When Amber Valletta stepped onto the red carpet at last night’s CFDA Awards, it wasn’t just a fashion moment—it was a full-circle one. The supermodel, who presented Donatella Versace with the Positive Change Award in recognition of her decades-long advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and support for emerging designers, paid tribute in the most fitting way possible: by reviving one of the most famous dresses in Versace history.
Valletta stunned in a reimagined version of the house’s legendary jungle-print gown—the very same plunging, sheer design that Jennifer Lopez made world-famous at the 2000 Grammy Awards. That original dress didn’t just dominate pop culture—it helped inspire the creation of Google Images after millions of people tried (and failed) to find photos of Lopez in it online. It was a fashion moment so powerful, it literally changed the internet.
But before Lopez’s unforgettable entrance, there was Amber. Back in the spring/summer 2000 season, Valletta actually opened Versace’s runway show wearing the mini version of the same look. Her return to it, twenty-five years later, was more than a nostalgic nod—it was a statement about legacy, influence, and the timeless magnetism of Versace glamour.
On the CFDA red carpet, Valletta’s confidence and ease reminded everyone why she remains one of fashion’s most enduring icons. In her hands, the jungle print felt modern again—an homage to a house, a designer, and a dress that will forever define the intersection of fashion and pop culture.
