Elle Fanning’s Red Carpet Style: Evolution and Iconic Moments
Elle Fanning has been on red carpets since childhood, and her style has grown up in public. What has stayed the same is a taste for romance: embroidery, florals, vintage references and silhouettes that look like they come from fairy tales. These are the key moments in her red carpet evolution, from teenage runway looks to her first Oscar nomination.
The early years: Rodarte, Valentino and Miu Miu
Fanning’s first big fashion moment came at the New York premiere of Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere in 2010, when she wore a golden Rodarte dress from the label’s spring 2011 runway. It was her first full runway look, at the age of 13. The following year she went to the Met Gala in Valentino couture: a mini skirt, sheer lace top and black bolero.
Rodarte came back for the 2013 Met Gala with a tie-dyed dress from the fall 2013 collection. In 2012 she wore a 1970s-inspired Miu Miu pantsuit in blue and purple to the Ginger & Rosa premiere. That was an early sign that she was willing to go beyond pretty dresses.
The fairy-tale era
Playing Princess Aurora in Maleficent in 2014 fit her style well. At the film’s premiere she wore a light blue, off-the-shoulder Elie Saab couture gown, and for a reception she chose an embroidered cream Georges Hobeika gown with a flower crown. When the sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, premiered in 2019, she wore an olive green Gucci gown with silk flowers and crystal embroidery.
Cannes, her biggest stage
The Cannes Film Festival has produced many of her most memorable looks. In 2016 she wore a Zuhair Murad gown with an exposed cage and embroidered flowers. In 2017 she chose a purple Rodarte dress.
In 2019 she served on the festival’s competition jury, and one outfit stood out: a Dior look based on the house’s 1947 New Look and Bar suit, with a structured jacket, a full navy tulle skirt and a hat. It was a clear example of her approach of taking a historical silhouette and making it feel current. Later Cannes appearances included blush-pink Armani Privé in 2022, a custom Alexander McQueen dress in 2023 and a fitted Armani Privé gown in 2025.
The Gucci connection
Gucci has been one of her most frequent choices. Looks from the house include a pink ruffled dress with a mossy green velvet ribbon at The Neon Demon New York premiere in 2016, a completely sheer black gown with gathered tulle at the 2021 LACMA Art + Film Gala, and sequinned pinstripe trousers with a sheer ivory blouse at the 2022 SAG Awards. At the 2026 Golden Globes she wore custom Gucci with white and periwinkle floral details.
Corsets, lace and the Met Gala
Her Met Gala looks have played with references. For 2019’s “Camp” theme she wore a Miu Miu look inspired by I Dream of Jeannie, with a chiffon cape. In 2023 she wore a white lace dress with a black jacket by Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood. Vivienne Westwood also dressed her for the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards in a corset dress with pearl details, styled by her longtime stylist Samantha McMillen.
Awards season 2026: vintage and wisteria
Fanning’s 2026 awards season, when she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, pulled her style together. At the Critics’ Choice Awards she wore an archival gold Ralph Lauren dress from fall 2003. For the Oscars she chose a white strapless Givenchy gown by Sarah Burton with wisteria embroidery hand-stitched across the bodice in blue, pink, silver and lilac silk threads. She paired it with a 1903 Cartier wisteria necklace. Fanning said the motif was inspired by a wisteria trellis at her childhood home.
What defines her style
Across 15 years, a few elements keep coming back: historical silhouettes updated with modern fabrics, florals and embroidery, soft color, and a willingness to wear archive and couture pieces. Her looks rarely rely on shock. Their impact comes from craftsmanship and a clear point of view, which is why so many of them still hold up years later.
