Katie Holmes Takes a Beloved London Label to New York Fashion Week

Katie Holmes did not drop it low at the Hourglass activation. She did, however, wear Tove’s drop-waisted Lauryn dress with slingback kitten heels while posing at a pop-up Barneys store—just one of several “sensorial experiences” the brand had mounted to celebrate 20 years in the business, including blindfolded tastings and a flash mob from Showtime. I’d imagine the soon-to-be Broadway star Holmes might have enjoyed an evening of organized theatrics.

Tove—a London brand founded by two ex-Topshop collaborators Holly Wright and Camille Perry— experienced a small windfall last summer due to the cult success of its Lauryn dress. (Fans include Alexa Chung, Blackpink’s Lisa, and several editors at this magazine.) “The product is meant to be quite high-low; it’s meant to be worn on multiple occasions,” the duo said of the label’s ethos. “The pieces are designed specifically to transition from day to night, whether you’re at the beach or in the city – a wardrobe of really beautifully crafted, timeless pieces that are going to last you for a lifetime.”

It’s a simple but effective set of principles that could also be applied to Holmes’s relationship with clothing. Despite having access to just about every atelier under the sun, the actor is a rare example of a famous person who wears “clothes” as opposed to “fashion.” Her wardrobe is direct and approachable and, more often than not, affordable, rarely straying from skater shirts, denim and ballet flats: some of which have almost (almost) lasted her a lifetime.