Olandria Carthen Channels Zoë Kravitz in Archival Saint Laurent at YSL Beauty NYFW Event
On the eve of New York Fashion Week, Olandria Carthen stepped onto a Manhattan red carpet in a Saint Laurent archival shift that read like a direct nod to a previous celebrity moment. The look — a halter-style little black dress punctuated by scalloped cutouts and sculptural bust detailing — reinforced Carthen’s growing reputation as a Fashion Month favorite.
The dress: archival Saint Laurent revived
Carthen’s gown was pulled from Saint Laurent’s recent archives: a halter mini with a perforated, empire-length bust, scalloped trim on the straps and a series of small under-bust cutouts that created a negative-space motif. Stylists tracked down a four-year-old shift from the house’s Resort 2022 lineup and altered it into a sleeveless version that skimmed the ruby-red carpet with a fitted silhouette.
Red carpet echo: Zoë Kravitz’s 2022 moment
The silhouette will feel familiar to keen dress watchers: the same halter cutout number appeared on Zoë Kravitz at the London premiere of The Batman in 2022, where the negative-space neckline and scalloped details were signature features. That earlier outing helped cement the design as one of the house’s most recognized modern archival pieces, and Carthen’s revival made the connection explicit on a city stage built for Fashion Month headlines.
Styling, beauty and finishing touches
Carthen kept the accessories streamlined and sharp. Two-tone geometric earrings echoed the gown’s modern lines while pointed black pumps lent a poised, femme-fatale energy. Her hair was slicked back into a wet look that heightened the ensemble’s architectural feel; a smoky eye, strong brows and glossy lips completed the glam. The overall effect was high-gloss and high-fashion — a look meant to read both on camera and in person.
Public reaction and social reach
The moment landed quickly on social feeds and in fashion conversation. A short video clip of the look was shared on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 (ET), drawing immediate fan praise and celebrity comments. Reactions emphasized the look’s confidence and its clear lineage to the earlier Saint Laurent appearance, with many celebrating the shared lineage as proof of Carthen’s arrival in the contemporary-fashion conversation.
Why this matters for Fashion Month
Carthen’s choice to wear an archival house piece instead of a runway debut signals an appetite for sartorial storytelling during Fashion Month: revivals and reworkings are as potent as brand-new creations. When an emerging star reclaims a look already associated with a well-known figure, it creates a layered narrative — part homage, part modern interpretation — that editors and photographers prize. Whether listed as olandria in tags or named outright on red carpets, Carthen continues to cultivate a style identity that blends sleek glamour with archival savvy.
As Fashion Week unfolds, look for more moments like this one: established codes of red-carpet dressing being repurposed by a new generation eager to stake its claim in the same storied closets.
