Cate Blanchett Sustainably Rewears An Armani Dress Twice In One Year

Jun 27, 2023

Star actress Cate Blanchett Is a fashionista in her own right, and she has proved that she doesn't mind upcycling a fashion piece more than once. The Australian actress has been a red-carpet staple for a long time, rocking different exquisite looks that uphold high fashion. 

However, she is known to have repeated a particular designer piece a number of times, and it is safe to say that Blanchett doesn't mind upcycling her style choices. She made headlines in June 2023 when she rocked the stylish embellishment at the Fragrance Foundation Award again. 

Over the years, Blanchett has tailored her sense of style to what she referred to as "ad hoc" during a 2019 interview with Vogue. The star channeled a signature look that culminated into what can be referred to as sophisticated and not averse to risk. While selecting her glam choices, Blanchett never fails to have fun with fashion. 

The Hollywood star has had more than three decades run in the movie industry, and she isn't slowing down anytime soon. Blanchett got her start in 1990, appearing in stage plays until 1997, when she appeared in her first feature film, "Paradise Road." 

She snagged her first international role in 1998, starring as Queen Elizabeth I in the historical drama, "Elizabeth." This role served as Blanchett's big break as she aced several award nominations and accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA. 

As her acting prowess earned her the deserved recognition, Blanchett advanced with her sense of style and red-carpet fashion. In all of these, the "The Lord of the Rings" actress has stayed true to what makes her comfortable without minding public opinions. 

In her Interview with Vogue, Blanchett revealed her approach to fashion, noting that she never thinks "about it too much." The star described herself as "a bit of a bowerbird" whose taste is eclectic. Blanchett stated, "The more I mature, and the more that I've been exposed to extraordinary people designing extraordinary things — not just in the world of fashion but in architecture, theater design, and film costumes — you (end up) like a rolling stone; you accrue a sense of what’s possible."

Blanchett clarified that she never seeks approval when selecting her style choices. She mentioned: "And also, I don't really care what people think in the end. I'm not dressing for anyone's approval."

Being a transformative actress also played a role in her style evolution. Because her parts are often connected to costume designs, her style choices tend to switch even in real life. Blanchett does not get wary about public approval with her array of fashion choices, which played a role in her penchant for re-wearing and fashion recycling. 

While Blanchett re-wears some of her high-fashion looks for sustainability, she also challenged the unspoken culture of Hollywood in which celebrities never re-wear red carpet looks. She revealed to Business of Fashion in March 2023: 

"It should be completely unremarkable, the idea of re-wearing (clothes), because we do it in our daily lives. We do it out of habit; we do it out of choice; we do it out of necessity."

Blanchett doesn't just wear her designer red-carpet gowns; she also focuses on repurposing. For a long time, fans saw her recreate some of her looks, including a black Loewe suit from 2018, a Maison Margiela gown that she debuted in 2015 and her black Giorgio Armani gown she first wore to the 2014 Golden Globes. 

The star actress once again got media attention for her infamous re-wearing of garments when she rocked a form-fitting Giorgio Armani dress at the Fragrance Foundation Awards in June 2023. The outfit, which she had earlier appeared in at the SAG Awards in February 2023, bore a deep V in the bust area while her chest was covered in lace embellishments. 

For the February event, Blanchett had the dress reworked such that it had a sheer floral paneling and a round neckline. The black sequined dress clung to her hips as it ran down to floor length. The actress styled her blonde tresses in a flipped coiffed hairstyle while rocking minimal jewelry.

At the Fragrance Foundation event in June, the movie star creatively changed parts of the outfit as she switched the floral panels to a colorful harlequin print. This time, Blanchett's dress featured a boat neckline while she styled her hair in waves that grazed her shoulders. 

On Instagram, Blanchett's stylist, Elizabeth Stewart, gushed over the creative upcycling they worked on while sharing images of the actress. Stewart collaged two photos of the same dress from when Blanchett rocked it at the SAG Awards and the Fragrance Foundation Awards. The celebrity stylist also explained how they repurposed the mesh details from a gown she wore to her 2014 and 2018 appearances at the Golden Globes and Cannes Film Festival, respectively. 

Per Harper's Bazaar, Blanchett has faced criticism on how she chooses to recycle her fashion choices. Her style was regarded as not sustainable because she tended to switch styles. However, Blanchett insists that she finds joy in recycling an outfit into a new one, and to her, that's what fashion is all about.    

Is Cate Blanchett's idea of upcycling fashion ideal? Do you agree that other celebrities could adopt this trend? Let us know, and pass this piece on to others.