Today in TikTok trends, Gen Z'ers are wearing Chanel to prom — sort of. Evidenced by a slew of pre-prom getting ready videos, teens have been attending the sacred night in $110 dupes of a vintage gown from Chanel Haute Couture, most recently worn by Lily-Rose Depp to the 2019 Met Gala.
The chain-embellished dress — shamelessly copied by fast fashion retailer Bella Barnett — boasts an impressive pedigree. First donned by Christy Turlington at Chanel's Spring/Summer 1992 couture show, the ensemble was later worn by another cultural icon, Penelope Cruz, in Pedro Almodovar's 2009 film Broken Embraces.
Why is Gen Z so obsessed with this Chanel creation, in particular? According to Ambria Mische, SVP of Merchandising and Buying at What Goes Around Comes Around, it resonates with the kids "because it completely nails the widely celebrated '90's supermodel vibe."
The gold chains and body-con fit, coupled with the fact that it made its debut on Turlington, render the dress a picture perfect representation of the reign of the supermodel. In fact, our obsession with famous catwalkers is undergoing a resurgence as the children of ‘90s glamazons come of age and ink their own modeling contracts — just look at the success of Kaia Gerber (Cindy Crawford's daughter) and Lila Grace Moss-Hack (Kate Moss').
And don't forget Lily-Rose Depp! The daughter of '90s it-girl Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp, ex-boyfriend of Moss, the 23-year-old was basically destined to bring the dress back into the spotlight.
"The trifecta of the dress' silhouette, Depp's '90's legacy, and the fact that Lily herself is an emerging icon from the original '90's supermodel era made this dress so much more of a moment," Mische says.
While TikTokers are snagging their Chanel dupes for little more than $100, the real deal is up to 800 times more expensive.
"Dresses and gowns from Chanel Haute Couture generally run between $10,000 to $25,000," Mische explains. "Depending on the client, an archival piece of this ilk — if it's not hanging in a museum or in the Vogue Archive solely for an Academy Award show rental — [could price] up to $80,000."
Oof.
As we already know, more young people are intentionally buying counterfeit fashion. Gen Z is unfazed by the faux pas of fakes, and hey — if it means they get to live their supermodel fantasy on a dime, more power to them.
