'Pink goes well with with green.' Whether or not you agree, thanks to the Wicked press tour, you’ve no doubt seen a lot of that colour combination over the past few months. Pink and green, and green and pink and repeat: the promo for the wildly anticipated film adaptation of the hit musical has seen leads Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande – who take the roles of Elphaba and Glinda – wholeheartedly commit to the theme in Hollywood’s latest method dressing extravaganza.
You’d hope the actors like the colours, because that’s what they’ve been wearing for coming up to a year now; on presenting duties at the Oscars back in March, they both leaned into their characters’ aesthetic, Erivo in emerald leather Louis Vuitton and Grande in bon-bon pink Giambattista Valli. Those looks set the tone for the next few months, which would go on to take in teal brocade Marc Jacobs, deconstructed Kelly green and grey Erdem tailoring, a knockout Louis Vuitton apple green vinyl dress with shaggy stole (all Erivo); and iridescent Versace, Thom Browne fit-and-flare baby pink gingham, and frothy pink-cheeked Vivienne Westwood (all Grande).
But is the method dressing moment good fun or is it, like one franchise instalment too many, beginning to wear thin? The answer is a bit of both. It makes sense commercially – those thematic looks are easy news bait and, therefore, a brilliant publicity tool – but for the bored-of-all-this brigade it can read thirsty and gimmicky.
Barbie might be credited for kickstarting method dressing mania, but while the Margot Robbie vehicle might have turned it into a formidable revenue stream, she wasn’t the first to embrace simpatico styling. See, for instance, Halle Bailey’s rotation of glistening wet-look blues and beading for the Little Mermaid tour, Jenna Ortega’s preppy grumpy-goth-glamour for Wednesday and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice duties, and the Oscar de la Renta cat dress that Zoë Kravitz wore for 2022’s The Batman premiere.
A paradigm of the genre was ‘image architect’ Law Roach-curated Zendaya Challengers looks, which served up a high fashion take on the tennis theme. But that wasn’t even the first time they’d done it – see the major, vintage (A/W ’96) Thierry Mugler robot suit she wore to the Dune: Part Two London premiere or the sheer spider’s web Valentino gown taken for a spin at the 2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home LA premiere. (Side note: google queen of method dressing Madonna’s Evita-era looks.)
The success of a method dressing tourdrobe is down to A) how well it is done and B) the genre and tone of film being promoted (should she bag an Oscar nomination for Lee this year we don’t, for instance, need to see Kate Winslet in WWII cosplay). One of the (many) problems with Blake Lively’s beleaguered It Ends With Us promo blitz was that her repetitive commitment to florals (she plays a florist) felt disrespectful to the serious theme of domestic abuse that the film claimed to be exploring. The effect? Wilted.
Still, when it is done right, there is something refreshingly frank about the theatrics of a method dressed tour. With or without a ‘theme’ red carpets are meticulously planned affairs – from lucrative designer deals to plays for column inches and bankability – so why not bring some entertainment to it? And it works for Wicked because it amplifies the tight friendship that Erivo and Grande have developed. The looks would have bombed – and got the wrong type of headines – if one of them was in Oz regalia and the other minimal tailoring. By both going for it, they’re showing they’re in it together.
Still, one should note that some of the best looks from the Wicked tour are the least obvious ones, the ones true stans might get but that the casually interested won’t – notice the edging out of pink and green for the European premiere (Erivo in sculptural black Schiaparelli and Grande in sherbet yellow tulle Ralph Lauren – a reference to a look from the Broadway show).
And a gentle reminder: for a star to make an impact on a press tour, they’re not obliged to go full fancy dress – there’s still a place for individualism and leaving the work on screen (note Taylor Russell on the Bones And All tour, or Emma Corrin’s freaky-fab get-ups when they were promoting their turn as Princess Diana in The Crown). Still, the immersive tourdrobe might not be hanging up its ruby slippers just yet – Wicked Part Two is coming next November.
Keep scrolling to see some of the iconic Wicked red carpet looks by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
See: The Best Of Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo's Wicked Outfits
Wicked Premiere in Mexico:
For the Wicked Premiere in Mexico, Elphaba's Thom Browne glam is so good it looked scary. In contrast, going for demure, Glinda wore custom Atelier Versace.
Wicked Premiere in Los Angeles:
The essence of Elphaba and Glinda; Grande wore soft pink Thom Browne and Erivo, bright latex green custom Louis Vuitton.
Wicked Premiere in Sydney:
This has to be our favourite look from the duo. Grande in her most Glinda ensemble yet stepped out in a baby pink ballgown from Vivienne Westwood, accessorising with a Lorraine Schwartz butterfly-shaped choker encrusted with diamonds. Going for total witch, Erivo leaned into black, wearing a sculptural strapless gown from Louis Vuitton.
WSJ Magazine 2024 Innovator Awards:
Erivo went for a crystal-embellished Erdem look, while Grande continued her Vivienne Westwood love affair.
Filmmakers Screening of Wicked:
Both stars often intertwine contemporary with character-inspired elements, a clever blend of performance art and personal style. Exhibit A.
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures 4th Annual Gala
Erivo wore a custom green bedazzled Louis Vuitton gown, perfectly embodying the essence of Elphaba, while Grande went for a 1963 polka dot dress from Balmain.
Met Gala
Elphaba in pink? Yes but it works. Erivo wore Thom Browne and Grande stepped out in Loewe.
Paris Olympics
This look was so 1950s Paris - Grande went for pastel glamour, while Erivo opted for an emerald aesthetic.
Cinema Con
For Cinema Con, both stars went playful to match the occasion. Erivo wore Versace and Grande went for a literal flower Oscar de la Renta dress.
Oscars
For the Oscars, the pair turned the stage into their personal Oz. Grande wore a strapless Giambattista Valli gown, the voluminous, puffed sleeves perfectly capturing the essence of the so-called Good Witch. In contrast, Erivo’s Louis Vuitton leather gown was both edgy and bold.
Renee Washington, Grazia's Digital Fashion and Beauty Assistant, lives online. With a penchant for wispy lashes and streetwear, she writes about the worlds of fashion and beauty from the viewpoint of the modern fashion girlie.
Image credits - Getty Images