For the past three decades, Nicole Kidman has turned heads on the red carpet with bold sartorial statements. Sharp tailored suits, sequined column gowns, tiers and tiers of ruffles—you name it, she’s done it, and with aplomb. The actress, who can be seen on HBO’s Big Little Lies and became a quarantine-era sensation for her dramatic role as Grace Fraser on The Undoing, is at her best when fully embracing a truly daring fashion moment. Case in point: the now iconic John Galliano for Christian Dior Haute Couture dress, done in chartreuse silk and trimmed in mink. Relive the best of the best from Nicole Kidman’s red carpet fashion over the years.
Va-va-voom is right. Kidman brought the heat for the New York City premiere of Expats in a backless custom Versace dress that featured a pretty hefty side slit.
Naked dressing doesn’t have to be raunchy—as evidenced here by Kidman’s demure Fendi couture dress that she slipped into for an Expats screening.
2023: Omega Exhibition Opening
For an Omega event in New York City, Kidman provided an extremely elegant twist on the bow trend with a monochrome Balenciaga look.
2023: Country Music Awards
Kidman literally hit all the right notes at the 2023 Country Music Awards with this cut-out Coperni dress complete with a percussion instrument that doubled as a closure.
2023: Kering Caring For Women Dinner
Kidman topped off her Balenciaga bow dress with one big ribbon across her waist during the 2023 Kering Caring For Women Dinner.
2023: Special Ops: Lioness Premiere
Kidman flashed a bit of skin at the Special Ops: Lioness premiere in a black Saint Laurent dress that she matched with sheer opera gloves.
2023: Academy of Country Music Awards
While supporting hubby Keith Urban at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards, Kidman put a daring spin on Chanel’s classic tweed suiting with a bedazzled burnt orange version. She opted to let the jacket take center stage by not wearing a shirt underneath.
Kidman pulled off what may have been on the biggest fashion swerves in Met Gala history at the 2023 edition honoring the legacy of the late Karl Lagerfeld. She showed up in a custom Chanel Couture gown that Lagerfeld had designed specifically for her to wear in her iconic Chanel No. 5 commercial.
Kidman opted for a leg-baring Giorgio Armani Privé gown at the 2023 Academy Awards.
2022: The Northman Premiere
Kidman opted for Prada at the premiere of her film The Northman, but the particular shade of chartreuse couldn’t help but conjure images of a particularly famous Dior dress she wore to the 1997 Oscars that’s waiting for you down below.
At the 2022 Oscars, Kidman again wore Armani Privé and had the dress custom dyed in a specific shade of delicate blue. “I was like, ‘I really want to wear blue.’ So this was the color; They made this color,” she told E! News.
2022: Screen Actors Guild Awards
Kidman looked gorgeous in this Saint Laurent column dress with long sleeves and a collar detail.
2021: Being the Ricardos Australia Premiere
For the third premiere of Being the Ricardos, Kidman went for a more festive look in a patterned, Etro dress.
2021: Being the Ricardos Los Angeles Premiere
Kidman went full Hollywood glam for the LA premiere of Being the Ricardos in a taupe tulle ballgown from Armani Privé.
2021: Being the Ricardos New York Premiere
Kidman wore a vintage-inspired Chanel fall/winter 2021/22 couture dress for the first Being the Ricardos premiere in December 2021.
Supporting husband Keith Urban at the 55th annual Country Music Association awards on November 10, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee, Kidman stunned in a bold, black Saint Laurent gown with dramatic, graphic cutouts and one very angled shoulder. She punctuated her look with chunky gold bracelets.
Kidman wore a jaw-dropping red Atelier Versace gown paired with simple jewelry and a gold bag at the 2020 Golden Globes.
2020: Critics Choice Awards
The actress chose an old favorite in a black strapless Armani Privé gown for the Critics Choice Awards in 2020.
Old Hollywood glam at the 2020 SAG Awards.
2019: GQ Men of the Year Awards
The actress was a chic riot of metallic and florals wearing Ralph & Russo Couture in 2019.
2019: Big Little Lies Season 2 Premiere
A feather and sequin one-two punch at HBO’s Big Little Lies season 2 premiere in New York, 2019.
