When Carrie Coon earned her debut Tony Awards nomination in 2013 for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the red carpet was hers to handle alone.

"Those first Tonys were my first big public anything, when I was nominated for Virginia Woolf," Coon tells Marie Claire. And at the time, she didn't have a stylist on speed-dial or runway connections. "I recall I went to one of the vintage fashion houses and borrowed a dress from the 1930s, and I bought my own vintage jewelry from some little shop on the street, and got shoes at a shoe store."

A lot has changed since then—in terms of Coon's résumé and the fashion she's sampled along the way. She's gone on to star in critically acclaimed series like The Leftovers, The Gilded Age, and The White Lotus; she's racked up prestigious awards-season nods at every major ceremony (plus a 2016 Critics' Choice win). In conversation ahead of the 2026 Tonys, where she was once again a Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play nominee for Bug, she could see how her fashion person credentials have evolved, without losing any of her personality in the process.

Coon has spent her latest awards season run working with stylist Alicia Lombardini—a partnership that's boosted her confidence and resulted in some runway-exclusive pulls. "She always makes me feel like myself, just the coolest version of myself. I'm so grateful to have a partner navigating that with me because, boy, it is not in my DNA." (To prove her point, Coon mentions shopping for homecoming dresses with her grandmother as a teen—and that her mother would wear her hospital scrubs from shifts as an ER nurse to weddings.)

Coon's 2026 Tonys red carpet dress is the aesthetic opposite of her vintage debut thirteen years ago. She wanted to lean into a more androgynous, structural look for her gown, one that could complement her fresh pixie cut. "You have to find the right energy to play off short hair," she says.

The first dress Lombardini sourced for Coon was the ultimate winner: a high-neck Altuzarra gown with a gravity-defying pannier skirt and a completely open back. "It has a bit of a tuxedo energy, but it also has this incredible trapezoidal sculptural element to it that makes it feel more modern and more architectural," Coon says. "The cut of it is actually really sexy. It's not a conservative dress."

Coon and Lombardini weren't letting the night's formality get in the way of having fun with their red carpet select. "I mean, it is the Tony Awards—it's not the Oscars," she laughs. "There's a bit of theatricality that is welcome in this environment that we're always eager to lean into."

Her tuxedo dress is, after all, a twist on a Broadway staple. "The theater's been around forever, so it plays on the vocabulary of that fashion, and yet it's also playing against it in a very playful and modern way." Wire-rimmed MYKITA glasses and an IWC watch were her way of balancing out the dress's center-stage energy.

The way Coon describes it, this year's dress celebrates more than her latest nomination. It's a symbol of how her relationship with fashion has transformed since that first Tonys nod.

"I always feel like I was the girl who was wearing her brother's hand-me-downs and the girl who nobody wanted to borrow clothes out of my closet in college," Coon laughs. "To be in this moment feeling confident, feeling like I am the best version of myself—and that I don't have to make all of these decisions on my own, too...I'm just really excited."

Photographer Katie McCurdy | Stylist Alicia Lombardini| Makeup artist: Rebecca Restrepo | Hair stylist: Jacob Rozenberg | Location: EDITION Times Square

Three seasons into her WNBA career, Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink is confident in her tunnel walk styling philosophy.

"When I’m in the tunnel, I’m usually trying to look polished while feeling composed," she tells Marie Claire. "I want the look to feel intentional but easy, with maybe a hint of just enough glam to give me a sense of strength and presence. Usually that also means: abs out."

Her signature styling play has taken forms from cropped Monse suits to matching Hermès sets on game days. As of June 4's Hermès Resort 2027 show in Los Angeles, she's now bringing it to one of the fashion industry's most elite front rows.

Between the photographers, the megawatt guest list, and the expectation to turn out a major 'fit, "Going to a Hermès show is actually a lot like the tunnel experience," Brink says. "So I do want to bring that same energy, keep myself in the zone."

Luckily, she didn't have to look far beyond her current season's wardrobing roster to find an Hermès outfit that spoke to her personal style. "My first tunnel look this season was from Hermès, this incredible matching jacket and skirt look," she says, "so it feels full circle to watch the show [.]"

Brink teamed up with stylist Shiona Turini, who's worked with everyone from rising Broadway stars to Beyoncé, on selecting an outfit that blended Hermès' heritage with Brink's affinity for all things cropped and confident. They landed on a suede two piece, featuring a cropped bralette and middle-slit pencil skirt. A belt resembling the closure on a Birkin bag wrapped around Brink's bare torso, Carrie Bradshaw-style.

"What I love most is how the textures and proportions work together, so they’re in harmony without being loud," Brink says. "It's a look that feels very true to Hermès: refined, modern, and luxurious."

The pair only doubled down on Brink's signatures when it came time to layer on the accessories. "I’m 6’4” but I’ll never say no to a heel, so bring on the Loubs!" she says. "We also chose a bag"—a mini Kelly, for inquiring minds—"and sunglasses that could add very subtle pops of color without detracting from the earth tones."

Brink's sunglasses weren't just a continuation of her minimalist color palette. The Emmanuelle Khan x Tracee Ellis Ross shades are also a form of fashion good luck charm when she's playing. "They always bring just the right of amount of edge and personality to my tunnel fits, so I wanted to wear them tonight at Hermès as well."

The final look reads one-hundred percent "Cameron," but it's the result of some serious teamwork. "Shiona and I share a common language—we’re both all in on crop tops—so the process is always pretty fun and collaborative," Brink says. "We started out by thinking about what we might want to evolve or change for this moment and felt like we wanted to explore a more sophisticated, understated vibe."

While Brink has her reasons for committing to the "abs out" template, she's finding new ways to explore her style beyond her home court. "One of the perks of working with Shiona has been that my perspective on fashion has really broadened," Brink adds.

Get ready for another front-row layup by the time Fashion Month officially rolls around: This Hermès fashion show won't be her last.

Photographer Cam Brink | Stylist Shiona Turini

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Samara Weaving only needs about 14 minutes over the phone before the Los Angeles premiere of her new crime thriller, Carolina Caroline, to give me a crash course in third-trimester pregnancy and postpartum survival. She recently gave birth to her first child, while I'm six weeks out from delivering mine. Naturally, I'm jotting down all the tips she offers: Combine pumping and a NuFace handheld facial sculpting session on early mornings for a quick pick-me-up before baby is fully awake. Invest in the Rag & Bone sweatpant jeans—they're a sneakily comfortable outfit savior before and after delivery. Prepare to feel all the contradictory feelings when it's time to go back to work, even when getting back to work means prepping for a long-awaited red carpet and press tour.

Okay, that scenario is specific to Weaving, but the emotions are universal. "It's an adjustment," Weaving says with a half-laugh, half sigh. "I'm just so exhausted and so excited all at once, and I'm like 'I just want to be at home with the baby,' but then I'm also excited to promote the movie, but then also trying not to feel guilty—it's just so many emotions all at once! But I'm really trying to focus on being grateful and taking it one day at a time, and trying not to, I don't know, lose my mind." We share another knowing giggle—moms at every stage know the struggle.

Carolina Caroline's release marks Weaving's first time back on the red carpet since giving birth. Her look was a return to form, inspired by the film's slate of entirely vintage costumes: a snatched Wiederhoeft corset dress sprinkled with rhinestones across the bodice, paired with Louboutin heels and a dusting of Logan Hollowell diamonds.

While she was expecting, Weaving couldn't as easily find the "edgy, sexy, emo" pieces she'd normally pick out. She loves Alexander McQueen and grunge-inspired fashion, but rocker-chic runways aren't the most frequent references in the maternity section.

"You have to sort of lock up your wardrobe for nine months and go, okay, we'll see you in a bit!" she says of her pregnancy style. Looking back, "If anything I'm a little pissed that there's not more cool maternity clothes that are super available. I love playing with clothes. But with pregnancy, it was really hard to feel like I could find clothes that felt playful, like my personality."

The outfits she was happiest wearing were reworked by stylist Jordan Dorso from non-maternity options—another motherhood workaround women beyond Hollywood know all too well.

Returning to the red carpet circuit is Weaving's chance to realign with her love of fashion. Of course, postpartum style comes with its own set of special considerations. "Bodies are incredible, and they push a baby out, and they're just always changing, so it's like I'm in a new little era of going, 'Hey, what's my body gonna do today? What can I fit in today?' Which is kind of stressful, but Jordan has just been incredible, and we've made it really fun."

The pair has pulled together references that wink at the film while ensuring Weaving can comfortably walk the carpet and watch her screening. Her Wiederhoeft corset and bombshell waves were a nod to the film's nineties Southern glam. The costuming also includes a lot of red, white, and blue—which she's considering trying on for another event.

Selecting silhouettes like her premiere-night corset is her way of embracing her postpartum body, too. "You get a nice pair of boobs when you give birth," she laughs, "so we're gonna celebrate them."

Weaving ultimately played with neutrals for her first premiere, but she's planning to explore more of the color wheel on later tour stops. "I love a little black dress, but I'm really trying to wear more colors. So, we're looking at reds and blues, and I wore a really cute little yellow top with a suit pant yesterday." One piece she's looking forward to: a red vintage Versace dress she bought before getting pregnant that she's considering wearing for New York City press.

At the same time, Weaving is planning her working-mom wardrobe, and she's still reflecting on her "eye-opening" maternity-style experience from just a few months ago. Limited options aren't something she wants anyone else to settle for if they share her style.

"Maybe, me and some friends can all pull together and make like a grungy maternity wear line," she says. It's a half-joking pitch, but a part of me hopes she'll consider it. I'm sure there are other fashion-people-turned-parents who'd love to see more clothes like Weaving's in the maternity aisle.

Photographer Sammi Smith | Stylist Jordan Dorso | Hair Stylist Clara Leonard | Makeup Artist Benjamin Puckey

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

For one heart-racing hour every Thursday, The Pitt viewers spent 15 weeks this spring seeing Supriya Ganesh as fan-favorite resident Dr. Samira Mohan in exactly one outfit: black, ER-proof scrubs and cushioned sneakers, with a stethoscope slung around her neck. Don't let the onscreen uniform fool you, though. In the 18 months since the Columbia University alum made the leap from MCAT tutoring to a recurring role on one of TV's most critically-acclaimed medical dramas, she’s proven her red carpet bona fides.

"I love almost getting to play dress up and having fun with it," Ganesh tells Marie Claire. "I am pretty experimental."

After walking down the Emmy Awards and Actor Awards red carpets with The Pitt's sprawling ensemble cast, Ganesh spent May 9 preparing for a special solo honor: attending the Gold Gala, an annual event hosted by the nonprofit Gold House. It's an evening celebrating breakthrough talents in the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community—and this year, Ganesh made the 2026 Gold100 list of honorees.

Even as the actor spoke from her getting-ready chair, she couldn't quite believe this was the event she'd spent "the whole day" prior planning her hair and makeup for. "I remember looking at photos of Gold Gala, like, five years ago when it first started, as I was just starting to take off in my career, and going, I really hope I'm there one day," Ganesh reflects. "Not even as an honoree—I just wanted to meet people that I've idolized for so much of my life."

For an evening honoring AAPI luminaries—and the start of AAPI month—Ganesh knew she wanted to spotlight designers within the community alongside the "Modern Gold" dress code. After casting a wide net with stylist Amanda Lim, a Spring 2026 strapless gown by Naeem Khan was the eventual winner.

"While our options included Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Nepalese, and Singaporean designers, she stated clearly early on in the process that if the look was genuinely right for this event, she would love to wear an Indian American designer," Lim says. "Supriya fell in love with the heavenliness, the lightness and timelessness of her final look choice, [and] when she learned it’s one of Naeem’s designs, all elements of our search fell into place." The piece was inspired by Khan's time working with legendary designer Halston and orbiting the artist Andy Warhol, manifesting in gold poppy flowers along Ganesh's skirt.

For Lim, the look sums up all the juxtapositions that have made styling Ganesh such a special experience throughout her tenure on The Pitt. "I really enjoy working with a person who curiously leans into her feminine and her masculine at every opportunity we have to fit," Lim says, "Her aesthetic choices range from glamorous, to effortless, to strong and edgy—I adore her lightness of being."

In this Gold Gala Naeem Khan dress—plus an array of Shaneli fine jewelry and Alevi heels—Ganesh found even more style contradictions to explore. The dress isn't as princess-like as the layers of tulle and raffia first suggest. "It feels almost like armor in a way," they explain. "The corset up top was so structured, but then there's just this incredible skirt that's so flowy and billowy. I just thought it was really whimsical and beautiful in a way that I can't remember the last time I did that on a carpet."

After spending the ceremony with stars like Priyanka Chopra, Arden Cho, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Ganesh got to show her style range with an after-party outfit change. "I also try to do a switch-up if I can," she says, "because I love spotlighting designers' work as much as I possibly can."

When the Naeem Khan dress went back into the garment bag, a black and white Raisa Vanessa dress took its place. The hemline rose to a mod mini length; Ganesh's hair fell into loose waves, pulled back with pins to spotlight a pair of Shaneli Jewelry diamond earrings.

Ganesh's days scrubbing in to the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center ended with The Pitt season 2, to fans' dismay. But with the September Emmy Awards on the horizon and more roles certain to follow, the actor's red carpet shifts aren't ending anytime soon.

Whatever comes next, don't expect Ganesh to suddenly adopt a step-and-repeat uniform (the haute couture equivalent of scrubs). "I think when I'm on carpets, I want to play and have fun while still being true to myself," Ganesh reflects. "I want to hold on to that somehow, so I can still feel like myself in a setting that can feel so strange. [Fashion] lets me have fun, in a way."

Photographer Ian Martin, Amanda Lim | Stylist Amanda Lim | Hair Stylist Miles Jeffries | Makeup Artist Kara Yoshimoto Bua | Location La Perla Hotel

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

"If only you could see me right now," an exhilarated Nia Long tells me minutes before making her Met Gala red carpet debut.

She's calling from a sprinter van stuck in New York City traffic, en route to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and fashion's biggest night. Stylists Matthew and Reginald Reisman are standing in solidarity with Long—her custom LaQuan Smith gown wasn't made for sitting. Despite the start-and-stop drive uptown—and all those seats going unused—I'm convinced when Long says her commute is, actually, "so glamorous."

Over 20 years of red carpet walks led The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star to this moment, but "it's not just me standing in a dress," she says. Long's mom, Talita Long, is an artist, painter, and printmaker, so the actress learned "Fashion Is Art" decades before it became the 2026 Met Gala's dress code.

"I just remember the times when I was a young girl going to the Met [Museum] with [my mother] and looking at all the exhibits," the Brooklyn native reminisces. "My father was a poet, and art is just in my blood." Growing up with two full-time creatives for parents, Long learned that "art is an expression of love" at an early age. And no, it doesn't need to be expressed with words: "It can be a LaQuan Smith, black velvet dress with a badass train," she says.

A sculptural neckline, upholstered hips, and the train's voluminous bustle aren't the only features making Long's gown "an ode to her 90’s rein and timeless beauty," Smith tells me over email. Only Long and Smith knew about a "little secret" tucked into the dress's bow.

"One of [my mother's] first pen and ink [creations] was called 'The Mother and Child,' she did it when she was 18 years old," Long reveals. "Shortly after that, she got pregnant with me. LaQuan and I came up with this amazing idea to have her painting tucked into my dress." While Long's mom stayed in L.A. with Long's younger son, Kez Sunday Udoka, she was still with her, all night long.

Long is a "farmer's market mom with a Chanel bag" at heart, but she was deeply involved in her Met Gala dress's creation. She picked the fabric with Smith, went to his Queens studio, and embraced the experience to the fullest. "This piece was a true labor of love," Smith adds. "Every curve, every line [was] designed to celebrate her power and presence." It took over 200 hours to create from start to finish.

"I'm very demanding and clear about what works for me; it's a beautiful thing to know yourself well enough to know what holds you and preserves the work and art," she says. "I love days like this when you see the preparation, the hard work, and everything comes together and there's no stress, because I don't think people understand the amount of pressure you feel on a carpet this large."

Being so self-aware of her personal style made Long's pre-Met Gala process quite seamless for a first-timer. Wanting to spotlight her sensuality is what drew Long to Smith's designs initially: "I love that he understands a woman's body," she tells me. "He is not afraid to allow us to express our sexuality through his design—he actually encourages that."

The two met for the first time when Estée Lauder named her the North American ambassador. "He came to my dinner and we just started talking and I felt like I knew him forever," she adds. It was also important for her to represent a Black designer on fashion's biggest stage. She did all that and more—in eight-inch heels, no less.

Once the dress was complete, Long gave her décollatage the full Met Gala treatment, frosting it with "more [diamonds] than I've ever seen in my lifetime." LEVIEV's pièce de résistance—a collar-shaped necklace, featuring over 10 emerald-encrusted pendants—was in no way "mysterious," like her black velvet gown.

Long says she never commits to a whole suite of high jewelry. Clearly, she picked the perfect soirée to step outside her comfort zone with a bold bracelet, matching earrings, cocktail ring, and her main character necklace.

The actress chose her hair and makeup looks to complement her dress and diamonds, not the other way around. First, Long's hair was sculpted into a clean updo. Its subtle swoop felt just as "pretty and buttery" as Long's makeup, courtesy of Estée Lauder's natural Double Wear line. The minute she described her makeup look, someone started playing "Brown Skin" by India.Arie in the van. Talk about perfect timing.

I have a feeling Long could wax poetic about her first Met Gala look for hours. But rustling in the background hints Long's ride uptown is coming to an end. Her "full-circle moment" on the 2026 Met Gala carpet awaits.

Photographer Dalvin Adams | Stylist The Reismans | Hair Stylist Shaylin Jones | Makeup Artist Camille Thompson, Estée Lauder

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

One week after UCLA's star center, Lauren Betts, helped secure her team its first NCAA championship, she teased the designer behind her 2026 WNBA Draft look. In an Instagram post live from New York City—before the Washington Mystics called her name on April 13—she showed off a Coach Tabby Bag. Not long after, she walked the red carpet at The Shed at Hudson Yards in a custom Coach set, ready to receive her first-ever WNBA jersey.

Ahead of her big moment, though, Betts told Marie Claire she had "no worries" about the event because "we're all naturals in front of the camera," referring to her UCLA teammates: "It's like being at the draft with your best friends." Instead, she's committed to enjoying every day of this "surreal" week—"soaking in" a win with her sister Sienna, making talk-show appearances, and, now, wearing a Coach look designed just for her. (Fitting, since Coach is an official partner of the WNBA.)

Betts didn't reveal much about her custom Coach creation before walking the step-and-repeat—except that she was so excited about it—but she did admit she couldn't wait "for everyone to see how we all look outside of our jerseys, all sweaty."

The 22-year-old looked every bit a red carpet regular in a "very chic, very elegant" bias-cut maxi dress from the brand, with its spaghetti-slim straps, U-shaped neckline, and thigh-high slit. Scattered rhinestones glistened from bodice-to-train.

"We had a few fittings, trying to find time in our busy schedule, but we definitely collaborated and put together something really beautiful," she says.

Betts' belted, peep-toe Margot mules weren't just Coach's take on the doll heels trend, but a comfortable shoe for a fabulously long night.

She also accessorized with a Coach Tabby 26, this time in black with silver hardware. (Last year, Paige Bueckers, Aneesah Morrow, Hailey Van Lith, and Sonia Citron all carried Tabby Bags on the carpet, too.) The newly-minted Mystic has something her soon-to-be competitors don't: family ties to the brand. She and her mom purchased their first designer bags from Coach, she reveals—fast-forward 15 years or so, and she's "put my whole team on, so we all have a [Coach] bag now."

Gorjana jewelry matched the minimalist suave of Betts' slip-style dress. Being part of the label's Sports Club gave her an all-access pass to a $5,615, lab-grown diamond chain, a matching $2,775 tennis necklace, and $540 hoop huggie earrings.

The '90s-inspired mood board translated to her hair and makeup, too. Her makeup artist tapped into Betts's month-old partnership with Nyx to create bronze smokey eyes, chiseled cheeks, feathered brows, and glossy nude lips.

Wearing Coach to the WNBA Draft was a "dream come true" for Betts, but this is just the beginning of her fashion-girl era. If last night's look was her sartorial warm-up, her upcoming tunnel walks will mirror a March Madness-esque marathon.

"Fashion is something that I've always been really interested in," she says. "I'm excited to show my personality and my style a little bit more than I get to in college."

She's not limiting herself to certain brands, either. As long as there's room for collaboration, the rising star feels confident "we'll put together some really cool 'fits."

Should her pre-game picks be anything like her draft dress (and the grunge-sleek sets on her IG), expect Betts's '90s style to rank high on best-dressed lists following her first game with the Mystics.

Photographer Ben Rosser | Stylist Katie Qian | Hair Stylist NYX Cosmetics | Makeup Artist NYX Cosmetics | Location The Luxury Collection Hotel Manhattan Midtown

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

KPop Demon Hunters star Arden Cho has spent all of award season reimagining her character's signature colors. Her lavender Vivienne Westwood dress at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, she tells Marie Claire from her Oscars glam chair, was "very Rumi-coded." Once the 2026 Academy Awards finally arrived, Cho gravitated away from the Best Animated Feature-winner's palette and toward "something more for myself."

