Angelina Jolie’s Leather Versace Gown Still Sets the Bar—20 Years Later

It’s been two decades, but fashion lovers still remember that Angelina Jolie moment—the plunging black leather Versace gown at the Mr. and Mrs. Smith premiere in 2005. Long before “method dressing” became red-carpet routine, Jolie was doing it instinctively, stepping out in a dress that not only turned heads but also hinted at the character she played in the film.

A Defining Fashion Moment

In June 2005, Jolie arrived at the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, Los Angeles, amid a swirl of media frenzy over her rumored off-screen romance with co-star Brad Pitt. The two would soon become tabloid royalty as “Brangelina,” but that night, all eyes were on Jolie’s jaw-dropping dress.

Her Versace creation featured a body-hugging leather silhouette, a sheer trim neckline, a thigh-high slit, and an open back with two sleek crisscrossed straps. She paired the look with simple jewelry and a voluminous blowout—channeling a more refined glamour that marked a clear evolution from her earlier edgy, gothic red carpet looks. Meanwhile, Pitt kept it casual in jeans, a bomber jacket, and bleached hair.

Versace and Jolie: A Lasting Bond

Jolie’s partnership with Versace has given us numerous unforgettable moments since. Think: the sparkling emerald long-sleeve gown at the 2011 Golden Globes, the gleaming mesh dress at the Rome premiere of The Eternals in 2021, or her viral 2012 Oscars moment with the high-slit black velvet gown that had the internet talking about “The Leg.”

But it was the 2005 leather look that cemented her ability to balance sensuality with sophistication—proving leather could be elegant, not just edgy.

Leather as a Signature Style

By then, leather was practically Jolie’s signature. From the belted leather pants at the Tomb Raider premiere in 2001 to the low-rise pair she wore in 2000 for Gone in Sixty Seconds (with then-husband Billy Bob Thornton), she consistently pushed boundaries in both fashion and persona.

Her Mr. and Mrs. Smith dress also felt like a costume extension. Her character, Jane Smith, is a sleek, sharp assassin who owns the screen in every scene—including the iconic black dominatrix-style mini she wears mid-mission. The premiere gown was just a more red-carpet-ready version of that look.

Legacy and Influence, 20 Years On

Today, echoes of Jolie’s 2005 leather gown are everywhere. From Miley Cyrus’s Grammy cutout leather look to Florence Pugh’s fitted midi dresses promoting Thunderbolts, the influence is unmistakable. Dua Lipa’s recent Versace moment at the 2024 Brit Awards? A modern nod to Jolie’s legacy.

Even the edgier iterations—Olivia Rodrigo and Kim Kardashian in BDSM-inspired leather designs by Ludovic de Saint Sernin—owe a little something to Jolie’s fearless embrace of leather chic.

The Blueprint Endures

Jolie may not have been the only A-lister dabbling in leather in the early 2000s—Victoria Beckham and Lenny Kravitz were right there too—but the Mr. and Mrs. Smith premiere dress remains a benchmark. It was bold yet elegant, timeless yet ahead of its time. And two decades later, it’s still the blueprint for how to do leather on the red carpet right.