Take a trip through time with the WWD archives, a treasure trove of the most fascinating moments in fashion, beauty, culture and beyond.
Trends may come, go and come back again, but the pages of WWD have never gone out of style as a trusted source to the fashion industry, covering some of the most compelling news stories for more than 100 years.
Fashion has the ability to inform, reshape and, perhaps most importantly, inspire. In the spirit of keeping inspiration alive, here is a nostalgic look back at the archives from On This Day in fashion history.
On This Day is a recurring column in WWD that spotlights fashion moments of the past from the WWD Archives.
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May 31, 2011 – Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Are All Business While Discussing the Success of The Row
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, then 24, had razor-sharp focus when discussing the success of their brand The Row, as they defied the odds of what a celebrity fashion label could be, as seen in WWD on May 31, 2011.
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May 24, 2006 – Dissecting the Costumes of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep made Andy Sachs and Miranda Priestly household names in “The Devil Wears Prada” as fashion magazine mavens, but would editors really dress as they did? WWD analyzed the characters’ wardrobe realities, as seen on May 24, 2006.
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May 22, 2006 – Models Rely On More Than Good Looks As They Try Their Hands at Acting
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media WWD dissected the tried but rarely true pastime of models dabbling in acting, with runway staples like Audrey Marnay, Mariacarla Boscono and Lily Cole all eager to make their mark on the big screen, as seen in WWD on May 22, 2006.
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May 20, 2015 – Designers Imagine Then-Bride-to-Be Lady Gaga’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media What does a superstar as sartorially adventurous as Lady Gaga wear down the aisle? A meat dress certainly won’t do, so WWD asked designers to imagine what the then-engaged pop princess should wear on her big day. Here, Karl Lagerfeld offered his Chanel confection, as seen in WWD on May 20, 2015.
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May 17, 1967 – Partygoers Verge On the Ins and Outs of Style
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media “This costumery has gone too far…too far!” exclaimed a fed-up WWD, with the “OUTlandishly” unsophisticated outnumbering the “INdividually” well-dressed at a party in Greenwich Village, as seen on May 17, 1967.
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May 15, 1962 – Marilyn Monroe Debuts a Softer On-Screen Style
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media Marilyn Monroe’s va-va-voom was tamed when she appeared in the film “Something’s Got to Give” with a more subtle, sophisticated look, thanks to costume designer Jean Louis, as seen in WWD on May 15, 1962.
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May 13, 1977 – Jackie O Makes a Lunchtime Exit in Style
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media An on-the-go Jackie O was all smiles when WWD caught up with the former First Lady after a quick lunch, as seen on May 13, 1977.
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May 10, 1979 – Bill Blass Beams Alongside His Ladies
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media Bill Blass was flanked by his “Ladies Who Dress,” who were glowing in the designer’s finery, as Lord & Taylor presented him with their Creative Design Award, as seen in WWD on May 10, 1979.
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May 8, 1992 – Todd Oldham Becomes a Hot Commodity
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media Texas-born Todd Oldham went from making childhood arts and crafts projects to becoming the darling of the New York fashion scene, with kitschy collections that charmed a range of clients, spanning Queen Latifah to Ivana Trump, as seen in WWD on May 8, 1992.
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May 6, 2014 – Rihanna is ‘White Hot’ at the Met Gala
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media The first Monday in May has arrived, which means the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute is making final preparations for tonight’s Met Gala. Here, WWD revisits when Rihanna turned heads at the Met in a white two-piece Stella McCartney gown, as seen on May 6, 2014.
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May 3, 2011 – Stars Pay Tribute to Alexander McQueen at the Met Gala
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media Monday’s Met Gala will undoubtedly spawn another fresh crop of unforgettable red carpet moments. Here’s a look back at when the Costume Institute honored Alexander McQueen, as stars donned the late designer’s savagely beautiful creations, as seen in WWD on May 3, 2011.
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May 1, 1962 – The Tony Awards Bring Hollywood Glamour to the Main Stage
Image Credit: Fairchild Fashion Media Stars from film and stage collided at the Tony Awards, where actresses dressed to play their greatest role of all — themselves, including Lauren Bacall, Gwen Verdon and one of the night’s big winners, Diahann Carroll, becoming the first Black actor to win in a lead role, as seen in WWD on May 1, 1962.