The Korean-American actor pauses mid-makeup application to reveal Rumi—the fierce yet vulnerable lead singer of K-pop girl group Huntrix—still had a spot on her red carpet mood board. She questioned, "Do we go purple? Do we go gold? Do we do these things that feel like a nod to Rumi?" in the build-up to award season's grand finale. Ultimately, Cho made her Oscars debut in Korean label Miss Sohee, which honored both her and Rumi's heritage.

Cho shifts her chair to admire "the sculpted corsetry and meticulous hand embroidery" of her Oscars dress. "The first thing I thought when I saw it was, 'This reminds me of a traditional Korean hanbok,'" she says, gazing at the cherry blossom and bird appliqués atop each voluminous, carpet-grazing sleeve. "[Miss Sohee's] work brings in so much Korean heritage and blends it with modern Western couture," she explains. Wearing a Korean designer while KPop Demon Hunters became the first Korean animated film to win Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song was quite literally "historical."

Cho wants this moment to "encourage young Korean girls that we can be loud, bold, and unapologetically take up space," she shares. She calls herself a "shy girl," one that's conscious of being "too much." But with the help of stylist Katie Qian, a first-generation descendent of Chinese immigrants, Cho didn't hold back at the Oscars.

Beneath the moss green sleeves emerges a strapless, nearly-naked gown, which transforms from black lace to bedazzled fishnet-esque scallops. "It has a really sexy, tighter silhouette underneath and then, the sleeves are the drama moment where it feels a bit more grand," Cho says.

It couldn't be more different from her wedding dress, which she started searching for while planning her Oscars look. Trying on endless gowns—both award show- and wedding-worthy—taught Cho about different silhouettes, styles, and "how far to push the fashion and the comfort." Some designs, while glamorous, are made for "standing, not sitting," she laughs. Cho hasn't said yes to a wedding dress just yet, but she'll resume shopping with a new wealth of knowledge. The perks of attending the Oscars are endless, it seems.

No "princess moment" would be complete without a suite of diamonds, courtesy of Messika. "It's so funny because [the collection is] actually called Once Upon a Time," she says. The Miss Sohee gown left her collarbones free to display Messika's Firebird Necklace.

Over 100 carats of marquise-shaped diamonds create the collar-style silhouette, before a detachable five-carat, cushion-cut pendant dangles from the center. "The [matching] Firebird earrings feel really strong and powerful, but they're not too dramatic," Cho adds, as to not outshine her necklace.

Above all, 고급스러워 (gogeubseuleowo) is "the vibe we're going for, which feels elegant, but we didn't try hard," Cho says. A Korean makeup trend called 굽굽 (gubgub) was the cherry on top. "It means being a little baked, but not like what Americans think is a baked makeup style," Cho shares. "In Korea, they're using [toasted], muted, and moody colors mostly for eyes." Makeup artist Sangwon “Sang” Jeon and hair stylist Steven Mason gave the K-beauty trend an Oscars twist with a glossy nude lip and "Hollywood waves," respectively.

Even Cho's getting ready ritual is authentic to her. Her dog, a Pekingese-Shih Tzu mix named Chewy, took breaks from sunbathing to try sitting on her Oscars Miss Sohee. (No wonder the "main character" has 50,000 followers on Instagram.)

If there was any award show to debut her "most elevated" dress, it's the 2026 Oscars. Cho's Miss Sohee did exactly what an Oscars look should do: Stay true to her personal style while embodying the affair's glamour. It also marked the latest chapter in Cho's career of spotlighting Asian designers, including Cong Tri, Le Thanh Hoa, and Sebastian Gunawan.

Miss Sohee's design will always be the gown Cho wore when KPop Demon Hunters made Oscars history. It's only right a Korean creation was her plus-one.

Photographer Ssam Kim | Stylist Katie Qian | Hair Stylist Steven Mason | Makeup Artist Sangwon “Sang" Jeon | Location Hollywood Hills

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

What should you expect from a best-dressed Oscar nominee when she's expecting at the Academy Awards? For Sinners star and Best Supporting Actress nominee Wunmi Mosaku, her approach to the 98th Annual Oscars red carpet wasn't all that different from her strategy throughout trophy season—even, and especially, while pregnant.

I'm embracing the bump but not dressing just purely for the bump," she tells Marie Claire on Oscar morning, hours before she'll change into a Louis Vuitton dress she describes as "mermaid-y meets Old Hollywood."

All the maternity stuff is always so disheartening, and I feel like it's really hard to feel like yourself when you're pregnant," she says. "So feeling like myself is the most important thing. I did not want to feel like I was trying to hide or like pretend. I wanted to embrace my growing body and celebrate it.

With pulls from stylist Shameelah Hicks, Mosaku has graced red carpets from the BAFTAS (where she won Best Supporting Actress) to the Actor Awards in gowns that didn't compromise her love of an elegant, vibrant look. Bright colors make her happiest, so she's sampled every shade from Ahluwalia's cobalt blue to Matthew Reisman's sunshine yellow.

She's also viewed her red-carpet style as a place to champion the cultures and creatives who support her. In addition to styling the likes of her Oscars Louis Vuitton, "I really wanted to make sure that we're celebrating Black designers too, from everywhere in the diaspora," she says. "I really want to make sure that we keep celebrating and showcasing Black designers because it's a tough industry."

For Oscars night, Mosaku ultimately landed on a deep, emerald green that shimmered in tandem with her David Yurman jewelry. "I want the fabric to just speak for itself and be a talking point in itself," she says. Louis Vuitton's gown was hand-embroidered, coating her one-shoulder, long-sleeve gown with hundreds of tiny luminescent beads.

Her all-over sparkle met the Oscars' demand for high-glamour dressing without making things harder for Mosaku in the final stretch of her pregnancy.

Other Old Hollywood codes, she explains, would have been tough to navigate with a bump. "I love a train, I love a cape, but also those things hinder you when you're moving around—and I didn't know how big I was going to be by [the Oscars]," she says. "I wasn't even sure if I was going to make it to today! So I just went for a design that felt really graceful with ease."

Hair and makeup were the places for Mosaku to bring her Nigerian heritage into the red-carpet mix. "I always want to feel like my texture is being celebrated and my heritage is being celebrated," she explains. Her sculptural up-do by Araxi Lindsey blended "a hairstyle that's kind of traditional in the diaspora with Hollywood, classic shapes."

Mosaku didn't ultimately take home the statuette for Best Supporting Actress. (Amy Madigan, of Weapons, was the winner.) She's walking away from awards season with another accomplishment alongside Sinners' many accolades, anyway: a newfound appreciation for her style, no matter the phase of life she's in.

"I've always felt quite excluded from the fashion industry, and I feel like this is the first time I've felt really embraced by it," she says. While navigating premieres has previously been challenging as "not a sample size," celebrating her critically acclaimed role and her pregnancy at once has opened new doors. "Everyone was really embracing my growing curves and loving it and trying to figure it out together. It's been quite a joyful experience."

Photographer Ashley Randall | Stylist Shameelah Hicks | Hair Stylist Araxi Lindsey | Makeup Artist Uzo | Location Beverly Hills Hotel

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

For Shay Mitchell, Paris Fashion Week didn't open with a runway, technically. Her first day began at a Barry's workout class hosted by Dior. (Seriously: The $3,950 Toujours Tote doubled as her gym bag.) But less than 24 hours later, Mitchell traded Red Room-proof athleisure for "elevated" Dior tailoring in the Fall 2026 fashion show's front row.

Mitchell and Dior aren't strangers: She scored an invite to the maison's Cruise 2025 show in Scotland, after all. But she'd never seen Dior in all its Parisian glory, much less under the direction of new creative director, Jonathan Anderson. Catching up via email from her flight home to L.A., Mitchell tells Marie Claire it was worth the journey and the gym class. The show "felt very Dior, but with a fresh perspective," she says.

Mitchell got to see another side of the new Dior woman at Anderson's second womenswear show—a whimsical one only enhanced by the lily pad-dense pond set up in the famed Jardin des Tuileries. "Jonathan has such a strong creative point of view, and I thought the way he brought together the garden setting, florals, and beautiful tailoring was incredible," Mitchell says.

When Mitchell received Dior's invite—two pocket-size recreations of the Jardin's green chairs—she gathered she was in for a "romantic" treat. So she reinterpreted the look of modern-day visitors in a ladylike skirt set. "Lately I’ve been drawn to strong tailoring and clean silhouettes," hence her fitted blazer and micro-mini skirt.

Not a single frill, ruffle, or appliqué interrupted the blazer and mini skirt's black-and-white herringbone fabric. Well, unless you count itty-bitty rhinestones that only sparkled when the Parisian sun—or mood lighting in her five-star hotel—hit them just right.

The suit signaled a minimalist shift in Mitchell's fashion show style. In late January, Marie Claire assumed she called herself a capital-M maximalist, judging by her intricately-beaded green top at Valentino's Spring 2026 Couture show.

Turns out, she was just embodying a character, just as she's done on Pretty Little Liars, You, and more. "Couture is a moment to step out of your comfort zone and really have fun with fashion," Mitchell says. "For ready-to-wear, I usually gravitate toward pieces that feel elevated but a little more effortless."

You can see this preference reflected in Dior accessories, like her black Bow Bag. The Spring 2026 style's defining feature is a magnetized leather bow, in place of a classic zip-top closure. It's the definition of the outfit-finishers Mitchell loves best: "pieces that feel put together but still confident and feminine."

Instead of the sky-high heels Mitchell typically wears at fashion shows, she chose Mary Janes capable of strolling comfortably to her front-row seat. (Jennifer Lawrence debuted Mitchell's croc-embossed pair at last October's Dior show.) A pale pink rose—perhaps from the bush Anya Taylor-Joy found outside her hotel?—became Mitchell's last-minute plus-one.

If Mitchell burst onto the runway half-way through the show, no one would've batted an eye. Between the timeless pattern and classic co-ord, her look fit in with Anderson's Fall 2026 takes on tailoring. Should Mitchell secure a fresh-off-the-runway set, she'd wear it almost identically to her latest look: "I’d style it in a simple way—great heels, minimal accessories—and let the piece speak for itself," she says.

This year alone, Mitchell has already launched three Béis collections, made her Haute Couture Week debut, and reunited with Dior's front row. It seems being a "big believer" in manifesting is still paying off. Whatever she's doing, she should definitely keep it up.

Photographer Paige Powell | Hair Stylist Jay Birmingham| Makeup Artist Angie Martinez | Location Le Bristol Paris

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

To make the 2026 Actor Awards best-dressed list, nominees like If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You star Rose Byrne needed to ace a very specific assignment: following the inaugural dress code, "Reimagining Hollywood Glamour from the '20s and '30s." With stylist Kate Young and Chanel's latest Métiers d'Art collection on her side, Byrne didn't have to sweat meeting the vintage-inspired requirements. In a moment, she calls "serendipity": the gown she chose weeks in advance of the surprise dress code's reveal was a perfect fit.

"We had already settled on my look for the night before we knew about the theme," Byrne tells me while she's getting ready for the red carpet. A hair dryer that will style her bob into loose, "model off-duty" waves is blowing full-force in the background, but even that can't drown out Byrne's excitement to slip into her Chanel dress.

On the label's December runway, Look 81, a silk crepe tank dress adorned with tiny silver beads, had charged across an abandoned New York City subway platform and captivated Byrne in the process.

"It's almost like a homage to the fanciest slip dress you could imagine," she says. "The detailing is just exquisite, [with the] delicate beads and jewels in there. It's a kind of quintessential cool-girl Chanel and it was worn really effortlessly by the model...I remember it felt so luxurious and effortless."

Weeks later, its flapper-reminiscent skirt and slight embellishments perfectly aligned with the Actor Awards' red-carpet ode to Old Hollywood stars. "I think it's really going to speak to that era in an elegant way," Byrne says.

"Elegant" comes up at least eight times in our ten-minute chat as Byrne gets ready for the red carpet. Indeed, it's the best word for her run of recent awards-show looks, from winning her first Golden Globes trophy in a custom green Chanel gown to celebrating BAFTA and Critics Choice nominations in Miu Miu and Valentino, respectively. "It's all so elevated and sophisticated in a way that I've not had that experience before, [of wearing] in a whole row where you're collaborating with them," she says of her awards season wardrobe. "I love fashion, so it's been fun."

Byrne explains that she and Young always start with the shape: a princess-inspired full skirt one night, a more silhouette-hugging slip the next. Along the way, they've branched out into a broader palette of colors and refined details. Byrne says she's even grown to love the structure of a corset over this For Your Consideration campaign cycle. "It adds to the performance on the carpet in a way, like playing a character, which I kind of enjoy."

Her character on the 2026 Actor Awards red carpet didn't require heavy lifting in the hair and makeup departments. A full face of Chanel Beauty by Hung Vanngo made her skin glow against the Cloud Dancer shade of her gown. For accessories, she only added Messika jewelry with Desert diamonds from Namibia—plus, a period-accurate cocktail ring, "which is definitely a bit of bling."

Of course, the new and improved Actor Awards aren't the Met Gala: The dress code is in service of honoring major performances as well as great style. When we speak, Byrne is still a giddy to be a first-time nominee. "To be with my peers, this is such a special event because it's all voted on with my union—and you know, I love my dental!" she laughs. "I'm so grateful to have my union, and not to be corny, but it's very meaningful to be voted by your peers."

In the spirit of SAG-AFTRA community, the night is as much about celebrating her fellow nominees' style as it is getting dressed up for her own moment in the spotlight. "I also love to see what everyone else is wearing at this point," she says, before offering her best impression of an E! red carpet correspondent. "I'm with Chase Infiniti, like, walk me through this Louis Vuitton, what do we got?"

Photographer Art Streiber | Stylist Kate Young | Hair Stylist Harry Josh | Makeup Artist Hung Vanngo

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

The Pluribus role that earned Rhea Seehorn her 2026 Golden Globes Best Actress in a TV Series - Drama win (and a Critics Choice Awards victory the week before) isn't one where she dresses up much. She's playing Carol Sturka, a grouchy romantasy novelist who, through circumstances it would spoil the whole show to reveal here, becomes humanity's last hope against a threat to the entire planet.

The set-up pays homage to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, with mass hive mind possession that only Carol (and a few others) escape. In this world, personal style is hardly a priority. As the star describes it to me in her car en route to the Globes Golden red carpet, her character is "dressed like a slob, but trying to save the world."

The Globes were a welcome chance for Seehorn to spotlight what she most enjoys wearing off set and on the promo circuit: "very, very artistic pieces." She's worked with stylist Jessica Paster to get out of her comfort zone this awards season. The approach leading to her strapless Louis Vuitton gown, gilded in all-over crinkled gold brocade, was a balancing act. "It's getting educated in fashion and taking some risks," she explains, "but also letting someone else get to know you so it's a portrait as well."

Her Midas gold dress makes that give-and-take philosophy tangible. "Tonight I'm wearing this very Old Hollywood style—bodice and small waist—but then it's in a beautiful brocade that's almost like armor," she explains. "It makes you feel like a superhero, but also incredibly feminine, and that just made me happy immediately."

Trying on options with the Louis Vuitton team felt like a win weeks before the ceremony. "I have to say I was so, so overwhelmed and flattered when they offered to dress me and also that Nicolas [Ghesquière], their designer, is actually a fan of the show," Seehorn says. "It wasn't about him having to be convinced—he actually was a fan of mine."

Before the show, Seehorn told me her nomination was "hard to take in." She still hadn't wrapped her head around Pluribus showrunner Vince Gilligan writing the part of Carol just for her—and providing one of the most "rewarding" roles she says she's had.

"It's not only the writing of the part, it's the environment he has created for me to push myself and challenge myself in my performance," she says. "That's how we got here tonight."

Seehorn's eventual win was a result of her stirring performance. (For many stretches of many Pluribus episodes, she's the only actress on-screen.) But she prepared to go onstage with a special addition. "My best good luck charm is my partner Graham Larson, who's sitting here with me," she says. "Louis Vuitton were kind enough to dress him as well, and he looks gorgeous. So when I get nervous, I just look at him."

"I don't like things to be overly serious, it's not who I am," Seehorn says. "I play very serious people, but I'm a dork in real life. So, I want to remember that this is all fun. This is all just being invited to the ball after you worked your butt off."

Of course, this ball turned out differently than others. She went home with a statue to match her Louis Vuitton gown. "I'm still so grateful that I get to do this for a living, and this is the incredible icing on that cake," Seehorn said onstage in her acceptance speech. I don't think even Carol could write an ending like that.

Photographer Saskia Lawaks | Stylist Jessica Paster | Hair Stylist Matthew Collins | Makeup Artist Mai Quynh | Location The Beverly Hills Hotel

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Tessa Thompson has kept her Hedda character at the center of her mood board in the lead-up to the film’s release. That hasn’t required leaning all the way into its source material’s Late Victorian aesthetic, however. She opens the adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's 1891 play in a shade of red so "beautiful," she decided to scatter it throughout her entire press tour wardrobe. "[I]t made me adore wearing the color," she tells me in an email. "I recently wore a bright red leather skirt that remains a favorite."

With her slate of premieres behind her (the film hit theaters October 22), Thompson turned her attention to another strong-willed, well-dressed woman: Gabrielle Chanel.

Thompson was one of several A-listers who toasted Chanel’s new Première Galon watch at an intimate Chateau Royale dinner in New York City last night. Like fellow guests Sarah Pidgeon, Riley Keough, and Paloma Elsesser, her look for the night out revolved around the 18k gold timepiece.

It’s a dainty addition to Thompson’s wrist, but its history (and braided gold strap) makes it stand out. Her style modifies Chanel’s original Première Galon, which debuted in 1987. It’s defined by several clever nods to Gabrielle Chanel staples: an octagonal watch face references the Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle’s stopper, while the leather chain reworks the classic outer of a Chanel quilted bag. The braided strap also traces the lines of Gabrielle Chanel’s preferred trims on her two-piece suits—and there are three variations, each corresponding to a suit silhouette.

That’s a lot of fashion history to pack into one accessory. But as Thompson tells us, it didn’t weigh the piece down. In fact, it inspired her to look toward Mattieu Blazy’s Spring 2026 runway debut for a complementary outfit that’s aspirational in its ease. “I loved the exposed undergarments in the new collection and felt inspired by it for tonight’s styling,” she explains.

Thompson landed on a black tank top with satin wide-leg pants—a nod to pajama dressing, if those pajamas were worn in Gabrielle Chanel’s suite at the Ritz Paris. It covered her four C’s of a strong Chanel homage: “Casual, cool, chic, and classic in mood.”

Her “slightly sporty” beauty beat turned to another set of references. Mainly, “Sade and late '80’s Chanel,” Thompson says.

All Thompson needed was to stack on Chanel Fine Jewelry Coco Crush earrings and rings—with a mix of 18k white gold, 18k yellow gold, and diamonds—to make an impact. But she pushed the look even further with a final nod to the Chanel archives in her hair. Of all the house codes, she defines her favorites with two words: “Bows, baby!” Then, she doubles down. “Bows all the time.”

So Thompson topped her braided ponytail with a double-C coated bow. “I tied one in my hair from a Chanel ribbon I recently bought myself,” she says. The house's first heroine would no doubt approve.

Photographer Matthew Kristall

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Some performers assume an alter-ego before they walk onstage. They gain confidence by "becoming" someone else. Colombian artist Karol G, on the other hand, amps herself up by dialing in to where she came from.

"I dance, I pray, and I remind myself of the girl who started singing in Medellín with big dreams," she tells me in an email. "I call on that version of me—the one who didn’t have fame, but had faith." Then, she takes a deep breadth and remembers "You’re here for a reason. Go make them feel something."

That's an understatement for what she achieved during her two-song set at the 2025 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. She was as much of an attraction on the runway as Bella Hadid and Alex Consani as she performed her hits “Ivonny Bonita” and “Latina Forever,” tracks that propelled her to a historic 2024 tour and coinciding Netflix documentary.Shoulders were swaying in the audience; the energy in the room noticeably rose a few notches as she danced around a drummer at the center of the runway. "That's my GIRL!" one guest shouted as Karol G hit her last pose—in her own set of red wings.

That Victoria's Secret Fashion Show signature only came out during her big finale, as she walked to the end of the stage. Otherwise, Karol G performed in her own twist on the peek-a-boo silhouettes and bombshell glam embellishments the event is known for: She wore a long-sleeve, red lace bodysuit, coated in baroque clusters of intricate red crystals, with a chili pepper satin wrap around her waist.

Going a relatively covered-up route was intentional. "For this performance, I wanted to explore a different kind of sensuality. One that doesn’t come from showing skin, but from owning presence," she explains. "The entire look is red, a tone that feels like passion, confidence, and danger all at once."

"Because my set was more intimate and emotional, I wanted to let the shapes, movement, and energy of the outfit do the talking," she adds. "It’s elegant, powerful, and mysterious, like a woman who knows exactly what she carries inside."

The singer tells me it took several rounds of fittings and experiments with fabrics to nail the exact effect she wanted. "I’m very detail-oriented with everything. I like to understand the construction, the way the light hits," she explains. "We probably adjusted the look five or six times, even last minute changes, until it felt perfect. Not only visually, but emotionally. When I finally saw it under the stage lights, I knew it was the one."

The final outcome reflects the four pillars Karol G builds every onstage outfit around, regardless of the venue or set list: "strength, sensuality, charisma, and soul."

