It's good to see Ariana Grande in custom Balenciaga, isn't it? No need to respond, that was rhetorical.
Grande and her Wicked: For Good co-stars landed in Singapore on November 13 to premiere the highly-anticipated sequel once again. They were welcomed by a familiar dress code—Oz-worthy black tie—which Grande followed in spades. Her beloved stylist, Law Roach, continues to outdo himself. This time, he enlisted the help of Balenciaga's Pierpaolo Piccioli to return Grande to her Glinda roots. After three back-to-back black dresses (each an impressive archival pull), Grande sparkled in bubblegum pink.
Ariana Grande was a vision in custom, Glinda-worthy Balenciaga.
Piccioli crafted Grande's strapless gown from pastel sequined chiffon. Tiny sequins shimmered alongside oversize sheer pailettes, a subtle homage to Glinda's mode of transportation: bubbles.
The peplum bodice was even more striking from the back. Piccioli pinned a monochromatic bow at the center, which created subtle, skirt-like ruffles out of the peplum. From there, Grande's texturized skirt billowed out into a train, without breaking the synchronicity of the sequins.
Give it up for the back of the dress.
Since the Balenciaga gown fulfilled the sparkle quota tenfold, Grande frosted herself with minimal accessories. Just one Swarovski ring, plus pearl hoop earrings earrings added to the effortless Glinda glamour of the evening.
The "thank u, next" singer's pre-premiere photoshoot kept her choice of stilettos a secret. But knowing Grande, platform pumps—likely in pale pink—added some height to the final look.
A moment for her perfectly polished manicure, please.
Grande's gown was custom-made just for the Wicked: For Good press tour, but its peplumed silhouette drew inspiration from Piccioli's Balenciaga debut. Last month, during Paris Fashion Week, the new creative director introduced tastemakers to his Balenciaga with a 53-piece runway show. Look 34 featured the same bubble-hem bodice as Grande's dress, except in vibrant purple. It swapped a cascading train for a shift-style mini skirt.
A model wore a similar silhouette on the Balenciaga Spring 2026 runway.
The Oscar nominee has a long history with both Balenciaga and Valentino, where Piccioli designed for over a decade. During the early 2020s, Grande was especially drawn to his neon dresses. (Remember her pink mini dress and matching accessories in April 2022?)
As for Balenciaga, the once Demna-led label played a major part in her oversize hoodie era. Pairing a baggy sweatshirt and thigh-high boots—both with Balenciaga tags—was her modus operandi back in the day.
