In 1998, 23-year-old Drew Barrymore starred in Ever After, a Renaissance-era film that flipped the tried-and-true tale of Cinderella on its head. While promoting it, she attended an Ever After Gala at Rome’s baroque Palazzo Corsini—an event that obviously required a dress to match the incredible frescos. She picked out a corseted ball gown with a full skirt made of layers upon layers of misty tulle, hand-dyed silk scarves, and pearls.
Sixteen years later, fans still remember the look fondly. Referred to as the “Fifty Scarves Dress,” it’s inspired no small number of DIY recreations, with content creator @jenna.sais_quoi_ calling it “one of those dresses that has been stuck in my mind my whole life.”
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Its provenance has also been a bit of a fashion mystery. For years, the dress was incorrectly credited to John Galliano during his time at Dior—but after a handful of emails to different fashion houses (and a few persistent follow-ups), a spokesperson for Ferragamo has finally confirmed that the brand designed both Barrymore’s dress and her shoes for the event. And though Barrymore herself wasn’t available to discuss the dress or evening at length, she confirmed it was Ferragamo, too.