"I love mixing feminine power with raw emotion," she says. "For me, it’s never just about the outfit, it’s about what I feel."

That translates to a palette of "tropical tones" and tactile textures like silk, feathers, leather, and crystals. Like her shimmering bodysuit, the silhouettes never get in the way of allowing her to move onstage. "Every piece needs to carry rhythm, just like my music," she writes.

Her onstage beauty takes a similarly strong-but-soft balance. She modified the Angels' bombshell blowouts in favor of effortless, undone waves. (Karol G describes them as exuding "ocean energy.") "Radiant" could also apply: "My makeup had hints of gold and sun—a reflection of how I feel right now. "

Like other Victoria's Secret Fashion Show first-timers, the point of performing wasn't only about wearing a custom outfit or a set of larger-than-life wings. Representation was what mattered to her.

"For me, this moment is bigger than fashion; it’s a statement of how far we’ve come, and how much further we can go when we lead with authenticity," she says. "It means showing that a Latin woman can headline one of the most iconic stages in the world. It means that dreams are reachable."

The girl who started singing in Medellín all those years ago would be proud.

Photographer Alex Loucas | Stylist Brett Alan Nelson | Hair Stylist Cesar Ramirez | Makeup Duvan Alexis Foronda Pérez | Location Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, NY

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Sunisa "Suni" Lee isn't a stranger to historic firsts. She's a two-time Olympic gymnast and all-around gold medalist, who became the first Hmong-American to win the latter title (and compete for Team USA, period) back in 2021. Still, booking the 2025 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show—where she's one of the first athletes to walk the runway, alongside WNBA star Angel Reese—left her in "complete shock."

"Stepping into something like the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show felt like a dream outside of my comfort zone," Lee tells Marie Claire the night before she hits the catwalk in her first pair of wings by Victoria's Secret Pink. "But that’s exactly why I said yes."

Since returning to the airwaves in 2024, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has revised its approach to casting with inclusivity at the fore. Angels aren't one size-, age-, or background-fits-all, like they seemed in its earlier iteration. That shift resonated with Lee.

"Growing up, I didn’t see many girls who looked like me in spaces like this. To now be here as an athlete, as someone who’s worked so hard to achieve her dreams, it feels powerful," she says. "I want young girls to know they don’t have to fit into just one box. You can chase Olympic gold and still own your femininity."

Walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show may feel like a dream, but it's not one Lee necessarily planned to come true. The element of surprise worked to her advantage.

"Honestly, I didn’t have much time to prepare for this, and that was probably for the best," she says. "It allowed me to show up here exactly as I am. Just me, not trying to be something I’m not."

In a few hours, Lee will appear in a Victoria's Secret Pink-dedicated segment alongside Iris Law, Barbie Ferreira, and Quenlin Blackwell. She couldn't reveal her full micro short, bra top, and hoodie before the show, but she did confirm she's "obsessed" with it.

"It’s literally the coziest thing ever," she says. "It’s like sporty meets glam in the best way."

She'll also pull on her own pair of wings: the final touch that makes a Victoria's Secret look "special" compared to any other runway. (Spoiler: Hers were sneakily sewn into her VS Pink hoodie as more of an embellishment.) Of all the VS signatures, though, Lee is most excited to try the signature bombshell glam, revamped by Dame Pat McGrath.

"I always like to wear my hair blown out because it instantly makes me feel confident and put together, so I’m excited to get the supermodel makeover that will take the look to a whole other level," she says.

Olympic bars and a Victoria's Secret runway couldn't be more different, aesthetically speaking. The potential reward remains the same for Lee: "I want young girls, especially those who look like me or come from communities like mine, to see that they can own every version of themselves, strong, soft, bold, or glamorous."

Veterans' wisdom for conquering the runway also had a bit in common with Lee's gold medal performances. "The best advice I got was to have fun and to trust myself—and that’s exactly what I plan to do out there."

Photographer Brian Meller | Stylist Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele | Hair Jawara Wauchope | Makeup Pat McGrath | Head of Movement Charm La'Donna

Editor's note: This post has been updated with Suni Lee's full Victoria's Secret Fashion Show look.

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Paige DeSorbo and Victoria Beckham go way back. "I have a friendship bracelet with Victoria Beckham," she tells me hours before making her Paris Fashion Week debut. It's not Taylor Swift-style beads spelling "Posh Spice 4ever," though. Rather, it's a fashion girl's friendship bracelet: a silver arm cuff DeSorbo wore to a Victoria Beckham Beauty event last year.

Turns out, Beckham had been searching for a similar style. DeSorbo "obviously" took hers off and gave it to Beckham. Weeks later, the pop star-turned-designer wrote her a thank-you note, gifted with a box of Victoria Beckham Beauty.

Cut to Fashion Month: DeSorbo earned a spot on the Victoria Beckham Spring 2026 show's guest list, no doubt because of her generous bracelet-swapping. "That's my friend—I'm so proud of her collection," teases the Giggly Squad co-host, with a coy, Glinda-ish toss of her hair.

The day before Beckham's latest fashion show, DeSorbo made a showroom pit-stop before joining Eva Longoria and Sofia Vergara in the front row. It was even more elegant than she expected. Everything, from the crown molding to the floor-to-ceiling French doors, felt "very Victoria Beckham."

The founder of Daphne could've gone the Posh Spice route with a little black dress, platform pumps, and a choker. The in-studio team filled a clothing rack with the silky gowns we know and love Beckham for—likely inspired by DeSorbo's "feminine, girly style." But when she walked into "the little town" that is Beckham's showroom, DeSorbo "wanted to do something that's not the norm" instead.

Her ultimate gray-on-gray suit was certainly unexpected. "I may not wear this outfit in real life, but it's very fashion week," she says.

After the fitting, a stylist-less DeSorbo—plus her longtime assistant—waved goodbye to their host with an oversize shopping bag in tow. Inside the tote was a modern-day Beckham look, starring stirrup pants. She realizes the horse girl staple could be old news in mere months, but she unapologetically loves trends.

"I never get down on myself [or ask] why I wore that, because I know I loved it [at the time]," DeSorbo says. "My daughter could look back at this article in 25 years and say, 'Where are those stirrups?'"

DeSorbo's first piece was a knitted dickey, which acted in lieu of the traditional button-down. Its ultra-cropped turtleneck peeked out from underneath an oversize blazer, also in light gray. Flared sleeves revealed the dickey's fingerless gloves. She paired it with pleated "work pants," except each hem encircled the underside of her peep-toe mules.

Beckham also loaned DeSorbo her accessories, including the $1,150 dark brown Victoria Clutch. Its geometric paneling emphasized the structured shape of her blazer. Diamond stud earrings were her only sparklers. "I'll keep it simple with [jewelry] I own, because I really want all of Victoria's pieces to shine."

DeSorbo's pre-show ritual was as relaxed as it gets. "I don't feel like fashion week is ever a work thing, because it's such an honor to get invited," a hotel robe-clad DeSorbo gushes, living her "Paige In Paris" dreams. "It truly is dress-up for grown ups. I feel like a little girl being here," especially with her mom as her plus-one.

Makeup artist Taylor Fitzgerald and hair stylist Mitchell Ramazon have been on DeSorbo's team for years, so she opted out of a beauty mood board. Clearly, she trusts them—they took her mom to dinner the night prior, while DeSorbo Zoomed into business meetings. The morning of the show, Ramazon sectioned her hair in a deep side part—think Beckham circa-2003—and curled the front strands toward her face.

Fitzgerald followed Ramazon's lead, giving DeSorbo a nude lip, bronze eyeshadow, and an itty-bitty wing with Victoria Beckham beauty products. The rosy-mauve No. 2 "changed my life," she says.

While DeSorbo says she dressed herself for the Victoria Beckham show, her frequent stylist, Maren Taylor, believes the celebrity and brand are a perfect fit.

"You'll never see a VB look that doesn't have a cool waistline, collar, or something that makes [me] say, 'That's so Victoria Beckham,'" Taylor tells me over email. "In the same way, I am constantly saying, 'That's so Paige.'"

Photographer Tomás Herold | Makeup Artist Taylor Fitzgerald | Hair Stylist Mitchell Ramazon

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

How can someone summarize the late Giorgio Armani’s impact on style? A paradigm-shifting career stretching across five decades, countless red carpet best-dressed lists, and silhouettes that fundamentally transformed the art of tailoring? Leslie Bibb is willing to give it a shot. “No one did it like Mr. Armani,” she tells me in an email after the label’s 50th anniversary show.

In a sentimental conclusion to Milan Fashion Week’s Spring 2026 season, Bibb had joined stars like Eiza González, Glenn Close, and Cate Blanchett in the candlelit Giorgio Armani front row within the Pinacoteca di Brera, a historic museum in the neighborhood where Mr. Armani lived and worked for his entire career. The intimate setting, and the array of beaded evening gowns that twinkled like a starry sky on the runway, reaffirmed what Bibb loved about the designer, who died at 91 this September. “You can’t help yourself: You put on one of his gowns and you’re cooked,” she says. “Everything else pales in comparison.”

Bibb would know. The White Lotus star has sourced custom Armani for several of her most memorable red carpet walks. When her husband, Sam Rockwell, was nominated at the 2019 Academy Awards for Vice, she wore an open-back Armani gown to the ceremony. Rockwell’s manager, Jason Weinberg, captured the pair walking arm-in-arm out onto the carpet in a “magical little moment,” with a video Bibb plays back in her head and on her phone. “Jeanann Williams, my stylist, took these long necklaces and had them draping down my back. I just loved that night and that look,” she reflects.

At the 2025 Venice Film Festival, Bibb wore what she calls another “knockout gown”: a strapless Armani Privé confection from the Spring 2025 runway, coated in lilac-pink crystals with a semi-sheer skirt. “To be wearing that dress, in Venice at the festival that Mr. Armani had such strong ties to, was another very treasured memory,” she says. “That gown just made me smile.”

The look she and Williams selected for Giorgio Armani’s Spring 2026 fashion show picked up where those moments left off. They chose a beaded black corset top cinched over a ballgown skirt, swirling with coordinating beaded lace flowers. Alongside her semi-sheer skirt, Bibb added open-toe black sandals and a delicate pearl ring. “Jeanann loved how romantic the skirt was with the floral lace and the movement it had,” Bibb explains. “Then, pairing that with the corset top that fit like a glove just felt like classic Armani to her.”

Makeup artist Kale Teter and hair stylist Jacob Rozenberg juxtaposed the actress’s elegantly tailored clothing with an understated, “model off-duty” beauty beat. “Once they saw what I was wearing, they felt like leaning into a bit of an opposite vibe to the classic feel of the clothes,” Bibb explains.

Rozenberg sculpted Bibb's signature bob into subtle, glossy waves. On the makeup front, Teter built the look up from Bibb’s special events and on-camera staples: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation and Luminous Silk Concealer.

The actress talks about them like a beauty equivalent to her perfectly-proportioned Armani dresses and corset; the radiant finish, she says, “makes me feel like the most powerful version of myself.” “They’re magic,” she adds. “I just love the glowy finish it gives me—I am disciple, seriously.”

Bibb tapped another everyday requirement, the label’s Luminous Silk Cheek Tint, for a final flush of color. “I don’t like fussy makeup and it’s just easy to use—and you can build it up depending on how blushy you want it to be.” (Bibb clarifies her own approach in all-caps: “I LOVE A BLUSHY CHEEK.”)

By the time she arrived at the show, Bibb was surrounded by other stars with their own memories of Armani—and favorite pieces to show it. “It [was] so meaningful to me to be able to be here tonight, to celebrate 50 years of this iconic brand, and to remember Mr. Armani at one of the last shows he played a part in. I get chills thinking about that,” Bibb says. She was “gutted” to watch one of Mr. Armani’s most consistent models close the runway in a sequin gown with a constellation of his face placed on the front. “Not seeing him walk out at the end…the whole show was more emotional than I expected.”

It stirred up in her a sense of history. While its founder is no longer here, its legacy will live on. “I realized something, a word I forget to use when talking about Giorgio Armani: timeless,’” Bibb adds. “My mother used to say to me, ‘Don’t buy a lot of cheap clothes, save up and buy one suit or one dress that is well-made and classic.' I realized tonight that adage was missing two words: Giorgio Armani.”

Bibb signs off by repeating her first comment.“No one did it like Giorgio Armani.” For the designer’s cherished fans, those seven words seem to say it all.

Photographer Pierre Mouton | Stylist Jeanann Williams | Makeup Artist Kale Teter | Hair Stylist Jacob Rozenberg

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

The 2025 Emmys red carpet could have felt like déjà vu for Shrinking star Jessica Williams. This year, like last year, she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. For both carpets, she and stylist Sarah Slutsky turned to Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte for a gown fitting the occasion. Yet the overall aura of Williams's look outside the Peacock Theater on September 14 felt like a 180-degree shift; a total vibe reset. This, Williams tells me in an email the morning after the awards ceremony, was intentional.

"The first time I was nominated was mind blowing and shocking. It was the first season of Shrinking so I had no idea how it would be received," she recalls. "This second time around, not only am I nominated, but so is our whole show. And that brings me so much joy. I feel lighter and excited. I wanted that to reflect this time around."

The dress that best reflects Williams's mindset now was a blush pink, off-the-shoulder gown fit for a mythical goddess. Intricate swathes of fabric criss-crossed over the actress's torso and down into a flowing skirt. A train cascaded from over her arms and onto the floor like a peony waterfall. Where her 2024 Emmys gown was regal and stately in its structure—a strapless black number with a flash of white at the sculpturally rounded skirt—her 2025 dress was purposefully, powerfully soft.

Williams sums up her dress in two words: "ethereal and simple." At this year's Emmys, "I just wanted to feel like my look was easy but somewhat glamorous," she says. She'd surprised herself in 2024. In 2025, she was dressing to show up like someone who knew she'd be on the nominees list.

On Emmys morning, bringing the full look together began with her "gorgeous and glowy" makeup by Armani Beauty. "I wanted Jessica to feel glowing and soft, with an elegance that enhances her natural beauty," makeup artist Cherish Brooke Hill says. Williams describes the look—starting with Armani Beauty Skin Tint and layering up with the label's Luminous Silk Foundation and Luminous Silk Concealer—as "skin forward and a bit ethereal."

Her lit-from-within glow continued with coordinating eye and lip products: "For my lip I used the gorgeous Lip Power in 503 and for light shimmer on my eye we used the Eye Tint in 44S," Williams says.

Hair stylist SherriAnn Cole then gathered Williams's braids into a low bun, with wisps of fabric from her gown tied into her up-do. "This delicate braided style was directly inspired by the gathered draping of her dress, creating harmony between her hairstyle and the elegance of her look on the carpet," Cole says.

Later in the night, Williams would end up changing out of her fairytale Rodarte gown into a mint green sequin dress by Gasanova. "It’s stunning, has gentle shine, and is so comfortable that I can move and dance—which is the most important part of an after-party look for me," she says.

While she'd eventually switch up her palette, the end result is the same. From gown to gown and carpet to carpet, Jessica Williams says she just wants to "feel something" through fashion. "I want to have fun and reflect a mood. No matter what it is." This year, the tone she's striking is palpable.

Photographer Ibra Ake | Stylist Sarah Slutsky | Makeup Artist Cherish Brooke Hill | Hair Stylist SherriAnne Cole

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The 2025 Emmys red carpet marked a night of firsts for Nobody Wants This star Justine Lupe. It was the first time Lupe could RSVP "Yes," in celebration of the Netflix romantic comedy's three nominations. It was the first time she spent a Sunday getting into Emmys glam with stylist Rebecca Ramsey, makeup artist Tracey Levy, and hair stylist Barb Thompson, after a quiet morning grabbing coffee with her family. And it was the first time she tried a look as daring as her Carolina Herrera Fall 2025 gown.

Lupe had fallen in love with the dress—a column halter woven from strands of silver beads, scattered with even more silver pailettes—when it came down the runway last spring. It definitely counts as an entry into the Hollywood canon of nearly-naked dresses that reveal more than they conceal. "It's this beautiful, glamorous, glitzy bombshell situation—it's such a celebratory piece," she tells me a few hours before changing into it.

Lupe and her glam team had approached the Emmys with a popping-champagne mindset. Win or lose, the ceremony is a moment to toast. "My whole life, I've watched the Emmys and I remember as a little kid watching them," Lupe says. "It's kind of surreal to be in the moment now, where I'm going as part of this show. I'm gonna just try and actually let that sink in, in a way, and not get too nervous about anything else."

Lupe admits the bare-it-all nature of her dress heightened her nerves—but she was going to all-in. "I wanted to do something that felt like it was leaning into like the bombshell vibe that the dress presents, which is something that I usually don't do at all," she says. "It's something I've never done before, so it's kind of going out on a little bit of a limb. But I just figured, for the Emmys, why not?"

Letting go of her inhibitions is a way of embracing the dress's spirit and arriving at the Emmys. "When I think of a bombshell, I think of someone who's like, free and confident and leaning into the femininity of the dress," Lupe explains. "So we wanted to do something that felt both glamorous and relaxed."

She kept her hair simple, in a long blow-out with tendrils gently framing her face. A sprinkling of Antia Ko diamonds frosted her ears and fingers.

Lupe's Carolina Herrera moment comes on the heels of a busy red carpet season, where she's pushed her style limits in looks from Roland Mouret, Alberta Ferretti, and more. Through each gown, she says, she's ultimately trying to have fun.

Sometimes, that manifests in a big first like her Emmys look; other times, it comes from a smaller change in her beauty beat. "I wore my hair back for the first time, out of my face, the other day," she laughs. "I've never pulled my hair back!"

Her confidence in exploring different silhouettes comes from the trust she's built in her team. "Now we've worked together for a few years, so it feels like now I'm leaning into the vision that they put together," Lupe says. "And, just having fun with each of the different identities that the looks have."

I had to ask Lupe what her onscreen counterpart in Nobody Wants This would think of her spangled naked dress. While see-through dresses feel like a swerve for the actress, her scene-stealing counterpart Morgan seems like she'd have a closet full of them. Lupe agrees. "I think this is more of a Morgan moment than most of the times that I go on a red carpet," she laughs. "I think she'd be down."

Here's hoping Lupe takes another big risk when her next Emmys invitation inevitably arrives. This Carolina Herrera dress is the sort of first that everybody wants to see again.

Photographer Emily Knecht | Stylist Rebecca Ramsey | Makeup Artist Tracey Levy | Hair Stylist Barb Thompson

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When Molly Gordon attended her first-ever Emmys in 2024, she didn’t know what to expect.

Not only did it mark the actress’s first time attending a major awards ceremony with her co-stars and colleagues in The Bear, but she also didn’t have much time between filming her anti-rom-com Oh, Hi! in Upstate New York and walking the red carpet in Hollywood.

“Last year was honestly a whirlwind,” Gordon tells Marie Claire via email, recalling how she and her stylist, Jared Ellner, made her look work. “Jared literally drove hours Upstate to fit me on set on an overnight the week before the Emmys, because he’s that good a friend.”

“I loved my look,” she says of her black Versace mermaid gown. “I also have such fond and funny memories of the whole experience of putting it together.”

But this year—joining The Bear, which earned 13 nominations, for round two—Gordon felt more at ease and “was excited to lean into what felt classic and also comfortable.”

Styled again by Ellner, Gordon attended the 2025 Emmys in a black and white striped Giorgio Armani gown from the Fall/Winter 1996 collection, and paired it with vintage Tiffany’s jewelry. “We went for an Old Hollywood energy, which I always love, and I think is really inspired by Armani’s timeless style,” she says. “I am the biggest fan of his work and I feel very lucky to be honoring him tonight.”

“It was honestly love at first sight with this dress!” the actress adds, explaining that she and Ellner found it in Venice during the Venice Film Festival, and knew they “needed to have it for Emmys.”

Old Hollywood also inspired Gordon’s hair and makeup, designed by hair stylist Derek Yeun for Olivia Garden and makeup artist Melissa Hernandez, respectively. “The beauty inspiration was all about elegance,” Gordon says of her Armani Beauty look. “I've been loving Armani Beauty's Luminous Silk Foundation and Cheek Tint. My makeup artist, Melissa Hernandez, also gave me the wing of my dreams!”

Though Gordon admits that her characters and projects frequently inspire her style—like when she and Ellner paid homage to “iconic rom-com looks” when Oh, Hi! premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January—her Emmys style was a far cry from her The Bear character Claire. “Ultimately, when I think of Claire, I think of scrubs,” she says. “Obviously, they’re my favorite costume to wear because they’re so damn comfortable—so I wouldn’t say she immediately jumps to mind when I look at this stunning Armani gown. But I would love to see her in something like this. Just not at the hospital. Or let’s do a Figs gown.”

Gordon was more than thrilled, though, to spend the night celebrating the comedy, now nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, for a third year in a row. “I feel really lucky. The whole experience has been really special. Getting to work opposite Jeremy is really a gift. He is a wonderful actor and leader. Ayo, Jeremy, Ebon, Liza—the list goes on. This group of actors is so wonderful, and I’m so happy they are being recognized for their work.”

Gordon says she also had much to look forward to after the after party—where she was “sticking with the Old Hollywood Armani vibe, but a little more playful.” “When I get home, I will immediately get naked and eat ice cream in bed with Jared.” Yes, chef.

