Great Outfits in Fashion History: Gwyneth Paltrow's 1996 Leopard-Print Coat

There are perfectly good celebrity style moments, and then there are the looks that really stick with you, the ones you try desperately to recreate at home. In ‘Great Outfits in Fashion History,’ Fashionista editors are revisiting their all-time favorite lewks.

This fall, fashion witnessed the ferocious return of the leopard print, as predicted by such Fall 2024 runways as Alexander McQueen, Versace, Michael Kors and Marni (and carried over into Spring 2025 via Prada, Jacquemus, Zimmermann and more). Add the recent “mob wife aesthetic” trend and consumers’ ongoing fascination with vintage shopping, and it becomes clear that a leopard-print revival was inevitable.

Of course, the bold pattern is far from new, and there’s a vast treasure trove of socialite and celebrity fashion moments to prove it. Of them all, the one I gravitate toward the most has to be from the queen of casual chic, Gwyneth Paltrow. 

At the 1996 Hollywood premiere of “From Dusk Till Dawn,” the then-23-year-old graced the red carpet in a knee-length, trench-style leopard-print coat. With the outerwear doing the heavy lifting, she kept it simple underneath: a black long-sleeve top and matching maxi skirt. She completed the look with a pair of Converse Canvas Jack Purcells (staple footwear she still sports today). 

While the jacket was bold in pattern, the outfit was simple by nature, resulting in a look that still holds up decades later. It was a masterclass on how to be the best dressed without extravagant gowns or archival pulls.

To embrace a leopard-print moment as the winter season commences, scroll through our favorite picks below.

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Source: Fashionista.com