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Image Courtesy: Harper's Bazaar
Supermodel Amber Valletta made a stunning red carpet appearance at the 2025 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York by donning the Versace gown with the green jungle design that has become one of the most iconic costumes in fashion history. Valletta first modelled the gown in 1999, but it is best known for its show‑stopping appearance on Jennifer Lopez at the 2000 Grammy Awards.
In addition to honouring the dress's and the designer's heritage, she acknowledged her long-standing friendship with Versace on this night by giving Donatella Versace the Positive Change Award for her activism and generosity.
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Image Courtesy: Vogue
A Dress That Made Fashion History
Valletta's choice to wear the jungle‑print Versace dress wasn't just a red‑carpet moment—it was a statement. As the first woman to wear the gown, she starred in the ad and debuted in a shorter version of the garment at the 1999 Versace spring catwalk. However, the dress became a pop culture icon after Jennifer Lopez wore it to the 2000 Grammys, so much so that it reportedly precipitated the creation of Google Images.
To honour the gown's significance, her part in it, and her longstanding friendship with Versace, Valletta wore it once more at the CFDA Awards, this time on the American Museum of Natural History's white carpet. Additionally, she styled the dress with gold‑sandal heels and Medusa‑logo stud earrings, while her hair flowed in soft waves, echoing the original era.
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Image Courtesy: Page Six
The Occasion, the Recognition & What It Means Now
The CFDA evening wasn't only about fashion glam‑up—it was a recognition of designer Donatella Versace's work, with Valletta presenting her the Positive Change Award for her LGBTQ+ advocacy and support of emerging talent. For Valletta, wearing that dress again—and for the first time publicly in it—felt deeply personal. "I've never worn my dress out in public. This is the first time I've ever worn it on the red carpet and so I’m just really excited to be in the magical dress," she told Vogue.
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Image Courtesy: Page Six
In addition to honouring the history of fashion, this moment celebrated the longevity of her career by reminding everyone that she was present at the emergence of this iconic look. Moreover, Valletta's return to the dress highlights how style, memory, and heritage are intertwined in the fashion industry as culture continues to revert to the fashion moments of the early 2000s.