Photographer Sarah Krick | Stylist Jared Ellner | Makeup Artist Melissa Hernandez | Hair Stylist Derek Yeun

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On the Netflix honky-tonk thriller The Hunting Wives, Brittany Snow's character doesn't have much time to think about her outfits. She plays Sophie, a Boston mom thrown into the heart of a deep Texas social circle. Her Birkenstocks and sensible shirts stand out among a sea of Tecovas cowboy boots and extra-large belt buckles.

Sophie ends up a little too preoccupied with solving a murder within her newfound frenemy group to think about what she's wearing. Snow, on the other hand, wouldn't have minded a yeehaw makeover montage.

"I think throughout the entire show, I was pretty jealous of the other girls getting to wear those Texas numbers," Snow tells me as she's getting ready for the 2025 MTV VMAs red carpet. "I always looking at the girls every day being like, oh my God, how fun to wear such loud, brash outfits."

For her first time attending the VMAs, Snow and her stylist, Yael Quint, decided it was the right moment to embrace the series' over-the-top styling.

"We wanted her look to be classic and timeless," Quint says in an email. On the phone, Snow describes her custom Monot dress as "'90s glam, but a little more spicy and sexy." The gilded strapless dress coated in gold is her ode to her show's Texas setting, as well as her character's on-screen entanglement with the girl group's ringleader, Margo, played by Malin Akerman.

A few days before the VMAs, Snow and Quint were choosing between two sequin dresses: the gold one she ultimately picked, or a pink option by another designer. Then Akerman showed Snow her silver gown by Raissa Vanessa, and it was decided. "We thought to ourselves, it has to be the gold one because it's just gonna look so fun that we're playing off of each other," Snow explains, "not only on the show, but on the carpet."

There aren't many chances to do that with your friends, and I think that's why we chose this one," Snow says of coordinating with Akerman. "It's also the better look, I think." Quint amped up its glam quotient with Betzabe heels and Dorsey earrings sourced from the jewelry brand's new collection.

The 2025 VMAs would be Snow and Akerman's second consecutive event together that weekend. They had both attended the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles the night before, in contrasting dresses: Snow in a mint green, scallop-neckline sheath, and Akerman in a gold-and-black two-piece.

Jetting from coast to coast as a team made the whole weekend more invigorating than exhausting for Snow. In real life, their friendship is much healthier than their on-screen counterparts. "Thank goodness Malin was with me, because we sort of made it fun," she says. "I brought these Korean face masks we did on the plane. We had glasses of champagne, and we were debriefing the Creative Emmys we presented at, and we were excited for the VMAs. That just made it so much smoother, because we haven't actually been in the same place in a while."

Snow and Ackerman's chemistry led to attention on and off the red carpet this summer. The Hunting Wives had the highest streaming time of any series during its premiere week, per The Hollywood Reporter. Still, Snow admits she "didn't think anyone would even see it." Its debut in July also didn't include a dedicated red carpet. So, while the VMAs gave Snow a front-row seat to major performances (like Sabrina Carpenter's) and her childhood favorites (like Ricky Martin), it was also her moment to celebrate a project she hadn't yet had a chance to toast.

Her summary of the getting-ready process could be a synopsis of The Hunting Wives' highly anticipated second season. "There's lots of gold, there's lots of secrets, there's lots of hair," Snow says. "It does feel very Texas in here."

Photographer Emma Beiles | Stylist Yael Quint | Makeup Artist Charlie Riddle | Hair Stylist Glen ‘Coco” Oropeza

Welcome to The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

2025 marks four consecutive trips to the Venice Film Festival for Sadie Sink. Each visit to the city famous for its canals and starry red carpet "feels like you're in a painting," the Tony-nominated actress tells Marie Claire.

In previous years, Sink and her stylist, Molly Dickson, approached the itinerary with an eye for opulence. "Venice is so glamorous. I’ve always leaned into that and opted for gowns or more feminine looks," she says. 2022's premiere of The Whale called for a beaded cut-out Alexander McQueen gown with a skirt covered in feathery lilac tulle. In 2023 and 2024, exclusive parties hosted by Armani came with opulent black dresses: one coated in starry embellishments, the other defined by a striking plunge neckline.

This year, coming off her critically-acclaimed turn in John Proctor Is the Villain on Broadway and gearing up for a rumored turn in the next Spiderman movie, Sink felt it was time for a stylistic gear-shift. "This year I felt more drawn towards Armani’s menswear, and was inspired by a similar look from Cate Blanchett that my stylist had shown me," she says. "I wanted to feel more relaxed, but still added a touch of glamour and femininity with the hair and makeup."

The resulting look for Armani Beauty's annual Venice Film Festival celebration wasn't any less glitzy than her carpet-skimming dresses, thanks to a heavy helping of Bulgari High Jewelry emeralds and diamonds. But it also took a decidedly menswear slant. Sink layered an unbuttoned Armani tuxedo shirt, tucked into a cummerbund and trousers, beneath an oversize black jacket. Hair stylist Halley Brisker set her curls into a deep side part; makeup artist Mary Wiles combined a shimmery smokey eye with glossy nude lips. (The peachy-natural shade comes courtesy of Armani Beauty, of course.) Her final look captured the multitudes of a typical Sadie Sink performance: soft one moment, tough the next, captivating all the time.

Trying on an undone tuxedo for size is a sign of just how much Sink's red carpet style has evolved. Nearly a decade ago, she was attending her first premieres as a Stranger Things cast member in demure, tea-length dresses by the likes of Miu Miu, Hiraeth, and Chanel. "When I was younger, while I was definitely interested in it, I was super shy when it came to fashion and beauty," Sink says. "My main concern back then was not wearing anything too mature makeup- or fashion-wise."

Dramatic eye makeup and a switch from dresses to suits are signs that she's gained confidence to pair with her style instincts. "Now, I feel more comfortable expressing my own taste, and naturally it’s evolved over the years, and I’m able to define it more clearly."

In the present, Sink has one word to define her current red carpet era: "relaxed." "Not in the sense that I don’t care about what I’m wearing," she clarifies, "but just that I’m wearing whatever feels easy."

She carries high-caliber designers and adventurously constructed pieces with grace. (Scroll back through her past trips to Venice for proof.) Still, she isn't necessarily studying the runways to choose her next look.

"I’m not too concerned about following trends or making a splash," she says. "That could change at any moment, but for now, it’s just super relaxed and fuss-free."

Whichever direction her style evolves next, she'll keep no doubt keep it authentic at her fifth Venice Film Festival.

Photographers Virgile Guinard (BTS) and Davide Frandi (Full Look) | Hair Stylist Halley Brisker | Stylist Molly Dickson | Makeup Artist Mary Wiles

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Kaitlyn Dever has two apt words to describe her first Venice Film Festival red carpet: "a whirlwind." The Last of Us star touched down in the Floating City barely twenty four hours before heading into hair and makeup for the August 30 premiere of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, which she'd attend in a chicly minimal, head-to-toe Armani look.

Shortly after we'd chat about her usual prep routine (coffee, a cold shower, and "a lot of deep breaths") and her general approach to step-and-repeat style ("effortlessness is important to me"), she'd take one of the festival's iconic wood-paneled boats to the main event. Somewhere in between, she'd manage to catch up with some "old friends" on the circuit; Julia Roberts is one who stands out.

"It definitely doesn't feel like any other carpet," Dever tells me of her "dream come true" trip to the festival. "This is sort of a standalone experience. I've always been looking forward to coming here."

The setting is unlike any she's experienced so far, but the look Dever chose is close to home. She feels the most like herself on the red carpet when she's comfortable—with the garments and beauty stack she's wearing, and with her family support system around her. Her sister, Jane Dever, started styling Kaitlyn for The Last of Us season 2 press in looks by Magda Butrym and Anna October. This weekend, she joined her sister for a joint Armani moment in Venice. Their shared inspiration for each of Kaitlyn's appearances, she says, is their mother, Kathy, who passed away from breast cancer last year.

Selecting a timeless black plunge Armani dress paired to platform heels, "I'm kind of channeling my mom in many ways and keeping my family in mind," Dever says.

"I'm using my mom as inspiration and what she would have liked," she explains. "I feel like I always have her voice in my head whenever I'm thinking about these looks, and I think she would have loved the look that I'm wearing tonight."

The Dever sisters' latest tribute was as much about Kaitlyn's makeup as her gown. "I think that because the dress is so simple, I wanted the makeup to really be the standout of the look," Kaitlyn explains.

Her "first thought" was a bold red lip, an all-time classic that could complement the understated elegance of any black dress. She landed on Armani Beauty's Lip Power Long-Lasting Matte in 400. Then, to enhance the "glow" she wanted for the final look, Dever turned to the beauty base she's used for every look since she started working: Armani Beauty's Luminous Silk Foundation. "I don't know if many people know this, but it is literally the go-to foundation when I'm shooting," she says. "It's always on my skin, whenever I'm in film or TV."

Above all, Dever says, "I wanted it to feel effortless." Her up-do with a middle-part had a "lived-in texture" and the diamonds and emeralds in her drop earrings brought an extra hint of color.

She knows her biggest inspiration would approve of the complete package. "My mom was a big fan of Armani as well, so it feels right," Dever says.

By the next morning, Dever would catch another flight back to Los Angeles and start prep for the 2025 Emmys. At television's biggest award show, she's nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her bone-chilling turn as Abby on The Last of Us.

It won't be her first time walking that red carpet when it rolls out on September 14. With her sister as her stylist and her mom's example as her style guide, it will feel just as meaningful as her Venice debut. Keeping it in the family (and in Armani) has allowed Dever to bring her full self to the step-and-repeat. Her family, she says, "really understands me like no one else."

Photographer Cibelle Levi | Stylist Jane Dever Makeup Artist Valeria Ferreira | Hair Stylist Renato Campora

Welcome to The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Technically, Simone Biles's journey to craft her ESPY Awards red carpet gown with Athleta began years before she ever met with Gap Inc. creative director Zac Posen or accepted her invitation to the 2025 ceremony. It started on the mat at her training gym, where she would stretch, sprint, and backflip through practice in the athletic brand's $59 Transcend Open-Back T-shirt.

Taking inventory of exactly how many Transcend tops and matching leggings Biles owns isn't a task she can fit into our phone call the week before the July 16 ESPY Awards. With nearly every cut and color of the four-way stretch fabric in her workout rotation, "It's probably too much to count," she tells me.

Her Transcend obsession even played a small part in propelling her to eleven Olympic medals, several ESPY wins for her athletic achievements, and globally accepted Greatest of All Time (GOAT) status, in her sport and beyond. "I wouldn't say it's unhealthy," she says of her collection. "I would say it's lucky."

Even a non-athletic regular person like me can relate to having a piece I love so much that I own it in multiples. (It looks more like a Dôen dress in my closet.) So I believe Biles when she says turning her all-time favorite top into a red carpet gown with Athleta—and by extension, Gap Inc. creative director Zac Posen—was a "perfect opportunity" for this year's ceremony. "This is what I'm always repping and wearing in the gym and out of the gym, so no better time to collaborate with Zac," she explains.

The athletic brand's team was just as excited to meet Biles off the mat. While she's designed workout pieces with them before, they'd never made a red carpet gown—neither for her nor for any other athlete. And even though Posen had created several custom looks elevating Gap and Old Navy's profiles during his year and some change with the brand (see: Da'Vine Joy Randolph at the Met Gala or Demi Moore on the awards season trail), he hadn't yet crafted something special for the athletic label in the stable.

"I've seen some of the other pieces he's made for red carpet events in the past, and they're absolutely stunning, so I had complete faith in him," Biles says.

When she was confirmed for the ESPYs, "My team was totally fangirling out," Posen tells me during a June visit to Gap Inc.'s New York City offices. He had unintentionally studied up for their eventual first fitting by watching her Netflix documentary, Simone Biles Rising. When they finally met to craft her dress, she lived up to the hype. "She's such an inspiration and she's been a real dream to work with," Posen says. "Easy, excited, collaborative."

Posen knew the dress would start with the Transcend T-shirt's triangular, cut-out back. "I liked the modernity of that back. It had a really kind of strength and power to it," he explains.

At the Gap Inc. offices, he shows me the initial mannequin in the room where Biles said, "I trust you!" and he got to work: stretching a bolt of navy blue Transcend fabric around a form measured to her exact proportions, adding a train that would heighten the elegance without overpowering Biles's 4'8" frame. The traditional crewneck shape also got adjusted: Posen opened up the neckline into a deeper, scoop silhouette fit for a night on the step-and-repeat.

The final gown drapes around Biles's body with the soft contour she recognizes from practice—enhanced by hundreds of bugle beads in a deep blue that pour off her frame like water. "I wanted to keep her really clean and for it to be about her and her beauty," Posen says of the complete look, perfected over multiple fittings in New York. "I think the beading and the sheen come into it, but it's really about form and shape."

In both our conversations, I tell both Biles and Posen that I've interviewed several celebrities in my red-carpet journalism career who love their dresses but hate being rendered immobile by them, so it's refreshing that the gymnast can meet her evening's dress code without the constraints of a corset or a circulation-stopping bandage fabric.

"I know it's going to be comfortable, and that's my favorite part," Biles agrees. "Sometimes when you do these red carpet events, you're in clothing that you're like, I might not be able to sit too well in this. This one I know I'm gonna be comfortable, one hundred percent, no matter what I'm doing: walking the carpet, sitting, chatting, whatever it is."

The whole process reminded Biles of how much her style has evolved alongside her ascent in gymnastics.

On one of her first red carpets, "It was the VMAs in 2016 after the Olympics. For that one, we picked out our own dresses, with no altering, no nothing," she recalls. "We just showed up on the carpet, because that's what it was like back in the day."

Now, Biles has access to teams that can customize each piece, so she feels like a red-carpet champion. "As you grow older, you really want to find something that you're comfortable and confident in that really looks good, that brings out your skin tone nicely, and that just shows off your body," she says. "I think that's exactly what we've done. I'm more into fashion now because I have a little bit more time on my hands."

There's a whole universe of custom looks Biles could explore for her next carpet, whenever the invitation arrives. She already has a designer on speed dial after creating this year's ESPYs gown. "Hopefully, this is the first partnership of many with Zac," she says.

Meanwhile, during the break between the ESPYs and her upcoming red carpet event, I know exactly which shirt she'll wear for her next workout.

Welcome to The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

It's been a Hot Firsts Summer for singer Ashe. After years of performing solo, she teamed up with her longtime collaborator and friend, Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Finneas, to form their official first band, The Favors. The day after their latest single, "The Hudson," dropped, she jetted from New York City to the Hamptons for her first visit to the East End summer destination.

This wasn't your typical Summer House-lite weekend. Ashe traveled east to toast another first for Chanel: The Hamptons Summer Salon, a private, by-appointment-only boutique held at The Hedges Inn. She officially launched the luxury fashion destination with an intimate performance for tastemakers, featuring her biggest singles (like the situationalship anthem "Another Man's Jeans") and crowd-pleasing covers. ("I did 'Unwritten,' a Natasha Bedingfield cover, because I was like, Give the people what they want, you know?")

"It was such an intimate setting," Ashe tells me the morning after as she takes a serene walk around town. "I haven't played in a scenario like that in a long time, where people are so close to me, and they were so lovely. I mean, everywhere I turned, as I was singing, they were all smiling up at me."

A beachy crochet dress or jeans with a tank top might work for daytime in the vacation enclave, but she wanted to get onstage in an outfit that felt more elegant. The brand sent over several Chanel signature pieces to choose from, she says: "lots of black and cream," runway-ified denim. As much as she appreciated the classics, she was looking for something bolder. "I'm performing for the first time in the Hamptons with this iconic brand. I want to make an impression!"

Her eye was drawn to the lone splash of color on the rack. "Then there was this one dress that was like a sorbet," she says. It was a 2019/20 Métiers d'Art silk and muslin dress in sunset tones of orange and pink, flowing from a high neckline into knife pleats that kissed the floor.

Lately, Grace Kelly, actress and Princess of Monaco, has been Ashe's biggest style inspiration. (See her recent vintage hair scarf stylings on the press circuit for proof.) She sensed the late royal's timeless and elegant style in the gown's flowing silhouette and splashes of nostalgic color. Add the coordinating bodysuit underneath, and she was sold. "I put the dress on and then I was like, Oh gosh, that feels very me."

A dress that screams "Ashe" hasn't always referenced a style icon of the 1950s. "My performance styles have taken on so many different lives," the singer says. "I went through a very Diane Keaton, turtlenecks-and-ties phase in the beginning of my career, and it's morphed over the years. Now, I think I've been looking for a very unfussy and nostalgic feeling."

Retro scarves, Old Hollywood curls, and sorbet Chanel dresses might be her style now, but Ashe is open to her aesthetic evolving with her sound. "I think it's taken years to find my specific groove and what makes me feel so authentically me. So I feel like I'm just starting to get there—but I'm still experimenting."

Her music is also reaching an important point now that she's officially teaming up with her longtime friend. "Obviously, as Billie [Eilish]'s brother, he has so much experience and wisdom in supporting somebody else," Ashe says of her bandmate. "He's really stepped into that role with me as well. I think there might have been a nervousness initially, too, like, oh gosh, I don't wanna feel small or in the shadow? And it hasn't, not once has it felt like that."

With the annual Wimbledon tournament wrapping up in the background of our call, she offers a timely metaphor to explain their dynamic: "In tennis, they call it playing up. When you're getting matched with like a pro player, and if you can play up to them, it kind of shows you, oh, you're that good, too. "

Working with Finneas, "I feel like I've been playing up, and I'm just having the time of my life."

Between the release of her latest song via The Favors and her first Hamptons getaway, "It really felt like a glitch in the simulation," Ashe laughs. "I kind of am shaking my head like, This definitely can't be real. But at the same time, I'm feeling so confident and grateful."

Before she hangs up to enjoy the rest of her peaceful morning walk, Ashe tells me her goal all along with her Hamptons styling. "If [people] don't know me, I want them to go, why don't I know her? Who is that?"

I tapped through some Instagram Stories posted by editors and general fashion people in attendance shortly after our call. They'd captured Ashe's soulful Natasha Bedingfield cover and her original tracks with heart-eye emoji approval. The audience applauded her performance, shouting her name—dress mission accomplished.

Walking the red carpet during a heat advisory is no easy feat. It requires a certain charm usually acquired by Hollywood veterans after years in the industry. But at the 90-degree premiere of Jurassic World Rebirth, Luna Blaise proved she's got what it takes.

The 23-year-old's first major step-and-repeat took place right in the middle of New York's intense heat wave. But that didn't stop Blaise from bringing a fiery outfit. "Working with the 99-degree weather we have, we're rolling with the punches on this one," Blaise says just hours before posing at Lincoln Center. She hoped for a calm, cool, and collected environment pre-premiere, but the weather had other plans.

Around 4 p.m., Blaise had to go back to the drawing board. "I wanted to go for a Hollywood bombshell, Veronica Lake vibe," she says about her beauty. "I have very curly hair that frizzes up in the heat, so I did a test run outside, and I left with wet hair." I certainly would've panicked, but Blaise and her hairstylist, Kat Thompson, handled the crisis smoothly. The rising star embraced her humid hair and drenched her side-part style in gel à la Kim Kardashian at the 2019 Met Gala (IYKYK). Plus, she was "in water for half the movie," so it felt right up her character, Teresa Delgado's, alley.

While the scorching temperatures definitely caught New Yorkers off guard, Blaise kept the forecast front of mind during her fittings. Her stylists, Chloe and Chenelle Delgadillo, presented countless options, but for the New York premiere, she chose to go "full nostalgia" in vintage Atelier Versace from the early '90s.

"I did Schiaparelli for the London premiere—it gave off that dinosaur, reptilian theme—but this is just a different statement," Blaise reveals about her crimson red gown. "It fit like a glove, complete with delicate drapery and an empire waistline. During the prior fitting, she instantly knew, "This is the one we have to go with."

Few franchises parallel the star power of Jurassic. Since 1993, the series has propelled Laura Dern, Julianne Moore, Bryce Dallas Howard, and now Blaise. She chose early '90s Versace to "pay an ode" to Jurassic Park, the film that launched it all back in 1993. "Jurassic World Rebirth is a darker movie, so wearing a sexier red moment is special," Blaise says.

Continuing her homage, the Manifest alum wanted to "play the part" of a Hollywood bombshell for the NYC premiere. "If I could [choose my look] for a premiere, I'd be in my sweatpants, but [this time] I'm leaning into the bit," the actress adds. "I'm excited to have a little glamorous moment and look not like my normal self."

In a true Hollywood moment, Messika jewelry met Blaise in New York. That's right, her bling had its own escort (icon behavior). As of 4 p.m. on Monday, the jewels were "on their way." Later in the evening, she revealed her diamond earrings and rings matched the dress's drama.

Regardless of the weather, Blaise was full of positivity for "this massive moment" in her career. "I've never done anything like this, and having all the people around [me] who went on this journey with [me] is just so exciting," Blaise says.

I'm just so ready for the world to see this movie. Being able to celebrate today is something I've been waiting for since we, you know, began shooting it.

Once the curtain fell on the seventh installation, Blaise changed into another vintage Versace look, also in red. However, Marie Claire had the inside scoop hours earlier. During our phone call, she shared that her after-party look was early '90s Versace, designed by the legendary Gianni Versace.

