Gwyneth Paltrow, ‘stealth wealth’ star of the courtroom catwalk

Gwyneth Paltrow may have scaled back her movie work in recent years, but her small-screen entertainment value is at an all-time high. The Oscar-winning actress and entrepreneur behind lifestyle brand Goop is involved in a trial over a 2016 skiing collision in the resort of Deer Valley, Utah, and — hallelujah! — it’s being live-streamed.

Retired optometrist Terry Sanderson says Paltrow was “reckless” and caused a crash that left him seriously injured, and is seeking $300,000 in damages. The high priestess of Hollywood wellness denies the charge and has countersued for $1 plus compensation for attorney’s fees.

As with other celebrity trials, though, who is at fault is one of the least interesting things going on here. Instead, people are tuning in for the accidental bon memes, such as Paltrow’s very 1 per cent, global-north-problems lament that the crash meant she “lost half a day of skiing”, and her signature facial expression of pained patience. The mien of someone whose interior designer told her the pool house refurb won’t be finished in time for the divorce party.

Then there’s the bizarre banter between Paltrow and the claimant’s lawyer, Kristin VanOrman, who has come out with fawning statements such as, “You probably had a better ski outfit [than everyone else on the slopes].” Don’t have a favourite TV show on the go right now? Well, this is White Lotus meets Judge Judy farce.

And then, of course, there’s Gwyneth’s on point wardrobe.

It’s not the first time a celebrity has intrigued with their courtroom chic: memorable past examples include Winona Ryder’s schoolgirl-like Marc Jacobs ensembles for her 2002 trial on shoplifting charges, Naomi Campbell’s neat cream knit ensemble for her 2010 appearance at a war crimes trial against former Liberian president Charles Taylor, and Martha Stewart’s luxurious outfits in neutral shades accessorised with an Hermès Birkin bag worth thousands for her 2004 trial for obstruction of justice and other charges.

But rarely has the courtroom catwalk nailed the fashion mood so precisely as Gwyneth’s ensembles this week. So-called “quiet luxury” — understated but ultra-luxurious clothes favoured by the super-rich — is back in vogue, with an emphasis on stealth-wealth brands such as The Row, Loro Piana, Max Mara and Hermès. It’s also back on TV, thanks to the wardrobes in Succession.

Gwyneth’s most “very rich person” outfit so far has probably been a fitted white cardigan worn with layered gold-chain jewellery and a capacious tan bag held in the crook of her arm. A look that gives off strong vibes of “Upper East Side trophy mom on her way to cajole someone at the Ivy League college admissions office”.

Early signs that the trial would provide rich pickings for fashion fans and meme-merchants came from another piece of pale knitwear: an off-white turtleneck jumper by Loro Piana with wide-leg chocolate brown trousers. Seemingly a simple item, the luxurious knit was actually loaded with sartorial significance, the most obvious being the sense of snowy purity and innocence conveyed by something a bit blank and fluffy: bunnies, baby seals, wronged celebrities.

Forget the garish Gore-Tex of the package-deal ski trip, this snow-coloured jumper taps into the après-ski aesthetic of rarefied resorts such as Deer Valley, where the accident happened, or Aspen in Colorado. According to American in London Jordan Rhodes, founder of the Glimpse Guide travel series, in tony US ski resorts “for après-ski everyone is in their ski attire, or leggings with snow boots and cream jumpers like Gwyneth’s. For dinner most people are back in snow boots or cowboy boots and a sort of upscale Western look consisting of fur, suede, cashmere jumpers — think Ralph Lauren — but still erring more on the casual side. Heels and revealing dresses that you see in places like Courchevel are very uncommon, and typically worn by the Europeans.”

Paltrow’s look is channelling the Aspen skiers photographed by Slim Aarons in the late ’60s, with their turtlenecks, tailored pants and striped sunhats. It also bore an eerie resemblance to Adam Driver in House of Gucci, playing Maurizio Gucci (whose ex-wife was convicted of hiring a hitman to assassinate him) in a white cable-knit and aviator glasses.

So when Paltrow donned her own aviator glasses, observers picked up on the style’s creepy associations. “Gwyneth Paltrow looks like she’s on trial in 1987 for hiring a hitman to kill her husband,” tweeted comedian Jenny Johnson. “Why has she dressed as Jeffrey Dahmer?” read another tweet. Certainly I’d be interested to see the stats on trials lost by defendants in aviator glasses.

As well as the quiet luxury look, Paltrow’s ensembles have harked back to the 1990s, when along with Kate Moss and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy she was a poster girl for minimalism and simplicity — both in her real life, when dating Brad Pitt, and in movies such as A Perfect Murder. A black knitted polo shirt and long black skirt worn with chunky combat boots had an authoritative austerity (aesthetically, not financially, of course). A moss green mannish coat believed to be from The Row combined ’90s androgyny with a muted hit of colour. A long cool drink of detox juice.

Less successful was the pussy-bow blouse in French manicure-pink, worn with wide leather trousers and hiking boots. Think Nancy Reagan meets Real Housewives meets a steelworker.

As well as the layered gold jewellery — a staple look of the mid-life power mum — other accessories have attracted attention. There’s the Smythson notebook in cobalt leather, and the bottle of green juice. And speaking of food, another diverting moment came when Paltrow’s attorney asked the judge if her private security team could “bring in treats” for the court security. The judge declined, which means we may never know what she considers a treat. Some camel milk, as once sold on Goop? A “this smells like my court case” candle? Or maybe some good old-fashioned pastries? Let them eat carbs.