Emma Stone Channels 1990s Cinema Chic in Vintage Donna Karan for Colbert Appearance
Emma Stone has never been one to play it safe on or off the red carpet—and last night in New York City, she reminded us all why she’s one of Hollywood’s most quietly daring style icons. Arriving at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote her new film Bugonia, the Oscar-winning actress stepped out in a look that perfectly blended Old Hollywood elegance with ‘90s nostalgia: a leaf-green silk ensemble from Donna Karan’s iconic Spring/Summer 1996 collection.
Styled by her longtime fashion confidante Petra Flannery, Stone wore look 40 from Karan’s archive—a fluid silk blouse and bias-cut slip skirt that fashion devotees may instantly recognize. The very same set was famously worn by Gwyneth Paltrow in the 1998 adaptation of Great Expectations, where Paltrow’s Estella turned the minimalist green co-ord into an emblem of late-‘90s sensual restraint.
Stone’s interpretation, however, felt unmistakably her own. The blouse, fastened delicately by a single clasp at the bust, revealed a glimpse of midriff—a subtle nod to the cinematic seduction of the original while injecting it with the understated ease that defines Emma’s modern aesthetic. The skirt, long and fluid, caught the city lights as she moved, creating a play of shadow and silk that could only be described as cinematic.
For accessories, Stone kept things delightfully minimal, echoing Paltrow’s 1990s simplicity. Black cut-out Manolo Blahnik Susa mules added a polished edge, while delicate diamond studs lent the look an effortless luxury. Her makeup, luminous and natural, enhanced her auburn bob—worn in soft, tousled waves that felt quintessentially autumnal.
What made this moment truly resonant, though, was not just the nostalgia—it was the precision of the homage. Nearly three decades later, the look still feels fresh, proving Donna Karan’s enduring influence on the language of modern sensuality. It was a masterclass in restraint and revival: nothing overstated, yet entirely unforgettable.
Stone’s night in Manhattan wasn’t just a style statement, but also a celebration of her creative renaissance. The actress is currently promoting Bugonia, her latest collaboration with director Yorgos Lanthimos, with whom she previously worked on The Favourite and Poor Things. In the absurdist dark comedy, Stone plays a powerful CEO kidnapped by two conspiracy theorists (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) who believe she’s an alien. For the role, Stone famously shaved her head—another bold transformation that speaks to her fearless commitment to reinvention, both on screen and off.
There’s a poetic symmetry in Stone revisiting one of cinema’s most iconic ‘90s looks while promoting a film about identity and perception. Like Paltrow’s Estella, her Donna Karan moment captured the duality of strength and softness—a woman who commands attention without demanding it.
In an era of maximalism and red-carpet excess, Emma Stone’s quiet confidence, her willingness to reach back into fashion’s archives and make it utterly contemporary, feels like a breath of fresh (and impeccably tailored) air.