We're doing '90s hair and makeup, too—it's going to be nostalgia to the max.

Lucky for us, Blaise's press tour is just getting started. Jurassic World Rebirth won't hit theaters until July 2. "I want to keep stepping outside of my comfort zone with styling," Blaise says. "That's what my team and I have been pushing for—thinking outside the box, being bold, and making everything a statement."

For the rest of her Jurassic era, and beyond, she hopes to "continue collaborating with people she feels an attachment to," like Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli. "Daniel is so amazing at what he does and the shapes and the contouring of the body—he just knows women so well," she adds. At the film's London premiere on June 17, she stole the show in a sheer, shoulder-padded style, courtesy of the French atelier. "It was just so special to wear one of his amazing dresses, so I definitely want to continue on that journey."

At just 23 years old and already shining on a blockbuster marquee, Blaise is definitely someone to watch. It's uncertain where her journey will go next, but she's excited to "create another character and moment." Who's coming along for the ride?

Photographer Daniel Gomez Castrillon | Stylists Chloe & Chenelle Delgadillo | Hair Stylist Kat Thompson | Makeup Artist Soo Park

Welcome to The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

On the eve of Monday, May 5, Andra Day found herself at the Carlyle Hotel amidst a whirlwind of last-minute touch-ups and pre-event photo sessions. The award-winning singer and actress was officially in the thick of Met Gala preparations.

“I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t some pressure, but I’m truly grateful to be here,” Day says. A certain level of anxiety comes with any major red carpet, but for Day, attending her first-ever Met Gala, the moment feels especially significant.

It’s an incredibly special moment for the star, not only because she’s making her debut on the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum, but also because this year’s Met Gala theme is one with which she resonates deeply.

Officially titled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” the charity event’s theme pays homage to Black dandyism, a culturally rich movement in fashion, especially bespoke tailoring and bold accessories, as a form of liberation and self-expression. By honoring this symbolic concept, the Met Gala chose to champion the enduring legacy of Black identity—a mission that has always been at the forefront of Day’s artistry.

In 2015, Day wrote the hit single, “Rise Up,” a soulful piece adopted by the Black Lives Matter movement as its unofficial anthem. Two years later, the star teamed up with Common to produce the song "Stand Up for Something," used for Thurgood Marshall’s 2017 biopic. Cut to 2021: Day starred as legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, earning her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack.

“I’m very reverent when it comes to Black artists and creatives who came before me, so it’s an honor to be a part of that legacy while making history at the Met Gala tonight,” Day says. “I feel like I’m home.”

For the momentous occasion, Day collaborated with her stylist Wouri Vice to pay tribute to the ceremony’s theme. “Recognizing the art of tailoring, we chose a zoot suit designed by Jérôme LaMaar, a modern-day dandy,” explains Vice. Traditionally worn by Black dandies during the Harlem Renaissance, zoot suits feature billowing jackets with padded shoulders and high-waisted draped pants.

LaMaar, however, added a contemporary twist to the retro look by constructing Day’s jacket with a sculpted silhouette, glove-attached sleeves, and a dramatic floor-sweeping train adorned with Swarovski crystals. Complete with a matching pair of straight-leg trousers, Vice explains that Day’s polished set is rich in symbolism. “The five leaves that form the train represent tobacco leaves once picked by enslaved people who, in their own way, were dandies,” he says. “Meanwhile, the saturated shade of pink pays tribute to dandies of the Congo.”

Vice anchored Day’s look in pink satin platforms, bedazzled binoculars, and an embellished black clutch to unify the outfit. But Day’s scintillating Cartier gems truly made her look sparkle under the spotlight.

“Tonight, I’m wearing the brand’s Panthère rings and bracelets, and a drop necklace crafted with sapphires, onyx, and diamonds,” Day says. As her favorite design house, it only fits that she was drenched in Cartier jewels that add an "Art Deco edge to my Afrofuturistic zoot suit," seamlessly blending these worlds, she adds. “In a way, it represents my aesthetic—a mix of various influences."

With a penchant for fashion that refuses to be confined to one category, Day applies the same fluid philosophy to her glam. In harmony with the color palette of Day’s Met Gala outfit, makeup artist Porsche Cooper enhanced Day's features with a deep mauve smokey eye and a swipe of baby pink lip gloss. Hair stylist, Joel James, assembled her copper-colored hair into voluminous, soft waves.

Most Met Gala attendees might feel as though they’re playing dress-up for the night, but Day shares that her look made her feel authentically herself. “My uncle Curtis has been a dandy his entire life—he’s always decked out in top hats and pocket watches,” she says. “When I was younger, he influenced my love for dandyism, and now, I feel an even greater connection to the style."

While weaving through the rain-slicked streets of Manhattan en route to the event, Day speaks to continuing the legacy of Black dandyism beyond the Met Gala. “I’m just going to keep being fly and Black, while elevating others who are doing the same.” After all, dandyism is in her DNA.

Photographer Deon Hinton | Stylist Wouri Vice | Hair Stylist Joel James | Makeup Artist Porsche Cooper | Location The Carlyle Hotel

Welcome to The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Nearly a year before the 2025 Met Gala, Anna Sawai sat down with Marie Claire to discuss her first time attending a Haute Couture show. Her FX series Shōgun had only recently aired to critical acclaim, but things like historic Emmy wins and best-dressed lists weren't on her radar just yet. All she wanted, she told me, was to "be grounded and be my own self."

Cut to the present: Sawai has had an unstoppable ascent, clinching every trophy for which she was nominated—Golden Globes, Emmys, and SAG Awards among them—and gratefully accepting each one in a gorgeous custom dress styled by Karla Welch. One might think that, after such a sweep, the Met Gala red carpet would feel like a cakewalk. Still, the invite Sawai received to attend the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" event on May 5 was possibly her biggest pinch-me moment to date.

"It's something that I never even imagined being invited to. It just seemed like something so far away," she tells me from the hotel where she'll soon dress in a custom Dior suit, paired to opulent Cartier jewelry and a luxe bracelet watch. "Something that I would watch afterwards and follow all the celebrities and how beautiful everyone looks." But now, she's taking part.

The mental preparation for an event like the Met Gala red carpet, she tells me, is an entirely different game. "With the awards, you're stressed out about what happens later, whereas this one, I'm kind of more stressed out about walking onto the carpet and having my pictures taken. I just hope I don't trip!" She laughs, and I assure her that definitely won't happen.

The meaning also shifts. The 2025 Met Gala's exploration of Black dandyism—the aristocratic style cultivated by Black men beginning in the 19th century as a form of self-expression and protest—struck a special chord with the actress. "I think it's a celebration of the designers and my stylist and everyone coming together and making this piece, and celebrating the history of the movement," Sawai says. "As someone who is Asian—a person of color—I know that so many people back then, in my heritage, were very influenced by this movement. So I am so happy that I get to partake in that."

In this theme, Sawai recognized the opportunity to break new ground with her red carpet style. "When I hear Met, I usually think of really big, fun gowns, but then, to me, it felt like we were doing something that would be a little bit more androgynous." She spoke with Welch, and they agreed: it was time to press pause on dresses. The result? "I'm very happy to wear my first suit on the red carpet with Dior."

Sawai went through several fittings to land on her final set, comprised of a strong-shouldered blazer, shirt and tie, and trousers, all in a sharp shade of white. She looked powerful but felt at ease—the balance she's strived for since her first runway show last year. "Even when I'm trying to dress up and be someone else, I still need to feel grounded in my own body," Sawai explains. "And I think that the look we went for, we're still very much on theme, but I'm still like myself."

Standout accessories were where the Met Gala’s signature high-wattage glamour came into play. First, the Cartier jewelry—the house behind Sawai’s often-worn red carpet adornments. She wore a “beautiful vintage ring” and a gold necktie clip, a nod to the zoot suits that were a major reference for the evening’s theme. A gold Cartier bracelet watch provided another spark at her wrist.

Sawai then topped her look with a hat by Stephen Jones, a London-based milliner whose creations have also adorned red carpet moments with Rihanna, Lewis Hamilton, and Kim Kardashian on Met Gala night. Hats and headgear are staples of the Black dandy aesthetic, which Sawai knew she "had" to include.

Before long, our conversation turned to the end of the night, when Met Gala after-party guests typically change into something short and coated in sequins. Sawai says she and Welch had fittings for a second look, but ultimately left them on their hangers.

"Honestly, the suit is so good that we were like, do you want to just take the jacket off and go in the suit?" Sawai reflects. "It's perfect for me, so I want to be in it as long as I can."

Photographer Max Hemphill | Stylist Karla Welch | Hairstylist Anh Co Tran | Makeup Artist Yukari Bush | Nail Artist Mo Quin

Welcome to The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

Some Met Gala red carpet collaborations are born in conference rooms, exhibiting as much chemistry as a blank Post-It note. Kerry Washington's "Black dandy, white hat" moment by Jonathan Simkhai is decidedly not one of those Met Gala looks. Even the duo's design origin story is tailored for a movie treatment: They had a fashion meet-cute at another star-studded event.

Washington had worn Simkhai's designs for years without meeting the West Hollywood-based designer. Still, she felt she knew him simply by "walking around in his vision" for years. Simkhai, of course, recognized Washington from her various films and TV series.

When they finally connected at the annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, it felt like red carpet fate. "We just connected and had a really nice chemistry," Simkhai tells me, sitting with Washington in their Met Gala prep-suite. "I reached out to Kerry and asked her if she'd be my date for this event. Fortunately, she said yes, and here we are."

"I don't really get starstruck anymore with actors at this point in my career, but with designers, I'm like, oh my God, you're, you're the guy on the label," Washington says. "It was so fun to meet him and to now be going together today is even more fun."

Naturally, the pair was equally excited to embrace the "Tailored for You" dress code, which honors "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" and the legacy of Black dandyism. Compared to Washington’s usual red carpet appearances, helping create a moment that centers Black styling, tailoring, and fashion felt like a meaningful shift, especially knowing that “designers from all over the world and from all different backgrounds are paying homage to this tradition.”

Simkhai immediately considered how his signature dichotomy of structured pieces and soft, sensual details could combine in a custom moment for Washington. "With the theme's emphasis on tailoring, we wanted to create something that felt structured and tailored but also sensual, feminine, and really just empowering."

They pulled together a shared mood board: Kia Chenelle's photograph “The Waiting Man I,” a 1996 Helmut Newton image from Vogue Paris, and various shots of music and style legend Erykah Badu. This inspired two coordinating white looks for the designer and his Met Gala guest.

Kerry Washington traded a traditional gown for a blazer with a completely open back and a folded, almost cowled plunge neckline in front. It contrasts with a crinoline sheer skirt—made from fabric that typically functions as the petticoat beneath a dress, Simkhai explains. "Because the concept is 'Superfine tailoring,' I really wanted to highlight the construction that's used for some of these couture pieces."

He complemented her with his own ivory suit, layered with a cummerbund on top and a pale yellow pocket square.

Washington’s sheer skirt wasn’t originally intended as a peekaboo moment. But as the look evolved from sketch to first-draft garment, “I met Kerry in L.A. for the first fitting, and we made the skirt in a sheer fabrication as a prototype,” Simkhai says. Her instant love for the translucent fabric made him rethink the original plan for an opaque, embroidered version.

It’s the kind of creative flexibility Washington felt comfortable requesting as the pair bonded over parenting and life in L.A. during fitting sessions. She’s just as impressed with Simkhai’s character outside the studio as she is with his collaborative spirit within it—and that mutual respect is reflected in every exquisitely crafted detail.

“Sometimes there’s tension between a designer’s vision and the willingness to let others into that process,” Washington says. “Jonathan approaches it with so much generosity and openness, yet he’s still clear about his preferences, values, and what excellence looks like to him.”

Simkhai, likewise, was impressed with Washington's curiosity and expertise. She respected the Simkhai aesthetic, but also knew when to ask for her own alterations. "I was very shocked and impressed with her understanding of garment construction," he says. "Her passion and her curiosity with fashion was really beautiful: She works in a completely different field, she's also wearing couture pieces all the time, but that love for construction, that curiosity made this project that more exciting."

Before we hang up, the pair makes one thing clear: their friendship is just one thread in the larger tapestry of the Met Gala Met Gala process. Behind coordinating looks like theirs is a full team of seamstresses, stylists, assistants, and beauty pros working in sync.

“We’ll be out there taking pictures,” Washington says, “but it’s a village that got us here.”

Photographer Ava Van Osdol | Stylists Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn | Hairstylist Takisha Sturdivant-Drew | Makeup Artist Billie Gene | Nail Artist Mo Quin

Welcome to The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

When Whitney Peak thinks of the first Monday in May, she can't help but think of Chanel. She already has two Chanel Met Gala red carpet looks on her style résumé before the 2025 installment on May 5. Her first was a long-sleeved, tiered gown for 2021's "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" event. Then came a tulle camellia confection and pearlescent nails for "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," in 2023.

"The first time I was 18, so I was kind of coming in very fresh," the actress reflects hours before walking the Metropolitan Museum's steps for a third time, in celebration of "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." "I feel like the more times that we work together, I feel almost more freedom to experiment, to play a little bit."

The 2025 Met Gala red carpet culminated in Peak's most personal Chanel look yet. She says she didn't necessarily "take a risk," but she was more vocal in deciding how the "Tailored for You" dress code, honoring the style legacy of Black dandies from the 19th century to the present, would be tailored for her.

She landed on an entirely custom outfit crafted over 385 hours at Chanel's Maisons d'art. The basis was look 36 from the house's Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2025 collection—which the Sunrise on the Reaping star's input transformed into a custom dress made from raspberry crêpe and mousseline. It flows into an asymmetrical buttoned skirt with black sequin tweed, and comes topped with a braided jacket (plus, a jaunty tweed hat).

“I'm happy with where we landed because it's kind of a balance,” Peak explains. “It's classic and it's tasteful and it's made for me and it's colorful. I feel like it's a good representation of where I am in my life and how I want to play with fashion.”

While the shimmering black tweed and tied bow blouse are steeped in Chanel's DNA, Peak wove references to the matriarchs in her life into the look as well. "It's just very heavily inspired by the women that have inspired my life and my sense of fashion," she says. Some of the nods come from her personal history: Peak mentions how her mother and grandmother dressed for family occasions when she was younger, elegant and regal.

Reflecting on the sweeping history of Black dandyism at this year's Met Gala, she also sought to pay homage to legends like Eartha Kitt and Josephine Baker. "They would have these beautiful, very overly feminine and extravagant looks, but then they would also wear a very well-fitting suit and a little hat and have like a cigar coming out, you know what I mean?"

Peak selected Chanel high jewelry and a never-before-seen watch with a personal philosophy: "I just wanted to feel powerful and confident. So anything that I saw or that I put on that made me feel that way, I was like, yeah, this is it."

She chose Lune Talisman Buttons earrings in 18k gold, along with a stunning ring that combines 18k white gold, 18k yellow gold, diamonds, sapphires, garnets, and Japanese cultured pearl. Her Première Galon watch, set in 18k gold with a braided motif bracelet, won’t be available in stores until October 2025—an extra-luxurious complement to her custom dress.

The focus turned back to legendary women in fashion history when it came time to add the finishing hair and makeup touches. Makeup artist Tyron Machhausen looked back at Pat Cleveland and Diana Ross to craft a '70s glam moment that softened around Peak's eyes and created a dewy effect on her skin. "The focus of this look was the lip. A deep, glossy lip always feels luxurious to me—bold, but still wearable," he says. "I chose a rich shade, with a high-shine finish, to channel that sense of drama and indulgence."

Hairstylist Naeemah Lafond emphasized the placement of the tweed Chanel hat, with Peak's hair cascading over her shoulders behind her, revealing only a glimpse of a braided kiss curl on her cheek. "I just wanted to have a little more drama and the hat definitely definitely served in that category," Peak says.

Peak was just as excited to take in the new Met Gala exhibit as she was to debut her custom Chanel look. The nods to historic Black figures in her outfit were only the beginning—"Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" traces a centuries-long legacy. “It feels like such a celebration of our culture and our people and our influence on fashion,” she says. “And for people that aren't Black, it's an opportunity to educate yourself and to actually learn and be curious about how Black people have influenced today's culture, time and time again. I just think it's a great conversation to open up.”

Photographer Matthew Priestley, Courtesy of CHANEL | Hairstylist Naeemah Lafond | Makeup Artist Tyron Machhausen | Nail Artist Betina Goldstein

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Hours before the season 5 premiere of You at New York City's Paris Theatre, Madeline Brewer has nearly stumbled into a situation straight out of the Netflix thriller. She's spent the morning in hours of interviews for co-star Penn Badgley's podcast. All she wants is some rejuvenating time with her glam team, set to the soundtrack of her "Femme Fatale" pump-up playlist, before hitting the red carpet. But Brewer can't get the night started—because she's trapped.

It's not quite as dire as it sounds. She's just stuck in an opulent bathroom within her Park Lane hotel suite, the door refusing to unlock behind her. Joe Goldberg, You's sadistic lead known for luring in women to untimely ends with faux feminism and taste in rare books, isn't on the other side of the door. Her makeup artist also got stuck (and released) a few minutes before we hop on the line. Final girl scenario? Not quite.

We both giggle at the on-theme similarities between the universe of You and our unorthodox interview setting. "If I have to spend the rest of my life in this bathroom, at this hotel, it was a good one," she laughs over the phone. Once Brewer reassures me she's safe, we turn to the real topic at hand: her look for You's season 5 premiere.

Brewer plays a so-called "manic pixie dream girl" in the series's final season—and explaining how she crosses paths with Badgley's Joe would only trip the spoiler alarm. Heading into the premiere, she wants to keep bookshop employee Bronte firmly on the page and the screen. There wouldn't be any sly nods to her costuming or overall aura, because "method dressing" is not Brewer's dress code.

"She really is an entity all on her own, so I don't really like to bring my character too much to the carpet," Brewer explains. "I don't like to cross that boundary because [it's] a really important boundary I have to keep with myself and a character—to keep them at work and me at home." Plus, the premiere isn't just about seeing Bronte's story unfold. It's about celebrating the work Brewer put into bringing her to life.

In fittings with her stylist, Elizabeth Saltzman, Brewer says she tried on several potential looks. There was only one real requirement for the night. "All I told them was, I really do want to feel glamorous. I feel so proud of the work I've done on this show and of the character, and—honestly, I know this is crazy, but I want to feel like a star," she says.

Fittingly, the Handmaid's Tale actress looked to the aesthetic associated with flashing cameras and all-around opulence: what she's calling "new Old Hollywood." And indeed, her black Cong Tri gown with a plunging neckline, exaggerated thigh-high slit, and subtle embellishments resembling flecks of stars in the night sky, is a gown fit for a leading lady.

"I've worn Cong Tri before and always felt truly like a starlet [wearing it]," Brewer says. This time around, a glossy blowout, towering Aquazzura pumps, and a layered diamond necklace by Briony Raymond heightened the effect.

The dress still rested on its hanger when we spoke, but Brewer knew it would be an instant mood-boost the moment she put it on. In her fittings, she sensed it would generate the megawatt confidence she wanted on premiere night. "There are so many times in life where you just don't feel like that girl, you know, but being on a carpet is one of those times where you want to stand in your power and confidence—and say, 'I belong here,'" she explains.

One look at the final ensemble, and I could sense it without standing in the Park Lane hotel with her: Madeline Brewer is exactly where she's meant to be.

Photographer Emma Craft | Stylist Elizabeth Saltzman | Hairstylist Frankie Calire | Makeup Artist Sasha Borax| Location Park Lane

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The long-awaited opening of The Last Five Years on Broadway feels a little like a holiday for Tony Award-winner Adrienne Warren. There are party dresses and photo ops, not to mention plenty of buzz, heightened, in her case, by the show's 24-year journey to becoming a fully-fledged Broadway production. Before stepping onto the stage in character as Cathy, a flailing actress and one-half of the couple who will fall in and out of love seven times a week through June 22, Warren planned to hand out presents to the cast and crew. "I told Nick [Jonas, her costar], it's going to feel like Christmas for his first opening on Broadway," Warren says a few hours before walking the red carpet.

But Warren's April 6 opening night isn't your typical celebration—even for A-list-centric events. Other stars sit back and watch their hard work unfold on a screen during their premiere night. On the other hand, Warren performs a 90-minute show for her closest friends and family in the audience. "You try not to get too excited because we also have to tell this very intense and beautiful story, in the middle of it—and then go and party," Warren laughs. "It's a very interesting cycle of a night."

It's an event where tears are guaranteed, accompanied by a crescendoing score and a gut-wrenching script. The Last Five Years became a global musical theater phenomenon partly because it is so relatably and recognizably heartbreaking. (Cathy opens the show with "Still Hurting," an iconic breakup ballad about the end of her marriage.)

On Warren's schedule, the step-and-repeat serves as her warm-up before going onstage—and comfort is prioritized more than on other carpets. (Translation: You won't see any cinched-in corset dresses here.) "I don't want to put anything that makes me feel restricted or uptight because my muscles need to be relaxed because I have to get ready to perform," she explains. "I need to be able to, like, drop into my body and give this performance."

She and stylist Shiona Turini found an equally relaxed and regal dress from Loewe for the occasion. It resembles one artfully folded and draped piece of tangerine material, cascading in sections over Warren's shoulders to meet at her navel in a deep plunge neckline secured with a gold-plated buckle. Underneath, a skirt in the same vibrant shade fell just above her knees, with a front-facing train grazing her pointed-toe heels.

