Apple Martin Just Copied Her Mom's Vintage Calvin Klein Look From the 1996 Emma Premiere

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Actress Gwyneth Paltrow attends the "Emma" New York City Premiere on July 22, 1996 at the Paris Theatre in New York City.
(Image credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Picture this: It's the summer of 1996. The Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan already won the NBA championship (again), and the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, have just started. In a few months, the Spice Girls will release their debut album, and on Friends, Ross and Rachel are about to decide that it's time to take a break (kind of). And if all that wasn't enough, Emma, the 1996 film adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel, just came out, with star Gwyneth Paltrow attending the New York City premiere alongside her brother, Jake, and parents, actress Blythe Danner, and director and producer Bruce Paltrow. Her outfit for the occasion: A little black dress by Calvin Klein, of course.

Just like today, the style back in '96 was all about minimalism, so Paltrow's scoop-neck, sleeveless gown wasn't showy, but casually elegant, with a fitted silhouette and floor-grazing hemline. For the most part, she didn't even accessorize, only wearing a pair of simple diamond studs and black satin sandals. She finished off the ensemble with a satin clutch and a dark red lip.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow attends the "Emma" New York City Premiere on July 22, 1996 at the Paris Theatre in New York City.

(Image credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY - JULY 22: Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner attend the "Emma" New York City Premiere on July 22, 1996 at the Paris Theatre in New York City.

(Image credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Nearly two decades later, Paltrow's Emma premiere look would fit right in in 2025—and it did, this time, on her 21-year-old daughter. Apple Martin accompanied her mom to tonight's New York City premiere of Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet, where she wore Paltrow's exact Calvin Klein dress from when she, too, was in her early 20s. The entire ensemble was styled by Paltrow's stylist, Elizabeth Saltzman, and paid homage to both her mom's film career and her lauded '90s street and red carpet style. Martin even wore her hair like Paltrow did, in an effortless updo with pieces loose in the front.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 16: (L-R) Apple Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow attend A24's "Marty Supreme" New York Premiere on December 16, 2025 in New York City.

(Image credit: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage/Getty Images)

British-US singer Apple Martin attends the NY premiere of "Marty Supreme" in New York on December 16, 2025.

(Image credit: ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images)

On Apple Martin: Vintage Calvin Klein

Styled by: Elizabeth Saltzman

The LBD is one of Paltrow's most famous outfits, along with her baby-pink Ralph Lauren gown from the 1999 Academy Awards, when she won an Oscar for her performance in Shakespeare in Love. Oh, and remember when she wore (and then re-wore in 2021) the iconic red velvet Tom Ford Gucci suit to the 1996 MTV VMAs? No one does it like her, except, well, her daughter.

Eliza Huber
Eliza Huber
Associate Editorial Director

Eliza Huber is currently the Associate Editorial Director at Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2021 as a fashion editor after starting her career as a writer at Refinery29, where she worked for four years. During her time at WWW, she launched Go Sports, the publication's sports vertical, and published four (and counting) quarterly issues tied to the WNBA, Formula One, and more. She also created two franchises, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on new seasonal trends, up-and-coming designers, and celebrity style.