Written by Lea Dolan, CNN
Featuring the good, the bad, and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unboxing the most talked about outfit of the past seven days.
Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman caught the internet’s attention this week with a new shoot for Perfect Magazine.
Kidman, who turned 55 this summer, flexes his impossibly sculpted triceps on the magazine cover: a cascade of red hair that falls over one shoulder with a bluntly undercut section at the chin. Not a power suit or black turtleneck in sight: Kidman is styled with pieces from fashion label Diesel’s Fall-Winter 2022 collection, which debuted at Milan Fashion Week this February: a collection much praised replete with Y2K-inspired trucker hats, denim trench coats, and Kidman’s animated belt-skirt.
The actor wore Diesel from head to toe for the first cover. Photography by Zhong Lin, styling by Robbie Spencer, and creative direction by Katie Grand. Credit: Lin Zhong
A second cover shows Kidman in a colossal pair of patent leather thigh-high boots, similar to the ones seen on Rihanna last week, from Y/Project, a brand that, like Diesel, is run by Belgian designer Glenn Martens. And throughout the 20-page fashion editorial, photos capture Kidman in a series of grid-shattering looks, including the infamous nude print dress and a double-denim Diesel ensemble.
Everything is to celebrate a new award that the magazine gave him. Dubbed her “Perfect Icon,” one of 23 new awards launched in a bid to highlight industry talent across the board, Kidman is praised for her relentless curiosity and versatility.
“I make my decisions like a teenager would,” he said in an accompanying interview. “Not playing with the consequences. I approach things like, ‘I want to do this, I’ll try. It’s had its ups and downs. It’s actually a really tumultuous career, which I’m in.’
Kidman won the magazine’s recently launched “Perfect Icon” award. Photography by Zhong Lin, styling by Robbie Spencer, and creative direction by Katie Grand. Credit: Lin Zhong
This penchant for dressing boldly has also given Kidman an edge in the high fashion space. In February, he graced the cover of Vanity Fair’s latest “Hollywood Issue” in the notorious Miu Miu Spring-Summer 2022 miniskirt, a piece so prolific that an Instagram account now diligently logs every time it’s worn by an influencer or a celebrity. . (There have been 111 posts in six months.) The look was made even more dynamic because Kidman “begged” stylist Katie Grand, also the creative director of the Perfect shoot, to wear the slashed Chinese skirt, the actor later said. director Baz Luhrmann in an interview for Vogue Australia.
During Paris Haute Couture Week in July, Kidman joined Bella Hadid, Kim Kardashian and Dua Lipa on the runway to model for Balenciaga.
But the actor has long been one of the most astute risk-takers in fashion. In 1997, Kidman wore a chartreuse Dior dress made of embroidered silk to the Oscars. Designed by John Galliano, the look caused such a stir that it now has its own dedicated Wikipedia page. The color of the dress was heavily criticized by comedienne and red carpet critic Joan Rivers (who told Kidman the shade was “making her throw up” and allegedly made gagging noises as the actor walked by), some arguing that it helped create a cautious red carpet culture. dressing that lasts today. “John (Galliano) made it for me and I love it,” Kidman told Women’s Wear Daily at the event. “I don’t know if people will understand. But if they don’t, well, maybe they should.” 
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman on the red carpet at the 69th Academy Awards in 1997. Credit: Vincent Bucci/AFP/Getty
Deeply intertwined with narrow beauty standards, fashion is often seen as a youth game, with expectations about what to wear becoming increasingly restrictive as you age. But Kidman said that for her, having fun takes precedence over fitting in. “Like I always say, ‘I’m going to do what I want to do,'” she told Perfect. “That’s probably why I click with the photographers, since I’m not here to stamp on you, but for you to stamp on me and let’s grow together. Let’s play!”
Source: www.cnn.com