Keira Knightley’s elegant emerald-green dress from Atonement remains unforgettable nearly twenty years later. It’s no wonder the iconic look was revived for Vogue World 2025: Hollywood, with Tory Burch reinterpreting the striking green slip dress using knotted details that echoed the original’s draped silhouette.

Director Joe Wright had tasked costume designer Jacqueline Durran with creating a “memorable” dress for the intimate library scene between Knightley’s Cecilia Tallis and James McAvoy’s Robbie Turner, but neither anticipated the gown’s lasting influence. “It was a complete surprise how much it resonated with people and how often it was singled out from the film,” Durran once remarked. In fact, she revealed at British Vogue’s Forces of Fashion event that Wright’s favorite costume was actually the cream organza dress worn by a young Saoirse Ronan as Briony Tallis.

Despite this, Durran and her team dedicated hours to crafting Knightley’s 1930s-inspired silk gown, which required a flowing hem and a low back. While Wright specified a green hue, Durran achieved the precise shade by layering three fabrics and collaborating with a skilled dyer. “He captured the intensity and brightness of the green in the silk,” she recalled. “Why that color worked so well, I can’t say.”

Given the dress’s delicate nature, the costume team created multiple versions. Knightley auctioned one from her personal collection for charity in 2009, fetching $35,000. At the time, the LA Times suggested it might one day rival Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Marilyn Monroe’s white halterneck from The Seven Year Itch.

The dress’s enduring appeal is clear from its many reinterpretations, including a version by London designer Nensi Dojaka for Alexa Chung at last year’s Serpentine Summer Party. It has undoubtedly secured its place in fashion history.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Keira Knightleys iconic green dress from Atonement designed to sound like questions from a real person

BeginnerLevel Questions

1 What is the Atonement dress everyone talks about
Its the stunning emeraldgreen biascut slip dress worn by Keira Knightleys character Cecilia Tallis in the 2007 film Atonement Its one of the most famous costumes in modern cinema

2 Why is this dress so famous
The dress is famous for its beautiful simple design and vibrant color which made Keira Knightley look unforgettable in a key library scene It perfectly captured the glamour and tension of the 1930s setting

3 Who designed the dress
The dress was designed by the films costume designer Jacqueline Durran It was custommade for the film and wasnt a vintage piece

4 What is the dress made of
It was made from silk satin which gives it that beautiful fluid and shiny appearance

5 Where is the real dress now
The original dress is part of the archives at the costume house Cosprop Ltd in London Its not on public display but it is occasionally loaned for exhibitions

Advanced Detailed Questions

6 Is it true there was more than one dress
Yes The costume department made several identical versions of the dress for different shots and to account for potential damage during filming

7 What made the color of the dress so special on screen
The vibrant emerald green was chosen specifically to pop against the dark woodpaneled library setting and to contrast with James McAvoys dark suit The color also symbolizes desire envy and the pivotal moment in the story

8 Was the dress historically accurate for the 1930s
The silhouette is accuratebiascut slip dresses were very fashionable in the 1930s However the backless design with such thin straps was a slight artistic liberty to enhance the scenes sensuality and modern appeal

9 What were some challenges in creating or using the dress
A key challenge was ensuring it stayed in place during the intense and intimate library scene with James McAvoy It was reportedly pinned very carefully to Keira Knightleys body