Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are still dressed to the nines for “Wicked.”

CNN
—

While some may be growing tired of celebrity dressing – the styling phenomenon in which actors match their red carpet attire to their latest film role – there’s no sign of character-based fashion shows stopping.

Last year, Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal ensured that the press tour for Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster “Barbie” was full of thoughtful references to period doll outfits. Ahead of the release of Luca Guadagnino’s erotic tennis drama “Challengers” this spring, star Zendaya wore almost exclusively white and lime green looks – often adorned with literal tennis balls. While promoting “Joker: Folie à Deux” in London this September, Lady Gaga adopted the clownish style of her on-screen character Harley Quinn with a larger-than-life, puff-sleeved Celine dress, blue eyeshadow and striped red-and-black hair.

Now it’s the turn of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. As part of the press tour for the theatrical version of the groundbreaking musical production “Wicked,” Erivo and Grande were apparently banned from wearing colors other than green and pink, respectively.

At the Los Angeles premiere, Erivo appeared in a custom green vinyl cut-out dress by Louis Vuitton, complete with a matching tasseled silk stole. Grande stood at her side, Glinda at her Elphaba, in a baby pink gingham dress by Thom Browne embellished with over 50,000 crystals. These are just the latest in a long line of Wicked looks — a dress code that began over seven months ago at the Oscars, when the couple hit the red carpet in, you guessed it, green and pink. Since then, they’ve dutifully worn their respective colors at premieres, CinemaCon events, and even the Olympics.

US designer Thom Browne has designed a number of Grande’s Glinda-inspired pieces, just as Louis Vuitton is credited with at least three looks worn by Erivo. But while the commitment to their characters is impressive, some social media users argue that the marketing strategy has turned the red carpet into a months-long dress rehearsal. Erivo and Grande’s true fashion personalities have been temporarily pushed aside to make way for total “Wicked” dominance, which dictates that the couple wear different versions of the same look over and over again.

As we reach the peak of method dressing, perhaps the trend could evolve to become more subtle, playful, and less restrictive. Celebrity stylists could get creative and A-listers show off their personalities while still adding little touches to the ensembles for discerning enthusiasts.

Jonathan Bailey, who plays Prince Fiyero in Wicked, is already charging ahead. For the weekend he opted for a silver chainmail shirt, white trousers and a pair of ruby ​​red loafers. It was a stylistic message that couldn’t be missed: even if he didn’t click his heels three times.