Zoë Kravitz Is Still Mourning Barneys, Just Like the Rest of Us
The New York institution lives on in the actor's wardrobe.
Celebrity New Yorkers have the best taste in white T-shirts. For proof, I present Katie Holmes's Leset Margo Tee or Jennifer Lawrence's boxy boyfriend top from Lii, a burgeoning NYC-based brand. But on August 26, Zoë Kravitz twisted the beloved basic into a statement-making, IYKYK moment: Her T-shirt's typography proved, like most New Yorkers, she, too, misses the defunct department store Barneys.
For her fourth cool-girl 'fit since returning to Brooklyn last weekend, Kravitz beat the city heat in tiny biker shorts and a made-for-fashion-people baby tee. Aside from the "Barneys New York" splashed across the chest, the short-sleeve style, with its crewneck and hip-hugging hem, was as classic as the minimalist must-have gets. It's unclear whether her shirt is old Barneys merch or custom-made. Regardless, you can score the same style for under $50 on Etsy.
Looking every bit a lifelong New Yorker, Zoë Kravitz pulled off a Barneys New York T-shirt.
Don't let Kravitz's L.A. roots fool you—her T-shirt proudly says, "I'm a New Yorker." Her resident status also clears Carrie Bradshaw's bar, who said in Season 3 of Sex and the City: "If you live in New York for 10 years, you can officially call yourself a New Yorker." (The Blink Twice director moved to the Big Apple two decades ago.) As another loyal shopper at the department store, Carrie would be proud of Kravitz's appreciation for NYC's most important fashion landmarks.
Appreciate the pro-Barneys shirt up close.
Continuing her Carrie-certified 'fit, Kravitz paired her Barneys-branded shirt with black peep-toe mules. While the shoe trend recently found fans in Holmes, Alexa Chung, Monica Barbaro, and Hailey Bieber, Sarah Jessica Parker first wore an almost identical look on Sex and the City, down to the white tee and micro shorts.
Last but not least, Kravitz accessorized with a white headband, a leopard-print bag (seemingly from Saint Laurent), and wired headphones, a surprisingly popular accessory among A-listers this summer.
While it may be the most iconic from a fashion-insider POV, this isn't the first time Kravitz contributed to fashion's graphic tee trend. Last year, months before Lawrence, Teyana Taylor, Sabrina Carpenter, and Miley Cyrus endorsed the look, the actor made headlines for her vintage Black History Month T-shirt. Much like her latest look, black shorts and peep-toe pumps appeared alongside the red tee.
Six years after shutting down its business, Barneys' doors remain closed. However, with Kravitz as the poster child of the Bring Back Barneys movement, maybe her fellow New Yorkers could feel inspired to resurrect it. Here's to dreaming.
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Meguire Hennes is the fashion staff writer at Marie Claire, where she breaks down the celebrity looks living rent-free in her head (and yours). Whether a star is walking the red carpet or posing on Instagram, Meguire will tell you who they're wearing and why. When she's not gushing about A-listers from J.Law to Rihanna, Meguire also covers breaking industry news.
Previously, Meguire was the fashion news writer at The Zoe Report. She received a bachelor's degree in fashion studies at Montclair State University, and has freelanced at Bustle, Women's Health, Well+Good, and more. You can find her words across the fashion, beauty, health, and wellness verticals, because her Libra moon wouldn't let her settle on one beat. Follow her on Instagram for BTS moments from her Marie Claire era.