We are lucky enough to be experiencing a renaissance of new-gen style stars, as Zendaya, Taylor Russell, and Hunter Schafer leave us speechless every time they attend a premiere or award show. Right alongside them, is Elle Fanning, who has been on the red carpet longer than any of her contemporaries, and therefore has had two decades to perfect her look. And boy, has she been making good use of that time. Fanning has always been one to watch, fashion-wise. From the beginning, the actress gravitated toward feminine silhouettes and colors, often attending events in floral and ruffle-covered dresses. Over the past few years, however, Fanning has really found her footing, opting for a more vintage tilt, either with actual archive pieces or recreations. The result is always intriguing and nostalgic, a nice change of pace against the onslaught of straight-off-the-runway designs. But just when you think Fanning is going to turn up in another cinched waist gown, she mixes it up and opts for a tailored suit or ab-bearing ensemble. With brands like Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and Rodarte in her back corner, it’s a given that no matter what direction Fanning opts to go in, it will be a successful one. So, in honor of her 26th birthday, we’re looking back on 20 years of great fashion, from her days as Dakota’s premiere groupie to her Cannes takeover.
Fanning loves to embrace a vintage look, and it’s not rare for the actress to dip into some archives for a special occasion. For the Golden Globes, she achieved one of her best pulls to date, attending the award show in a strapless, ivory vintage Pierre Balmain dress that turned Fanning into a modern-day Grace Kelly.
The actress’ strapless dress from The Row’s resort 2024 collection meant she could show off her faux tattoos, applied for her debut Broadway performance in Appropriate.
Fanning is arguably the new generation Cannes queen, and if you don’t agree, you might after a scroll through some of her best looks. But really, this custom Alexander McQueen dress the actress wore to the festival’s opening red carpet in 2023 should be enough to prove the point.
Like many attendees of the 2023 Met Gala, Fanning paid homage to Karl Lagerfeld with her look. The actress wore a design by Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, which turned her into a Chanel bride. On top of the white lace dress, however, she placed a little black jacket, a reference to her appearance in Lagerfeld’s book, Little Black Jacket, when she was just 13.
2022: Cannes Film Festival; Top Gun: Maverick Premiere
If Fanning knows how to do anything, it’s to deliver a glamorous Cannes moment, and in 2022, this blush pink Armani Privé dress aided greatly in that endeavor.
Elle and Dakota gave a thumbs up at The Santa Clause 2 premiere in their coordinating, embroidered denim looks.
