HAS METHOD DRESSING FOR FILM PREMIERES BECOME UNINSPIRED?
BY ABBY JOYNER PHOTOS BY PROVIDED
From “Barbie” to “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” method dressing is officially in vogue for movie premieres.
Method dressing refers to an actor wearing an outfit for an event, such as a red carpet premiere or press interview, which takes inspiration and references from the character they portray to promote the film further
Zendaya at the London premiere of Dune: Part Two in Mugler. Photo: Samir Hussein/Wireimage
Hypothetically, if there were an award for “Best Method Dresser,” it would overwhelmingly belong to Zendaya. The “Dune,” “Challengers,” and “Euphoria” star, alongside her impressive stylist Law Roach, have perfected the art of method dressing on the red carpet. The dynamic pair popularized the trend, influencing other celebrity-stylist pairs to highlight their character and film at press events.
On the “Dune: Part Two” press tour, Zendaya sported many science-fiction-inspired pieces, including an archive 1995 Mugler robot suit to the London premiere.
Margot Robbie going back to 1959 referencing the first ever Barbie doll. Photo: @andrewmukamal on Instagram
Margot Robbie’s seminal press run for Greta Gerwig’s record-breaking film “Barbie” set a precedent for method dressing in Hollywood. While Zendaya has been wearing red carpet looks inspired by her film characters for many years, Robbie’s red carpet looks for “Barbie” were historic. They broke outside of niche fashion circles on social media; everyone was talking about the swarms of hot pink and custom couture strutting the carpet on this extraordinary press tour.
Referencing Barbie dolls of decades past, Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal recreated classic Barbie looks, including the original black and white bathing suit in the form of a strapless mini dress from Hervé Legér. Her looks also shed light on lesser-known Barbies, like the 1985 “Day-to-Night” Barbie with two complementary looks using pieces from Atelier Versace, Manolo Blahnik, and Judith Leiber.
The “Barbie” craze did not limit itself to Robbie’s pink-clad wardrobe on the film’s press run. Countless other stars paid homage to classic Barbie dolls on the red carpet by decking themselves out in Barbie-approved shades of pink and referencing past dolls. “Chicken Shop Date” host Amelia Dimoldenberg interviewed the stars on the London red carpet dressed as “News Anchor Barbie” in a custom look designed by Zoe Lou.
Amelia Dimoldenburg stuns as a real-life News Anchor Barbie. Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Positive reception within the culture to the “Barbie” press run signals how influential these significant cultural moments can be. Hot pink lined the shelves in stores, doll sales skyrocketed, and the movie itself grossed $1.4 billion in 2023.
Why does method dressing resonate so strongly with the public?
The “Barbie” premiere provides an exemplary example of method dressing; the profound buzz in popular culture and news it created incited mass excitement for popular culture.
People find red carpet fashion fun, seeing hidden Easter eggs on the carpet, like Zoe Kravitz’s cat-inspired gown for the recent “The Batman” premiere in 2022. Kravitz’s black dress nodded to her portrayal of Catwoman in the newest iteration of the franchise. Method dressing “signals relevancy to onlookers, resulting in more awareness in buzz,” according to Fast Company. 2
However, since “method dressing” has entered the cultural lexicon, has it become an overdone trend, to the extent that we cannot expect any originality and creative expression on the carpet?
When every major celebrity references their character or the film aesthetic in their press looks, it becomes boring and uninspired. It feels expected for actors and directors to take inspiration directly from their films on the red carpet. While the looks themselves are often custom and creative takes on the film’s aesthetics, an overarching unoriginality in the idea of method dressing as a whole emerges.
Method dressing was special and exciting because only a few celebrities brought inspired looks to the carpet. As a fashion trend, it now feels overdone and uninspired. Just because a look is “custom” or “vintage” does not always guarantee it is compelling.
In terms of promoting a film and box office sales, method dressing still gets an audience enthusiastic about the movies. From a fashion perspective, red carpets are no longer modes for designers and stylists to show off their newest collections. Method dressing is likely not going away anytime soon, but let us hope the red carpet becomes an engaging fashion space again.