Pulling it on in fittings before the show, the star immediately lit up. Its shade was an antidote to the emotional rollercoaster she experiences onstage. "Doing a show like The Last Five Years, which is quite heartbreaking," Warren explains, "it's nice to put on something that feels like sunshine and joy."

The dress's "sexy and chic" lines were also Warren's nod to New York, representing her interpretation of Cathy, a character portrayed in a film adaptation by Anna Kendrick and by numerous actresses in off-Broadway productions. "She's a little artsy and a little rock and roll," Warren says. In New Yorker terms, "She's a girl that lives in Harlem but also moved to the Upper West Side, you know what I mean?" asks Warren.

Loewe follows a press run in which Warren and Turini have also sampled Ferragamo LBDs and shimmering silver mesh dresses over matching satin pants. All of these pieces are intended to convey how much the actress, now in her thirties, has grown up since her first Broadway musical in 2012 (Bring It On).

In previous roles—like her 2020 Tony-winning performance as Tina Turner—Warren hasn't gotten to bring her entire self onstage. "I haven't even been able to use my own voice in shows for years because I've been playing so many different characters," she says. "But in this character, Cathy, I get to actually just be me. I get to use my voice. So we wanted to go in that direction with our fashion for press so far—just be Adrienne and enjoy everything that that is."

After Warren's final bow onstage at the Hudson Theatre, she planned to change out of her costume and right back into her Loewe dress. Forget about a separate after-party look—the original dress is her own opening night gift that keeps on giving. "You know what? It just feels good, and it's the exact dress I'm going to want to put on afterward."

Photographer Tyler Gustin | Stylist Shiona Turini | Hair and Makeup Artist Geo Brian

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One character on the Emmy-winning comedy Hacks owns an entire warehouse dedicated to her personal designer archive—but it isn’t Hannah Einbinder’s on-screen alter ego, comedy writer Ava Daniels. Ava is a Gen Z up-and-comer, serving as the foil to Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance, a septuagenarian stand-up legend who regularly pokes fun at Ava’s less-than-stylish wardrobe. (Their very first meeting as soon-to-be writing partners sees Deborah call Ava’s Doc Martens “chimney sweep shoes.”)

Needless to say, Ava is not exactly portrayed as a "fashion girl" in the three seasons currently streaming on Max. But the upcoming fourth season, arriving April 10, might finally catch up to the style story Hannah Einbinder has been hinting at on the press circuit.

“In this season of Hacks, I’m very exposed,” Einbinder reveals on premiere night, referring to where audiences last left Ava: clinching the head writer slot on her mentor’s new late-night show after a bit of Machiavellian maneuvering. “I think she’s definitely stepping into her power this season,” the actor adds. “And I think the same can be said for me.”

In real life, her style comes more naturally than her character’s career scheming. For the Hacks red carpet, Einbinder landed on a skintight, black and white Louis Vuitton dress with an open back and trompe l'oeil detailing that creates the effect of a striped two-piece. She complemented it with a soft French twist and natural makeup, plus black chandelier earrings and pointed-toe pumps—decidedly not “chimney sweep shoes.”

"It's really cool, and it's kind of an optical illusion on my body," Einbinder says of her dress. Stylist Jamie Mizrahi conferred with Vuitton womenswear creative director Nicolas Ghesquière before presenting it to the star, who fell head over heels for it. "The second I saw it, I was totally with them. It was just pretty clear that when this came in, we weren't gonna try anything else."

Einbinder didn't get to start experimenting with red carpet fashion in earnest until Hacks' second season. The first was shot during "peak Covid," while events and premieres were on hold.

Now, there's no shortage of events or impressive designer credits to wear to them. Just before slipping into Friday's Louis Vuitton dress, Einbinder had pulled an electric blue Fforme piece for the 2025 GLAAD Media Awards. She’s also turned heads in matching Chanel leather sets, white cutout gowns, and even more Louis Vuitton looks—an impressive lineup of recent red-carpet standouts.

Building up her wardrobe wasn’t a solo effort, though. “I think my relationship to fashion has changed a lot, and it’s mostly been a product of working with people who inspire me,” Einbinder says, gesturing to her team—stylist Jamie Mizrahi, hairstylist Jerrod Roberts, and makeup artist Molly Greenwald—all listening in from the hotel room where she's getting ready. "Working with them has definitely been the factor that has inspired me and elevated what I've been doing."

Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière could also be considered an unofficial styling team member, given how often his name comes up. He’s created several of her best looks, from a Grecian white one-shoulder gown for the 2025 Golden Globes to a draped blush-pink dress at the Emmys. Sitting front row at the label’s recent Paris Fashion Week show—complete with freshly cut bangs for the occasion—was also a key part of her fashion education. “It really has become something that I view as an art form, like a walking sculpture,” she explains, “and so I think that’s a huge factor in the silhouette choices [I make].”

Some of her previous looks—like a structured, olive green gown for the Critics' Choice Awards—took the "fashion as sculpture" idea literally. Her Hacks premiere dress, however, swerves in the opposite direction with an open back and a body-hugging material that's less sculptural, but statuesque nonetheless.

Season one or two Hannah might not have reached for such a close-fitting piece. "This is definitely something that I have worked up to wearing," Einbinder says. Her growing confidence as a performer and a fashion person encouraged her to show another side on the latest red carpet. "The way that this dress fits me is something that I don't think I would have felt as comfortable in, had I not felt the freedom that I have in my work," she elaborates.

Before she heads out for the carpet, I have to ask how her toughest on-screen critic would react to her look for the night. Einbinder only needs a beat to pick one of Deborah Vance's rare, heartfelt one-liners from memory. "You know, I think she would say her famous line." She pauses before dropping the mic. "Finally, a woman!"

Photographer Joelle Grace Taylor | Stylist Jamie Mizrahi | Hair Stylist Jerrod Roberts | Makeup Artist Molly Greenwald

Chase Sui Wonders may be best known for her burgeoning acting career, but she also wields a lesser-known gift: a discerning eye for vintage fashion. On her regular excursions through downtown Manhattan—where Lara Koleji is one of her favored destinations—she gravitates toward pieces characterized by vivid color palettes, figure-hugging cuts, and razor-sharp tailoring.

It was only fitting, then, that for a special screening of her Apple TV+ series The Studio, Wonders opted for a rare Prada gown pulled directly from the house’s Spring 1997 archives.

“As soon as I saw it, I was gasping for air,” Sui Wonders tells me over a Zoom call. In an embroidered shade of cherry red, the delicate Prada dress fit like a glove—complete with subtle slits along the side and a mockneck keyhole neckline—no alterations required. “It’s such a beautiful, dreamy design, and I felt so powerful wearing it on the streets of New York City.”

Eager to capture the moment before arriving at the iconic Paley Museum for the night's event, Wonders enlisted her sister, Jeannie Sui Wonders, to photograph her in the vintage look in an intimate film shoot that perfectly showcased the gown’s timeless appeal.

Although procuring this elusive gem wasn't exactly straightforward. Wonders collaborated closely with her stylist, Thomas Carter Phillips, to bring their distinctive nostalgic vision to life. “Thomas and I made mood boards filled with tons of ’90s and early 2000s style inspiration—especially Prada,” she recalls. “I specifically wanted vintage for its sustainability angle, but I also love the effortless, lived-in charm of pre-loved pieces.”

After scouring countless vintage dealers, Phillips finally located the Spring '97 Prada dress at Manhattan’s Irene Albright Fashion Library—in the very same print Gwyneth Paltrow famously wore to a premiere with Brad Pitt that year.

“In keeping with Wonders’ desire to wear vintage, I also worked with Fred Leighton to find antique jewelry for the occasion,” he says. To top it all off, Phillips anchored the look with strappy red Gianvito Rossi heels.

Yet the dress’s old-school allure wasn’t its only draw. For Wonders—whose father is of Chinese ancestry—the garment’s cultural significance made it all the more meaningful, as its embroidered silk, high collar, and side slits evoke those of a traditional qipao. “My grandmother is going to love this dress when she sees these photos,” Wonders tells me.

While getting all dolled up for red carpet appearances has become quite normal for Wonders recently, she hasn’t always been in the limelight. The 28-year-old performer dabbled in theater while growing up in Michigan, but it wasn’t until after she graduated from Harvard University that her acting career truly blossomed. In 2021, Wonders garnered attention for her breakout role as Riley Luo in the hit HBO Max series Generation. Soon after, she added a slew of other productions to her resume, including Bodies Bodies Bodies, Bupkis, and City on Fire.

Like her on-screen career, Wonder’s personal style has developed with time. “I didn’t grow up with a very distinct sense of fashion. I was a tomboy and wore the same thing every day,” she explains. “Then, when I started walking red carpets, I saw it as an opportunity to be more whimsical.”

These days, Wonders looks to icons like actress Catherine Deneuve and model Devon Aoki, both of whom she describes as “effortlessly feminine, polished, and cool.” She's refined her aesthetic by taking a page from their style playbook. “I love a red-carpet look that feels like something I’d genuinely wear to a party, a wedding, or any other special occasion,” she says.

She carries this laid-back philosophy into her beauty routine, too. For The Studio’s March 27 screening, makeup artist Misha Shahzada opted for a natural vibe, using sun-kissed bronzer, nude lipstick, and a touch of brown eyeshadow. Hairstylist Blake Erik slicked most of her brunette locks back, leaving a sweeping side bang that lent an easy yet polished finish.

While the press tour for The Studio might be winding down, Wonders’ Hollywood hot streak is just warming up. With a slate of projects already in the works, it’s safe to say she’ll keep captivating audiences—and turning heads—both on and off the screen.

Photographer Jeannie Sui Wonders | Stylist Thomas Carter Phillips | Hair Stylist Blake Erik | Makeup Artist Misha Shahzada | Location Wonders’ New York Apartment

One year ago, Da'Vine Joy Randolph was on a dual award season and red carpet style hot streak. Every show delivered her best dress yet—plus a shiny new Golden Globe, Critics' Choice, and SAG Award statue to go with it. It all culminated in her Best Supporting Actress Oscar win for The Holdovers, accepted as she sparkled in a custom, powder blue Louis Vuitton gown with feathered sleeves and a flowing chiffon train. She'd played a part that made award season history. She looked the part of a timeless star when she accepted her trophy.

Cut to the 2025 Oscars, where Da'Vine Joy Randolph would deliver one of the evening's best red carpet fashion moments in dress symbolizing just how far she's come. Returning to the ceremony as a presenter for the category she won the previous year, the star dressed to showcase the expressive freedom she's found after dominating the Academy Awards campaign trail.

"Last year's clear intention was kind of like reinventing Old Hollywood glam," she tells me over the phone en route to the red carpet. Classic shapes and silhouettes selected by styling duo Wayman + Micah had helped her convey award-worthy energy, all topped with leading-lady golden blonde hair. This year, she's expanding her horizons. "What's been fun this year just in general, but especially for tonight, is allowing me to be a little more, I don't know, edgy or risqué."

"I don't know what the right word is," she laughs, but she can describe the feeling. After taking the formal, Serious Actress route with sculptural, one-shoulder gowns that manifest a best possible awards outcome—she likens it to the way musicians like Sabrina Carpenter or Taylor Swift campaigned for Grammys with album-themed outfits—Randolph feels like she can finally let loose. "Now it's fun to kind of let your hair down, so to speak, you know what I mean? I don't have to be so pageant-y."

In her sweep of the recent Paris couture runways, Randolph and her team found a designer who could still deliver on the elegant, timeless aura the Oscars asks for while also allowing her to "have just a bit more freedom, to try some new things out and experiment." Tamara Ralph, whose gowns have also graced the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Florence Pugh, and fellow Oscars presenter Halle Berry, "really impressed" the actress.

She was thrilled when Ralph signed on to created her 2025 Oscars dress, and even more overcome with the final result: a beaded, corseted black gown set with a satin rosette, from which tiers of coordinating fabric draped around her waist and extended into a flowing skirt.

"I have to say of the things that I've seen from her, I've never seen her make anything like this before, with beadwork and yards and yards of fabric," Randolph says. "There's a lot of drama. There's a dramatic train, there's a chiffon scarf that drags behind me."

Even the color felt like a change of pace after last year's Oscar-winning pastel. "We went with black, which I don't think I ever would have done."

The experimentation didn't end with her dress's shape and palette. Hair stylist Tai Simon and makeup artist Sheika Daley helped Randolph embrace an entire new beauty look for the night. A warm ginger pixie cut and micro bangs replaced last year's blonde waves, complemented by a neutral lip and bold lashes.

“We love to experiment and play with color, so for tonight, we of course, went with a gorgeous cowboy copper by Danger Jones Gloss Tones," Tai Simon, her hairstylist, says. "The sleek and sultry cult and color modernizes the classic starlet look of Da’Vine’s gorgeous jeweled gown.”

And, it showed Randolph's beauty range. "We tried different things and decided, let's play. Let's give them another option, another opportunity to see a different side of me," she says, "which that's why I love fashion and beauty so much. It gives you an opportunity to recreate yourself, evolve yourself, and be playful."

Randolph's biggest constants from her year as a nominee to her return to present have been the people around her. First, there's the core group who has prepared her for every red carpet and award ceremony where she's been in the spotlight. "At this point we've worked with each other so long, we just move so fluidly with one another. It's always great vibes," Randolph says. "It's like having girlfriends over to just shoot the shit." And when all the carpet-hopping and travel wears on her energy, she trusts them to handle her glam while she dozes off in the makeup chair.

Then, there are the fellow actors—nominees last year, presenters this year—she's bonded with on every step of the grueling campaign trail. "What was so beautiful about this year is to see that that bond still exists and that people really have an understanding and empathy for what we go through," she says. "It's exciting, but it's a huge commitment."

Da'Vine Joy Randolph's night with her team only started with her Tamara Ralph gown. A few hours later, after she handed this year's Best Supporting Actress trophy to Zoe Saldaña, they'd meet again to change the actress into a trophy-hued, off-the-shoulder gown for the Oscars after-party; she'd also conceal her micro bangs beneath auburn, Ariel-esque waves.

Even if outfit changes and bold beauty adjustments weren't practically written into the Oscars night dress code, this star would be able to justify switching up her look mid-evening.

"I think whether you're an Oscar winner, nominee, whatever it is, even the everyday woman, I think you should do as much as you can to be your best self," she says. That philosophy includes showing the spectrum of your style in a single night.

Photographer Conrad Khalil | Stylist Wayman + Micah | Hair Stylist Tai Simon | Makeup Artist Sheika Daley

Monica Barbaro earned her first Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award and Academy Award nominations this year for seamlessly embodying 1960s folk music icon Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown. Dressing to celebrate at the 2025 SAG Awards red carpet, and all awards season long, however, has had a two-word directive firmly grounded in the present: "consistently Monica."

Everything the 34-year-old actress wears, from the L'Oréal mascara curling her lashes to the carats of serpentine Bulgari diamonds winding around her fingers, is meant to be a natural extension of her and her alone. This star doesn't engage in trendy one-upmanship via archival fashion or, heaven forbid, method dressing. "It's been about embracing my own looks and showing up as the same person each time, as opposed to like, 'Let's pull a U-turn and play someone else today,'" she tells me.

Barbaro's brand of red carpet candor comes through in what she wears and how she describes wearing it. When we check in right before she poses for hundreds of cameras, she's honest about the effort it takes to keep her precisely tailored dress looking pristine. "I'm like supine right now," she tells me from the back of the car, whisking her to the red carpet. "I'm, like, laid back so that the dress"—custom Dior, cut from chili pepper-red fabric into a sculpted gown with a dramatic plunge neckline—"doesn't wrinkle. It's a pretty funny image."

So is the one she paints of her getting-ready process. She makes the day before she hits the best-dressed list sound like an extremely opulent tornado worlds away from the low-lit clubs and unfussy apartments her portrayal of Baez inhabits. Different sets of hands pull her hair in one direction for a blow-out, others yank her fingers for a fresh coat of polish in another (sometimes, simultaneously), all while she tries to stay "as zen as possible" with calm music and deep breaths.

She makes it through with the right team in the room, and the North Star promises that she'll leave in a recognizable (albeit glamorous) state. "My lovely team is so generous, allowing me to look as much like myself as possible. We're not doing big hair looks. We're not, you know, overpainting my face."

The trio of stylists who've worked most closely with Barbaro throughout her first major awards season meet her halfway: understanding she wants to rise to the occasion without losing herself in the dress code. Barbaro saw sketches of gown options from Dior options and liked hers in white—but she loved the idea of it being red. (After a season where sequins and neutrals were in heavy supply, "I think every award show series deserves one red moment.") So wardrobe stylist Jeanann Williams supported her inclination to request a swatch in Barbaro's preferred color.

Makeup artist Samantha Lau has primed Barbaro for every appearance of her whirlwind red carpet season with "timeless and cohesive" looks grounded in a single statement—sometimes a bold eye, other times a bright lip. It's an approach that can meet the grandeur of the moment without losing sight of the star's natural beauty.

A nomination night didn't change their beauty strategy, either. "When it comes to a night where she’s nominated, the approach becomes even more intentional," Lau says. "When Monica showed me her SAG Awards dress, I envisioned a soft, defined eye to complement its sleek, sophisticated silhouette." The "subtle yet refined" result involved a few swipes of L’Oreal Paris Big Deal Mascara , an accompanying glow courtesy of Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick, and a finishing spritz of Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist to lock it all in.

Similarly, hair stylist Owen Gould's approach was less rigid and precise, more "effortless and touchable." Between prep with an Everpure Glossing Lamination Mask and a blow-out set with Elnett hairspray, Barbaro walked the carpet with commercial-worthy volume and shine that didn't feel far off from her everyday.

Movement that could complement a couture dress without going over-the-top is another fine balance to strike. "I wouldn’t say the direction necessarily changes because she’s nominated, but the pressure was on to execute a flawless look," Gould says. "I think as a team, including stylist and makeup, we absolutely nailed [it]."

Before A Complete Unknown, red carpets were just about ticking the fun, if superficial boxes for Barbaro: dressing up, arriving at the event, networking. After the nominations and all-around bigger role, the calculus has shifted.

"I've been really craving just showing up as authentically myself as possible," she says. Her taste in beauty products and color palettes hasn't necessarily changed—but her conviction in her style has gotten stronger. With more eyes on her than ever before, "It's nice to feel a sort of sense of ownership and a connection to how I'm presenting, as opposed to characters out of a hat."

Back when her SAG Awards dress was still a work in progress, before she knew exactly how her hair would fall over her shoulders or which heels she'd step into, Barbaro went to fittings as the most undone version of herself. "You stand there with your tousled hair and glasses and no makeup, and you start to try and read between the lines and see what the rest of the look could come out as," she recalls.

Barbaro ultimately didn't take home the trophy she was nominated for at the SAGs. She did, however, secure another personal style win. Looking at photos of the full look the morning after the ceremony, I'm sure Barbaro agrees the final result was consistently—and brilliantly–—Monica.

Photographer Cibelle Levi | Stylist Jeanann Williams| Hair Stylist Owen Gould | Makeup Artist Samantha Lau

The last person to hear Brenda Song is undergoing a 2025 "Brendaissance" might just be her.

The 36-year-old former Disney Channel darling—best known to millennials as the teenage hotel heiress London Tipton from The Suite Life—has put in the work, catalyzing the portmanteau that's gone baby-viral. She's just landed two major roles that showcase her impressive range. First, in Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl, playing an exotic dancer on the eve of her Vegas show's shutdown alongside Pamela Anderson (currently in theaters). Next, as the foul-mouthed chief of staff to Kate Hudson's enthusiastic team president in the Mindy Kaling basketball comedy Running Point, streaming on Netflix on Feb. 27.

"Brendaissance" has been dropped in at least two cover stories about Song's new gigs and has received a not-insignificant number of views on social media. It's definitely within her orbit—a sweet, if extremely online, way to refer to her return to the spotlight in nuanced, decidedly not-Disney roles. (Of course, those of us who loved her brief role in The Social Network already knew what she could do.)

But her jaw drops when I ask Song how she feels about it—and whether there's a style evolution to parallel the juicier roles she's booked of late—a few hours before Running Point's Feb. 13 red carpet premiere. "No!" she hasn't even registered the term yet. And while I grew up watching her react to hotel hijinks on command, her shock and gratitude that people care enough about her current career era to give it a catchphrase don't feel forced. It's evident even on a grainy video call as she's driven from an interview to premiere prep.

Then, she pauses for a second to consider what a "Brendaissance" means. Wearing a corseted archival Chanel gown she and stylist Jordan Grossman picked out for the premiere to coordinate with her soft glam by Kristee Liu and wavy half-up do by Anna Lee Fiorino; she decides the term actually is fitting for this night's look and her career evolution.

"It's a great way to express my fashion journey because, for the first time, I really feel like this is me who you're seeing now," she says. "This is the person I've worked really hard to be these last few years. This is the culmination of a lot of self-growth and change in my life."

Before her critically acclaimed indie film and soon-to-hit streaming comedy, Song felt at a "crossroads" in every sense. Now, she's on the other side with a reignited creative passion and a more authentic wardrobe to go with it. "I feel like for the first time in my life, I finally feel like I'm in the next phase," she says. "I feel so different from the person I was five years ago and my entire life."

