Dakota Johnson's Plunging Valentino Dress Highlights Her Witchy Diamond Necklace
It also has a sequin hood!
Black dresses with unconventional cut-outs are like fashion catnip to Dakota Johnson. Over time, they've become her favorite way to show some skin, especially when the Valentino creative director, Alessandro Michele, is involved. Sometimes, the slits line up perfectly with the trendsetter's tattoos, but on September 10, her Valentino dress's neckline framed a witchy diamond necklace instead.
For Johnson, New York Fashion Week began at the Kering Foundation's fifth annual Caring for Women Dinner, where she rubbed elbows with Salma Hayek Pinault, Simone Biles, and Pamela Anderson. Following the unofficial black-tie dress code, Johnson's stylist, Kate Young, chose a cloak-style Valentino gown with billowy bell sleeves, a sequined hood, and a carpet-sweeping skirt. The most statement-making design details were the front-facing cut-outs, though.
Dakota Johnson walked the black carpet in a cut-out Valentino dress that framed her diamond Messika necklace.
Her necklace—the Desert Bloom ‘Wild Moon’ from Messika—was perfectly placed in the diamond-shaped hole that stretched from her collarbone to below her bust. Almost like a picture frame, the gap highlighted the 19-carat crescent moon pendant that dangled from a diamond-encrusted chain. When it was still available, the statement necklace sold for $121,900.
For the rest of her accessories, the Materialists actor stayed loyal to designers like Zoe Lev, Jessica McCormack (the London label behind Zendaya's engagement ring), and more Messika. According to her stylist, Johnson slipped Valentino's Enigme Satin Pumps beneath the dress's train, but the gold-heeled stilettos remained hidden.
Appreciate the perfect-for-her diamond necklace from Messika up close.
In true Johnson style, this wasn't her first witchy wardrobe pull of the week. To celebrate the launch of the Valentino Vendetta perfume on Sept. 9 in L.A., she sourced the Italian label for another custom dress. The long-sleeve style, with its thick satin choker and velvet cape, drew inspiration from a Fall 2026 silhouette.
Early in the week, Johnson wore another black Valentino gown with a chest cut-out.
On the runway, Valentino filled the torso's negative space with a double-moon lariat necklace. But Johnson opted out of the crystallized collar, the pink satin gloves, the purple tights, and the tomato-red Rockstud Stilettos. She instead styled the look with black-and-gold Lisa Eisner earrings, a Jessica McCormack pinky ring, and black Valentino pumps.
A model wore a version of Johnson's Valentino Fall 2026 gown.
It's beginning to look a lot like long-sleeved season again, but that's not to say your fall fashion can't show any skin. This is your sign to experiment with cut-outs the Dakota Johnson Way: select an otherwise timeless evening dress with enough open space for a show-stealing sparkler or two.
Shop Cut-Out Dresses Inspired by Dakota Johnson
