Laverne Cox is not only a talented actress and a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, but also a style icon who knows how to rock vintage fashion like no other. The star of “Orange is the New Black” and “Promising Young Woman” has been dazzling us with her glamorous and edgy looks on the red carpet, often wearing archival pieces from legendary designers such as Comme des Garçons, Alexander McQueen and Thierry Mugler.
Cox has a penchant for sparkly, sexy and dramatic outfits that showcase her curves and confidence. She also has an eye for finding rare and exquisite gems from the past that reflect her personality and taste. She follows four guiding rules of fashion: fit, fabric, proportion and silhouette. She says she loves wearing living, breathing art and that she feels a connection with the emotions and visions of the designers she admires.
One of her favorite designers is Rei Kawakubo, the founder of Comme des Garçons, who is known for her avant-garde and deconstructed creations that challenge the norms of beauty and femininity. Cox wore a stunning red dress from Kawakubo’s fall 1997 collection to host the E! red carpet show at the 2024 Grammys. The dress featured a voluminous skirt with ruffles and pleats that contrasted with the fitted bodice and belt. Cox said she acquired the dress a few years ago and always felt it needed a major red carpet moment. She added that whenever she wears Comme, she feels like she’s wearing living, breathing art and that the drama of the silhouette is a fashion fantasy come to life for her.
Shop Vintage
Another designer that Cox loves is Alexander McQueen, the late British genius who revolutionized fashion with his dark, romantic and theatrical designs. Cox channeled dark glamour in a vintage black matador coat from McQueen’s fall 2002 collection at the SAG Awards 2024 red carpet. The coat featured gold embroidery, velvet lapels and a dramatic train. Cox paired it with black pants, boots and jewelry for a striking look that honored McQueen’s legacy.
But perhaps the most iconic designer that Cox has been wearing lately is Thierry Mugler, the French master of sculptural and futuristic fashion who created some of the most memorable looks of the ’80s and ’90s. Cox has worn two archival pieces from Mugler’s spring 1989 collection, named “Les Atlantes”, which was inspired by sea creatures and mythology. The first one was a strapless white dress with sharp details and a form-fitting silhouette that she wore at the Emmy Awards 2023 red carpet. The second one was a strapless purple dress with chromatic colorways, fin-like textural elements and high-contrast angular edges that she wore at the People’s Choice Awards 2024 . Both dresses showcased Cox’s stunning figure and made her stand out from the crowd.
Cox is not only a fan of vintage fashion, but also a collector who owns many of the pieces she wears. She says she’s deeply humbled to be able to enjoy them as works of art whenever she wants. She also says she’s obsessed with structure and sculptural silhouettes and that she loves dressing in a way that dramatizes the contradictions, angst, darkness and broken sublimeness and beauty of the human condition.
Cox is not afraid to express herself through fashion and to celebrate her identity and individuality. She is an inspiration for many people who admire her courage, charisma and creativity. She is also a trailblazer who proves that vintage fashion can be modern, relevant and powerful. She is, without a doubt, the new vintage fashion queen.