While she’s been a silver screen mainstay for years, Elle Fanning wasn’t on my red carpet radar until recently. Her slew of appearances for the A Complete Unkown press tour certified her in my mind as one of the best-dressed A-listers, and her look on the 2025 Golden Globe red carpet has only cemented her on that list for the year ahead.
Fanning, who was not nominated at this year’s ceremony but was there to support the film, wore a champagne-hued gown with cheetah-printed accents by Balmain. She worked with longtime stylist Samantha McMillen to craft the perfect ensemble to kick off awards season. The duo has become known for their refreshingly retro fashion moments, and this look is no different. Her jewels—which were also feline-themed—came from Cartier.
The younger Fanning sister has become equally synonymous with pared-back beauty looks. See: her glass-like skin at the 2024 Met Gala and the timeless, simple blonde bob haircut she debuted at the Cannes Film Festival that very same month. Tonight’s makeup look included a matte red lip with flushed pink cheeks and a strong cat wing. Her hair was fashioned into a sleek low bun with a side-swooshed part. A teeny pin fastened right at the top of the bun completed the look. The retro-inspired look was perfect for the movie she's here to support.
While her older sister, Dakota, is nominated at this year’s ceremony for her work in Netflix’s Ripley, Elle has three prior nominations of her own—all in the Best Performance by an "Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy" category—for her portrayal of Catherine The Great in Hulu’s The Great.
The star dipped a toe into the method dressing pool while promoting the series by going for regal looks that matched her character’s fashion (and real) royalty status. To celebrate her nomination at the 2024 Golden Globes, Fanning earned a spot on the best-dressed list in an archival Balmain look from 1960. The cream-colored tea-length frock was accented with matching pointed-toe pumps and diamond-encrusted jewelry courtesy of Cartier. It's clearly a winning combination, considering she's worn the duo yet again for this year's event.
Fanning received her first-ever Globes nomination in 2021 when stars eschewed the red carpet IRL to beam in over Zoom. Never one to miss on a chance to get fully dressed up—even if all at-home viewers could see was the look from the waist up—Fanning opted to don a light blue Gucci gown for the occasion. Her second nomination came in 2022 when the Globes were held privately.
After that evening's ceremony, Fanning posted photos of the entire look on her Instagram. The actress showed off the gown’s floaty silhouette and her selection of Fred Leighton jewels in the statuesque images, paying special thanks to Gucci’s then-creative director, Alessandro Michele, in her caption. “I heart @gucci forever!” she gushed.
