Ariana Madix's Vintage Versace Moment: Brunettes Have More Fun

Amidst the vast sea of online content, a treasure can be found: the perfect outfit for your next significant event. This is precisely how Ariana Madix, host of 'Love Island' and alumna of 'Vanderpump Rules,' discovered a striking butter yellow Versace dress. This exquisite piece, originally from the Spring 2006 menswear runway collection, was found via the rental platform Isle of Monday.

After a swift consultation with her stylist, Emily Men, and a hopeful outlook for the fitting, the dazzling gown, previously worn by Isabeli Fontana, evoked a warm sense of nostalgia on the stage of the 'Love Island' Season 8 reunion. Madix humorously noted, “Someone online joked that this show is my personal Met Gala, and they’re not wrong. To me, the fashion on 'Love Island' is a fantasy—it’s this fantasy world where I can wear things that don’t necessarily work in the real world.” Since her arrival in Fiji for the US adaptation of the beloved UK reality dating show in 2024, Madix has embraced fashion with a newfound enthusiasm, exploring styles beyond her previous public appearances.

She credits much of this sartorial exploration to Lindsay Hubbard of 'Summer House,' who introduced her to stylist Emily Men. Madix previously believed that individuals procured their own attire for every occasion, admitting, “I just didn’t understand how any of that worked. It’s not the same thing as going online and just ordering—which is what I was doing—and I think I was just spending so much money that I didn’t really have.”

As fashion has taken center stage for the reality star, Madix now considers Men a close confidante and a stylist who encourages her to experiment with bolder fashion choices. “I spend a lot of time on my phone looking at clothes, and I’m a big fan of vintage fashion and fashion in general,” she shared. “And a lot of times, I feel like I see such amazing looks that I don’t necessarily have access to, so the fact that we were able to get our hands on this incredible Versace dress was amazing—it’s one that I’ve been eyeing for a while.”

During her time on the island, Madix has showcased a variety of high-fashion looks, including a shimmering Area mini dress, a liquid Di Petsa cutout gown, an archival-inspired Jean Paul Gaultier polka dot ensemble, and her personal favorite: a custom Taylor Jean Cox dress and corset with a fetish-inspired edge, complete with a lace-up bumster detail. These impressive outfits were further enhanced by her new brunette hair, which Madix believes amplified the high-fashion appeal. “I think with blonde hair, you really are very limited in what you can wear and can’t wear that doesn’t start looking, as the kids say, ‘cheugy’ or ‘lame,’” she explained. In contrast, the Versace dress with her darker hair “felt like a ray of sunshine, reflecting on the water.”