This phase celebrates who Brenda Song is now, including how she wants to dress. She says she and Grossman considered going on-theme for Running Point press: maybe something sporty or vaguely referencing her character's boss-lady suiting on the series. Then she locked eyes with her Chanel gown: strapless, embellished by a black bow at the bodice, almost creating a two-piece illusion with the contrasting white corset at the center. It was the first piece she tried on and the only one she wanted to wear again to the premiere.

"I was debating [whether] I wanted to wear black, and I kind of went past it, but for some reason, I saw the built-in corset, and I was like, Oh, this is interesting," she says. "When something is right, it's just right."

Song describes her authentic style as "what no one expects me to wear in real life": classic pieces with a slightly edgy twist. Sometimes, this equates to oversized Rick Owens; other times, it's lace-up Ludovic de Saint Sernin dresses, or Chanel tweed skirt sets with an exposed bralette.

The through-line is what Grossman, her stylist, considers contrast: "Her warm, joyful personality meets a sleek, sophisticated vibe," she tells me in an email later. "She gravitates toward classic, structured tailoring from brands like YSL and Celine, favoring long, lean silhouettes. We avoid anything overly embellished, fussy, or pink!" (Anything Song's first role would have found her wearing.)

Growing up in front of the cameras and figuring out her style in the public eye hasn't made big outfit reveals like this one any easier. That's all the more reason why comfortable pieces matter. "I still have such impostor syndrome, and it's always so nerve-wracking on the red carpet," Song explains. "So I always try to choose something that's not finicky or fussy, and I'm confident in. That's how I felt when I put on this dress."

While Song's style moment is all her own, choosing the exact pieces to bring it to life was a collaborative effort. She began working with Grossman when The Last Showgirl screened at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) and noticed an immediate difference in what she wore (think Burberry, Christopher John Rogers, and more Chanel) and how genuine she felt in those outfits. "I've never felt so me on a carpet," Song reflects.

Her recent costars have also opened her mind and closet to more styling possibilities. Pamela Anderson's embrace of runway couture with a makeup-free beauty beat has been a major influence. Song recalls an instructive moment where Anderson demonstrated, through her presence alone, the importance of wearing what feels authentic to oneself. "At a cast dinner at Benihana, Anderson arrived wearing the most incredible cashmere skirt and heels, without a stitch of makeup. And I was like, ‘That’s what I love about fashion—you know what I mean?’"

And on the set of Running Point, Song says, "Working with someone like Kate Hudson, there's no one I trust more. She's like a big sister to me, and I often turn to her for fashion advice because she's just iconic. Even yesterday, during our press junket, I literally said, 'This is my dress. What do you think?'"

Song is clearly a bona fide fashion girl, one I wish I'd seen more of at New York Fashion Week this month. (I get it, she's too busy.) But the arc of her "Brendaissance" style has taught her that, ultimately, the person wearing the outfit is more important than the pieces themselves. "I don't need my clothing to tell my story," she says. "My clothing amplifies my story."

London Tipton's outrageous style may have raised millennials, but Brenda Song's is how they want to dress when fully grown up: self-assured, grounded, and totally themselves. A quick online search will show countless fans are cheering her on—even if she hasn't noticed it yet.

Photographer Emily Sandifer | Stylist Jordan Grossman | Hair Stylist Anna Lee Fiorino | Makeup Artist Kristee Liu | Location The Everly Hollywood

When Lucy Boynton and I connect a few hours before the Feb. 11 premiere of the series A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, the actress's red carpet look still has a few question marks. She and Chanel makeup artist Tyron Machhausen hadn't yet decided on the thick strokes of Noir Intense eyeliner and Enchanted Night eyeshadow worthy of a Black Swan performance at the Met. Nor had she and hairstylist Rebekah Forecast landed on the tousled twist with parted curtain bangs, placed for a pair of 18k Chanel High Jewelry Soleil Ganse earrings to catch the light of the cameras. But she knew she wanted a grunge twist to counterbalance the retro Metiers d'art look she'd screenshotted and sent to stylist Leith Clark the minute it walked the runway in Hangzhou, China, last December.

"I immediately fell in love with it," Boynton says of the black tweed jacket and mini skirt, accented with hundreds of pink pearls. "I always kind of let [Clark] work her magic in terms of what we select as options, and this was the first and only look that we ended up trying. As soon as I put it on, it fit like a glove and just felt like everything that we'd been trying to encapsulate."

"Everything" refers to a 1950s-meets-2025 approach to styling on the Cruel Love press tour. Boynton plays Ruth Ellis, a nightclub owner who made headlines in 1955 on the conviction of murdering her lover, David Blakely, and subsequently being sentenced to execution—the last woman in U.K. history to meet this terrible fate.

The story and script hitting Britbox on Feb. 17 are dark, to say the least. Boynton brings complexity and depth to the role of a woman who history thinks it understands and similarly captures her nuances in a wardrobe that's both contemporary and vintage-inspired. Hence, the Chanel matching set and coordinating Coco Crush jewelry.

"I'm always able to find that linear connection with Chanel, where the house codes feel so respectful to the past—and then there's always a sense of youthfulness and modernity to the silhouettes," Boynton explains. "So this, tonight, feels like the kind of epitome of that." The heavy tweed and pink beading bring the nostalgic nod to Ellis's cinched-in dresses worn as the manager of The Little Club; the flip-cut mini skirt and boots bring the "cool, contemporary twist.

Boynton adds that the palette couldn't reflect her character's persona more. "The fact that it's black, but these pink beading details catch the light, feels like a great little kind of glimmer of Ruth."

Bridging the past and present through costumes on set—and in a lesser sense, on the red carpet—is one of Boynton's favorite parts of the job. "It's such a great exercise to untether yourself from your idea of you and your identity and what you feel comfortable and confident in, because you exit yourself and into the headspace and instincts of the character," she says. "You do abandon this preconceived idea about what suits you, and it's really liberating."

Playing Ellis allowed Boynton to test-drive traditional silhouettes of the '50s, like tea-length dresses with cinched waists (and often, coordinating hats or gloves). While she appreciated how the garments made her "hold herself differently"—a physical way of getting into character—she prefers the breathability of her cropped jacket and skirt IRL. Vintage and ladylike definitely doesn't have to mean uncomfortable, and Boynton points out the fashion history to prove it.

"What I appreciate about Chanel, and even their couture and everything, is how it always pays homage to Gabrielle Chanel's intentions that women should be able to be mobile and feel free in these looks."

Boynton describes her on-screen counterpart as someone who was aware of how she was perceived: first as a woman running a business, and later as a woman on (very public) trial. Delving into Ruth Ellis's use of fashion while in the spotlight has helped the actress understand her own outlook on fashion more, albeit without the life-and-death stakes. "Ever since getting to work with my stylist Leith, I've enjoyed the process much more," she says. "I have felt less of a pressure to get it quote-unquote right and celebrate more of my own sense of style and how I want to feel."

Her latest project may have a noir feel, but it's brought out something light in Boynton—and the historical figure she plays. "I've really enjoyed finding the looks that obviously I feel very empowered and comfortable and confident in, but that also Ruth would have loved to wear as well."

'A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story' airs Feb. 17 on Britbox.

Tory Burch staging her Fall 2025 fashion show, an ode to "twisted American sportswear," at New York City's Museum of Modern Art felt like "serendipity" to Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman. Explicitly, she tells me after just after the show, because Fineman's mother, Ellen Gunn, scored an extra invite, and she's one of many painters in the family. Sitting across the runway from one another in coordinating black Tory pumps after an afternoon of primping with hairstylist Takuya Yamaguchi and makeup artist Marc Reagan at The Fifth Avenue Hotel was a "delight"—the kind you can only share when you're also on first-name basis with one of the New York Fashion Week calendar's most beloved designers.

But the expansive collection's debut on a night at the museum came with another accidental source of joy. The MoMA is also a few short blocks away from Rockefeller Center, where Fineman spends most weeks writing, rehearsing, and performing on SNL. Taking in the runway while wearing a Spring/Summer 2025 look styled by Yael Quint, Fineman saw pieces she could wear to Studio 8H when they finally hit the market this fall.

"It was like beyond divine, but I felt like it was a very working girl collection, which was exciting," she says. "You want to be able to wear stuff you can actually, like, walk to work in." She then acts out pointing at pieces as they came down the Tory Burch runway and mentally adding them to her shopping cart: "I was like shoes, one, blazer one, leopard coat, one. Every belt down the runway, I was like, I need it. It's like a weirder version of things I already have."

"Weird" is a word that comes up a lot in our quick conversation, but it's important. In fact, it's almost an essential quality for Fineman's current work wardrobe. While she considers her approach to workwear fairly classic, she doesn't want it to be basic.

"I think that there was like a weird thing that happened in the last few years at SNL, maybe not so much like other cast members, but me and all the producer girls [realized we] were all like in...business lady fashion," she says. "I was like, it's weird to do a comedy job when I'm always in a blazer!" So she started looking out with pieces that deviate from the writer-producer-comedian mold in the right kind of "weird" way. Tory Burch is one of the places she's found them.

On the other side of her front-row-ready style evolution, Fineman has found outfits that break the mold: a seafoam green, asymmetrically ruched Tory Burch skirt here, a snatched dress from the Mugler archives there. "I think I feel rebellious at work by kind of being chic and glamorous," she laughs. "I think that's unexpected in comedy, so that's my thing."

While she was the only SNL cast member in attendance at Tory Burch's runway presentation, Fineman is quick to say she's not the sketch show's only style muse. "Sarah Sherman, you go in her closet, and her wardrobe is so quintessentially her," she says. "I think she clearly has such a point of view."

In fact, everyone who's forward-facing has their own thing. Heidi Gardener reads to Fineman like a "sparkly, early 2000s" movie heroine; Devon Walker's Aimé Leon Dore collection is a source of awe and mild envy.

But the unspoken style icon of the evening was, without a doubt, Fineman's mom Ellen. She balanced her daughter's anti-winter white sleeveless top and urban mermaid skirt in a stately black coat (from Tory, of course). "We're like two interpretations of chic," Fineman says, grinning over at her parent. "We have our shoes coordinated, and we accessorized."

What Fineman's taking away from the show is the balance of carefree expression and thoughtful experimentation Tory Burch has brought to recent collections—those indicative of a "Toryssance" among fashion editors and longtime fans.

"I remember hearing someone describe Tory earlier this year as really weird and really beautiful, and I think that's kind of what I'm always trying to go for when I go to her show," Fineman says. "Tory's stuff is always really classic, but she's entered this new way of making things a little weirder, a little more surreal, and I think that really speaks to me."

Wearing Tory Burch from the night of the show onward is another way Fineman can be "rebellious" and not just at work. "The world is so impossible to make sense of that if you can find playful and cool [clothing]....why not?"

Celebrities sitting front-row at Coach's Fall 2025 fashion show understood their outfits weren't just for the photo-op. Like the editors, photographers, and other associated fashion people running through New York City, they needed outfits that could multitask: picture-perfectly layered while still comfortable and chic when in motion between appointments and interviews. Or, in Grammy-winning R&B singer Coco Jones's case, jetting off to the airport after the runway where looks made their finale lap around Manhattan's Park Avenue Armory.

Catching up for a few precious minutes after the Feb. 10 show, Jones suggests TSA-friendly style had been top of mind as she watched Coach's ode to the "unstudied ease" of the '90s, per show notes. "That's kind of my vibe now, " she tells me, "because I'm traveling after this." She sweeps her leather-gloved hands down the side of the coordinating black Coach trench, layered by stylist Maeve Reilly, over a black bralette and wide-leg jeans. "If I [put on] a sweatsuit under this and then I had my trench, it's like airport...but you ate that," she says with a grin.

Jones had other highly specific balances to strike as she prepared for the day's runway with hairstylist Davontae Washington and makeup artist Andrea Ventura. She'd teetered between a more slicked-back beauty look but ultimately chose bombshell curls ("I just wanted some extra drama," she explains). Similarly, she'd wanted an outfit that channeled the same jaw-dropping energy of her 2025 Grammys red carpet look while holding up to a February in New York City. (Again: Multitasking.)

"I like to show a little skin—but I still like not to freeze," she laughs. Her solution was a leather trench with a floor-kissing hem over a coordinating bra and jeans. "This was kind of the perfect opportunity to combine the trench with the gloves, do a little bra, so I'm not freezing, and I still feel like it's a balance of me and, of course, Coach." It wasn't like she'd be outside for long, anyway.

It was clear that Jones wouldn't let the forecast get in the way of her having fun at the runway show. And it's the more playful pieces she wanted to shop from the catwalk, like, say, a pair of oversize bunny slippers with soles to keep up with city streets. (Relaxed but actually walkable—another multitasking piece, of sorts.)

"I think they just do a great job of of combining that lighthearted feel and something that could work anywhere," she says of Coach, "whether you're going on a plane or going somewhere to dinner or just want to be cute during the day. There's a lot of flexibility."

That philosophy—seeking out clothes that serve more than one function and hold more than one meaning—makes Jones such a captivating entry into the music and fashion scenes. She likes pieces she can wear to a runway show or something her sister, who isn't in music or entertainment, could wear in her daily life. Songs like "ICU" have the kind of hook anyone can sing along with.

"It works for all of us," she says of the runway collection, "and I think that's what I'm trying to coincide with my music. I want songs that work for all of us: the girl who's just figuring out what to do after college and the girl who has two kids and is trying to figure out who she is. We're all just trying to figure it out, and I think that's kind of what I want to relate to: my music and my fashion."

There are probably dressers out there who can't quite see the practicality in a bra top and jeans during a February chill. But Jones's leather trench, gloves, and denim? That's a base we all appreciate.

Tiffany Boone waited a long time to walk the red carpet at Mufasa: The Lion King's Dec. 9 premiere in Los Angeles.

"Three years of working on this project, it's been a real labor of love," she tells me on the phone the morning after the movie's debut at the Dolby Theater. Her gown for the evening, a sculpted Balmain stunner coated in stripes of blue, yellow, and red beads, was the reward of her patience paying off. "To be able to walk out feeling confident and feeling, regal like the queen that I'm playing...I feel really lucky that we were able to bring all of the pieces together and still tie it back to the film."

Onscreen, Boone is the voice of the lioness Sarabi—Queen of the Pride Lands and mother to Simba. Her performance needed gravitas, and so did the red carpet gown commemorating it.

When she saw the gown stylist Amanda Lim pulled from Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing's recent collaboration with Disney, she knew it was the one. The vibrant rows of red, yellow, and blue beads paid homage to the African continent, where the film takes place, Boone explains, while the structured, high-rising neckline resembles a sculpture in a palace. Before she even put it on, she considered it a "work of art."

"I'd probably say this is the most special dress I've worn, maybe ever," Boone says. "I am a huge Balmain fan, and to have the honor of wearing this dress for this occasion, it was really special for me."

This work of art didn't need to compete with loud accessories. Metallic red Christian Louboutin pumps, blue Irene Neuwirth earrings, and a red Drew Weber bag all picked up on the gown's shimmer without outshining it.

Then came the complementary glam. When hairstylist India Hammond first got a glimpse at the dress, she immediately suggested an extra-long braid. The idea started with more volume on top than the final result, which cascaded down Boone's back. "As we got started working on it, we realized that it needed to be simpler because the dress so high impact from the front," she explained. "Then when I turn around and show the back, you can see the drama of of the long ponytail."

Her beauty look also revolved around a single, impactful moment. "My makeup artist, Nadia Moham, she automatically said, 'Oh, I see a red lip' and I completely agree with her." They kept the rest of Boone's skin clean and "really bronzy" so the red of her lips could pop alongside her gown. "Everything was really around complementing the dress but not overpowering the dress totally," she says.

At the theater, Boone stood onstage alongside the entire cast as director Barry Jenkins gave an emotional introduction. She also felt the gravity of the moment. After so many years in production, "I think the film means a lot to a lot of people and a lot of us in the cast," she reflected.

Then the lights went down, the music came up, and Mufasa: The Lion King was playing for a full theater for the first time. Boone could immediately sense it connected with an audience member right next to her. "My little nephew was present at the premiere and just see his little face, watching the film and then having him ask me questions afterwards, it was all really special," she says.

This night was worth the wait.

"Fashion show" falls several hundred miles short of describing Chanel's 2024/2025 Métiers d'Art runway, a collection of 60-plus looks presented at nightfall on Hangzhou, China's West Lake, as a serene mist swept over the water's surface. In a way, it was a painting come to life. Or more specifically, a realization of the illustrated scenery on Gabrielle Chanel’s Coromandel screens that still stand in her famed Rue Cambon apartment in Paris. The designer never traveled to China in her lifetime, but the reinterpretation of her screens as romantic silks and bouclé jackets in sunset tones looked like a wearable ticket there.

In another way, the show was an artist's summit, a celebration of creativity in all its forms. Complementing the intricate (and at times size-inclusive) runway looks made by Chanel's Creative Studio was a 1,100-strong guest list filled with masters of their crafts. Included in the lineup was writer, poet, and personal style arbiter Orion Carloto.

In projects like Film for Her, Carloto crafts phrases and images as precisely as Chanel's artisans sewed the beading on an embellished clutch. She got ready for the Métiers d'Art show wanting to honor the scrupulous manner in which Chanel's owned workshops—including the embroiderers at Maison Lesage and the pleaters at Atelier Lognon—approach each garment to make the front row look so beautiful.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for the atelier and the careful work they’ve put into making each individual garment feel like one of a kind," Carloto says. She showed it in a structured midi dress carefully set with hundreds of beaded flowers arranged by hand, paired to Chanel pearl-and-heart earrings and white pumps.

The dress fit so well, it felt custom. "Every crystal hand-sewn into the piece I wore hugged my frame with love; it’s something you can really feel the moment it slips onto your body," she says. "Since we were in Hangzhou, a city submerged in centuries of history, it felt right to go for a more classic silhouette. I don’t think I’ve ever felt prettier."

Dressing to sit alongside Lupita Nyong'o and Tilda Swinton in the front row, and honor the work of Chanel's artisans, gave Carloto a chance to re-evaluate the connection between her clothing and her art. She usually seeks out beauty in mundane, writing-at-her-desk outfits; the show was an opportunity to experience something more opulent. "On an average day, I tend to wear some version of the same thing; style to me is a byproduct of my own perspective," she says. "But it is nice having moments, like a Chanel show, where playing dress up becomes a little more inspiring."

Taking in the sprawling, waterfront runway struck Carloto as so much more than a photo opportunity or a trip abroad. "About halfway through the show, I had this special moment to myself where everything rang silent," she says. "It was pretty surreal coming to the reality that I was sitting parallel to a historic moment in fashion, paired with a stunning backdrop of the blue hours of China. Nothing will ever compare to the gratitude spilling over me."

Chanel itself might have had exactly the words Carloto was looking for in her reflection on the evening. It wasn't just a runway, according to the show notes, but a "poetic voyage."

Marissa Bode'sWicked premiere outfits have been filled with clever nods to the land of Oz. She's worn silver shoes in Australia to reference the pair her character, Nessarose, wears on-screen; a timeless black dress set aside for London has flecks of Emerald City green. For the Los Angeles premiere on Nov. 9, she and stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn chose a shimmering gold Aknvas dress with metallic Jimmy Choo heels and Levian jewelry to match—their hat-tip to the Yellow Brick Road. But the most important part of Bode's Wicked premiere style isn't how she's paying homage to the movie. It's how she's representing herself.

Wicked is the first feature film Bode has starred in. She's also the first wheelchair user to play the part of Nessarose, the younger sister to Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba, in any production of the musical. As far as introductions to the movie-watching public can go, it's a monumental one.

Her red carpet outfits are a critical part of that first impression. "Since this is her very first time doing a major press tour like this, our intention was to establish a blueprint of Marissa’s style for the world to see," Mandelkorn says. "As a queer, disabled woman, Marissa has a very unique perspective on the world and we wanted her fashion to reflect that."

In their first conversations, Bode didn't have a single answer to the question of what she gravitates toward, style-wise. "My everyday style is a bit all over the place," she says. "But in the best way—I don't like to choose a specific aesthetic. I like to try a little bit of everything."

So the pair decided not to choose a single lane. Instead, they've used the through-line of a few timeless silhouettes—and the occasionalWicked reference—to get playful with patterns and colors. "While we absolutely love the pink and green theme of the film, and knowing Cynthia [Erivo] and Ariana [Grande] would likely be leaning into those colors, we wanted to establish her own palette," the stylist says. "Bright reds, teal, black, plaids and ginghams, denims, and metallics were our focus for this run." The vision came to life with a mix of established New York designers (like Prabal Gurung and Tibi) and emerging names including Adeam, Dorothee Schumacher, and Staud. "We also wanted to incorporate brands that have done an incredible job with consistent representation on their runways, like Collina Strada," Mandelkorn adds.

Bode's red carpet process also has its practical considerations: "One thing that was really important was focusing on what dresses look good and are flattering on me sitting down in a wheelchair," she explains. Some dresses have a lot of hanger appeal, but don't keep their shape in a way Bode likes when she tries them on. Experimenting with her team, taking test photos in fittings, helps her zero in on the dresses and sets that resonate on and off the rack.

