The History of Safety Pin Dresses: From Togas in Ancient Greece to Elizabeth Hurley in Versace and Miley Cyrus in Margiela

While wearing clasps has been in style since ancient Greece (brooches that fastened to togas were the mode du jour), the humble safety pin made its way into the fashion zeitgeist thanks to the emergence of punk rock. The gritty aesthetic, favored by artists like Johnny Rotten, eventually translated to the runways of Vivienne Westwood and Malcom McLaren, among others, elevating punk style from subculture to pop culture. Since the late ’70s, designers have used safety pins to make fashion statements. Labels like Versace, Moschino and Balmain have feminized the safety pin, affixing them to daring dresses and edgy gowns: Elizabeth Hurley famously made a splash after sporting a safety pin-embellished Versace dress in 1994 at the premiere of “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” while John Galliano reinvented one of his vintage designs for Miley Cyrus at the 2024 Grammys, draping her in 14,000 gold safety pins. Ahead, WWD looks back at the evolution of the safety pin dress. Zandra Rhodes Zandra Rhodes’ 1978 bridal gown. Along with contemporaries like McLaren, Westwood and Stephen Sprouse, Zandra Rhodes made punk fashion mainstream. For her “conceptual-chic” collection inspired by London street style, the British designer flipped the traditional couture “bride” on its head by crafting a white

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