fourth year, Vogue World turns the normally private sphere of the fashion show into public entertainment, selling tickets with proceeds going to charity.
While last year’s event was held in Paris as a preface to the Olympics, this year’s took place in Paramount Pictures’ studio lot in Los Angeles, in keeping with its theme of celebrating the love affair between fashion and film.
Hollywood’s great and good showed up to lend their support, many on the catwalk too, including actresses Angela Bassett and Julia Garner.
When Nicole took to the catwalk as guest of honour at the Vogue extravaganza on Sunday, it was hard not to interpret her strapless black Chanel gown as a very glamorous revenge dress
While there’s no suggestion infidelity is behind the shock split between Kidman and her husband Keith Urban, reports that she was ‘blindsided’ have led some to paint her as ‘victim’
Guests included actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Dakota Johnson, Cynthia Erivo and Viola Davis, as well as singer Miley Cyrus, tennis ace Venus Williams, model Heidi Klum, and Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz Beckham.
But if the evening was a validation of sorts for Kidman, it was equally so for Dame Anna Wintour, 75, who recently stepped down as Vogue’s editor-in-chief after almost 40 years at the magazine’s helm, though she remains its global editorial director.
The event was a neat reminder of her formidable ability to persuade fashion and film’s biggest players to come together for a good cause.
According to parent company Conde Nast, a total of £3.4million was raised for costume designers affected by the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year.
It takes more than a little black dress to fix a marriage – even if that dress is by Chanel
