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Looking back, 2024 was quite the year for movies, music, TV—and fashion, of course. Not only did it bring us endless designer entrances and exits, but style truly took over every sphere of culture. ELLE editors have been entranced by everything from immersive runway shows to on-theme red carpets, and style moments have popped up everywhere from the US Open to the stage at Saturday Night Live. We rounded up a highly subjective list of 17 of our personal favorites, below.
Designers Proving That New York Is the Place to Be
“Giorgio Armani made the pilgrimage from Milan to the Park Avenue Armory for a career-highlight show. When Alaïa touched down at the Guggenheim for its spring 2025 collection, we were treated to a fashion spectacle, complete with Rihanna in attendance. And Ralph Lauren took us a little further afield with a Hamptons show that channeled preppy Out East glamour.”—Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief
John Galliano’s Couture Swan Song at Maison Margiela
“John Galliano’s spring 2024 couture show for Maison Margiela was a breathtaking moment that reminded me of the early Galliano shows I witnessed in London. Set under the Pont d’Alexandre III after dark, in a Parisian nighttime joint, it was a staggering, shockingly 100 percent Galliano experience. Skirts that owed something to Vionnet, bosoms proud, cinched in midriff, black lace exaggerated proportions, and a ‘new’ glass skin texture inspired by the vintage porcelain dolls created by Pat McGrath—simply stunning.”—Alex White, fashion director
This Year’s Far-Flung Resort Season
“Some of my favorite fashion moments this year were the spectacular locations for the resort and pre-fall collections. Having just returned from Hangzhou, China for Chanel’s Metier d’Arts show, I was overwhelmed by the attention to detail that the studio brought to its pre-fall collection. The traditional boats brought 1,200 guests to a runway built on the famous West Lake, and the backdrop was breathtaking.
“Meanwhile, Dior’s resort show in Scotland was set on the grounds of a medieval castle. The models walked through the perfectly manicured gardens and under trees that looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.”—Alexis Wolfe, fashion & accessories market director
Alessandro Michele’s Return to the Runway
“Alessandro Michele certainly got our attention when he dropped a 171-look resort collection for his Valentino debut. Then came his maiden outing on the runway at Paris Fashion Week, where he mashed up archival motifs with facial piercings and bejeweled shoes.”—Véronique Hyland, fashion features director
Riley Keough’s Aerialist Performance at Chanel
“She floated through the air with the greatest of ease—and sang Prince while doing it. Riley Keough brought the house down at Chanel’s spring 2025 show during Paris Fashion Week when she dangled above the models at the Grand Palais. What’s arguably more impressive is she told us she only had 48 hours to rehearse.”—Claire Stern Milch, digital director
Louis Vuitton’s New York Store
“Manhattan’s newly opened Louis Vuitton store—and its predecessor, now covered in monumental-sized trunks—is something every local and tourist will be visiting this season!”—AW
Naomi Osaka’s Coquette-Meets-Brat US Open Look
“As a huge tennis fan, I’m still thinking about Naomi Osaka’s bow-adorned, Brat-coded US Open look by Ambush x Nike, featuring a removable green and white tulle tutu. She may have lost in the second round, but she looked damn good doing it. That is so brat.”—CSM
The Front Row at Chloé
“You know the show I’m talking about: when creative director Chemena Kamali assembled all her favorite muses, from Sienna Miller to Jerry Hall—wearing identical wedges, no less—for her runway debut at the house.”—VH
Method Dressing on the Red Carpet
“This year, the red carpet felt like the runway, with the phrase ‘method dressing’ infecting almost every fashion conversation. Zendaya led the charge with two effective press tours for Dune: Part Two and Challengers, first serving extraterrestrial glamour and then tennis titan. (Her stylist Law Roach let us in on the process earlier this year.) Many stars a followed suit, including the Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice cast, who went goth at the Venice Film Festival. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo had countless Ozian moments on the Wicked press tour, holding space for some of the best looks we’ve seen. This year proved that an effective awards campaign is not just about the acting, it’s about giving everyone a taste of your character, from the big screen to the press junket.”—Samuel Maude, associate editor
Willy Chavarria’s Take on American Fashion
“The designer’s spring 2025 collection, titled ‘América,’ was one of his most personal yet. He was inspired by his family’s history with the United Farm Workers and dedicated the show to those who ‘labor in the fields, bringing food to our tables, building our cities, making our music, and weaving stories into the fabric of this land.’ The show also boasted an Adidas collab that offered a new take on athleisure staples. Plus, Chavarria, who clinched his first ELLE cover earlier this year, took to the runway in an ACLU T-shirt.”—VH
The Row’s Anti-Social Media Show at Paris Fashion Week
“The irony of The Row’s no-phones fashion show for its fall 2024 collection is that it may have been one of the most talked-about shows on social media—a genius idea, really. With only a plain notebook and a pencil, it felt like the forbidden fruit that fashion people couldn’t stop discussing after the fact…and everyone wanted to take a bite. After all, what could be more luxurious than logging off and embracing the moment?”—Dale Arden Chong, senior fashion commerce editor
Doja Cat Going Blonde
“One of my favorite fashion moments of 2024 was Doja Cat’s Coachella performance of ‘Demons,’ where she and her dancers wore suits and boots made of long blonde hair. The brainchild of hairstylist Charlie Le Mindu, it was beautiful and weird and creepy and chaotic and sexy all at once, which is everything Doja is, and everything I love about fashion.”—Madison Rexroat, assistant editor, accessories
Chappell Roan’s Theatrical Wardrobe
“This year, Chappell Roan proved she is the next big thing in pop music, with the looks to match. As a devoted advocate for drag culture, this Midwest Princess has emerged from a giant apple smoking a blunt while dressed as the Statue of Liberty with her full body painted a rusty green; made her MTV VMAs debut cosplaying as Joan of Arc; and played Coachella dressed like a human butterfly. She has theater, drama, and camp turned up to full volume, and the best part is she’s inspiring her fans and concertgoers to do the same.”—Erica Gonzales, senior culture editor
All the New Designers We Discovered
“When soft-spoken twenty-something designer Colleen Allen brought her racks of clothes to the ELLE offices, our staff couldn’t stop oohing and aahing over her work. Also on our radar: the lush romanticism of Paolo Carzana, the tailoring genius of Tolu Coker, and everyone else we saluted in this year’s Future of Fashion package.”—VH
Rihanna’s Turquoise Look at The Fashion Awards
“Any Rihanna look is a favorite of mine, but my jaw dropped at the bright fur coat and matching fur hat from Christian Lacroix’s fall 2002 couture collection, paired with black tights and gloves. Dripping in diamonds, she looked stunning, joyful, eccentric, and lovely. I’ll be thinking of that shade of blue well into 2025.”—MR
Charli XCX Wearing a Gucci Purse to Perform on SNL
“After Brat spent all summer turning our feeds slime green, Charli XCX brought the saucy spirit of the album into fall when hosting Saturday Night Live. For her performance of “360,” she wore a Gucci Jackie bag paired with a shredded Sentimentio skirt and a vintage Lou Reed shirt.”—VH
Spanx’s Stiletto-Heeled Sneaker
“Spanx founder Sarah Blakely had the internet and fashion community divided the second she unveiled Sneex, a ‘luxury hybrid stiletto’ that combines the style of a high heel with the comfort of a sneaker. The comments did not disappoint.”—CSM