Once Upon a Time… In Vogue
By Katie Ward
EXT. Paramount Pictures Lot — West Hollywood — Evening
The camera pans over a glittering crowd, dressed to the nines, breathless with anticipation. The scene is set. The crew is ready. Baz Luhrmann is yelling into a megaphone. Lights, camera, action – it’s Vogue World: Hollywood!
This cinematic event was the fourth consecutive year of Vogue World, an annual philanthropic fashion show celebrating the symbiosis between culture and couture. Organised by Vogue outgoing editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her team, Vogue World: Hollywood showcased an amalgamation of iconic costume pieces by Hollywood’s most legendary designers and brand-new film-inspired custom pieces by fashion houses such as McQueen, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Alaïa, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, and Balmain [1].
The legendary Paramount Pictures lot underwent a major makeover in preparation for the event, transforming from a film studio into a dazzling catwalk – lined, I might add, by an impressively star-studded audience. Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo sat front row, alongside actress Dakota Johnson and pop star Miley Cyrus – even California governor Gavin Newsom was in attendance [2]. Cumulatively, the event raised a whopping $4.5 million in support of costume designers affected by the recent and devastating wildfires in LA [3].
Here in Belfast, Hollywood and the film industry at large affect us a great deal. With the Belfast Film Festival in full swing – crowned by a visit from Hollywood legend Lucy Liu [4] – and our very own QFT’s recent selection as a top five nominee for BIFA’s Cinema of the Year award [5], film is an essential component of Belfast culture. By extension, Vogue World: Hollywood, such a rich celebration of the industry that means so much to us in this city, was essential viewing for any Belfast film lover. If you missed it, though, not to worry – here are the highlights! [6]
To kick off the show, Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, clad in a sleek and sexy Chanel number – an ode to Rita Hayworth in the 1946 classic Gilda [7] – sang a backstage rendition of ‘Put The Blame On Mame’ before strutting onto the runway, directed loudly by a frazzled-appearing Baz Luhrmann. Upon Luhrmann’s command, Kendall Jenner joined Kidman on the runway, sporting an original Moulin Rouge! (2001) [8] costume and officially opening the first act of the show – Hollywood Glamour. Feathers, flapper girls and extravagance dominated, model Adut Akech made a dazzling Daisy Buchanan in an original The Great Gatsby (2013) [9] costume designed by Catherine Martin and Prada, and even Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page made an appearance. The act was all about celebrating fashion from Hollywood’s Golden Age – and being cosy, as we saw when Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan sashayed down the catwalk in a baby-blue Tom Ford dressing gown [10].
Act two, The Renegades, fit perfectly with the Halloween season. Opening with an Edward Scissorhands homage worn by Anok Yai, and featuring Kodi Smit-McPhee as the Mad Hatter and perfectly off-kilter Margot and Chas Tenebaum from Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenebaums (2001) [11]. McQueen floated designs inspired by these characters and their respective movies down the catwalk, creating a delightfully spooky atmosphere.
Act three saw actress Julia Garner skipping down the runway to Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation”, frilled to the max in a costume from Sofia Coppola’s dreamy, rebellious Marie Atoinette (2006) [12], with Dior providing elegant accompanying gowns for models like LaKeith Stanfileld and Greta Lee. This pastry puff of fashion was followed by a total tear-jerker, as model Betsy Gaghan paid a touching tribute to recently departed Hollywood legend Diane Keaton in a Ralph Lauren recreation of Keaton’s costume in Annie Hall (1977) [13]. Gaghan wandered down the runway as Keaton’s cover of “Seems Like Old Times” floated through the warm Los Angeles evening. Not a dry eye in the back lot!
Next up was Gracie Abrams, performing a mashup of Carole King’s “I Feel the Earth Move” and her own “That’s So True” as Cara Delevingne and Lila Moss strutted down the catwalk. A mashup of iconic film costumes walked alongside them – outfits from and inspired by A Complete Unknown [14], Grease [15]and Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood [16], to name a few.
