All the looks we’re infinitely jealous Chloë Sevigny’s child might inherit

With an effortlessly cool downtown NY aesthetic and a penchant for taking some pretty big red carpet risks, we’re likely all in unanimous agreement that Chloë Sevigny is one of the most stylish women in the world (whatever the ‘worst-dressed’ columns of countless trashy mags might say). 

The iconic actress was fashion’s favourite It girl from the moment she first appeared on screen, making cameos in music videos for bands like Sonic Youth and The Lemonheads, before getting her big break in Harmony Korine’s 1995 seminal cult classic Kids.  

Throughout her career, which spans movies including Party Monster, Boys Don’t Cry, and American Psycho, Sevigny has cultivated a unique, offbeat aesthetic, championing young designers, vintage shopping, and quirky silhouettes: whether it’s wearing a pirate-inspired Loewe look at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, a barely-there patchwork Prada mini to the 2012 Met Gala, or archival Chloé by Karl Lagerfeld to host a fête in the creative director’s honour. 

The Dead Don't Die star doesn’t just wear clothes, though: she inspires them. The actress has served as a muse to some of the world’s biggest and most revered fashion houses, modelling in campaigns for the likes of X-Girl, Louis Vuitton, Proenza Schouler, and Vivienne Westwood, taking to the runway for Miu Miu and Simone Rocha, and even creating her own clothing collections in collaboration with Opening Ceremony.   

Last month, Sevigny officially announced her pregnancy with boyfriend Sinisa Mackovic on Instagram through a series of blurry, black-and-white photos, casually shot by Jim Jarmusch, thus heralding the arrival of a baby that’s pretty much guaranteed to become the epitome of chic for a whole new generation. In fact, just a couple of years ago, in a 2018 interview with Who What Wear, the actress joked that she had “better have a daughter soon” so she’d have someone to pass her enviable wardrobe down to. 

With that in mind, here, we look back at some of the legendary actress’ most iconic outfits her nascent offspring would be lucky to inherit. 

‘THE SLITS’ SATIN BOMBER 

Chloë credited The Slits as being one of the major inspirations behind her 2007 collab with Opening Ceremony, bringing the OG British punk band back to Webster Hall for the first time in 20 years to perform at the 2008 party that served as her collection’s debut. Following The Slits frontwoman Ari Up’s death in 2010, the actress collaborated with the band once again, returning to her roots by starring in the music video for the band’s single “Lazy Slam” dressed in the same bomber jacket emblazoned with the group’s name she’s been rocking since she was a teen.

GITSIE’S ENTIRE WARDROBE, PARTY MONSTER 

2003 saw Sevigny take on the role of Gitsie opposite Macaulay Culkin in Party Monster, the cult movie based on the rise and fall of infamous party promoter Michael Alig, who served almost 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of his drug dealer. Sevigny’s character became an instant touchstone of club kid style with her coquettish, over-the-top looks, ranging from pastel babydoll dresses to a sexy nurse bikini, and, most memorably, this furry denim jacket and rainbow-striped top complete with space buns and a red heart-shaped lollipop.

HER TREES LOUNGE PREMIERE LOOK

Where most actresses opt for floor-sweeping gowns and Custom couture when it comes to their red carpet looks, unsurprisingly Sevigny has always taken a different approach, teaming a black, one-shoulder lamé dress with tiger-stripe tights and a corsage to attend the 1996 premiere of indie movie Trees Lounge: a film in which she plays the 17-year-old love interest of Steve Buscemi. 

THIS TURQUOISE VERSACE NUMBER

Sevigny broke out this neon turquoise satin Versace number to celebrate W magazine’s first Golden Globes party held in West Hollywood in 2004. The curveball look from the brand’s SS04 runway collection features a halter neckline, center bust cut-out, cascading ruffles, and a tulip hem, and is basically the most 00s thing we’ve ever seen.  

THE FLORAL SUIT FROM PRADA’S 2019 RESORT COLLECTION

Sevigny is a staple on the front row of fashion week’s biggest designers, here, attending Prada’s Resort 2019 show held in New York City in 2018. She wore a neon-bright floral matching set made for her by the brand for the event, keeping her accessories low key with plain black pumps and a matching Prada clutch. V chic.

CHANEL HAUTE COUTURE

The actress wore Chanel Haute Couture from the brand’s Spring 2018 collection with a voluminous, feathered skirt and pom-poms at the shoulder to a screening of L’Annee Derniere a Marienbad at the 2018 Venice Film Festival. A fitting choice of designer for the event celebrating the film’s restoration given that almost all of Delphine Seyrig’s dresses in the 1961 Alain Resnais classic were created by Coco Chanel.

