The tuxedo has long existed at the intersection of fashion and power. Once a strict symbol of male formality, it has steadily evolved into one of women's wear's most enduring statements of confidence, control and modern femininity.
Today, it is no longer confined to black-tie invitations or traditional evening wear. Instead, the tuxedo has become a red-carpet staple, a runway favourite and a recurring symbol of gender-fluid fashion. From Hollywood awards shows to high-fashion campaigns, women continue to reclaim the tailored suit as a way of redefining elegance on their own terms.
From Marlene Dietrich to Modern Power Dressing
The story of the women's tuxedo begins with defiance. In the early 20th century, Marlene Dietrich shocked audiences by appearing in sharply tailored menswear in films such as Morocco. At a time when women wearing trousers was still socially controversial in many parts of the world, her look challenged expectations and redefined glamour.
Her influence carried forward through icons like Katharine Hepburn and Josephine Baker, who each used tailoring to project independence and authority at a time when women's fashion was still largely dictated by convention.
The transformation of the tuxedo into high fashion, however, arrived in 1966 when Yves Saint Laurent introduced Le Smoking. The suit reimagined masculine tailoring for the female body while preserving its precision and structure. It was sleek, provocative and revolutionary.
Catherine Deneuve, one of Saint Laurent's most enduring muses, once summed up its appeal, saying: 'The thing about a tuxedo is that it is virile and feminine at the same time.'
Why the Tuxedo Still Dominates Modern Fashion
Decades later, the tuxedo remains a key reference point for designers exploring modern femininity and gender-neutral dressing. The shift away from traditional gowns on red carpets has made structured tailoring one of the most powerful style choices available to women in the public eye.
Fashion analysts often link this resurgence to wider cultural shifts: gender fluidity, workplace power dressing, and a growing rejection of rigid formalwear expectations.
Modern interpretations of the tuxedo are more experimental than ever. Designers now play with oversized silhouettes, satin lapels, sheer layering and unconventional styling, transforming the suit from uniform into a statement piece.
The Celebrities Keeping the Tuxedo Relevant (Updated 2024–2026)
The tuxedo has made a strong comeback in recent years, becoming a red-carpet staple across awards seasons and fashion weeks as celebrities embrace structured tailoring over traditional gowns.
Zendaya continues to lead the trend, working with luxury houses like Valentino and Louis Vuitton to deliver refined, tailored looks that blend masculine structure with couture elegance. Janelle Monáe has turned the tuxedo into a signature style, using monochrome suits and bold tailoring to express identity and challenge gender norms.
Rihanna has also reshaped modern suiting, often styling oversized blazers and sharp tailoring in ways that redefine feminine dressing on and off the red carpet.
At the 2025 Met Gala, tuxedo-inspired looks dominated, with stars such as Gigi Hadid and Blake Lively opting for structured suiting over gowns, signalling a wider shift towards androgynous fashion. Actors Emma Corrin and Hunter Schafer continue to push gender-fluid tailoring forward, experimenting with avant-garde silhouettes and reworked tuxedo forms.
Meanwhile, designers including Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Tom Ford keep the tuxedo central in womenswear, reinventing it each season through sharp cuts, sculptural tailoring and modern proportions.
The New Language of Power Dressing
What sets the modern tuxedo apart is not just its silhouette, but its intention. Where gowns once dominated red carpets as the default symbol of femininity, tailoring now offers an alternative language, one rooted in authority, minimalism and control.
Today's tuxedo is less about mimicking menswear and more about redefining it entirely. Whether styled with sharp heels, bare feet, bold jewellery or minimalist beauty looks, it adapts to the wearer rather than dictating to them.
A Garment That Keeps Evolving
The tuxedo's cultural relevance endures because it continues to evolve with each generation. What began as a uniform of privilege has become a canvas for self-expression, resistance and reinvention.
From Dietrich's early rebellion to Saint Laurent's couture revolution and today's red-carpet reinterpretations, the tuxedo has consistently challenged the boundaries of gender and fashion.
More than a suit, it remains a statement, one that proves power dressing is no longer defined by tradition, but by choice.
