Alessandro Michel only has a few collections under his belt at Valentino so far, but it’s safe to say that Elle Fanning is already quite the fan of his work. The A Complete Unknown actress attended the 2025 National Board of Review Gala yesterday in a dreamy look from the newly-minted Valentino designer.
Fanning slipped into a tiered baby-doll dress from the Italian brand’s recent pre-fall 2025 collection. The piece featured a bow-trimmed purple bodice that flowed into a layered nude skirt designed with a ruffle hemline. Fanning paired her spaghetti strap number with a faux fur top coat worn loosely over her shoulders. A ruby ring and matching cuff bracelet by Cartier completed the actress’s look.
While it might be too early in Alessandro Michele’s tenure at Valentino to tell, all signs point to Fanning establishing herself as one of the Italian’s first muses. At the 2024 Governors Awards in November, the actress was one of the first to bring Michele’s Valentino to the red carpet. She wore a sheer mint green dress and matching cape from the designer’s debut runway show which he staged at Paris Fashion Week back this past September.
Those who closely follow Fanning’s red carpet style know that the actress usually prefers either actual vintage or custom looks that are referential to bygone eras when she hits the red carpet. At Sunday’s Golden Globes alone, she wore an Olivier Rousteing for Balmain confection inspired by a 1953 couture collection before slipping into Galliano-era Dior during an after party.
Perhaps that’s exactly why Fanning is so drawn to Michele’s work, which often blends elements from several decades all into one, at Valentino. And with a busy awards season ahead, don’t be shocked if Fanning and her stylist Samantha McMillen call up Michele a few more times between now and the Oscars in March.
