Lately, thanks to Getty (and my unrivalled procrastination), I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of Gwyneth Paltrow’s 1990s wardrobe, which, it turns out, is a goldmine of sartorial inspiration. I suspect most people already knew this, but I’d been too distracted by her quirky wellness empire to notice that, back in the ’90s and early noughties, Gwyneth had one of the most enviable closets in Hollywood.
There are the cosy, if slightly Matrix-coded (complimentary!), Brad Pitt years, the minimalist Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy-esque two-pieces, and now, I’ve discovered, the Tom Ford for Gucci era.
In 1999, while riding high on The Talented Mr. Ripley fame, Gwyneth attended Tommy Hilfiger’s ‘Rock Style’ exhibit at The Met. The night yielded some truly iconic fashion moments—deserving of their own deep dives (which they will get!)—but for now, I’m focused on what she wore: an electric-blue python-print gown from Tom Ford’s Spring 2000 collection for Gucci. Modelled on the runway by Frankie Rayder, the dress was customised especially for Gwyneth.
Fast forward 26 years, and Emily Ratajkowski has revived the look with her own spin on the serpentine design. Naturally—EmRata is understandably a fan of a mini hem length—the dress was spliced above the thigh.
In contrast to Gwyneth’s styling (she had the dress lengthened), EmRata’s version, which seems to have been sourced from The Realist, was spliced at the thigh—EmRata is understandably a fan of a mini hem length. She paired the vintage mini with a pair of Paris Texas patent mules and a moody-hued pedicure.
While it could easily be chalked up to another wave of ’90s/early 2000s nostalgia—snake print being a defining motif of that Ford collection, alongside micro-hotpants and whisper-thin fabrics—EmRata’s fashion choices, I think, reflect a deeper homage. She’s known for her love of Tom Ford’s Gucci era (aren’t we all!), so this latest revival feels less like yet another Y2K run-over and more like a tribute.
