‘SNL’ Fashion Skits and Style Moments Through the Years: Maya Rudolph as Donatella Versace, Nicole Kidman’s ‘Risky Business’ Look and More

Created in 1975 by Lorne Michaels, “Saturday Night Live” has turned into the main stage for sketch comedy in the U.S. While offering biting political comments, parodying pop culture events and launching some of the leading comedy performers in the country, the show has also had its share of memorable fashion moments through the years.

The show has featured skits spoofing the fashion world like Molly Shannon’s “Veronica & Co.,” designer impersonations like Maya Rudolph’s Donatella Versace and many fashion statements from guests, such as Jennifer Lopez wearing her viral Grammys 2000s dress and Ryan Gosling surfing the “Barbie” wave with his Ken coat.

On Sunday, NBC will celebrate 50 years of “SNL” with a star-studded lineup featured in “SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” which will air at 8 p.m. ET. Ahead of the special premiere, WWD looks back at some of the most memorable fashion moments from the show, which has won 95 Emmy Awards over the years, becoming the most Emmy-winning show in history.

Candice Bergen’s Las Vegas-inspired Look, 1990

Candice Bergen was the show’s first female host in 1975 and the first woman to join the Five-Timers Club in 1990. For her 1990 opening monologue number, she channeled Las Vegas glamour in a sparkling black dress with panels dripping in crystals.

Nicole Kidman’s “Risky Business” Look, 1993

When she hosted “SNL” in 1993, Nicole Kidman paid tribute to her then-husband Tom Cruise, recreating his 1983 dance scene in “Risky Business.” Like him, she wore only a button-down shirt and white socks.

Maya Rudolph as Donatella Versace, 2000s

During her time on the show, Maya Rudolph played designer and fashion icon Donatella Versace in multiple sketches, including the “Versace Superbowl Party,” which aired in 2007. The scene also featured Drew Barrymore as Victoria Beckham and Seth Meyers as David Beckham.

In another moment from the show, Rudolph’s Versace invented the “Versace Pockets,” a microwavable snack that comes in a $75,000 diamond tote.

“I’m always the first to laugh at myself and Maya certainly makes it easy,” Versace told WWD in 2022.

Molly Shannon’s “Veronica & Co.” Skit, 2000s

“Veronica & Co.” was a recurring skit on “SNL” in the 2000s, featuring Molly Shannon as Veronica, a European supermodel who hosts a talk show.

Will Ferrell’s Jeffrey Stores Parody, 2000s

In a recurring skit that debuted in 2001, Will Ferrell portrayed a supervisor of a Jeffrey store, often playing against the host of the week. The store chain, created by Jeffrey Kalinsky, closed for good in 2020.

Antonia Banderas’ Pink Minidress, 2006

For his opening monologue, Antonio Banderas surprised the audience by stripping down to a pink velvety minidress with black leather boots.

“Girls Try on New York Funky Style Clothes” With Shia LaBeouf, 2008

In “Girls Try on New York Funky Style Clothes,” a mother (Amy Poehler) and her two daughters (Shia LaBeouf and Kristen Wiig) visit a New York boutique to try on “funky style” clothes. The humor arises from their exaggerated reactions to the bizarre and over-the-top outfits.

“H&M” With John Goodman, 2013

In this musical short, John Goodman plays a man who goes to H&M with $60 to buy six shirts and four pairs of pants and undergoes a drastic style transformation.

Lady Gaga in Atelier Versace, 2013

Styled by Brandon Maxwell, Lady Gaga wore a dress from Atelier Versace’s fall 2013 collection for her opening monologue in 2013. The dress featured metal mesh and Swarovski crystals.

“Levi’s Wokes” With Ryan Gosling, 2017

The skit is a parody of fashion brands attempting to capitalize on “wokeness” and inclusivity in their marketing, taken to an absurd extreme. Ryan Gosling leads the commercial.

“Fashion Panel” With Sam Rockwell, 2018

The Golden Globes red carpet and other fashion news became topic of discussion in the “Fashion Panel” skit, featuring Rochelle Koontz (Cecily Strong), Dean Swizz (Sam Rockwell), Angelo Dolphintuna (Kenan Thompson), Silvia Nunez (Melissa Villaseñor) and Frances McDormand (Kate McKinnon).

Jennifer Lopez’s Versace Dress, 2019

During her opening monologue in 2019, Jennifer Lopez ripped off her tuxedo, revealing an updated version of her iconic 2000 Grammys Versace dress. In 2015, former Google CEO and executive chairman Eric Schmidt credited the dress, which was highly searched online after the awards ceremony, as the inspiration behind the Google Image Search creation.

“Fashion Coward” With Emma Stone, 2019

In “Fashion Coward,” from 2019, Emma Stone joins a group of women who hate shopping, feel lost and scared, and want to avoid any fashion risks. The store goes to lenghts to cater to people’s anxieties about fashion and shopping.

“Fast Fashion Ad” With Jake Gyllenhaal, 2024

In 2024, “SNL” made a parody of fast fashion commercials with a skit featuring host of the week Jake Gyllenhaal. The skit shows a campaign for parody brand Xiemu. As the commercial progresses, the narrator attempts to reassure viewers with increasingly bizarre and unsettling claims, such as “Not made with forced labor,” “No prisoners involved” and “All workers paid, even ones with wrong religion.”

Ryan Gosling’s Ken Coat, 2024

Enjoying the success of his film “Barbie,” Ryan Gosling nodded to his character, Ken, wearing a faux fur coat for his opening monologue. The outfit had just gone viral on TikTok when the episode aired.