Rare Vintage Rules This Exclusive Red Carpet—Here Are the Best Archival Finds

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

The Met Gala has some new competition for fashion's biggest night. Los Angeles is now home to the Academy Museum Gala, back for its fourth year on Oct. 19 to fundraise for the film museum and coax A-listers into some of their best looks on a Saturday night.

Like many major red carpets, the 2024 Academy Museum Gala was stacked with straight-off-the-runway styling: Ayo Edebiri wore a corseted Thom Browne couture dress, while Greta Lee and Meg Ryan picked floral dresses from Loewe's racks. But some of the evening's most impressive styles came from stars who leaned all the way into an Old Hollywood dress code, honoring the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' extensive film archive with pieces of fashion history. Celebrities are increasingly wearing red carpet vintage with a few goals in mind: to pay homage to style legends of the past, to rise above the dominant trends of the moment while being more sustainable, and to flex their archival knowledge along with their stylists' connections. This Gala's best looks checked every box, landing somewhere between the Vanity Fair Academy Awards party and the first Monday in May with a mix of stately gowns and nearly naked dresses.

From Kaia Gerber in vintage Givenchy couture to Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner's dueling Mugler moments, see the best vintage and archival fashion from the Academy Museum Gala ahead.

Kylie Jenner in vintage Mugler (with Kendall Jenner)

Come for the sister-sister red carpet coordination, stay for the vintage credits. Kylie Jenner walked the Academy Museum Gala red carpet with Kendall Jenner, while wearing a sultry vintage Mugler gown circa Spring 1998. Her stylists, Alexandra and Mackenize Grandquist, pulled off a special feat: They tracked down a piece from the past that speaks exactly to Jenner's style in the here and now. Who else is more suited to a skintight, semi-sheer top and pelvic cut-out skirt resembling a visible thong than Kylie Jenner? Exactly.

We'll note that Kendall Jenner didn't actually go the archival route—her black gown is courtesy of Schiaparelli's Spring 2024 couture collection. But the back-to-back cut-out styling alongside her little sister was too chic to leave off.

Ariana Grande in vintage Balmain

Wicked pink took Saturday night off. Instead of method dressing for her upcoming movie, Ariana Grande and stylist Mimi Cuttrell instead looked back to Balmain's archive for their Academy Museum Gala collaboration. They selected a strapless polka dot gown from the house's 1963 collection, featuring a black ribbon belt at the waist and a bow detail at the bodice. It looked almost unchanged from the original sketches Cuttrell shared on Instagram Stories, save skipping the white opera gloves the illustrated model wore. The internet may have tried to redefine "demure," but Grande is the textbook version in this elegant dress.

Kaia Gerber in vintage Givenchy couture

Kaia Gerber had a gothic Audrey Hepburn moment on the red carpet, pulling a vintage Givenchy Couture gown from Alexander McQueen's 1997 collection. The gown is half of a twin-set referencing an embassy ball gown Hepburn wore in 1964's My Fair Lady (the other version was white, just like in the film). On the red carpet, Gerber referenced the late star as one of her all-time inspirations. She certainly channeled Hepburn's elegance and grace, between the beaded cap sleeves and flowing sheer train.

Kim Kardashian in vintage Mugler

Did the KarJenner sisters go on an ultra-exclusive vintage shopping spree before the Academy Museum Gala? Kim Kardashian and stylist Dani Levi took a similar tactic to Kylie Jenner, opting for an archival Mugler look from the 1998 "Jeu de Paume" collection. The elder sister's look involved a white playsuit with an extremely cinched-in waist and structural accents at the hips. Over the top, she added a long white coat that slouched over her shoulders and behind her like a luxe cape.

Addison Rae in archival Alberta Ferretti

We now know which album Addison Rae would reference if she ever styled an outfit for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. The "Diet Pepsi" singer took a break from her Madonna-inspired tutus and cone bras for a dreamy Alberta Ferretti dress, the same designer responsible for Swift's Folklore and Evermore gowns. With help from stylist Dara Allen, Rae pulled a periwinkle plunge halter dress featuring semi-sheer lace and a hint of ruffles along the skirt, pulled from Ferretti's Spring 2013 runway collection.

Rooney Mara in vintage Givenchy

Rooney Mara's sheer Givenchy couture gown and white hot pants may look simple, but they're stitched with fashion history. This avant-regency gown, featuring an empire waist and dainty floral embellishments along the bodice and skirt, comes from John Galliano's Fall 1996 couture collection for Givenchy. The 44-look collection is credited with bringing the empire waist silhouette back. That's all Mara took from the original runway styling: While the dress first appeared with an intricate beaded headdress and embellished white briefs, the actress styled hers with only a slicked-back bun, plain bottoms, and ankle-strap sandal heels.

Mindy Kaling in vintage Versace

Mindy Kaling and stylist Jenna Filingeri went the minimalist bombshell route, choosing a vintage Versace dress and Effy jewelry for the 2024 Academy Museum Gala red carpet. The piece uses contrasting white fabric lined with silver embellishments to create a trompe-l'?il bustier effect over the black sheath silhouette. Here, less really is more.