We’ve waded through endless tulle and storms of sequins this week. But beneath the spectacle, what we really saw was a lesson in storytelling.
As 'Wicked' finally arrives in theaters globally this month, the fashion world is taking a collective breath after witnessing perhaps the most committed, protracted, and thematically rigorous press tour in modern Hollywood history. For nearly a year, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande haven't just promoted a movie; they have inhabited a visual universe, turning every premiere and photo call into a live-action extension of Oz.
While method dressing, actors dressing in character on the red carpet had become the new normal ever since the 'Barbie' press tour of 2023, Erivo and Grande have elevated the concept into high art. They moved beyond mere cosplay into a sophisticated exploration of duality, using couture to map the emotional landscapes of their characters.
The Glinda Aesthetic: Archival Sweetness
Ariana Grande’s approach to Glinda the Good Witch was an exercise in disciplined etherealism. Guided by "Image Architect" Law Roach, her wardrobe was a deliberate rejection of the modern, leaning heavily into archival pieces that evoked a timeless, almost fairy-tale quality.
Her look was never just pink. It was bubblegum, blush, rose, and icy pastel, rendered in textures that defied gravity. The defining moment of the tour was the reliance on vintage, specifically an archival Givenchy (from the Alexander McQueen era) worn in Paris. It was a high-fashion flex that signaled this wasn't just costuming; it was fashion history.
Whether in custom Balenciaga or Giambattista Valli, the silhouettes were vast. Giant pannier skirts, enormous rosettes, and cloud-like tulle served to make Grande look diminutive, fragile, and almost untouchable, a perfect visual metaphor for Glinda's bubble-bound existence.
The Elphaba Aesthetic: Architectural Strength
If Grande was the cloud, Cynthia Erivo was the lightning bolt.
Styled by Jason Bolden, Erivo’s challenge was greater: How do you evoke the Wicked Witch of the West without resorting to Halloween clichés? The answer lay in structure, severe tailoring, and a color palette that moved beyond literal green into deep emeralds, onyx, and metallics.
Erivo utilized her athleticism to carry clothes that would swallow a lesser presence. The focus was on imposing shoulders and architectural shapes. The custom Louis Vuitton looks she favored throughout the tour used heavy fabrics and sharp lines to create armor, suggesting Elphaba’s defensive exterior. Instead of pointed hats, Bolden utilized avant-garde headwear and aggressive accessories, particularly with a custom Dior look in Mexico City, a black, hooded gown that felt monastic yet threatening.
The Visual Duet
The genius of the 'Wicked' press tour was not in the individual looks, impressive as they were, but in their juxtaposition. Erivo and Grande rarely matched; they counterbalanced. When they stood together on a red carpet, they created a vibrating visual tension representing the film's central conflict.
As the lyrics to the film's opening number suggest, "No one mourns the wicked," but in the case of this press tour, everyone will mourn the end of these red-carpet moments. They didn't just wear beautiful clothes; they used fashion to build a yellow brick road straight to the box office.
