Emerald City Glamour: ‘Wicked’ Premiere Fashion
So many thoughts on Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s yellow/black/green carpet style.
Much like the celebrated movie musical taking the world by storm, I had too many thoughts on Wicked for just one installment. So! I am back in your inboxes with a second newsletter, which dives into the (phenomenal) press tour fashion worn by stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
If you haven’t already, check out my earlier Wicked deep dive, where I revisited the musical’s roots. I was delighted with this refresher, in large part because evaluating thoughtful fashion — in the spirit of SMT — is always best when you have a solid grasp on the source material. The newsletter looks at how the movie came to be, how the stars landed their roles, and all the thought that went into the costumes. I hope it is helpful context, a foundation from which to appreciate the outfits discussed below.
The Wicked promotional tour has been a months-long style journey of its own. Method dressing, the phrase for channeling one’s character through clothing, is not a new red carpet strategy. But in our hyper-visual social media age, the concept has kicked up several notches. Stars now carry the idea through an extensive series of appearances. Zendaya and her stylist, Law Roach, were early on this trend in her appearances for 2017’s The Greatest Showman. Margot Robbie’s Barbie press tour fashion, styled by Andrew Mukamal, thrust the approach into the mainstream lexicon with super literal recreations of the doll’s looks.
The Wicked team let us know months ago that fashion was a key part of the hype-building equation. Erivo and Grande turned up in sequin jackets (one green, one pink, naturally) at the Super Bowl for the first look at the trailer. The pair hit every major fashion moment this year, from the Oscars to the Met Gala, even the Olympics, in stunning looks. Massive shoutout to their stylists for never missing; Erivo works with Jason Bolden and Grande with Mimi Cuttrell. And kudos to the Universal promotional team. By inserting the stars into the cultural conversation this way, it felt like a drip, drip, drip to remind us all: Wicked is coming.
These last few weeks, however, have felt more like a deluge. Wicked bucked the usual movie-release press strategy, doling out interviews strategically. Instead, it took a more-is-more approach, with Erivo and Grande graciously taking part in so many interviews and photo shoots that I lost track. The endless amounts of merch feels that way too, which Erich Schwartzel details in Wall Street Journal here. (How about this quote from the chief marketing officer: “We’re going to be just short of obnoxious.”)
While not one for all the stuff, I have been extremely into the fashion. Because it was so damn good! It is hard enough to put together a handful of looks, let alone this many — and all with at least a nod to their on-screen characters. Erivo channeled Elphaba in a series of mostly black, green and white looks, leaning heavily on texture and volume. Grande invoked Glinda and her bubble with light and airy looks in primarily pink and white.
One moment I’m obsessed with: Grande turned up at a New York screening at the end of October — the event that unofficially kicked off the big press push — in an ivory Atelier Versace vest and full skirt. It’s a great ‘fit on its own, but it’s so much better when you recognize the inspiration. Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the role of Glinda on Broadway, wore a very similar costume on stage for her character’s arrival at Shiz University. Topping it off: Grande carried a Versace bag from the new Medusa ‘95 collection, using hardware the brand debuted in 1995 — the year the book Wicked was published. Talk about GOOD.
Let’s connect some more fashion dots, shall we? In the interest of time and space, I picked the biggest moments to evaluate. So many thoughts below on Erivo and Grande’s outfits for each of the five premieres — Sydney, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, and London. To quote Dorothy Gale: Oh MY.
Did you have a favorite Wicked press tour style moment? Click below to share in the comments.
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So Many Thoughts on Wicked Premiere Fashion
