When Amal Clooney stepped onto the red carpet in Cannes on Thursday wearing a one-shoulder Atelier Versace dress, there was no doubt a Fashion Event had occurred. But these don't just spontaneously generate—here, a miniature, completely biased history lesson on all the other, equally memorable moments that culminated with this one.
Getty
2nd Century
The one that started it all. Not this statue of Athena, specifically, but the classical drapery depicted here.
1 of 12
Getty
1952
Meet Madame Grès, the French couturier known for her intricately wrapped and pleated dresses.
2 of 12
Everett
1956
Grace Kelly in High Society. See the resemblance?
3 of 12
Getty
1962
Jackie Kennedy in Oleg Cassini...
4 of 12
Getty
1962
Seen in detail here.
5 of 12
Getty
1963
Yeah, you can rag on this movie all you want, but Liz Taylor's Cleopatra costumes—all 65 of them—were *flawless.*
6 of 12
Getty
1963
This one too.
7 of 12
Getty
2003
Amal's dress = definitely a direct descendant from this vintage number Kate Moss wore to a birthday party, then replicated for her Topshop collaboration later on.
8 of 12
Getty
2012
This Giambattista Valli checks all the boxes: one shoulder, yards and yards of fabric, made for an epic entrance.
9 of 12
Getty
2014
Prada's interpretation, made even better by Lupita Nyong'o's expert twirling.
10 of 12
Getty
2014
What a goddess. (Jessica Chastain in Elie Saab Couture.)
11 of 12
Getty
2016
And that brings us up to today, with this gorgeousness.