Although Kidman’s Armani Privé gown turned heads at the 2018 SAG Awards, it was her acceptance speech imploring Hollywood to support women’s stories in films that made headlines that year.
In an Armani Privé showstopper at the 2018 Oscars.
2018: Toronto International Film Festival
Experimenting with menswear at the Destroyer premiere during the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.
2017: Top of the Lake: China Girl Premiere
Wearing a signature Zuhair Murad couture silhouette at the premiere of Top of the Lake: China Girl in Sydney, Australia, August 2017.
2017: Big Little Lies FYC Event
Nicole Kidman in Proenza Schouler at the Big Little Lies FYC event in Los Angeles, July 2017.
Never one to shy away from a daring look, Kidman wore lacy Off-White at the 2017 CMT awards in Nashville.
2017: The Beguiled Premiere
Kidman loves a romantic floral—and was especially radiant in Carolina Herrera at the premiere of The Beguiled in Los Angeles in 2017.
2017: CFDA Fashion Awards
Taking Oscar de la Renta to the next level at the 2017 CFDA Fashion Awards.
2017: Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic
A more casual Alessandra Rich look for the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in New York, 2017.
In Chanel couture at the amfAR Gala in Cannes, 2017.
2017: Cannes Film Festival
The actress is a favorite at Michael Kors, which she wore to The Beguiled screening during the Cannes Film Festival in 2017.
2017: Cannes Film Festival
Wearing Armani Privé at the 70th anniversary celebration for the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
2017: Cannes Film Festival
Nicole Kidman in Calvin Klein By Appointment at the premiere of The Killing of a Sacred Deer at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
2017: Academy of Country Music Awards
Kidman opted for a floral Alexander McQueen gown at the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards in 2017.
A Gucci moment, sequined parrots and all, at the 2017 SAG Awards.
2017: Golden Globe Awards
The Australian actress went for drama in Alexander McQueen at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.
Kidman wore daring Atelier Versace to the 2016 InStyle Awards.
2015: Crystal + Lucy Awards.
Shimmering in a black Dior club look for the Women In Film 2015 Crystal + Lucy Awards.
A standout sequin dress at the 2015 Academy Awards.
2014: Cannes Film Festival
A princess moment at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.
2014: Paddington Premiere
Kidman made an umbrella a must-have accessory at the world premiere of Paddington in London, 2014.
In corseted black at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards.
2012: Cannes Film Festival
Radiant in rose pink at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012.
Skintight Versace at the 2012 Golden Globes.
2011: Country Music Awards
A long, sequined column upped the glitz factor at the 2011 Country Music Awards.
Ornate ruffles at the 2011 Grammy Awards.
Strapless and structured at the Academy Awards in 2011.
A slightly goth look at the 2011 SAG Awards.
Pale yellow sequins at the 2011 Golden Globe Awards.
Kidman shows black doesn’t equal basic by layering on diamond necklaces at the Academy Awards in Hollywood, California on February 24, 2008.
At the 62nd Annual Golden Globe awards in 2005, Kidman wore Gucci in a daring teal hue, which was offset with peacock feather accents.
For the 76th Annual Academy Awards in 2004, Kidman went for icy blue and strapless.
Taking home Oscar gold in 2003 wearing an asymmetrical black gown by Jean Paul Gaultier.
Later that year, Kidman selected Tom Ford for Gucci at one of her many Met Gala appearances.
More ruffles, this time in a lovely lavender hue, in 2003.
Kidman was an early adopter of the formal choker, wearing a black version to the Golden Globes in 2002.
A golden goddess moment in cascading metallic ruffles and matching fingerless gloves—one of her famed Dior looks from the 2000 Oscars.
1999: Eyes Wide Shut Premire
Baring her midriff at the premiere of Eyes Wide Shut in Los Angeles, 1999.
The actress stunned in John Galliano for Dior at the 1997 Academy Awards.
Accepting her Golden Globe in a slightly bridal strapless gown in 1996.
1995: Batman Forever Los Angeles Premiere
Kidman donned shimmering sequins for the Batman Forever Los Angeles premiere in 1995.
Kidman paired an eggplant purple velvet mini with sheer stockings.
Another pair of sheer tights, this time with a power red skirt suit.
With Tom Cruise in a two-toned suit and wild curls in 1992.
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