L’HISTOIRE: Paris Hilton’s High-Slit Chainmail Dress in 2002
She arrived at her 21st birthday party in London while sporting a flashy look that has become a cultural touchstone (and fixture on our moodboards) since.
L’HISTOIRE explores fashion history moments you should know, from what actors wore on a red carpet to celebrities who made cameos on the runway. Some are unsung, and some are better known. Each is part of the fabric of today’s fashion world, be it barrier breakers or culture makers.
As the ultimate jet-setting socialite of the era, Paris Hilton spared no expense in celebrating her twenty-first birthday with the kind of extravagance that defined the early millennium. True to form, she marked her milestone in 2002 with a week-long spree of lavish parties spanning five cities: London, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. Amidst all her birthday spree's opulent moments, there was one look that's stayed relevant on moodboards since: her London ensemble captures a snapshot of her enviable Y2K style and continues to inspire.
Her slinky, silver chainmail dress designed by Julien Macdonald was the main attraction of the evening. Straight from the British designer's Spring/Summer 2002 ready-to-wear collection, the dress was the epitome of early aughts party fashion. Its daring silhouette featured a cowl neckline, thigh-high leg slit, and a matching bedazzled choker that tied it all together. Hilton did an outfit change during the night of her party, but this shimmering chainmail number stole the show—cementing itself as a defining moment in her fashion legacy and a hallmark of the era’s party girl aesthetic.
The chainmail trend, though partly synonymous with the 2000s, has roots in fashion stretching back decades. It emerged in the 1960s, driven by Paco Rabanne’s groundbreaking designs that defined the his space-age clothing. Rabanne’s futuristic take on medieval armor merged chainmail with high fashion, crafting garments ahead of their time. The material made a major comeback in the 1990s, embraced by supermodels like Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, who dazzled in silver chainmail dresses by Versace. By the early 2000s, the trend had evolved into a staple of Y2K party dressing, with icons like Britney Spears and Hilton herself leading the charge.
Even after the Y2K era faded, chainmail continued to hold its allure. In 2016, Kendall Jenner paid homage to Hilton’s twenty-first birthday look with a custom LaBourjoisie mini dress, complete with a matching choker, for her own milestone celebration. Two years later, Nicky Hilton Rothschild recreated the iconic outfit for Halloween, dressing up as her sister in a moment of nostalgic perfection. Meanwhile, Hilton has referenced the look more than once since she wore the original.
Want to channel this Y2K-esque look? Go for this eye-catching silver number by Poster Girl, that’s nearly an exact match to the one Hilton more than twenty years ago. Add a pair of strappy pink heels, a thick bedazzled choker and some butterfly clips in your hair like she did. Finish off with a smokey eye, glossy pink lip, and soft pink blush on the apples of your cheeks to round out the 2000s look.
L'OFFICIEL USA may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if products are purchased through our links.
