Kim Kardashian Stuns in Elizabeth Taylor Earrings at Balenciaga's Final Couture Show

Oct, 3 2025

When Kim Kardashian stepped onto the runway of the Balenciaga Fall 2025 Couture ShowParis, the fashion world held its breath.

Demna Gvasalia, the creative director whose tenure at Balenciaga was drawing to a close, had arranged a moment that felt like a Hollywood flashback.

At the centre of Kardashian’s look were the legendary Elizabeth Taylor earrings – a 15‑carat diamond chandelier set that the actress received from her husband Mike Todd in 1957.

Background: Demna’s Farewell and Taylor’s Timeless Glamour

Demna’s final collection for Balenciaga was billed as a tribute to the brand’s heritage, blending avant‑garde tailoring with old‑world decadence. The designer has often spoken about his fascination with classic Hollywood, and the decision to reference Elizabeth Taylor was a nod to that obsession.

Taylor’s style has been dissected in fashion schools for decades. In the 1958 film *Cat on a Hot Tin Roof*, she wore a simple ivory slip dress that, despite its minimalism, radiated a fierce sensuality. An article in *Harper’s Bazaar* called that look “an inarticulable bridge between sex and sophistication,” a phrase that resonated with Demna’s own aesthetic.

The Runway Moment: From Slip Dress to Iconic Earrings

The model who opened the show was a newcomer, but the spotlight unmistakably shifted when Kardashian took the stage in look nine of the 34‑piece presentation. Her outfit featured an ivory duchesse satin slip dress trimmed with delicate lace – a direct visual echo of the dress Taylor donned in the intimate “mattress‑talk” scene with Paul Newman’s character.

Over the dress she wore a floor‑length faux‑fur coat crafted from ethically sourced, embroidered feathers. The coat’s white satin lining matched the dress’s sheen, creating a seamless silhouette that felt both contemporary and nostalgic.

But the real show‑stopper was the jewelry. Lorraine Schwartz, the New York‑based jeweler who was commissioned to create the show’s high‑jewellery pieces, sourced the Taylor earrings from her own archive after buying them at auction. The chandelier earrings, featuring 15 carats of diamonds set in platinum, hung like frozen fireworks.

Jewelry Extravaganza: More Than Just the Earrings

Schwartz didn’t stop at the earrings. She designed a total of 11 custom pieces for the runway, using over 100 carats of diamonds, emeralds and sapphires. Kardashian also wore a 134‑carat diamond choker called the “Fancy Dream” and a 32‑carat “Lucent Bond” necklace with a 30‑carat drop, amounting to roughly 250 carats of diamonds on her neck alone.

The sheer volume of gemstones sparked conversation about sustainability. Schwartz emphasized that the stones were sourced from recycled pools and that the pieces would eventually return to her private collection for future reuse, aligning with the industry’s growing emphasis on circular luxury.

Celebrity Reaction: A Star‑Studded Front Row

The front row was a who’s‑who of Hollywood royalty. Nicole Kidman, fresh off her Oscar‑winning turn in *The Hours*, sat beside Michelle Yeoh, who had just been crowned Best Actress at Cannes. French legend Isabelle Huppert was spotted laughing with a group of emerging designers.

After the show, Kidman told *Vogue* that the earrings were “a piece of history you can actually wear,” while Yeoh praised the ethical fur coat as “a perfect blend of conscience and couture.” Huppert, ever the critic, noted that the collection reminded her of the “golden age of cinema, when a single accessory could define an entire character.”

Industry Impact: What This Means for Couture and Celebrity Partnerships

Kardashian’s appearance signals a shift in how luxury houses leverage celebrity influence. While influencers have long been used for ready‑to‑wear lines, few have been given access to a historic Hollywood heirloom on the runway. Analysts at Business of Fashion predict that this could open doors for more “heritage‑item rentals” in high fashion, where iconic pieces are temporarily loaned to stars for maximum media buzz.

Moreover, the show underscored a growing trend: designers are mining film archives for inspiration. By marrying a 1950s film aesthetic with 2025 technology—think 3D‑printed feather textures and recycled diamonds—Balenciaga demonstrated that nostalgia can be a forward‑looking strategy.

What’s Next: Demna’s Next Chapter and the Future of Hollywood‑Inspired Couture

Demna is rumored to be joining a tech‑driven startup focused on AI‑enhanced design, a move that could further blur the line between classic glamour and digital creation. As for the Taylor earrings, Schwartz has indicated they will return to her private collection after the season, potentially to appear in a museum exhibition on Hollywood jewelry.

For Kardashian, the runway moment adds another layer to her evolving fashion persona—from reality‑TV star to runway muse. The pop‑culture ripple will likely be felt across Instagram feeds, auction houses, and the next season of couture shows.