Sofia Coppola's Inappropriate 1995 VMAs Outfit Was So Different From Her Normal Look

If you've ever researched how to get in on the resurrection of '90s grunge fashion, you've undoubtedly discovered that one of the must-have pieces to emulate the '90s in 2024 and beyond has been the slip dress. So, it should come as no surprise that Sofia Coppola wore one in 1995 to the MTV Video Music Awards. But what is surprising about the moment is how different the outfit is from her normal look — and how much skin she showed at the prestigious ceremony. Coppola, known for directing and writing "Lost in Translation," "Marie Antoinette," and "Priscilla," was often called an it-girl of the '90s, as she strutted down fashion runways, ran with the artsy crowd, starred in indie-rock music videos, and even co-founded a fashion label called Milk Fed. The brand, a partnership with designer Linda Meltzer, featured baby tees (natch) and, you guessed it, slip dresses.

Do we think grungy slip dresses when we think Coppola, who turned 54 in 2025? Nope. We think tailored trousers paired with sweaters with sleeves pushed up to the elbows, minimalistic high-end accessories, and other basics that never veer far from basic black, white, and navy. She's a study in French-girl-meets-California-cool style with nary a hint of '90s grunge.

So, what was it about Sofia Coppola's outfit at the 1995 VMAs that had everyone riled up? Well, the lingerie-inspired purple slip dress -– a shade we rarely see her in nowadays –- was thrown over a white tank top and black undies, which you could see through the dress' fabric. "What's this distasteful outfit about? Very unlike her to dress this way," one Facebook user wrote on French Vogue's Facebook post about the look. Another added, "She looks like a vagrant."

Can you imagine the award-winning director promoting her latest work at Cannes with her bikini briefs exposed? We can't. Perhaps this is indicative of her career shift. Prior to the late '90s, Coppola had tried acting with little critical acclaim, a bit of modeling, and her short-lived clothing brand. But when she struck cinematic gold with her feature-film directorial debut — 1999's "The Virgin Suicides," for which she also wrote the adapted screenplay — Coppola cemented herself as a power player in Hollywood, and we highly suspect she decided to embrace more of a boss aesthetic at this point.

From then on, it's been all about understated elegance. She even has one of the best haircuts for the quiet luxury look with her shoulder-length chocolate tresses and signature side part. We're now used to seeing Coppola in neutral separates, usually trousers or long skirts, paired with unrevealing tops (no sheer lingerie looks here!). Whereas her purple slip dress from '95 was from an unknown designer, her looks now lean into Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Marc Jacobs, with whom she's had a close friendship for more than three decades.

Like the relationship between Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy or Kim Kardashian and Ricardo Tisci, the one between Sofia Coppola and designer Marc Jacobs is the stuff of legend. The two met when Coppola attended one of Jacob's first runway shows (for Perry Ellis) in the early '90s. As she later recalled (via a post from a July 2025 Jacobs' Instagram), "When I first met Marc, we hit it off right away. I had met great designers before, but here was someone easy to talk to, in beat-up Stan Smiths, who liked the same bands, artists and had the same appreciation and sense of humor about the idea of being 'lady like'."

The connection grew from friendship to collaborators. Coppola starred in the campaign for his debut fragrance, Daisy, in 2001. She later shot the ad for another of his scents. She wore his designs for monumental occasions, including for her pre-wedding rehearsal dinner, to the Met Gala, and for movie premieres. Their next collab debuts at the 2025 Venice Film Festival at the end of August 2025. It's none other than Coppola's first documentary, "Marc by Sofia." 

"Best news all year," one Instagram user wrote in response to the news on Instagram. Another enthused, "This is it! Finally! I always wished Sofia Coppola would do a documentary on Marc! I'm so excited!" Almost as intriguing to us is what Coppola will wear on the red carpet for the premiere. Is it time for a '90s revival?