9 Celebrities Who Rocked Upcycled Looks: Sustainable Fashion on the Red Carpet

Upcycling has become a popular trend among celebrities who want to make a fashion statement while also promoting sustainability. By taking old or unused materials and transforming them into new and fashionable outfits, these celebrities are setting an example for their fans and the fashion industry as a whole.

1. Cate Blanchett

At the 2023 SAG Awards, Cate Blanchett stunned in a recycled Armani Privé gown made from re-purposed lace left over from a dress she wore in 2014.

2. Princess Diana

Princess Diana had a distinctive approach to reusing her clothes. She frequently modified her attire to create new looks, like wearing the same striking floral gown she wore to meet the president of Nigeria with a different skirt to a banquet in Seoul, South Korea.

3. Angelina Jolie and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt

At the premiere of The Eternals, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt appeared in a dress worn by her famous mom, Angelina Jolie, for a Maleficent press conference. The dress was shortened from the original, showcasing the family’s commitment to sustainable fashion.

4. Meryl Streep

In 2014, Meryl Streep attended an event wearing a dress she previously wore to the 2012 AACTA Awards, demonstrating how upcycling can be a timeless and sustainable approach to fashion.

5. Princess Diana

Princess Diana would often deconstruct and reconstruct her outfits to reflect her evolving fashion sense, like wearing the complete set of a 2-piece outfit to the 1981 Wimbledon Tennis Championships and only the skirt to a polo match in Cirencester in 1985.

6. Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian’s mother, Kris Jenner, shared her outfits with her daughter, who once wore a Valentino dress that had been her mom’s pride and joy in the ’80s.

7. Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton has followed in the footsteps of her mother-in-law, Princess Diana, and successfully re-worn past outfits. At a rugby match in February 2023, she wore a red and white houndstooth coat she had previously worn in Stockholm in 2018 while pregnant with Prince Louis.

8. Britney Spears and Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo wore the same minidress that Britney Spears wore to the 2003 AMAs in her music video for Brutal, adding her own pop-punk spin with fishnets and a teal wig.

9. Kate Middleton

In 2019, Kate Middleton wore the same floral Alexander McQueen gown she previously wore to the 2017 BAFTAs, with the top reworked from an off-the-shoulder look to a cap sleeve.

If you’re looking for more examples of celebrities embracing sustainable fashion, check out these Bright Side articles:

• 8 Celebs Who Embrace Wardrobe Recycling
• 8 Outfits That Celebrities Wore Twice but Never Looked the Same
• 8 Celebrities Who Prove That It’s Totally Okay to Wear a Good Outfit More Than Once