When I think of Cindy Crawford’s fashion and beauty prime, my mind time travels back to the 90s, when the supermodel made her mark on the fashion industry—both on and off the runway. It was her Versace wardrobe that reigned supreme. Every fashion lover can recall her sexy bondage-style corset that continues to transcend the test of time today and ~the~ red dress featuring an epic deep plunging neckline, worn to the 63rd Annual Academy Awards. Likewise, the super’s hair and makeup were second to none: voluminous hair, so-90s brown lipstick, and perfectly contoured cheekbones galore.
To celebrate Crawford’s history with the Italian luxury fashion house, GRAZIA is taking a deep dive into the Versace archives. Ahead, revel in Crawford’s best beauty and fashion moments of the 90s, along with modern beauty and fashion picks to help you recreate the model’s looks in a post-COVID-19 era.
face-framing layers and hair accessories
As mentioned, we can’t discuss Crawford without talking about her iconic bondage-style corset, debuted at Versace’s “Rock ‘N Rule” Fashion Show Gala in September 1992. The model’s hairstyle was equally as epic as her outfit: worn half-up half-down with angled face-framing layers and a top knot adorned with gold accessories.
sexy slips
Fashion photographer Arthur Elgort captured Crawford’s photo wearing a colorful Versace slip in Grandby, Colorado, in 1996. Naomi Campbell debuted the gown on the runway that same year, and it was later worn by Kim Kardashian to Chance the Rapper’s wedding in March 2019. The KKW Beauty founder posted a photo wearing the dress on Instagram and captioned the pic, “Naomi Forever 💛.”
beachy, red carpet waves
Crawford is known for her voluminous brunette hair. In the 90s, she experimented with styles, like the history-making top knot style pictured above, as well as these gorgeous tousled waves. Worn to a fashion gala honoring Gianni Versace in February 1991, it’s a style that lives on in the early 2020s.
baroque print-perfection
The fashion house’s trademark baroque print is a timeless testament to Gianni Versace’s legacy. Crawford wore this itty-bitty number at the luxury label’s “Rock ‘N Rule” Fashion Show Gala in September 1992, the same evening she debuted the famous bondage-style corset top.
mega volume and a subtle contour
It’s no surprise that the red Versace gown Crawford wore to the 63rd Annual Academy Awards has its own Wikipedia page—it’s that iconic. But as buzzworthy as the dress was, so was her super voluminous and bouncy hair, complemented by light eye makeup and her signature bronzed complexion.
fuzzy straps
Crawford posed for a photo ahead of the Fire & Ice Ball in Los Angeles in 1998 sporting a curly hairstyle and wearing a silver Versace gown featuring fun faux fur straps. The fuzzy and comfort-first trend is certainly back in style amid the coronavirus pandemic, so it would be no surprise to see the style transcend into luxe eveningwear. We’re all for it, but in the meantime, why not adopt a cozy pair of slippers?
But this is all not to say that Crawford’s grandeur diminished after the 90s. Today, she and her daughter, Kaia Gerber, continue to shine on and off the red carpet—and the runway. One of the most memorable catwalk moments in recent years is the Versace Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2018 fashion show during Milan Fashion Week. Crawford and her fellow supers reunited on the runway for the 20th anniversary of Gianni Versace’s death. Unsurprisingly, it was epic.
