How Gen Z Stars Are Revolutionizing Red Carpet Fashion Trends

A fierce fashion statement can leave a lasting stamp on any red carpet. Artists form close-knit creative partnerships with fashion designers to bring their individual tastes to life and even embody the spirits of their characters. The 21st century has been teeming with Gen Z stars who have redefined the meaning of red-carpet fashion with bold and inspired choices, courageously challenging age-old stereotypes surrounding stars’ sartorial styles.

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Throwing Gender Norms to the Wind

A male star should wear a clean-cut tuxedo, and a female star should wear a dramatic floor-length gown. That used to be the unwritten rule for stars gracing the red carpet: not anymore. Gen Z stars have bravely experimented with different styles, refusing to be pigeonholed according to gender. 

The ineffably talented Timothée Chalamet is a shining example of this. Whether he is coolly pulling off a jaw-dropping shirtless look at the 94th Academy Awards or a striking red backless jumpsuit at the 79th Venice International Film Festival, he has never shied away from breaking the fashion mold. At the 2019 Met Gala, co-chair and musical powerhouse Harry Styles beautifully blurred the lines between masculinity and femininity by wearing a pair of high-waisted pants with a lace top, showing there are more ways than one to look “pretty handsome.”

In a society with many parochial outlooks on fashion, these men have fiercely stuck to their guns. Although you may disagree with some of these artists’ clothing choices, you cannot deny their impact on the culture at large.

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Wearing your Film on Your Sleeve

While some view red carpets and movie screens as two separate entities, some Gen Z movie stars beg to differ. They take great pleasure in paying homage to their characters through their inspired fashion choices on the red carpet. 

Wanting to pay tribute to her character of a tennis player in the film Challengers, fashion icon Zendaya wore a pair of tennis ball pumps from Loewe during promotions in Rome. In a similar vein, scream queen Jenna Ortega paired her Harris Reed gown with a handbag resembling the house from her movie Beetlejuice, indicating her fervent passion for the film both on and off set. At the world premiere of Dune: Part Two in London, Oscar nominee Florence Pugh turned heads with her glistening, hooded gown, which she wore in honor of her character, Princess Irulan.

For Gen Z stars, a red carpet is not just another day of work; it is an opportunity for them to creatively express their ardent love for their characters. Through understanding the closely intertwined nature of fashion and art, these stars confidently leave it all out on the red carpet.

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Slaying with Sustainability

The current generation of stars is not playing when it comes to the environment, believing that one can be stylish without sacrificing sustainability. Many artists have joined the bandwagon of wearing environmentally-friendly red carpet outfits in response to the fashion industry’s troubling role in exacerbating climate change.

The sensational Saoirse Ronan graced the red carpet of the 92nd Academy Awards wearing a stunning Gucci gown that shared the fabric of the dress she had just worn to the BAFTA awards that same year. At the same ceremony, Unbelievable star Kaitlin Dever, in collaboration with the environmental organization Red Carpet Green Dress, wore a beautiful red dress that was completely sustainable. At the 2022 Met Gala, global superstar Billie Eilish highlighted the importance of environmental conservation by wearing a custom Gucci gown made entirely of repurposed materials.

Sustainable fashion should extend beyond being a fad to being an intrinsic component of the overall cultural landscape. By responsibly taking on the mantle of raising awareness about sustainability, Gen Z celebrities are ushering in a new era of fashion that is not just glamorous but environmentally conscious as well.

The Enduring Legacy of the Red Carpet

Since its introduction in the 1920s, red carpet fashion has undergone numerous iterations, from showcasing simple, chic, elegant suits and gowns to displaying boundary-breaking ensembles. However, one thing has remained constant: its indisputable influence on popular culture. People get motivated by stars on red carpets to essay new looks they may have been too intimidated to try previously. For all the flak Gen Z stars receive for being too obsessed with Internet trends, they are fearlessly unabashed in their approach to fashion, paving the way for others to do the same. 

Red carpet fashion will continue to be a mainstay of not only pop culture but also the lives of people who want to carry themselves with more authenticity and less fear. If you are interested in reading more about the cultural impact of fashion, please check out our article on the political power of fashion.