THIS OFF-DUTY LEWK

While the green juice screams LA actress, Sevigny’s off-duty outfit is 100 per cent Manhattan cool kid. She gave her all-black New Yorker look a twist with patent leather, angular frames, and fresh white ankle socks paired with simple loafers. 

PREEN LBD

Even Sevigny, who takes more risks than most when it comes to fashion, loves nothing more than an LBD now and then, opting for cut-out Preen with puffed shoulders at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. Naturally, the star shook up the concept through an oversized hair bow.

HER SIGNATURE DENIM CUT-OFFS

If Sevigny has a signature outfit it’s surely a pair of denim cut-offs, a style she’s worn everywhere from Cannes to running errands around the city. Although she did have a brief moment of doubt regarding her beloved Daisy Dukes, telling The Cut in 2013, “I’m struggling with (whether) I can still pull off things that I used to, you know, now that I’m approaching 40. You know, like, maybe it’s time to put away the cut-off jeans… They’re kind of in reserve right now. They’re just away for the moment.” Thankfully, they’ve since made a triumphant return to her wardrobe rotation.

HER YVES SAINT LAURENT OSCARS GOWN

Chloë went for old Hollywood glamour in a Yves Saint Laurent by Alber Elbaz gown for her first and only Oscars red carpet. The actress, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Boys Don’t Cry, counts the look among her all-time favourites, telling the LA Times, “I was sort of having a YSL moment and was wearing it for the whole campaign leading up to (the Academy Awards), so this was sort of the piece de la resistance. At the end, instead of a bouquet of flowers, Alber sent me a bouquet of sketches of me in all the different outfits that I’d worn.” 

THIS 2015 MET GALA LOOK

Where many celebrities are known for swerving the theme should it not fit with their aesthetic, Sevigny further proved her abilities when it comes to dressing with a custom, off-the-shoulder silk gown by JW Anderson worn to attend the 2015 Met Gala’s China: Through the Looking Glass celebration. 

BASICALLY ANY MIU MIU LOOK SHE’S EVER WORN

A year after the release of Kids, Chloë entered the world of high fashion becoming the face of Miu Miu’s Spring 1996 campaign, as photographed by Juergen Teller. The role led to her posing backstage with Kate Moss during the brand’s runway show for that collection, a moment she told Opening Ceremony made her feel “totally nerdy, uncomfortable and out of place” (okay lol). In 2019, she reprised her role as Miu Miu muse, taking to the runway in the leather shorts to end all leather shorts as part of the label’s star-studded 2019 Cruise show.

THE ENTIRETY OF HER X-GIRL ARCHIVE 

Before Sevigny hit the big time in the movie business, she kicked off her career as a fashion model posing for X-Girl – the brand founded by Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and stylist Daisy von Furth. Serving as the face of the label, she appeared in a short film in 1995, and closed its first ever ‘runway’ presentation, which took place on a sidewalk opposite Marc Jacobs’ NYFW show and saw her dressed as a bride alongside a skater boy groom. 

CUSTOM MUGLER FROM HER APPEARANCE AT CANNES

The star celebrated the premiere of her film The Dead Don’t Die at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival in a dramatic custom gown by Mugler. The strapless black silk crepe dress features a thigh-high slit and contrasting nude corset top, complete with matching harness opera gloves and a big diamond bangle for good measure.

THIS 2011 RODARTE DRESS

As a long-time champion of Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s Rodarte, Sevigny showed up to the Big Love premiere party in a draped, porcelain-esque dress taken directly from the label’s SS11 runway and some pretty directional shoes.

A DIRECTIONAL GUCCI JUMPSUIT

There aren’t many who could pull off a satin jumpsuit with XXL exaggerated shoulders, extreme balloon sleeves, and harem-esque trousers (whether they’re straight off the Gucci runway or not). But this isn’t just anyone: it’s Chloë Sevigny. 

THIS CHLOÉ SUIT

2009 saw Sevigny develop a penchant for short suits, with this particular version by Chloé becoming a mainstay in her wardrobe. Seen wearing this to a polo match thrown by Prince Harry back when he was still up for being a Prince, having worn it previously with barely there heels and a simple tee, this time she added a classic straw boater which put a contemporary twist on the style seen in her fave movie, Picnic at Hanging Rock.