Thunderbolts* star Florence Pugh isn't merely a fan of the naked dress trend. She's a pioneer in the form of wearing sheer, exposed, and all-around bare pieces. Her innovations now include a stomach cut-out gown for the April 22 London premiere of her latest Marvel Comics Universe (MCU) outing.
Pugh was the neon yellow carpet's hero in a couture gown by Elie Saab, styled by Rebecca Corbin Murray. She channeled her Marvel alter-ego, assassin Yelena Belova, through a Black Widow color palette set with semi-sheer black lace, in lieu of a cape and a skintight catsuit. Smatterings of black beads embroidered the corseted bodice, while a peek-a-boo window revealed a slice of her stomach beneath the transparent black fabric. This is naked dressing 3.0: It wasn't completely see-through, and the skin-baring cut-outs neatly juxtaposed all the volume of her long black train. (So long, she could have hid the rest of her character's anti-hero cohort underneath it.)
Pugh accented her high-volume dress with fine jewelry by Ara Vartanian, a designer specializing in responsibly-sourced gemstones. Her beauty beat also took swings like a superhero heading into her final battle. Hairstylist Hyungsun Ju slicked her lob back with gel, creating a wet-effect look with flipped ends. Alex Babsky brought sizzling eye makeup, defined by sharp winged eyeliner and a swipe of neon orange eyeshadow. The jolt of high-fashion energy extended all the way to her fingertips, where manicurist Michelle Class painted natural, glossy nails to contrast the star's bright makeup.
Hours before the premiere, Pugh shared a snap of her hectic premiere-day prep with her Instagram followers. "Racing around town as fast as my clackers can go, hair is constantly flapping in my face," she wrote in a characteristically candid caption. The star didn't share a look at her Elie Saab gown there, but fans could guess she would wear something sheer and lingerie inspired.
Pugh and Corbin-Murray often embrace the actress's form with naked dresses in all cuts, colors, and forms. One day, she'll wear a sheer Rodarte dress set with an oversize rosette; the next, she'll champion getting transparent with a cut-out Stella McCartney mini. Each piece is selected in celebration of Pugh exactly as she is.
Some onlookers have questioned her no-holds-barred approach to dressing, such as with the viral pink Valentino gown she wore to the designer's 2022 front row in Rome. But the actress has taken those moments as an invitation to double-down on her personal style. "If I'm happy in it, then I'm gonna wear it," the actress told Vogue in a 2023 cover story. "Of course, I don't want to offend people, but I think my point is: How can my nipples offend you that much?"
