In years past, Hollywood stylists raced to secure one-of-one ensembles from luxury fashion houses and the freshest pieces off the runway. But on this season’s red carpets, the ultimate power flex isn’t custom — it’s archival.
Nowhere was this shift clearer than at the 2026 Golden Globes, where stars embraced vintage and archival designs to channel Old Hollywood glamour. In January, “Marty Supreme” star Odessa A’zion arrived at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre in an all-black Dolce & Gabbana look centered on a vintage feathered, off-the-shoulder bolero jacket. That same night, Kate Hudson shimmered in a liquid-silver halter gown straight from the Armani Privé 2007 runway, while Jennifer Lopez traveled even further back, wearing a sheer mermaid gown by Jean Louis Scherrer from 2003.
“In a cycle of constant creative-director turnover and trend fatigue, vintage allows stars to step outside the algorithm and say something original,” says Chandler Guttersen, owner of the celebrity-adored vintage store Vintage Grace in New York City. “It’s not just about wearing a dress — it’s about wearing a point of view.”
Plus, with sustainability increasingly top of mind, archival dressing offers celebrities a way to quite literally recycle fashion while still signaling red carpet prestige. Cate Blanchett has long been a leading advocate for sustainable fashion, frequently wearing archival and vintage pieces to promote circularity, and even re-wearing pieces from her own closet.
Like any trend, though, there’s a right (and a very wrong) way to do it. Guttersen cites Zendaya and Margot Robbie as two stars who use vintage not simply as an access flex but as an authentic extension of their sartorial vision. For the “Wuthering Heights” press tour, Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal tapped tapped Chanel, Thom Browne and Schiaparelli for custom Brontë-esque looks. But it was a vintage John Galliano coat from the designer’s 1992 runway — worn by Robbie to a London photocall — that is widely considered one of the strongest moments of the press run. Styled with a black micro miniskirt and a garter belt attached to red thigh-high stockings, Mukamal infused contemporary provocation into the ’90s design. Without those personal touches, the look could have veered into what Guttersen calls “costume archive,” when “the piece wears the person and the past is treated like a prop.”
Nowadays, other consistent archival dressers have joined the ranks, including Elle Fanning, who pulled a 1950s Nettie Rosenstein satin gown from her personal collection — sourced from Xtabay Vintage — for this year’s Palm Springs International Film Festival. John Galliano-era Dior remains a particular Hollywood favorite: Keke Palmer’s corset top and matching skirt at the 31st Critics Choice Awards was 2004 archival Dior by Galliano, while Ariana Grande’s pink, one-shoulder gown at last year’s 16th Governors Awards was also a Galliano design for Dior, dating back to 2007.
As much as stylists may try to keep up with the Joneses, custom re-creations of historic runway looks remain more common than true archival pulls. “Re-creations are safer for brands because they reference history without risking damage to the original,” Guttersen says. Still, she hopes to see at least a few true archival moments at the 2026 Oscars. “There’s nothing more electric than seeing a piece of history step back into the spotlight.”
Ahead of the 2026 Oscars, check out a few of the best vintage and archival moments this awards season: