Hollywood's night of fashion dreams

'Vogue World 2025' turns Paramount lot into a cinematic runway

It was a night when cinema met couture, where nostalgia danced with reinvention, and the silver screen shimmered once more under California's starlit sky.

'Vogue World: Hollywood 2025' transformed Paramount Pictures Studio into a breathtaking celebration of fashion, film and fantasy, merging the glamour of classic Hollywood with the unbridled creativity of today's icons.

Following its dazzling editions in New York, London and Paris, the fourth annual 'Vogue World' came to Los Angeles this autumn, and from the moment Nicole Kidman stepped onto the runway, it was clear this wasn't just a fashion show—it was a cinematic love letter.

The 58-year-old Oscar winner, dressed in a custom black draped satin bustier gown designed by Chanel's Matthieu Blazy, channelled the spirit of Rita Hayworth's timeless sensuality from the 1946 classic 'Gilda'.

Directed by Baz Luhrmann, her performance of 'Put the Blame on Mame' set the tone for an evening steeped in theatricality, nostalgia and reinvention. Twirling in satin camellias, Kidman was the embodiment of old Hollywood glamour.

Her diamond necklace and crimson lips catching every flash of light as she strutted down the studio lot runway—an evocative tribute to her cinematic past and the film that made Hayworth immortal.

The evening unfolded in acts, each reimagining film history through couture's lens. Kendall Jenner soon took the stage as a modern-day showgirl, donning Kidman's original costume from 'Moulin Rouge!' to perform 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend'.

The playful nod to her predecessor blurred the lines between character and icon, watched by a front row glittering with Aurora James, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and legendary designer Ruth E Carter.

Kyle MacLachlan's entrance drew one of the night's loudest cheers. Clad in a baby blue Tom Ford dressing gown, the 'Twin Peaks' and 'Blue Velvet' star brought a dose of old-school charm to the runway, joined by models Adut Akech and Elizabeth Debicki'.

Act two shifted into surreal terrain—a cinematic homage to the misfits and dreamers. Louisa Jacobson, star of 'The Gilded Age', appeared as 'Edward Scissorhands' in custom McQueen, amid plumes of smoke and industrial beats.

Then came Julia Garner, who embodied Marie Antoinette in a cloud of pink tulle and pearls, skipping down the catwalk with trays of pastries in tow. The 'Weapons' star's playful decadence, inspired by Sofia Coppola's 2006 film, turned the runway into Versailles-on-Sunset Boulevard.

The most poignant moment of the night belonged to a tribute that silenced the crowd. Following Diane Keaton's recent passing, model Betsy Gaghan appeared dressed in head-to-toe Ralph Lauren as 'Annie Hall'.

Keaton's voice drifted through the speakers, singing 'Seems Like Old Times'. The gentle melancholy of her tone, paired with the unmistakable silhouette of a vest and tie, left the audience visibly moved.

The runway then turned regal. In the Afrofuturism segment, the energy surged as Angela Bassett returned to her Wakandan roots. Wearing the original Queen Ramonda gown designed by Ruth E Carter for 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', Bassett radiated power and poise.

The purple halter gown, detailed with golden hieroglyphs and paired with a 3-D printed crown by Julia Koerner, stood as both a costume and a cultural statement.

She walked alongside Danai Gurira, Teyana Taylor, Jodie Turner-Smith, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Damson Idris—each interpreting Afrofuturist aesthetics through the prism of contemporary couture.

Bassett's appearance was more than a nostalgic reprise; it underscored how African heritage continues to shape the global fashion imagination. "It's about lineage and light," she told a backstage interviewer earlier, her smile radiant beneath Ramonda's sculptural crown.

The grand finale belonged to Doja Cat, who electrified the audience in a chainmail mini dress by Michael Schmidt—a futuristic tribute to Tina Turner's look from 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome'.

As she sang 'Gorgeous', models reappeared in costumes from 'Dune' and 'Burberry', while Adriana Lima made her runway return, owning the stage with the confidence of a seasoned siren.

When Baz Luhrmann finally declared, "It's a wrap!", the crowd erupted into a standing ovation. Beyond the performances, the event's significance extended to its cause. All proceeds from ticket sales were donated to the Entertainment Community Fund.

It supported costume and film industry professionals affected by recent wildfires in Los Angeles. In its fusion of art, charity and spectacle, 'Vogue World: Hollywood' proved that glamour can still have heart.

Off the runway, the celebrity turnout matched the show's cinematic scale. Hailey Bieber stunned in an off-shoulder black leather gown with floral motifs, while Miley Cyrus's belted trench and newsboy cap added a rock 'n' roll edge.

Dakota Johnson exuded vintage elegance in a dusty rose gown, and Gwyneth Paltrow kept it minimalist in all-white. Camila Cabello sparkled in gold, and Demi Lovato, Sofia Richie and Heidi Klum added their own versions of Hollywood flair.

As flashbulbs dimmed and the Paramount backlot returned to stillness, 'Vogue World 2025' had already etched itself into fashion folklore—a spectacle that merged costume with emotion, glamour with memory, and film with fashion's most powerful dream: reinvention.