How mother-daughter dates became the red carpet trend of the year

The morning of a special event, there are several things you should never leave home without: a fully charged phone, a hydrating lip balm and – as per the celebrity trend of the year – your daughter.

At this year’s Met Gala, Nicole Kidman, dressed in custom Chanel by Matthieu Blazy, walked the carpet with daughter Sunday Rose, in Dior. “My daughter is blooming, and what she wore shows that,” Kidman told Vogue.

In October, at Paris Fashion Week, Kidman swapped daughters and took Faith Urban as her date to the Chanel show, proving that the best date isn’t your long-term partner, a fling or someone you’ve just met on an app.

Why daughters make the best dates

It’s a trend already promising to be replicated at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, with Lexus welcoming internationally acclaimed costume and production designer Catherine Martin Luhrmann AC and daughter Lilly Luhrmann to Crown Oaks Day on November 5.

Catherine, the four-time Academy Award winner and wife of Baz Luhrmann, best known for her work on The Great Gatsby, Elvis and Moulin Rouge!, said attending the event with Lilly will add a deeply personal element to the occasion.

But Kidman and Martin aren’t the only celebrities reminding us why a daughter – especially a well-dressed one – is the perfect accessory.

Kate Moss attended the Burberry show at London Fashion Week with daughter Lila Moss. And at last year’s Golden Globes, Angelina Jolie walked the carpet with her daughter Zahara, both dressed in Alexander McQueen.

The art of mother-daughter dressing

The big difference between dressing for a red carpet and dressing for a raceday? Millinery.

When it comes to mother-daughter dressing, the best styling trick, according to Natalie Bikicki, award-winning milliner and founder of Natalie Bikicki Designs, is to find one connecting element, whether it’s a colour, texture or detail.

“For example, a daughter’s floral dress might feature a shade that her mother picks up in her millinery,” says Bikicki. “That creates a lovely connection without needing to match everything. Neither woman should feel she has to dress older or younger to make the pairing work.”

Bikicki suggests women try on outfits together before the event – especially if they’re hoping for a nice photo – to check balance and ensure nobody’s face will be obscured by the other’s hat.

Leo Lin, founder and creative director at Leo Lin, says he loves seeing women interpret the Crown Oaks Day dress code – soft pastels and florals – together. “One might choose a new silhouette in the same floral print; another might pair a floral with a soft pink drawn from the print.”

“Vary the shape or scale, so each look feels personal but connected,” he says.

The next generation

The theme for this year’s LANDMARK by Lexus – the brand’s pavilion inside Flemington’s exclusive Birdcage enclosure – is A New Dawn, exploring what happens when “experience meets fresh thinking, and when enduring traditions are carried forward in new ways”.

It’s a concept that resonates deeply with Catherine, who sees Lilly as an example of the next generation of creative talent.

“I’ve always believed that great design comes from a combination of technical mastery, collaboration and a willingness to explore new ideas,” she said.

“Being able to share that appreciation for creativity with Lilly makes attending Crown Oaks Day together with Lexus particularly special.”

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