Left, Rihanna in Comme des Garcons at the 2017 Met Gala, Photo by Getty Images; right, Germanier Spring 2025 Couture Photo by Giovanni Giannoni for WWD
Haute Couture is a fashion art form that highlights luxury, exclusivity, and innovation. It is a vehicle for designers to express their creativity and push boundaries. Budget is no limit to ambition, and the shows are always a spectacle.
With few exceptions, the fantastical designs cry out for special occasions. They are geared toward those who inhabit a rarefied world whose lives revolve around a never-ending flurry of high-profile events and special occasions, where making a fashion statement is as important as the event itself.
2025 just got underway. In addition to the upcoming Grammy Awards, there are the Oscars, the Met Gala, the Tony Awards, the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival, movie premieres, and award galas. Celebrities will need to be well-dressed.
Throughout the week, I often found myself drawing parallels between the runway and certain celebrities. Whether it was a design that echoed a past outfit or one that I felt would perfectly suit a particular star, it was a testament to the individuality and diversity of their styles.
(In some cases, I surmised they were the only ones who could pull it off!)
Rihanna is fearless, eclectic, unique, and daring. She often blends high fashion with streetwear. Her grand entrances at the Met Gala have cemented her status as a fashion icon, an award bestowed upon her by the CFDA in 2014. As a student of fashion, Rihanna doesn’t mind suffering for it. Refer to lead shot
Left, Tilda Swinton at Cannes 2022 in Alaia photo by Stephane Cardinale for Corbis, Corbis Entertainment, Getty Images; right, Jacquemus Spring 2025 Ready-to-Wear Photo by Launchmetrics Spotlight for The Impression
Tilda Swinton’s style is minimalist, androgynous, and often unexpected. She has such a distinct style that no matter what brand she wears, she makes the pieces completely her own in a way few actresses can.
Swinton is known for her sharp column dresses, architectural details, and menswear-inspired pieces. She can also make anything look cool, hip, and special. How many women can make a simple white cotton shirt dress look red carpet-ready?
Left, Anya Taylor-Joy-in Nina Ricci at the Tiffany Titan launch by Pharrell Williams in Paris, 2025 red-carpetfashionawards.com; right, Christian Dior Spring 2025 Couture, Spotlight Launchmetrics for The Impression.
Anya Taylor-Joy knows how to make an entrance. Whether she’s gracing a front row or dazzling at a soirée, Taylor-Joy is a risk-taker who manages to blend personal taste with the latest runway trends. The result is always a unique, daring, and elegant mix.
A Dior brand ambassador since 2021, Anya is often seen in statement pieces, ranging from a red leather Mugler bondage dress to a Grecian-style gown by Dior.
Left, Cynthia Erivo in Custom Louis Vuitton, photo by Gilbert Flores/ Variety/Getty Images; right, Stéphane Rolland Spring 2025 Couture, Photo by Launchmetrics Spotlight for The Impression.
Cynthia Erivo is soaring high after receiving her third Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her powerful portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked.
Erivo’s style is eclectic, ranging from elegant to theatrical, and often inspired by strong women, art, and her Nigerian heritage. She’s known for her bold prints, dramatic silhouettes, and avant-garde accessories.
In 2020, W magazine called her a “singular red carpet risk taker”; she loves to wear everything and has no set style. There’s no question the three-time Oscar nominee packs a lot of style into her diminutive 5’1″ frame.
Left, Ariana Grande wears a custom Louis Vuitton at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival, Photo by Chad Salvador; right, Schiaparelli Spring 2025 Couture, Photo Courtesy of Schiaparelli.
Speaking of diminutive, Ariana Grande’s style has evolved over the years, but it often includes vintage and retro pieces, minidresses, and thigh-high boots.
In 2024, Grande spent the most time on the red carpet wearing various Glinda-worthy creations to promote her work in “Wicked”; the only thing missing from most was a wand. Meanwhile, it has paid off. The role garnered Ariana a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination.
Left, Demi Moore in Armani Prive at the 2025 Golden Globes, red-carpetfashion.com; right, Gaurav Gupta Spring 2025 Couture, Photo by Isadore Montag for gorunway.com,
Demi Moore’s fashion style is bold, unexpected, and ever-evolving. She’s known for wearing various looks, from column gowns to menswear-inspired ensembles, and experimenting with color and texture.
