Bella Hadid’s sense of style has long made her a fashion fixture at the Cannes Film Festival, where her red carpet looks consistently spark conversation and influence trends. This year, however, it was a street-style moment in London that caught the world’s attention. Just days after appearing at Cannes in a more understated ensemble, Hadid was spotted wearing a dazzling silver chain-mail dress with a story of its own—one that dates back to the late 1990s and a different kind of red carpet icon. Her choice not only revived a look once worn by Milla Jovovich to promote The Fifth Element at Cannes, but also affirmed Hadid’s growing role as a curator of fashion history. In reimagining the archival piece for a new era, Hadid seamlessly bridged past and present, reminding us that in fashion, nothing iconic ever really goes out of style.
A quiet exit, a loud statement
Bella Hadid may have stepped away from the Cannes Film Festival red carpet this year with a more subdued presence, but she’s hardly disappeared. Just days after her latest appearance at the iconic French event, Hadid turned heads once again—this time not in the Riviera but in the streets of London. Her outfit? A gleaming, silver chain-mail dress that sparked instant recognition among fashion insiders.
In contrast to her past Cannes gowns, often defined by sheer fabrics and sculptural silhouettes, this year’s look signaled a shift. The model opted for elegance over spectacle on the red carpet. Yet, her London street appearance proved she’s still fluent in high-impact fashion language—just more strategic with her statements. She paired the shimmering dress with silver-toned accessories and a romantic braided bun adorned with delicate flowers, embracing the “medievalcore” trend with her signature modern twist.
The dress that made history
The striking dress Hadid wore wasn’t just any vintage piece. It hails from John Galliano’s fall 1997 collection—a standout era in his design legacy—and was first immortalized by another fashion icon: actress and model Milla Jovovich.
Jovovich wore the very same chain-mail dress to the 50th Cannes Film Festival to promote The Fifth Element, a film that would become a sci-fi classic and solidify her status as a red carpet muse. Alongside co-star Bruce Willis, she made headlines not only for the movie but for her fashion-forward presence, which captured the avant-garde spirit of late ’90s couture.
By choosing to wear the same design more than 25 years later, Hadid isn’t just paying homage to an iconic fashion moment—she’s participating in fashion’s ongoing conversation with itself. The revival of archival pieces in recent seasons reflects a broader cultural mood: a longing for craftsmanship, nostalgia, and the timeless glamour of pre-social-media fashion.
A Cannes mainstay, even from afar
While Bella Hadid’s recent Cannes appearance may have veered away from her previously bolder fashion choices, her cultural impact remains constant. Since her breakout years, she’s become one of the most anticipated faces on the red carpet, carving out a reputation for taking fashion risks that often land her on best-dressed lists. Whether draped in Schiaparelli’s surreal golden lungs or donning figure-hugging Versace, Hadid has made Cannes her runway.
This year’s more understated Cannes look seemed to align with a shift in the festival’s tone—less overt extravagance, more refined drama. Yet it’s her post-Cannes reappearance in London that perhaps speaks louder: even off the carpet, Bella Hadid continues to shape fashion narratives. Her decision to reclaim and recontextualize a piece of red carpet history is a reminder of how style can transcend time and geography.
Fashion’s nostalgic loop
Hadid’s fashion choice is part of a broader industry trend. Over the last few years, vintage and archival pieces have enjoyed a major resurgence among A-list stars. From Zendaya’s Valentino rewears to Kim Kardashian’s controversial Marilyn Monroe dress moment, the runway has increasingly become a place of reflection, not just innovation.
But Bella Hadid’s archival nods often land differently. There’s a carefulness to her choices—a sense that she’s not just wearing history, but rewriting it for a new era. In this case, she pulls a dress from the peak of Galliano’s theatrical era, once worn by a woman representing a sci-fi future, and grounds it in the here and now: the post-pandemic fashion world where nostalgia feels both comforting and sharp-edged. And with her braided hair, metallic tones, and soft floral touches, Hadid softened the dress’s hard edges. Her version of the Galliano moment felt more like a conversation between past and present than a replica—one that honors the original without being consumed by it.
From red carpet royalty to archival alchemist, Bella Hadid continues to demonstrate that true style isn’t about being first—it’s about being timeless.
