When Salma Hayek stepped onto the charcoal carpet at the Kering Foundation’s Caring for Women dinner in New York City this past September, the industry expected glamour. What we got was a manifesto. Wearing a double-breasted, plunging tuxedo gown that blurred the lines between Savile Row precision and Hollywood provocation, Hayek didn’t just wear a Little Black Dress (LBD)—she dismantled and rebuilt it. In a season dominated by the sheer "naked dress" fatigue, Hayek’s choice to fuse severe architectural tailoring with unapologetic skin exposure signaled a pivot that fashion insiders are only now, two months later, fully decoding. This wasn't just a garment; it was a declaration of "Tailored Sensuality" that has since set the trajectory for the Winter 2025 gala circuit.
The Event: A Study in Contrasts
The context of the appearance was as critical as the garment itself. The Kering Foundation’s Caring for Women dinner is not merely a red carpet photo op; it is the conglomerate’s flagship philanthropic event, demanding a dress code that balances gravitas with high-fashion credentials. Held in Manhattan on September 11, the evening saw a distinct bifurcation in style.
While co-chair Dakota Johnson opted for the prevailing "naked dress" trend in a sheer lace Gucci number, Hayek—the veritable First Lady of Kering—chose a diametrically opposing narrative. Standing alongside husband and Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, her look acted as a visual foil to the ephemeral nature of lace and tulle. It grounded the room in something permanent, heavy, and authoritative.
Deconstructing the Look: Le Smoking Reimagined
To call it a "dress" does a disservice to the engineering involved. The garment featured a strapless, double-breasted bodice that borrowed heavily from the lexicon of menswear. The buttoned structure created a corset-like rigidity, cinching the waist before falling into a column skirt that was interrupted only by a functional, button-aligned thigh-high slit.
The genius lay in the tension. The neckline plunged dramatically—a Hayek signature—but the exposure was contained within the strict, military-esque lines of the lapels and buttons. This is the core of the "Tailored Sensuality" movement: the eroticism comes not from the reveal itself, but from the strict boundaries surrounding it.
Styling was equally disciplined. Hayek bypassed the soft, bombshell waves typically associated with her aesthetic in favor of a slick, half-up ponytail that elongated the neck and emphasized the garment’s clean lines. The jewelry, courtesy of Boucheron, included statement diamond drop earrings that provided the only fluid element in an otherwise structural presentation.
Industry Reaction: The Death of the "Naked Dress"?
In the weeks following the event, the "Hayek Effect" has rippled through the buying strategy for the upcoming Holiday 2025 and Spring 2026 seasons. Fashion critics and buyers have noted a fatigue with the "bare-it-all" aesthetic that has dominated red carpets since 2022. Hayek’s tuxedo gown offered a viable alternative: power dressing for the evening.
The look validated a shift seen on the runways of Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, where the tuxedo (or Le Smoking) is being stretched, draped, and carved into evening gowns. It suggests that the modern woman’s evening armor is no longer about transparency, but about opacity and shape.
Cultural Intelligence: Generational Power Signaling
At 59, Hayek’s sartorial choices carry a weight that transcends trends. This appearance was a masterclass in combating ageist narratives regarding "appropriateness." By adopting the codes of menswear—historically associated with authority, competence, and power—and subverting them with a plunging neckline, Hayek claimed space in two worlds simultaneously.
She rejected the matronly "cover-up" often prescribed to women over 50, but she also rejected the desperate attempt to look 25. The tuxedo gown is a mature, sophisticated garment that demands a certain level of confidence to carry. It signals that the wearer is not just a decoration at the event, but a stakeholder.
Timeline: The Evolution of the "Power LBD"
- September 2024 (Toronto Film Festival): Hayek experiments with sequins and texture (Gucci), leaning into high-glamour but softer silhouettes.
- May 2025 (Cannes Film Festival): A shift toward structure begins. Hayek wears a column gown with heavy embellishment, moving away from flowy bohemian styles.
- September 11, 2025 (Kering Dinner): The "Tuxedo Gown" moment. The defining instance of "Tailored Sensuality," marking a hard pivot toward architectural evening wear.
- November 2025 (Present): Retail data indicates a 40% surge in searches for "tuxedo dresses" and "structured evening gowns" across luxury e-commerce platforms like Net-a-Porter and MyTheresa.
Forecast: What This Means for 2026
As we look toward the 2026 awards season, expect the "Hayek Blueprint" to dominate. Stylists will likely pivot their A-list clients away from sheer fabrics toward heavy crepes, wool-silks, and velvet structures. We predict:
1. The Return of the Lapel: Evening gowns featuring lapel details, double-breasted buttons, and strong shoulders will replace the slip dress silhouette.
2. Jewelry as Architecture: Accessories will become more geometric. The Boucheron diamonds Hayek wore were not delicate; they were substantial. Expect jewelry to act as "hardware" rather than just sparkle.
3. The "CEO Silhouette": The boundary between boardroom power suits and gala gowns will continue to dissolve. The new sexy is "competence."
Expert Insights
The resonance of this look lies in its psychological impact. "It creates a visual barrier," notes industry analyst Sarah Fellows. "When you wear a sheer dress, you are inviting the gaze in. When you wear a structured tuxedo gown, you are directing the gaze exactly where you want it. It is a controlling garment. It says, 'I am in charge of this interaction.' That is why it works so well for Hayek at a Kering board-level event."
Ultimately, Salma Hayek didn't just wear a black dress to a dinner in September. She issued a correction to the industry’s trajectory, proving that in 2025, the most provocative thing a woman can wear is a suit—reimagined.
Written by Ara Ohanian for FAZ Fashion — fashion intelligence for the modern reader.