The actress, who stars in The Substance, recently won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture—Musical/Comedy. She is a front-runner for an Academy Award.
Left, Zendaya, wearing Alaia in the Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue 2025, vanityfair.com; right, Stéphane Rolland Spring 2025 Photo Courtesy of Stéphane Rolland.
Zendaya is known for her bold, fashionable style, which often mixes masculine and feminine elements. She’s worked with stylist Law Roach for over a decade, and the two have transformed her from a Disney star into a fashion icon, an award bestowed upon her by the CFDA in 2021.
With her obvious beauty, willowy 5’10 “frame, and youth (28 years old), Zendaya can literally pull anything off. She looks especially great in sculptural gowns. The young megastar recently announced her engagement to fellow actor and longtime boyfriend, Tom Holland, so a wedding is in her future.
Left, Rosamund Pike in Dior and Philip Treacy at the 2024 Academy Awards, wmagazine.com; right, Raul Mishra Spring 2025 Couture, Photo by Carlo Scarpato for gorunway.com.
Rosamund Pike is known for being glamorous, dramatic, and on-trend. The British actress often wears designer gowns in bold colors and is not afraid to take risks with her outfits. She’s also been known to surprise.
At the Academy Awards in 2024, Pike delighted jaded fashion followers when she arrived doing the unthinkable: wearing a face-obscuring veil, necessitated after a ski accident. It’s not a bad thing to keep in mind the next time you have a major event, and don’t think you look your best for one reason or another.
Left, Sarah Paulson at the 2024 Met Gala in Prada, Instagram; right, Valentino Spring 2025 Couture, Photo Courtesy of Valentino.
Sarah Paulson is known for her delightfully quirky and experimental style, often featuring statement shoes and bold colors. She’s worked with stylist Karla Welch to develop her signature look, which includes a bob haircut and natural makeup.
When it comes to taking fashion risks, few are as fearless as Sarah, who has garnered a sartorial reputation for being predictably unpredictable with her red-carpet looks and prioritizing individuality instead of trendiness.
Left, Lady Gaga wearing Schiaparelli at the 2020 Inauguration, Photo by Getty Images; right, Rahul Mishra Spring 2025 Couture, Photo by Carlo Scarpato for gorunway.com.
Lady Gaga’s style is ever-changing. Like that mythical box of chocolates, you never know what you’ll get with Gaga, who wears various outfits, from gowns to meat dresses and latex bodysuits. She can be classic, subdued, flamboyant, irreverent, provocative, if not surreal.
“Valentino was a Wizard of Oz fever dream that just happened before us. It wasn’t just maximalism of just more is more. It was maximalism of the brain, maximalism of the of the soul. ‘Here is everything I think about when I close my eyes.’” — Theater Producer Jordan Roth
Left, Jordon Roth attends the 2022 Met Gala in Thom Browne, Getty Images; Right, Valentino Spring 2025 Couture, Photo by Launchmetrics Spotlight for The Impression.
Theatre producer Jordan Roth is fearless, bold, and theatrical. He often incorporates high-fashion couture and dramatic elements. Roth is known for pushing boundaries and expressing himself through fashion, with a strong focus on visual impact and storytelling through his clothing choices.
There’s no question that if he loves something, he will find a place and a way to wear it. Because Jordan waxed poetic about Valentino, you’ll see him wear many of Alessandro Michele’s designs in the future. Quite frankly, this collection had Roth’s name written all over it.
Latest Comments:
Fascinating article–fascinating man! Thanks, Marilyn!
Love my portrait Thank you Michel Haddi!!!!
Such a fun and bold take on fashion! Love how this collection brings a fresh, playful energy to the scene.
Beautifully written with fashion, identity, and branding intelligence!
You beautifully, tastefully, and rightfully said it all. I do think Melania’s Adviser Herve Pierre influences her choices.
Fascinating article–fascinating man! Thanks, Marilyn!
Love my portrait Thank you Michel Haddi!!!!
Such a fun and bold take on fashion! Love how this collection brings a fresh, playful energy to the scene.
Beautifully written with fashion, identity, and branding intelligence!
You beautifully, tastefully, and rightfully said it all. I do think Melania’s Adviser Herve Pierre influences her choices.