We're delighted to announce the two outfits selected as Dress of the Year 2024: a casual menswear ensemble by Gucci, and a womenswear look by brand UNDERCOVER, designed by Jun Takahashi. Chosen by Tim Blanks, editor-at-large at The Business of Fashion, the selections celebrate the elevation of everyday clothing to high fashion, capturing the spirit and style of the past year.
Tim Blanks: Selector, Dress of the Year 2024

Spotlight: Womenswear by UNDERCOVER
The womenswear selection is the opening look from Jun Takahashi’s Autumn/Winter 2024 womenswear collection for UNDERCOVER, shown at Paris Fashion Week in February 2024. A striking all-in-one camisole and jeans ensemble paired with a soft cardigan, it was shown with a whimsical embroidered organza ‘baguette’ bag by Brigitte Tanaka. This standout look captures the essence of the designer’s theme: “Watching a Working Woman” and embodies the quiet strength and complexity of everyday femininity.

Crafted from contrasting materials, silk and denim are seamlessly fused together, reflecting the dualities of a woman’s identity: softness and resilience, elegance and utility. This fusion technique, described by UNDERCOVER as “adhesion,” reimagines familiar garments by boldly combining disparate elements, revealing the extraordinary within the ordinary.
The show was soundtracked by acclaimed German filmmaker Wim Wenders, who read a specially commissioned poem titled Watching a Working Woman. The poem narrates the daily life of a single mother—her routines, her choices, and her quiet moments of self-expression through fashion. This poetic lens elevated the collection’s message, highlighting how clothing can be both functional and deeply personal. From casual wear to tuxedo tailoring, Takahashi’s reinterpretation of universal styles invites us to see everyday garments not just as necessities, but as reflections of identity, emotion, and artistry.
Spotlight: Menswear by Gucci
The menswear look is an outfit comprising of a light blue cotton shirt, striped boxer-style shorts, white crew socks, and classic black Horsebit loafers designed by Gucci, and as worn by actor Paul Mescal on the front row of the fashion house’s Spring/Summer 2025 show at Milan Fashion Week in June 2025, held inside Milan’s art and design museum: Triennale Milano.

Part of a collection that channels the energy of summer through graphic short-and-shirt sets, Mescal’s ensemble stood out for its subtle nod to tailoring while embracing a relaxed, confident silhouette and youthful proportions.
The look also served as a playful homage to Mescal’s now-iconic preference for abbreviated shorts, a style rooted in his Gaelic football background and widely photographed since his breakout role in Normal People. Speaking to GQ’s Samuel Hine at the show, Mescal shared his philosophy: “I’m a fan of the short inseam… it’s to do with proportion; a shorter short with maybe a longer top.”
His outfit not only reflected this personal style but elevated it, aligning with Gucci’s exploration of proportion, simplicity, and self-expression. In pairing classic menswear elements with a youthful edge, the look captured the spirit of the collection—and the evolving identity of modern masculinity.


We have worked with a respected expert from the fashion industry to select a Dress of the Year every year for the past 60 years. Explore this time capsule of changing tastes and styles in our online gallery.