Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Still Method Dressing for ‘Wicked’

CNN
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While some may be getting tired of celebrity method dressing — the styling phenomenon where actors match their red carpet attire to their latest movie role — character-based fashion shows show no signs of stopping.

Last year, Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal ensured that the press tour for Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster “Barbie” was peppered with thoughtful nods to historical doll costumes. In the run-up to the release of Luca Guadagnino’s erotic tennis drama “Challengers” this spring, star Zendaya wore an almost entirely white and lime green look — often adorned with literal tennis balls. Recently, while promoting “Joker: Folie à Deux” in London in September, Lady Gaga embraced the clownish style of her on-screen character, Harley Quinn, with a puff-sleeved Celine dress, blue eyeshadow. and streaked red and black hair.

Now it’s Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s turn. As part of the press tour for the cinematic version of the landmark musical production, “Wicked,” Erivo and Grande have apparently been banned from wearing colors other than green and pink, respectively.

At the Los Angeles premiere, Erivo arrived in a custom green vinyl dress by Louis Vuitton, complete with a matching tasseled silk chair. Grande stood by her side, Glinda to her Elphaba, in a baby pink Thom Browne gingham dress embellished with over 50,000 crystals. These are just the latest in a long line of wicked looks – a dress code that began over 7 months ago at the Oscars when the pair hit the red carpet in, you guessed it, green and pink. Since then, they’ve dutifully donned their respective shades at premieres, CinemaCon events, and even the Olympics.

American designer Thom Browne has created a number of Grande’s Glinda-inspired pieces, while Louis Vuitton is credited with at least three looks worn by Erivo. But while the commitment to their characters is impressive, some social media users have claimed that the marketing strategy has turned the red carpet into a month-long dress rehearsal. Erivo and Grande’s genuine sartorial personalities have been temporarily tossed aside to make way for full-on “Wicked” dominance, which dictates that the pair wear different iterations of the same look over and over again.

Perhaps, if we have reached the pinnacle of method dressing, the trend may evolve to become more subtle, playful and less restrictive. Celebrity stylists would be able to unleash their creativity and A-listers show their personality while still infusing ensembles with small moves for sharp-eyed enthusiasts.

Jonathan Bailey, who plays Prince Fiyero in “Wicked,” is already storming forward. For the weekend, he opted for a silver ring shirt, white slacks and a pair of ruby ​​red slip-on loafers. It was a stylistic message you couldn’t miss: even if he didn’t click his heels three times.