Behind the Handle: @nightopenings’ Off-Beat Red Carpet Shots
From Samuel L. Jackson to Rosie Perez, style inspiration from the golden age of movie premieres.
The ‘90s were another era of red carpet dressing. Before the rise of the celebrity stylist as a driving force in the entertainment industry, stars were left to their own devices; the result is a moment in time when red-carpet looks ranged from normcore to full-throttle eccentric—all celebrated on the Instagram account @nightopenings. Its architect, who prefers to go solely by Julio, has created the account as a repository for unsung fits, from Alicia Silverstone in full Happy Gilmore merch at the movie’s 1996 debut to Fran Drescher sporting dark wash early-aughts denim and a cowboy hat on the Open Range carpet.
“[The account] started as a fascination with why actors would dress so [casually] to an event that was so pivotal to one’s career,” Julio recalls. “But then I realized these premieres had multiple narratives taking place. There are rivalries, snubbed guests, fashion faux pas, career trajectories, relationships and intriguem all simultaneously taking place on the red carpet.” Here, he curates 10 of his favorite moments from the world of ‘90s premieres.