The history of method dressing (aka themed press fits)

Image Credit: Original photographs by Getty Images via Pinterest, art by me.

Following the commotion of Zendaya’s Challengers press tour in collaboration with iconic stylist Law Roach, I’ve been thinking a lot about the evolution of press tours and the focus on outfits.

When did celebrities start dressing like their characters, or the overarching themes of films, and what are its origins? Has it always been Roach and Zendaya doing the most?

This week, we’re digging into the history of method dressing.

What is method dressing?

At its most basic, method dressing is described as actors’ real-life red carpet looks referencing their roles or overall aesthetics of a film being promoted.

When done correctly, the key to understanding this assignment is a nod to themes, palettes or distinct call outs – without being too on the nose and becoming costume-like.

In an interview with British Vogue, Roach explained his collaboration with Zendaya’s red carpet looks for Dune: Part Two as, “We adopted method dressing. The looks are an extension of the wardrobe from the movie. It was intentional and purposeful. I always try to be a storyteller more than anything else.”

Cosmo UK writer Melissa Parker explains method dressing as an actor’s version of an album era – think Beyoncé’s Lemonade or Renaissance album eras, or the many eras of Taylor Swift.

And celebrity stylist Leith Clark, who works with Rosamund Pike (Saltburn) and Keira Knightley, told Harper’s Bazaar, "Sometimes you want to celebrate a character, a feeling, or more general aesthetic from the film. But it comes more from a place of celebration and inspiration, rather than emulation."

It’s a fine line between emulation (think Barbie) and a nuanced take (Challengers, Dune).

And today, Zendaya is arguably the face of method dressing – but she’s not the first.

The origins

In a world without internet, tabloids or paparazzi, the red carpet first served as the only place screen stars could be seen in real life for an autograph outside the militant studio walls.

And in 1969, Barbra Streisand changed the game when she wore a see-through Scaasi pantsuit at the Oscars, starting the trend of celebs differentiating themselves on the red carpet.

Image Credit: Barbra with her Best Actress Award at the 1969 Oscars, Pinterest.

With the introduction of People Magazine in the 70s, celeb culture was starting to take off – and by the 90s Armani started courting actors and dressing them for events. And Joan and Melissa Rivers started asking stars on the red carpet “who are you wearing?”. 

Today, celebrities use the red carpet as a means to showcase their brand – to build presence, be taken seriously (or not), stir media conversations and now, drive clicks online.

While it seems like the trend of method dressing on a red carpet is relatively new, there are glimpses of actors dressing on theme before we may have realized what they were doing.  

The earliest documented example I could find is Geena Davis in 1992, with the premiere of A League of Their Own (a great movie also starring Tom Hanks, Madonna + Rosie O’Donnell if you’ve never seen.)

Image Credit: Geena Davis at the LA premiere of A League of Their Own in 1992 – Ron Galella via Getty Images

Here, Geena took the baseball theme quite literally, wearing a Nicole Miller dress with the stitching of a baseball – but if you think about it – is it that different from Zendaya’s couture dresses with tennis ball and racket nods?

In contrast, here is Zendaya’s most recent method whirlwind 32 years later – a custom Loewe gown with a screen grab from the film inserted across the dress. Brilliant.

Image Credit: Zendaya in custom Loewe for the Challengers premiere, Brendon Thorne via Getty Images.

But the first time I remember someone dressing outside of their typical style and in theme was Blake Lively’s press tour for A Simple Favor, who also notoriously does not work with a stylist. She wore a pant suit to every single event while promoting the film in 2018.

Image Credit: Blake Lively for Simple Favor in 2018, via People/Pinterest.

However – there are earlier documented examples, though usually fairly subtle in comparison to today.

Image Credit: Angelina Jolie is credited with dressing on theme throughout promotion for Maleficent in 2014, Frazer Harrison via Getty Images.

Image Credit: Cara Delevinge for the 2017 premiere of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, in a futuristic-inspired gown by Iris van Herpen.

Image Credit: ScarJo and Brie Larson both made commotion at the 2019 premiere of Avengers: Endgame, for wearing acessories referencing the film. Here, ScarJo is wearing six rings that were the same stones in Thanos’ Infinity gauntlet, Albert Ortega via Getty Images.

And it is reported Zendaya first really leaned into method dressing in 2017 with her looks for The Greatest Showman.

Image Credit: Just one of many press outfits for this film, it is reported Roach and Zendaya chose this Moschino grown because it captured the circus at the centre of The Greatest Showman in 2017, Bustle.

Storytelling thru fashion

And while the Roach + Zendaya may not have been the first to do this approach, they are undeniably doing it on a completely different level and have brought it into the mainstream.

Notably, Z has often described Roach as her Creative Director in the past – how the looks he curates go well beyond fashion.

And this relationship speaks to Roach’s role and importance in helping to craft Zendaya’s career to stardom. Roach explained his approach in an interview with the Cut, which I encourage you to read.

Stylists play a crucial role in building presence for artists, and Roach helped transform Z’s image from a Disney child actress by increasing her carpet appearances, and intentionally styling her in outfits other big names were wearing to spark conversations and get her noticed. It worked.

And if Roach’s success in the Z re-brand is any indication, his brilliance and dominance continues to be apparent with the explosion of the method dressing trend.

The duo are credited with driving this trend through the Dune and Spider-Man: No Way Home press tours in 2021 – both massively shared on social.

It can be seen as a tool to win over audiences before a film even been released – with actors becoming even further ambassadors, blending the boundaries between actor and character.

And Vogue even cited that following The Little Mermaid premiere with Halle Bailey, ‘mermaidcore’ searches on Pinterest rose 614 per cent.

Image Credit: Halle Bailey at The Little Mermaid premiere in custom Valdrin Sahiti, Harper’s Bazaar.

Understanding the assignment

Here are some of my favourite most recent method dressing moments:

Image Credit: Carey Mulligan wearing Balenciaga at the 2024 Oscars, a recreation of an original design from 1951. It’s reported that throughout her press tour, she’s been wearing beautiful 1950s vintage replicas inspired by the decade the film is set, Harper’s Bazaar.

Image Credit: Zendaya in the iconic archival Mugler bodysuit for the Dune: Part Two London premiere, Jeff Spicer via Getty Images.

Image Credit: Playing Christian Dior’s sister in Apple’s new series The New Look, Maisie Williams has been channeling her character throughout the press tour, this time wearing Dior in a 1940s silhouette – the same decade in which the series takes place.

Close

While in the past some actors used the red carpet to avoid being associated with their characters, today the outfits are becoming walking billboards for promotion – giving designers and stylists the opportunity to bring a new sense of creativity.

Personally, I’m all in for method dressing, and it makes the entire event itself more exciting than the film (which I’ll probably never watch tbh).

After Barbie took the internet by storm and the Challengers press junket still producing articles, listicles and videos – it doesn’t seem like the method dressing trend is going to be going away anytime soon. Only raising the bar for designers alike.

Though some online believe it has nowhere left to run – and method dressing will be over soon enough.

But for my PR girl brain, it’ll continue as long as it serves both literally and as a tool to drive traffic.

Much like the integrated PR campaign the fashion weeks provides (you can read more on that here), so too does this new era of method dressing – allowing celebs to better connect to fans, and sell their films while offering social content for viral moments and online conversations.

Until next time,

-       TSH

Sources: Vogue, Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, Vogue Australia, Harper’s Bazaar, Numero Magazine, Cosmopolitan UK, Blavity, Today