Ariana DeBose Was Pretty In Purple While Celebrating Diwali in New York City

Because purple pigment was so expensive to produce way back when (it came from a certain species of sea snail, long before the days of readily available snail mucin), it was a rare luxury—and thus a status symbol. While it's more accessible today, the color still has the power to make you look like a million bucks. See Marie Claire's June 2023 cover star Ariana DeBose, for example.

On Friday, May 3, the 32-year-old attended The New York Diwali Gala wearing fit-for-a-queen purple eyeshadow (and a matching gown, but we'll get there) by makeup artist Tamzin Cummings. Created with Charlotte Tilbury's new Beautyverse Palette, DeBose's eyeshadow look utilized three shades: Cyber Silver, which was applied in the inner corners, Digital Lilac, the main event here, and Space Chocolate, which perfectly complimented the Oscar winner's brown eyes. Cummings paired the shadow with some black eyeliner, flawless skin, and a pinkish-nude, glossy lip.

A post shared by Ariana DeBose
A photo posted by arianadebose on

With her sparkle enunciated by big, silver earrings and side-swept curls that highlighted the single blonde streak in her hair, the West Side Story star's purple saree gown let the glimmer continue all the way to the floor. Designed by Gaurav Gupta, the dress featured an almost unimaginable number of tiny, sparkling beads that made the whole thing flow like (lilac-colored!) water.

"It was heartening to experience the joy & DANCING of South Asian culture in celebration of Diwali, celebrating the triumph of light over darkness," DeBose wrote in an Instagram post from the evening. Unsurprisingly, the Broadway sweetheart was an apparent star on the dance floor.

"Was sooo fun to dance together!!!" wrote Corefelt founder Shivani Bafna on DeBose's Instagram post. I would've loved to see that gown—and those sparkling eyes!—in action.

Charlotte Tilbury's The Beautyverse Palette

Sophia Vilensky is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire with a beauty, wellness, and entertainment journalism portfolio that includes contributions to Byrdie, Bravo, Teen Vogue, and Us Weekly. Growing up in a family of beauticians—and through her own personal studies—she developed an in-depth understanding of aesthetics, cosmetic product formulation, and beauty treatment development and has also held roles as a senior copywriter, content strategist, and proofreader for top beauty and wellness brands. Even so, you'd be hard pressed to find her with her hair and makeup actually done. Sophia is based in Minneapolis and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she majored in English and minored in cinema studies. During her time at the university, she was the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Minnesota Daily, earning the 2019 Editor of the Year award for her work. She connected deeply with the Twin Cities arts scene, collaborating with leading beauty professionals, designers, and artists. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her thesis—a close-reading of Vanderpump Rules—was featured on NPR. When not immersed in writing or testing new products, Sophia enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and exploring the newest woo-woo wellness trends. Keep up with her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.