The Menu, directed by Mark Mylod, had its world debut on a glossy night at the BFI Southbank with the stars of the year’s most flashy psychological horror congregating there. The new movie, which stars Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, and Anya Taylor-Joy, is a satirical take on an ultra-exclusive dining experience a la Noma that takes a horrific turn.
Taylor-Joy chose a stunning cobalt blue leather dress from the brand’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection, turning to fashion heavyweight Alexander McQueen for the event. The actress attracted attention in the edgy-meets-elegant attire, which had a corset top, ruffled asymmetrical skirt, and matching opera gloves. It was accessorised with black shoes and a seductive Jaeger LeCoultre watch with diamonds. Nicholas Hoult, who plays her on-screen love interest, joined her. He was discerningly suave in a burgundy velvet jacket and a pink-gold “Reverso” watch, also by Le-Coultre.
Taylor-Joy isn’t the first person, regrettably, to wear bright blue leather on the red carpet. Princess Stéphanie of Monaco was a pioneer of the fad in the 1980s and a Monégasque princess-turned-pop star.
1986 German TV appearance of Princess Stephanie of Monaco
courtesy of United Archives GmbH and Alamy
Her first and second songs, Ouragan and Flash, were released in 1986, and the actress was revelling in the success of having sold millions of copies around Europe. She also had a great celebutante wardrobe, with statement leather serving as one of her main fashion motifs.
The princess boldly sported a vibrant blue leather jacket with oversized shoulders and a belted waist when making an appearance on the German discussion programme Känguru, which also included Whitney Houston, Kim Wilde, and Gary Numan. She had previously affirmed her love of sapphire-hued fashion by posing for an L’Officiel cover shot in a seductive set of blue leather items by Jean Claude Jitrois, complete with matching gloves.
When we fast-forward to the 2020s, it appears that the fashion industry as a whole has once more confirmed its love of blue leather. The most prestigious houses made care to provide an oceanic spectacle on the runways in September.
A sporty coterie of racetrack-ready leather items, suited for the blue biker babe, were displayed by Off-White, while blue trench coats lined with silk were worn over knitted mini-co-ords at Marni. But Saint Laurent, whose edgy coats with broad shoulders were unquestionably at the top of the charts, was most similar to Stephanie’s Eighties ostentation. Princess Stéphanie and Anya Taylor-Joy may have a point.
So enjoy blue leather’s beauty in all of its forms. In Madonna’s famous words, “True blue, baby, I adore you.”
