Fashion is a powerful form of storytelling. When two of the world’s most watched women—Kris Jenner and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Italian girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti—chose to wear vintage on the red carpet, they weren’t just recycling glamour. They were making a declaration. A message stitched in couture and whispered in silk hems: vintage is the new frontier of status. And I, Gracie Opulanza, a champion of fashion with soul, not fast fashion, am here to unpack exactly why.
Kris Jenner donned an archival Valentino look while the striking Vittoria Ceretti, Italy’s own model muse, slipped into vintage Versace. Both women could wear anything, afford anything, and yet, they delved into fashion’s golden archives. Why?
Because in a world drunk on fast fashion and AI-generated garments, authenticity reigns supreme.
My recent visit to Rome for Dolce & Gabbana was truly amazng.
Fashion’s Time Machine: The New Status Symbol
To wear vintage today is to say, I don’t need new to feel new.
In fact, I feel more powerful in a garment that has lived, loved, and lingered in fashion history. Kris Jenner, the matriarch of reality royalty, is no stranger to creating spectacle through style. But this time, she didn’t opt for cutting-edge couture hot off the runway. She chose vintage Valentino—a house that defined Italian elegance. She wore legacy.
vintage Dolce & Gabbana
And then there’s Vittoria. Born and bred in Italy, she understands the weight of a Versace gown. Especially one from Gianni’s era—the epitome of drama, gold-thread glamour, and unapologetic sex appeal. When she steps out in vintage Versace, she isn’t borrowing from the past. She’s reviving it with a modern twist, as if saying: *You can copy me, but you can’t recreate the magic.*
Wearing vintage isn’t a trend. It’s a mindset.
Red Carpets Are the New Museums
We used to visit museums to glimpse the gowns of yesterday’s queens. Now, queens wear them again. This red carpet renaissance is being driven by women who’ve already conquered fame and fortune. Kris, at 68, isn’t here to prove anything. Her style now is about wisdom, restraint, and taste. Choosing vintage Valentino is her way of bowing to the masters while subtly critiquing the chaos of fast fashion.
Valentino’s vintage pieces are hand-stitched tapestries of another era. They carry the emotion of design before algorithms. Kris’s choice was elegant, calculated, and nostalgic. And isn’t that what every woman of a certain age deserves to feel—elegant and timeless?
Vittoria, on the other hand, is the face of contemporary high fashion. Yet, she intentionally anchored herself in the bold shoulder pads, jewel tones, and plunging necklines of vintage Versace. She’s leading the younger generation down a more soulful fashion path. A nod to where it all began.
This is no accident. It’s a trend.
Nostalgia is the New Innovation
There is a yearning in 2025. We’re tired of too much choice, digital overload, and sameness. Wearing vintage is a quiet rebellion. A stylish whisper that says, *I remember when fashion made us feel.*
In a market saturated with barely-there frocks and viral TikTok knockoffs, women like Kris and Vittoria are carving out a space for elegance. Real glamour. Couture that breathes. That has structure. That doesn’t need a cut-out midriff to scream “I’m still sexy.”
Vintage is confidence in textile form.
I’ve spent years forecasting trends, and what I see now is a hunger for meaning. Women want pieces that aren’t just beautiful—they want stories, lineage, soul. When a dress has seen another decade, walked another carpet, dined at another gala, it becomes more than fashion. It becomes narrative.
The Italian Soul of Fashion
Let’s not forget, both Valentino and Versace are Italian to the core. Italians don’t just design—they *craft.* They bleed into their work. There’s a Catholic reverence to their tailoring, a Sicilian fire in their prints. Wearing vintage from these houses is like adorning oneself in spiritual armor. Kris Jenner knows this. She’s spent her life surrounded by powerful, ambitious women. Choosing Valentino wasn’t just aesthetic—it was strategic. It was about power without having to shout.
Vittoria’s Versace moment? That was pure seduction. Italian women know how to wield their femininity like a weapon of charm, never vulgarity. Her vintage Versace screamed *Donatella-approved goddess,* and who wouldn’t want that label?
Italy has never let go of its past. Unlike the American obsession with “the next big thing,” Italian fashion respects its elders. The ateliers are still filled with tailors who hand-stitch linings no one will see. That’s pride. That’s luxury. And the women who wear it understand that.
The Eco-Luxury Equation
There’s also the sustainability factor. It’s no longer chic to flaunt excess for excess’s sake. In today’s climate-aware culture, vintage is eco-luxury. Kris and Vittoria aren’t just fashion icons—they’re savvy brand builders. They know that the audience watching them expects mindfulness.
By choosing vintage, they sidestep the criticism of overconsumption. They become heroes of slow fashion without sacrificing glamour. They prove you can be earth-conscious and drop-dead gorgeous. A rare combo, and one the fashion industry desperately needs.
The Power of Curation
Let’s be honest: anyone can walk into a boutique and buy a new season look. But vintage? That requires taste. Knowledge. Patience. It’s about curation, not consumption. A vintage Valentino cape or a Gianni-era Versace gown isn’t just purchased—it’s hunted, cherished, and preserved.
Kris and Vittoria aren’t just wearing vintage—they’re curators of culture. They’re collectors of fashion’s finest moments. And when they wear these pieces, they spark conversations that transcend hemlines. They remind us what fashion once was—and could be again.
Gracie’s Forecast: The Return of the Archive
Expect more women to follow suit—quite literally. Archive pieces will dominate red carpets, editorial shoots, and high-profile weddings. But this time, not as novelty. As statement. The elite will start dipping into fashion houses’ archives rather than queuing up for runway samples. Because exclusivity is no longer about being *first.* It’s about being *different.*
I predict vintage ateliers will boom. Rental platforms for vintage couture will thrive. Younger women will treasure their grandmother’s wardrobes. And luxury brands will reissue iconic pieces—not reimagine them, *re-release* them.
Fashion, at its core, is cyclical. But this time, we’re circling back not just for style—but for substance.
Final Threads
Kris Jenner and Vittoria Ceretti didn’t just wear vintage. They reignited it. They reminded the world that fashion has roots. That beauty doesn’t need reinvention—it needs reverence.
So, if you’re looking to make an impression this year, start with your wardrobe’s past. Pull out the pearl-trimmed blazer, the velvet gown, the sequined Versace mini that’s been waiting for a second act. Because this trend isn’t just rising.
It’s roaring.
And as always, I’m watching with tailor’s eyes and a collector’s heart.
Gracie Opulanza, fashion with soul not fast fashion.
