.jpg)
There are celebrities, and then there are movie stars. Catherine Zeta-Jones fits squarely into the latter category. Though she’s won nearly every acting accolade, the Welsh actor doesn’t lose herself in “the method” or self-seriousness. Her charm lies in spirited showmanship—her vampy characters sing, dance, and swashbuckle, going toe to toe with the likes of Zorro and Brad Pitt—and nonstop glamour. You won’t find sweatsuit selfies or shapeless deconstructed fashion among her red carpet hits, Zeta-Jones thrives on perpetually put-together chic that was the norm during the days of the studio system. Capable of delivering throwback vibes while wearing Versace fresh from the atelier, she understands the impact a truly memorable look can have. “You forget how clothes are an important part of moments in iconic moments in your life,” she shares from her home in Los Angeles in this exclusive new video for Vogue’s Life in Looks series. “I remember the first time I wore a couture dress, and for me, it never gets old.”
From the very beginning, Zeta-Jones’s commitment to fashion was evident. On the Palais des Festivals steps at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, she wore petal pink Thierry Mugler before it even hit the runway. “This dress had to go back to Paris because it was a sample dress for the show, so it premiered on the red carpet,” she explained of the look she chose for posing next to her Entrapment costar Sean Connery. A regular presence in the front row, she gave Prince Charles a lesson in sultry style during a Versace charity show for the Prince’s Trust later that same year. When Naomi Campbell breezed down the catwalk in a barely there minidress, His Royal Highness was utterly blown away. “The prince turns to me and says, ‘Do you wear that out? Would you wear that out, Catherine? It’s ever so short…’” she says with a laugh. “I said ‘Your highness, it is the theatricality of the fashion shows that brings attention to the pieces—this is the real theater.’”
Versace and its high-drama gowns hold a special place in Zeta-Jones’s heart. As the designer of both the chocolate tone Empire waist number she wore to win her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Chicago in 2013 and the sky blue sequin look she chose for her Tony win in 2010, Donatella has been the star’s good luck charm. “This is a love letter to Versace, isn’t it?” says Zeta-Jones. “And quite rightly so, because they’ve been with me through thick and thin.”
Luxury and glamour might be Zeta-Jones’s calling cards, but she isn’t going to put up with discomfort for fashion's sake. “I regretted wearing those boots that day because I had an almighty blister from another fabulous pair of shoes that will remain nameless,” she says of an ultra-chic shot of her airport style. “So I zip into one of the airport stores, and I found myself a pair of flats.” The British brand, Butterfly Twists, impressed the star so much she began collaborating with them on her Casa Zeta-Jones footwear range—proof that every fashion moment is an opportunity.
In between the Vogue covers, film premieres, and that star-studded wedding at the Plaza, Zeta-Jones has amassed a wealth of stories. To hear her tell it, the journey from Swansea, Wales, to Hollywood has been filled with joy, friends, and impeccable style. “This was one of those moments where everything came together,” she says. “This was the end of that time, that capsule of craziness and magic.”
Director: Rom Bokobza
Producer: Naomi Nishi
Editor: Marcus Niehaus
Majorca team: Felipe Calafat / CUT