L'HISTOIRE: Nicole Kidman's Backless Two-Piece at the 1999 'Eyes Wide Shut' Premiere

L’HISTOIRE explores fashion history moments you should know, from what actors wore on a red carpet to celebrities who made cameos on the runway. Some are unsung, and some are better known. Each is part of the fabric of today’s fashion world, be it barrier breakers or culture makers.

Nicole Kidman has made many headlines for her fierce performance in the 2024 movie Babygirl where her character (named Romy, the founder and CEO of a tech company) begins an intense affair with an intern played by Harris Dickinson. But this is not Kidman's first rodeo when it comes to grippingly steamy cinema. The actor starred in the 1999 cult-classic Eyes Wide Shut, (which was also the last movie Stanley Kubrick directed before passing). At the premiere, Kidman walked the red carpet with co-star and then-husband, Tom Cruise, wearing a sensual and slinky burgundy set featuring a backless top and knee-length skirt. The outfit turned up the heat the same way the 1999 film did. 

In a red carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight that evening, Kidman divulged to the interviewer that she got her spaghetti strap halter top and knee-length skirt from a flea market. She paired the satin-y look with strappy, open-toed heels tied around the ankle, and a metallic arm band. One account on Instagram (@everythingnicolewore) posits the two-piece set is a design by Giorgio di Sant’Angelo, the Italian-Argentinian designer whose pieces were hallmarks of the '70s and '80s. Though Kidman's look was likely from the decades before, she styled it with that effortless essence of the '90s. The whole look, from her minimal makeup to her tresses in a side part, is a masterclass in styling a vintage piece to match current fashions. 

To channel something similar, opt for a two-piece set in a burgundy hue like Miaou's fitted tank top and micro mini skirt with sandals like those from Brother Vellies. Kidman's 1999 outfit channels what's inspires most about '90s fashion: ease and a certain sensual timelessness. Kidman has after all, continued to impress on the red carpet for the past two decades, always taking risks while remaining in the style she's known for. Most recently the star shimmered in another backless look at the 2025 Golden Globes, designed by Balenciaga (where she is a brand ambassador). Her voluminous updo was a nod to Studio 54, and while her hair felt very 1960s, her gown was quite modern. If there is one thing Kidman knows how to do on the red carpet, it is to amaze the masses with her smart styling and timeless beauty.