Once Gracie was finished, model Hunter Schafer enthralled the audience with her delightfully strange take on Orlando (1992), crunching on an apple in Tilda Swinton’s original costume. Not far behind her was Jeff Goldblum, clad in blindingly sparkly Gucci. Next up, in awe-inspiring well-oiled choreography, came a line of costumes from the ever-iconic Black Panther (2018) [18]. With Angela Bassett regaling the crowd as Queen Ramonda and Teyana Taylor and Danai Gurira as the Dora Milaje, it was a definite highlight of the evening.
As the darkness began to roll in, so did the sand. An impressive display of Dune (2021) [19] costuming brought a chainmail-clad Doja Cat in with it as she performed “Gorgeous”. Bianca Balti was regal in Rebecca Ferguson’s costume by designer Jacqueline West [20]. Like Arrakis, it was out of this world.
The end of Doja Cat’s performance saw the night draw to a close. As all the evening’s models returned for their encore, and Baz Luhrmann yelled into that megaphone one last time, the lights dimmed on fashion’s most cinematic event [21].
References
[1] Gasthalter, Sydney. “Places… And Action! Everything You Need To Know About Vogue World: Hollywood 2025.” British Vogue, 27 October 2025 https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/vogue-world-hollywood
[2] Vogue. “See Every Vogue World 2025 Red Carpet Look From Hollywood.” British Vogue, 27 October 2025 https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/vogue-world-hollywood-2025-celebrity-arrivals-fashion
[3] Lang, Robert. “Vogue World’s Hollywood Spectacle Supports Costume Community Impacted by Wildfires.” 26 October 2025 https://deadline.com/gallery/vogue-world-hollywood-film-fashion-photos/vogue-world-hollywood-2025-runway-show-10/
[4] Allen, Bernie. “Lucy Liu receives Belfast Film Festival award for Rosemead.” BBC News, 2 November 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn8x1vwzq6go
[5] QFT, Instagram 2025 https://www.instagram.com/p/DQmDu8ijVBT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
[6] Vogue, Youtube 2025. https://www.youtube.com/live/gd9wKJIF7W4?si=FmSBuy826badPA8C
[7] Gilda (1946) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038559/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_3_in_0_q_gilda
[8] Moulin Rouge! (2001) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203009/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_2_nm_6_in_0_q_Mouli
[9] The Great Gatsby (2013) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343092/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_THE%2520GREAT%2520GA
[10] Cafolla, Anna and Seth, Radhika. “All the Moments You Might Have Missed From Vogue World 2025: Hollywood.” Vogue, October 27, 2025 https://www.vogue.com/article/all-the-moments-you-might-have-missed-from-vogue-world-2025-hollywood
[11] The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265666/mediaviewer/rm140642304/?ref_=tt_ov_i
[12] Marie Antoinette (2006) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0422720/
[13] Annie Hall (1977) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_3_nm_5_in_0_q_annie%2520hal
[14] A Complete Unknown (2024) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11563598/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_a%2520compln
[15] Grease (1978) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077631/?ref_=fn_t_1
[16] Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_once%2520
[17] Orlando (1992) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107756/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6_tt_1_nm_7_in_0_q_orlando
[18] Black Panther (2018) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1825683/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_black%2520pan
[19] Dune: Part One (2021) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1160419/
[20] Jackson, Hannah. “Bianca Balti Enters the ‘Dune’ Universe at Vogue World 2025: Hollywood.” Vogue, 26 October 2025. https://www.vogue.com/article/bianca-balti-dune-lady-jessica-vogue-world-2025-hollywood
[21] Borrelli-Persson, Laird and Garcia-Furtado Laia. “What Is Vogue World: Hollywood? A Complete Breakdown Of The Films And Characters That Inspired It.” British Vogue https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/what-is-vogue-world-2025-hollywood October 27 2025.
[CO1]“outgoing editor-in-chief” or “global editorial director”? (see email)
