“Pretty in Pink: Camila Cabello’s Vintage Elie Saab Proves Some Things Never Go Out of Style”
In a moment that felt plucked from fashion’s dreamiest archives, Camila Cabello graced the InStyle Imagemaker Awards in Bel Air with a masterclass in modern romanticism. The “Twentysomethings” chanteuse, who arrived to present an award to her visionary stylist Katie Qian, transformed the October soirée into her own personal runway with an enchanting ensemble that married vintage glamour with contemporary allure.
The piece de résistance? A resurrected treasure from Elie Saab’s spring/summer 2004 collection that proved some things, like exceptional design, only get better with time. The gown, a sophisticated study in pink, showcased the Lebanese designer’s masterful understanding of feminine silhouettes and his signature attention to detail that made the early aughts such a pivotal era in fashion history.
Cabello’s choice wasn’t just a dress – it was a narrative in fabric. The slip-style creation featured meticulous ruching that cascaded down its length, while a strategic thigh-high slit added that crucial element of modern sex appeal. The pale pink base acted as a canvas for an artistic medley of florals, with fuchsia and sky blue blooms creating a garden of delights across the silken surface. A semi-sheer underlayer added depth and movement, creating an almost ethereal effect as she moved through the space.
In a nod to Hollywood’s golden age that felt particularly apropos for Bel Air, Cabello draped herself in a plush white fur stole – a styling choice that elevated the entire look from merely beautiful to absolutely memorable. The accessory served as both a temporal bridge and a testament to the cyclical nature of fashion, proving that certain glamorous touchstones never truly fade.
The attention to detail extended right down to her toes, where she sported a pair of Rodo pumps that would make Dorothy’s ruby slippers blush with envy. The carnation-pink stilettos, adorned with a gradient of silver rhinestones that concentrated at the toe before dispersing like stardust, provided the perfect punctuation mark to this fashion sentence.
This latest red carpet moment marks an evolution in Cabello’s style journey, which has recently seen her exploring everything from gothic LBDs accessorized with crucifixes to avant-garde footwear choices including mesh pumps and Veneda Carter x Timberland’s architectural boots. Yet there’s something about this particular ensemble that feels like a crystallization of her current aesthetic: romantic, bold, and unafraid to reference the past while staying firmly rooted in the present.
What we witnessed wasn’t just another celebrity in another pretty dress – it was a carefully orchestrated fashion moment that paid homage to the archives while feeling thoroughly modern. In an era where vintage finds are increasingly becoming the ultimate luxury, Cabello’s choice of this 2004 Elie Saab piece feels less like a look back and more like a glimpse into fashion’s future.