The heart of the matter is choosing what feels the most like her for the given moment. "When I wear stuff, I like to wear it because I like to wear it, not necessarily because of one specific thing," she says. Her golden Aknvas gown let her tap into a fun, shimmery side she hadn't yet explored on the press tour. "I like the balance of being classy and chic, with just a little hint of coolness in there as well." Getting ready at W Hollywood for her Nov. 9 red carpet, she played up the dress's soft, golden glow with a twisted up-do by hairstylist Graham Nation, rosy cheeks and a mauve lip by makeup artist Cherish Brooke Hill, and a bubble bath manicure by nail artist Shelby Hile.

Bode still has a few more stops on the Wicked press tour, including a premiere in New York City. Whichever looks she wears next, "I think a message I want to get across is that just fashion doesn't have to be this thing that should be taken too, too seriously," she says. "I think fashion should be silly and light and playful. I think having fun with that at the end of the day is the most important thing to me."

When Wicked finally arrives in the theaters later this month, Bode wants audiences to walk away from their (first) screening with open hearts. "I'm excited for people to see various reflections of humanity in the film and very real themes that are very prevalent in the world today," she says. "And I think people can learn a lot from those themes as well, watching this film." Her red carpet journey thus far already comes with a message: True personal style is unlimited.

On a sunny Tuesday afternoon in September, I arrived at Tribeca’s Locanda Verde restaurant to interview Olivia Wilde with the goal of looking serious. Wilde was one of several jurors participating in Chanel’s ninth annual "Through Her Lens" program with the Tribeca Film Festival, an initiative that selects ten promising women and non-binary filmmakers for mentorship by the industry’s leading directors—and a chance to secure funding for short films that go on to debut at Sundance or stream on Netflix.

One hundred other influential women in entertainment, from director Janicza Bravo to actors Beanie Feldstein and Rosie Perez, were also attending the program’s kick-off power lunch. I’m not often in rooms like that with company like this. So I chose a tailored black waistcoat, khaki trousers, and knife-toe heels, each coming from one of several interchangeable minimalist brands. This, I thought, conveyed purpose. Or at least, it would help me blend in.

Then Olivia Wilde arrived in a grapefruit pink and citrus tweed suit styled by Karla Welch. The Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling director could have plucked it from the racks of a ’70s period piece, between the ultra-saturated palette and the pant legs so wide, she could lunge in them while we chatted. (To clarify, her look came from the Fall 2023 ready-to-wear collection.) Her blazer had the structured shoulder and the epic proportions of a boardroom special, but it also paired perfectly with a pink quilted Chanel flap bag. It wasn’t just powerful; it was fun.

Wilde told me she almost considered a Chanel-ified black power set with shells woven into the neckline. But she just “gravitated” toward her pink power suit, with its slightly mismatched fabrics and sequin detailing along the pockets.

“I just love that there's something really joyful about it,” she said. “I love the combination of colors—together, it just feels like this kind of yummy citrus, delicious moment.”

It’s also a suit that takes up space and commands attention, by virtue of not following the power dressing codex of all-black-everything. Wilde still looks the part of a juror at an esteemed event, but she’s also being herself. “[There’s an] idea of ‘Directors, we're serious professionals, we have to wear a black suit so we’re taken seriously.’ I’ve definitely done that and there is a real power to that,” she said. In a more traditional suit, “You can feel like you’re a real Helmut Newton boss bitch.”

Palm Springs pink, loose waves by hairstylist Ben Skervin, and peachy beachy makeup courtesy of Hung Vango, let her tap into that same energy—albeit in a way that’s more authentic to who Wilde is right now. “Like any person as I've gotten older, I've become more true to myself and less concerned with fitting into any sort of trend or what I think people expect of me. So I think it's just a growing authenticity that comes with maturity,” she said.

Wilde has also seen her style evolve as she’s transitioned from acting, to directing, to now, balancing both. (She’s set to star in a project with Charli XCX next year.) “I am embracing the kind of duality of my personality and my work. I'm a boss, but I'm also a performer, so I think that my style sort of swings between those two energies.”

She added that it took time to feel confident in going with her gut over going with convention. “I think for many years, I was wearing things that I thought I was supposed to wear,” she said. “And then as I've gotten older, it's like, ‘Oh no, I wear exactly what I want.’”

This week, Wilde is dressing for the exact job she wants. Over the next few days, she’ll be reviewing projects from a field of exciting new filmmakers and choosing the one that earns Chanel’s extra support for its next phase in development. I ask what stands out to her in a sea of submissions. What defines a project she’d want to work on? “I think I'm not looking for the person who would fit very well into the existing structure of the kind of stories we're seeing. I'm looking for the person who is breaking the mold and telling a story that is incredibly specific,” she said. “You know, Quentin Tarantino says, ‘Make the movie only you can make,’ and I'm looking for the person who's really willing to do that.”

When our brief chat ended and Wilde swished away in her perfect pink power suit, I guessed that there’s a fashion version of that quote. Power dressing is assembling an outfit like only you can—and if you’re in the right room, you’ll still be taken seriously. The next time I’m in an important space, I’m not just defaulting to neutrals.

At the 2024 Emmy Awards on Sept. 15, Elizabeth Debicki took home the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series trophy for portraying Princess Diana in the final season of Netflix's The Crown. Accepting her award onstage and walking the Emmys red carpet hardly an hour before, everyone from online commentators to TV correspondents said her square-neck, black velvet Dior gown could have been pulled from the late royal's wardrobe.

The dress's square neckline and weighty black fabric did seem somewhat reminiscent of a floral-embroidered gown Princess Diana wore for a charity event at London’s Bridgewater House back in November 1995; her glossy, minimal makeup by Misha Shahzada, bubble bath nails by Yoko Sakakura, and swept-back layered bun by DJ Quintero seemed equally Lady Di-coded. And when Elizabeth Debicki was preparing for her Emmy moment, she admitted she had her iconic character's energy in mind.

"It was the first thing I saw on the rack, and I just knew that I was going to go towards that dress," Debicki tells me from her getting-ready space before the show, with a pre-carpet avocado toast in hand.

"I don't mean this to sound like too on the nose, but it's quite—" the actress pauses for a moment, "regal. It feels like a very, for me, princessy dress, really. It's a sort of silhouette that when I was really young, I would have just thought, Oh, my gosh. That's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen."

The dress is the latest collaboration between Debicki and stylist Elizabeth Saltzman, a partnership that started with the Season Five premiere of The Crown—Debicki's first since being cast as Princess Diana. Over the ensuing three years of press junkets, premieres, and awards shows, the pair has honed in on looks that balance simplicity and elegance while working with Debicki's stature. (Those include a dreamy ice blue, backless Armani gown for the 2024 SAG Awards and a mirrored gold dress for the Golden Globes.) "Elizabeth is such a champion of all the women she works with," Debicki says. "She always wants you to feel so comfortable in your own skin."

Their dresses—last night's Emmys gown included—always started with what both Elizabeths wanted. Parallels to Princess Diana's real-life wardrobe weren't always intentional, but they'd sometimes subconsciously manifest in the looks.

"Princess Diana was truly a fashion icon—whatever you do, she has sort of done it already," Debicki says. "So we would learn that even when we would say, 'Oh, okay, we'll just go in this direction because we really love this. I've never worn something like this, and it feels fresh and new for us.' Then we would see the next day a sort of photo and we would think, huh! I guess it actually, really does look like that dress that Princess Di wore."

Debicki and Saltzman considered the black velvet Dior gown a grand finale to their three-year partnership. The Emmys marked Debicki's last red carpet attended in support of The Crown's cast and crew; win or lose, it would be a meaningful night. That sense of purpose manifested in the clean lines and commanding but refined shape. "It's kind of reverential. There's something about it that feels like it has a beautiful weight to it. There's the structure of the dress itself, physically, and just the space a dress like that takes up. It sort of knows itself, and it's very solid and kind of strong, and I think that that's just how we wanted to finish," Debicki explains.

There's been more to Debicki's journey with The Crown than stepping into the shoes—and gowns—of one of modern history's most influential women. Her own sense of style has come into focus with each red carpet. "I have learned to trust myself more. By that, I mean, to trust my instincts on what it is I feel like wearing," she says.

She'll still make references if and when it's appropriate. "I think every time you do a carpet, it's just sort of a little show, it's like a little performance. You can say something with it and create a sort of character."

The next time Debicki plays a red carpet part, it won't be in reference to Princess Diana. Standing in front of her peers in her Dior gown, the star gave a touching farewell to the woman she embodied for so many years. "Playing this part based on this unparalleled, incredible human being has been my great privilege," Debicki said. "It has been a gift."

Some aesthetics are born naturally on the runway. Others are made by the hive mind known as fashion TikTok. And some come from a singular person with a sense of style that's all their own, like the “pastel goth” aesthetic Storm Reid introduced me to at Coach’s Spring 2025 New York Fashion Week show yesterday.

The look, as Reid defined it through her front row outfit, mixes garden party tones like the pistachio base of her ballgown Coach skirt with tough leather and metallic hardware. She and stylist Jason Bolden specifically paired the debutant-goes-punk plaid—covered in extra-large bows—with a leather moto jacket and coordinating bra top. Makeup artist Pauly Blanch and hair stylist Jazmyn Hobdy let the outfit do the talking, sending the Euphoria star to the front row with a mauve pink lip, slightly shimmery eyes, and soft, cascading curls. Her outfit still made room for some classic Coach codes, too, in the form of a velveteen Tabby bag and a single statement earring in the shape of the Statue of Liberty.

Reid considered her outfit to be another manifestation of her personal style mantra. “It’s about taking up space and being courageous,” she tells me after the show. “It’s always just about having fun and wearing what you want to wear.”

And if “pastel goth” isn’t actually a thing, “we’ll make it a thing,” she laughs. Inventing a new aesthetic takes confidence, something Reid exudes like the sun emits light.

“I have always been taught by my mom that you wear the clothes, the clothes don't wear you,” she says. “So if you go in with that mindset, whether you're getting ready for class or a fashion show or you're going out to eat with your friends, like put on what makes you feel good? You’ll feel good.”

While Reid’s inventing a new fashion vocabulary, she’s also reinventing pieces she knows and loves. Her Stuart Vevers-designed skirt harkens back to the custom, bow-festooned piece she wore for the 2024 Met Gala. Her appreciation for a high-volume, movement-friendly skirt stretches all the way back to 2018, when she wore a tiered version for the Los Angeles Premiere of A Wrinkle in Time.

Reid’s latest rendition prepared her for an afternoon taking in Coach creative director Stuart Vever’s latest odes to downtown renegades, in the form of distressed “I Heart NY” T-shirts and charm-adorned shoes every sneakerhead in the tri-state area will want to order. She took in the show next to the likes of Lola Tung, Kathryn Newton, and Charles Melton, a dramatic switch-up from her usual Monday afternoons attending classes as a USC senior. Ballgown skirts aren’t on the hanger in her dorm closet. “I want to be cute, but I need to be comfortable because I'm running around campus all day,” she said of her everyday style. T-shirts and comfy pants are usually her M.O.

The common thread: Everything she pulls on is a piece to assist, as she says, in her mission to take up space. “I'm so glad that I have the autonomy to be able to pick and choose what I want to wear,” she adds. And maybe, pick the next aesthetic we’ll all start copying while she’s at it.

Nina Dobrev wasn’t attending Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2025 show at New York Fashion Week just to observe the parade ’80s polka dots and Georgia O’Keefe-coded blossom yellows. Her arrival in the front row, in a chic matching set designed by the house and styled by Kate Young, marked a long-anticipated fashion comeback for the actress.

“If I'm being completely honest and vulnerable, I've been sort of behind the scenes for the last four or five months because I had a pretty bad injury and surgery,” Dobrev tells me over the phone a few hours after the show. The Vampire Diaries star had sustained a severe knee injury after a dirt bike accident in May. She’s studiously tracked the “baby steps” of her recovery process on social media in the weeks since.

Dobrev needed strength to take strides back into the spotlight at fashion week—especially when she was doing it in heels. But returning to New York was always going to be worthwhile. “Just coming out and doing my first fashion week since the injury, wearing high heels for the first time again since the surgery, I was a little nervous. But I was also excited—when you're not doing anything for that long and recovering, I miss the fashion. I miss being in New York. I miss the excitement of fashion week,” she says.

Her comeback outfit had to meet two criterion: It had to be “chic and timeless." Easier said than done. Those adjectives can apply to a lot of Wes Gordon’s designs for Carolina Herrera—so many, she ended up pulling two looks. One she’s keeping under wraps is being saved for another event in a few weeks. The other, a matching skirt set, made the front row cut.

Dobrev’s outfit began with a short black jacket, featuring trellises of white beaded flowers blooming along the neckline and exaggerated puff sleeves. She wore it fastened at the top without a shirt underneath, instead pairing it with a matching miniskirt featuring the same petal-like embellishments along the hem and a silver mini bag. “I felt very, very chic and yet still edgy at the same time,” Dobrev says.

Then there were the aforementioned heels: black, pointed-toe, with even more beading. Dobrev tells me the brand had offered her flats. It was considerate, but just not right for the look. (Spoken like a true fashion girl.)

“I really felt like the look needed a heel and I was anxious,” Dobrev says. “I was very nervous that I was going to fall.” Young, her stylist, stepped in, buying her a cane to support her on her walk to the front row.

After hairstylist Bridget Brager secured Dobrev's high power ponytail—the better to emphasize her earrings and the beading along her jacket—and makeup artist Patrick Ta perfected her soft, romantic makeup look, Dobrev made it to the runway she’d been waiting for. She mingled with the likes of Karlie Kloss and Chloe Fineman; counted more than one polka dot dress she’d want to request for a future red carpet; and bonded with Gordon’s mom, who she sat next to at the show. The one thing she didn’t do was fall. “Luckily there were no mishaps, everything went smoothly and I debuted my new knee, as you might say, at the Carolina show, which was really fun,” Dobrev laughs.

She’d had a lot of time to think about this moment before it finally came. Now that Dobrev’s made it through her first show, she’s ready for an even bigger fashion reset. “I feel like I'm ready to elevate my game and be selective and be conscious. I usually in the past have been so ‘go with the flow,’ but I want to be more specific and intentional about what I wear going forward,” she explains.

All those months of recovery, of physical therapy and purely comfy clothes, primed Dobrev for a radical shift. A metamorphosis, if you will. “I had to, you know, cocoon, and now I'm excited to butterfly out of my little cocoon and sort of find my style identity down the line,” she says.

The transformation starts with one little matching set and could expand in all sorts of directions. For now, Dobrev says, “I'm very excited to be back in the city and back on my feet, quite literally.”

I have never attended couture fashion week as a guest of Chanel. If I had to guess what it feels like to get a camellia-topped invitation for the first time, get dressed by the house, and sit feet away from the Fall 2024 collection as it glides by, I can imagine it's an opulent moment. Anna Sawai, star of FX's Shogun, similarly tells me she wasn't sure what to expect from her first Chanel couture show on Tuesday. Preparing to ascend the steps at Paris's Palais Garnier, home of the opera and this season's runway, Sawai did know how she wanted to dress the part.

"I was able to try on very different outfits and it was hard to choose because it really was so different," Sawai tells me a few hours after her front row debut. She and stylist Karla Welch were caught between two routes headed in aesthetically opposing directions: one sweet and soft look, one edgy and all-leather.

In the end, Sawai took the road with less excess: a leather waistcoat and coordinating Bermuda shorts, straight from Chanel's Cruise 2024/25 collection that debuted earlier this spring. It was the closest, Sawai says, to how she really dresses. "I felt like going to these kind of shows, I wanted to at least feel grounded and be my own self."

Bringing the rest of the look together was a lesson in juxtaposition. Sawai chose pointed-toe heels to up the elegance factor of her matching set's biker-chic energy. "And for my hair and makeup, we wanted to kind of balance it out," she explains.

With makeup artist Yumi Mori and hairstylist Jennifer Yepez, Sawai leaned into classics: a fresh makeup look with rosy, glowing pink blush, a sleek bun with pieces pulled out to frame her face. And even then, the actress wanted to incorporate another contrasting element: "We also topped it off with a beautiful Chanel ribbon, which I think is like a cherry on top."

Once Sawai made it to her seat, she wasn't necessarily swept away by the hanging chandeliers and velvet-lined steps at the opera house. Her eye went straight to the more understated pieces amid the over-the-top lineup.

When I ask if there's a look she'd wear off the runway, Sawai speaks directly to my New York City uniform dresser heart. "They had some nice black looks and I am a pretty simple girl," she laughs. A dress layered with chandelier beads and embroidery—plus a mesh skirt—spoke to her for "a fancy, fancy dinner."

Guests who've filed into the same seats and watched the same models for season after season can maybe feel jaded by the whole affair. Seeing it for the first time, Sawai soaked in the details that might be overlooked in a recap Instagram story.

"I wasn't expecting it to be such a theatrical experience," she says. She paid close attention to not just the clothes, but the way they were presented. "We heard the footsteps of the models. I thought it was just being played as a tape, but there was actually a guy holding the mic at her footsteps." Turning her focus to a beaded belt became a runway ASMR exercise: "You can hear them hitting each other and making this very high toned beautiful ring."

Maybe Sawai was looking for those details so closely because she'd seen them in progress just a day before—a sneak-peek not every showgoer gets. Ahead of the runway, she also went to visit artisans at the Chanel atelier, hard at work on the final feathers, beads, and camellia flowers involved in each look.

"I learned how much time it takes and how many people really it takes to create like one flower—and to see that all come together and form into this beautiful look," Sawai says. "The whole experience itself was just like a new and very, very opulent experience for me and the appreciation for all that goes into it is so important, too."

For some guests, today's show is the first and last time onlookers will see them in their best tweeds and collarless jackets—at least until the following season's runway. Sawai's next Chanel moment will come a little earlier. In the second season of Apple TV's Pachinko, which premieres this August, the actress suits up as the high-powered lawyer Naomi in vintage suits from the house.

The way Sawai describes it, dressing for an intergenerational period drama isn't all that different from dressing for a present-day front row. When her onscreen persona wears Chanel, she's tapping into her power. "My character is a lady in the eighties who is having to face masculinity in her company," she explains. "Gabrielle Chanel fought for the liberation of women, and making them comfortable."

And while Sawai may be more familiar with walking onto a prestige TV set than walking up the steps to a couture show, she still gets the same feeling where her wardrobe is involved: "I feel so lucky that I was able to wear a Chanel suit on that, too." Once again, her clothes keep her grounded.

Shop Anna Sawai's Chanel Couture Beauty Look

There's a special moment during a fashion show when attendees stop seeing a new collection and start seeing themselves—their taste, their styling habits, the essence of their personal style—on the runway. Attendees bump elbows as they jockey to film the model wearing their dream outfit, and some can't help but blurt out, "That is literally me." Rachel Brosnahan just crossed continents to make that same soul-closet connection in Dior's front row—twice—with slightly different lines.

Shortly after walking the SAG Awards red carpet in Los Angeles on Sunday, shimmering in a micropleated tiered metallic gold gown, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star touched down in Paris on Tuesday for Dior's Fall/Winter 2024 show. When she landed, she fell head over heels for two looks, starting with the menswear-inspired pieces she wore in the front row.

Working with longtime stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn, Brosnahan dressed for Dior in a soft take on menswear suiting: a smoky gray oversize suit jacket, white button-down, and a flowing black midi skirt with a dramatic slit. It was a casual swerve from the gowns she's worn for red carpets and even from her look for last season's show, when she wore a plaid jacket-and-skirt set with a very Maisel-esque silk scarf tied over her hair.

"I’ve been having fun with different silhouettes lately and this oversize suit jacket with menswear inspired shirt and skirt felt like a fun change from other looks I’ve worn," she tells Marie Claire. The jacket was the piece she felt most at risk of packing up and taking back stateside, with its discreet Eiffel Tower painting along the side and its perfectly oversize proportions.

Her beauty and accessories leaned classically Parisian, including a dainty pearl choker, a quilted Dior handbag, and a black bow tied into her tousled ponytail. "Dior plays with the masculine and feminine in a way I’ve always appreciated," the actress explains, "so we decided on a more feminine lip and ponytail to juxtapose the rest of the look." Her rosy lips and cheeks and cheeks came, naturally, courtesy of Dior Beauty.

She didn't just wear the look; she connected with it. The same feeling arrived moments later, when Brosnahan was seated in Dior's front row, with Natalie Portman, Blackpink's Jisoo, and Jennifer Lawrence.

Creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri presented a collection grounded in shades of khaki, black, and white, heavy on trim suiting and jackets painted with "Miss Dior" graffiti. Brosnahan says she capital-L loved the '60s inspired silhouettes and all of the coats. (Not just one coat—the lot of them.)

Then came The Look, the combination of design and styling so specific it compelled Brosnahan to consider something drastic: "There was a black coat with gold buttons shown with a black cap and high boots with a buckle that I would have ripped off the runway, if I thought I wouldn’t get tackled by J.Law’s security."

Obviously, Brosnahan would never crash a runway. But her quip has a kernel of truth to it, in the way good fashion makes us want.

"Fashion shows are an opportunity to push your style boundaries a little bit and wear things you wouldn’t necessarily wear in another venue," Brosnahan reflects. That said, "Some years, like this one, feel more reflective of my personal style where others are more about having fun or embodying a particular character."

No wonder she almost couldn't resist bringing those looks home with her.